PART XIV

"Hand her over!"

"Nobody touches my Princess!"

"Your Princess? She belongs to no-one. Now, hand her over, or in the name of the Light Warriors we will strike you down."

"Light Warriors?"

"We bear the four orbs of Light. We will use their power if we must. Stand down."

"You impertinent fools!"

"Surrender!"

The voices echoed in Vivli's head loudly. They were like hearing the actual words being spoken, not just imagination. What's this about, she thought, rubbing her temples from the headache they were causing. She had a feeling it was related to her dark feeling about Garland, some form of fear deep inside her. She couldn't place it.

She sighed. They were still trekking through the rocky canyons leading to Jeuno. Just rocks, rocks and more rocks. Even the last trees had faded from view.

"Their called Shadow Dragons." Garland explained, in mid-conversation. "Made purely of the lethal magic of the dark God Uggalepih."

"Boy, he's been busy lately." Bootus sighed.

"More than you know." Garland replied. "More and more creatures born of his magic are cropping up. I've dedicated my life recently to fighting them."

"A strange profession for a dark knight." Zinkata said in admiration. Vivli grumbled. They were all too fast to trust this stranger.

"These are strange times." Garland replied, strolling along ahead of the party. Vivli saw a chance to get a jab in at Garland. She wanted to. He acted to 'perfect'. No flaws. She had one.

"How can you say that?" She asked, running to catch up. "Strange times? Why? Because we're in conflict? The world is always in conflict. From Chaos to the Shadow Lord, we're always fighting."

"Wow. Beauty and brains." Garland remarked. Vivli rose an eyebrow. She wasn't falling for it this time. "Where did you find her?" Garland turned to the others in awe.

"Finding her isn't the problem. Getting rid of her is." Bootus remarked with a smirk. For a moment, Vivli pondered whether her irrational distrust of Garland would be better directed at a larger, and more annoying target.

"You certainly have a point," Garland conceded, "I forgot to think of the big picture. You are, of course right, we are always in conflict with something or someone. It's our nature I suppose." Vivli smiled. She had won.

Dammit! her mind suddenly screamed as she realised Garland was again just trying to flatter her into being perfectly trusting. Not after Alex. I'm not trusting anybody!

"She looks a little moodier than usual." Voldos remarked, pointing to the little mithra.

"Moodier than usual? I didn't know that was possible." Bootus joked.

"Oh, come on old chaps, it's obvious, isn't it?" Garland smiled under his helmet. "She's just nervous around me. I'm new. She doesn't trust me. It's very wise, as well. In these strange-" He paused, looking to Vivli with a warm smile that was just about visible, "In these dark times," He corrected himself, "Who can you trust?"

"You saved our lives, that's often a pointer for me in who to trust." Zinkata said with a nod.

"Alexandria saved my life, and look at what she did." Vivli countered without thinking.

"Alexandria?" Garland asked curiously.

"It doesn't matter." Vivli said with a sad shake of her head. "It's complicated."

"So many things are." Garland's response was strangely curious.

A strange squelching sound alerted the party that something was wrong. They all stopped, Voldos and Zinkata drawing weapons.

"Odd." Garland remarked. "That sounds like a Malboro."

"Why's that odd?" Vivli quickly asked.

"They hate these rocky climates." Garland explained as they spotted a Malboro nestled neatly in the canyon. Its gigantic green vine like arms trashed around as drool emerged from its huge mouth, gigantic yellow pointed teeth snapped threateningly. "Why would one be out here? Unless it was chasing someone?"

"Why are you all looking at me!" Vivli snapped.

"Never mind. Let's take this thing down!" Zinkata charged it, sword drawn, followed by Voldos and Garland. Bootus sighed.

"Here we go again."

Garland leapt onto one of its tentacles, using it as a boost to land on its head. He went to stab it, but was caught and flung off.

Vivli's eyes opened wide as she saw Garland fly towards her, slamming into her. She was crushed beneath the heavily armoured figure.

How'd that ceiling get there? was her first thought. She blinked a couple of times. Her body ached all over. She got up slowly. She was in a bed in what appeared to be a rent-a-room.

"You're awake." She screamed at hearing this. She looked to her left. The speaker was Garland, who had removed his helmet. He had a plain face, grey lifeless eyes and long silvery hair. "Whoa, relax."

"What happened?" She asked, cuddling her own arms around herself in an attempt to stop the pain.

"You were crushed. By me." He confessed with a nervous laugh. "I'm really sorry."

"Wasn't your fault." Vivli squirmed. Or was it? Zinkata popped his head in, now wearing new silver armour.

"Hey, you're awake!" Zinkata cried happily, running in.

"Just about." She squirmed, aching.

"Thanks to Garland here." Zinkata pointed to the dark knight.

"Nonsense friend, you're the one who sorted out the rent-a-room for her." Garland responded.
"Only because you wouldn't leave her side. For four days, you've been out." Zinkata countered. "The only time he went away from you was to find a White Mage to help you get healed quicker." Garland did that for me? Vivli sat up.

"Urm, thanks." She paused. She had something akward to say. "I guess I owe you an apology."

"Apology? Why?" Garland seemed oblivious.

"For not trusting you. Seems like you did a lot for me, and I didn't even trust you." Vivli sighed. Something still felt wrong, but every logical pathway in her brain was telling her that she was being irrational.

"There's nothing wrong with that." Garland replied. "It's perfectly logical to distrust a stranger. I've been through that."

"Either way, I feel really bad. Will you except my apology?" Vivli asked, trying not to sound too ashamed of herself.

"Of course I will." Garland replied with a smile.

"Would you three get a move on?" Bootus asked, popping his head in the door. "We have an appointment with the Grand Duke remember."

"Grand Duke?" Vivli had completely forgotten about the entire reason they had been heading to Jeuno.

"Yeah, once we arrived and found a place for you to recover, Voldos and Bootus went to make an appointment." Garland explained. "We're going to have to move soon." Vivli rose up, pulling her tattered robe over herself.

"Let's go." She grumbled, wishing she hadn't woken up yet.

"Like that? To see the Grand Duke?" Garland laughed. "No. You need to appear formally." He added as an explanation.

"Sorry, I forgot to pack." Vivli replied, half as a joke and half as a bitter comment.

"I'll find you something. Same goes for the rest of you. We need formal armour, clothing, something like that." Garland explained.

"I love being a monk." Bootus smiled, having discovered that the Grand Duke never expected monks to change out of their gi's due the symbolism involved.

"I'd take shiny armour anyday." Voldos laughed, now dressed in shining silver armour and a long red cape. Rented from the San D'Orian embassy to help represent the elves. Zinkata was dressed in dark blue armour with a purple cape, exactly like Garland's. The dark knight had leant it to him to wear as he lacked the money for fancy armour.

"Laugh and somebody dies." Vivli's voice snapped angrily. They turned around to see her wearing a white silk dress, with long white gloves, leaving only her shoulders and top of her chest bare. She was slightly taller than usual, in high heels, and didn't look pleased.

"What are you moaning about?" Bootus asked. "You had plenty of dresses back in Windurst."

"I don't wear them. Not around you adventurers anyway." Of course, she didn't actually mind wearing it, she quite liked it, but she'd never admit it around the party.

"Why don't you just wear armour then?" Zinkata asked.

"Armour slows me down. Can't move as quickly." She replied, sounding slightly nervous.

"Yeah, curse all that slow moving during a meeting with the Grand Duke." Bootus taunted.

"Besides, it's better to be able to take hits and be a bit slower than to collapse as soon as the first dark knight lands on you!" Voldos added.

"That wasn't funny!" Vivli snapped.

"So, yeah, I think we should get you some armour." Bootus explained. Vivli muttered something. "Sorry, what was that?"

"But I'm not strong enough!" She snapped, louder than she would have liked. Bootus broke down in fits of giggles. "I mean, most armour is really heavy. Light stuff I can wear, but its pointless, and heavy stuff I can't stand up in." This explanation just caused Bootus to laugh more. "Oh, shut up!" She yelled.

"You four ready?" Garland asked, walking over to the group.

"Dunno, better ask Vivli." Bootus suggested. Vivli gave him a strange glance. "That dress might be a little heavy for her." He cracked up into laughter, barely being able to remain stood up. Unfortunatly, this lowered his face to Vivli's level so she managed a powerful sounding slap. Garland whinced as he saw this.

"Maybe we should just get a move on." He said wearingly.

"Now, you two be on your best behaviour." Voldos said in his most patronising tone to the galka and mithra.

"But it's his fault!" Vivli complained. Voldos sighed. It was better not to get her started. The five adventurers walked off, heading for the top of the gigantic tower at the centre of the city.

"Did nobody remember to tell me it was this far up?" Vivli panted from behind the group, climbing the steps slowly.

"Just don't look over the side." Zinkata responded as they reached the top of the stairs. Vivli responded to this by trying to look over the side. She was, however, too short. She attempted to go on her tip toes, but found it difficult in high heels and almost fell over.

"Trust me, you don't want to see." Bootus told her, glancing down. "We're pretty high."

"Aw, is the big galka scared of heights?" Vivli taunted. Bootus responded by giving Vivli a gentle shove. This was enough to knock her over. "Stoppit! You'll get my dress dirty!" She yelled, getting back up.

"What I wouldn't give for a spell of silence." Voldos grumbled to himself.

"Not my fault you wore white." Bootus countered to the tiny mithra.

"Or a teleport spell." Voldos added.

"Windurst only sent word four were coming." The guard at the entrance told them. "I cannot permit a fifth."

"Sorry, Garland, looks like you have to wait outside." Zinkata told the dark knight. "We'll be back in a minute." Garland paused. It seemed he wasn't happy.

"Don't worry about it old chum, I'll wait." Even if he wouldn't admit it.

The Grand Duke stood before the party. They all bowed respectfully. They were incredibly nervous.

"Windurst sends word one of you is the destined Light Warrior who is to save our world, correct?" Introductions were no concern of his.

"Urm, yes." Zinkata spoke for the party, nervously fumbling over his words.

"And who might this warrior be?" The Duke inquired.

"Urr, me." Vivli said nervously.

"I don't want jokes. Don't waste my time!" Snapped the Duke. He clearly took this matter very seriously.

"It, erm, really is me, your highness." Vivli whinced. She had no idea if she had used the right mode of address.

"You? I find that highly suspect." The Duke was about to say something, but didn't get the chance. The back wall of the room exploded.

A gigantic black dragon soared down, blasting a green fireball into the smoke filled room. Voldos was blasted back. Vivli quickly cast protect on the Grand Duke to protect him. Guards rushed into the room, unleashing arrows on the beast.

"Run Vivli!" Zinkata commanded. Vivli turned to run away, but her dress snagged on a piece of the rubble. She desperately tried to pull it free, but it was caught. The dragon soared downwards, grabbing Vivli in its mighty talons, and flew away, leaving only a loud scream from the helpless mithra.

"What the devil is happening?" Garland asked as he ran into the smoking room.

"Care to explain that?" Snapped the Grand Duke.

"That was one of Uggalepih's dragons!" Zinkata cried back. "It's after her. She's the Light Warrior. The only one that can defeat Ugglaepih."

Vivl screamed again, finding herself soaring far above the ground. Bootus was right, I didn't want to look down. She squirmed, trying to move, and the talons just tightned on her. Where am I going? She thought, struggling to escape. It was futile. The ground began to race towards her. The dragon was descending.

"HELP!" She screamed, despite the fact nobody was around to hear it.

There was a horrific crash. The dragon had let go of her. She slammed and rolled along the ground. It circled, unleashing a green fireball. She was in pain, but managed to scramble to her feet and dodge the explosion. She bolted for a nearby cave, as fast as she could move. The dragon fired another blast, and she ran inside just as the entrance collapsed in an explosion of green fire. She was plunged into darkness, just as she got that dreadful sense she was not alone.