PART XXIII

"So, you ever wonder why so much ends in conflict?"

"Not really. I just punch things for a living."

"But, why do we always end up fighting?"

"Not a clue. Seems like it's our nature."

"Exactly! Our nature!"

"I don't get it."

"Think about it. Everything in the world ends up in battle. Why is it so difficult to solve it with words?"

"Give an example."

"The Shadow Lord and the Crystal War. Why couldn't we just solve it through words?"

"Because the Shadow Lord was evil!"

"Exactly. Some creatures, some people, are just born evil. Born to create conflict.

"So, what you're saying is, maybe we're supposed to fight. Perhaps it's our destiny to battle each other, and always be in combat with something?"

"Exactly."

The four had fully gathered in the tavern with Alexandria, and were deep into discussion of how to summon Bahamut. It seemed like it was a ridiculously dangerous idea.

"Like I said," Alex began, "I can'tcontrol him. It would be like summoning a monster. Bahamut will have free will over what he does."

"We're counting on it." Zinkata explained. "We need his assistance from his knowledge, not as an avatar."

"Okay, let's get moving then." Alex stood up, and went to walk out of the tavern.

A sword pierced through her as she got to the door.

"WHAT?" Exclaimed Zinkata. A dark knight stepped through the door. The same dark knight they'd defeated back in Bastok in what seemed a previous life time. Alex was lying on the floor, dying.

"Alex?" Vivli ran to her side.

"Help…" Choked Alex.

"I can't!" Vivli sobbed.

"Please…." Alex coughed blood up from her mouth.

"Alex! No!" Vivli started to cast, and screeched in pain, collapsing.

This screech distracted Zinkata, who turned around to see her fall just as the dark knight rushed him. He blocked each attack coming from the evil warrior, and was kicked back through a table the moment his guard lowered. Voldos ran in and the dark knight parried him away.

"Revenge is awfully sweet." The dark knight taunted. "That dragon came to me, he told me where you were headed, what you were doing. There is nothing you can hide from Chaos. He knows all. He has servants everywhere."

"Why are you serving Chaos?" Bootus asked, deciding to attempt to diffuse the situation through talk. "The path of the dark knight doesn't mean you have to be evil."

"The weapon of the dark knight draws upon evil energies." The dark knight explained. "It was natural I was to serve Chaos."

"Not all dark knights are evil!" Bootus pointed out.

"I guess you got unlucky and ran into one who is!" The dark knight yelled, attacking the galka. Bootus jumped back, picking up a table and swinging it into the evil warrior. The dark knight went down, turning to look up as Voldos drove his sword downwards. The dark knight rolled out of the way, and sprang to his feet. Zinkata attacked from behind, and the dark knight blocked before attacking Voldos. Bootus tacked the knight to the ground. The dark knight drove his sword upwards into the galka. Bootus grabbed the blade, and pulled back, the sword still lodged in his chest. Bootus removed it, and hurled it to the floor, dropping to one knee in pain.

Zinkata and Voldos pointed their swords at the knight, waiting for him to surrender. He hurled a fireball into Voldos, knocking him back. Zinkata lunged, killing the evil warrior.

Bar patrons were beginning to emerge from behind their hiding places; from under tables and behind the bar itself. Zinkata sheathed his sword, and Voldos got up, luckily unhurt. Bootus rose, bleeding, shaking a little. Vivli was sobbing by the now deceased Alexandria.

"I failed!" She cried. "I couldn't save her! I let her die!" Zinkata walked over.

"She was killed by that dark knight and Chaos. You had nothing to do with it." He said softly.

"I failed because I broke my oath! It's all my fault!" Vivli sat there crying, the pain had overridden her body anyway so she was completely unable to move. Zinkata backed away, deciding it was better to leave her to her sorrows.

"What now?" Voldos asked hopelessly.

"I don't like to sound like Vivli," Bootus began, "But I'm in quite a lot of pain and could use healing."

"Vivli doesn't sound like that." Zinkata muttered, confused.

"I meant 'like a coward', but I figured they were the same thing." Bootus said with a painful shrug.

"This really isn't the time to be joking!" Voldos snapped. "Besides, I thought you didn't like being healed."

"I have a large hole in my chest." Bootus stated. "I need it quite urgently." His voice sounded calm, so it was fairly humorous to see.

"I'll go see if I can find help." Zinkata sighed.

He walked outside where a crowd was gathering to see just what had happened.

"Can anybody cast White Magic?" He called. A mithra stepped forwards.

"What's the problem?" She asked. "I have some experience." She seemed to be a pirate, mainly suggested by the eye patch over one eye.

"Just an injury." Zinkata explained. Alexandria was too far gone for any White Magic.

"I'll see what I can do." The pirate mithra offered, stepping into the bar, cautiously avoiding the dead body and sobbing mithra on the floor.

A white light covered Bootus and his wound closed.

"Urm, thanks." He said uneasily.

"That doesn't sound natural coming from you." Voldos mocked, shaking his head.

"Thanks a lot." Zinkata said to the one-eyed mithra. "What's you're name?"

"Angel." Came the response.

"How did a White Mage become a pirate?" Zinkata asked. "If you don't mind my asking."

"I'm not a pirate. Or a White Mage." Angel replied with a laugh.

"Then what's with the eye patch?" Zinkata had felt it was a logical assumption that if someone in Norg wore an eye patch, they were a pirate.

"There are other ways of losing your eye." Angel replied, almost painfully. "And I'm a Red Mage. Well, more recently I've been training to be a summoner." Voldos and Zinkata exchanged a glance.

"That's convenient." The ex-thief muttered.

Vivli had finally got control of herself, got up and walked away sadly from Alex's corpse. The authorities (or what pass for authorities in Norg) had come to take her away. She slumped at the bar, head on the bar itself, crying.

"What's wrong with her?" Angel asked.

"Long story." Zinkata sighed. "Basically, she lost her ability to cast magic."

"I could teach her the ways of the Red Mage." Angel suggested. "I learnt from a close friend. Even went to the magic school in Bastok for a while."

"No good." Zinkata replied, shaking his head. "She learnt from the monastery in Windurst. She has an enchantment on her that stops her casting." There was quite a long pause. Angel didn't know what else to say and Zinkata was looking for a way of diplomatically suggesting his idea.

"Hey! Angel!" Bootus was luckily on hand to throw all diplomacy out of the window. "You're a summoner! You can summon Bahamut for us!" This was the first Angel had heard of this, so she was a little confused.

"What? No." She laughed. "Bahamut is a legend. No mortal can summon him." Bootus went to speak again, but Zinkata leapt in before he could.

"Urm, we need to summon him. We have this ruby we obtained from the last survivor of Bahamut's race." Zinkata pulled out the ruby. "He can be summoned through it. We need a summoner to do it for us. That girl who was murdered was the first choice." He paused. "So you can see how dangerous it is."

"You are aware if I summon Bahamut I won't be in control of him?" Angel asked.

"YES!" The three heroes shouted in response.

"We've been through that." Zinkata explained.

"Why do you want to call forth an uncontrollable beast?" Angel asked, quite confused.

"To ask him for directions." Voldos interjected. Angel looked very confused.

"What?" She said in disbelief.

"It's a very long story, but the fate of the world could depend on it." Zinkata told her. "I can't ask you to do it. You've done enough, healing Bootus, but-"

"I'll do it." Angel made her decision. "If it will help you, I'll do whatever I can."

Vivli was stood over a small makeshift grave.

"I'm sorry Alex." She said to the ground. "I'm so sorry. I couldn't save you. I got you killed" She let a tear run down her face. "I promise to you, I vow upon your grave, Chaos will pay. We will destroy Chaos. We have to. For you and everybody else. We will end the destruction he's caused." She let herself break down into tears. Zinkata walked up behind her.

"Angel is ready." He said as softly as he could, as to not disturb her.

"Do you know what upsets me the most?" Vivli sobbed. "That I told her if she summoned Bahamut, I'd forgive her. Forgiveness isn't something you should have to get in exchange. It's something that should be given when you know the person is sorry for their actions. But I used it like blackmail. And in my heart, I know she had changed. But I never told her. Now she'll never know."

"It wasn't your fault Viv." Zinkata told her. "That dark knight would have killed whoever we recruited." There was a long pause. "Come on. We have to join Angel. We have to see Bahamut." Vivli nodded tearfully.

"Alex?" She asked to the ground. "I forgive you." She turned and walked away, following Zinkata.

Angel stood in an open stretch of ground. She clutched the ruby in her hand. She had an intense look of concentration on her face. The ruby began to glow. Summoning runes appeared around Angel. She held up the ruby and blast of red energy burst into the sky. She felt her whole body weaken as it drew upon her to open a great portal in the sky. A great blue dragon burst out of it, circled in the air, and slammed into the ground, knocking the assembled five adventurers off their feet.

"What do you require of me?" Boomed Bahamut, King of the Dragons.

"We wish to know the location of the last crystal shard." Yelled Zinkata, over the roaring of the portal above as it snapped shut.

"Ah. You are to replace the Light Warriors." Bahamut nodded. Angel was a little confused by this. She hadn't been told the whole story due to lack of time. "The test of courage is what you must pass."

"What do you wish of us?" Zinkata asked.

"Defeat me in combat to earn my obedience." Bahamut roared.

"If that's what it requires." Zinkata sounded nervous.

"The four of you." Bahamut commanded. "Summoner! This is not your battle!"

"I called you forth!" Angel cried. "You can't shut me out!"

"This is a test for the Light Warriors alone." A gigantic fiery wall snapped up around the four heroes, blocking Angel out from them. "You must not interfere."

"No! I won't watch! I can't just watch them fight!" Angel screamed.

"You have no choice." Bahamut turned back to the assembled four. "Are you prepared." Voldos took a step forwards. He had an idea.

"Bahamut!" He called. "This battle is unfair. We are not at our full strength."

"Oh?" Bahamut laughed. "And just what should your full strength be?"

"Our White Mage cannot cast." Voldos explained.

"That is not my concern." Bahamut remarked.

"What test is it if you do not battle us at our full strength?" Voldos asked in what seemed like a taunt.

"Very well!" Snapped Bahamut. A bright white light rushed into Vivli, knocking her off her feet. "Her ability to cast magic has been restored. Consider it a preliminary gift if you are truly the Light Warriors. If you are not, then I shall kill you and reclaim the gift anyway." Vivli mouthed an overjoyed 'thank you' to Voldos. "Now, let us see if you can pass the test."

Bahamut blasted a gigantic fireball down at the four. They scattered. Rocks flew everywhere from the impact of the blast.

"Right!" Vivli cried, sounding much more confident now her powers had been returned. "Bahamut will attempt to make time to charge up for his Mega Flare attack. Whatever you do, don't let him use it!"

"Opening fire!" Voldos cried, and arrows hurtled at the dragon. Bahamut caught them in the air, and hurled them to the ground.

"Pathetic." The King of the Dragons laughed. "Is this the best you can offer?"

"Zinkata! Bootus!" Voldos ordered. "Take him up close! I'll distract him!" Voldos unleashed more arrows, soaring through the air at the dragon king. Bahamut let them bounce off his mighty hide with a laugh. Bootus picked up Zinkata and threw him in the air. Zinkata slammed into the dragon, driving his sword into the beast. Bahamut let out an astonished cry and slammed Zinkata into the floor. The dragon lowered himself to the ground for another attack. Bootus ran in, slamming his powerful fists into the beast. Bahamut stabbed forwards with his tail, catching Bootus in the chest. A white light engulfed his body, and he was fully healed. Vivli smiled, feeling more powerful than ever.

Angel watched in disbelief as the battle raged. She'd of given anything to have helped. But had been forced to the sidelines. Bahamut grabbed Voldos in his foot, and hurled the elf into the flaming wall. Voldos dropped down, rolling about in pain. Angel tried to heal him, but the spell bounced off of the magical wall. She cursed.

Vivli managed to heal Voldos before casting Dia on Bahamut.

"Ha. Such pathetic spells do not affect me." He blasted a fireball at Vivli, and it hit with full force, rocketing her across the arena. She collapsed in pain, groaning.

"NO!" Angel cried, completely unable to assist as she watched the party being beaten to death. "Get up!" She cried, helpless to do anything else. "Fight!"

Vivli rose up, healing herself. Bahamut flew back into the air, cocking his head back.

"TAKE COVER!" Vivli screamed. A beam of light began to grow in Bahamut's mouth. Vivli quickly cast shell to absorb as much damage as it could.

Angel saw what was coming, and luckily Bahamut had flown back, just over the wall. She cast shell just in front of the mighty dragon. She knew the attack would be too powerful to stop, but hoped that the double shell would make it survivable for the warriors within.

"Fear the power of Mega Flare!" Bahamut announced, unleashing a bright white light. It rocketed through two green shields and slammed into the ground, blowing apart the land. Vivli was flung back, and collapsed unconscious. The stronger warriors had survived, however. They turned to face Bahamut, bleeding and beaten, as he lowered himself. The mighty dragon was exhausted from the energy he had just used up in the attack. Voldos and Zinkata charged the dragon while he was recovering. Zinkata slashed it across the chest, Voldos on the arm. Bootus ran in, throwing Voldos upwards, where he managed to land a definite blow across Bahamut's head. The dragon reared back into the air.

"Impressive!" He bellowed. "You have passed your test. You have proved worthy." The fire shield dropped, and Angel rushed to Vivli's side, healing her. Vivli got up wearingly. "Interesting that the only true Light Warrior is the one who was defeated."

"Shut up!" Vivli cried. A wittier response would have been something about how it was interesting the king of the dragons lost to some fairly inexperienced adventures, but her head hurt too much to think like that.

"You may keep your gifts." Bahamut told them. "And I shall answer your question." He paused. "The Prince of San D'Oria will guide you to the next shard." With that, Bahamut flew upwards and soared into a gigantic portal in the sky. It snapped shut and he was gone. Vivli bent down and picked up the red ruby.

"We went through all this for that?" Bootus exclaimed.

"Suppose if we ever need him again, we use this." She said, pocketing it.

"Thanks for the help Angel." Zinkata turned, bowing to the mithra.

"Don't mention it." Angel replied. "I was happy to witness such a thing. It really confirms my summoning powers are growing."

Time had passed, and the five were gathered in a tavern.

"So, that was Bahamut." Angel seemed a little disappointed.

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Zinkata asked, confused.

"Well, he's supposed to be the most powerful summon in existence, yet he lost to you." Angel explained.

"Oh thanks!" Vivli said in mock offense.

"I doubt he was trying to kill us. He probably wants us to succeed as much as the next person." Zinkata told her. "Although I wish he could have stayed as a normal summon for you." Angel laughed.
"I don't think anybody could handle that power. Bahamut seems like someone to go to for advice, not somebody to fight your battles for you." Angel was only guessing, but it seemed logical.

"We've got to get moving to San D'Oria." Zinkata explained. "Why don't you come with us? You could help us a lot." Angel paused, as if remembering something painful.

"No. I can't." She paused again. "I won't until I can take care of myself. I don't want to risk anybody for me ever again." The others decided it was best not to probe her on this comment.

"We're a team!" Zinkata exclaimed. "We all help each other, no matter what might be thrown at us."

"I can't. Believe me when I say that." Angel sounded slightly agitated. "Besides, I'm here to acquire a summon." She added, trying to sound more light hearted.

"Well," Vivli sighed, "Thank you. You may have just helped save the world." Angel laughed.

"It was my pleasure." Angel replied. "Just being able to experience summoning Bahamut, to see that power, it was incredible." She seemed in awe. "I was beginning to doubt if I could do this. Become a summoner. Tame every avatar. Now I have no doubt."

"Well, thank you anyway." Smiled Zinkata, rising. "We've got a long trip to San D'Oria."

"Hope to see you again." Vivli said with a wave.

"Goodbye." Angel smiled as they turned and left.

It was a long trip to San D'Oria, and they had plenty to think about on the way. Recently, everything had been going right for them. For a moment, it felt that they really could save the world. Then Alexandria died. It hadn't been planned. They never saw it coming. She was just struck down as if by random. It served as a chilling reminder of the ever present danger. And running into Angel and Olose, both people with their own problems, backgrounds and future. It reminded them that there were real people out there. Real people who would never get the chance to even exist if they didn't stop Chaos.

Vivli was the one who had the most trouble thinking about this. It was Alex's death that really bothered her. Even if they saved the world, it wouldn't bring her back. She was gone. Like Fiorel. How many more had to die? She didn't want to think about it. How long was it before Bootus, Zinkata or Voldos died? Or even herself? She felt that same chill down her spine and up her tail. She didn't think she could bare any more death. She was lost to these thoughts as they left to head towards San D'Oria and the next step in their journey.