PART XXV

"As you can see, I am more powerful now than I ever was! You cannot stand against me! Ah, protect. Very well. I shall resort to new attacks."

"Fine then. Shell!"

"You are beginning to irritate me, mage."

"S-s-stay back!"

"Or what? You'll heal me?"

"That's it! Vivli! Heal him!"

Zinkata deeply wished Vivli had been able to stay with them. He was beating back ghouls from all around him, and would have given anything for her white magic.

"Great!" Bootus cried. "The one time we actually need her and she's not here!" The gigantic galka punched a ghoul back and slammed it into the ground.

"I think we should run." Voldos suggested, looking at the skeletons closing in around them.

"Agreed!" Zinkata cried. "We don't stand a chance." The three bolted into the darkened tunnel.

Vivli had passed through all the stages she usually went through. There had been blind panic, struggling, fear, cowardice, denial, and now she was on much more familiar ground: complaining. She had given up trying to break out of the ghoul's grip, and was just being carried down the dark corridor.
"You know, you could have been more original." She said to the silent ghoul. "I mean, really, at what point did you think 'oh, the female White Mage, I bet nobody's kidnapped her before?'." She paused, as if expecting an answer. "I mean, why didn't you kidnap the muscle bound galka? At least that would have been original. And it's not just a stereotype, but it's even happened to me multiple times! If I was to write an autobiography of my life, it would get criticised for being too repetitive!" There was another pause. The ghoul remained silent. "Well, at least you're holding me by the shoulders. Sure, I can't move, but it beats being dragged by the tail." Vivli thought she was being quite humorous, so she was a bit upset nobody was around to hear. She decided to see if she could focus enough for a spell. She failed. The ghoul suddenly stopped, and threw her into a large stone room. She landed with a painful thud.

"I think we lost them!" Voldos cried. The three stopped, looking back, gasping for air. They began to see the skeletons emerging from the darkness. "I thought wrong!" Voldos admitted. Zinkata and Voldos started hurtling arrows into the blackness, and they could hear the crunch of arrows on bone. It sounded like a ghoul or two fell.

"Keep moving!" Bootus yelled. "We can't take them all. Gain ground then take them down with arrows!" It sounded odd for Bootus to be giving serious commands, but the heroes obeyed and retreated.

The ghoul slammed a rusty barred door across the room Vivli had been hurled in. She ran to it, but couldn't open it. She suddenly had an idea.
"Oh, well done." She said to the ghoul. "You've cut me off from you. You can't hurt me now, but I can cast spells on you. Prep-" She suddenly felt pain sear through her body. "AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She screeched, dropping down. She knew it as drain. One of the few spells the ghouls called upon. "Okay! Okay!" She screamed from the floor. "I get the idea!" The ghoul turned and walked away. "Hey! Don't leave me!" She cried after it. "You can't just turn around! That's not fair!" She stumbled away from the bars, alone in the darkness. She shivered. Her annoyance had faded and she had nothing left to complain about (or, at least, anyone to complain too). Fear crept back over her. She was alone, in the dark, in a cold room. "Hello?" She called nervously. A blue light began to appear in front of her. The ghostly spirit of the long dead elvaan. She screamed.

The three stopped again, hurling more arrows at the attacking hoard.

"I think they're weakening!" Zinkata cried.

"ATTACK!" Voldos made a split decision, and ran at the ghouls. The others followed. The sound of clashing swords and scyths flooded down the stony corridors. It was so loud they totally missed Vivli's scream echoing far away. Voldos managed to cut down the leading ghoul, but Zinkata and Bootus had a harder time, being knocked to the floor and finding themselves with scythes tearing down at them.

Vivli huddled into a tiny ball as the ghost floated through the bars.

"Do not be afraid, child." The ghost advised.

"Easy for you to say." She whimpered.

"I have no desire to harm you." It explained.

"Why have you brought me here?" She asked, shaking.

"I heard your complaints upon being kidnapped." The ghost told the petrified mithra.

"I was just-" She tried to justify herself, but was cut off.

"You are kidnapped not because of profession or gender, but because of your soul. The soul of a Light Warrior." The floating ghost explained. "I am the spirit of the dungeon keeper of this place." Vivli shook, not able to give a response. "My spirit was returned to this world when the crystal shard ended up in my dungeon. I became its guardian. I had to protect it, and only allow the true Light Warriors to acquire it."

"Then give it to me." Vivli said without thinking. "Ur, p-p-please?" She quickly added, shaking.

"I know you are a Light Warrior. I can see your soul." The ghost told her. "But the others. They are cloudy. So I set them a challenge. To rescue you. If they can do it, if they battle through every monster to save a friend, I will know they are worthy."

"So I just serve as a test?" Vivli asked.

"Yes." The ghost replied.

"So why am I in this horrible dungeon?" She pondered, walking up to the bars.

"To await the results." The ghost explained.

"Wait. What happens if they don't come for me?" She quickly asked.

"Then you wait here, until somebody does." The ghost told her. Vivli's eyes widened.

The last ghoul dropped to the floor. A bloodied Zinkata looked over to Voldos and Bootus.

"Thanks for the save, Voldos." He sighed.
"Hey, we elvaans can handle anything." He smiled. "Especially on our home turf."

"We need to find Vivli!" Bootus announced. He noticed the others staring at him. "What? We need her to save the world. Not like I want to save her."

"Sure you don't." Sighed Zinkata. "Could use her though, a few cure spells would be nice right now." He put his hand to his cut shoulder.

"Well, she must be around somewhere." Voldos said with a shrug.

"Obviously." Bootus groaned. "Probably tied up somewhere. She usually is."

"Well, let's get looking." Voldos decided, heading down the passageway. Zinkata and Bootus exchanged a glance, and hurried after him.

"You can't leave me here!" Vivli protested.

"How else do you recommend I find the true Light Warriors?" The ghost asked.

"Urm, I don't know." Vivli muttered. "There must be a better way!"

"If you are such a destined hero, surely you can escape on your own?" The ghost inquired.

"I'm not a hero!" Protested Vivli. "Just a mage with a stupid destiny!"

"Whatever you are, you must wait." The ghost told her. She ran to the bars, trying to get out, but it was useless. She let out a slight sob. She was continuously finding herself in bad situations. Luckily, she had confidence in the others. She was certain they would come.

"Come on guys, let's go." Bootus moaned. "We're not going to find her."

"What happened to that 'we have to save her' attitude from a few minutes ago?" Zinkata asked.

"I got bored." Bootus commented.

"Come on, she has to be around here somewhere!" Voldos snapped. "Where's the main dungeons?"

"I don't know. You're the elf." Bootus replied.
"Elvaan." Voldos corrected. "And that doesn't mean I know what the dungeons underneath the castle of my kingdom are like."

"Oh, and I do?" Bootus asked.

"Shut up, both of you!" Zinkata snapped. "If Vivli getting kidnapped ever had one advantage, it's that we argue less."

"I see compelling evidence that you're wrong." Voldos gently commented. Something echoed down the corridor. A female voice.

"It's her!" Exclaimed Zinkata.

Vivli's throat was sore, but she had no intention of shutting up.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEELP!" She screamed. "I'M DOWN HERE!"

"Would you please stop that?" The ghost asked.

"No." Vivli said stubbornly. "If I can't get out of here, I'm doing everything I can to draw somebody else to here." She took in a breath. "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP! I'M HERE!"

"SHUT UP!" The ghost exploded into a gigantic fiery image and Vivli jumped in fear, throwing herself against the wall of the room.

"T-t-there's no need to shout." She stumbled in a bizarre moment of confusion and fear.

"I will not have you interfering with my test!" Snapped the ghost.

"What about us?" Zinkata asked. The ghost spun around.

The three adventurers stood with their weapons in their hands.

"Impressive. You have come this far." The ghost told them. "You have the courage of the Light Warriors. But, do you have the skill?" The ghost exploded through the wall, shattering it. The three ran to follow it.

"HEY!" Vivli screamed. "Get me out of here!" Bootus turned around, grabbing the rusted bars, and ripped them off.

"See?" Bootus taunted. "If you weren't so scrawny you wouldn't have this problem."

"Not my fault I wasn't born a galka!" Vivli protested, slipping out the bars.

"Well, diddums." Bootus grumbled.

"Besides, I'd sacrifice muscle for brains anyway." She called as the four heroes ran through the newly blasted hole in the wall. "And there are plenty of strong mithra huntresses need I remind you?"

"Can we leave the argument for later? We're in danger here!" Zinkata cried.

"We're always in danger!" Vivli pointed out.

"Let's just deal with the immediate problem!" Zinkata yelled. The four found that they had run into a massive room. Ancient torture devices filled it. In the centre floated the ghost. Its blue glow had become orange, and it had grown dramatically in size.

"You have passed the first step." The now dramatically deepened voice said. "But I am unable to believe you shall pass the second." He began to grow in size. "If you four truly are the Light Warriors of this generation, then prove it. Slay me. Set me free from my duty to protect the crystal." His fist slammed down, and the four parted. It turned solid as it hit and shattered the ground. "Prove you are worthy of your destiny!"

"Why are we always proving ourselves?" Bootus sighed. Voldos unleashed arrows, and they flew directly through the ghost. It laughed.

"You're pathetic violence will not solve your problems here." It taunted, slamming its fist down again and sending Voldos flying. "I am too powerful for simple brute force to harm me."

One by one, the heroes turned to look at Vivli.
"Well, you're the expect on a lack of brute force." Bootus said with a smirk. "What do you suggest?"

"Duck!" Vivli cried as a ghostly hand swept over their heads. It smashed into an old rusted chair and sent it flying across the room. The ghost reared back, and hurtled ghostly green fireballs down at the four. They split, running for cover. Vivli started to cast Shellra.

"Can't you hit it with magic?" Zinkata asked as a green shell enveloped him. "Aren't the undead weak against that?"

"I can't cast it on him because he doesn't exist." Vivli explained. "It's like he's not there. The magic wouldn't do anything."

"Suggestions?" Asked Bootus, before he was picked up by the mighty hand. Vivli suddenly had an idea.

"Shoot at Bootus!" Vivli screamed to Voldos.

"This is no time for your petty hatred!" The elvaan cried in response.
"No! Shoot at the hand! While it's solid!" The little mithra advised. Voldos obeyed, and the ghost let out a deep cry, releasing the galka. It pulled its hand back.

"Ow." Grumbled Bootus.

"It solidifies when it tried to hit us!" Vivli explained. "That's when we can attack!" The hand slammed down in front of them, and they jumped back. Zinkata stabbed it with his sword before it could pull back. The ghost let out another cry, and hurled a green fire ball at the warrior. Zinkata was blasted back.

"Curaga!" Vivli cried, and the entire party was covered with white light, fully healed.

"When did you learn that?" Zinkata asked, surprised.

"I've known it for ages!" Vivli yelled in response, turning to run as the ghost moved towards her. "Just never had an opportunity to use it."

"Looks like you pissed the creature off!" Bootus cried. It swept down, picking up Vivli and began to crush her. She screamed in pain.

"HELP!" She cried.

"Oh! I want to! I want to!" Bootus snatched the bow and arrow off of Voldos and fired.

"OW!" Exclaimed Vivli as the arrow skimmed by her arm. Zinkata sighed and shot the hand, freeing Vivli. She dropped down, landing with a yelp.

More green fireballs flew down at the adventurers. Vivli cast a spell, healing herself, while the others dodged. The ghost pulled itself back, and soared down at them, knocking them all over. It turned in an orange blur, and prepared to repeat.

"It's too fast!" Cried Voldos as he was hit over again, along with the others.

"How can we hit it?" Zinkata asked as it zoomed back in.

"Stay down!" Bootus commanded, and the creature soared over them, turning in the air with a growl.

"I can't heal us if it keeps this up!" Vivli yelled. "It's killing us!"

"Jump!" Bootus yelled as it flew down low. Vivli didn't make it due to her lack of height, and was slammed back. Zinkata stayed on the floor, watching. Voldos and Bootus landed on its back. They managed to hit it quite severely before it became transparent again, and they fell through it. Vivli got up painfully, and once again healed the crew.

"Why won't you just die!" Bellowed the monstrous ghost.

"You wanted to see if we're the real Light Warriors!" Vivli yelled. "I guess you're finding out!" The ghost roared a deep and hideous scream at the mithra. She fell over backwards, stumbling back in fear.

"You are pathetic!" The ghost picked her up and hurled her across the room, and she slammed down painfully.

"Viv!" Cried Zinkata, running to her side. She was badly hurt.

"Just me and you, Voldos." Bootus said to the elf.

"Hardly fair on the ghost." Voldos joked. The creature turned its hand into a sharp long blade, and jabbed at the elvaan. He jumped back, and Bootus hurled his fist into the sharpened sword. This didn't cut the galka, but hurt the ghost. Voldos brought his sword down and cut off the appendage. The ghost, now one armed, reeled back with a cry. Zinkata ran to join the others.

"Viv?" Asked Voldos.

"She's hurt, but'll be okay." Zinkata answered. "She's struggling to cast a spell in her beaten state." The ghost's entire head became solidified, and its jaw opened wide as it snapped in at them, attempting to bite them. The heroes pounded it in the face with their own blades. It bit into Bootus's leg, picked him up, and hurled him away like a dog would a piece of meat. The galka crashed down. A white light from the corner of the room told the party Vivli had managed to heal herself, and she ran to the galka's aid.

Bootus climbed back up with a grumble.
"No thank you?" Vivli said sarcastically. Zinkata flew over their heads and slammed down. Vivli sighed and quickly got to healing the ex-thief. Bootus charged the face of the ghost. Vivli stopped casting in horror. The ghost had become the floating bloodied head of an elvaan, still biting and snapping. Voldos kept stabbing it. She regained her concentration and began to cast.

Bootus leapt through the air. He landed, striking the ghost. Voldos lunged the creature, hitting it right in the forehead. It roared backwards, and with a below, exploded into blue and orange light. Zinkata ran over to join them, ready to fight.

"Hey, where'd it go?" He asked.

A blue crystal shard dropped down to the ground where it had been. Bootus bent down and picked it up.

"Wow. So he really was protecting the shard." The galka commented.

"What was that?" Voldos asked.
"Could it have been-" Vivli began, but didn't finish.

"The spirit of a Light Warrior?" Zinkata did it for her. "No. It can't have been." He shook his head.

"Whatever it was, it's gone now." Bootus sighed. "We have the final shard. Let's get out of here."

"Where are we going?" Vivli asked.

"Windurst." Zinkata decided. "One final meeting with the High Priestess. I want to know everything she does. Not to mention, if we're going to break into the Temple of Uggalepih, we're going to need some help. Nenia and her friends said it was the gathering point of shadow dragons. That means we're going to need an army if we're going to get in there."

"An army?" Vivli repeated, a little dazed. "Where are we going to get an army?"

"Why do you think I want to go to Windurst?" Asked Zinkata.

The four walked down the dark corridor, heading for their destiny. The final battle was getting closer.