I do not own Final Fantasy XI or any other copyrights such as Square Enix. Characters are of my own designed base on myself and on friends.

I hope you enjoy reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please read and review. All criticism good and bad is welcome.

I think concentrating on some more in depth character development is in order.

Steel Will

Something clicked in his brain as soon as he stepped foot onto the grassy plain. Something was out here. The sahagins didn't run away, they were all killed. The proof was lying on the ground. Bits and pieces of scaly flesh was lying about, and giant claw marks on the ground. Something bad happened here, but what?

All of the sudden a low growl echoed off of the walls around and the ninja looked up trying to locate the source. It was big whatever it was. And it was still around. The low hiss of sahagins could be heard behind some bushes. MG slowly and quietly made his way over to them. A group of about 3 of the frog men were peering off towards the hidden entrance to Sea Serpent Grotto. Looking over MG finally saw what they were looking at. It was a giant Wyvern, not like the ones dragoons used as allies. No this was much larger and looked very, very deadly.

After concentrating his will into a small pouch the ninja faded from view and headed towards the Grotto entrance as quickly as he could. As he approached the wyvern looked at the hume and snorted.

"Foolish little mortal, I can see you quite fine, no need to use your parlor tricks on me. Why do you dare come near me and my meals?"

"I am traveling through and do not wish to disturb you mighty wyvern. Please let me pass and you will never hear from me again."

He looked up at the wyvern as a smile crept across its scaly face. It lunged with incredible speed. Being fast even for a ninja he barely avoided the lunge. Slashing out with a katana it glanced off the wyverns scaly skin. Scanning the wyvern for a weak spot he then found it, the under belly scales seemed thinnest. Darting forward underneath the giant beast MG stabbed right under the wyverns arm, which resulted in a horrible roar and a splatter of deep red blood.

"Do you seriously not know me mortal, I am Bune! And now you shall die horribly." With that Bune who legends spoke of brought his wings down slamming the ninja to the ground. He got up just in time to see an arm coming at his face. Trying to jump back a claw caught his neck sending MG flying through the air right through the waterfall into the entrance to the Grotto.

He crawled away just far enough so that the wyvern wouldn't be able to fit into the cave opening. Leaving a trail of blood from the large gash in his neck he crawled about another 100 feet towards Norg before blacking out…

MG awoke with a start breathing heavily and sweating. He had THAT nightmare again. Bune the legendary Wyvern who had given him his scar. Mg reached up tracing the scar on his neck with his finger. It burned, it must be raining. After recovering that time MG learned that Bune was normally in Gustav tunnel, but had not been sighted for quite some time. When he had come to before there was no sign of the giant wyvern except for a small pool of blood on the ground and a single scale. The scale was still with the ninjas moogle for safe keeping. Mg stretched and looked around the room, a typical Norg room. The walls were carved out stone, one table and chair with some parchment and a candle. The bed was simple, made of oak and a thin mattress. A weapon rack was in every room, right near the bad. With slots for katanas, great katanas and long swords. MG slept with his katanas by his side though. Right under the sheets next to his legs so when he woke up it was the first thing that was accessible.

Everything was accessible in Norg though. It was the way of the pirates and cut throats there. Everything from black market chocobo hides, poison potions to give to a special somebody, so women willing to sell their bodies for a price. Norg indeed was a great city. Mg looked around at all of these wonders in such a small place wondering why he had ever left. He came to the dock where several small boats were tied up. Through to cave opening to the sea a heavy rain could be seen. The sound of the water hitting water was serene. He stood there with his eyes closed day dreaming. Taking a deep breath of the salty air memories flooded back to him.

Back then people just called him Matt. He ran around adventuring and helping people out, feeling it was the "right" thing to do. Nothing more than a simple warrior trying to do the best he can. One day, just like every other day Matt had just gotten back into town. San D'oria was his home back then. It was strange for a hume to make their home there, but no one thought too much of it. He headed to the auction house to check the status of his sales. Strange crystal formations from monsters that resembled the elements themselves. The ones that Matt had for sale pulsated with wind energy. The "elemental" looked like a contained gust of wind. It was a tough fight, but the rewards were well worth it. Two thousand Gil, not a bad haul. Walking back to his small yet comfortable mog house he was suddenly wrapped up in a pair of arms. Spinning to see who it was a smile suddenly broke out on his face. A young Elvaan girl was standing there grinning and giggling. Matt wrapped his arms around her and let the smell of her perfume permeate his being. She had long blond hair, and bangs that always managed to fall into her eyes, which she blew away. This had always made the young warrior smile and laugh, he thought it was the cutest thing ever. Which always got looks from her emerald green eyes. When he looked into her eyes his heart melted, she was the most beautiful thing ever to him.

"I have been waiting for you to come back." She giggled smiling at the hume who was slightly shorter than her. "Tonight is my turn to make dinner for you." Her smile turned a bit more into a playful smirk. "What would you like tonight, something soft and sweet…" she trailed off as she kissed him gently on the lips. "…like that?"

"I think I could go for a few courses of something that sweet…" He kissed her back, making her blush. "…and if you keep up meals like that, I think you should cook every day."

MG!

(His daydream started to fade, images of her face blending into the Norg background.)

"Hey Mg are you there! Hellooooo."

He shook his head and sighed gently. "Dammit, why can't I ever remember any more of the good times… or her name."

Yamaroo stood there confused, looking up at the ninja, her eyes questioning.

"You okay? Looks like you just saw a ghost."

"Maybe I did, that is the problem, I am not sure… it is something I have to deal with." He smiled. "Besides, I wouldn't dream of involving my friends in any of my twisted memories. Who knows what danger is there… sometimes I think it is more dangerous than that pissed off wyvern." His eyes looked to the entrance to Norg.

"I didn't think much was more dangerous than him. Are you sure you don't need someone to talk to?"

"Maybe later, besides what I learned from the big man is somewhat disturbing." He bit his lip before going on. "It seems no one knows what is behind this, but it has happened on more than one occasion. More frequently now than before. We are going to need some more help on this." It is only the powerful people being taken, none of these green adventurers. Of course I can't tell her this, it would just worry her more. At least we are safe here for now, but… I don't know for how much longer. "I am not sure where we could get willing people though. Norg has deliveries to make and pick up with the sailors, and everyone else is dedicated to its defense. Even if they can't send people with us, they can still offer protection while here."

He looked thoughtful finally shaking the thought off and walking over to the steps leading to a hallway that housed rooms for Norg residents. Sitting down and staring out at the ocean was always relaxing.

"So when are you going to tell me what had you all pale and zoned out earlier?" Yamaroo was very concerned about her friend it seemed. She sat next to him looking intently at his face, if she was hoping the words would materialize there. "MG you can tell me. I am your, friend."

Did she just hesitate a little? Nah, just my stressed and overworked mind. Might as well tell her. Maybe talking about it would help out.

"Where to begin… I guess at the beginning." He let out a halfhearted laugh.

Not even old enough to drink, the young adventurer whose family came from Selbina, looked around the fortress city. He had been there many times before, but this time it was without his family, he was on his own. For most people it is a dreaded occasion, but he had really been on his own for a while. His father had turned into a drunk after losing his job with the shipping company. His mother was never home. She had to make the money. She worked at the fishing guild making rods to be sold. Guild members didn't use crystals like some foreigners, so everything was hand made. Most of what his mother made, his father drank away. The war had taken a toll on him. After a visit to Jeuno, instead of bringing his son a gift home… he came home with alcohol on his breath and a newfound love for wine. It seemed the same goblins he had battled with before and lost many comrades to, were now welcomed as people were in Jeuno. Matt worked hard to try to help his mother out. However whenever he was bringing money home, the older kids often took it and more times than not, gave him a good beating. Laughing the whole time. "Drunk daddy won't do a thing unless it makes his wine run dry." This infuriated the young man. Soon he was training in the little free time he had. One day when confronted and asked for his earnings, he said no and when set upon by the older children, defended himself and nearly beat them to death. After that he didn't need to worry about losing his weekly salary anymore.

When the time came he set out to Bastok to seek fame and fortune. Halfway there a message arrived that his father was in jail, for beating his mother to death. Matt immediately went back to Selbina to find out what had happened. It turns out his mother had not given his father money to go drink. In a drunken rage he had beat her to death. With this Matt left to head to San D'Oria instead of Bastok.

He made his way by doing small tasks for the townfolk, and minor missions for the guards. Soon he was traveling around looking for other powerful adventurers to help him expand his knowledge. Not having any magical skill Matt tended to just swing a sword or spear at things. Preferring a spear since it was more elegant he though. Being a warrior wasn't a bad deal. He learned how to keep a monsters attention as mages cast their spells off to the back. One day while out gaining experience to become more powerful he met an Elvaan girl about his age. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Amazing long blond hair, a tanned complexion, tall and strong, and her eyes, her eyes were an emerald green that had more luster and beauty than the finest diamond in the world. She was a Dark Knight… and despite the name, was the most gentile and tender person he had ever met. Never being good with women, being just average in looks Matt soon gave up, not thinking he had a chance. He did however become friends with her. Her name though is now clouded in bad memories and a strange memory loss. They ended up doing everything together. One day when traveling to Jeuno in search of something to do, she had a serious look on her face. When Matt had asked her what was wrong, she looked at him, her eyes seemed sad, which is very unusual for her. Normally cheerful and happy, she now seemed depressed and sad. "What's wrong" he asked again stopping by a tree in Jugner Forest. She threw her arms around him and began weeping.

"Why can't you see it, and if you do see it, why don't you at least tell me."

A very confused young man now stood there with a crying Elvaan girl in his arms. "See what, I don't know what you are talking about." He said with such confusion she let out a laugh.

"Oh my warrior, my poor confused warrior, I was thinking too heavy on it." Her face started forming into a smile. "Anyway I have said this much, I might as well finish, I am in love with you, and yet you don't see it, so I came to believe that you could never love me. I have always thrown hints at you, tried to get closer to you, but nothing has happened this far."

A look of complete shock came over Matt's face. The day he had dreamed of some time ago was happening and he was too dumbstruck to say anything. The only thing he could do was look into her eyes, but that must have been enough, because at that moment she kissed him, long and deep. Not a brush of the lips. He kissed back, letting actions speak far louder than words. The passion of the moment overcame them and both fell to the ground laughing and holding each other.

"All this time I believed I wasn't anywhere near good enough for you." The young man admitted shyly. This elicited a kiss from her planted firmly onto his forhead. They had spent the night out under the forest canopy just talking and enjoying each others company, finally falling asleep in each others arms.

The couple was happy for quite some time. Running back and forth between places doing various adventures and tasks for people. Things were great, but destiny has a way of toying with happy people. One day a rumor of untold treasures was being told near a place called Norg, a mysterious place full of thieves and bandits. The swine of the earth according to most. Well, who would pass that up. The two lovers set out at once taking an airship and landing in a small town full of Mithra. Out into the jungle they went, cutting through various types of flora. After hours and hours of searching for the hidden town of Norg to look for clues, they finally realized that they were lost. Hoping to find their way back to possibly find a guide they found themselves even more lost. However it seemed being lost was the least of the problems. Upon slicing into another piece of the jungle, instead of cleanly slicing, the plant began to bleed. Matt looked up in time to see a huge plant with an evil looking mouth and about twelve tentacles fling his lover fifty feet backwards. Shouting in rage Matt pulled his sword out and began slashing wildly at the overgrown rose. Each strike did incredible damage, however the monster was far too strong. One swipe of from the beast sent Matt rolling down into a ravine.

When Matt awoke he found he couldn't move too well. Cuts and bruises covered his whole body. Upon sitting up he found that more than one bone was broken, most likely 4 or 5 ribs. After violently coughing up blood and determining that he had best find shelter and soon. He was forgetting something though, but what? His head hurt too much to remember too well. Up ahead was a cave, that would be a good place to go rest. Limping toward the cave he got a strange feeling that he was leaving something important, but what. Checking himself over he realized that he had no weapon, and there was water on the ground… no not water tears. Why was he crying, why can't he remember. The frustration brought another wave of tears out of him. The only reason he stopped crying was the sound of a chocobo coming his way.

The familiar warks of the chocobo were a welcome sound. Looking in the direction they were coming from brought a young adventurer to his attention. It was a hume like himself, except in purple armor that resembled a dragon. This adventurer looked shocked to see him standing there covered in blood and bruises.

"What the hell happened here! First I find the remains of an Elvaan girl and now this bloody guy wandering around near Norg. What did you do to that girl!"

The man jumped off the chocobo and pulled his lance out preparing for battle. All that Matt could do was fall to the ground as memories rushed back. He broke down into tears remembering bits and pieces of what happened. The dragoon seemed to understand what was going on and put away his lance.

"Lets get you to safety shall we"

"And from there he brought me to Norg and I found out about the ways of the ninja. I trained hard and have been one ever since. I have also vowed never to lose anyone important again."

Yamaroo wiped a tear from her eye.

"I didn't know you had it so tough, I am sorry for your loss."

He sighed.

"It's okay, it was a long time ago, time heals all wounds right." A half-hearted smile came across his face. "Besides, I have a lot of good friends now."

"By the way, I never knew your name was Matt, you don't mind if I call you that do you?"

A genuine smile came across his face, and for the first time since telling the story, he didn't have the look of sadness in his eyes.

"Sure thing."

Matt went back to staring out at the ocean. It seemed like a long time before he finally came back to reality.

"That is why I am not going to let you down, we will find Toph and get him back."

His hands curled into a fist and hi knuckles started turning white. All of the sudden he relaxed for half a second and produced a shuriken and flung it at the wall. However a noise was heard, like a grunt, when the small throwing weapon stuck.

"A tonberry here… and you can't fool me with your ninja tricks."

A tonberry appeared with his coat stuck to the wall with a shuriken. A look of shock on its green toad like face.

"Aye you caught me it seems. Go ahead and kill me now damn dirty pinkskin."

"I am not going to kill you. A fellow ninja, regardless of race deserves respect and honor, especially getting past the guards… but I am not so easy to get past. Now why are you here ninja?" More shurikens were readied just in case.

"What makes you think I am going to talk?"

A shuriken flew through the air cutting the tonberrys tool pouch, followed by another into its arm slowing its movement in that arm.

"I think you will, I have about 50 shurikens left… and they don't feel good do they, I can tell you from experience, it takes a lot to kill something."

The tonberry glared at him with yellow eyes, its rancor for the hume ninja building. Within a second it shed its coat and was trying to flee drawing one katana. However the hume with a speed that couldn't be seen was side by side with the green menace. Sparks could be seen from the katana fight that happened so fast a normal passerby wouldn't be able to see what was happening. Matt stopped for a second and smirked, the tonberry stood across from him in confusion, then in shock as the world seemed to speed up for it. It cursed under its breath at falling for one of its own tricks. A genjutsu, Hojo, which slowed the target down considerably.

This hume is no rookie… I have to think fast or I am dea…

Its thoughts were cut off there at being disarmed and having a blade at its throat.

"Still not going to talk?"

"Hume, even if you kill me, there are thousands more like me, stronger than me who will come for you, and you will feel our rancor"

"I have heard that story before… nothing new to me, now, either talk or die."

"Warriors compassion is wasted on me, I will never talk, and if you let me live, you die in your sleep, this I promi…"

Once again the tonberry was cut off, only this time, for good.

"Why do they not value their lives? I don't WANT to kill them, but if it is me or them, I chose me."

He gently laid the green ninja down and closed his eyes in a moment of silence. Standing back up he called to a guard who came running, and seeing the tonberry dead on the ground took a more cautious stance.

"Please give him a decent burial, and inform Lion about this."

"Yes sir."

"This isn't good, if they dare to even try to come into Norg, something is wrong. Tonberrys usually stick to their temple and hate everyone in the outside world. I sort of admire them, the ability to be isolated and thrive." He looked deep in thought. "I am going to see what is happening, sorry Yam, but I have to do this alone. I will see you in a few days or so." With that the ninja took off towards the exit to the small pirate town.

Yamaroo looked after him as he went, wondering what sort of secrets the hume held in his head. His eyes always hid so much, and from the story he had just told her… it wouldn't likely be good memories. Even the time she first met him wasn't under the best circumstances for him.

The clouds were out again. Another thunderstorm was rolling into Qufim Island. Yamaroo pulled the line back in. She didn't like fishing in the rain, and even less in the thunder. Running back to the Jeuno gate she came across a young hume who was fighting one of the undead that roamed the island… he looked like he was having a tough time with it, but still doing okay. She started casting a spell and heard him yell "Stop, I need to do this on my own." A little perplexed she stopped and just sat and watched. If things looked bad, she didn't care what he said, he was going to be healed. What was confusing, is that he had no shield to use. What kind of warrior didn't use a shield.

She soon saw how he survived. He kept blocking the skeletons attacks with one of the two small knives he had. And also when the skeleton did get a swing past, it seemed to go right through him. After thinking about it for a while, something spring from the back of her mind. A story of warriors from the far-east, not samurai's but rather a stealthy and agile type of fighter. A master of shadows and elements. A ninja they are called. She had never seen one before in her travels. He suddenly was encased in darkness as a shrill cry cam from behind Yamaroo. She turned around to see a banshee starting to use its evil magic. Before she could do anything, several small star shaped objects whizzed through the air at the floating abomination. Stunned that it got hit so quickly the spell it was casting was botched. Angry the banshee charged the ninja, who was standing perfectly still hand on his forehead seeming to concentrate on something. With a flourish he threw his hand to the side and the skeleton that was still swinging seemed to be enveloped in flames and fall to the ground. With this change of events the young ninja turned to the banshee and immediately let loose two strong swings of his weapon.

Yamaroo was quite impressed at this. He must be very skilled to be here fighting undead on his own. She turned to an adventurer who happen to be passing by.

"Excuse me, do you know that young man?"

"Sort of, he wasn't as strong as the rest of the people we were with so he decided to leave, I think he could have practiced with us on the goblins in the tower though."

""This would mean he was not as strong as this adventurer that just passed by, and they were cowering in fear at the sight of the banshee""

The ninja finished off the banshee and then collapsed onto the ground, completely exhausted. Yamaroo then ran over to him and started casting curative magic on him, hopefully he would be able to stand again, it was too dangerous out here. He looked up at the tarutaru red mage and smiled.

"Thank you, again."

"Again, what do you mean" Yamaroo was now very confused.

"For not interfering, I do these things for a reason, and most people don't understand the reasons."

"What reasons what are you talking about."

"I need to prove to myself how strong I am, so that it will never happen again." His eyes looked up at the sky, the thunderclouds seemed to be clearing as the night grew darker.

"Let what happen, you are a strange guy, um… what is your name? I am Yamaroo. Nice to meet you." She smiled at him, what a strange guy.

"Ahhh call me MG, and… look up at the sky."

The sky started filling with brilliant colors. Emerald green, sapphire blue, burning yellow, regal purple. It was a rare sight these days, and aurora. Always an omen of good luck and a bright future. The spirits of light were said to favor these. Of course it is just an old tale of elementals, which everyone knew about now. People hunted light elementals, the strangely beautiful crystalline beings held together by magic and a divine magic. Yes people loved to sell pieced of its shell for a huge profit since they are so rare.

Throughout Qufim island, the elementals were plentiful that night.

Yamaroo looked over the Jungle, and a strange event happened… The rain stopped and the sky started filling with light. Just like the time she met MG, or Matt as she called him now.

Lights started twinkling and then forming into beautiful shining objects…

…And the elementals were plentiful that night as well…

More to come, I am doing some studying for classes and such, so hard to find time to write.

I love reviews so if you have any, please lay them on me. thank you