PART V

A lightning bolt crashed by Zinkata, and he dived to the side, going to draw his sword.

"Damn." He muttered as he realised it wasn't there. A young hume in a beaten robe, with spiky blonde hair and who seemed to be on fire, was flinging fireballs at somebody else. The hume threw down his robe, rolling forwards. His robe burnt happily as he blasted more fire at the other figure. An older elvaan. The elvaan cackled, and hurled lightning bolts back at the hume. Zinkata recognised the elvaan as the man who had been speaking to Bootus and Voldos earlier. He had no clue what was going on, so opted to watch.

"You wont get away with this, Sigmund!" Spat the hume.

"You say that, Illuga, but I've already set my plan in motion." Sigmund laughed. The hume, Illuga, let out an angry cry and hurled another fireball. Sigmund dived aside, catching Illuga with a bolt of lightning. The hume went down. "Young fool, you are too late. Voldos is already coming around to my way of thinking. In a matter of time, the kingdom of San d'Oria will fall and it will be the Light Warriors that do it."

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Zinkata spat, getting up. Sigmund span to face him in surprise.

"Inconvenient." He muttered. "I suppose I'll have to destroy you, and blame it on Illuga here." Illuga was laying on the floor, sprawled in pain.

"You can try. You wont succeed." Zinkata had a lot riding on his reputation.

"You are unarmed, hero." Sigmund laughed. "My magic will rip you apart." He fired a bolt of lightning at Zinkata. Zinkata leapt over it in a front flip, landing before the old elvaan. He hit him to the face, hard. Sigmund span around, blasting Zinkata back. He turned and ran, blasting the window away and jumping out of it, fleeing into the street. Zinkata turned to Illuga.

"Are you alright?" He quickly asked.
"Fine." Illuga answered, getting up. "We have to stop him!"

"What's going on here?" Zinkata asked.

"I might as well tell you." Illuga sighed. "He's long gone now, we'll never catch him." He paused. "But can I suggest we do it outside? Guards will be here any moment and I'd prefer not to explain this to them." Zinkata nodded.

Vivli wondered down the streets, still panicking. She couldn't find anybody she knew anywhere. She was alone and would have to accept it. Except she couldn't. Something wasn't letting her. She felt cold, was shaking, and wanted to cry. She had run to the rent-a-rooms, and found no sign of Bootus or Voldos. She had broken down and cried there, but had finally managed to compose herself and was heading back towards the party, desperate to find Zinkata. Unfortunately, her panic and the confusing streets of San d'Oria had meant she ended up lost. She was shaking uncontrollably, and desperate to find a way to somebody she knew. Just to see a familiar face she felt safe with. Unfortunately, she instead ran into a mugger with a knife.

Bootus and Voldos wondered down the street when they saw Sigmund running towards them.

"My friends!" He cried.

"What's going on?" Voldos quickly asked.

"There has been an attempt on my life!" He announced. "By no less than the crown!"

"What?" Bootus shot.

"I feel your parents may have been right to plot against them." Sigmund began to explain. "Follow me!"

"Where are we going?" Voldos asked.

"To the manor of your parents." Sigmund answered. "I have no doubt that therein lies evidence of what the crown are plotting, and why they tried to murder me."

"This is weird." Voldos muttered.

"Yes, because our lives are normally so normal." Bootus laughed.

Elsewhere, Zinkata and Illuga wondered the dark streets.

"Sigmund is planning something." Illuga told him. "He seems to be trying to turn certain people against the crown, and killing those that stand in the way."

"And where do you fit in?" Zinkata asked.

"I really don't." Illuga answered. "I witnessed him murder somebody, and have been trying to catch him ever since."

"Pulled in by coincidence." Zinkata sighed. "That sounds familiar."

"Hm?" Illuga asked.

"Nothing." Zinkata stopped. "We need to find my friends. I don't know where they are but they had better be safe."

"Give me your money." Came the command from the elvaan, clutching a knife and pointing it threateningly at Vivli. Vivli couldn't believe it. Her head hurt. Not again! her mind screamed. She started to shake uncontrollably. She didn't know what she could do. She began to cry. She couldn't stop herself. She fell down, collapsing. Her entire brain was overridden with fear. "Oh, come on. It's only money." The thief said. She continued to cry, curling up into the foetal position she was so afraid. "I'm not actually going to hurt you." The thief told her. He paused in consideration. "Urrr, I mean, I might!" He added in an attempt to stay threatening. Vivli had now fully curled up, sobbing uncontrollably. She felt sick. She simply wanted to die. She couldn't believe it was happening to her again. "It's not that bad." The thief said, feeling worse and worse for making her so upset. He sighed, putting the knife away. "Come on, I'll let you go." She continued to cry. He bent down beside her, and she shuffled away slightly, still sobbing and shaking. "Okay, look. Calm down. Come here." He took her in his arms. "It's okay. You'll be alright." She was still shaking, but turned to hug the thief, just for the comfort. It didn't occur to her that this was a very bad thief, considering he was now feeling so sorry for his victim he was helping her. "Look, let's get out of the street. You'll be fine." Vivli was still shaking. She couldn't quite stand up. Her legs had turned to jelly. The thief sighed, and decided to carry her. She was still sobbing uncontrollably.

He carried her into the nearby tavern, and set her down on a chair. She continued to shake. She couldn't even speak anymore.

"Look, you're safe now." The elvaan told her.

"Elnroth, what've you done?" Asked a weary sounding hume walking up behind him.

"I was low on cash. She looked like she had some." The elvaan (apparently called Elnroth) answered.

"So why is she now slumped on a chair in the tavern?" The hume asked.

"Well, she kinda didn't react like I expected." Elnroth admitted. Vivli continued to shake.

"This another one I'm going to have to bail you out of?" Came a question from the stranger.

"Well, she wont even speak. If you can cheer her up, it would be good." Elnroth said. The hume pulled a chair up next to Vivli.

"Do you want to talk? Are you alright?" He asked. She just continued shaking. "My name's Jacoby. What happened? What's wrong?" Vivli tried to speak. She tried to form words. She was so scared, and didn't understand why. She was literally paralysed with fear. She continued to cry, and Jacoby put a hand around her, allowing her to cry against his shoulder. This comforted her somewhat.

"V-V-V-V-Vivli." She managed to say. She was going to try and introduce herself properly, but could only just get her name out.

"Vivli? That your name?" She managed a nod in response. "It's a pretty name." He told her, trying to keep her comforted. It didn't seem to be working. Jacoby gave Elnroth a look that simply said 'I hate you'.

"Sorry." Elnroth said in response to this look. "I didn't know she'd react like that!"

"You could, you know, not mug people." Jacoby suggested. Elnroth sighed, and Jacoby turned back to Vivli. "I could play you some music if you'd like." Jacoby suggested. Vivli didn't respond, but just sobbed.

The door to the tavern swung open and in walked two people.

"Hm." Zinkata remarked. "If they're not in the tavern, something serious is happening."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you." Illuga sighed. Neither were prepared for the speed at which Vivli rushed them, latching onto Zinkata. He stumbled back a little in shock.

"Viv? You alright?" She sobbed into his chest, hugging him tightly. Jacoby got up and approached them. Elnroth skulked in the background, a little afraid of showing his face.

"I apologise." Jacoby said to Zinkata. "Do you know this girl?"

"You might say that." Zinkata replied sarcastically. "What happened?"

"My associate here thought it might be a good idea to mug her." Jacoby explained with an angry glance to Elnroth.

"Sorry!" Elnroth cried out.

"Sweet Chaos!" Exclaimed Zinkata. "Viv? You alright?" She looked up tearfully, and just hugged Zinkata tighter. "She's been really shaken up lately. Somebody tried a similar trick the other day."

"I'm really sorry this happened." Jacoby said. "I hope she'll be alright."

"So do I." Zinkata sighed. "We've got work to do. Thanks for helping her, but we have to move." He looked down at the shivering mithra, who he was now holding to calm her down. "Viv, we have to find Voldos and Bootus quickly. Seems like that new friend they made is plotting to overthrow the King of San d'Oria." He smiled slightly. "You had better come with us, can't leave you alone for a second." He laughed, and she smiled slightly. Zinkata turned to leave, and Vivli grabbed his hand, following him, refusing to let go. Illuga looked a little confused, and followed.

Exiting the bar, Illuga decided to speak.

"We should head for Voldos's home." He said. "If Sigmund started a conversation with him, then he must want something. I think he must be planning to use Voldos to get into his house. There must be something he wants there."

"Let's go then." Zinkata stated.

"What's going on?" Vivli asked softly, struggling to get each word out and still clinging to Zinkata's hand.

"Illuga here's been explaining things to me." Zinkata answered. "He thinks that Voldos's parents were murdered by that old man we saw them talking to, and that he's manipulating them." Illuga took a step in to explain, but Vivli quite noticeably shot away from him, cowering behind Zinkata. Illuga paused, a little taken back by this.

"I think something bigger is going on here, but I can't tell." He explained, keeping his distance from the petrified mithra.

"Either way, we need to find Voldos fast." Zinkata stated. "If you're right, then Sigmund has already met up with him and will be taking him to his parent's house." He sighed, turning to Vivli. "Why is it wherever we go we get into trouble?"

"I blame Bootus." Vivli grumbled, trying to be light hearted to cheer herself up, but she couldn't. She gripped Zinkata's hand tighter, still shaking and still crying.

Voldos, Bootus and Sigmund walked into the large manor.

"Ah, yes. Here we are." Sigmund remarked.

"Here we are what?" Bootus asked.

"The painting." Sigmund pointed to the same painting Vivli had been looking at earlier. The same one Alfred had explained to her. He walked up and hurled it aside carelessly.

"Isn't that valuable?" Bootus asked watching it crash to the floor.

"Probably." Sigmund remarked. There was a safe behind it.

"A safe behind a painting?" Voldos pondered. "Original."

"How do we get in?" Bootus asked. Sigmund smiled, and shot a powerful bolt of lightning, blowing open the door. He reached in lifting out a wooden box.

"Drop it!" Illuga yelled. Sigmund spun around. Voldos and Bootus stared at Vivli and Zinkata.

"Hey guys." Zinkata smiled.

"Illuga!" Boomed Sigmund. "He's working for the crown! An assassin! Kill him!" He barked at Voldos and Bootus.

"He's lying." Zinkata said. "Sigmund is the evil one."

"You've been deceived!" Sigmund cried. "They've been deceived by him! Your only choice is to destroy all of them!"

"What?" Voldos snapped. "You're insane."

"Oh well, I tried." Sniggered Sigmund, blasting out bolts of lightning in all directions. "I have what I came for."

"What's in the box?" Voldos asked he dove to avoid the bolts.

"You'll never know!" Sigmund taunted. Bootus closed in on him, but was blown back. He ran at Illuga, who fired a fireball. He effortlessly deflected it with his own magic and disappeared into the night. The five were left in the room, dazed.

"Would somebody please tell me what the hell is going on?" Bootus snapped.

The five gathered, sat around, and Illuga recounted the entire story from his perspective. He claimed that he had seen Sigmund kill a high ranked noble. He said he didn't know why. He swore he would get revenge for the people murdered and tried to track Sigmund down. Unfortunately, before he could do this, Sigmund murdered Voldos's parents. He got his shot at the party but blew it.

"So you don't actually know his plan?" Zinkata asked.

"No. But he keeps referring to the crown and how other people are trying to usurp it, so I can only assume it's somehow related to that." Illuga answered.

"There's an evil plot going on and we don't know what it is?" Voldos pondered. "I have a strange sense of déjà vu." Vivli shuffled closer to Zinkata, still shaking. The two were sat on a long couch.

"What happened to Vivli?" Bootus asked, noticing this. "Urm, not that I'm concerned or anything."

"She-" Zinkata began.

"I got mugged." Vivli answered strangely. "Again." She added. Her choice to speak up quite clearly surprised Zinkata.

"Are you alright?" Voldos asked.

"No." Vivli answered inaudibly.

"She's just shaken up, right, Viv?" Zinkata said to her. She looked up at him, but didn't make any sign.

"We do not need this right now." Bootus whispered to Voldos. Vivli obviously sensed this because she started to cry again. Zinkata sighed, putting his arm around her. She slumped against him. In Zinkata's mind, it was still nothing romantic, he was just being protective of her. Vivli's mind was far too scared to think anything of it other than the enhanced feeling of safety she now had.

"Viv, this is about my parents. We can handle it. You can stay here if you-" Voldos began.

"NO!" Vivli quickly yelled, clinging tightly to Zinkata. "No! You're not leaving me behind! Not on my own!"

"Zinkata could stay with you." Voldos said.

"Yeah, looks like you two have become pretty attached." Bootus laughed at his pun. Zinkata scowled at him. "I meant in the literal sense!" He cried.

"No. I can't." She shivered. "I'm not abandoning you guys."

"Next move?" Zinkata pondered.

"I suggest we see the King." Illuga suggested. "He must have some idea as to what is going on."

"The fact your parents have no funeral still doesn't make sense." Zinkata pointed out to Voldos. "If all this is is the machinations of a villain."

"So the King might still be involved?" Bootus suggested.

"Seems that way." Zinkata said.

"Seeing the King will either answer a lot or ask a lot more questions." Illuga sighed.

"Either way, it'll help us on our way." Zinkata decided. "We'll see him the first thing tomorrow. He wouldn't turn the Light Warriors away."

"You can sleep here tonight." Voldos told them. "After all, it's huge! There must be room everywhere."

"Well, I suppose I'll go look for a bedroom I can claim." Bootus grumbled, getting up.

"I'll explore and pick a room." Illuga said, rising.

"Guess I get to sleep in my own bed for the first time in years." Voldos laughed.

"You're not going to let go, are you?" Zinkata said, looking at Vivli. She shook her head. "Yeah, I guess we'll sleep on the couch." He sighed.