Author's Note: I felt I should respond to Ninias's review about the romance in chapter 13. Firstly, believe me, I really don't mind constructive criticism at all. I love an honest opinion. Secondly, when I said I couldn't write romance, I really meant it. The way they act in chapter 13 though, I actually have a bit of justification behind. Vivli isn't meant to just be 'very in love', she's supposed to be 'hopelessly in love', meaning she's desperate to confess how she feels no matter what. She's meant to be so ridiculously in love that it's all that she can think about. She did finally confess her love in the last chapter, but that was handled terribly. To be honest, I should have never taken on writing romance, I just can't do it well.

Then there's everybody bringing it up instead of caring about saving the world. The Light Warriors have always behaved like that, except this time the topic is love. In the old ones, think of the amount of times Bootus made inappropriate jokes when they should have been focusing on saving the day. And now it's their third time, it's getting ridiculous. Again, I probably should have used new characters, but am far too attached to the Light Warriors, but them saving the world again is excessive. So it's almost meant to be humorous, the world is in danger, but they've seen that all before, this thing with Vivli and Zinkata, that's new. So as heroes they take quite a casual approach to saving the world, and so can treat these subjects as a bit of fun. At least, that was the idea. I can see why it doesn't come off well, but that's because I'm actually a very poor writer. If you think about how I write, it goes: 'Let's have these characters argue. Oh, then let's have this guy be evil. Then they can fight' and I kinda repeat it through the chapters. So now it seems like nobody takes anything seriously (which they, of course, don't).

As for it being cheesy, yes, that is because I'm terrible at writing romance. Just can't do it. Since I've done the confession and such now, I don't really want to go back and heavily change it, but I'll keep in mind your suggestions if I ever try again.

Thanks a lot for the criticism though, and I hope you don't feel this note is trying to pick apart your review. A few things I tried to explain, and a few things I have to accept. The writing is cheesy, and the characters do behave unrealistically. That is down to my writing, and the fact I struggle to handle the romance and the plot in one, and instead they become separate entities taking place at the same time, which doesn't quite make much sense. Anyway, thanks for the review!

PART XV

"What's a Lavos?" Zinkata asked, quite clearly confused.

"Not a Lavos, silly." Vivli told him, staring into his eyes, her voice soft and her face beaming a smile. "Lavos means 'Destroyer of Worlds' in the ancient tongue." She turned to the High Priestess. "But the story of Lavos is just the same story in another language, isn't it?" The High Priestess laughed.

"Lavos doesn't mean 'Destroyer of Worlds' in another language." The High Priestess stated. "It's a name. Lavos is the creatures name. The Destroyer of Worlds is his title."

"So, the old story in the ancient tongue calls him by name?" Vivli asked, slightly startled.

"Yes. Illuga is trying to reawaken Lavos, the great monster that as dwelled beneath our planet since the dawn of time. The Staff of the Destroyer, or to call it by its real name, The Staff of Lavos, was supposed to awaken the creature and destroy the world. The Staff of Ra was built to counter it."

"So, why would Illuga want to awaken Lavos?" Voldos asked. "Surely that would just destroy the world."

"The Day of Lavos." The High Priestess said with a smile. "That's what the prophesy of old predicted.

"The Day of Lavos?" Zinkata questioned.

"Judgement Day, silly." Vivli said playfully to Zinkata.

"Okay, we can't all be geniuses like you." Zinkata told her with a smile. Vivli snuggled tighter into his arms.

"Hundreds of religious nuts across time have predicted the coming of Judgement Day, and tried to bring it about." The High Priestess paused. "The price we pay for having something to believe in. It seems Illuga is no different."

"He must be." Bootus pointed out. "Something isn't right. He had a strange glow in his eyes. Like a possession." The High Priestess paused at this news.

"It doesn't matter." She said suddenly. "We need that staff back."

"How?" Bootus cried. "We tried, and were thrashed. Vivli nearly died!" Vivli felt Zinkata's arms tighten protectively around her as he heard this, and she rested her head against his chest, letting each breath he took sooth her as she felt the movements.

"Take the Staff of Ra." The High Priestess explained. "Use it to counter the power of the Staff of Lavos."

"Who can wield it?" Voldos asked with a shrug.

"I can." Vivli said confidently.

"No. It's too dangerous." Zinkata stated.

"You're one to speak, Mr 'I-charge-at-anything-with-a-sword'." She cried sarcastically. "Besides, I'm the only one that can."

"Just take better care of it than most of your staffs." Bootus laughed.

"I will." Vivli said with a narrow glare at the galka.

"Aren't we missing a more obvious problem?" Voldos questioned. "Like, where he is."

"Oh, we recently had an intelligence report from Bastok. Seems he was last seen in the mines there." The High Priestess explained.

"What the devil is he doing there?" Zinkata asked.

"They guessed he was heading for the desert." The High Priestess gave in answer.

"Why would he do that?" Voldos pondered.

"The desert is hot." Vivli commented, sounding almost like she was in a dream like state resting against Zinkata.

"Yes, Vivli. We are aware of that fact." Bootus sighed.
"No." She groaned. "I mean it's hot, and so is lava. It's probably much easier to send a message to Lavos beneath the ground from somewhere where it's hot."

"The beam of energy travelling faster through heat seems like an acceptable theory." The High Priestess said.

"I think we had better get going for Bastok, then." Zinkata decided. "Hopefully we can catch Illuga, reclaim the staff and everything will be safe again in the world."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Sighed Voldos.

The four walked out onto the newly resealed ground outside of Windurst.

"Thank Altana for that!" Vivli exclaimed. She wasn't talking about the land, but the fact that the Raven II had been reformed into its usual form, instead of the smaller and far more unstable version she had been forced to endure before. The four rushed up the ramp and relayed their latest destination to Cid, and the airship rocketed into the sky.

"We're heading for Bastok?" Voldos asked Zinkata curiously.

"Yeah, what's unusual about that?" Zinkata shot back.

"I thought we'd head straight for the desert." Voldos answered.

"Illuga was last seen in the mines. We have a better chance of catching him in there." ZInkata explained. "And there are generally more people in Bastok than a desert for gathering information." He added.

"That actually makes sense." Voldos confessed. Bootus laughed aloud.

"What's so funny?" Vivli asked from Zinkata's arms.

"Do you know what populates Bastok's mines on the path to the desert?" He asked with a grin. Vivli shrugged.

"No, I have no idea." She answered, wondering why it would matter. Bootus leaned towards her.

"Giant spiders." He answered. "Hundreds of them. They crawl all over the desert as well."

"ZIN!" Vivli cried in fear, hugging him tightly. Zinkata laughed. "He's joking, isn't he?"
"Urm, 'fraid not." Zinkata told her. "The mines really are populated with giant spiders." He felt Vivli shake in his arms.

"Maybe we should go to the desert by airship." She suggested weakly, looking pale at the thought.

"Well, Viv, if your too scared to go through the mines, you can stay in Bastok." Zinkata looked down on her, admiring her cute features. Her giant eyes were amazingly attractive, the blue depth to them really seemed to emphasise her concern and passion. He brushed one of her pigtails aside so he could see her more clearly. She had an uneasy smile on her face, showing how scared she was. She looked incredibly delicate, and Zinkata couldn't help but feel the urge to protect her no matter what. He could hardly stand the thought of her joining them on more adventures. He was so afraid something was going to happen to her, so now he was doing everything in his power to stop her coming with them so that she might stay safe. It had been the real reason he had decided to head to Bastok. He knew her fear of giant spiders would hold her back.

"No way!" She cried, snapping him out of his trance. "I'm still going! Spiders or not!"
"Okay, Viv." He said gently, with a knowing smile. "If you're sure you'll be safe." He knew she'd never make it past the mine entrance. He recalled a humorous time a month or two ago where she had walked into her bedroom at an inn in Seblina, only to come running screaming into his room because there was a spider on her wall. It had been about the size of Zinkata's fingernail. Try as he might, he couldn't get her to go back into that room, even though he convinced her it was gone. Eventually he swapped rooms with her. He smiled to himself. The spiders in the mines were considerably bigger than his fingernail, and there was considerably more than one of them.

"I will!" She cried defiantly, clearly able to read Zinkata's thoughts.

"I know you will." He said to her softly, lying because he knew in actuality she wouldn't. There was a pause.

"You know, you never actually said it." She told him playfully.

"It?" Zinkata questioned.

"I'll give you a hint." She whispered cutely. "Eight letters."

"Eight letters?" Zinkata repeated.

"But only three words." He told him. He smiled.

"I love you." He stated. She paused.

"Say it again." She said with a smile.
"I love you, Vivli." He told her, holding her in his hands.

"And I love you." She told him, moving in for the kiss.

"Oh, please!" Exclaimed Bootus. "The fate of the world hangs in the balance and you two are busy being all lovey-dovey."

"The world hung in the balance before, and that never stopped you mocking everyone." Vivli pointed out, before going back to kissing Zinkata. Bootus sighed.

"I think you just feel left out." Voldos told him.
"Are you suggesting what I think your suggesting?" Bootus asked. Voldos paused as he realised what he meant.

"I really hate you." Groaned the elvaan.

"I try." Bootus smiled.

The ship soon touched down in Bastok and the four departed. Zinkata smiled to himself, noticing that Vivli was getting more and more anxious. The Light Warriors wondered quickly towards the mines.

"Urm, weren't we going to ask for information first?" Vivli nervously asked. "You know, before heading into the mines." She stared at the intimidating dark entrance. "I, urm, think we should." She quickly said. "Just to be on the safe side. Make sure we know what we're dealing with." Zinkata smiled again, but Vivli caught it. "Hey! I'm not scared or anything!" She had quite clearly figured out what Zinkata was smiling about. "I just think it would be smart."

"Ya know, Voldos," Bootus said casually to the elvaan, "I heard this story once about one of those spiders that crawled out of the mines and into the city."

"You did?" Vivli cried in fear, looking around desperately. Bootus and Voldos roared with laughter, and Zinkata had to restrain himself. "Hey! That wasn't funny!"

"Just proving a point." Bootus admitted.

"Okay! So I'm scared! You know I'm scared of spiders!" She cried. "What do you expect me to do? I can't leave you guys. I'm the only one who can wield the staff."

"Doesn't look so complicated." Bootus said with a cocky grin.

"I have to come along." She smirked.

"Vivli, I think we could use the staff." Zinkata told her, taking it off her belt and examining it.

"You just don't want me to come." She said miserably.

"Can I talk to you alone for a sec?" He asked her. She nodded, and the two wondered to the side.

Zinkata paused, and hugged her tightly.

"I know I've been quiet about it." He told her. "I know I've tried to hide it, but believe me, I love you. I love you so much." He stared into her eyes, his own looking tearful. "I love you too much. I can't bear the thought of seeing you in danger. Not after what happened on the airship. I almost lost you!"

"Zin." Vivli said gently. "You need me for this."

"We can do it alone and you'll be safe." Zinkata explained. "Safe from harm. I don't want to risk anything happening to you."

"And you think I'm happy about seeing you charge off into battle?" Vivli asked. "I just trust you can take care of yourself!" She paused. "This is because you think I'm weak isn't it? Everybody always thinks I'm weak and helpless. That I can't possibly take care of myself." Zinkata looked her in the eyes, tightly holding her.

"It's not that at all, Viv." Zinkata lied, knowing the truth was he feared she would get hurt by anything they encountered. "I just can't bear the thought of you being in pain."
"Without me, Illuga will kill you." She said bluntly, trying to hide the tears in her eyes the thought caused. "I'm not going to let that happen. Spiders or none, I'm going with you." She stated. Zinkata sighed.

"Viv, please, be careful. I can't risk seeing you be hurt." He said to her. Vivli managed a smile.

"Lucky I have you to protect me then." She told him.

Zinkata looked down on the little mithra held in his arms. He closed his eyes painfully. He didn't want her to come. He wanted her to remain safe. He wished she had stayed in Windurst. But he couldn't reject her. She had to be there, he knew. He couldn't bare the thought of her coming, but knew that he had no choice. He looked down on her sorrowfully, feeling sick with guilt that he was going to place her beautiful form in danger. That he was going to risk her for their mission. The fate of the world, and all he could think about was her.

He heard a grumble as Bootus walked over to them, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Illuga isn't going to wait for you to have your nice little chat." He told them. "So can I suggest we get moving?" Vivli gulped.

"Yeah, we better had." She said as confidently as she could manage, but Zinkata could feel her trembling with fear.

The four rejoined together, and walked towards the mines. They passed into the depths, and began to walk through them.

"So where are the spiders?" Vivli asked with a fearful look.

"Not until we reach the tunnel leading to the desert." Bootus explained. "You're safe for a moment."

"I don't feel safe." She grumbled. Zinkata tightened his grip, and she snuggled against him. "That's better." She sighed. Zinkata smiled, and the two shared a quick kiss.

"Remind me to pick up a bag to be sick in when we're back in town." Bootus grumbled. "This is ridiculous."

"They're in love, what do you expect?" Sighed Voldos.
"I dunno, maybe they could be more concerned with the fate of the world?" Bootus asked. Neither Vivli nor Zinkata heard the voice of the galka, they were too lost in each others eyes.