Author's Note: Right, a few things about this chapter. Firstly, I've tried to cut down on the romance a bit because people were saying it was too much. I can see why, but it was important to me to establish they were very happy. It's still there, just hopefully not as prominent. Secondly, this chapter sees me trying to return some of the more usual Light Warrior humour, with them joking and acting like they always do. It stands out a bit to be honest because of the fact they're on a serious quest, but I really struggled to write this chapter (started writing at 10:30AM, and finished at 6:05PM to give an impression of how long it took me to write a fairly short chapter) and this was pretty much the best I could do. To be honest, I'm finding it harder to write this story. I'm not sure why. I'll keep at it though. I'm not going to leave it unfinished. Should hopefully get easier to write when I get onto the next bit (which will probably be in a chapter or two's time).

Also, the character of Ninias is in this chapter who belongs to….urm, well….Ninias. I got told I could use the character in an e-mail, which I am very appreciative of. I'm sorry she's a bit of a minor character, and a bit argumentative but I needed a character to be a random adventurer they run into and so yours was very useful. Thank you for letting me use your character Ninias!

PART XVI

Three of the Light Warriors entered the dark tunnel, while one stood frozen at the entrance.

"Come on, Viv." Zinkata sighed. "You insisted on coming."

"Okay! Give me a second!" She whimpered.

"There aren't even any spiders here yet!" Bootus pointed out. Vivli gulped, and walked in, before quickly rushing to Zinkata's arms. "Oh, for the love of Altana." Sighed the galka.

"Come on." Voldos gestured. "Let's keep moving." Even the elvaan was growing tired of Vivli and Zinkata's behaviour.

The four's somewhat peaceful journey was shattered as Vivli shrieked in horror.

"Sweet Altana," Bootus winced, his ears ringing. "That's far more lethal than any weapon."

"I think she's shrieking about that." Voldos stated, pointing at the spider scuttling at them. It was about the same height as Vivli, and so to Bootus, wasn't actually that big at all.

"Now that's just disappointing." He stated. "I was expecting giant spiders. Not just medium sized ones."

"It is fairly large." Voldos said as he casually drew his sword.

"Yeah, but it's hardly giant, is it?" Bootus muttered, moving in and pounding it in the face, driving it back. It attempted to snap at him, but the galka beat it back easily.

"Well, it's giant compared to most spiders." Voldos explained, moving in and slicing off its legs with his word.

"Yeah, but it's not called a 'giant to most spiders spider'. It's a 'giant spider'. I expect giant." Bootus told the elvaan. Voldos sighed as he drove his sword into the head of the spider, and it dropped down, squirming, now missing half of its legs and badly beaten.

"HOLY!" Vivli screamed, and the spider blew apart in a massive white explosion. Bootus and Voldos turned to face her.

"Overkill much?" Bootus said in surprise.

"You can never overkill a spider." Vivli panted. She was clinging to Zinkata, and had tears running down her face. Zinkata held her and smiled gently. He hated seeing her upset, so wanted to do everything he could to protect her or make her feel better. Sure enough, seeing Zinkata smile made Vivli smile herself.

"Can we just get a move on, please?" Bootus groaned.

"Oh, fine." Vivli snapped. "But only because we need to save the world."

"Only because of that, eh?" Voldos laughed. "Glad it's nothing major."

"Well, we've saved it twice before. It's getting-" Vivli stopping speaking and screamed in terror again. Bootus and Voldos sighed, turning around and brutally slaughtering the attacking spider.

"You're not helping much here, Zin." Voldos pointed out.

"I have a mithra attached to me." He said sarcastically.

"Oh. I'll let go if you want." Vivli half taunted, knowing Zinkata wanted to hold her.

"And risk you getting eaten by a spider?" Zinkata taunted back. "I don't think so." Vivli smiled warmly, despite her fear, hugging Zinkata as tightly as she could.

The battle through the tunnels was a tough one. The Light Warriors didn't struggle with the monsters at all, being experienced heroes, but Vivli's constant shrieking was becoming painful. To such an extent it wasn't long before other adventurers in the tunnels began to shout at her to shut up. A particularly vocal mithra marched up to Vivli angrily.

"Would you please shut up!" She snapped. Vivli was slightly taken back by this.

"Sorry. I'm just really afraid of spiders." She said quietly.

"Then what are you doing herrrrre?" Screamed the mithra, exasperated.

"We're looking for somebody." Zinkata said defensively.

"I'm sure you arrrre, that's no need to bring yourrrrr arrrrachnophobic girrrrrrrrlfrrrrrriend in here." The mithra told Zinkata.

"Actually, she's pretty much a vital part of the plan." Zinkata explained.

"We're trying to save the world here" Bootus added in.
"I can clearrrrly see that." The mithra groaned sarcastically. Voldos decided to step in and be more tactful.
"Actually, we're looking for mage with a strange yellow staff. Seen him around?" Voldos asked. The mithra paused.

"Seen him?" She repeated. "He's been tearing through here like some kind of god."

"Oh. We're going to stop him." Bootus said with a grin.

"What ya gonna do, shriek him to death?" She asked sceptically.

"Quick! Strike a pose!" Ordered Voldos, and the four took up fighting stances, as seen on posters across the land, making them instantly recognisable.

"Sweet Altana! You're the Light Warriors!" The mithra exclaimed in surprise.

"Yeah, you had better believe it." Smiled Voldos.

"I don't know whether to laugh or crrrrrry." The mithra sighed.

"I think I like her." Bootus observed. "She seems to dislike Vivli."

"Only because she's given me a headache!" The mithra cried.

"Aren't you a paladin?" Vivli snapped, looking at her armour. "Shouldn't you be nice to people?"

"Aren't you a Light Warrior? Shouldn't you be brave and heroic?" Taunted the mithra.

"She's got ya there, Viv." Bootus taunted. Vivli retreated into Zinkata's arms again.

"Name's Ninias." She said with a friendly handshake to the galka. "If you're chasing after the psychotic mage, be careful. After a while, a few adventurers tried to take him down, they were toast."

"We have Vivli here for backup." Zinkata smiled.

"Her?" Ninias exclaimed in shock. "You don't stand a chance!"

"Thanks!" Vivli barked, sounding offended. "Just because I'm petrified of spiders-"

"-And the dark." Bootus input.

"Urm, and the dark-" Vivli tried to continue.
"-And water." Voldos pointed out.

"-And water." Vivli sighed.

"-And flying." Bootus reminded her.
"Okay! Fine!" Vivli cried. "Just because I'm scared of spiders, the dark, water and flying doesn't mean I'm not a competent white mage!"

"Unless your in the dark, flying, in water or battling spiders." Bootus pointed out.

"Would you shut up?" Vivli snapped. "You're making me look incompetent!" Ninias laughed.

"So the stories are trrrrrue." She remarked.

"Eh?" Voldos seemed puzzled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"They say you're a mix between the greatest warriors in the land and a group of trrrravelling jesters." Ninias told them. "They also said that you'll never take anything seriously."

"Well, we are mocking Vivli while on a quest to save the world." Bootus admitted.

"And brilliantly funny." Voldos said with a cheesy grin.

"And not at all nice!" Vivli shouted, sarcastically upset.

"And going to fail in our mission if we keep this up." Zinkata pointed out. The three other Light Warriors obediently fell silent, looking like young children who had just been given a scolding. "Thanks for the information." Zinkata said to Ninias politely, "But we have a world to save."

"I'd help ya," Ninias said sarcastically, "But I'm sure you can handle it."
"You just don't want to hear Vivli shriek again, do you?" Bootus guessed.

"Exactly." Ninias laughed. Voldos tossed Ninias a link pearl as they left.

"Call me!" He cried with a wink. Ninias laughed, rolling her eyes.

The four warriors walked out of the tunnel and emerged in the desert, feeling like they had physically been hit by the heat.

"Whoa." Voldos cried, putting his hand up to shield his eyes from the sun. Vivli turned into Zinkata to hide her eyes from the brightness. Bootus just stood there.
"It's only a bit of sun." He stated.

"I'm going to get sunburnt." Voldos groaned.

"You are?" Vivli snapped. "What about me?" She pointed out she was still in her mithran separates, having forgotten to replace her robe, which left a lot of her body exposed.

"Well that's your fault for dressing like a slu-" Bootus stopped as he saw the angry glances from both Vivli and Zinkata. "-like you're on a summer holiday." He finished instead.

"Besides, you're the tanned one." Zinkata pointed out.

"And I have you to protect me from anything, right?" She said softly, resting against Zinkata's chest.

"So, where's Illuga?" Bootus asked, intentionally loudly to break the two apart.

"I dunno, everything looks yellow." Voldos muttered. "So looking for yellow energy isn't really going to work."
"Well look for the mage, then." Vivli suggested.

"It's a desert! I can't just look out and see him!" Voldos protested.

"If you could peel yourself away from Zinkata for a moment you could come and look." Bootus taunted her. "I swear, she gets over her anxiety only to stay hugging him the whole time anyway." Bootus sighed to Voldos. Vivli walked over to them with a defiant grin. She looked out across the desert.

"Wow, it's barren." She remarked.

"It's a desert!" Bootus cried. "It's made of sand! What did you expect?"
"I was only saying." Vivli said quietly.

"You know, I've missed this." Voldos remarked.

"Missed what?" Zinkata asked curiously.

"Our petty arguing. Seems like it's been a while since we've behaved like this." Voldos explained.

"Hey, the world is in danger again." Bootus told him. "So we relieve our stress in a different way than most people."

"I think we do a lot that's different from most people." Grumbled Vivli.

"Yeah, like having annoying relationships during our adventures." Bootus shot.
"Let's just get walking." Sighed Voldos. "We need to find Illuga soon.

They journeyed into the desert, getting hotter and more worn out as they did.

"Did anybody bring any water?" Panted Vivli.

"That would have been sensible." Grumbled Voldos, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "So no."

"But I'm thirsty!" Whined Vivli.

"Yes, we figured." Bootus sighed.

"Dammit, why can't Illuga have the decency to be a good villain and just wait for us so we can fight him?" Voldos asked.

"Because that would be stupid?" Suggested Zinkata.
"Saves us walking all over the desert." Voldos moaned.

"Only now, you're all tired." Came Illuga's voice. He was stood upon a sand dune, looking down on them confidently. "So I can take you out easily."

"I really hate you." Groaned Voldos.

"Set down the staff, Illuga!" Zinkata cried. "It's not too late!"
"Too late for what?" Illuga asked with a laugh.
"To come back with us!" Vivli cried passionately.

"Silence, little girl!" Snapped Illuga. Vivli suddenly paused, thinking. Illuga blasted a bolt of yellow energy at her. Zinkata leapt in front of it, and took the hit, being sent back across the sand.

"ZIN!" Screamed Vivli, running to his body.

"I'm alright." Groaned Zinkata, looking at the smouldering hole in his armour. Vivli quickly started casting a cure spell, but another yellow bolt rocketed down at her. She screamed, jumping aside as it thudded into the sand. She drew her own staff, and nothing happened.

"How do I work this thing?" She cried. Illuga bellowed with laughter, firing yet another bolt. Vivli shut her eyes tightly, but the bolt never struck. It was absorbed by the staff. She breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, that's useful."

"Bah!" Illuga spat, turning his staff on Voldos and Bootus who were ascending the dune. He blasted Bootus back, but failed to hit Voldos as the elvaan fired an arrow at the black mage, striking him. Vivli helped Zinkata to his feet, healing him as he got up. Illuga ripped the arrow from his shoulder angrily. "Would you please stop shooting me?" He bellowed.

"You first!" Voldos cried, jumping to the side as another bolt of yellow energy crashed down.

Vivli tugged on Zinkata's arm, pulling him back.

"That's not Illuga." She whispered to him. "At least not in spirit."

"We know Viv." Zinkata stated. "We figured that out before, remember?"

"No, I think I know who it is." She explained. "It's Sigmund."

"What? How do you know?" Zinkata asked.

"He called me 'little girl' in the exact same tone of voice." Zinkata nodded, turning around. "Try not to kill him!" She begged. Zinkata drew his sword and ran at Illuga.

The black mage jumped from his place on the dune, and, using the power of his staff, flew over the heads of the Light Warriors, landing behind Vivli and grabbing her.

"Surrender." He smirked. "Or I kill this little girl."

"Help." Vivli whimpered, struggling. Illuga held his staff to her head, threateningly.

"Stay back!" Illuga ordered. Vivli squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't know what she could do. She couldn't break free. She couldn't even try without risking dieing. She couldn't let the others come closer, she knew they'd never make it in time.

"Okay. Just let her go, Illuga." Zinkata said slowly.

"Why?" Illuga laughed. "I have a bargaining chip. It's not the kind of thing you give away." Vivli had an idea. Her tail began to curl up behind Illuga. It got near his neck, but she wasn't tall enough for it to do anything useful. She gulped, before trying her plan.

"Zinkata! Get out of here!" She called, going up onto her tiptoes to make sure she was heard (at least, that's what she hoped it appeared like). Illuga reacted by pulling her away from the heroes to make sure she didn't escape, but didn't pull her back down, so she stayed on her tiptoes. Her tail curled around Illuga's throat and began to strangle him. He quickly reacted by grappling for it before reaching up with staff, reading to use it to kill Vivli.

"VIVLI!" ZInkata screamed in horror, running towards her.

Vivli poured all of her will power into her own staff, and a bolt of red energy shot out of it, striking Illuga in the leg and knocking him down.

"I figured out how it works!" She called cheerfully. Illuga was sprawled on the floor, rolling in agony. He went for the Staff of Lavos, which was lying in the desert, but Vivli kicked it away. He sprang up, tackling her and easily overpowered her. She found herself pinned to the ground, struggling to move. It was futile. Illuga lifted up his fist to hit her, but before he could Bootus hurled him off of her. He crashed down in the sand, getting up and running for the staff. Voldos fired an arrow, but missed. He dove for it, and Zinkata managed to tackle him. The two grappled in the sand for a moment before Illuga blasted Zinkata off with a fireball. Zinkata crashed down. Illuga grabbed the staff and aimed it at Vivli.

"NO!" Zinkata screamed, drawing his sword and throwing it. It hurled through the air and landed in Illuga's chest. Illuga stood there, stunned.

"Nice shot." He said as blood poured out of his mouth and he dropped down, dead. Vivli let out a massive sigh of relief and threw herself into Zinkata's arms. Zinkata kissed her lightly, and held her tightly.

Bootus walked over to Illuga, and looked at his dead body.

"He's gone." He said with a heavy sigh. "We couldn't save him."

"All that matters now is getting that staff somewhere safe." Zinkata decided, bending down and picking it up. He connected it to his belt, and with a sharp tug reclaimed his sword. Blood splattered everywhere. Vivli looked away, looking pale.

"Come on." Sighed Voldos. "Let's head back to Bastok."

"Can't we call for Cid to pick us up?" Vivli moaned.
"That's actually not a bad idea." Bootus admitted. "I'm tired of wondering through the desert." Vivli beamed a smile as she realised Bootus agreed with her for once. "What? There's a first time for everything?" He said, easily able to read what her smile meant.