Chapter 9

"What the... what the hell!" Sabin stepped back and tripped over the sapphire coffin, landing on his back. "Ow... no more stepping backwards... no more stepping backwards," he muttered as he rubbed his back. His mind was refusing to let the enormity of the situation sink in, and who could blame him, with all the carnage, blood and gore in his head right now... and that Galahad, he was mad!

Worst of all, he had no idea whether Hellad and Senahad destroyed him, or whether 'the perfect chain' had destroyed them. It was all too much for him to handle at one time.

S...sabin...can you...hear me?

Sabin jumped up, scanning the room in a panic. "Who-who's there!" Whatever was speaking sighed.

It's me...Sabin, Edgar! So you can hear me?

"Yeah I can hear you, but what did you do? Put a bug on me?"

No, it should be on the floor right now, or maybe climbing up your pant leg...

"Wha-a-at?"

The Kato bot, a communication system with the body of a fuzzy, cute, companion. Perfect for blending in with the crowd!

Edgar sounded much too smug for Sabin's taste.

"Look, Big Brother, aren't you supposed to be resting? You were poisoned, remember? Or did that little fact escape your little mind?"

The Kato bot turned its blue furred head towards him, swinging its long tail. It buried its claws into his leg and Sabin gritted his teeth.

Well, you're the stupid one of the family, everyone's much smarter than you are! But now is not the time for sibling rivalry, so, where are you? And is my Kato bot responding properly?

The little cat-resembling robot with oversized ears and large eyes perched on his shoulder, cocking its head inquisitively.

"Yeah, sure, its perfect, as usual. It even responds to the feeling in your voice. What's a Kato anyway?"

Edgar was blessedly silent for a few moments.
You don't know what it is? And here I was trying to pick a small animal from your home in Mount Koltz...what a waste of time. It seems you don't know your own range as well as you think you do.

Sabin held the Kato bot in his hands.

"I've never seen one before, it must be rare. Now that I think about it, I think I may have seen Selena raising a few... do they come in hot pink too?"

The Kato wriggled, an exasperated yowl issuing from its mouth.

I have only just started my research on them! I'll send you chip mods as I uncover new data, but for now, you have the basics of a Kato. Once I have found some different species and colors to analyze, I'll send you a chip mod to toy around with that too.

"Do I have to listen to you whine all the time? And why couldn't you have sent me my claws or something?"

I don't whine! The Kato has its own programmed feelings and so forth, but I'll send chip mods to make it more versatile. Soon, you won't be able to tell the difference between it and a real Kato! As for your claws... don't you carry them around all the time? Edgar sounded a bit miffed.

Sabin reddened. "Not when I'm sleeping in my own bed, Edgar! Does your wife approve of you having your sword in bed!" Sabin sorely hoped the Kato bot did not have a camera.

No...sorry, never thought about that, but I suggest you get out of wherever you are. The scanners are indicating something big coming in the bots direction. Just shut up and get out, I'm fine! Your family is fine, we're all fine, just get out of there before whatever that is gets you!

"Edgar, why did you say that? Something happened, didn't it? What happened, tell me, dammit!" he yelled at the bot as they sprinted down the hallway. He could hear something roaring, crashing through the halls, and he had a sinking feeling it was the monster from before.

There was something at the end of the hall, something closing! It was too far away, he'd never get there in time, he had to, had to! He picked up the Kato bot and risked a glance over his shoulder, and wished he hadn't. It was the monster from before alright, but smaller, and even more blood drenched. He had a sickening thought of Edgar and his children above, and willed the thought out of his head. He didn't want to see them dead, but he wanted to know what had happened to them, he had to know! And he wouldn't be the monsters next meal!

But the door was still far away, the stone slabs would be closed soon, and he'd be dead!

What are you doing! Get out of there!

"Shut up, Edgar, I'm trying to think! There are two big stone slab doors! Where in Figaro Castle are there two giant stone doors!"

There's only one place, Sabin! The tombs! But what the hell are you doing in the royal tombs! You're not dead yet!

"I will be soon, if you can't find a way to keep the doors open!"

Open? That door hasn't been opened since Father died! I didn't open it in the first place!

"Dammit Edgar! I don't care, just keep it open if you want me alive!"

There is no way to keep it open, Sabin! If it closes... well, you were the greatest brother I ever had... I won't last long up here, none of us will...

Sabin's thoughts flashed to Selena, to Junior and Luca. To his brother Edgar, his sister-in-law, and to his nephew, Gerad. Rage bubbled up inside him, keeping the Kato bot on his shoulder; it was time to test his new Blitz!

"Here goes! Aura Rocket Blitz!" he threw his hands behind him as intense beams of pearl energy propelled him forward, and blazed towards the monster. He started to regret the incredible propulsion of his new attack as air whistled in his ears, high pitched, making it feel as if his brain was exploding. The monster was engulfed in the pearl energy and it gave a horrible shriek.

Sabin cleared the door and fell to the ground, his shoulder grinding into the sand. As he slowly came to a stop, and hauled his bruised and battered body up from the earth, he silently thanked the Fates that it was sand and not rock.

He looked towards the castle, the source of Edgar's distress, and with a sinking heart realized that he might have gotten out too late.

The Arlorden assault had begun and Figaro Castle was fighting a losing battle.