CHAPTER 25

LOST

It had been four months since Olose's victory over Abaj, and he his life had been enjoyably calm. The few jobs the crew of the Destiny had taken had been simple, and Arcadia had managed to stay out of trouble. It was only recently that Olose was becoming restless. He had at first relished his life without adventure, taking it as a welcome break, but now he was beginning long for excitement in his life.

It was convenient then that he was about to experience just that. He heard the loud bell ringing, meaning that somebody had arrived at the door of Arcadia's manor. She naturally sent somebody to answer it, but Olose went with him as a bodyguard, assigned to scan over everybody entering the house.

He sighed as the potential for adventure as lost; the person standing by the door was a young woman, elegantly dressed in a pink dress with long flowing blonde hair.

"Ah, Lady Saria." Arcadia's servant bowed. "Please, do come in."

"I need to see Arcadia." The woman Olose guessed was Saria sounded frantic, and quite worried.

"Of course." The servant said politely. "Please, follow me." Saria shot Olose an uneasy glance before following the servant. Olose tagged along behind, arriving in the large living room where Arcadia was sat, looking suitably elegant, in one of the fancy chairs. She stood in surprise, with a large smile.

"Saria!" She exclaimed. "How are you? I haven't seen you in years." The servant bowed and exited as Saria sat down.

"Not too good I'm afraid." Saria answered, sounding worried.

"Why? What is wrong?" Arcadia asked quickly, rushing to Saria's side.

"It's a long story." Saria admitted. "I heard a rumour that you have in your service the legendary Olose Sampson."

"Urm, hi." Olose called, walking over. "I'm Olose Sampson. Can I help?" Saria stood quickly and took Olose's hand, shaking it in an unusually firm way for somebody with the title of 'Lady'.

"It's an honour to meet you." She said, her voice filling with a strange sense of hope.

"What is wrong? What can Olose do?" Arcadia was quick to ask all the questions on her mind.

"I need to hire him and his crew." Saria explained. "Father has gone missing."

"What happened?" Olose asked, taking interest at the prospect of a job.

"My father is an explorer." Saria explained to Olose, and Arcadia nodded, knowing this already. "I often go with him on his adventures." She chipped in with a smile. That would explain her handshake, apparently Saria was a bit of an adventurer herself. She gulped, trying to tell her story accurately. "His latest expedition came after he found a map in an old book. It showed an island that should not be there. He took us there, and we ventured through a thick jungle where we came to a large plateau." Saria blushed slightly. "I, urm, I caught jungle fever. I was very sick. I couldn't go with him." She was clearly embarrassed, which Olose managed to resist the urge to laugh at. "Two of his assistants stayed with me, and the rest ventured up onto the plateau. They-" Her voice broke and she paused. "They didn't come back." She explained. She suddenly became more animated, standing. "The plateau is huge, risen far from the ground surrounded by a steep cliff face. But it is split into two, you can ascend, but to get across to the main plateau, you'd need a bridge. My father must have felled a tree to get across, but the tree seems to have collapsed, stranding them there. I was delirious at the time, but his assistants ran, carrying me with them. They talked of huge monsters up on the plateau, like they had never seen."

"You think your father is still alive?" Olose asked.

"I'm sure of it." Saria answered. "He may be a Lord, but that doesn't mean he's inexperienced when it comes to survival." Olose wondered if that was a dig at Arcadia's family. "I've spent the last week recovering from my sickness, but I came as soon as I could."

"Why us?" Olose asked. "What about the authorities?"

"They refuse to go after what they call the delusions of a sick child. They think my father was killed by beastmen, and I imagined the island in my sickness." Saria sounded bitter as she explained.

"That still leaves every other mercenary open. Why'd you pick us?" Olose inquired.

"There are-" Saria paused, searching for the right word. "Stories. Legends. They say that you took on an entire army. That you diffused a war single-handed. They say that you cannot be killed. They say it's impossible for you to lose, and that you never fail." Olose paused, and smiled slightly. "Silly stories, I know. Impossible, too." Olose let out a slight snigger. "But if you are good enough for Arcadia, then you must be worthy. I remember the kind of trouble she could get herself into." Arcadia blushed brightly.

"Let us not remember that story, Saria." Arcadia interjected.

"Damn. Now I'm curious." Olose muttered. "Well, we're willing to help out." Olose paused, hitting the awkward conversation topic. "For, urm, a price. You understand. My crew doesn't work for free."

"Olose!" Arcadia protested. "This is my friend!"

"I'll give her a cut rate then." Olose shrugged. "I have Treviaon my crew for Altana's sake, do you expect them to work for no money?"

"You may have a point." Arcadia grumbled to herself.

"That's no problem." Saria laughed. "I can pay you. I'll pay you double!" Olose grinned from ear to ear.

"Just one problem." He decided. "If we're heading to an island that only exists on one map that your father has, how are we going to find it?"

"I have it. He left it with me for safe keeping." Saria explained, opening up the pendant around her neck and removing a roll of paper. Olose unrolled it in surprise, and looked at a small island, circled. "I've even done a copy of it." She added. "Just in case you lose it."

"She certainly knows your reputation." Arcadia joked with a smile. Olose peered at the map curiously.

"That's odd." He said to himself. "I had no idea there was an island there."

"That's why nobody's discovered it." Saria input. Olose nodded.

"I figured." He replied. "Okay. It's quite a ride to Seblina from here. I'm guessing you want us to leave as soon as possible?" Saria nodded. "Right. Two days then. One day to get there and prepare all our equipment, a second to leave. Shouldn't take too long to reach this island of yours. By the end of the week, we should make the plateau, then we'll come back with any news, and hopefully, your father." Saria laughed to herself.

"Oh no. You don't understand. I'm going with you." She explained. Olose rose an eyebrow.

"I'm not certain it's going to be safe. And we generally get into some seriously violent situations." Olose told her.

"Have you been to that island?" Saria snapped. "Do you know anybody who has? Well?" Olose fell silent. "I'm the only one who knows the way. So I have to go." She smiled victoriously.

"Fine. Meet us at the chocobo stables tomorrow. We'll depart first thing in the morning. You won't find any chocobo carriages running this late." Olose explained. Saria nodded.

"Thank you." She said politely.

"Do you have somewhere to sleep tonight?" Arcadia offered. Saria nodded again.

"Yes. I'll be fine. I'll see you tomorrow." She got up and walked out. "Thanks again. Nice meeting you again Arcadia."

"I can say the same." Arcadia smiled. Saria curtseyed fairly awkwardly, and left. Olose sighed and collapsed in one of Arcadia's fancy chairs.

He looked up to her and smiled.

"Well, this sounds exciting." He decided.

"I know. What time tomorrow are we leaving?" Arcadia asked.

"What? Sorry, did you just say we?" Olose inquired blankly. Arcadia nodded, slightly frustrated.

"Yes. I want to go with you." She explained.

"But it's dangerous!" Olose protested.

"Saria is going." Arcadia stated as if she had made the finishing point.

"Saria? Saria's father is an explorer, she does this stuff all the time." Olose argued. "Arcadia, it's dangerous. Nobody knows what's out there. You could get hurt, or worse, killed."

"It is better than sitting here, worrying about you." Arcadia grumbled.

"I'm immortal! You don't need to worry." Olose laughed.

"You are not entirely immortal. Some things can kill you." Arcadia pointed out.

"Well, if it's that dangerous, you coming along is out of the question." Olose smiled in victory. Arcadia sprang to her feet, wrapping her arms around Olose.

"Please." She requested.

"What could you possibly do to help?" Olose pointed out.

"Reach things off the top shelf for you." She smiled. Olose couldn't repress a laugh.

"I'm still taller than you remember." He said trying to keep a straight face.

"So you claim." Arcadia smiled again, just trying to wind Olose up. Her smooth hands ran over his neck, and he relished her gentle touch.

"Okay. Fine. You can come. But if it gets too dangerous, I'm sending you back to the boat with Suse and Saria." Olose explained. "Nobody knows what's up on that plateau, but it was enough to stop Saria's father. He might not even still be alive." Arcadia paused in awkward silence. "There might be blood and things too." Arcadia turned pale.

"No. I am going! You are not going to make me change my mind." She said, trying to fight back the queasiness she was feeling.

"I never said I was trying to." He smiled. "If you want to come, then you can, but please think about it carefully. We don't know just what it'll be like out there."

"I will be fine, with you around." Arcadia answered. Olose sighed. He could see there was no way to dissuade her.

"Alright, alright. Then get some rest. We're leaving early tomorrow, which means you have to be ready." Arcadia nodded.

"Sorry for arguing." She said softly. Olose laughed.

"That doesn't matter. Now I'm going to look over that map Saria left with Phabrizoe. See if we can't plot a course." Olose explained. Arcadia nodded.

"I shall get some rest I think, it is becoming late." She told Olose. Olose delivered a quick two fingered salute and left the room, heading to find Phabrizoe.

Morning soon came and the crew prepared to load up the chocobo carriage.

"How you can be taking more than all of us combined I'll never figure out." Olose sighed, loading yet another of Arcadia's suitcases.

"You do not think I over packed do you?" Arcadia asked gently.

"I have a hunch." Olose laughed. "Right, that's the last of them." He said having finally finished loading all of their equipment. "I'll take front with Arcadia, the rest of you sit in the back. I figure Arcadia must have some experience riding these things."

"Well, I mostly get ridden around." Arcadia felt fairly embarrassed to admit that in the presence of the hardened Destiny crew. They were all dressed practically, either in armour or basic jackets and trousers. Even Saria wore a basic tan shirt and trousers, with an explorer's hat on her head to shield her from the sun. In contrast, Arcadia was dressed as she always was, in an expensive and fancy dress, decked out with jewellery and make-up and feeling very out of place. "But I shall help all I can." She added, to try and make herself feel slightly more useful.

"Great. Let's get moving. Lives are depending on us, remember?" Olose climbed up.

"Yay! Herrrre we go again!" Suse cheered, jumping in.

"Is she always like that?" Saria asked Nadia quietly.

"You have no idea." Sighed Nadia, climbing in.

"Oh come on, it is fairrrly exciting." Trevia pointed out, jumping up.

"I preferred you when you were always moody." Phabrizoe grumbled, scrambling into the carriage.

"I wasn't moody! I was stoic!" Trevia protested. "Besides, if I've changed, it's Olose's fault."

"Most things are." Phabrizoe sighed with a smile. Saria looked baffled.

"Arrrre you alrrright?" Suse asked, poking her face in front of Saria's. "You look confused."

"I was just wondering if this was really the legendary Destiny crew." She grumbled. "You all seem a little-"

"You hearrr that?" Suse cried. "We'rrrre legends!"

"-Odd." Saria finished.

"Aren't all good heroes." Nadia smiled.

"I don't know. I've never met one." Saria joked.

"We'rrrre legends, but not herrrrrrrroes." Suse sounded a little disappointed.

"It isn't particularly heroic what we do." Nadia admitted. "We do just take any job for money. But it is fun." Nadia paused. "Speaking of what we do, why exactly is Arcadia with us?"

"She wanted to come, so Olose let her." Phabrizoe said, casually studying the map of the island's location.

"What's wrrrrrong?" Suse purred curiously.

"I don't want to sound rude, but she's not the most capable type." Nadia explained. "She's probably going to get us into more trouble than it's worth."

"I'm sure Arcadia will be fine." Saria input. "I mean, she's not going to be used to it, but we're only dealing with a long trek through a jungle. If she stays at the base of the plateau, she'll be fine."

"Do you know how Olose met her?" Nadia laughed. "He rescued her. Guess what from."

"Beastmen? Orcs? Goblins? Quadav? Could have been anything. Bandits, maybe." Saria guessed.

"It was a path. A muddy path." Nadia said bluntly. "Believe me, she really can't handle herself."

"You could be morrre rrrrrespectful." Trevia pointed out. "After all, she does pay us, give us lodgings, and keep us fed."

"Yeah, to protect her. Because she needs it." Nadia explained. "I'm sure everything will be fine. I just don't want to get caught up rescuing Arcadia from some mess she got herself into. We're already on one rescue mission."

"I have to admit, Arcadia does have a habit of getting into trouble." Saria sighed.

"And you don't?" Nadia asked. "No offence meant, but both you and Arcadia are-"

"I know what you think." Saria interrupted. "That us rich girls can't take care of ourselves. Well, my dad is an explorer, and a pretty damn good one. I've probably seen more of this world than you have. Sure, I got sick. That happens. But it doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing." She folded her arms, frustrated.

"Sorry." Nadia said after a pause. "I didn't mean to upset you." She had found herself feeling guiltier and guiltier about her aggressive mood lately, which she put down to being Olose's fault.

"It's okay." Sighed Saria. "It's just, I get easily annoyed. When people assume that being rich means we're all pushovers." She looked to the front of the carriage. "Although sometimes I can see why you'd think that."

"I thought Arrrrrcadia was yourrrr frrrrrrriend." Suse input.

"Oh, don't get me wrong, she is." Saria said quickly. "A loyal, kind and caring person. But she has no idea about the real world. I remember once me and my father took her out of the city. She'd never seen anything. She didn't even recognise a lot of really normal things. She was in utter awe at a stream we found." Saria paused. "She couldn't believe that water would just run through the countryside like that." She smiled in reflection. "Of course, we were pretty young then. And then she saw a goblin. She tried to pet it, like she would a chocobo back in the city. My dad saved her." Saria suddenly felt a wave of crushing depression sweep across her. "Altana, I hope he's okay." She sobbed, trying her best to stop the tears in front of the others, but failing. Phabrizoe took her hand.

"If he's as capable as you say he is, then he will be." Phabrizoe reassured. "But crying won't not achieve anything. You need to hope, not despair."

"Why is she so upset?" Suse asked, sounding baffled.

"What? How could you ask that?" Snapped Saria.

"Oh, she never had parents properly. Or at least got to know them." Nadia explained. "She doesn't quite understand the bond." Nadia turned to Suse. "It's like Olose dieing." She explained. Suse's face dropped.

"Don't be silly. He's immorrrrtal." Suse smiled naively. Nadia sighed, rolling her eyes and folding her arm across her body.

"Immortal?" Saria inquired.

"It's a long story." Phabrizoe put in.
"It's a long journey." Saria shot back.

"Point." Admitted Phabrizoe. "Well, it began…"

Author's Note: Wow. In something revolutionary to me, I actually try to develop characters instead of just throwing them into action! Ahem. Hopefully that worked to give you an idea of the new character, and just to have some fun with them. But I still actually feel that I'm a bit wishy-washy on the Destiny crew and their personalities, they seem to be changing all the time. I have who's who and how they act in my head, but I'm always trying to make them evolve and change, and it comes out horribly wrong, like the characters are never the same. Even Saria changed constantly through this chapter. And Olose and Arcadia and their romance is still terrible.

Oh, and, in true Vivli style, I failed to come up with an original concept. This one rolled about (which I wonder if anybody recognises) as a homage to The Lost World (no, not Jurrassic Park!) when I watched the 1925 silent movie the other day (I'm going to be studying film and theatre at university, and wanted to make a start on seeing some old films). I liked the idea of the forgotten world on a plateau, so stole it. I'm really bad for stealing ideas, so sorry to keep doing it, but I think it's original enough to fit in. At least there were no stolen lines of dialogue this time!