Author's Note: Hello, my name is Vivli and I'm addicted to making author's notes. Ahem. That's a lie. My name's not actually Vivli. Anyway, a few pointers, as you may notice, this story leg is fast coming to an end, which is a shame, I really enjoyed it, my favourite so far, but it has to end or else it'll just be dragged out. This means I need to move onto a new one. Uh oh. There's a problem. I've officially run out of ideas. I have no idea what I'm going to do for the next adventure. I have one lined up, but it deals with San d'Oria again and I want a break from it, so there's got to be something in-between. I do have a one chapter story coming up, after this, which should be interesting. I say interesting, because I'm going to be doing it in a very different style. It's a fairly major event for Olose, so I want to do it in a way that makes it seem different.

Anyway, that's not for a while. Basically, there's one more chapter of this story, then the one I have planned, then I'm out of ideas. I may come up with one soon, might watch a movie and get an idea from it like I usually do, or read something, but otherwise I could be in trouble. As a request, if any of you out there have an idea for an adventure you want to see Olose and friends on, please feel free to say, because I can then adapt it and use it in the story. Of course, giving credit to you, rather than just stealing everybody else's ideas. Otherwise I had better get on with coming up with a good idea!

Out of interest, if you want to know how bad my author's notes addiction is, look at it this way. This story is, according to is 111855 words long. My copy of it on the computer without any notes is 99030 words long. That means, according to my calculator, there are 12825 words of author's notes in this story (and that isn't including this story). That's over twelve thousand words! So, sorry for all the rambling everybody, it is a ridiculously large amount. (Not that I've learn my lesson, look at the length of this note!).

CHAPTER 40

CORONATION

The Cardinal flung open the door to his resting chambers and marched out, literally storming into a gathered group of his advisors and members of the elvaan parliament.

"Your eminence, please, you need rest." One began. The Cardinal angrily pushed him over and marched on by.

"Begin the coronation!" He ordered.
"But sir, the chateau is burnt, the food is destroyed, the people are rioting-"

"Then tell them the coronation is underway to quell the rebel activity that has done this." The Cardinal instructed. "I can tell them myself, with a speech to the masses. We'll turn this Sampson figure around on them, make him their enemy."

"He's a powerful figure, your eminence, I don't know if that's possible-"

"I will make it possible!" The Cardinal yelled angrily. "I shall be crowned king as soon as possible. It's the only way to stop more outbursts like this! The damage to the chateau exceeds any in elvaan history! We must get the city under control!" The Cardinal stormed out before anybody could say anything else. One of the advisors sighed, wondering why he had advisors if he never listened to their advice.

Olose caught Santia running towards him as he approached with Dartian at his side.

"What did you do?" She screamed. "Why are there plumes of smoke coming from the chateau?"

"Hey, you're the one that told me the poison was flammable." Olose shrugged.

"I said as a last resort!" Santia sighed. "Dartian!" She suddenly cried. "You're alive!" Her face beamed an enormous grin.

"Last time I checked." Dartian laughed back. Santia quickly composed herself again, and looked up at the chateau.

"What do you think the Cardinal will do now?" She asked.

"Get crowned. Probably even sooner. He'll think it's the only way to get the city back under control from rebels like us." Olose guessed.

"So, what do we do?" Santia asked in a shrug.

"We stop him." Olose grinned.

The three walked back into the room in the tavern, which had been sufficiently cleaned up since the Temple Knights had raided it.

"Olose!" Arcadia ran to him, and hugged him happily. "I hear you almost burnt down the elvaan chateau. Sounds like you." She said sarcastically. Olose laughed. "Dartian! You're alive!"

"So everybody keeps saying." Dartian shot, before he turned to Astra. His eyes went wide, and he dropped to one knee. "Your Highness." He said simply. "I am Dartian Loneheart, the only survivor of the Royal Guard and your loyal servant and protector." Astra looked at him in surprise.

"Urm. Okay." She answered, confused. Dartian smiled, rising.
"How may I serve you?" He asked.

"I'm okay." She answered. "But I think I might need your help before the end of this all."
"Of course." Dartian smiled. "So, what's the plan Olose?"
"The Cardinal shall be crowned king tomorrow evening." Olose stated. "I'd imagine he'll stick to that time scheme, using the rest of the day to drum up support of the elvaan population. Once he's crowned, nobody can oppose him. The elvaan line of royalty will be dead. We have to stop him before hand. I say we interrupt the ceremony with Astra's presence, which means there will be no way he can resist us. Astra is the true heir."

"Sounds simple." Dartian muttered.

"It won't be. The Cardinal will do his best to stop us. Even once we present Astra I'd imagine he'll have a few tricks up his sleeves. But don't worry, I have one or two myself." Olose smiled.

"Being immortal is not a trick." Arcadia sighed. "You pull it every time."

"Well, not my fault I can't be killed." Olose laughed.

"I've been studying the plans for the ceremony." Santia explained. "I think I know how we can get in."

"Fantastic." Olose grinned, getting ready to hear it.

The city was abuzz with people. The following day had come and the coronation wasn't far away. Huge crowds had gathered around the Chateau d'Oraguille, although only the very richest and most powerful were allowed inside, along with all the guards.

Inside in the mighty presentation room, hoards of Temple Knights and elvaan soldiers stood in perfect formal lines, leaving one long stretch of red carpet running up to the throne. A massive balcony extended around the room, filled with spectators. Even more spectators got to sit in the chairs on the ground floor, surrounded by guards. At the front of the proceedings stood the head of the elvaan parliament, flanked by other members.

"With great pleasure, I present to you, Cardinal Treville!" He spoke, and the Cardinal emerged, in a long flowing red robe, walking down the main stretch towards the throne. People turned their heads in awe as he approached.

Outside, two Temple Knights listened intently to the proceedings within, desperate to hear part of history. When they turned back, their eyes went wide. Olose grinned, and hit one. The other went to draw his sword, but a swift kick took him out. Olose turned around.

"Right. Dartian. Santia. You take the ground floor when you hear things kick off within and get my signal. Keep Astra with you and lie low. If you fail now, the entire plan will be destroyed." Olose explained.

"Got it." Dartian nodded. Astra whimpered slightly.

"I'm scared." She said softly.

"Do not worry, your highness, no harm will come to you." Dartian vowed. "I swear it." Olose nodded to the others, and ran for the stairs leading up to the balcony. There was a pause, and an unconscious Temple Knight rolled down the steps.

"Damn. He's good." Santia muttered.

"Maybe you just weren't very good at training." Dartian mocked.

The Cardinal placed his hand on the golden sceptre held before him.

"Do you vow to protect and love this land no matter the hardships it may encounter?" The head of parliament continued to read the list of vows the Cardinal was taking.
"I do." The Cardinal swore.

""And to love its people, and to protect them?"

"I do."

"To guard this land from any evil and to lead us with all the strength of an elvaan king?"

"I do."

"Then, I am proud to crown you-"

"NOT SO FAST!" Came a cry from a balcony. Everybody gasped and looked up. Olose Sampson was stood, sword in hand, on the thick stone railing around the balcony. Temple Knights rushed Olose, but he beat them back easily. He drove one back, flipping the sword out of his hand and knocking him out. Another ran in, swinging her blade, and he ducked under it, before lunging upwards knocking her unconscious. Yet one more ran in, but Olose parried his blade and threw him off of the balcony.

"Sampson!" Growled the Cardinal.

"You cannot let this evil tyrant rule!" Olose spat. "He planned to poison you all! He planned the war, to dispose of the King! He even tried to dispose of the Princess!"

"Olose Sampson, you're crimes are high in number and your statements without evidence." The head of parliament stated simply. "You shall be executed for your interference."

"My statements have plenty of evidence." Olose grinned. "Besides, you can't crown him king."

"And why is that?" The Cardinal was shaking with rage, but the head of parliament remained calm.

"Because Princess Astra lives!" Olose bellowed, and the mighty main doors to the room swung open.

Astra walked in in a long flowing white gown, flanked by Dartian and Santia. She had a tiara Arcadia had provided upon her head, and it certainly made her look the part. The crowd turned to her in shock, all baffled, and none too sure how to react.

"Princess Astra?" Exclaimed the head of parliament.

"Yes. I live." She stated. "Despite the best efforts of the Cardinal to keep me subdued."

"Everybody knows Princess Astra died at birth!" The Cardinal spat.

"Let us consider what we are seeing, Cardinal." Warned the head of parliament.
"She is an impostor! Destroy her!" The Cardinal cried. The Temple Knights obeyed, seeing no reason to trust the strange elvaan woman. They drew their swords and ran forwards. Olose leapt from above and cut them off.

He began to beat them back as Santia and Dartian ran to his side. Astra started to shake in fear. The three heroes were outnumbered, but the Temple Knights clearly had their doubts.

"Captain d'Mil?" One asked, astonished, sheathing his sword.

"This is indeed Princess Astra." She said in response. "You are now committing treason against San d'Oria."

"She's insane! She's been plotting against me from day one!" The Cardinal yelled. Olose took a few hits, but continued to beat them back. One knight had managed to sneak up behind Astra, and grabbed her, placing a sword to her neck.

"Stop! Or I'll kill her!" He cried confidently. The three heroes ceased their fight, and turned to him.

"Okay." Olose said calmly. "Don't hurt her. Just, put the sword down."
"Drop your weapons!" Cried the knight. They did so. Astra had begun to cry, her tears flowing freely with her newfound strength in a way she'd never have imagined.

"Somebody that weak should never lead anyway." The Cardinal grumbled. "Take her to the prison. Execute the others." He turned back to the head of parliament. "Proceed with the ceremony."

"You will not!" A deep booming voice declared from the doorway. Once again everybody's attention was flung to the doors.

A figure in bright silver armour, ordained with golden markings and the golden crest of the royal family upon its chest stood there, thick brown hair and a neat beard hanging from his face. A bright red cape flew behind him proudly. He was instantly recognised.

"Impossible." Gasped the Cardinal. King Richard took several determined steps forwards. The Royal Guard flanked him on all sides, looking war torn, but alive. Dartian noticed many were missing, dozens, but they must have perished in war like his friends.

"Treville, you are under arrest for treason. You shall be executed!" The King boomed.

"Never!" The Cardinal cried. "No! You can't be alive!" He was in total shock. Tarrak shot Olose a smile from the King's side.

"Told you I'd find him." He said casually. Olose grinned back.

"You dare to even speak to me?" Growled the King, sword in hand. "You took my kingdom, you stopped supplies to us during the war, you tried to kill me, you try to steal the crown, and then I walk in to see your knights with a sword at my daughter's throat?"

"Destroy him!" The Cardinal cried to his Temple Knights. "He is weak! He led us to ruin in the war with Bastok!"

"You did that yourself by manipulating our supplies! You cost us the war, not me!" The King roared.

"Kill him!" The Cardinal screamed. The Temple Knights didn't move. Dartian dropped to one knee before his king. A smile crept across the King's face.

"I am loyal to you, my king." Dartian stated. Santia dropped beside him.

"As am I." She said.

"And me." Olose dropped down. Tarrak lowered as well. The Royal Guard all fell to their knees before him. The Temple Knights sheathed their weapons and did the same. The entire room dropped down, on one knee, before the king, except for the Cardinal.

"No! You fools!" The Cardinal screamed. He drew a sword from a nearby knight and hurled it at the King. Olose sprang up and took the hit, the sword ripping through him. Everybody froze in shock. The King looked at him in awe.

"Thank you." He said simply.

"That hurt." Olose confessed, before pulling the sword out of his chest. "Treville!" He cried as the wound healed. The King looked on in shock. "I'm afraid this isn't over!"
"Oh, you pathetic brat!" Screamed the Cardinal, grabbing another blade. "I'll kill you! I'll rip you to shreds!" He ran at Olose. Olose ran in and the two began to duel.

Olose swung his blade overhead as the Cardinal was forced to block, being driven back. The two reached up to the throne before the Cardinal managed to jab forwards, putting Olose on the defensive. They duelled backwards and burst out of the doors at the rear of the throne room into the rest of the castle.

The two fought through the stone corridor, swords clashing as they did. The Cardinal tried to fight with fencing elegance, but he didn't stand a chance against Olose's brute force. He turned to flee, and ran to the dungeons. Olose pursued, and the two began to duel down the mighty stone steps, the torches creating a gigantic shadow of the duellists upon the wall as they fought down them. The Cardinal tripped on his own long flowing robe, and fell down the steps, crashing down at the bottom.

Olose leapt downwards, sword still drawn. The Cardinal ran to the side, spotting Astra watching in awe at the top of the steps. He grinned, slicing at Olose's shins. This distracted Olose enough for him to run up the steps. Olose pursued, but it was too late, the Cardinal grabbed Astra and held a sword to her neck. She screamed in shock.

"You coward!" Olose yelled. "Stop hiding behind her and fight!"

"You're one to speak, Sampson." The Cardinal spat. "You monster. You're a werewolf. I thought your kind was wiped clean when my Temple Knights purged you all those years ago. I knew one survived, Abaj Tuh came to me to sell their location. But a second? You monsters should never have been allowed to walk Vana'diel."

"There's only one monster here, and he's holding a sword to a young girl." Olose said in a growl.

"Goodbye, Olose Sampson." The Cardinal smiled. "Here's a little trick Julie taught me." Astra squirmed in horror, before the two of them disappeared in a flash of light.
"What?" Olose gasped. He bolted back up to the throne room.

He literally ran into King Richard who was stood at the top of the stairway.

"Hold on." The King said calmly.

"The Cardinal just warped aw-" Olose began.
"I know. I saw." The King stated. "I know where he is going. He shall be fleeing to Windurst. It is where he learnt those powers."

"Is he powerful enough to make that journey just using his warp spell?" Olose asked.

"I imagine not." The King told Olose. "He will have warped to his personal elvaan warship. We have to catch him before he gets there. Once he's in Windurst, he can start all over again, doing what he did here."

"You can count on me, your highness." Olose nodded.

"Can you pursue him? Do you need a ship?" The King asked.
"Oh no." Olose grinned. "I have a ship."