AN- Okay, new chapter up, everyone. I know it's a little later than I said, (like, a whole day later), but at least it is up. I was way too drunk yesterday to finish this chapter. As I explained to all my Dragonball Z fans, I have started up a newsletter. Probably every week or so, I send it out, explaining what is happening in my life at that moment regarding my fanfiction. I talk about how the writing is going, release dates, and ideas I may have if I am stuck. If you wish to be added on to the mailing list, please tell me so in a review.

"Guys, I am not going down there."

Klyde gave James a wiseass smirk. "You think you aren't going down there. Get it right."

James peered down at the hole that had rotted out of the ground. It was wide enough to climb down into it, but the smell that emanated from it discouraged any sort of train of thought regarding it. Besides… it looks dark and scary in there…

The black belt felt a hand press itself between his shoulder blades. "Now, you have a choice, my friend. Either you go in of your own accord and look heroic, or I push you in and you look dumb. Which will it be?"

James shut his eyes, already aware of the outcome of this scenario. "Can't I look heroic while you go in first?"

Amber gave James a worried look. "You know, it would probably be safer if you climbed down carefully as opposed to letting him push you in."

James gave her a pleading look. "Can't you stop him?"

The white mage shook her head. "Afraid not. And you know he'll push you."

At this point, Klyde nodded enthusiastically. James sighed. "Fine, I guess I'll…"

"Too late!" Klyde shoved James, sending him falling forward into the hole fast first. The unbearable smell of the marsh rose up to meet him, nearly ripping the consciousness out of him. Then his side smashed into some rocks, and that nearly took the consciousness out of him. He rolled to a stop on the hard ground, trying to adjust his eyes to the gloom. Then, with a cry, Klyde jumped down, landing on him, and knocked the consciousness out of him.

"Why do I have to carry him? Its not my fault he got knocked out!"

Amber spun around on Klyde. "Yes! Yes it is your fault! You pushed him down the shaft, and then you jumped onto him!"

Klyde grinned. "Well, yea. But its his fault he got knocked out. He should have trained harder."

Amber sighed. She turned to look back the way she came, but the light was nearly nonexistent. It was impossible to see more than a few meters from the way they had come. "Are you sure we're going the right way? It doesn't seem like we're getting anywhere…"

Klyde gave his female companion a cheesy smile. "Of course I'm sure this is the right way! I have an outstanding sense of direction. I've never steered us wrong before, you know?"

Amber smacked herself in the forehead as they came up to a dead-end. "Well then, how do you explain this?"

The fighter dropped his companion on the floor and pointed down towards the ground. "There. We came here to get this!" Sure enough, there was a small treasure chest on the ground. It had once been made of gold and wood, but now the gold had varnished, and the wood had begun to rot. It had been locked, but one swing from Amber's mace solved that problem. The two adventurers peered inside, only to find…

"Way to go, genius. There's only 5 gil in here."

Klyde hung his head. "Damn. Oh well. There was a fork in the road a little ways back. Maybe it was the other way…"

"Quiet! Do you hear that?" Amber hissed in a low tone of voice.

As is always the case in these sort of situations, Klyde loudly responded. "Hear what?"

After his reply stopped echoing, Amber concentrated, closing her eyes. In the distance, she could hear what sounded like…

"Wraiths! It sounds like three of them! We need to get out of here!"

Klyde scooped up James, and the party broke into a run, trying to make it back to the fork. Suddenly, there was a sound like air being sliced. Klyde stopped just in time to avoid getting cut in two by a very large scythe. Once again James was thrown to the ground as Klyde drew the Aeolus.

"No, Klyde! Don't! You can't hurt them with your sword!"

Klyde grinned as he dashed toward the grim-reaper like specter. "Nonsense! I can hurt anything with my sword!" Klyde brought his sword down in an overhead fashion, but the wraith had suddenly shifted to the right. I didn't even see that thing move…The hero threw out several more swings, but the result was still the same. He barely brought his weapon in front of his face in time to block the scythe as it swung around for a counter attack.

This went on for a few minutes, Klyde throwing out everything he had, and the wraith easily dodging it. Eventually the fighter caught on, and instead of blocking the incoming scythe, he rolled to the side, bringing the Aeolus up and through the ghostly creature. He gave his opponent a triumphant smile, but it was short lived. The sword had gone right through the creature, and hadn't done the slightest bit of damage. Before Klyde could react, the blunt end of the wraith's weapon came around, connecting with his jaw.

Amber rolled her eyes as Klyde flew into a wall, temporarily stunned. The rest of the wraiths had appeared, and they were surrounding their prey. She had almost finished her incantation. Just as the wraiths drew near the fallen fighter, she threw up her hands. "Harm!" She cried. White light seemed to spawn from nowhere, focusing on the wraiths. Where the light hit, smoke began to issue forth from the creature's robes. They began to shrink smaller and smaller until they eventually became nothing.

Klyde looked up with wide, unbelieving eyes at his companion. "I thought you were into that healing stuff? Where did you get a destruction spell from?"

"Those creatures are of the undead variety. In a pinch, white magic can be used to destroy dark foes."

Klyde nodded as he picked up James, not fully comprehending. "Sure, whatever. Time to wake wussy boy up." With his free hand he slapped the black belt in the face. A slight groan escaped from his lips as his eyes slowly began to open.

"Where are we?"

"We're still in the Marsh Caves."

James frowned. "Couldn't you have waited till we got out to wake me?"

"No. I'm tired of carrying you."

"But you broke one of my ribs!"

Klyde turned to Amber with a sheepish grin. She rolled her eyes, threw up her hands, and muttered, "Cure."

A faint aura surrounded James as the magick began to heal his wounds. He rubbed his ribs and shook his head. "I feel a bit better, but they still hurt when I move."

Klyde slapped him on the back. "Don't worry so much. Now, c'mon. We have to find that Lee guy." James winced at the contact and sighed. The party turned around and began to retrace their steps.

"Now, Klyde… you're sure you know where you're going?"

"I told you, I have an outstanding sense of direction…"

Amber sighed softly to herself. "We're lost again, aren't we?"

Klyde shook his head with a thoughtful look on his face. "No… definitely not. I always know where I am…"

James frowned. "Yeah? Then where are we?"

Klyde's brow furrowed in the strains of thought. "Umm… I'll have to get back to you on that…"

I can definitely see how he could get lost… Amber looked around at the surroundings, which consisted of nothing more than slimy walls in terrible lighting. There were no milestones to keep track of, and the paths were winding and long. As they continued to press on, a small staircase leading down came into view. She nudged Klyde and pointed at it. "What about those stairs?"

Klyde shrugged. Like we could get any more lost that we already are… Couldn't hurt.

Out loud, he said, "Sure, lets check it out. James, you go first."

James went to argue, and then thought better of it. Last time I argued, I ended up breaking my ribs. I'm probably better off with whatever is down there then dealing with Klyde… He hung his head and sulked as he slowly climbed down the stairs.

As he reached the bottom of the stairwell, a bright light stung his eyes. Once he got used to the light, he took in his surroundings in awe. Instead of the cramped hallways they had been in, the lower floor opened into a large open area, with torches on the walls. He offhandedly wondered if it was safe to have open flame near all this sludge. "Hey guys! Come check this out!"

Klyde and Amber peered into the room, both taking a moment to adjust to the brightness. Klyde's eyes stopped on a doorway, and a big grin formed on his face. "That's gotta be a treasure room.", he proclaimed as he pointed to the room. Before his teammates could argue, he marched up to the door and kicked it in.

"You know, that door had a handle, Klyde. You could have just opened it." Klyde ignored her as he pointed into the room. Sure enough, there was a large treasure chest at the back of the room.

Amber shrugged. "Well, what do you know? I guess even Klyde can be right occasionally."

James looked at her with a puzzled expression. "Who knew?"

They both turned as they heard a loud, long groan. Klyde had opened the chest, but instead of there being treasure, all that was in the box was a single ring. He looked up at the two of them with a frown, held up the ring, and asked, "Either of you two want a stupid ring?"

Amber and James shook their heads and turned away. In the distance, the sound of a large explosion echoed through the room. Without a word, they both turned and sprinted towards the room it had come from. Klyde angrily jammed the ring onto his finger, pulled himself up, and followed after his party members, not noticing the faint glow surrounding him.

"Well… lookie here… It's a fresh young elf…" A demonic octopus looking creature hissed as he approached Lee. Two of it's brethren emerged from the shadows, strange sounds escaping from their mouths as they all backed Lee into a corner. Lee growled as he drew his rapier. I tried a fire spell, but it had no effect… dammit! These must be the Wizard creatures that everyone was scared of!

Lee readied himself to jump, but right before he did, a voice rang out from somewhere behind the Wizards.

"Hey! It's that elf we ran into before! He's the guy we gotta help!" James jumped at the Wizards, both hands clenched into fists. He channeled his inner energy into one of the fists, throwing it forward.

"Wave fist!" A small burst of energy shot from James' fist, smashing full force into the face of one of the Wizards. The black belt used the stun to thrust a foot into where he thought the monster's rib cage should be. Before the monster could react, he threw out a lightning fast flurry of punches and kicks.

The other two wizards focused their energies, and a magickal spark filled the room. Dual cries of "Fire!" rang out, and blasts of ethereal flames lanced towards James from either side. The black belt looked up in time to see both streams of heat right as they collided into him, creating a large explosion.

"James!" Amber rushed in, chanting the first words of a cure spell. Before she could finish, one of the wizards lashed out at her, knocking the white mage off of her feet.

"Great… more monsters…" Klyde walked into the room, the faint aura around him illuminating the room. Amber raised an eyebrow as she stared at him. Where did he get that aura…?

Klyde took in his surroundings, and then noticed Amber staring at him. He gave her a cheesy smile and waved. See? She's totally into me! Look at her stare!

While Klyde was distracted, the Wizards turned their attention on him, both casting lightning spells. Two bolts of electricity arced down, smashing into Klyde and sending him flying back into a wall. Amber jumped up to help him, but the fighter managed ot get to his feet on his own. The concussive force of the bolts sent him back, but other than that, he seemed unaffected. He drew the Aeolus and glared.

"You two monsters are dead!" As he began to dash forward, the until now quiet elf, Lee, threw up his hands. "Hold!" He cried, casting a spell of binding on the two demon Wizards. Unable to move, they were powerless as Klyde came down, slicing easily through both of their heads. He sheathed his sword, gave the universe in general the thumbs-up, and locked his eyes onto the big treasure chest behind Lee.

"Finally! Treasure!" He pried open the chest, and grinned as he pulled out a large embroidered crown, the jewels twinkling in the scant light. Lee reached over, pulled it from his hands, and walked off. Klyde hung his head.

"I'm never gonna get any treasure…" he muttered to himself.

Amber slowly got up, grabbing Klyde's hand and inspecting the ring. "Is this what protected you from their spells?" She mused aloud. "There are symbols, but they look like they are elven…"

Lee glanced over, shrugged, and turned his attention back to the crown. "It's an elven copper ring. It basically uses small amounts of magic to create a light shield around the wearer.", he explained over his shoulder. With his free hand, he cast a quick cure spell on James. "Thanks for the assist back there, you guys. You've come to help the prince?"

Amber nodded. "Teresse sent us to help you on your quest. But why this crown? What purpose does it serve?"

Lee smiled, pushing his large red hat out of his eyes. His signature locks of silver hair swayed to the side, showing the twinkle in his eyes as he looked at the crown. "An old man to the north of here has offered to help me heal the prince. He says all I need to do is bring him this crown. Apparently, there is some sort of magic within in it, capable of awaking his highness. All that is left to do is deliver it to the old man."

James got to his feet, cracked his neck, and smiled. "Finally, something easy. Let's go give the old guy this crown and call it a day then."

The adventurers all gave a nod of agreement and set off towards the entrance to the Marsh caves.

The old castle they had arrived at reminded Klyde of the Temple of Chaos where he and James had defeated Garland nearly a week ago. Man, time sure does fly… He thought to himself as they stepped inside.

They wandered through the decrepit halls, eventually making it into the throne room. Seated on the aged throne was an aged elf. His eyes opened slightly as the heroes walked in, but his eyes positively shot open as he saw the crown in Lee's hands.

"Ah, boy, you have brought the crown to me!"

Lee nodded, holding out the crown in front of him. With a speed completely unexpected of one so frail, the old man lunged from the throne and snatched up the crown, looking at it greedily. Lee gave the old man a puzzled look.

"You will heal the prince now, won't you?"

There was a gleam in the old man's eyes that wasn't there before. "Why would I do something like that? After all the trouble I took to cast the sleeping spell on him in the first place!"

Lee's eyes went wide as energy began to whip around the old man, ripping off the frail old disguise and revealing a powerful looking elf in full battle armor.

"I am Astos, you fool! And your reward for bringing me the crown shall be death!"

The party of adventures all readied themselves for battle as Astos charged.

AN- Isn't that a horrible place to cut a chapter? I know. Don't worry though, I'm sure it won't take too long to put out the new chapter. Like I said, if you want to know what is going on with update times, just subscribe to my weekly newsletter. If you want to be on the mailing list, just leave your email address in your review. See you next time!