"Jump back . . . Now left . . . Right, that's good . . . Now parry her slash . . . Watch out, she's casting." Said the rather small, impish blue-haired mentor sitting with his legs crossed and his hands locked together, gazing at the battle ahead of him while guiding one of the two subordinates through the fray. "Are you deaf? She's casting." He said in a rather loud voice, signaling immediate danger that needed close attention. "No matter what you are doing, always prepare to dodge when your opponent is casting." The young man, dressed in the black and purple aketon suit that all three wore, armed only with a small dagger, never took his eyes off the aggressive woman, and leaped back as she began to chant under her breath.

The young woman, though incredibly aggressive as she was, remained placid and collected. Her kind, blue eyes never left the gaze of her enemy. Emotionlessly, she began to twirl the long blade she held in her right hand in a smooth twirl, flowing from side to side, then coming back to the right in a quick pinwheel motion. Suddenly, she yelled out, "Fire!" and thrust her blade forward. The longsword became engulfed in red flames, causing the steel to turn red with heat. The flames leapt from the her weapon, flying through the air, and sent itself hurling towards her opponent. Awe stricken at her swiftness, he kart wheeled to the left, narrowly escaping the fiery blast. Just as he prepared to rush forward, a warm sensation in his left hand broke his line of concentration. He looked down to see the source of the unfamiliar feeling, and his eyes grew wide with surprise-his hand was on fire.

Frantically, he ripped off the glove he wore, but unfortunately, the sleeve of his aketon had already been seized by the growing flames. Completely forgetting about the task at hand, he began beating away at his sleeve, flailing around as the fires scorched his arm. "Silver Tear, ahead of you!" His master yelled. By the time he could look up, it was already too late; the woman bashed the hand guard of her weapon hard into his forehead, knocking him unconscious.

The training session was over.

----

The boy awoke quite suddenly, and upon his awakening, swiftly raised his upper body up out of the bed he now lay in and reached for his left arm. He was relieved to find that the arm was now bandaged, and a cool sensation filled the burnt wound underneath the bandage as burn ointment was disturbed under the protective ribbon. A sigh of relief came from his mouth, but suddenly, shame filled his mind. Once again, he had failed his training. He was a Thief; he was supposed to be agile. His actions of earlier today had shown no such sign.

"Don't feel so bad." The woman from earlier today said in a calm, loving voice, leaning against the frame of the door with her hands crossed over her chest with a motherly smile.

Silver Tear nearly leapt out of the bed in surprise. Once he saw the face of the woman in the doorway, he calmed down. "Don't scare me like that, Rini." He said, closing his eyes and ducking his head. "Nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Just calm down, now . . ." She said as she began to walk beside him, seating herself behind him, gently smile at him. "You can't expect to be a world-class soldier in one week of training."

"I've been failing all week, and I'm not getting any better . . . I can feel it, Rin. I know when my skills are increasing, and I've learned nothing." He ducked his head once again. "The only thing I've gained is the shame of defeat. The fight today was just one more to add to the list."

Rini remained silent; there was nothing she could say at this point to change his view of his own failure. All she could do was listen.

"Rin . . ."

She turned to face him. "Yes?"

"Did you feel this way?" He asked as if he were a curious child. "Did you feel this helpless when you joined the Black Musketeers?"

Rini laughed. "Things were different when I joined, young one. I was not appointed; "Sir Hicks and I founded this force. He and I learned many things together, so . . ." Her eyes were filled with remorse. ". . . no, not really. I had someone to be embarrassed with, so it didn't bother me as much. I'm sorry . . ."

"You shouldn't be." He said, sighing. "It's my own fault . . . I just don't think I'm ready for this." Sliding out of the bed, he staggered to the other side of the finely decorated sleeping room. "You know . . . It just seemed like as soon as I thought I had everything under control, and I was the best there was at my specialty . . . I met him . . ."

"Silver Tear, you mustn't speak of Master Hicks that way. He is a great man." Her voice took on a rather stern tone, and Silver Tear took note of this.

"No, don't get me wrong." He began to explain. "I'm very appreciative of his services . . . It's just that he brings out all the faults in me. He makes me aware of my own weaknesses, but not only that, he drags them out in demonstration.

"Would you expect any less?" She asked, smiling. "Can you ask any less of any teacher? Silver Tear, he brings you aware of your own weaknesses so that you may correct them. He does not try to embarrass you with the intentions of destruction, I assure you."

For a moment, Silver Tear was silent. He laughed under his breath. "You have a point."

Smiling, she rose from the bed and began to escort herself from her colleague's quarters. "After all, the Black Musketeers are not like the others. Yes, they do their jobs out on the field, and they do it well, but the Black Musketeers do things differently. Our job is to secure the President and the Capitol City in any manner that we can. Do you realize how much stronger of a responsibility that is?"

He nodded in response, listening to her every word carefully.

"Something of that nature requires much greater skill than the common man. We are under the direct control of the President; what he says, no matter what the danger or risk, must be carried out. We have no choice but to be twice, if not three times stronger than any common soldier." She paused, catching her breath and allowing her words to sink in. "Sir Hicks is incredibly hard on his students, but I promise you that you will not find a greater teacher in all of Vana'diel. Be patient with him, and you will become a superb addition to our force. You have it in you; I know you do. I can see it in your eyes every time we're pitted against one another."

Silver Tear couldn't help but smile. "You're just saying that."

"No, I'm not." Her voice, yet serious, had regained its kindness. "Now, get some rest."

As she left the room, Silver Tear once again took to his bed, and fell asleep shortly after.

----

"Do you not feel that the boy is too young, Sir Hicks?" President Marrulus asked from behind his desk, clasping his rather large hands together upon his paper-covered desk.

"I understand how hard it must be to see the potential in this child, sir. He is rather weak compared to the other seven, but his abilities are far beyond his years, I assure you."

The Bastokian President looked away. "I have never found any reason to doubt your judgment in these past 25 years you have served Bastok, and I will not begin now." He smiled. "You have my graces to train him. If you can see the potential in him to serve this country, then so shall I."

"Thank you, sir."

"You know, I've always wanted to ask you something, but I have never gotten the opportunity. I am very rarely awarded privacy, especially with my protectors." He explained, staring at the small man before him. "It's obvious by your race you were not born resident of Bastok. What would cause you to want to go to the act of abandoning your native country, changing your allegiance, and scaling the military ranks of another?"

Hicks's emotionless stare never changed. "With all due respect, Mister President, I do not wish to disclose my personal life."

He laughed, leaning back in his leather chair. "Yes, yes, I understand. I'm sure you have your reasons, and I apologize for questioning them. You are a great warrior, and I suppose that your skills as my closest protector should be my only concern."

"I believe that is for the best, sir. Good night, sir." With the dismissal of his President and a polite bow, the three-foot TaruTaru left the office.

The Black Musketeers. A group composed of five members of the Bastokian Government, all of which having some great qualification for being awarded such a high rank. Normally kept secret and out of view of the ever-curious public, these warriors fight for one reason, and one reason only: to protect the President in any way they see fit. Their skills are unmatched by any other of the Musketeers, although, due to their secrecy, are often told of in the homes of the Bastokian public. They are the heroes that you never read about in the morning newspaper, although their actions may have saved your life without your knowledge. This is how the Black Musketeers do their jobs. Their existence is mere rumor. Their personal identities are non-existent.

Kraig, a blonde headed hume with amazing skill and kind eyes, serves as the medic of the Black Musketeers. His deep compassion for his comrades fuels his soul as he races to keep them healthy and unharmed. His kindness is rivaled only by his close friend and fellow Black Musketeer, Rini.

Rini, often considered the 'mother' of the group, is a master in the art of the Red Mage. Her skills go far beyond that of even the strongest of her class. Her knowledge is so vast that she has created her own style, involving the combination of elements being used with her weapons. She is the only one of the five holding the knowledge of Hicks's shrouded past.

High Summoner Maccabee, much like Hicks, was not born a Bastoker. Through his superior summoning skills, he is able to prove that size is of no comparison to the will of the heart. He feels that he must follow in his superior's footsteps, being that he is the only other TaruTaru enlisted within the secret service other than the master himself. He is good hearted, and often provides comic relief whenever it is needed in hopes of receiving a laugh from his comrades.

Silvertear, although only recently awarded the high title, is by far the youngest to ever join the Black Musketeers. He is young, and sometimes childish, but his strong will to help others and to protect the ones he loves keeps him alive. Many years ago, he was involved in a menacing band of thieves, but over time, his morals and view on life changed completely. After a great tragedy in his life took all of that away, he vowed to find atonement for his mistakes, and eventually found his place in the Bastokian Government by way of his long-time friend, Rini. Great potential surrounds him, however helpless he may sometimes feel.

The greatest and by far the most powerful of all the Black Musketeers is none other than their leader, Lieutenant Hicks. He is cold, uncaring, and emotionless. The reasons behind his bitter actions lies only within himself and the mind of his lifelong friend, Rini. Due to her loyalty, she would never reveal such secrets, even if it meant her life, and for this, he holds great respect for her. However cold he may be, his skills in the blade of the Samurai are second to none. None of the Black Musketeers, aside from Rini, have ever had the privilege of seeing him in combat.

These five were the greatest heroes that Bastok would ever know. Their heroism would save their nation, and decades after their days had passed, Bards would sing of their journeys. This is a story of love, of hate, and of betrayal. The hatred of a scorned woman would cause the fall of a nation, and the loyalty of one man for his country would cause warring nations to join together.

This is the story of the Black Musketeers.