Author Note -- Managed to push this through the works. Hope everyone enjoys the story and will continue giving me feedback. The more I get, the more I keep writing. Readers are NO.1 in keeping a story flowing. Keep reviewing and enjoy!

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Chapter Nine

The blinding white light that had surrounded Aonir inside of the Consulate of Bastok of Northern San'd Oria had dispersed and Aonir found herself directly outside a large, white, stone building-like structure. A bright violet circle was around her, seeming to be emitting a strange, mystical light. She looked around her to see the dark, lighting filled skies of what she believed to be Konschtat Highlands. Aonir moved over to one side of the platform and looked over the side to see that there was a strange plant hopping around below. She decided that she should investigate further before moving away from the platform so she proceeded to the opposite side where she saw a man standing next to a chocobo.

"Miss Aonir, I assume?" A male voice said suddenly.

Aonir jumped, her foot slipping on the slippery platform, and fell off of the platform and onto the wet grassy ground with a thud. She winced, having fallen what felt like eight feet, before looking to see the man. He was young and wore armor with traces of blue in it. Very pretty, Aonir thought, for body armor. He made his way down the steps and around toward where Aonir had fallen. He reached out his hand only to be stared at for a moment before his offer of assistance was taken. Aonir was pulled up from the ground, her hands still bound, and dusted off.

"Are you Aonir?" He asked again.

"Yes. Your voice sounds familiar. You're that man Ayame spoke to over that pearl." Aonir said quickly, trying hard to hide the pain in her voice.

"Yes. I am Naji. I am here to," Naji said calmly.

"Escort me to Gusgen Mines. I heard you both." Aonir said with a slightly annoyed tone of voice.

"I see. You know," He said as he grabbed the rope and led her southeast, "if you had not escaped from prison when you were captured, you would have been let off with a warning."

"I was told I was going to Gusgen either way." Aonir argued.

"Well, I saw the report, your original punnishment was just going to be some work around Bastok in the Metalworks building. Nothing like this. I personally hate Gusgen and think they should get rid of this punnishment." Naji stated.

"Why is that?" Aonir said with added interest and fear in her voice.

"Well, the mines are not kept up at all and it's a giant death trap at the least. Rumors of it being haunted are all over the board and the only reason the mines are open is because of the vast amounts of darksteel ore that can be mined from it. That, and the Goldsmithing Guild claims rare rocks can be mined from within and you know how they can be."

"Great, um, about the mines being unkept and the hauntings, could you elaborate that?" Aonir asked.

"Sure, the people that are there by order of Bastok have put forth many claims about undead lurking around at all hours of the day. They also claim seeing and being attacked by ghosts." Naji explained as he led her across the hilly terrain.

Aonir gulped, "So, has anyone investigated these claims?"

"Yes, but no one said anything when they returned. They did have to be put into the care of a doctor in Jeuno, though. Something happened to them but each person that was sent never spoke of why."

"W-why?" Aonir said shakely.

"Oddly enough, they had cut out their own tongues after reporting back."

"E-every one of them?"

Naji looked back and nodded. "But, no worries, we have a guard there in Gusgen and he hasn't said a word about anything strange being down there."

Aonir shuddered. If the guard had not said anything, he could have cut out his tongue also. This was a nightmare. Unfortunately, no matter how badly Aonir wanted to wake up from this, there was no escaping now.

In Port San'd Oria, Plureague, Giraenis, Ayame, and Kitaku stood at the Airship dock as the ship drew into port. Plureague stood silent while Ayame pulled Kitaku along behind her.

"Perhaps upon reaching Jeuno and then reporting, we can rest a bit in Bastok." Giraenis said as he sat down in the passenger's hall of the ship.

"I'll leave the reporting to you. I'll take my time and gather some supplies while in Jeuno." Ayame said as she yanked Kitaku onto the ship.

"Yes. Rest." Plureague said softly as he made his way onto the ship, his eyes on the ground as he entered, bumping into a woman. "Oh, my sincerest apolo,"

His eyes shot wide open when he saw the person he had run into. Her hair was touching her shoulders, a dark-almost black-brown color. Her eyes were a bright green and her height just barely came to his chin. Her clothing was that of a contracted Black Mage but her appearance shocked him.

"Giraenis! Come here." He shouted.

"Excuse me. I need to get off here." The woman said sternly.

Giraenis walked over and gave Plureague a confused look. "Let the girl go, Plureague."

"No, you don't understand, miss, I have a proposition for you. Would you like to join our entourage? It will pay handsomely."

She looked at Plureague with a confused look then looked around at Ayame, Kitaku, and Giraenis. "What are you trying to pull here?"

"What do you mean?" Giraenis asked, his booming voice an unexpected surprise.

"I mean, your layout is paladin, white mage, samurai, and a ninja. What reason do I have to join a party that is doomed to death?" She stared at Plureague and gave a weak smile. "Not to mention the white mage's current health status."

"I'm actually a ranger. They just made me dress as a ninja." Kitaku blurted out, breaking free from Ayame's grip.

"Ok, so you claim to be a ranger. I still have no guarantee that your white mage is going to live for more than a day." The woman said harshly. "Now, let me go."

She pushed Plureague to the side and jumped off of the ship just as it began to pull away. She watched as the doors closed, locking Plureague and his crew on the ship away from her and she grinned, walking away from the dock.

"That was too close." A man said to the girl.

"I can handle myself. No need for you to hover around me."

"We got the Tarutaru back. He dropped his guard in Valkurm." The man said as the woman walked by him.

"Did he say anything?" She asked.

"Nothing yet."

"Stubborn creatures. All will be fixed as soon as we gain enough power."

"Did you plant the seed?" The man asked.

"Yes. Karst should have eaten it by now. The task was too easy."

The two walked to the door leading into customs.

"You have another mission?" He asked.

"Have yet to finish part two of my," She began as a light shone from her right pocket, "Yes, sir?" She said holding the stone up.

"I want you to find the one named Aonir and I want results." A man with a demonic voice said harshly.

"I'm working on it. The source in Jeuno said she was here in San'd Oria."

"Tara, she has been moved. Keep up with her. She is in Gusgen Mines."

The stone went black and silent. The girl glared angrily at the stone before shoving it back down into her pocket. The man laughed, quickly granted a glare.

"It seems you're losing your touch, Tara."

"Silence. At least I've managed to complete a mission." Tara snapped.

"How will you get to her? You have no way of getting information. Let alone getting onto that ship."

Tara froze. She then spun around toward the dock and stared at the end of the pier with wide eyes. She dashed down the stairs and around to the end of the pier.

"That Elvaan!" She said with astonishment in her voice.

"What about him?" The man said as he walked toward her. "I felt hardly any life from him."

"That was Plureague. The one who taught Aonir."

The man chuckled, "And to think you could have had all the information you needed if only you had stayed on that ship."

"Shut the hell up, Asht." Tara snapped.

"Heh, heh. How you think you're getting on that ship?" Asht said slyly as he put his hand onto her shoulder.

She spun around and grabbed the scythe from her back, slicing his hand off. Blood poured from the nub that once bore his hand. Tara looked into his frightened eyes, following her swing around and locking the scythe in place on her back while a grin slid across her lips.She then kicked his severed hand off of the pier and into the water.

"Easy." She said with an evil grin across her lips. "Just as easy as killing you."

She placed her fingertips together and began to cast a spell. Asht clutched onto his arm in agony as he watched her spell take action. A bright yellow ball of light formed at the center of his body. Rays of heat shot into it, increasing the size of the ball of light until it exploded and Asht's bloodcurdling scream was all that echoed. She lowered her hands and laughed to herself.

"Like I said. As easy as killing you, Asht." She chuckled as she placed her fingertips together once again. This time, when the spell was completed, she vanished in a wave of black and violet.

Rushing into Upper Jeuno from Batallia Downs, a worn out Smedile dragged her tail through the gates, her body coated in dust and tree sap. Her red hair was filled with dirt and her eyes were filled with sand.

"Ok, now to see about that girrrl. Ran into a few guys in La Theine that heard she was going to Gusgen. But nothing else on that note." Smedile said while trying to dust herself off.

She dusted off her tail, ears, hair, and armor then dashed down the streets of Upper Jeuno toward the residential district. She dashed passed the Guide Stone and down the steps into Lower Jeuno, then down the second set of steps to Port Jeuno. Oddly enough, Jeuno was in more of an uproar than usual. Most were in a panic-like state. Some screaming about the world ending, then the standard rush of adventuring needs, shopping, and bazaars.

She raced toward the airships only to run smack into Giraenis's bulky body as she entered neared the entrance to Bastok's dock.

"Why is it we always end up running into people or people run into us?" Giraenis asked as he extended his big hand to Smedile.
"Maybe it's a sign that some people are getting fat." Ayame blurted out.

Kitaku stepped into sight in his ranger attire followed by Plureague.

Smedile stood up without Giraenis's help and proceeded to examine every one of the people that were before her carefully. She quickly identified Ayame out of the crew that was before her. Ayame looked at her and stepped forward quickly.

"Hey, it's that Mithra from San'd Oria." Ayame said.

"What?" Plureague said in confusion.

"You know her, Ayame?" Giraenis asked.

"No. She eavesdropped on me and the Tarutaru messanger. Remember when I told you what the note read just before we got on the ship?"

"So, she knows of it?" Plureague asked as he made his way around Giraenis to lean against the wall.

"Yes, I hearrrd it. I wont lie. I hearrrd it all and I want in on this adventurrre." Smedile said stubbornly.

Plureague pushed off of the wall and stepped forward. "You see, young Mithra, I'm not sure how we can work you in. We just do not have the room or the ability to extend into an alliance."

"Look, all I want is to join in. If you don't need me, then say so. Don't try and sugarrr-coat it." Smedile snapped.

Just then, Jeuno fell silent. Plureague and his crew looked around, only to see that everyone's eyes were fixed beyond the ports just behind them. They spun around, only to be met with what looked like a flaming airship. The ship was not showing signs of slowing, it was going to crash right into Jeuno.

"EVERYONE, MOVE TO THE UPPER LEVELS!" Giraenis shouted at the top of his lungs just as the frenzy to escape had begun.

People were fleeing in all directions, toward the gates out into Sauromugue or up toward Lower Jeuno and Upper Jeuno. Children were being snatched by their parents as they ran, yanking and even dragging them along as they fled. Plureague, Ayame, Kitaku, and Smedile, all rushed toward the Guide Stone to flee upward. Giraenis stayed near the rear, going slow so he could push others along. Plureague shouted something to Giraenis but nothing was heard over the pandemonium and the roar of the inferno falling toward Jeuno.

Smedile ushered Kitaku and Ayame up into Lower Jeuno then looked to Plureague, who had stopped just in front of the Guide Stone to wait for Giraenis. She darted over to him and grabbed his arm.

"Come on, Old man!"
"Not without Giraenis. He is my friend and I will not leave him behind." Plureague demanded.

"JEEZE! Look, he's right therrre, COME ON!" Smedile shouted as she pulled Plureague over.

Giraenis ran over, gasping for breath. "There are still people in Port, they are hiding and I can't find them all in time."

"LOOK! If we don't move now, no one will be able to find US!" Smedile shouted, tugging as hard as she could in an attempt to pull Plureague up the steps.

The roar of the ship was getting louder as it drew closer to the impact point. Smedile gave Plureague another tug, finally succeeding in moving the old Elvaan from his perch. Giraenis rushed up the stairs followed closely by Plureague. Smedile, who had fallen over from the sudden release in tension from Plureague moving as she tugged, quickly jumped to her feet only to be stopped by the sound of a person clearing there throat.

"Where is Plureague and party?" The woman asked.

"Look, now is not a good time to ask that." Smedile instructed. "We have to get to Lowerrr Jeuno and fast!"

"I see. I'll follow you." The woman said quickly, following Smedile up the steps.

The airship groaned as it fell, turning to the right slightly until finally slamming into the Windurstian dock. The stone that made the structure collapsed over the firey ship as it ground into and through customs until breaking through the other side and into the streets of Port Jeuno. It blocked off the gates leading out and it pushed gallons of water and rock into the street blocking of the ship dock to Kazham. The roof of the chocobo stables collapsed and the street was left in ruin.

Plureague and his crew, as well as all of Jeuno, felt the town shake from the impact. Giraenis found that he was a decent prop for Plureague and just about every other person in Jeuno that was around him. Ayame and Kitaku had fallen sideways and were almost on top of oneanother. Smedile had managed to keep on her feet while the woman that had followed her simply braced herself on the now cracked wall that was the stairway. Almost immediately after the shaking had stopped, hundreds of people dashed down the steps, nearly running over Plureague and his crew as well as themselves, just to get a peek at what had happened.

"People make me sick sometimes, Giraenis." Plureague said softly.

"Heh, heh. You say that now even though we use to rush into stuff like that." Giraenis stated with a grin.

"I hate to break the mood," Ayame said as she stood up, "but we have to investigate what happened at any rate, so we may as well follow the crowd."

"She's got a point." Giraenis said sadly with a shrug.

"Hey, what about me?" Smedile blurted out.

"Alright, I guess we can," Plureague said with an annoyed tone of voice.

"It's that black mage from the airship!" Kitaku interrupted.

The woman bowed. "I've been looking for you. I'll take you up on that offer if it's still open."

Smedile exchanged glances between the woman and the group of people for about two mins before shouting, "You guys know each other!"

"No time to explain. If my calculations are correct, that was the airship from Bastok." Ayame said with a hint of worry in her voice.

"Bastok's?" Giraenis asked.

"If I'm right, we may have another clue in are hands." Ayame said as she made her way down the steps. "A valuable clue."

"You have no idea." The black mage said under her breath.

"What?" Smedile asked quickly.

"Hm?" The woman looked to Smedile and smiled. "What is it?"

"You said something."

"I'm afraid you're mistaken."

Smedile watched as the woman followed the rest of them down into Port Jeuno. She sighed heavily, she knew she heard something but she had to try hard to keep everyone satisfied. She could not say that the girl seemed to know what happened. If she did, the others would think she were insane. Besides, maybe she was wrong about that black mage. Maybe she was just reading the signals wrong. With a shrug, Smedile darted down the steps, hoping to keep up with the group that she had just joined for the adventure she hoped would be the best so far.

In Konschtat Highlands, Naji had managed to bring Aonir to the mouth of the mines. It alone was enough to send chills down a seasoned adventurer's spine. Old, rusty, and noticably unkept, Aonir knew already that just two hours inside that dark, damp, rat hole was punnishment enough for her. It did not help that Naji had handed her some light-material, hunter-green, mining uniform of some sort. Short-sleeved and thin, Aonir could tell already that maybe she would fall in under one hour.

The air that flowed out from inside the mine was cold, damp, and smelt very stale. Naji took her doublet and her other items, leaving her to wear the green outfit and her club. Naji slid a cart over and attached it to the tracks muttering something about how it never seemed to stay in place. Aonir gulped as he handed her a pickaxe, stuffing several others into her bag. To Aonir, it looked like a supply for over ten years but Naji mentioned that it would not last but maybe five days.

Naji led Aonir into the mine, passed the Galkan guard. The cold air was hard to take in at first, stinging her lungs with every breath. Just as he led her through the thin and winding tunnel that was the that was opening of the mine, through a wide opening with many paths leading into it, down some old wooden steps, and then left behind an iron door to fend for herself, Aonir knew she was going to be in serious trouble.