Author's Note: Again, I'm sorry this update was so slow! I've just been lazy lately. Getting my writing going is proving really difficult. That and I've been distracted watching all the seasons of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' (don't laugh!). Ahem. Still haven't finished them. Anyway, here's the latest update.

I'm afraid it's just a little shorter than usual, because I suck. As I said, I'm finding it hard to update. Also, I must confess, not too much happens in this chapter, but I felt it important to have one where I can spend time focusing on fun Light Warrior interaction, at least for a little bit. I used to love writing the 'domestic' bits in the other stories, as much as the adventure bits, so I tried to work a little in here.

However, as a present (and well, 'cause it was fun) I made a FFXI Chronicles wallpaper using the cool model viewer thing that I got shown. It should be here: img474.imageshack.us/img474/1187/ffxichronicleswallpaper7bu.png

(Copy and paste the link, this has been edited after it was brought to my attention it didn't actually work, something to do with formatting messed with the start bit of it).

Emphasis on the should, I can't guarantee it'll work. And okay, it's nothing great, but I thought it might be fun. And make me feel better about updating slower. And yes, Bootus is a monk despite his dark knightness, but I figured it was so much more Bootusy to be punching something in a gi than the stupid heavy dark knight armour. Same way Viv is always in a white mage outfit despite her summoner training. Just suits them better.

Oh, and the dimensions are probably a little off for an actual wallpaper, so it might have to be stretched or something. But I doubt anybody actually wants something I made on their desktop, I just thought it'd be a cool picture.

Urm, I'll be quiet now.

Anyway, hope that at least makes up for my ATROCIOUS update schedule that probably won't get any better.

Hope you enjoy though!

CHAPTER XVII

"San d'Oria and Bastok are already at war, my master." Abaj explained to the towering Furcas, desperate to find his favour.

"At war? That is your solution?" Furcas pondered, seemingly angry.

"W-well, they will weaken each other, and leave us with the opportunity to take over." Abaj explained, not yet fully adapted to his newfound fear. He had never had a reason to fear anybody. But Furcas inspired it.

"We don't wish to take over. We wish to destroy them." Furcas stated clearly.

"Well, yes, but how?" Abaj questioned. Furcas gave him a dead stare, one that sent a chill to even Abaj's bones. "I mean, not even you are powerful enough to wipe them all out, and the orb Promethia gifted us with is gone. Rulership is the second best thing."

"You may settle for second best, not I." Furcas growled.

"You keep drawing these lines between us, boss." Abaj began sarcastically. "But you're not offering any solutions." Furcas roared, grabbed Abaj, and threw him back across the room, causing him to slam into the far wall.

"My solution is this. If we cannot destroy them, He will." Furcas began to pace. "We shall call Promethia into this world! And He shall crush all those that stand before us! He shall make this world His and forever and at last Altana shall breathe her last."

"It's been attempted before." Abaj warned. "But they just managed to kick him right back out of this dimension."

"That was but an ounce of His power. I am linked to Him. I am His creation. I shall call Promethia forth and He shall truly be God. Nobody will be able to stand against Him. No mortal force shall stop Him. This world shall burn and all Altana has created will be undone." Furcas smiled to himself for only a moment, before quickly snapping out orders. "You are to encourage the war. The bodies of the mortals shall be my instruments. Lead them to war and their deaths and then we shall begin. Get your mage to-"

"Talia?" Abaj suddenly questioned. "She's … gone?" Abaj looked around, but realised too late that Talia had completely vanished. She had fled. Probably a teleport spell she had access to.

"FIND HER!" Furcas roared. "I will not be disobeyed!"

"Of course, master." Abaj bowed awkwardly, not used to the motion, and quickly fled the evil being's presence.

Crazy Steve piloted the airship at the same time as having a particularly animated discussion with a coffee mug while the heroes lazed around on deck.

Vivli walked across the deck to the others, having just left the cabin.

"Steve says we've got some old clothes down in the cargo holds. We can get changed out of these yucky old water logged sand infested horrible things." She explained, half cheerily and half with disgust at what was left of her robe.

"He even brought clothes? Wow. He thinks of everything." Zinkata remarked.

"They are charity leftovers. Don't expect anything at the heights of fashion." Vivli pointed out.

"Dammit. And here I was, caring so much about fashion." Bootus grumbled sarcastically, getting up and wondering below decks. The others followed, leaving Vivli waiting.

"You ain't coming Viv?" Voldos asked curiously.

"Girl. Guys." Vivli stated simply. "I'll wait."

"Me too." Remasa ventured.

"We don't mind. Honestly." Voldos grinned. Vivli walked over and playfully hit him, causing him to duck away and go below decks.

It was some time later that the group finally re-emerged, mostly wearing faded white t-shirts and dull trousers, except for Bootus who was in a tie-dyed shirt that made Vivli giggle.

"What? It was the only galka clothing there!" Bootus protested. This made her giggle more. Olose hadn't changed at all, she noticed, causing her to raise an eyebrow.

"I'm not losing the jacket." He protested.

"What about the shirt?" Vivli countered.

"I changed the shirt!" He cried back. Vivli put her hands on her hips in a very unbelieving stance. "Charity clothes!" He pointed out. "Now go get changed!"

"Finally." Vivli sighed. "I can get out of these robes!"

"Urr, don't you like those robes?" Zinkata ventured.

"Well, yeah." Vivli replied with a shrug. "But since my skin got all softified the cotton has been really itchy." She blushed as she realised how ridiculous that sounded, but before anybody could get a word in Remasa spoke up.

"I don't think 'softified' is a word, Viv." She pointed out.

"Yeah, well, who are you? My language teacher?" Vivli replied smugly.

"Well, actually, yes, I was." Remasa pointed out. Vivli fumed for a moment.

"You win this round." She shot, marching below decks, causing everybody to laugh.

The male party members hung around mostly in silence, trying their best not to be distracted by Crazy Steve's coffee mug antics, looking out over at the sea passing.

"What do you think things are like back in Bastok?" It was Bootus who finally spoke up.

"I'm more worried about San d'Oria." Voldos admitted. Everybody looked at him for a moment. "Hey! I'm not being a stereotypical Elvaan! My wife is there."

"I know what you mean." Zinkata admitted, shifting his feet. "I can't help but worrying about Windurst. Tam is there."

"Yeah, I under-" Voldos began, but was cut off.

"C'mon Viv!" Remasa encouraged, walking up on deck.

"I'm not going up there!" Vivli replied indignantly from below.

"They'll understand they were the only clothes that fit you." Remasa said softly.

"No they won't!" Vivli protested.

"Sure we will!" Input Bootus, trying not to laugh.

"Fine!" Vivli gave in, and stormed up on deck, dressed in a bright pink t-shirt with the word 'girly' written in red glitter across it, and white trousers.

The entire deck burst into laughter.

"Knew you couldn't do it!" Vivli yelled with a childish stomp of her foot. Olose tried to comfort her, but gave up forming words and just went back to laughing. Vivli fumed silently for a moment, before speaking up again. "It's not my fault they only had little kid's clothes! I think they're hume…if you humes weren't so freakishly tall I'd-" It was useless, they were still laughing. Even Crazy Steve had joined in, but most likely only because he felt left out. Vivli just folded her arms tightly and sat on the deck, looking sulky.

"Sorry Viv," Bootus was oddly the one who tried to apologise. Odd for a moment, that is. "It's just, it suits you so much." He finished, before bursting into another round of laughter. Even Remasa couldn't hold it in. Vivli looked angry for a moment longer, looked down at her t-shirt, and gave in, bursting into innocent laughter along with them. They all ended up in a kind of group hug, laughing against each other.

"Can we agree to never mention this again please?" Vivli begged.

"You're joking, right?" Voldos input. "You're wearing that for the rest of time." Vivli groaned, and simply giggled a little.

"Well, we've still got some time before we reach mainland." Zinkata decided. "I suggest we dig into the ship's food supplies, get some real food inside of us. We're going to need the energy."

It became apparent that there wasn't much in the way of food on the ship, but bread, some cheese, the odd slice of meat, the heroes managed to make enough for a good meal. They all sat around a table below deck, eating. Olose kept frowning at Vivli while she played with her food.

"You had better eat all of that, Viv." Olose warned, wanting to see her eating properly again.

"But there's so much!" Vivli protested, looking down at her plate dejectedly.

"Actually, these are shrimpy portions." Voldos pointed out. "We're lacking in lots of food."
"But I don't like shrimp!" Vivli tried, before realising that excuse wasn't what they were looking for. "I haven't been eating much! I can't eat all this!" Vivli continued to protest.

"Yes you can. Just put it in your mouth." Remasa instructed casually.

"There's no room left!" Vivli tried desperately.

"You're going to eat all that young lady or you're going straight to bed with no dessert and no bed time story!" Bootus insisted, before breaking out into laughter.

"Aw, but I like the bedtime stories." Vivli shot at him sarcastically, before shutting her eyes and taking another bite, despite her body telling her to stop.

"So, how come Steve found us?" Zinkata decided to ask, trying to change the subject.

"From what I could tell of what Crazy Steve was saying, they've sent out rescue ships looking for us." Vivli explained, being endlessly amused by Steve and therefore the only one to talk to him for any length of time.

"For us?" Remasa questioned.
"Nice of them." Olose grumbled.

"They need us." Vivli explained. "San d'Oria and Bastok are at war. They're literally fighting it out in the Valkurm Dunes right now. Seems they see something isn't right here."

"So they fall back on the Light Warriors." Zinkata finished.

"No pressure guys." Remasa joked, cheerfully.

"Keep eating, Viv." Olose instructed, noticing Vivli was taking this opportunity to give up. She groaned and carried on. She actually found it sweet they cared enough to try and make her eat properly again, but it was difficult.

"How are we supposed to stop a war?" Bootus questioned. "A normal bad guy, sure, we can punch them in the face pretty good. But a war?"

"We need to kill Abaj, and find evidence that he started it. Once we present that to the President and King they'll end this thing." Olose explained. "But we need evidence. Seems like they didn't listen before. We need undeniable proof."

"How about a witness?" Came a nervous voice from the doorway.

Talia stood there, a quivering attempted smile across her face.

"What are you doing here?" Olose snapped. The Light Warriors instinctively drew their weapons. Up on deck Crazy Steve continued speaking to his mug.

"Things are worse than you know!" Talia tried to explain.

"They usually are. I don't see how that affects me." Olose replied casually.

"Abaj has… He's awakened something. Something more powerful." Talia began to explain. "More powerful than any of us."

"Business as usual then." Voldos sighed to Bootus.

"Yeah, well, that doesn't often bother us." Zinkata shot, readying his weapon.

"No! Wait!" Talia cried, desperate not to get into a fight. "I came to help! I came to stop him!"

"Why?" Olose growled. "You seemed fine with siding with Abaj against me. You seemed fine with helping him destroy us all all those years ago. You seemed fine with helping him claim ruler ship over us all. Why do you want to help us all now?" Talia looked lost. She tried to say something, but the words were formless. Finally she managed to croak just one word.

"Daddy." She said simply, tears filling her eyes.

And suddenly Olose understood. Talia had accepted who she was. Who he was. And that meant she knew Abaj was lying. Had lied. All of her life. There was no way she could help him and whoever his new friend was succeed now. Even if she wasn't loyal, even if this was a trick, she could never go all the way. She could never betray the man who was truly her father.

Olose walked up and hugged her, simply holding her for a moment.

"So how can we stop it?" Zinkata asked, folding his arms.

"Well, he wants bodies. Needs bodies. I heard him say. That's when I teleported out." Talia explained.

"To do what?" Vivli asked nervously.

"Summon forth Promethia into this realm." Talia answered simply.

"That would mean the-" Remasa began.

"-end of the world." Olose finished. "Can't say that's entirely foreign territory."

"Yeah, suddenly I find myself needing to know the plural of 'apocalypse'." Voldos muttered.

"So, how do we stop this thing? Any bright ideas?" Bootus asked gruffly.

"Well, I can stop the war." Talia ventured. "I can confess, my werewolf status should be proof."

"But they'll kill you-" Olose began.

"Better me than the world." Talia tried to smile. "But then this Furcas demon will just search for bodies himself. You need to find a way to kill him."

"Guys." Voldos began, looking out over the edge of the airship. "I think we're approaching Bastok." The others rushed to the edge of the ship, looking down. They could see a massive battle taking place outside of the gates. Some seemed to be inside.

"I'd say we're too late for the confession." Voldos shot at Talia, who just paused guiltily.

"I can't see! What's happening?" Remasa asked desperately. Vivli scooped down to pick her up, tried, failed, and just looked embarrassed. Talia went to pick her up, but Remasa backed away, not trusting her. Finally Bootus did it, and sat her on his shoulder. "Oh. That." She commented dryly.

"He's going to get plenty of bodies from that…" Vivli whispered in quiet awe.

"What do we do?" Remasa asked in desperation.

"You stop them." Talia said, as though it was obvious.

"Any ideas on how we might do that?" Bootus growled.

"You're the Light Warriors!" Talia explained. "Destined to defend the world against evil. Remember?"

The Light Warriors looked to each other for a moment.

"Hey, she's right." Voldos readied his bow. Bootus drew his scythe. Zinkata spun his sword. Vivli just shrugged, not having (nor needing) her staff.

"We are Light Warriors. And when we fight together, nothing can stand in our way!" Vivli agreed.

"No demon, beast, war or plot has done us in yet." Bootus added.

"Then let's do this." Zinkata finally said. "We'll get down there and we'll find a way to stop the fighting."

"And us?" Remasa questioned.

"You stay here." Zinkata decided. "This is our destiny, not yours."

"We can help." Olose ventured.

"Get Talia to President Karst." Zinkata ordered. "She can stop the war, and we'll stop the battle. We'll especially stop this demon from rounding up the fallen bodies."

"You've got it." Olose nodded. "Viv, be careful."

"Hey! What about us?" Voldos protested.

"I don't care about you." Olose said jokingly, prompting a laugh.

"Steve! Lower the airship!" Voldos cried. The airship dipped down just as he ordered. Voldos quickly grabbed a piece of rope from the deck and tied it around his bow, before firing it into the ground. "Time to slide!" He announced, grabbing a piece of wood from a barrel on the airship and using it to zip-wire down the rope. Bootus and Zinkata followed suite.

"Amateurs." Vivli sighed to herself, levitating herself up in the air. "This powerful magic is fun." She smiled, floating down off the deck and into the fray below.

The four Light Warriors regrouped as Vivli settled down on the ground.

"Couldn't you have told us you could do that before we all slid down?" Bootus protested, rubbing his head from an obviously painful landing.

"Aw, but you looked like you were having such fun." Vivli mocked.

"Whatever, girly." Bootus countered. Vivli fumed again for a moment.

"Alright! Let's get to work!" Zinkata ordered, and the party formed up, striking attacking poses.

"We're the Light Warriors, we're back, and evil is about to pay!"