Three Months Later
I should just forget about them. They are dead.
...But I can't.
Bahamut thought of the Light Warriors often now. Much as he hated it, he was as addicted to them as Khan and Singh were. Those two, along with all other dragon kind, waited in anxious anticipation for their return. They hoped and prayed that they would come back. They already believed that they were the true Light Warriors, and that they could do it. But Bahamut did not...not yet at any rate. It had been three months now, more than enough time to go there and to come back. Yet they were still gone. Bahamut's small amount of hope was beginning to fade, and as it did, Khan and Singh grew more and more anxious and nervous about what was transpiring.
Bahamut couldn't help but feel he had been too hard on them. He had changed since meeting them. He had seen humans with good hearts and souls. He had thought such were extinct. And sending them on this trial sent them to their deaths. They would not be able to conquer it. He should have sheltered them...befriended them... But no. He could not afford to. The path they desired, and could not be swayed from, was dark and dangerous. They needed to wake up to the danger of it at once. They were doomed to die if they sought to accomplish this challenge. No human could endure it, and he still believed that. Somewhere...he hoped that their resolution had failed. Perhaps on fighting for a week in the forest, they would give up and return to their old lives. Perhaps they could yet win more humans over to goodness, and turn the Crystals in that way. But he knew they would not. He sensed their determination. It could not be put down so easily. So now, he feared they were dead.
Poor fools... He thought. They should have listened to me. I know much more than they do. But they clinged to that legend and wouldn't be swayed... I can't say I blame them, but if given enough time perhaps they would have given up this foolish quest. Now it's too late. Those poor souls... What little good was left on this Planet in men may have died with them... It-
Abruptly, however, Bahamut froze in mid-thought. He looked up and heard a noise.Whenhe did...Bahamut's mind went blank. He was shocked.It couldn't be possible... And yet, Khan and Singh began to hear it as well. They perked up at the sound, and their memory of it was far more clearer than Bahamut's.Their eyes filled with delight and joy. At the same time, Bahamut merely shook his head in stunned silence. It couldn't be true... They had to have come back early. They had to have broken off. No human...could possibly do what even the mightiest dragons could not!
Bahamut's head was filled with doubts even as he heard the ship stop before the entrance. It still was as he heard the footsteps come again...much slower this time...and staggered. It wasn't until they emerged from the darkness, and Bahamut bit his own tongue to make sure he wasn't dreaming...that he knew it had to be so. Khan and Singh could barely contain their shock at seeing it, or their joyful amazement at it. Bahamut stared on and tried to keep his standard appearance on seeing them...
But it was them.
They were half-starved to death, looking as if they hadn't eaten in weeks. They seemed feverish as well. Their clothing was torn and their weapons chipped and blood stained. They were covered with nasty wounds. The white mage had obviously exhausted her power, for their wounds seemed fresh and dripping. They dragged the black mage with them, who could no longer walk and seemed to be losing consciousness. They were stumbling over themselves. They seemed so tired...as if they had not stopped walking in days. Yet they still approached the throne.
With a moan, Tuck swooned and passed out halfway to Bahamut. Lucinda gasped and slipped, and dropped Harbaro a bit later, unable to carry him any further. She staggered forward a bit more before falling flat on her face. Darwin alone continued forward, before he too fell to the ground twenty feet before Bahamut. He collapsed and panted hard for a long time, struggling to get his breath. But then, somehow, he dragged himself onto all fours...and pathetically began to drag his bleeding, sweating body up to Bahamut. He stumbled again on the way, and then dragged his body with his forearms forward. A bloody smear was left on the ground in his wake. At last, a foot from the throne, he gave out entirely. He fell to the ground. He panted a moment longer...and then, with his last ounce of strength, extended a quivering, bleeding hand laced with scars and old wounds forward to the Dragon King. It had a hand firmly clenched in a death grip fist. Bahamut extended his neck at this, and looked down to see what it was. As he did, he saw Darwin open his palm, and then give out one last sigh before he too passed out. His open hand fell to the ground.
A simple rat tail was in his hand.
Bahamut felt as if he could be knocked over with a feather. His beliefs were turned over on their head. He quivered with overwhelmed shock. Khan and Singh moved up and looked over the palm as well, but they said nothing. They were confused at this, for no one save Bahamut knew what the Symbol of Courage actually looked like. But Bahamut did. It was the last thing one would expect. It was a simple rat tail.
They had done it.
"Remarkable...they passed the test."
Both Khan and Singh snapped to Bahamut at that. Their eyes filled with amazement, and then they looked to each other.
"They passed?"
"They passed!"
"Alright! YAHOO!"
Bahamut was still stunned. He blinked in astonishment at this. However, he managed to push this aside for a moment. He shook his head, and then turned to Khan and Singh and gestured to the fallen humans. "Enough chatter. Both of you, take these four away to rest. Give them an elixir and put them to bed. The fact that they aren't dead now is enough to overwhelm me."
Khan and Singh both grinned with delight. However, they nodded and immediately did as their master said. They leapt down and quickly scooped up the passed out humans, and began to take them away to a separate cave to be tended to. As they did, Bahamut leaned back and stared out blankly ahead into the cave. This was something he had not expected at all. They had passed the test. They had found the Symbol of Courage. That could only mean one thing...that they had faced the unholy creature that Bahamut spoke of. If they hadn't, they never would have gotten it. Their souls were strong indeed...stronger even than a dragon's. Far stronger. Their bodies were frail and weak, but their spirits had taken them beyond their limits and had enabled them to succeed in their endeavor. It was impossible...but it had happened just the same. And Bahamut didn't know what to make of any of it.
However, he did feel himself smile a little.
...He was glad they were alive.
The next day, the Light Warriors had returned to their old positions. They had washed and had their clothing repaired. Now, they again kneeled before Bahamut in his main chamber. Khan and Singh both beamed as they looked ahead reverently, and placed before Bahamut and the four warriors was their prize...a rat tail.
"You did better than I expected, young humans." Bahamut addressed them. "I never expected to hear from you again, in all honesty. But you succeeded. Your actions themselves have proven that you are of exceptional power and spirit. You are no mere altruistic humans."
"But why a rat tail, sir?" Darwin addressed in genuine puzzlement. "The castle was full of grand treasure and symbols, and yet it was a rat tail that you desired. Why?"
"Because the meaning of the trial was not in possessions, material things, or works of men." Bahamut simply answered. "This trial was not about raiding an ancient castle. It was about proving your own strength and ability. I desired you to prove your worth, and in doing so you needed to go as far as the very heart of the castle and kill the fell creature that you found there. What sign that you received to confirm your victory was not important. Its sole utility was to testify that you had done it. The victory that you acheived...the victory that you set out for...was to be achieved within yourselves. External prizes meant nothing. Those will fade and wither with time. What you won and what you proved was something that could not be taken from you. It was something that has value to you and you alone. Let that tail, which has value to you and you alone, be a testament of that."
The four warriors bowed their heads slightly and took that in. They said nothing, but contemplated Bahamut's words. The Dragon King allowed them to for a brief moment. But once that was done, he leaned back a bit. He inhaled deeply and thought for a moment. Since the humans had returned, he had to think of something new. This changed many things. His thoughts over the past night had dwelt long on the humans before him. He wasn't exactly sure what was best to do with them now. He had new options available to him. These humans were exceptional. Very exceptional. Bahamut did not want to see them throw away their lives so rashly. They were shining examples of their dark race. He did not wish to see them die. Their very nature...it appealed to him. He could see this now. It had appealed to his fellow dragons and to his servants in the same way. The inner light...the spark of humanity...it touched him and grew on him. He had loved it once in Palad. Now that he saw others like him, he remembered that he did love it. He felt an ever growing affection for these humans...
Finally, Bahamut leaned forward a bit, and grew dark in his expression. His voice went lower, and he spoke softly to them. "Well...you four have made it this far. Because of that, I wish to make you an offer. And before you answer, think long and hard about it. You will not get a better offer for quite some time, and there is much to consider in it that you are probably unwilling to accept. So be patient and listen.
"I spoke the truth about your race. Surely you must sense it. They are a doomed race. They have come too far to go back. They grow worse every day. Even now, I can feel their evil growing. It was this evil that shadowed the Crystals in the first place. It is because of it that this world is dying. Your race cannot be saved. And as long as they exist, the Crystals will never be safe from destruction. I know this to be true. If you think hard about it...you will reach the same conclusion."
The four warriors bowed their heads slightly, but did not answer. They stayed silent and listened. Bahamut inhaled deeply, and continued tiredly.
"...Darwin, Tuck, Lucinda, Harbaro... You need not share this fate. I can sense an inner light in you the likes of which I have never seen before. Humanity would be a glorious and great race indeed if they issued from you. You four have great innocence and purity in you. I have not seen the like in some time. You have good hearts and souls. But what you seek to do...to save the Planet yourselves...it is madness. You will throw your lives away if you try. Death is all that awaits you. If you let yourselves be killed, then what is good and innocent in humanity will die with you.
"You are great people...brave and good. I and the rest of my kind would be honored to have you and your descendents live with us. Already, we have been preserving much of the native species of the world as it dies. We have been keeping them alive until the fiends can be conquered and the Crystals restored. Once the rest of humanity is gone, the world will be safe and good again. Then the Crystals can be restored without fear. Then the world will be at peace again. Then...the world can be yours. You can have it all to yourselves. A new nation can arise from you and your generations.
"You have a choice. You can come with me...and I will take you to my world. There, you need not fear or want ever again. One day, your children will inherit the entire Planet. It is a great offer, and one that will ensure the continuation of the kindness within you to the future. Or...you can choose the other path. This path leads to struggling...pain...misery...and death. And if you die, there will be nothing left in your race worth saving. It would be worse than extinction from your race if you four were to leave it. You are too great in spirit and character to allow that. You cannot beat these foes, I tell you. You should allow I and my people to, as we did years ago. However...you have passed the trial. You have earned the right to chose your own path. I will support you regardless of what you chose. All I ask is that you consider what is possible...and to think of what could happen to the Crystals. If you truly do possess the shards...then know this. Your failure will mean the end of the Crystals. If they lose their only chance to restore their light, then all will be doomed. Think of this. Think of your futures."
Bahamut finished, and silence reigned once again. He looked down at the Light Warriors, and left them to think this over. They paused for a few moments. But they did not change. In the end, Harbaro raised his head slowly. His burning yellow eyes gazed simply into Bahamut's, calm and plain without any excessive emotion or passion.
"Lord Bahamut...if our roles were reversed...and it was four dragons bowing before a kingdom of humans that told them to forsake the rest of their race and come with them...would you accept?"
Bahamut sighed inwardly at that. He knew what that meant.
"So you are resolute in your choice?"
They all nodded as one slowly.
Bahamut paused a moment longer, and sighed deeply. He bowed his head, but in the end gave a small nod. "So be it. Know that I will demand everything you can give me and more."
The four Light Warriors looked up at this. Already, a spark of earnest and enthusiasm filled their eyes. Eagerness stretched their features, and they tightened their bodies in anticipation. Bahamut looked over them all, and then gave a nod.
"Now, it appears that many races of the world have hope in you yet. You have already been gone for three months from the face of the Planet. The training I give you will require years. In that time, those who have hope in you will lose it as they all believe you to be dead. Therefore, I have something special in mind."
With that, the Dragon King rose at last. His wings unfurled and his body stretched as he went up to his full height. He was very impressive, and he sensed dragonawe even within the Light Warriors as he rose. They controlled it, however, and patiently waited in a kneeling position. As for Bahamut, he turned his head down and looked to his attendants, and then motioned to them. "Khan, Singh... Leave us. You are to exit the cave, and once you have done so turn around, reenter it again, and return to your posts."
Both Khan and Singh formed looks of puzzlement at this. They looked to each other in a bit of a confused way. But they would not dispute their master. And so, both of them turned and did as they were told. They both began to walk down the long hall toward the exit. As for Bahamut, he motioned to the Light Warriors before him. "Rise and join me."
The four warriors looked to each other, but then rose and did as they were told. They were puny runts compared to Bahamut, but soon they found themselves joining him as they rose and followed him up to his own podium. As they came up to it, Bahamut turned and walked back to the wall, off of the podium all together. He bent over and grasped something with both claws. Once he did, he leaned back up, turned, and walked back to the center of the podium. The Light Warriors looked, and saw that Bahamut had brought a rather ornate chest with him. He set it down right on the center of the podium, and immediately opened it up.
"I gathered these last night while you four rested." He informed them. After opening it, he soon began to pull items out of it. First, he pulled four bedrolls out of it, one after another. Each one that he pulled out, he tossed to one of the Light Warriors. They were a bit surprised, but each one caught it one by one. After that, he pulled out four pouches, and then tossed them to each one. He pulled out one pouch for himself as well. He held this in front of him and shook it. It was bulging with small items, like pebbles or seeds.
"These are special seeds called Kupo Nuts." Bahamut explained. "They are the only food that moogles eat. However, if a human was to eat one, after finding it potent and bad tasting...they would discover that they would not need to eat again for a whole month." After saying this, Bahamut looked up and to the back. He saw that Khan and Singh were just about out of the chamber now. They were vanishing into the shadows, but he could still hear them. Seeing this, Bahamut reached into the chest one last time. When he grasped an item this time, he moved very slowly and carefully with it. The Light Warriors saw this and watched closely. As they did, they saw Bahamut very slowly draw out what appeared to be some sort of silver hourglass. It was pure and clean as crystal, but it seemed to very ornate. The grains shimmered like irredescence, and a heavy silver metalwork was around the top and the bottom of it. Bahamut gently pulled this closer to him, and moved his claws on it. Slowly, he turned the top of it very gently.
"Five should do it." He spoke aloud, somewhat musing to himself, as he looked up and saw Khan and Singh. He heard that they were almost out now. Seeing this, Bahamut gave a nod, and spoke to the four warriors again as they neared the exit. "Get close...and get ready." He instructed them. The Light Warriors were puzzled, but they did as they were told. They came in closer to the great creature. Bahamut continued to wait just a few moments longer. He listened all the while...right up until he heard Khan and Singh ascend the staircase leading out. He heard them hit the last step...and then he heard them take a step outside. When that happened, he reacted at last. He turned the hourglass over, starting the sands, and put it down right in the center of the podium platform.
Immediately, the world exploded into brilliant white. The four humans recoiled in shock and pain from it, covering their eyes and dropping their new possessions. They grunted and whined for a moment in pain. But then, they slowly shook their heads and gradually recovered. When they slowly reopened their eyes and looked up again, however, their faces turned to shock. The cave was gone. Only the large podium remained. The podium itself was large and expansive, more than big enough to allow Bahamut and them to move around on. But the chamber itself was gone. The podium was now surrounded on every side by what looked like swirling white mist. It gleamed as if it was light, and it whirled around as if it was a turbulent storm. It swirled and swam about itself, seeming to be almost alive as it washed around in a massive circle. It spread all around them, and when it broke the four could see nothing but emptiness. It stretched on into oblivion forever. They had descended into another realm it seemed. They were amazed by this, and looked all around.
"Wow..." Lucinda remarked...and soon received another shock. Frosty breath came out from her mouth.
The other humans recognized this quickly. Soon, Tuck had folded her arms over herself and remarked on the change as she shuddered. "It's freezing in here...like the Cavern of Ice..."
Darwin looked around a bit, and then took a step. When he did, however, he soon found himself grunting to do so. "Everything's heavier in here as well..."
Harbaro gasped a bit on the air, and soon clutched his throat. "The air is so thin...it's like on a mountaintop..."
"Welcome to your new home." Bahamut addressed, silencing them all with one sharp phrase. They all turned as one to Bahamut at this, forgetting about their reaction and looking to the esper. Bahamut himself seemed unaffected. However, the Light Warriors were soon going to the ground. They began to sweat and pant, and they started to wrap their arms around themselves and shake. Bahamut's face had grown darker now, as he went into seriousness. He stood before them in his full height, and gestured around himself.
"Allow me to introduce to you a parallel realm that was created by a clever device made by my siblings Starlet and Leviathan." Bahamut explained. "You have not gone anywhere at all. You are now simply existing out of the flow of time. You have gone past the point of no return. Now, you have no choice but to remain with me here for the next five years."
"Five years!" Darwin remarked in shock, while the others looked similarly surprised. They were all overwhelmed at that sudden revelation.
"Five years is the bare minimum." Bahamut flatly replied. "If you don't improve well enough, trust me. I won't hesitate to turn the hourglass back another five years the moment that we exit this. You agreed to be trained by me, and we have much to do. Rest assured, I will provide you with plenty of stimulation in that time. We have little time to waste. Here, you will be free from any concerns about the world or its people. You can focus your entire lives to improving yourselves. At the end of five years, don't worry. You will emerge right back in my cave, just in time to see my two assistants Khan and Singh enter and wonder why you suddenly look five years older. Only a second will have gone by in the real world."
"But...what's with this world?" Tuck chattered.
"There are no Crystals here, and hence the four elements are weakened to almost nothing." Bahamut responded. "Let this world serve as a reminder to you of what will happen if you fail. There is no water or moisture on the air here. All moisture you will get from the Kupo Nuts, as well as sustenance for there is no food. The earth is warped so you will all find yourselves three times as heavy. The wind is weak so there will only be half as much air as normal here. Finally, fire has turned cold, so the constant temperature will barely be above freezing. This inhospitable environment is the perfect training ground. It will be a struggle for you four to simply survive in this barren wasteland.
"Here are the rules. You will all sleep eight hours a day. Once a month, you will pause for ten minutes to properly injest and swallow a Kupo Nut. The rest of the time, you will work yourselves to death training. As a reward, you will become incredibly strong. During this time, do not wander out into the mist, or you will once again reenter the flow of time, and you will remain at your current level of strength while the rest of your companions gain it incredibly. By coming here, you have subjected yourselves to me. You are now all my slaves. So I strongly advise against any of you running out on your master. If you get fed up and leave, hope it's on a good day. Then I might merely throw you out and tell you never to enter my sight again. If it's a bad day, I might demand something from you for the five years I will waste training you...
"Now, for the initial test. I want to know what I have to work with, so here is your first trial. I am about to engage you at onlyten percentof my total power. This should give you some idea of what you're dealing with. I could destroy all Four Fiends myself at this level. See if you can defeat me."
The Light Warriors looked a bit nervous at that. They looked to each other a little, wondering how they were supposed to deal with this. However, they did want training, and they had faith in each other. In the end, they gave nods to one another. After that, they turned back to Bahamut. They quickly broke apart from each other to fan out, spreading out into somewhat of a semi-circle that surrounded Bahamut. Tuck and Darwin drew their weapons. Harbaro and Lucinda both braced themselves to prepare to cast spells. Their looks became dangerous, and they readied themselves for combat. They planted their feets and gazed at Bahamut, waiting for his first move. For a few moments, there was silence. No one moved, but merely stood at the ready. Bahamut himself didn't even go into a ready position, however. He looked around at his opponents, standing there as he was when he announced the fight. In the end, however, he merely smiled and snorted.
"This flanking attack...fair for some strategies. But you should know that if you're opponent knows your weakness...you should move to guard it."
With that, Bahamut shot forward like a bolt of lightning. The Light Warriors could only vainly gape in surprise and follow him afterward as he shot straight at Lucinda and Harbaro. In a flash, he was on them, and struck them both with his huge scaly fists. Both humans were ripped off their feet, thrown through the air, and then landed on the ground almost at the edge of the podium.
"Your physical defenses are pathetic. An imp could best you." Bahamut addressed disapprovingly to them both. However, a moment later, he snapped back up and quickly dodged backward as Darwin charged in and swiped his sword at him. However, he had managed to duck back in time, and the sword hit nothing. Darwin quickly moved in, however, and the tiny human struggled to swipe his blade at the giant beast. But despite how large of a target he was, Bahamut easily dodged each blow. He smiled as he watched Darwin sweat and strain in the heavy environment to even lift his sword, let alone hit Bahamut with it.
"Your technique is as ragged and sloppy as a child splashing in the mud." Bahamut merely responded, before shooting out with a powerful kick that struck Darwin in the ribs and sent him flying aside as well. No sooner had he gotten down, however, than Tuck jumped in and proceeded to start swinging at Bahamut again. This one had better control over her actions. However, she was still far inadequate. Bahamut easily twisted around every blow, surprisingly agile for a weighed down dragon, before he lashed out and grabbed Tuck's forearm in a massive scaly fist. One clench was enough to make the thief yelp and drop a weapon.
"Your arrogance is your downfall. You should have worked with him instead of waiting for him to be bested by me." He told the thief...and then clenched his hand into a harder fist. He was satisfied when he heard, and felt, the bones snap in Tuck's arm. The girl instantly went white as a sheet, and they yelled in pain.
"What are you doing!" She screamed in agony, as the others began to stare in shock at the huge dragon and what he was doing.
"You think this is a game, children?" Bahamut answered with a calm smile. "I told you this was a trial. I'm trying to kill you here. What are you trying to do? Die? Or withstand my assault?"
Tuck looked up at Bahamut in shock and terror at the massive, monstrous dragon in response to that. He merely smiled as the other Light Warriors stood in stunned silence. Then, in a flash, he threw Tuck to one side and smashed her directly into Lucinda. Both of them went crashing to the ground. That, however, was actually a bonus of Bahamut. He was doing that on purpose, to give her a chance to heal. But that was the only bonus he'd give.
"You're starting to irritate me." Bahamut warned. "Come on! Do something significant before I get angry and actually start using some of my power."
The Light Warriors, however, were frozen in fear for a few seconds longer. They didn't move. This was more than they had bargained for. They didn't expect Bahamut to be so violent. Yet the esper showed no pity. He grit his teeth. His yellow eyes flashed with anger and power. He bared his claws and prepared for an assault. Finally, they snapped out of it. Fear and survival instincts took over, and they began to strike back. Harbaro put his palm to his face and began to chant. As he did, Darwin gave a war cry and shot straight at Bahamut. Soon, he was swiping at him harder and faster than ever, struggling to hit the dragon. Bahamut easily avoided each hit.
"What reckless wasting of energy and movement." Bahamut spoke as he calmly shook his head, still dodging Darwin. "What good is it to waste more power and tire yourself out, when your opponent has energy to spare to dodge your feeble moves?" With that, Bahamut lashed out another clawed foot and pinned Darwin's sword to the ground. After doing that, he swung his fist out and smashed it into the side of Darwin's head, knocking out a tooth and then sending his body flying across the room.
At that moment, however, Bahamut heard some arcane words being chanted. He turned his head to Harbaro, and saw that the black mage had changed. His hands were waving, and a spectral light was glowing around them. An aura suddenly exploded from out of his body, and a mystic symbol drawn of energy suddenly encircled the black mage. Moments later, he aimed his hands forward and spoke some sort of strange word. At that, a ball of fire suddenly swept up from the ground and surrounded the black mage, then swept itself around into the hands of the caster. After that, it formed a potent, blazing ball of heat, and then fired itself straight at the great esper. Bahamut actually snorted to even look at it...before turning around, flexing, and exposing his whole body to take the blow. Harbaro's yellow eyes bulged in shock as he watched this, and moments later the ball connected with the chest of the creature. The fire splattered out on all sides, and then thinned and dissipated all together.
"Such feeble, pathetic, so-called spells..." Bahamut sighed. "Here, allow me to show you true power. Pyrin."
With that, a massive red-hot ball of pure energy, ten times as powerful as Harbaro's, and blazing like fire from the sun itself, erupted from the mouth of Bahamut and sailed straight for the black mage. Harbaro could only gape in shock and fear before the ball struck him head on. The other Light Warriors looked, but all they saw was the black mage suddenly enveloped in a great ball of fire. An explosion of heat went around him, coloring the black mage yellow and red as it burned him from within and without. His clothing was roasted and vaporized. His flesh was horribly burned. The ball raged around him a few moments more before finally dying off. When it did...Harbaro, blackened and only wearing burnt scraps of clothing, collapsed to the ground in a heap.
Bahamut looked around for a moment after that, and soon his eyes rested on Lucinda and Tuck. Lucinda was bent over Tuck now, desperately trying to heal her wound. But when she looked and saw Bahamut, she panicked. Her eyes filled with fear. She became desperate to heal, and turned back and frantically tried to do it. But her concentration was gone now. She could do nothing. Bahamut slowly walked to her, listening to her gasp in fear as she tried to help. But it was no good.
"Completely collapsing under pressure...you're no help to your friends." Bahamut told her. Abruptly, he stretched out a fist and seized the white mage by the neck. He instantly crushed her windpipe, and then raised her off the ground. Lucinda's eyes bulged in shock. She struggled to undo the dragon's fist around her neck, but her feeble movements could do nothing. Bahamut merely brought her up to his face, and gazed at her simply. "Then again...you aren't much help to yourself, either." With that, he brought the tiny human down and his knee up, bringing it into her stomach and proceeding to break six ribs. Lucinda bent around the attack...and vomitted up blood immediately.
Tuck saw this from the ground. Immediately, her eyes filled with fury. Injured as she was, she brought up her sword and went for Bahamut. "Let her go...you damn monster!"
Bahamut merely extended his tail and wrapped it around her neck. Tuck immediately gagged as her own airway was shut off, and soon she was dragged off the ground to be slowly hanged at the end of Bahamut's tail. She gaped and gagged, and struggled to break free...but it was all useless and futile. He turned and smiled at her. "And what will you do about it, little nothing?" He calmly asked. With that, fully so that Tuck could see it, he drove his head forward and smashed it into Lucinda's skull. A sickening crack went out as it happened, and Lucinda immediately went limp. When he pulled his great crest back, it was dripping with blood. Tuck's eyes widened, and she clenched her teeth in anger and fought harder than ever. Bahamut calmly turned to her, snorted again, and then tossed Lucinda to one side. With that, he swung his tail down and bashed Tuck into the ground headfirst. Another sickening crack went out...and blood oozed forth again like a fountain. He pulled her off the ground again and looked at her. Her face and head were fractured, and she looked limp and lifeless. However, she somehow still moved in Bahamut's grasp despite her dead expression.
"Oh, you have life yet?" Bahamut asked her. "We can fix that." He proceeded to smash her twice as hard against the ground...cracking the pavement this time. Tuck moved no more after that, and Bahamut threw her lifeless body to the ground. With that, the great esper calmly looked around, searching for signs of something he might have forgotten... Oh yes... He remembered, as he felt a teeny, tiny blow be struck at the back of his leg. He calmly turned, and saw a bloody, bruised, and enraged Darwin breaking his sword against Bahamut's leg.
"Damn you...damn monster!" He spat in violent anger at the esper.
Bahamut merely shook his head. "Not wielding that weapon at all as it was intended to be...ruining it with a futile move. How pathetic." With that, Bahamut turned his head around fully to face the enraged Darwin. Then, he opened his mouth and spoke another word. "Pyrin."
Within seconds, Darwin's sizzling corpse fell out of a ball of fire and landed on the ground lifelessly.
Bahamut snorted. He looked around at his handiwork, and saw all four Light Warriors, within less than a minute, hovering on death's doorstep. Within another minute, their injuries would have the better of them and they'd all be dead. So much for the hope of the world. Bahamut frowned at them, and began to wonder if he made a mistake. They had a long, long way to go to be a match for a fiend.
Sigh...this is going to be harder than I thought.
With that, Bahamutheld out his hands to the fallen Light Warriors. Moments later, he transmitted some of his own regenerative power out of his body and sent it to them. He looked them over, and watched as their black skin turned pink, their bones reconnected, their blood seeped back into their wounds, and all the damage that had been done to them was instantly reversed. Their weapons even were mended, and their clothing regenerated. Within seconds, it was as if nothing had happened to them at all. Bahamut lowered his arms, and then walked a bit away, getting into a position where he could see them all. Slowly, as if they were waking up, the four warriors began to stir. Moments later, their eyes slowly opened, they shifted, and they began to rise. But then, one by one, they all remembered where they were...and what had happened. They instantly bolted upright, and glared at Bahamut in mixtures of fear and ferocity.
Bahamut felt their gazes, and snorted with his back to them. "Don't humiliate yourselves again by bothering to strike at me. The trial is over."
The Light Warriors were tensed up for a moment longer. They were shocked and confused at that. They hadn't expected anything so brutal or horrific. At last, however, Darwin snorted in disgust. He looked at Bahamut with a mixture of anger and shock. "What the hell did you think you were doing! You tried to kill us!"
At that, Bahamut wheeled around. His face was full of anger, and a dark presence was around him. The room seemed to grow darker, and Bahamut suddenly seemed twice as big and terrible. A deep throated reptillian growl was in his throat. He glared like death at Darwin, and immediately the young human lost his anger and became timid again. The esper glared at him a moment longer, then spat crossly.
"Do you not agree with my methods, human?" He raised a claw and pointed into the mist. "There's the door."
Darwin swallowed, and his anger quickly left him. He turned his head down, and said no more. He was still angry at what had happened, but he didn't dare dispute the dragon. They all were angry at that, but none of them dared say anything. They only looked down and said nothing. Bahamut turned and looked to them as well. He saw their faces, but he could read what was in their hearts. He knew what they were thinking. It only made him growl again. He snorted at them all, his breath so loud and strong that they all felt a hot blast in the cold air.
"No 'sirs' or 'masters' now, I see." Bahamut snidely remarked. "Well, too bad. I've grown accustomed to it now. Don't dare talk to me again unless you address me as master, because for the next five years, I am your lord and master. I will break your bones when I feel like it. I will smash your face when I feel like it. I will grind you under my front claw when I feel like it. And the only thing I want to hear out of you is begging for more. Don't like it? Leave. You can leave whenever you want. I'm not keeping you here. You are the ones who came to me. If you want to cry like a child because this isn't anywhere as easy or conventional as you thought it would be, then run home to your mothers. I am neither your mother or your father, so I don't want to hear any crying infants.
"That said, if you will stop your moping for a moment, perhaps you could learn something from this instead of sulking. Do you know what I just did to you all? I became your enemy. I became your worst nightmare. Do you think me cruel and wicked? You know nothing of cruelty, humans. Nothing. The Four Fiends ate humans alive. They tortured them for fun and merriment before they killed them. You think that was bad? That was my first time. The Fiends have done this for years. They think of nothing else except how to make humans suffer, and I assure you that after thousands of years they are quite good at it. They will make you suffer long and hard both physically and mentally. If there is a weak link in your group, they will seize it and then torture the rest of you by slowly dismembering the weak link. Is that understood? Now...do any of you have any solution to this problem?"
There was silent among the group for a while. They sat in silence for a few brief moments. Then, at last, Lucinda murmured something.
"...Don't have a weak link."
Bahamut inclined his head to her at this. He put a claw to his ear and leaned in closer. "I'm sorry, I'm a bit deaf. What did you just say?"
"Don't have a weak link." She repeated, raising her head a bit and speaking more clearly.
"Do not have...a weak link!" Bahamut bellowed out, glaring at all of them as he did so. In response, the four bowed their heads and looked more low and pathetic than before. He blasted on after that. "That means one thing! Your group is only as good as the worst member of your group! That means there isn't going to be any worst member of your group. And guess what? After what you just showed me...you have nothing but weak links! I don't even know where to begin with you! You didn't work together. You have no control. You crack under pressure. Darwin, you wave that sword around as if it was a seed in the wind. You didn't have one focused attack. You wasted every move. Tuck, you ignored your strengths entirely. The enemy baited you right where he wanted you. Lucinda, you completely fell apart. You let fear take control and you lost your power. Harbaro, you had no focus behind that attack at all. That kind of unfocused power is only going to stroke your enemy's ego as he shrugs it off and drives his nails into your throat. You had no plan. You had no cooperation. Each of you have endless potential inside of you, and all you did was waste it. You didn't even put up enough of a fight to make me sweat.
"Little humans...you just had Death blow you all a kiss. Did you enjoy the experience?"
The four were silent. Their heads were bowed and they said nothing.
Bahamut clenched his jaw. "When I ask you a question, little humans, I expect an answer. Did...you...enjoy...the...experience?"
"No..." They all spoke in reply, somewhat haphazardly.
"No what?"
"No master!" They all said at once, much more loudly.
"Would you ever like to be in that position again, the plaything of a sadistic monster?"
"No master!"
"Good." Bahamut simply answered. With that, he drew himself in a bit, and sat down on the ground. He calmed down considerably after that. He folded his wings in and gazed at them all. They kept their heads bowed and said nothing. However, Bahamut could sense a change in them. They weren't as angry as they had been. Nevertheless, Bahamut felt a little bad about all of this. He inhaled and sighed slightly. His own head went down a little as he sat.
"...Just to make things perfectly clear..." He spoke at last, quieter and even almost apologetic. "This was to assess you at the peak of your performance and to expose you to the worst opponent. I did not enjoy hurting you all the way I did. I knew the whole time that I would be able to heal you when we were done. I just wanted to make a point. I wanted to be perfectly serious about the danger you face. I wantedyou all to see what you were up against." A pause went by. Bahamut bowed his head a bit more, and sighed. "...I am sorry that I didn't prepare you for that better..."
"No, I am sorry master."
Bahamut raised his head slightly to this, and looked out to who had spoken. His eyes soon rested on Darwin, but he saw a similar look on the faces of all of the Light Warriors. He sighed, but then began to speak.
"You...you were right to show us that." Darwin continued. "I was just...mad at first...but I know what you meant to do. The truth is, after we survived all those battles and the castle...we started to think we might have been strong enough to face the Fiends without your help. We had gotten much stronger along the way. We were willing to submit to your training, but if you hadn't shown us that...we might have left early."
"You were right about our weaknesses, master." Tuck continued. "We need to improve. You just made it clear."
"Anything you can do to help us..." Lucinda went on. "We'll gladly endure. You were right. I couldn't help Tuck when she needed me, because I was scared..."
"And my magic was far too unfocused..." Harbaro added. "We are together. We're...sorry..."
Bahamut looked at them all, and he felt pity aroused in his heart. They had that endearing quality in them again, just like Palad did. It fixed into his heart and attracted him to them. He sighed slightly and smiled at them. He could sense they were serious. Again, they submitted under his tutelage. They would do what he said. It made the King of the Espers feel bad...but at the same time happy that they were willing to continue. At any rate, it would be a while before he tested them like that again. Hopefully...he'd become their friend in that time. Bahamut realized, most suddenly, that he wanted to be their friend, as he had once been Palad's.
The esper smiled after a while, and finally broke the silence. "Now, to business.
"You four have made the tragic mistake that I myself made, as well as my whole family, when we last went to fight the Four Fiends. We tried to train our minds or our bodies. We did not train both. Because of that, we were all weaker. The body is useless without focus and control. The mind is useless without tools for it to act through. You have been the same. Darwin and Tuck...both of you have great potential, and that potential has been stimied because you rely only on strength and speed. There are great weapons and techniques to learn in this world, and neither of you will be able to wield them until you have control over the weapons you have been given. As for you, Lucinda and Harboro...your minds are strong. But alone that is not enough. You are no good casting a spell if you are struck down before you can get it off, or your concentration slips. What more, there are other more powerful spells you do not yet know of. But they will not be of any use to you until your bodies possess the strength to channel such power. When both of you have mastered your minds and bodies, you will tap into power you did not even know you had.
"We will start on these matters soon. But first, you need fortification. For this first month, we will take things very easily. Your bodies need time to adapt to your new home, so you will work on moving normally in this environment. Today will be easy as well. You've all had a busy day...you may turn in early. But first, I will have to show you the proper way of eating a Kupo Nut...and then you may get used to sleeping in a bedroll."
One Second Later
Khan and Singh had just sighed to each other at why they had to do such a ridiculous task. They turned around to reenter the hall of Bahamut once again. They descended the stairs, and then looked ahead to see what Lord Bahamut had done with the humans. They saw little at first, and had to walk in a bit before they could look that far. But once they did...both attendants instantly froze, and stared ahead in stunned surprise.
The Light Warriors...had gotten older. They were only adolescents before. Now they were in the later teens. They had changed dramatically too. Khan and Singh could actually feel the power coming off of them this time, even though they barely knew how to sense power. Their clothing was in shreds, barely big enough for their new sizes anymore. Darwin was built now...still thin but fortified with genuine muscle throughout his body. His eyes were hard and focused, as if he had undergone some sort of great discipline. However, that discipline was nothing compared to that of Tuck. Her gaze was smooth, calm, and calculating now. Her movements were allfluid and silent and didn't even so much as push an air wisp the wrong way. She too was lined with muscle, and looked perfect in agility. Lucinda's body was a bit better off, although she still looked weak. However, her eyes showed not even a trace of doubt or confusion. She was calm and controlled now, without worry or fear. Finally, there was Harbaro. He too looked a bit more physically built. However, his eyes also burned twice as bright now, and his mind and foc us was as sharp as his vision. They were all older, wiser, and stronger versions of their old selves. Khan and Singh were justly amazed.
"What...the heck happened to them!" Khan whispered loudly to his sister. She could only shrug in response, and stare ahead in confusion.
However, the Light Warriors paused only a moment. Then they turned and looked back to their master. Bahamut himself looked back down on them, and turned his head from side to side as he looked on their bodies. He studied their features and gauged their powers...and he was pleasantly surprised with the result. He gave a nod to them all after a few moments.
"I can see now that there is no need for any further training." He addressed. "You four have come far in five years. I had my doubts. You had no foundation as the Dragoon did, and you were too old to start. But you succeeded none the less. You perserved in the worst situations, and you conquered your weaknesses. Truly, you four are the most powerful humans on the face of the Planet."
The four stood straight and tall in response, and only gave a slight nod to Bahamut in sign of acknowledgement. Khan and Singh leaned back and stared on in amazement. Bahamut looked over them all again, and then drew himself up once more. His wings slowly stretched out and filled the area behind him, and he began to raise his claws to them.
"I have one final gift to give all of you. That is a title...more befitting your new class of skill and power." The Dragon King paused a moment, but then turned his head to Darwin. He looked at him a moment, but then held up one of his hands and gestured with it. Darwin soon reacted, for in response his tattered clothing and armor began to glow. Slowly, it started to rearrange itself on his body, rebuilding again...but this time changing.
"Your focus matches your strength, Darwin. Now even the most advanced weapons can be mastered by you. You have also mastered the power to heal. No longer are you a mere fighter. I now bestow on you the rank of knight. Not as a human knight do I dub you, defending a realm or king, but a defender of the Planet. You are its knight and its warrior, as the line of the Paladin and Dragoons once were."
The glowing died down, and Darwin had changed. Now, his body was covered with much thicker armor. He was well protected by a breastplate, shin guards, gauntlets, and a spired helmet bracing his head. A long red cape matching his old clothing stretched behind him, concealing the sword sheathed at his side. Darwin saw all of this, and then turned back to the dragon, and gave another humble bow.
That done, Bahamut turned to Tuck next. He held up his hand, and soon her clothing began to alter as well.
"You have maximized your strengths and compensated for your weaknesses, Tuck. You have expanded your fighting abilities far beyond those of a common thug. The powers of destruction and nature are no longer strange to you. You are no mere thief any longer, and none shall ever call you that again. You are of a new class of warrior, one who commands great spiritual and physical power. You are a ninja."
The glow died again, and this time revealed that Tuck was almost completely concealed. A masked hood covered her head now, and her arms and legs were done up with light armor. She wore a light bodysuit that was the color green, and her knife and sword were at her sides. She seemed most pleased with this as she looked herself over, and then she turned back to Bahamut. She extended one hand in front of her, now gloved with fingerless gloves, did some sort of gesture of respect, and bowed to the dragon as well.
Bahamut turned to Lucinda after that, and began to alter her clothing as well.
"You have freed your mind from all doubt and confusion, Lucinda. You have fortified your body and trained your spirit well. You now have the capability to live up to your full potential, and to act quickly without fear. Your skill at the healing arts puts you above and beyond all other white mages. You are now a white wizard, a guardian of life for all people."
The glow died yet again, and revealed the change. Mostly, Lucinda's white robes had simply been repaired. However, the cloth was shimmering white now, and was of a quality that was thick and durable even against enemy attacks. The hood was drawn back now. No longer cloistered or afraid, Lucinda showed her head with pride. She too gave a graceful bow to Bahamut.
The Dragon King turned to Harbaro at last, and once again used his power.
"The power within all humans can be used for good or evil, Harbaro. Destructive and fierce as your power is, you now have gained full control of it, and have committed it to the cause of righteousness. Your body and focus are strong, so you will be able to command powers that even I once thought I alone could wield. You have a cause and power far better than mere black mages. You are a black wizard."
The light died down again, and revealed the new Harbaro. He still wore a wide brimmed hat low over his head, but he was no longer in black robes. Instead, he was in a long fold over coat/cloak, with other dressing underneath it. He looked taller and more sophisticated now, with more color and complications to his outfit. His collar was still high, however, and his eyes glamed brightly out from within it. They really did look like yellow lights in darkness now. Harbaro bowed to Bahamut at this as well, and the four were finished.
Khan and Singh admired the sudden change on the Light Warriors. They looked far stronger and more powerful than they had ever been before. Bahamut could feel it too. He had not felt such power in generations... He didn't think humans could possibly grow this strong. But he was wrong again, and had underestimated his young friends once more. They possessed this strength and much, much more. They actually surpassed the dragons now... They surpassed some espers even. They were amazing to behold, and Bahamut himself felt like he was in awe of their presence.
And yet, Bahamut was still deeply afraid. He exhaled slowly, but his face did not become disappointed. Instead, he looked them over one more time. "I have nothing more to teach you. From now on, you can improve yourselves without my help." Bahamut simply stated. "And yet I wish you would reconsider. This is your last chance to do so."
However, the Light Warriors merely grinned in response to this, and began to tense up with enthusiasm.
"Not on your life, master."
"We didn't spend five years with you for nothing."
Bahamut looked at them a bit longer. True...they were very, very powerful. But were they a match for the fiends? Could they possibly stand against them? Could they do what no other human had ever done? Bahamut didn't know. He feared they could not. The last humans he saw that had confronted a fiend died horribly. Could these four really make a difference? Even if they worked together, would it be possible? Bahamut had a stake in this now. If they did die...he would feel like he failed them. He would feel that it was his fault for doing this, for not training them enough or helping them when they needed it. After all that time...Bahamut thought of them as his friends now. He loved them as he used to love humans. And now, he feared he must watch them die as well. Yet he knew he couldn't dissuade them. He knew this whole time he could not. And so, in the end, he merely gave a nod.
"Very well. Go then. I will pray for you."
The four bowed one last time to their master. They held this time, showing their respect for him. Bahamut watched them, and wished again that they would remain...or at least that he could help them. But he could not save them from these fiends. Only the ones with the crystal shards would be able to defeat them for good. Yet if they were wrong...if they had the wrong crystal shards...then they would be doomed to die no matter how strong they had become. There was so much to worry about...so much to fear. He could stop them...but he refused. He had doubted the Light Warriors again and again, and each time they proved themselves faithful. For now, he would trust them. And so he let them rise, and they turned and walked back out the way they came. He watched them as they walked out, watching them in their new attire march out of the room, brimming with their new power, and blazing with determination. They looked regal now...a true shining example of the best of humanity. He felt his heart ache as he watched them, and his throat tightened. But soon, they had vanished into the darkness again. Moments later, their footsteps went silent. Bahamut slowly bowed his head after that, and closed his eyes. He heard the airship start up again outside, hearing the fan slowly begin to rotate. It sputtered and spurred for a moment, and then finally went up to full speed. Soon, he heard it begin to take off, and he whispered a small phrase.
"Fare thee well, my friends... If you conquer this foe...I will never doubt you or your race again."
Five days passed.
Bahamut, for the first time in years, grew sick with worry.
The Dragon King was visibly troubled. All who came to see him saw it. His head was constantly bowed and in his arms. He breathed slowly, and he looked like he was in mourning. He tried to trace the Light Warriors, but it was not possible. The ever-growing darkness had consumed them...and he couldn't see through it. He feared that they were consumed physically as well now. He constantly thought of the cruelty and viciousness of Lich. He remembered how monstrous and evil he had been, and how little pity he had for any living thing. He kept seeing the warriors...his young students...being torn apart by him without mercy or pity. They were so strong...but they were still so small...so young...so spiritually out of tune. They reminded him so much of Palad, and he couldn't bear to see them die. Grief pained his expression constantly, including today.
Khan sneezed abruptly, and then sniffled a bit before straightening up in his position. Bahamut cracked open an eye and looked out to his attendents. They weren't so worried. They were hopeful. They didn't know Lich or his power. They had thought the Light Warriors could defeat him before. Now, with Bahamut's training, they believed them to be invincible. They waited with optimism and hope for their return. They did not waver, but held on and continued to wish and have faith. They were not alone. Many of the dragons, if not all, had put their trust in them now. They were all eagerly hanging about the chamber, waiting for the first news of them.
Khan sneezed again, and sniffled as he wrinkled his nose.
Damn those foolish humans... Bahamut thought...although his angry voice didn't match the sadness in his heart. Before they came, I had been content to believe nothing of humanity was worth saving. Now I meet not only four great humans but four great persons. They deserved to live in all this. They shouldn't have been first to die. They alone out of this wicked and perverse generation deserved life. Now they rush off to end it.
...Then again, I couldn't trust any other human to do what they did. Only they had the strength of will and character. And now it was wasted...
Khan sneezed again, and reached up a claw to rub his nose.
Singh frowned and turned to him. "Cut it out!"
"I can't help it!" The half-esper whined. "Something's got up my nose. I've been sneezing all morning."
Bahamut was still deep in thought when he heard this. However, his mind could be in two places at once. He heard Khan's comment, and suddenly opened an eye. One of his ears perked over to his young assistant. However, before anything else could be said or done, a racket was heard. Someone was clamoring outside, and busting into the chamber. Now he heard them rapidly run up the hallway to him. Bahamut sighed at the thought. Was it too much to ask for someone to walk every once in a while? They barged in here like a herd of chocobo...
Khan and Singh turned to the person as he came in, and Bahamut looked up as well. What they saw was a copper dragon, rushing down the hallway a mile a minute, straining and appearing to have run to give this news. But he wasn't that winded, which meant he hadn't gone far. Once he reached halfway down the hall, he began to gesture behind him. But then, he remembered the sign of respect, and quickly dropped himself down on all fours, bowed his head, and then gestured behind himself to the entrance.
"Father-Of-All-Dragons!" He announced in a booming voice that sounded amazed and confused. "Something is happening outside."
Bahamut forgot about the Light Warriors for a moment at this. His face turned to concern instead, and he raised his head and looked out. "What is happening?"
"We don't know, sir. None of us have seen it before."
Khan and Singh turned and looked to their master at that. Bahamut looked out a moment longer, contemplating this. But then, he gave a short nod, and quickly stood up. "Very well. I shall see this for myself. Khan, Singh...come with me."
With that, the great esper descended the podium and walked onto the stone ground. His assistants paused for a moment, but then quickly fell in on either side of Bahamut and began to walk with him as he started to exit the hallway. The copper bowed low again, and then, in an awkward manner, began to back up while staying on all fours on the ground facing the Dragon King. He appeared to be somehow leading them on, although he would not rise. It took some time to get out of the underground chamber like this, but Bahamut merely sighed inwardly and kept his thoughts to himself. Soon they reached the end of the hallway, and came to the entrance of the cave. The copper ascended the stairs first, and Bahamut followed right behind still flanked with Khan and Singh.
As Bahamut emerged into the dawn, he winced from the sudden sunlight. The light of the sun had died considerably since the Crystals had turned dark, but it was still bright enough to blind one who has been underground for so many years. The island around the entrance, which was little more than a great, gaping hole in the ground, was flat and grassy. Nothing stuck out to interest a human, foe, or anything else. But there were many dragons out on the surface now. Bahamut, on emerging, looked around and saw them, and saw that they were puzzled and confused looking around them. But when Bahamut emerged, they soon saw him. They quickly dropped what they were doing and immediately bowed down before the Dragon King. The copper himself slid back while continuing to grovel. Bahamut's assistants soon came out as well, and with him they both stood on and looked around the area. Khan sniffled and sneezed again.
"Aw man...my eyes are really watering out here..."
"Small wonder." Singh answered. "Look around you."
Khan did...and soon, like the others, was amazed at what he saw. The grassy fields of the Dragon Isles were always just that, grassy. They showed no signs of trees or abnormal growth or anything else of significance. Only the local grass plants grew. Not so much as a wildflower ever sprung up on the ground here. But that had changed. Now, purple flowers were everywhere. They had sprung up all over the island. They covered it through and through all over, and they had already attracted bees and other insects to come and fertilize them. They covered everywhere Bahamut looked and stepped. As he went out into the field, he felt them touch his toes and feet. The weak air was nevertheless filled with their fragrence. It was a strange odor indeed...particularly to the dragons. It seemed to tantalize a piece of their minds, but they couldn't think of why this was so. They all looked around a bit longer, before Singh shrugged.
"Guess this is why Khan is sneezing."
"What are they?" Khan asked, ignoring his sister and not even giving her a dirty look. "Is this another curse? An effect of the Planet dying? Give us all death allergies."
Bahamut smiled a bit and gave a light chuckle at that, in spite of himself. However, that quickly gave way to amazement again. He looked around him more, and then bent down closer to the ground. He lowered his head to the flowers, and smelled them. After a few whiffs, he began to recognize the scent...and he realized there was no mistaking it. He was amazed to behold it. "Hardly, Khan..." He spoke at last. "These...are Foilleaf flowers."
Both assistants turned to Bahamut with some amazement at that, and then turned and regarded the flowers with awe. The other dragons heard this, and despite their position, began to lift their heads and share expressions of amazement. They began to look around at the flowers in a new light, and all appeared shocked to know what Bahamut had just said. Foilleaf was a rough translation of a more elegant dragon name. The humans had actually discovered it. Back in the days when the Dragoons rode dragons into battle, the dragons sustained massive injuries in combat. Human medicine did little to help them, and many died as a result. That was, until, one day, a Dragoon riding his mount into the mountains was struck down by an enemy spear. The dragon crashed but managed to save its human rider. After that, however, the injuries slowly began to kill the dragon. The rider saw that the dragon was severely injured and dying. He was suffering terribly. And so, he did something to try and ease the pain. He plucked a bunch of a plant that he knew was highly fatal to humans from the mountaintop, and then fed it to his mount in an attempt to end his suffering early. Much to the Dragoon's pleasant surprise, the plant miraculously healed the dragon, and within minutes the dragon was up and ready to fly again. Since then, Foilleaf became the most potent of all dragon remedies. The humans initially called it "the Dragoon's Grass" in honor of its discovery. However, time had made it more of a slang term, and now it was simply called "Dragon's Grass".
Yet this was shocking. The dragons had settled on these isles because they had many caves to dwell in, but also because Dragon's Grass grew here extensively. It filled the area and made it possible to keep the dragons here constantly healthy and well. But that had been a thousand years ago. After the Crystals turned dark, fire and earth both grew weak even though their fiends had not yet emerged. The earth all over the Planet was already growing weak. It was at its worst in Melmond, yes, but it was felt here too. Rare and fragile plants began to grow weak as well. Dragon's Grass had not bloomed in over a thousand years.
...But it was blooming now.
Bahamut realized this...and looked up and out for a moment. He stood in silence, as his mouth hung slightly open.
"...Could it be...?"
Bahamut turned his head back down to the ground. Immediately, he dropped on all fours and bent his head low. Seeing this, Khan and Singh both turned and looked to him with puzzlement. The other dragons did likewise after a few moments, perking up and seeming confused. As for Bahamut, he stretched out his claw and scooped up a handful of the dirt. He turned it over, exposing the dark, rich soil. He hadn't seen it look so rich in years. It felt moist and strong. He raised it and smelled it next. An old aroma immediately tantalyzed his nostrils. He hadn't smelled such rich stuff in centuries. Last of all, he even bent his head down and stuck his long tongue out to taste the dirt. He smiled and nearly laughed. It even tasted rich to him.
Khan and Singh quickly dropped down to either side of their master. They looked to him with puzzlement. "What is it, sir?"
"The ground." Bahamut answered, still looking at his fist and smiling. "It feels rich and alive again. It's stopped rotting. That's why the Dragon's Grass sprouted again."
Both assistants opened their eyes wide in response to this. They both turned and looked to each other, and began to slowly smile. Khan grinned in enthusiasm, and began to quiver with excitement. "That...that means..."
I have to be sure... Bahamut thought. Quickly, he raised his head from the ground. He closed his eyes, and he focused his energies. He stretched out his presence and began to sense the world itself. For once, he ignored the fact that he still felt ever fouler evil growing within it. That didn't interest him this time. He stretched out further than that. He wanted a broad look at the Planet. And once he had it, he struggled to look for something...to sense a presence he hadn't felt in centuries. He searched hard for a few moments, struggling to find the source...and all the while beginning to eagerly anticipate the best. And that was what he finally found.A light burning in the darkness of the world...a sudden shift from chaos back to balance...
The Earth Crystal had been relit.
The other dragons were already getting up and amazed. They had heard Bahamut's words, and they didn't need his confirmation. They began to turn to each other and look enthusiastic and amazed. They murmured for a moment among themselves, before one suddenly sounded a cry...a roar of victory for the Light Warriors. It was only one at first, but soon the other dragons began to join in. They sounded their call into the sky, making it shake all around despite the loss of wind. Soon, other islands...miles away...heard the cry, and began to join in as well. Great echoes and booming roars sounded all up and down the archipelego. Joy and hope was the song that was sung, as well as praise to the Light Warriors for what they had done. Khan and Singh too rose, and after beaming around in amazement a moment, Khan began to cry out as well. Singh was beaming too, but in the end, still smiling, she turned to her master...who was still seated under her, and actually looked down on him.
"Do you believe us now, Lord Bahamut? Do you believe them now?"
Bahamut couldn't speak. The amazement was too great. They had done it. They had actually done it. Thousands of years ago, the humans were weak and fodder for the Four Fiends. And now...a fiend had been destroyed by the hands of men. Bahamut never thought that possible. Bahamut didn't think humans would get the power. But here was the proof. Better yet...the humans were right. They had told the truth. They did have the four crystal shards. This confirmed it, that they managed to relight one. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't understand it. It was impossible. They had actually had the shards. They had found them somehow, and somehow they had come to the point of restoring the Crystals. There was no way coincidence could have made this happen. How could the shards have gotten so far? How could they have stayed together? How could they have found their way into the hands of noble and true humans, the last of their kind?
Bahamut could think of only one reason. He began to doubt it...but then he stopped himself. He was through with doubting. Now, he began to have faith.
The human legend...was true.
After all these years of waiting and hoping for humanity to grow to their full potential, Bahamut realized they had reached that point. They had ascended to where they no longer needed espers. They could defend themselves...and they could defend this world. They could do things that were once impossible even for espers now.Some were evil...but these select few who were good shined forth like the light they had lit in the darkness of this Planet. They were a hope for all races as well as their own race. They were champions of justice as the espers had once been. They were the answers to the human legend. And that meant...that it would be by the hands of humanity that the world would again be brought into balance.
Bahamut, thinking himself to be the supreme authority on myth and legend...realized he was not any longer. One had happened right under his nose, and he didn't even notice it. But it was true. And knowing it was true filled the old esper with joy. In a way...he was glad for it. Very glad. Humanity's evil had caused this disaster...but humanity's good would restore it. Bahamut was glad, because now he could love humans again as he once did. He could admire them and feel justified in feeling great affection for their race.
Bahamut, at long last, smiled. He drew himself up slowly off the ground, and spoke out to Singh. "It would appear that youth has the advantage over age, in this round, young Singh. At least, in terms of faith in other people."
Singh smiled in response, then turned to the other chanting dragons. Soon, she joined the festivities as well. As for Bahamut, he looked out at this all, and thought of his four little students out there emerging from the Cavern of Earth.
...I will never doubt again.
To be continued...