Chapter Thirty-Nine
The Ozmone Plain
Year 706 of the Old Valendian Calendar
Vaan couldn't believe they'd actually arrived. After a day and a night without rest, he finally stood in the Strahl's cockpit. The idea of sitting on something other than a running chocobo was wonderful, even if he did now have to fly an airship. Vaan had always been obsessed with airships, and he knew as much about flying one as anyone could without having actually done it. And he'd got a rather short hands-on lesson from Balthier, even taken the pilot's seat for a few brief minutes; a few minutes longer than Fran had ever sat in it, she claimed. However, the prospect of flying all the way to Archades on that short amount of experience was intimidating, to say the least.
"Hurry. We have to hurry," Basch said. Vaan sighed, then reluctantly sat in the captain's chair. Fran was already in the copilot's seat, Penelo in the seat behind her. Vaan stared over the controls before him, both excited and terrified. Could he really fly this ship? And the thought of the man who's airship this was wouldn't leave his mind.
Balthier was an Archadian? A noble? A Judge? Vaan wasn't sure whether to feel bad about the things he'd said, or get angry that Balthier was one of ones who conquered his homeland and killed his family, and that he'd kept it a secret.
"Vaan!" Basch's voice broke through his cloud of anxiety. "The princess is in danger."
"I know!" Vaan shouted back. "They both are. I'm just…"
"We must leave!"
"I know!" He glanced back at the mass of buttons and levers covering the controls. "I'm just not sure if I can do this!"
"You have to! There's no more-"
Suddenly the ground beneath Vaan's feet rumbled, thrumming with impatience, and controls lit up across the panels.
"The engines are starting," Fran said, studying the instruments with a frown.
"But I didn't touch anything yet!" Vaan said, holding his hands away from the consol.
"Skystone myst release has begun, but nothing was set to trigger…" Fran mumbled, pressing buttons on her side of the controls. "How…?"
"Argh! Does it matter?" Vaan grabbed the steering controls. Basch was right; he didn't have any more time to be nervous. Even the airship could see that, apparently. "Let's go!"
"Finally," Basch sighed.
Sucking in a deep breath, Vaan pulled back on the controls, lifting them up into the skies.
Balthier said this thing was fast. Time to see how fast it can really go.
…
Knights marched Balthier down the halls of Draklor Laboratories, Vayne Solidor at the head of their procession. The knights surrounded Balthier, making any dash for escape impossible without some kind of distraction; even harder, carrying Ashe.
They continued on through the familiar halls, walls all of brick painted a faded yellow-beige, windows offering a view down on the vast city. Such a familiar place, where he'd grown up… It didn't seem real, walking through those halls again. No scientists walked the hallways, like usual; Vayne must've ordered them all to keep out of the way. Or perhaps they were preparing for their next project. Draklor was home sweet home no longer; Balthier could assume something a lot more sinister waited for him at the end of this journey. Whatever it was, he had no intention of finding out. As they rounded a corner, a plan came to him.
But he had to act fast. Ashe rested in his arms, eyes closed, but he was pretty sure she was still conscious. Balthier leaned in closer, whispering so the guards couldn't hear.
"Princess, are you feeling better?"
"A little," Ashe replied, eyes flickering open. "I can… probably walk now if you're-"
"That's good, but not what I meant," Balthier said. "I have a plan. It alright if I drop you?"
"If it means we can get out of here," Ashe replied.
"Then get ready to run," Balthier said.
"Where?" Ashe asked.
"Just follow me, alright?"
"Alright."
Balthier glanced around to make sure none of the knights had heard their whispered conversation. Good so far. "In that case, here goes…"
Balthier let go of Ashe. She released her arms from his neck at the same moment, and she slipped to the floor. Balthier skidded to a halt to avoid tripping over her. He practically winced when Ashe hit the ground; he couldn't tell if her gasp of pain was fake or not. The knights ground to a halt with several shouts of annoyance.
"Ashe! Ah… Sorry," Balthier said. Terrible acting.
"What's going on?" Vayne said, spinning around. No time for all that.
Trusting the princess was unharmed by her fall, Balthier grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet. The guards, surprised, had broken their formation in the sudden stop, leaving enough of a gap for Balthier to pull Ashe through and sprint down the hallway. Balthier heard the guards scrambling and Vayne shouting for them to follow. He didn't take time to look back.
The moment they were around the corner, Balthier released Ashe's wrist and knelt by the wall.
"Balthier?" Ashe said, gasping for breath. "We have to… keep going."
"No, it's here somewhere," Balthier said. "This is an old building; it has its secrets, and I know them." Balthier felt along the wall, looking for what he knew was there, his search made all the more hurried for the incoming footsteps behind. At last, he found the seam in the brick wall. "Ah-ha!"
With a rush of satisfaction, Balthier yanked out a slab from the bottom of the wall. Perfectly hidden, you couldn't see the secret opening unless you knew it was there.
"Quick! In!"
Following Balthier's command, Ashe crawled into the opening, and Balthier followed after her, pulling the slab back into place behind them.
The compartment was more cramped than Balthier remembered. It was completely dark inside, and the odors of mildew, brick, and mortar filled the air. Balthier held his breath until metal-booted footsteps clanged by and kept going. Balthier breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Is this a… secret passage?" Ashe asked. Balthier could barely see her face in the shadows.
"Well, more a secret cupboard," he replied. "It doesn't go much farther back, but we can hide in it until those guards are far enough away." Balthier paused a moment to listen. "I think we're safe to move now. If you're alright, princess."
"I'm fine," Ashe replied. "But… Where will we go?"
"Towards the nearest exit," Balthier said. "I know one where there won't be any guard. Until then, we hope we're not caught."
"That's your best plan?" Ashe asked. Eyes adjusting to the dark, Balthier could see her frown.
"You have a better one?" he asked. Ashe didn't reply. Balthier turned back to the slab covering the exit and shoved on it. "Then let's go."
…
Dr. Cid paced back and forth in his office. Soon. They'd be here soon. It was time. Only Cid wasn't sure if he was ready. There were so many variables to account for… And so many things were going wrong… But if it succeeded… Oh, think!
Dr. Cid stopped his pacing a moment, drawing in a few breaths to calm himself. Each breath brought a thurm of unnatural strength and energy from deep inside; he smiled at that, a feverish chucking escaping his lips. There was one project that had worked as he planned. Was this what it felt like to be a true inheritor of his noble house? No, nethicite paled in comparison with that force at its full. That was why…
"Cid!"
The door to his office swung open, and Vayne marched through. A slight frown broke the usual cold, confident calm of his features.
"Vayne! You're here!" Cid glanced at the empty space behind the emperor. "And a little light on company. Where're our guests?"
"There's been a minor complication, Cid," Vayne said. "The prisoners escaped. However, they're still in the building, and I've no doubt they'll be caught before long."
"Well, we've a few more complications than that, I'm afraid," Cid said. "My guards have spotted an intruder in the lower levels. Not our escapees. It seems he's a formidable opponent; the guards have been unable to bring him in."
"So we've multiple miscreants at large? Hm." Vayne frowned in thought. "Perhaps it would be better to move this operation to the roof, as we first planned."
"I concur." A thin, rattly voice came, speaking as if from the air itself. Dr. Cid felt the surge of nethicite's power, the tug at his thoughts as Venat's ghostly form materialized.
"It is vital the transfer has as little interference as possible," Venat continued. "It is a delicate process, while I must still manifest by way of the stones. And if the new host resists, the leap will be impossible if I must also defend my current host from assault."
Vayne nodded. "I understand you require a foothold to focus your powers if you are to exist for long. But you can wield your forces without that for a short period of time, correct? I know the bond you share with the host is strong, but-" he glanced at Dr. Cid. "-I thought you were working on a way to sever that bond for the moment of transfer? Then Venat could leap easily to a new host, with all his power at his disposal."
"We were working on it," Cid replied. "I'm still not sure exactly how to accomplish that. Honestly, I didn't expect you to capture Ffamran so soon. But no matter. If we can ensure no disruption to Venat's current host, the transfer will go smoothly."
"They will return," Venat said.
"What's that?" Cid frowned at his ghostly friend.
"The ones we seek. They seek the stones," Venat continued. "Whether for themselves or to keep them from us, I cannot tell. But yes…" Venat let out a faint hissing noise. "Princess Ashelia comes for the nethicite. A true scribe of Raithwall's line. We must take care to find our prisoners before they find us."
"Mm." Dr. Cid nodded. "Yes, that could make things difficult. Impossible, even."
"Then we will not allow it to happen," Vayne said simply.
"But if it does…" Cid turned to his desk, papers strewn all over it. "Yes, I've a plan to use this delay to our advantage."
"Cid…" Venat rattled. "I sense you are uneasy. The idea of delaying our ultimate victory… pleases you."
The trouble with hosting an Occuria in my mind. No thoughts my own.
"Nonsense!" Cid said, maintaining a perfectly unruffled appearance. "I am as eager as any to see our new world. The powers we unleash shall be grand indeed! I only mean that if we try this with all our guards busy, enemies unhindered, and a half-formed theory, the best outcome we can hope for is alerting them to our master plan." Cid picked up a paper from his desk. "No, I suggest we try a different approach; we'll let the princess and her party get careless. We'll know right where they are and where they're headed. And, with a little patience, we can have power all the more! Power enough for many things." Cid turned to Vayne with a smile. "Remember Bahamut?"
"Cid-" Venat began, but Vayne cut him off with a wave of his hand.
"No, I like how this sounds. What is your plan, Cid?"
Cid looked back down at the paper he held, his chuckle raising into a cackle.
"Just a little… trip."
…
Vaan stepped out of the aerodrome, willing his tired legs to work again. Even through the tense flight, constantly worried he would crash, Vaan had wrestled with the haze of fatigue. The knowledge he'd been awake for more than twenty-four hours constantly called his eyes to drift closed even as he sat in the Strahl's captain's chair.Vaan had been too worried and too tired to even admire the massive metropolis of Archades from the air.
That said, now standing in the midst of the great city, he couldn't help but gawk at its enormity. Massive buildings rose up and up on ascending platforms, and walkways ringing those platforms served as road. Small, service transports parked here and there offered lifts to the upper levels. Vaan walked to the railing, peering over the edge to look down on the level below.
"It's amazing, isn't it?" Penelo said, coming up beside Vaan.
"Uh, yeah," Vaan replied with a shrug. "For the empire."
"We're not here to see the sights; We must find the princess," Basch said with the same iron frown he'd worn since they left the mountain. He didn't look tired at all.
"But… where do we look?" Penelo asked.
"Vayne will be keeping her somewhere secure, somewhere he can reach her easily," Basch pondered aloud. "Perhaps the palace."
"Not an easy place to reach," Fran said. "We'll need a plan."
"What about Balthier?" Vaan said. "Bergan said-"
"Ah, Balthier! There's a name I hear quite often now-a-days."
"Huh?" Vaan looked up to see a shabbily dressed man leaning against the railing a few feet away. He watched the newly arrived travelers with a smirk.
"Who are you?" Vaan asked with narrowed eyes. "You know Balthier?"
"Never met Balthier," the man replied. "I knew Judge Ffamran, though. Only Judge I ever could do business with! A brief arrangement, but… Ah, good days!"
Vaan frowned. "You mean-"
"I mean a Judge and noble turned sky pirate! Known by the wanted posters as Balthier!" The man spread his arms out in a dramatic gesture. "Yes, we speak of the same man." He left the railing, turning to the group and bowing briefly. "My name is Jules, and peddler of information. Government secrets? Common hearsay? You need it, I know it! For the right price, of course." Jules chuckled, then continued. "Now you, my friends, seem to be in great need of information. I couldn't help but hear your little conversation. Something about Lord Vayne and a captive princess?"
Basch, who had seemed relatively uninterested in the man so far, strode up to him with sudden urgency. "You know where the princess is?"
"I know there was some hush-hush military operation going on way down south. And I know the ships sent there returned not long ago, bringing high-profile prisoners." Jules smiled. "And I know where those prisoners were brought."
"You must tell us," Basch said. "We must find Princess Ashe."
"Hold on," Jules said. "This information isn't free. Now, let's see…" He stroked his chin, face twisted in exaggerated thought.
"We don't have time for this," Basch said, taking a threatening step closer to Jules. "Where is the princess?"
Jules didn't even seem to notice Basch. "Now," he said, "why don't we go… one thousand, five hundred gil?" Jules held out a hand, palm up.
Basch stared at him with a scowl for several moments before grunting.
"Fine. It's fair." Basch nodded to Fran. She counted out the coins into a pouch, which she held out. Jules took it with a grin.
"Oh, thank you!" he said. "Now, you wanted to know where those prisoners are?"
"That's right." Basch stepped closer, as if he thought Jules might try to run. "Where?"
"Well, the Alexander sent a guarded transport over to Draklor Laboratories," Jules replied. "Though why they'd need a princess and a pirate in a lab is beyond me. Although, young Master Ffamran's lord father would be there; he's the director, you know." Jules let out a chuckle. "Perhaps Vayne thought to organize a little family reunion."
"Draklor." Basch nodded slowly. "Then that is where we must go."
"There'll be guards," Jules said. "Tough to get past without making a ruckus."
"Could you get us inside?" Basch asked with narrowed eyes.
"Oh, of course!" Jules replied. "A few underhanded deals, a transport to an open window… I can get you inside."
"And it will cost…?" Basch asked.
"Nah, this one's on the house," Jules said with a knowing smile. "Just give my regards to Master Ffamran, eh?"
…
Balthier peered around the corner, pulling back instantly when he spotted two knights.
"More guards?" Ashe asked. Balthier nodded. Always more guards. How many does Vayne have looking for us?
"I think we'll need to backtrack," Balthier said, nodding towards the door at the end of the hall they'd just come from. Ashe sighed; Balthier shared her sentiment: it seemed they'd spent the whole time since their escape running in circles.
Balthier turned towards the door, walking at brisk pace, only to have it fly open and two more knights walk out. He screeched to halt, Ashe stopping behind him. The guards shouted, whipping out their swords. Weaponless, fighting wasn't an option. Balthier spun to run the other way, but saw the two other guards, alerted by the others' cries, running down the corridor. Ashe let out a gasp of terror. Balthier glanced between the two groups of foes, unsure of what to do.
"Not good…" he hissed under his breath. Balthier spun to face one pair of knights, pulling close to Ashe. There had to be something they could do. He wouldn't just surrender.
Bang! Balthier spun at the ringing crash behind him just in time to see the two knights at his back drop to the ground, Captain Basch staring down at them with an indifferent frown. It took a few moments for Balthier to believe his eyes at the sight of Basch, Fran, Vaan and Penelo standing in the hallway, weapons drawn. Except Basch. Apparently he needed only his bare hands and the element of surprise to take out two Archadian knights.
Fran stepped forward, sweeping out one hand to send a wave of fire at the other two stunned knights. The surge of magic threw them hard against the wall with a crash, and they, too, fell unconscious.
"Captain." Balthier nodded to Basch, glancing, still disbelieving, over the rest of the group. "Impeccable timing."
Basch ignored him and walked straight up to Ashe.
"Princess, you're unharmed?" he asked.
"I'm fine," Ashe replied. Basch nodded, letting out a long sigh of relief.
"I suggest we keep moving," Fran's voice came. She knelt by one unconscious knight. "When these guards do not return, they'll send others."
"Right," Balthier nodded. "Come on then!" He turned to leave, but no one else moved. It occurred to Balthier that the last time he'd seen these people was at the moment of a poorly timed revelation.
"Ah." He turned to back to face the dubious faces of Basch, Vaan, and Penelo. "Look," Balthier said with a sigh, "I know none of you want to trust me right now, and there're conversations to be had, but not here. Right now, we need to get out of this building before we're caught."
"It's here," Ashe's voice interrupted Balthier next words. He turned to her with a frown.
"What?"
"The nethicite," Ashe said, lifting her face as if she'd just come out of deep thought. "It's here, isn't it?" She turned to Balthier. "That's what you said, the night we stayed at the Stillshrine. That the nethicite would be at Draklor Laboratories, in Archades, didn't you? The nethicite is right here, in this building!"
"Ah." Balthier nodding slowly. He sighed. "I guess unsullied air will have to wait. Someone did think to bring the sword of kings, right?"
Basch nodded. The great, black sword was tied to his back in a scabbard.
"If we're staying here, you'll need these." Basch handed Ashe her sword and threw Balthier's rifle to him. Balthier caught it, but the impact on his hands reminded him painfully of the burns there. He let out a gasp of pain and dropped the gun. The clatter it made attracted everyone's attention. Fran stood and grabbed one of his hands before he could jerk it away.
"These are bad," she said, frowning. "What happened?"
"Long story," Balthier said, yanking his hand away from her.
Fran sighed, then reached to grab it again. "Let me see-"
"I'm fine." Balthier stepped back from her, stooped to pick up his rifle, and placed the weapon in its holster on his back. Wasn't it a good idea to let her heal him? Later. We've sat still too long already.
"My best guess is, the nethicite will be in the director's office. That's where he used to keep it. Always nearby." Balthier sighed, then nodded up. "On the top floor. We'd better get moving."
…
Balthier marched up to the familiar doorway. Everything about Draklor was horribly familiar, but this door more than even the faded yellow walls and the city sixty floors below.
On the single, ordinary looking door hung a sign writ with the letters "C. D. B."
Cidolfus Demen Bunansa. Draklor's very own Doctor Cid.
Father's office. Ffamran had been here many, many times. But Balthier had never set foot inside. A funny line of reasoning, that, to try and separate Ffamran and Balthier, like they were two different people.
Balthier shook his head, trying to get a hold on his thoughts. His father was likely behind that door, and that thought was scaring him out of his wits. But was he going to let that stop him?
"Right in here," Balthier said, nodding to his band of companions. He reached out and grabbed the doorhandle, not waiting a moment more. He tried it and frowned.
"It's unlocked," Balthier said.
"Is that good?" Ashe asked.
"Well, it's either very good or very bad," Balthier replied. Let's hope the former.
Balthier yanked the door open.
The only light in the windowless office came from a lamp perched on the desk, flickering feverish. The room was empty, and a mess. A bookshelf along one wall was toppled over, its contents spilled over the floor. A crate in one corner had been torn open, the files inside it strewn everywhere like someone had been rummaging through then. Several papers were spread over the desk, caught in the yellow glow from the single old lamp.
"He's had visitors," Fran said, studying the scene with her usual taciturn gaze. "Ones lacking manners, it seems."
"But… who?" Vaan asked. "Who'd want to wreck his office? Isn't everyone here on his side?"
"Unless we're not the only ones after the nethicite," Balthier replied. He walked over to the desk, glancing over the papers strewn across it: hurriedly written notes on an expedition to Jagd Difor, one Balthier remembered well. He father had been gone for nearly two weeks on that 'expedition.' The only thing he'd been willing to tell Ffamran before he left was that something had been discovered and wanted to be there to see it. The next time Ffamran saw his father, he was walking off a transport, a glowing shard of nethicite cupped in both hands.
"And ever since, all this," Balthier mumbled under his breath as he skimmed the papers. "Just what is it you want?"
"Up! Above us!" The shout came from outside the office, pulling Balthier's attention from the papers. Through the office door he could hear the pounding of many armored footsteps. Knights shouted in overlapping cacophony.
"The intruder's been spotted!"
"Hurry!"
"He's headed for the roof!"
"Drop bulkheads eight and nine!"
Balthier frowned as the footsteps faded away, along with the discordant shouts of command.
"It seems our earlier visitor has been found," Basch said, frowning at the closed door. "The guards will be everywhere. We should lie low."
"No, we'll use their confusion," Balthier said. "If this intruder they're chasing is after the nethicite, he'll be following whoever has it. That means Doctor Cid is up on the roof. Right above us." Balthier glanced up, as if he could already see his father's face. He shook his head; can't dwell on that now.
"We have to find Cid. Now." Balthier marched up to the door, swinging it open without another thought.
…
Just down a few hallways down from Dr. Cid's office was a staircase that led up onto Draklor's roof. At sixty floors up on one of Archades' highest levels, you could see nearly the entire city from up there; Ffamran had been there many times, looking over the grand capital…
Balthier rounded the corner, coming into view if that familiar staircase. The knights were all in disarray, as he'd hoped, and given them no trouble on the way there. Whoever this other intruder was, he was giving Archadia's knights a bit more trouble than they bargained for.
The staircase led up out of the hallway, out onto the open roof. Light from the low sun spilled down over the stairs; the afternoon was drawing on. Balthier wondered briefly what time it was, or for that matter, what day it was. How long had it been since he awoke on Mt. Bur-Omisace?
The sudden crash of steel-on-steel right to his left claimed Balthier's attention. Basch had whipped out his sword with lightning reflexes to block the strike of a man wielding two curved blades, bald with dark skin, who'd flown from down the hallway. Basch managed to catch both his blades on his one, but the man struck, again, and again, in a matter of seconds. Basch blocked each blow, barely. With both swords held once more against Basch's blade, the man frowned at his opponent's face.
"Ah. My apologies," the man said, pulling back his swords. His voice bore a faint Bhujerban accent. "You don't bear the stench of Cid's lackies." He glanced over the group, studying each one quickly but intently. Balthier returned the man's probing gaze, eyes narrowed. A stockily built man, but by no means short… His unusual clothing could belong to no one but a sky pirate; certainly not a full-time agent of Archadia or Rozarria. The man looked strangely familiar…
"And you would be… our earlier visitor," Basch said, warily lowering his blade. He also gazed at the mystery pirate with obvious distrust.
"A valuable man!" a chillingly familiar voice shouted from atop the staircase, the caller's form hidden by the lowering sun. "One I'd rather not waste! Though he knows too much…"
The mystery pirate's face contorted in an angry frown, his gaze fixed up the stairs. He took off, racing up the steps without another word, both swords still drawn.
Balthier stared after him only a few moments before following at an equal clip. The voice he'd heard calling down the stairs…
Father.
