Chapter XXVIII
Like Poetry
Felix's heart was pounding as he went upstairs to the room he had just bought, followed behind by someone he had never expected he would ever see again.
Once inside, he sat at the edge of one of the beds. His new companion locked the door behind her, and turned on her heel to face him.
Karst looked exactly the way Felix remembered her. Her eyes were as red as the fire she so effortlessly commanded. Her hair was a lighter shade of the same red that seemed almost pink under the light, which framed her heart-shaped face with long bangs on each side. Her skin tone was a light violet that left no doubt to her Proxian blood as much as her two dagger-like pointed ears, with the only blemish being the birthmark around her left eye.
She unbuttoned the red cloak around her shoulders, revealing the scales on her arms. As she hung the cloak on the wall, she caught his eyes again.
Karst glanced at the sword sheathed at Felix's waist. Looking back at him, her red lips curled into an amused smile. "You look different."
It would seem she was not having the same thoughts he was. "Do I?"
"You stand taller," she said. "You have a determination to you that you did not when I last saw you. You've been through a lot, I can tell."
Felix frowned, not sure what to say.
Karst moved to the bed, sitting down next to him. She was close, so close he could catch the scent of her hair; an aroma that was both like a flower, and the embers of a camp fire. It brought back at once so many memories; mostly ones he had tried to forget.
"Karst," Felix said quietly. "Last time we spoke... it didn't go the way I wished it had. If I-"
"Stop," she told him, gently but firmly. "If we talk about the past, we'll be here all day."
Sitting so close to him, as they stared at one another, something unspoken passed. Felix considered, then hesitated, and then finally turned away.
Karst sighed. "I understand the choice you made. You want your family back. If I were in your position, I might have done the same."
Felix said nothing.
Karst shifted a little farther away on the bed. "We got to the meeting spot, but you were gone. In fact, the entire peninsula was not there. We would have thought we had mistaken our destination, but Venus Lighthouse's beacon was lit. We were not fast enough."
"We?" Felix asked.
"Agatio and I," Karst replied. "Did the others not tell you?"
Felix hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "They did not. There's a lot I didn't know about until it happened."
"I'm sorry," Karst answered. "Do you remember the ship? The one that was trapped within the glacier, several miles from Prox?"
Felix nodded.
"Agatio and I were charged with getting it free of the ice," Karst explained. "Puelle told us it was an old trade vessel from another nation, which had become trapped there during a brutal winter some time after the seal on Alchemy was placed. It can be controlled with only a single person's Psynergy. So once we had it out, we would meet with you and the others after Venus' beacon was lit, and sail with it to the remaining lighthouses."
"What happened?"
Karst scowled. "Winter came, and it was colder than any I can remember. The ice fought us. By the end of it, we had anyone in town who could conjure a flame helping. And even that was not enough. We were nearly two weeks late. So as soon as we had control of the vessel, we set out. But we did not make it in time."
Felix nodded. "We lit the beacon, and everything went to hell. The earth shook, and Idejima was torn to pieces."
"So we heard, after the fact," Karst said. "In any case, it matters not. I've found you."
She smiled, but Felix could not bring himself to return it.
"What is it?" Karst asked, her smile fading.
This was the part he had been dreading from the moment he'd first seen her again.
"Saturos and Menardi..." Felix said hesitantly. "They... aren't with me."
Karst narrowed her eyes. "What are you saying? You mentioned to the innkeeper that there were three others with you. Saturos, my sister, and presumably that smug Mercury Adept, unless you found someone to replace him?"
She was still as sharp as ever, Felix thought.
"A lot has happened since we left Prox," he told her.
"Very well," Karst said, leaning back and crossing her arms. "I have time. Start from the beginning."
And so he did, beginning first with the complications at Sol Sanctum; him needing to reveal his identity, the Elemental Star chamber collapsing, and their group fleeing with Jenna and Kraden captive. He explained everything that then happened at Mercury Lighthouse, Saturos staying behind and nearly being killed by Isaac's group, them regrouping later, and then the weeks of paranoid travel with Isaac and company on their heels.
He hesitated as he got to Tolbi, but he told her of his conversation with Jenna in the library; Jenna had discovered the truth of his plan to revive their parents with Alchemy. Despite Jenna's misgivings, it had mended the rift between the two of them, which in turn led to...
"...it was around this time that things with Saturos started to change," Felix said. "His paranoia over Isaac catching up led to him taking more and more drastic measures to slow them down. He caused a landslide that might have killed an innocent traveller. But the worst of it was when he killed several men in cold blood, to take another girl hostage, because he realised she was a Jupiter Adept."
Karst remained silent throughout, allowing him to finish his story in full.
"Saturos had sworn to me that no innocent lives would be taken. He had broken his word. So I spoke with Jenna and Kraden, and we decided that after Venus Lighthouse, we would part ways with Saturos and Menardi and finish the quest on our own."
Felix hesitated, again choosing his words very carefully.
"But Saturos figured this out, and things got ugly. So we finished our business at Venus Lighthouse, and then in the chaos... I escaped. The other hostage, Sheba, went with me by her choice. We caught up with Jenna and Kraden, and now we're on our own."
For the first time, Karst spoke. "And the Jupiter Star?"
"I have it," Felix said. "Saturos and Menardi wanted to take it, but we swiped it without them knowing."
Karst glanced at the bag at Felix's belt, only for an instant. "I see. And what about Saturos and my sister?"
"I... last saw them at Venus Lighthouse," Felix managed.
A long moment passed, while Karst first looked at him, and then turned her gaze away at the floor. Then, she returned her deep red eyes to him.
"Alright," Karst said, in a level voice. "So what's the part of that story that you aren't telling me?"
"What?" Felix asked.
"I know you, Felix," Karst said. "You aren't a liar. But I can read you as well as any book. When there's something you don't want to say, you tap your fingers on your knee."
Felix blinked, at a loss for words.
"How do you think I always beat you in all those games of Fish and Dragons?" Karst asked. "Now tell me, what really happened?"
He hesitated.
"Felix," Karst said, her voice lowering. "If you have any respect left for me..."
"It's not that," he told her.
"Then what is it?!" Karst demanded.
Felix stood up, turning away from her.
"I did what I had to do," he said, "to get away from them."
Karst glared at him.
"I know you didn't kill them," she said. "You aren't strong enough. And you don't have the heart to murder someone."
Felix looked back at her. "Neither do you."
Karst stared back at him for a long while, and some part of him wondered if she was about to test that. Finally, she looked away.
"Not you," she said in a soft voice. "I could kill any of these warm-blooded bastards. But I can't hurt you."
"So... what happens next?"
Karst looked back at him, with an almost sad expression. "I know you well enough to know you're stubborn. If you haven't told me the truth by now, you aren't going to."
Felix looked at the ground in shame.
"I was really looking forward to finally travelling with you," Karst said. "I always knew we were doing this for different reasons, but that was never a problem until now. Well, this is your quest now, and there's no place for me in it. I guess this is goodbye."
She turned, grabbing her cloak, and moving to leave.
As he watched her going to the door, time seemed to pass in slow motion. The pragmatic part of Felix was telling him to lie, to say something to convince her to stay.
She had a ship that they could use. That alone was reason enough to tell her something. Anything he could say... even the truth, that Isaac had killed Menardi. But if he did that... there was only one way it could end.
Felix didn't want to see more people he cared about get hurt.
This way was worse, he knew. Karst would travel to every corner of Weyard, searching pointlessly for her sister. How many years would it take before she accepted the truth and gave up? Would she ever?
At least Isaac was strong enough to grant a swift end to the suffering of those he destroyed.
The door slammed closed.
"And that's that," Felix finished quietly. "She was gone before you all got back. I checked with the innkeeper and she had emptied her room and vanished. She didn't even check out."
It was a quiet night, the quiet sounds that of rain and the flickering fire in the small enclosure they were camped under.
"I'm sorry," Sheba said gently, her eyes soft and sympathetic.
Jenna frowned, looking ashamed. "I'm sorry too. I should have trusted you."
Sheba leaned forward. "Was she your girlfriend?"
"Sheba!" Jenna exclaimed, smacking the younger girl's arm.
Felix didn't say anything.
"Poor girl," Kraden said. "So she's going to be looking for Menardi now then?"
"Yeah," said Felix.
"Who she'll never find because she's dead," Jenna said darkly. "Why didn't you just tell her what happened?"
"If I did, she would rest at nothing until the person who killed Menardi was dead," Felix explained. He emphasised the next part: "Which would be Isaac."
Jenna frowned.
"Perhaps Isaac would be fine," Felix continued. "He and his companions were able to handle Saturos and Menardi, after all. It might even have benefited us to have her going after him, since he would be forced to deal with her rather than pursue us. But..."
"You don't want to see her hurt either," Jenna finished for him. "I understand."
"What a complicated situation," Kraden sighed.
"I'm not happy about it," Felix said. "But what else could I do?"
"But she had a boat," Jenna pointed out. "Wasn't there some other way?"
"Like what?" Felix asked.
"I don't know," Jenna said, searching. "You could have lied or something, just long enough to get to the boat and-"
"Steal it?" Sheba finished for her.
"I suppose so." Jenna crossed her arms.
"Maybe," Felix said, shrugging. "But if it turned ugly, what could we do? Karst was a scholar when I knew her, but she knew enough about a blade to protect herself. Also she mentioned travelling with Agatio, who was another of the warrior caste. And he was left off of the second mission to Sol Sanctum because his bloodthirst was too much for even Saturos and Menardi's tastes."
Sheba grimaced, and exchanged a look with Jenna.
"Perhaps there was some way we could make it work," Felix said. "But is it worth the risk?"
The four of them sat there in the dark for some time, with only the rain and the fire to fill the silence, before they eventually realised the discussion was over, and retired for the night.
The group continued on, leaving Madra behind them on the horizon. They spent only another day on the continent of Indra, following the coastal path that led from the town to the land bridge connecting Indra to its western neighbour Osenia.
The aptly-named Osenia Cliffs were a few miles of rough earthen faces tamed by the efforts of travellers who had left trails and rope bridges to guide others along the easiest path through. As Felix and the others made their way over the treacherous path, they could not miss the sight at the bottom of the pass: the scattered wreckage of the Champan pirates' ship. The boat had been violently struck against the merciless rocks, leaving half of its volume impaled upon the sharp stones just out of reach of the crashing waves. The rest of it was scattered about, in various-sized pieces of crushed wood.
Once they had crossed the cliffs, they were in the second continent of their journey: Osenia. The road was better maintained ahead, being the well-ground dirt of a path frequently travelled. The path split several times, though they had only to follow the helpful signs directing them to Alhafra, ignoring the other destinations; Mikasalla, Garoh, Yallem, and others.
A large river awaited them, and the path led to a bridge crossing. However, as the group drew near, they saw that the bridge was collapsed.
Another group was there, standing at the shore of the river. As they came into view, the others identified to Felix the mayor of Madra, who was arguing with an older man.
"Enough!" the mayor said. "I don't want to hear this again, Father!"
"What else are we to do?" the elder asked him. "If the bridge is out, we have no way of making it to Alhafra. We've no choice but to return to Madra, and find another way to contact-"
"By the time we got back, Briggs and the ship both could be long gone," the mayor countered. "And besides, there are other paths we can take to Alhafra."
"Unsafe paths," cautioned the elder.
"Enough of this!" the mayor all but shouted, his frustration evident. "Did you want me to take control of the town, or did you simply wish to run it from over my shoulder? We're taking the other path, and that is that!"
They stopped, noticing they had company.
"Sorry to interrupt," Sheba offered awkwardly.
"No, let me apologise," said the mayor, smiling. "We spoke two days ago, before I left Madra, did we not? It's good to see you again, though I wish we could talk as we crossed the bridge."
Kraden frowned through his bushy grey beard. "Indeed. What happened here?"
"I have my suspicions," the mayor said, eyeing the broken bridge behind him. "Perhaps a certain someone did not want anyone pursuing him to Alhafra."
"if he is even in Alhafra," the elder countered.
Ignoring his father, the mayor continued. "With the bridge gone, we'll have to take a different path. A more dangerous one, at that. And as we have something of a lack of warriors in our group..."
"You want us to go with you?" Felix guessed.
"Assuming you are also headed for Alhafra, why not?" the mayor asked, grinning. "There is safety in numbers, after all."
"What makes you think we're warriors?" Felix asked. "Just because we carry weapons, that doesn't mean we know how to use them."
"Call it a hunch," said the mayor, shrugging. "So how about it? We'll pay you for your help, of course."
"Son," the elder hissed, giving him a sharp look. "Madra is in a financial crisis, we cannot be going around hiring mercenaries to-"
"We'll do it," a displeased-looking Jenna quickly said.
The others looked to her, but did not disagree.
"Great," the mayor said, clapping his hands together. "Let's get moving then. Yampi Desert is a day's walk from here."
"Wait..." Jenna said, suddenly crestfallen. "Another desert...?"
Lamakan Desert had been unbearably hot, even to the three Mars Adepts in the group, and Suhalla Desert had harboured a raging sandstorm that deafened the ears and stung the eyes. Jenna had expected some fresh horror awaiting in this new one.
It would turn out that Yampi Desert's gimmick was simply that it was difficult to navigate, being made up of a series of cliffs and dunes that resulted in a natural labyrinth. Had the Adepts been travelling alone, it would have doubtlessly resulted in several days of aimless wandering. Thankfully, the entourage of Madrans had a few folks among them who had made the trip before, and that was enough.
The elder of Madra said little, but his displeasure with his son's choice radiated from him like a dark cloud. In contrast, the mayor did his best to ignore his father, walking confidently at the head of the group, engaged with Kraden in conversation.
The three Adepts gave a wide berth to the others, taking the head of the procession, on guard for potential threats. They had already had to deal with a few, including a strange bird that ran across the ground, and a lizard-like beast with clawed toes, so they were taking no chances.
Despite this, Kraden and the mayor seemed to have little concern, chatting cordially about the ruins beneath Madra.
"The architecture has to be thousands of years old," Kraden said. "Does Madra have any records that reach back that far?"
"I wish," answered the mayor. "The oldest records I've seen were from two hundred years ago, when the town as it is was first founded. We don't really know much at all about who lived there before."
"Incredible. Those ruins were in great condition for being buried underground. They could give us remarkable insight into your ancestors. Who they were, how they lived their lives..."
Sheba gave a look of disdain over her shoulder. "I swear, he would fuss over dirt if he thought it was old."
"Give Kraden a break," Jenna scolded. "It's his life's passion."
"I grew up next to ancient ruins," Sheba said. "In fact, I was found in them as an infant. And I can tell you there was nothing interesting in there. Just a lot of dust."
Felix raised his hand, bringing the two girls to a halt. "Do you two see that?"
The villagers behind them fell in, upon noticing their stop. Felix indicated to everyone what he had noticed: a small bulge in the surface in the sand, moving rapidly across the surface of the dune ahead.
Jenna blinked, confused. "What the...?"
"That's a monster under the surface!" Sheba declared.
As if it had heard her, the bulge diverted course and began moving towards them.
"Get back!" Felix shouted to the followers, who needed no encouragement. He drew his sword, the steel blade shining under the bright sun above. The girls followed with their own weapons.
The rippling sand carved a path through the hill of sand, making a beeline for them. Felix focused his Psynergy on the ground, hardening the sand to compact stone, intending to trap the creature within. But it was moving too quickly, and outpaced his attempt.
"Jenna!" he shouted.
At his side, Jenna unleashed her own energy, blasting the sand before them with hot fire, and leaving the surface a shining glass.
This was enough to draw the creature out: it burst up out of the sand and above the glassy barrier Jenna had left, revealing itself to be a massive red-coloured scorpion, as wide across as three people standing abreast.
The monster scurried across the surface of the sand with remarkable speed, no longer impeded by the need to pass through the dense sand below the surface. Felix and Jenna moved to intercept it, raising their blades in anticipation of its attack.
The scorpion hesitated, perhaps not expecting intelligent opponents. Instead of continuing on its direct attack, it changed course, scurrying to the side, and circling around the Adepts.
Felix took advantage of this chance, focusing his Psynergy on the rocky wall behind the scorpion. Deadly sharp spikes burst from the stone face, and the scorpion caught the edges as it scurried close, though its hard chitin shielded it from any damage.
"Sheba, lightning!" Felix called out.
The younger Adept, who had been circling behind the others, staying opposite of the scorpion, answered by raising her staff and unleashing sparks of electricity.
Sheba's lightning struck the scorpion. It recoiled in clear pain for several moments, before vanishing again beneath the surface of the sand.
"It's gone!" Sheba cried out, stopping her Psynergy.
This time, the scorpion had dug deep enough that they could not see its path on the surface.
"Be ready," Felix told the others. "It can be anywhere."
They waited, weapons at the ready, while a deathly stillness took the area.
After a long moment when nothing happened, Sheba suggested, "Perhaps it ran away?"
Then, the scorpion burst from the earth in a shower of sand, directly behind Sheba.
The young girl screamed.
"Sheba!" Felix cried out.
The scorpion landed over Sheba, its two pincers immediately moving to grab her. Sheba managed to hold them off by raising her staff, which the two claw-like hands grabbed on to. But the giant scorpion was much stronger than a girl of fourteen, and when it lifted the staff into the air, Sheba followed.
Felix ran, watching this as if in slow motion. One strike of the stinger on its tail, and Sheba would surely die...
As the monster's tail moved, Sheba let go of the staff, and it struck empty air.
Felix reached the scorpion and drove his sword into one of the giant creature's eyes.
As the scorpion thrashed and flailed about, Felix turned to Sheba.
"You okay?" he asked.
She nodded, grabbing her dropped staff.
Turning back to the scorpion, Felix focused his Psynergy again, turning the soft sand below it into hard stone once more, preventing it from fleeing.
The scorpion angrily turned to them.
And then Jenna hit it with a blast of concentrated fire.
Felix and Sheba backed away as the scorpion cooked alive. Moments later, it moved no more, leaving a charred husk.
"That was close," Jenna said, panting as she reached them.
"I'll say," the other girl agreed. "I almost got turned into a Sheba shish kebab."
Felix sighed, shaking his head. Silently, he was just glad she was okay.
"Let's check on the others," Jenna suggested.
They found Kraden, the mayor and elder, and the others waiting some distance away, at the entrance of a narrow passageway between two cliffs. Having seen everything, the Madrans were speechless.
"Let's get moving," Felix said simply.
They continued on, as if nothing had happened.
It wasn't long though, before the mayor pulled ahead to speak to the three Adepts.
"About what you did..." he began.
"It's nothing," Felix tried to say.
"You hired us to protect you, right?" Jenna added. "That's all we did."
"Your abilities," Madra continued. "I don't know what you call that, but... you're like Piers. You can do the same things he can."
The Adepts exchanged glances.
"You want to help him because you're of the same cloth," the mayor said. "I was wondering why you all were so invested in the plight of a stranger."
"It's complicated," Felix told him.
"I can imagine," Madra answered. "I'm sure you want secrecy; I understand. I just wanted you to know, I have your back. I want to help Piers too, and I see you guys can be trusted. So I'll do everything I can to help him. I owe that to you guys, after that."
Sheba beamed.
"Thank you," Jenna said, smiling.
They continued on through the remainder of Yampi Desert, reaching the outskirts of the desert landscape by the end of the day. Evening set, and the monster appearances had thinned out as they moved away from the heart of the desert, so they found a sheltered spot and made camp.
The next day they continued on, soon finding a highway that lead north through the heart of Osenia. This time, the Madrans took the lead, showing them the way.
"That is the Balloo range," explained the mayor, indicating the stretch of high mountains that cut through the eastern view. "It cleanly separates East Osenia and West Osenia. I've never been on the other side, but from what I've heard, there's little worth seeing there anyway."
"How far does it go?" Sheba asked, ever-curious.
"All the way south to the end of the continent," said Madra. "There's no easy way through; you have to sail if you want to go there, so not many do. Because the villages there are so remote, they're self-sufficient. They don't rely on outside trade the way Madra or Alhafra do."
"Like Vale," Jenna said quietly. "We saw traders from time to time, but we farmed and hunted, and we were always able to get by without help from anyone outside."
"Or Prox," Felix added.
Jenna gave her brother a sad look, and he knew why. It had been so long since they had lived together in Vale, it was hard for him to relate to it now.
It was only a few hours after setting out that the city of Alhafra came into view. It was a large and thriving city, perhaps the largest Felix had seen besides Tolbi. It was a port town, like Madra, though the docks were a part of the city itself. There were so many ships docked that Felix could barely count them all, though as they drew closer, it quickly became clear that, much like Madra before it, none of them were sailing.
The city guard stopped them at the gates, asking a few brief questions, satisfied at the mayor's explanation of their business. They were permitted entry, and once through the stone archway, greeted by the sound and noise of a thriving city. Tall stone-carved buildings were arranged around cobblestone streets, filled with the dense living of city life that seemed to occupy every available inch of space.
As soon as they were inside, the two groups let out a collective sigh.
"I feel like I just walked five-hundred miles," one of the Madrans declared. After a moment of thought, he added, "And I feel like I could walk five-hundred more!"
The mayor turned to the Adepts. "This is where we part ways, I think. I'll need to go meet with Alhafra's mayor."
"Of course," Felix answered.
Then, Madra hesitated. He went to Felix's side, placed a hand on his shoulder, and said quietly into his ear: "Perhaps I could ask one more favour of you?"
"What is it?" Felix asked under his breath, ignoring the questioning looks of his companions.
"Could you go to the docks yourself and take a look at the sailing ship?" Madra asked.
"We can," Felix replied, "but can I ask why?"
Madra glanced at his father, who was eyeing them as they spoke, seeming to know what they were discussing. "I've heard things about the mayor of this city. Rumours that he does not make deals honestly. Since he does not yet know that we're here... well, call it a hunch, but I would like it if you could go and take a look at the ship for me before we agree to anything."
"I think I understand," Felix said. "Yeah. We'll look at the ship for you."
"Thank you, friend," said Madra, smiling. "I'm in your debt again. Find me before you leave and we can discuss this, as well as your payment for your help to us."
He turned, gathering up his entourage, and then vanished down the road.
"What was that about?" Kraden asked, once they were alone.
"I'll explain on the way," Felix said, moving past him and the girls. "Let's get to the docks."
The others, though full of questions after that display, followed him down the busy street.
Felix recounted his conversation to his companions as they walked through the busy streets of Alhafra, passing shops, vendors, and more than a few beggars.
"So we're just taking a look?" Sheba asked, once he was finished.
"Just taking a look," Felix confirmed.
"And what if we find the ship in perfect condition?" asked Jenna. "Just sitting there in the docks, waiting for us?"
Felix said nothing for a moment. Then, he answered, "That depends."
"What are you saying?" Sheba demanded. "You would steal the ship? After everything the people of Madra have been through? And how nice the mayor has been to us?"
"Our quest is more important," Felix said.
Sheba looked aghast.
"Perhaps," Kraden suggested, "since we have already helped them, instead of paying us with coin they can allow us to simply borrow the ship for a while. We can return it on our way back after lighting the lighthouses."
"I guess," Sheba conceded.
Felix didn't like it either. Though he did not want to admit it, he was hoping the ship was in as poor condition as all the others they had seen, so he did not need to consider whether to betray the Madrans' trust.
He all but let out a sigh of relief when they reached the docks and a pitiful sight greeted them. Alhafra's docks, so open and exposed to the northern shore, had been struck directly by the tidal wave. Many of the ships were literally in pieces, and the docks themselves were torn and shattered all over.
The famous sailing ship would not be sailing anywhere soon: it was covered in scattered debris consisting of rocks, stones, and even an entire uprooted tree which had lodged itself half in the cabin. Worst of all, the mast was severed near the bottom like an axe-felled tree.
"Gods," Jenna muttered. "What a mess."
"I'm glad the mayor asked us to look at it," Sheba said. "If they try to trick him into buying this..."
"I'm sure Madra is smart enough to at least ask to see the merchandise before he buys it," Kraden insisted.
"In any case," said Felix, "he was right to have misgivings about it. Let's go back and find them, hopefully before they have their audience with the other mayor, and we can tell them-"
"Hang on," said Jenna, blinking. "Do you see that?"
They looked to where she was indicating, on the damaged sailing ship. Up on the deck, a man wearing a red cloth around his forehead stared at them for an instant, before turning heel and darting below deck.
"What was that?" Sheba asked.
"Someone on the ship," Felix confirmed. "The broken, destroyed ship that can't be sailed."
"Perhaps it's a worker assigned to repair it?" suggested Kraden.
Felix scoffed. "Then why did he run when he noticed we had seen him?"
"Maybe he's just shy?" Sheba guessed playfully.
"Or," Jenna said, "he's someone who shouldn't be there."
"He certainly didn't look like a worker," Felix said. "He looked more like-"
"Like a pirate!" Sheba exclaimed.
A moment later, the same man emerged, accompanied by two others. At the head of the group was a tall, brown-haired man with a cut of rope around his brow, and the lean muscle of an experienced sailor. He walked over the damaged deck of the ship, stopping at the rail along the edge.
"Greetings!" he called out to Felix and the others. His voice was just slightly shaking. "My friend here saw you inspecting the ship. Is there something we can do for you?"
"Just wondering what you all are doing here," Felix answered.
"I asked you first!" the other countered.
Felix stared silently, while Jenna crossed her arms. The man on the deck hesitated, and leaned close to his buddy, whispering.
"We're workers," he finally answered, "fixing this vessel!"
"Where are your tools?" Jenna asked.
"Somewhere else," the man replied unconvincingly.
"You're Briggs, aren't you?" Sheba asked excitedly.
The man gave his best poker face. "What makes you think that?"
"We know Briggs is hiding in Alhafra," Felix said. "You came here, thinking you could steal the sailing ship, only to find it was damaged by the tidal wave. Now you're hiding on it, trying to get it fixed up before anyone finds out. Am I right?"
Though he tried to hide it, Briggs' face told him enough. "Not necessarily."
Felix glanced at the wooden plank connecting the dock to the ship. He focused a bit of his Psynergy, fusing the too spots where the wood of the plank connected. Jenna and Sheba gave him silent glances, knowing what he was doing.
"Hey mister," Briggs cautioned. "I don't know what you're planning, but you better stay away. I have the mayor's permission to be here!"
Ignoring him, Felix started towards the plank. He quietly said to the others, "No Psynergy. I don't want to damage the ship any more than it already is."
"Oh so now you do care about the Madrans?" Sheba asked smugly.
"This guy is annoying me," Felix told her.
"If nothing else, bringing him in will clear Piers," Jenna offered.
Sheba smiled, following after them. Kraden hanged behind on the boardwalk, hesitating nervously.
One of Briggs' crewmates darted to the plank, grabbing it with both hands and trying to lift it so they could not board. When he found it did not move, no matter how much effort he used, he fell on his rear, shocked.
"Boss, we can take these kids!" the other of the pirates said. "We're hardened criminals! They're just a couple of punks!"
"Idiot!" Briggs admonished.
Felix reached the plank, drawing his sword and starting up the narrow bridge at a run. The pirate who had tried to move the plank scrambled to his feet, drawing his own blade just in time to catch Felix.
As Felix drove the first pirate back, the two girls followed onto the deck. The other pirate with Briggs had his sword out, and went after them. Jenna countered with her short sword, using her speed and smaller frame to her advantage, easily matching the pirate's swings. While Sheba, who could not use Psynergy, simply circled around and struck at the pirate with her staff when she could.
The fight was short. It was clear that, despite being pirates, the Champans were not trained warriors, and even the Adepts meagre combat experience was more than enough.
Felix quickly disarmed his opponent, who backed away with his now-free hands in the air, until his back struck the railing and he tumbled over, crashing into the water.
Jenna caught the other pirate in a parry, forcing his sword down to the deck near her leg. and Sheba took the chance to bonk the man over the head with her wooden staff, knocking him unconscious.
The three Adepts turned on the remaining pirate: Briggs.
Briggs drew the curved sword at his belt, considered them for a moment, and then tossed the blade away and raised his hands over his head.
"I surrender!"
"What...?" Jenna said. "Are you serious?"
"Yup," Briggs answered simply.
"Don't you have backup you could call?" Felix asked him, pointing with his sword at the whistle Briggs wore around his neck.
"Yeah," Briggs said. "There's another two men below deck. But I know they wouldn't stand a chance against you. So why risk it? We'll come willingly."
"Some pirate you are!" Sheba exclaimed, sounding betrayed.
"Lass, there's no point in fighting a losing fight," Briggs told her. "What could someone like me do against three Adepts?"
Felix did a double-take. "What?"
"How do you know that?" Jenna demanded.
"Felix!" Kraden's voice called from below.
Briggs turned his head, looking at the docks back on land. "We have company."
A procession of nearly two-dozen people were coming. At the lead was the mayor of Madra, his father, and the handful of Madrans who had travelled with them. Beside them was a heavy-set man with a moustache and fine clothes, and flanking him were several armed guards.
Kraden ran up the plank ahead of them, joining Felix and the girls.
"I ran off to get help," Kraden explained. "Since you said not to use Psynergy, I wanted to be extra sure you'd be all right. But I didn't get far before I saw them heading this way."
"These guys were a joke," Jenna told him. "We were able to handle them easily."
"Well, I didn't want to stand around helplessly yet again while you three did all the work!" Kraden said indignantly.
Felix smiled. "Thank you, Kraden."
The others following Kraden made their way onto the ship's deck one at a time. Once they were all there the other man, no doubt the mayor of Alhafra, fearlessly approached Briggs and looked at him.
"So you're telling me," he said, turning back to the other mayor, "that this man here is the pirate captain Briggs?"
"Without a doubt," Madra answered, glaring at Briggs. "I know him. We had him in Madra's jail after his people raided our village."
"You're sure that it was not simply a case of mistaken identity?" asked the other.
"I know he's Briggs!" Madra exclaimed. "He freely admitted it in our jail! To my face, no less!"
"Please!" the Alhafran mayor shouted back. "I'm caught in the middle of all this, and I'm simply trying to establish the facts here."
"Mayor Jiya, please," the Madran elder urged. "I know it has been some time since we last met, but we've always dealt honestly with one another, have we not?"
The other mayor frowned, fiddling with his moustache. "Yes, that is true. I cannot deny that. But please, try to understand my position here. This man arrived in my city a week ago, purchased this ship legitimately, and has been nothing but polite and forthcoming in his dealings with me. And now you arrive, claiming he is a wanted man?"
"He bought the ship with gold that he pillaged from our homes!" Madra exclaimed. "I brought a number of witnesses from Madra who can all attest that this man is Briggs and that he raided our city!"
"Peace, son," the elder urged. "Please, try to understand Mayor Jiya's position, too."
Throughout all this, Briggs stood and waited, hiding his expression carefully.
"Testimony is one thing," Mayor Jiya said. "I need proof more definitive before I can just treat an honest man as a criminal."
Right on cue, the crewmate who had gone overboard climbed back over the railing, collapsing soaking wet on the deck.
"Captain Briggs, sir," he panted, "These landlubbers thrashed us something good..."
Madra glared at the other mayor.
"Alright, so he is Briggs," Jiya conceded. "That doesn't change the fact that he purchased this ship legitimately. A crime in Madra is not a crime here."
"If he bought the ship with funds he stole from Madra," said the Madran mayor, "then that means the ship belongs to us, does it not?"
At that, Briggs narrowed his eyes, but he held his tongue.
"Hmm," Jiya considered. "Is there precedent for such a thing?"
"Surely there must be," the elder said. "We can check the trade records."
They all grew quiet, considering for a moment.
"This is a complicated situation," Jiya said, finally with a diplomatic gesture. "It will take some time to sort out all the particulars."
"How about a compromise?" the elder suggested. "While the ship is repaired, we will remain here and work out a deal regarding its ownership. As for Briggs, he is a pirate either way, and he should be jailed and tried for his crimes."
Jiya considered, his moustached face frowning. "Very well. For the time being."
Briggs scoffed. "Alright then. No sense waiting around here. Take me to my cell."
"One last thing," Madra said, moving past the armed guards to face Briggs directly. "Is there a man in your crew named Piers?"
"Nope. I don't know anyone by that name." A slight smirk appeared on his face. "You asking must mean you made a stupid mistake, huh?"
"Get him out of here."
The mayor of Madra approached Felix's group as the armed guards took Briggs and his men and placed them in shackles, several going down the stairs to the lower deck to get the others still hiding.
"What a mess," the tired-looking mayor said to them.
Some time later, the pirates were gone, and the Madran mayor stood at the docks with the Adepts.
"Something tells me we aren't getting that ship," he muttered.
"Don't give up," Jenna urged him. "That's just what that Jiya wants. He doesn't want to give you the ship because he wants to try to sell it again."
"Indeed," Madra said. "My father's warnings about him proved right. I'm sure Jiya knew exactly who Briggs was the moment he arrived; he just wanted to profit from the situation."
"So what happens next?" Kraden asked him.
"My father and I will remain here and try to untangle this knot," Madra said. "At the very least, Briggs is locked away and the seas will be safer. And we finally have proof of Piers' innocence."
"That's right!" Sheba exclaimed. "We can free Piers!"
"On that note," the mayor said, turning to Felix. "Will you be returning to Madra?"
Felix considered. Every town they had stopped in had been devastated by the tidal wave. Piers' boat was their best bet. "Yeah, I think so."
"In that case, might I ask one last favour of you, my friend?"
Felix, unable to help himself, smiled. "Sure."
Madra produced a scroll from within his robes, which he handed to Felix. "A verbal confession isn't enough; Jiya was right about that. My signature is on this already; could you visit Briggs in jail and add his? Once you get back to Madra, give that to someone at the jail and they'll let him out."
"That's fine," Felix said, taking the scroll. "I wanted to go see him anyway."
"You have done a great deal for me," the mayor said. "I don't know if Madra can repay its debt to you soon, but I promise you we will."
Felix was unsure what to say. This sort of thing, stopping and doing good deeds, felt like someone else's territory. Still, it did feel nice to help someone once in a while. It certainly beat travelling with the Proxians.
"Until we meet again," Madra said to each of them, then he turned and made his way down the docks.
"Let's stop by the jail," Felix said. "We can get that signature from Briggs, and find out how he knew we were Adepts."
"Yeah," Sheba said, nodding enthusiastically.
They took a few steps down the dock, before Jenna cried, "Ow!"
"Jenna!" Felix exclaimed, turning back with the others.
"I'm fine," she said.
The exposed skin of her leg was bleeding red. She followed it to a cut on her thigh just above her knee.
Noticing the others' uncomfortable expressions, she told them, "It's okay, it's just a wound."
They all looked relieved.
"What happened?" Kraden asked her. "Were you hurt during the fight?"
"I must have been," Jenna said. "I guess I didn't notice it during the excitement of the fight."
Felix knelt beside her, and used his Psynergy on the cut. Moments later, the wound had closed.
Still, her leg was sore, which she found as she tried to stand.
"You guys go ahead and see Briggs," she said. "I'll go get a room at that inn."
Felix gave her a sympathetic, knowing smile. "We'll wrap this up and join you there."
Jenna made her way down the streets of Alhafra, limping a little from the pain, but otherwise in good spirits.
She was proud of their little group, and what they had accomplished today. Granted, they still had no boat, and the people of Madra did not either, but they had defeated a feared pirate captain all on their own, and helped some people who needed it, all without having to put their quest on hold to do so.
When they got back to Madra, they would free Piers, and tell him about their quest. Assuming he agreed with their goal of saving the world from the collapse of Alchemy, they would have his ship to use, and they could go right to Jupiter Lighthouse.
While she still wasn't entirely onboard with Felix's plan to revive their parents, she was willing to step aside and allow him to try it, if nothing else. Kraden seemed to think that releasing Alchemy would change the world for the better; even if their parents were gone for good, so many others' lives could be improved with alchemy's power.
As she walked, she passed several more beggars, some even children. Her heart hurt at the sight, but she buried her feelings and continued on.
They would have a boat soon, and then there were only two lighthouses left.
The end felt closer than ever, and then she could finally rest and be done with all this.
She arrived at the inn, stepping through the open doorway. At once, she was hit by the smell of broiled lobster in the kitchen. Her stomach growled in response, reminding her she hadn't eaten since leaving camp that morning.
"Greetings," the bearded innkeeper said. "What can I do for you?"
"One room please," she said. "Name is 'Jenna'."
The innkeeper wrote down her name, and paused. "Jenna, eh? You know, I think someone already got you a room."
She blinked. "Someone did?"
"Yeah somebody checked in earlier in room twelve and they were asking about you. A 'Jenna' with red hair. Come to think of it, they were odd-looking too; never seen anyone with blue hair before..."
Blue hair!
"Thank you!" Jenna said, darting up the stairs.
She was positively bouncing, a huge grin on her face, as she ran up the stairs of the inn, almost entirely ignoring the pain in her leg.
"I knew it!" she exclaimed. "I knew he didn't die! That smug bastard is too clever for that!"
Jenna ran down the hall, quickly locating room twelve and knocking on the door. Her heart started pounding in her chest as she heard footsteps approaching.
Then the door opened, and her smile fell.
"Jenna?" Isaac said, staring at her in disbelief.
A/N: The opening section of this chapter, with Felix and Karst talking, was originally cut from the last chapter. So if the lack of narrative framing for it felt odd, that's probably why. I decided to move it for a few reasons:
One: The chapter was already long and it felt bloated having separate encounters with Piers, the mayor, and Karst all crammed in after the plateau stuff.
Two: The scene of Felix and the others at the campfire discussing Karst felt better immediately following their conversation (now as a flashback), rather than being wedged between the stuff at the end of the last chapter.
Three: It was fun to change it, so as to leave the characters (and audience) guessing what happened. While I'm sure everyone figured out it was Karst, the audience watching them go from happy to see each other again, to Felix devastated and quiet, without knowing what happened right away, was just fun to do narratively.
In any case, there's a reason why I had Felix encounter Karst so early, which will be apparent enough a few chapters from now. I'll mention it in the author's notes then, if I remember. Not much else besides that to say for now. I think the scene, and it's implications, speaks for itself.
I switched around the dynamic of the mayor and elder of Madra a bit. The game's versions of the characters always felt a bit bland for me, especially for characters who eat up such a large amount of screen time early in the game. So I had a little fun with them. It just makes more sense to me that the young mayor would be more confident, and eager, while the elder will be more conservative and cautious. Then later in the chapter, the other side of this is shown when the younger mayor struggles to keep his patience dealing with the self-serving mayor of Alhafra, but the elder is able to manage him.
The fight with Briggs was rather anticlimactic, deliberately. Part of the reason was that his fight is a famous sudden difficulty spike in the game and I thought it would be funny to just have him and his crew be such pushovers. And another reason is that it comes after the King Scorpion battle in this chapter already, and I didn't want to bog down the narrative too much with long fight scenes.
Similar to the mayor of Madra, I wanted to give the mayor of Alhafra more of a proper name, to make the scene with the two of them a little easier to write. While I chose to just call the former 'Madra' as a joke about his lineage, I went with a different approach. In the game, Jiya is the name of an otherwise unremarkable NPC who follows the mayor around. I decided to just give the mayor that guy's name, since its the closest thing we get to a name for him, and I didn't want to just make something up. I doubt anyone is invested enough in these two minor characters to care.
As for that ending, well... not going to say anything about it now, other than pointing out that the inn at Alhafra is usually where players first see Alex again after he disappears (since the chance to see him in Daila is easily missable). I planned to have this encounter around this time in the story anyway, so I decided to have a little fun with it.
On that note, due to this sites new rules about email alerts. plus a myriad of other issues, this will probably be the last chapter I post here. Please consider following the story on Archive as future chapters will be there, and also it's just a better website in general.
Next chapter: Confrontation!