CHAPTER THIRTEEN: FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH

"So first Dyne turns out to be alive, and now you?" Kyle asked wryly. "Do any of you long-vanished adventurers ever actually die?"

"Guess not. We're just lucky that way," Gryffin said, with a forced smile. "You look good, son."

"So do you," Kyle said. "You remember Jessica."

"How could I forget?" Gryffin said, bowing. "It's good to see you again, Jess. It's also good to see the two of you still together. You married yet?"

"In about three months," Kyle replied.

"Three months!" Gryffin sounded appalled. "What's the hold-up? I figured you'd have little rugrats of your own by now."

"Things've been rather...hectic back home," Kyle said uncertainly.

Gryffin nodded, almost absent-mindedly. "Well, again, it's good to see you again. Although I wish it was under different circumstances."

Still shaking his head in disbelief at the sight of his now-grown-up son, Gryffin then turned to Sarek. "Don't I know you from somewhere?"

"We're old comrades in arms from the Heresy War," Sarek said with a smile. "My name is Sarek. You know me better as the mage you cleaned out at Royals over drinks one night."

"Oh yeah, I remember you now! You, me, and...Ferris...used to hang out in Meribia during the war," Gryffin said. "Is this your son?"

Rayner nodded, and gave a bow. "My name is Rayner, sir."

"Don't call me 'sir,'" Gryffin said, grimacing. "I've never liked being called that. It makes me feel old."

"So this really is your son, Gryffin?" Chunin said, folding his arms.

"Sure looks like him," Gryffin said, his brow now slowly furrowing in anger. "Although I could've sworn the son I raised knew what it meant to keep his word."

"Dad, I..."

"I told you not to follow me here, Kyle!" Gryffin snapped, pointing a finger at him as he cut Kyle off. "I made you swear an oath! And not only did you disobey me, but you actually brought Jessica along with you? Didn't you think about what could've happened to her? Were you trying to get her killed? Are you completely out of your mind?"

"This adventure was my idea, Gryffin!" Jessica snapped. "I'm the one responsible for us being here! You wanna be angry at someone, get angry at me!"

Whatever angry retort Gryffin was about to respond with, he held it in with an impressive amount of willpower. He'd never been able to get angry at Jessica, Kyle recalled. "You shouldn't have done that, Jessica," Gryffin said quietly. "What'd you want with the Graveyard anyway? You don't need the money."

"We're here because of you, not the Graveyard!" Jessica said angrily. "This whole thing was to make Kyle feel better because he's been feeling like he abandoned you!"

"Oh for Althena's sake," Gryffin said in an exasperated tone as he turned to Kyle. "You spent all this time thinking you ditched me? I told you I didn't want you coming with me, and I clearly explained why; because I didn't want you to get yourself killed on this damned fool's errand!"

Kyle tried to get a word in edgewise, but Jessica was livid. "Oh, great, so now it turns out you abandoned Kyle, not the other way around! Meanwhile, he's been hating himself, thinking he's responsible for you being dead 'cause he didn't protect you, and you've been here all this time safe and sound? You couldn't have let us know back home?"

"And how exactly was I supposed to do that? What am I gonna do, send a message by carrier snowball?"

"Jess, ease up," Kyle said, not sure whose side to take in this exchange.

"He can answer for himself!" Jessica exclaimed, glaring at Gryffin. "Well? Do you have any idea what Kyle's been through these last four years? Do you know how guilty he felt about staying behind?"

Gryffin sighed. "It was for his own good, Jessica. And yours."

"Yeah, Kyle told me all about it. And what happens? All those years of Kyle feeling like he'd abandoned you, thinking you were gonna get yourself killed without him around to watch your back, and here you are living it up? What in the Goddess's name have you been doing all this time?"

Gryffin stared at Jessica and Kyle for a long moment before sighing heavily as he sat himself down. "You're right. You asked a legitimate question, and you deserve an explanation.

"Our party spent two months just sailing endlessly. We ran into all sorts of troubles along the way – storms, pirates, and the occasional monster. We finally came across this island, and managed to dock safely in spite of some nasty fog – Althena only knows how. Then we began traipsing across Zerimar Island. Kurtis and Geddo were tough, but they were rookie travelers, and so were their escorts and porters. Four of 'em died along the way from the cold, including Geddo. And that was just on our first day here.

"A couple days later, we got attacked by the bandits. We fought 'em off as best we could, but there were so many of the bastards. The bandit leader – Wolfe, I think his name is – tagged me good, and I must have lost consciousness. I guess he thought he killed me the way he and his gang killed everyone else. But it cost them plenty, I can tell ya that," Gryffin allowed himself a congratulatory smile. "I killed at least twenty of 'em before Wolfe took me down.

"Anyways, after I came to, I didn't know what to do. Everybody on board the ship had gone with us onto the island, and they were all dead. I couldn't sail back to civilization on my own, even if I did know where the hell I was. But something inside just wouldn't let me give up, or lay down and die. I kept trekking aimlessly through the wasteland, living off any animals I could bring down with my sword…I dunno, maybe I was hoping to find the Graveyard on my own. But fatigue, the nasty weather, and my injuries all took their toll, and I blacked out. Next thing I know, I'm waking up and I find Chunin standing over me. When he saw I was alive, he was about to kill me then and there.

"Now, I ain't afraid of dying. You all know that. I wasn't trying to save my skin. But I didn't want to die all broken down and helpless, slaughtered like some kinda animal. Nobody deserves that. So I managed to work out a deal with him. He'd let me live, and I'd go back with him to Shadia, and I'd help these people fight off the bandits. He'd already made it clear that they'd never let me leave, and I had no way to get off this island even if they did. So I figured dying in battle protecting some folks from Wolfe's men wasn't a bad way to die, and it was certainly better than being put down like a lame horse. Plus, it would be a last chance to get back at the punks who killed the people under my protection. Chunin didn't buy it, at first, but Kashiro vouched for me and managed to convince Chunin. So I've been here ever since."

"And now you have your family to keep you company," Chunin said tersely.

Kyle's eyes narrowed, Jessica glared at Chunin, and Gryffin tensed. "Excuse me?" Kyle said.

"It's either that or die," Chunin insisted, his arms folded. "There are no other choices."

"Chunin, c'mon," Kashiro said. "They're not thieves."

"Our law is quite clear in this matter!" Chunin replied sternly. "None who come to Shadia can ever leave! The secret of the Dragon's Graveyard must be protected!"

"Listen, pal," Kyle said angrily, "If I say we're leaving, then we're leaving! I ain't spending the rest of my life cooped up here!"

"You most certainly will if you attempt to leave."

"Who's going to stop us?" Jessica said, folding her arms.

"We can't fight them," Sarek said.

Kyle turned to Sarek in disbelief. "Why the hell not?"

"It's a selfish reason to kill," the elder mage replied. "Why should these people lose their lives fighting us just because we don't feel like remaining here?"

"In case you weren't paying attention, they're not talking about putting us up at the local inn! They wanna hold us prisoner!" Kyle exclaimed. "You gonna let them get away with that?"

"It is their land and their law," Sarek said. "And they're doing nothing more than their duty," Sarek sighed. "I don't like it any more than you do. But I will not help you fight them."

"Nor will I," Rayner said. "I've fought and killed bandits, pirates, and monsters on this journey, in defense of my own life and the lives of my friends and to punish men of evil. But I won't raise a hand against the servants of Althena."

"All right, fine!" Kyle exclaimed angrily. "You wanna stay here and make friends with your captors, go right ahead! Me, I ain't staying here!"

"You've made your choice, then," Chunin said. "Guards!"

"Wait just a damn minute!" Kashiro said. "Look, Chunin, these guys have come a long way, and Kyle here's just been reunited with the father he thought was dead. Obviously, things are tense right now. Why don't we all cool off for a little while before we start making any hasty decisions, all right? All of us."

Kyle took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. Chunin stood completely still for a long moment before speaking. "Kashiro often tells me I can be somewhat...harsh in my judgments and my attitudes towards people. I make no apologies for being protective of the Graveyard and the lives of my people. However, Kashiro vouches for you, and your father has served us well, keeping his word to fight for us. So maybe you can be trusted, maybe you can't. I must think about this carefully. By tomorrow morning, I will have made my decision. In the meantime, I extend to you the hospitality of Shadia. Guest quarters will be provided, as well as a fresh change of clothes. You can dine with me and Kashiro this evening. Is that acceptable?"

It wasn't much of a choice, but Kyle nodded. "Yeah, it is. For now."

-x-x-x-

That night, Kyle and his companions dined with Chunin, Kashiro, and Gryffin in Chunin's home. Despite the lingering tension and uncertainty of what the next day would bring, the meal was a merry affair. The food was simple, but plentiful - different meats, bread, a variety of fruits, crystal-clear water, and a homemade mead which Kyle considered too thin for his tastes, although he liked the flavor. Kyle, dressed in comfortable leather clothes, supplied the entertainment for much of the dinner, telling of his exploits and adventures of the past years, including the battle against Magic Emperor Ghaleon and the Vile Tribe.

"...So there we were, at the very top of the Goddess Tower, and there's Ghaleon waiting for us, using Althena to drain the life outta Lunar itself. He's rambling on and on about how he's gonna become a god and control Lunar forever, slamming humans' ability to look after ourselves. I'll never forget Alex's last words before the big fight began: 'Those who underestimate the Power of Humanity are destined to fail...and that means you, Ghaleon!' And then, the ass-kicking...um, I mean...the battle began. Ghaleon didn't go down easy, but we did take him out once and for all!"

"A most extraordinary tale," Chunin said, indicating he wasn't sure he believed all of it. "And I suppose you were the one to slay the Magic Emperor, 'once and for all?'"

"Nope," Kyle said with a shake of his head, missing the sarcasm in Chunin's voice. "Alex delivered the killing blow. I mean yeah, I was whacking away at the guy, and I made sure he was hurting. Mia and Nash were zapping him again and again with their spells, and Jessica was keeping all of us alive. But Alex...I've never seen anybody fight like that before. 'Course, if it was me, and someone was trying to hurt Jess, I'd be fighting that hard as well to save her as well."

Gryffin shook his sadly. "Ghaleon turning against Althena...I'd never have believed it."

"Believe it, Dad," Kyle said. "Whatever he was before, the guy turned into the ultimate control freak. Thought he knew better than anybody else what was right for the world, and was willing to destroy everything and everyone just to prove himself right. He even killed the Four Dragons, using Taben's Grindery to drain the life outta them to power up Althena. That's a whole new level of twisted."

"Did you know Ghaleon?" Rayner asked Gryffin. "During the war?"

"Nah, I never really got all that chummy with any of the Four Heroes during the Heresy War, especially Ghaleon. But everybody knew him by reputation, and I never would've expected him to turn evil. What a waste."

"You can see why we sometimes find it difficult to trust outsiders, then," Chunin said. "If someone as great as Ghaleon can betray those who loved him and those he swore to protect, how can anyone be trusted, even a self-proclaimed hero?"

Jessica frowned at him. "So what's the alternative, to not trust anybody?"

"Trust is a commodity that only some can afford," Chunin said harshly. "When you are charged with a sacred responsibility, when hundreds of lives depend on what you do, trust cannot be given too lightly. Pragmaticism is something else I will never apologize for. If anything, your story has proved me right. Clearly, even so-called heroes cannot be trusted to keep their word or their honor. The four of you will remain in Shadia, as will Gryffin. If you attempt to escape, you will be executed immediately."

Kyle slammed an angry fist on the table. "Listen, pal, nobody's been telling me how to live my life for four years, and I've gotten used to it. Jess and I were almost killed making sure the whole friggin' planet could decide their own future. So if I say I'm leaving, you'd better damn well believe I'm leaving!"

"Look, we're not going to tell anyone about this place!" Jessica exclaimed. "We can be trusted! We saved Lunar from Ghaleon! Do you really think we'll betray your secret?"

"Our law is quite clear," Chunin said. "We don't make exceptions, especially for someone who apparently can't keep his word to his own father! You're not leaving!"

"Why you...!" Kyle started forward, but Jessica and Gryffin leaped from their chairs and held him back.

"That was a cheap shot, Chunin," Gryffin snarled.

"Your own words, Gryffin," Chunin reminded him, smiling coldly. "Remember? We have a lot to protect here, including many lives! A man who can't keep his promises to his own father is not someone that can be trusted to keep our secret!"

"I made another promise to my old man!" Kyle said, venting his anger. "He made me swear not to ever let anything stand in the way of what I wanted, and I've always kept that oath! I wanted to honor my dad with this quest, and I friggin' did it! Yeah, I broke one vow, but I did it so I could keep another! So don't you dare accuse me of breaking my word!"

He looked back and forth between Chunin and Gryffin, daring either one of them to challenge him. Nobody said anything for a spoke for a long time. After a long moment of silence, Kyle stormed out of the cabin, slamming the door behind him.

-x-x-x-

"There it is," Wolfe said, pointing with his sword. "Shadia. The guardians of the Dragon's Graveyard. So any bright ideas on how to get over that wall?"

"We don't go over it," Rathbone said, gesturing to Quentin. "We'll go through it."

"Are you outta your mind?" Wolfe exclaimed. "Look at the size of that thing! You'll never be able to break that down, and those gates can take a hell of a poundin'! My men can't possibly break through that!"

"We can with the magic of the elite of Vane," Quentin said, smiling. "My earth spells can easily topple even the mightiest of walls."

"What about Rayner?" Skai asked, scowling slightly. "Won't he be able to block your magic? I'm sure they're expecting you to try something like that."

Rathbone thought for a second. "Would he be able to block more than one assault at a time?"

Quentin shrugged. "Probably, as long as he can see each assault coming."

"So much for that idea," Wolfe said gruffly.

"Not necessarily," Quentin said, his eyes widening as a thought occurred to him. "See, I can also use earth magic to create tunnels in the ground. Large enough for a man, or a number of men, to get through. If Wolfe's archers keep Rayner and the sentries occupied, I can send our men under the wall and right into the town!"

Wolfe laughed. "Very sneaky. I like it."

"As do I," Rathbone said. "I must say, you've come a long way, Quentin. You've got quite a future in this line of work."

"No thank you," Quentin said. "Once I get the Diamonds, it's the easy life for me."

"A pity," Rathbone replied. "You're a natural when it comes to skullduggery. But we can discuss that later. Now is the time for action!"

-x-x-x-

Kyle sat on the porch of the house for a long time, staring vacantly ahead of him. It was late at night, and most of the residents of Shadia were in their homes, although there were a few people out and about, mostly sentries.

It was rather peaceful here, Kyle thought to himself. As much as he wanted out of this place, the thoughts of what he might have to do to some of these people were he to attempt escape bothered him. Maybe Sarek and Rayner did have a point. Chunin might be a jackass, but that wasn't reason enough to kill him, and his men would only be doing their jobs, protecting the Dragon's Graveyard. Still, he wasn't about to spend the rest of his life a prisoner just because he had been trying to pay tribute to his father.

Suddenly, Kyle heard heavy footsteps approaching from behind. "Mind if I join you?" Gryffin asked.

Kyle shrugged. "You don't need my permission."

"Yeah, but after getting off on the wrong foot after four years, and now that I've apparently gotten you into a rather ugly mess...I guess I'm not sure if you really want my company right now."

"Nah, I don't mind," Kyle replied in the same off-hand manner. "What I do mind is not having something stronger to drink. That mead hardly had any kick to it."

"Try some of this," Gryffin said, handing him a small flask as he sat down besides Kyle. "Kashiro makes it just for me."

Kyle drank it down and grinned, smacking his lips. "Now that's more like it!"

"Good stuff, huh?"

"Yeah. Not as good Aynekian brandy, but still pretty good."

"Aynekian brandy? Where the hell did you get your hands on some of that?"

"Sarek had some with him," Kyle said. "But I think I already finished off what he brought with us."

"Too bad," Gryffin answered. "I'd have liked to have tried the stuff at least once."

Kyle grinned at his father. "You will, once we get outta here and back to the Katarina Zone. Either Sarek or Jessica's dad can get you some. Word has it the guy who runs the Hero's Haven keeps some around for Hell Mel."

Gryffin responded with a skeptical laugh. "Getting outta here...you think that's possible?"

"I dunno. A lotta stuff's happened over the past year I would've thought would be impossible. So why not us getting outta here with our lives? Besides, there's a ship waiting for us."

"A ship?"

Kyle grinned. "Mel's very own from his adventuring days: the Darkfire. He gave it to me as a gift, and it's waiting to take us outta here."

"You realize that Chunin's probably not gonna let us go that easily. Whatever Kashiro's influence might be, Chunin has final say, and the people of this city are loyal to him."

Kyle shrugged. "So we fight our way out, if it really comes to that. You've never backed away from a fight before."

"It's not gonna be easy fighting these people, Kyle," Gryffin replied grimly. "I've lived with 'em for a long time. I've made friends here. Even Chunin, when he's not busy being such a tight-ass."

"But you're a prisoner here!" Kyle insisted. "Just like we're all gonna be! That ain't friendship, Dad!"

"Look, Sarek's right, Kyle. They have a lot to protect here. They've dedicated their lives - given their lives, all too many times - to protecting the secret of the Dragon's Graveyard. And they also have to protect each other. If anyone were to find out the Graveyard was here, they'd send armies here to get their hands on the treasure. The Shadians wouldn't stand a chance, and hundreds of people would die, slaughtered by treasure hunters and plunderers."

"But we're not gonna tell anyone! Jess and I saved the world and the Goddess herself; we're heroes! We can be trusted! And you know Sarek and his kid won't talk!"

"C'mon, Kyle, you think they're gonna believe that? You were just telling us about Ghaleon and what he did to Lemia and Mel. Everyone trusted Ghaleon, even Althena, and look how that turned out. How are they supposed to know you won't be the same? Chunin isn't wrong about that."

Kyle sighed. "So we're just stuck here forever, then?"

"I guess so," Gryffin said, grimacing. "I'm so sorry about all this, son. I never should've come to this damn place. You were right; family should stick together. But that should've meant staying with you, watching you grow up and become a man, not gallivanting across the bloody world looking for a treasure I've no right to take. If I'd done that, none of us would be in this mess."

"Then why did you go?" Kyle asked, not without a slight hint of challenge in his voice. He'd never allowed himself to blame his father for leaving him, not being able to resent the man he'd idolized all his life. But for the first time, he was finally letting himself feel that resentment and anger.

"To be honest, I don't really know," Gryffin replied. "I mean, I can think of all sorts of excuses: wanting to go out in a blaze of glory, not wanting you to watch me die, wanting to give you space so you could get out of my shadow once and for all...but that's all they feel like. Just plain excuses, not reasons. There's no justifying what I did, especially since it hurt you so much. I never meant to do that to you."

"Yeah, I know," Kyle mumbled.

The two of them remained seated, an awkward silence permeating the air. Finally, Gryffin said, "You know what the worst part about being locked away in Shadia all these years is?"

"What?"

"Realizing how much of your life I've really missed out on. All your accomplishments, all the adventures...I wish I could've been a part of 'em."

Kyle raised an eyebrow, and he looked amused. "You really think you would've been able to keep up with me?"

"Don't sell your old man short, kid," Gryffin said as he chucked Kyle on the shoulder. "I've still got..."

The stillness of the night was suddenly broken by the sound of an alarm. Kyle and Gryffin immediately got to their feet, their battle instincts compelling them to draw their swords. A young Shadian guard was racing towards the cabin, calling for Chunin.

"Chunin!" Gryffin called through an open window. "I think we have a problem!"

Chunin and the others, including Jessica and the magicians, quickly raced out of the cabin, all except the commander showing varying degrees of alarm. "What is it, Kheyvon?" Chunin said to the sentry.

"Enemies approaching!" Kheyvon gasped. "Hundreds of them!"

Chunin's weapons were instantly drawn. "Is it Wolfe?"

"Yes sir, and he has reinforcements! Hundreds of marauders!"

"Do they have black and red armbands?" Kyle asked urgently.

"I think so, yes!"

Chunin turned on Kyle. "You brought them here! These are your allies!"

"Like hell they are!" Kyle replied angrily. "They're pirates, led by a guy named Rathbone! He's come for the Diamonds, and for me."

Kashiro shrugged indifferently. "Let 'em come. They'll never be able to break down the gates, no matter how many they have with them."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that," Rayner replied. "They have a magician from the city of Vane on their side. Quentin, for all his faults, is quite talented."

"But you have two mages on your side!" Kyle said to Chunin, gesturing to Sarek and Rayner, as an idea suddenly popped into his head. "You've been willing to make deals in the past, so here's another one for you. We'll help you fight the pirates and this Wolfe guy, and you let us go back home as soon as we've won - including my father." Jessica grinned at Kyle, proud of his quick thinking.

"Sounds like a good deal to me," Kashiro said to Chunin, who was pondering silently. "We could use their help, and they can't fight for us if they're dead."

Chunin said nothing for a long while. Then he turned to Kyle. "You swear that you will fight for us to the death? And that if you live and we allow you to return to your homes, you'll never reveal to anyone the location of the Dragon's Graveyard?"

"Yeah, yeah," Kyle said hurriedly. "So do we have a deal, or what?"

Chunin paused, and nodded. "Very well. If you fight for us, and we are victorious, you and your friends may leave Shadia. All of you."

"Alrighty!" Kyle exclaimed. "Then let's go kick some...!"

"No," Kashiro said. "Let them come to us."

"But we can...!"

"Be patient, Kyle," Gryffin said. "You'll have all the fighting you can handle soon enough."

"True enough," Chunin said. "So let's not waste time. Kheyvon, sound all the alarms, and tell everyone to prepare for battle! The time for our showdown with Wolfe has come at last!"

"Yes, my lord!"

"I'll keep watch on the ramparts," Rayner volunteered. "I can aid with the city's defenses, especially if Quentin uses his spells to attack."

"Good man," Sarek said, handing Rayner some star light gems. "You'll need these, then."

Amidst the commotion of the preparation for battle, Jessica turned away, suddenly feeling a chill. It wasn't nerves - she'd faced far worse in her life. But it was very rare that innocent civilians were so directly in the line of fire during any battle she'd been in, and the thought that they might be killed in the middle of the fray terrified her.

When she had studied at Althena's Shrine, she had once asked her teachers about whether priests and priestesses could take up arms to fight against evil, rather than just wait on the sidelines and cure the wounded. One teacher had told her that fighting was sometimes necessary, it should only be done to protect innocent from harm.

Now Jessica was wondering if by embarking on this adventure, she had now put innocents in harm's way. Would Rathbone be about to attack Shadia if it hadn't been for her suggestion to find the Graveyard? Would he have killed all those people on the Dragonheart and the Darkfire?

Jessica suddenly felt Kyle's hand on her shoulder. "Jess? You okay?"

"No, I'm not," Jessica said in a shaky voice. "All these people...the crew of the Dragonheart...everybody Rathbone's killed since this adventure began...it's all my fault. It's all because of me. All because I decided to come here. I was just trying to help you, be the hero for you for once, and now..."

Jessica suddenly began to cry, clutching his shirt as he pressed her head against his shoulder, as if to hide her tears from everyone else. Kyle held her close, wrapping her in a comforting hug. While Jessica's concern for other people often drove him nuts, there were times such as this one when he found it to be her most endearing quality. Unlike other girls he'd been with, who were too focused on themselves and their own vanity, Jessica was always looking out for other people, thinking about their hardships and suffering. Despite her temper and her ferocity in battle, Jessica had a gentle heart, and couldn't bear the thought of other people suffering.

After a moment, he said, "Listen, Jess, you can't blame yourself for what Rathbone's done. He's a murdering bastard, and if he wasn't coming after me and the Shadians, he'd be gutting other people someplace else. That's the kinda guy he is. But at least now we have the chance to stop him once and for all."

He gently wiped away a tear, the same way he'd done that first time in Meribia all those year ago, and smiled. "Besides, if it hadn't been for you, I'd never have found out what happened to my dad. Now that he and I are back together, we're gonna be the invincible team we always were! The two of us will be able to protect the Shadians from Rathbone and his mooks!"

Jessica lightly punched him in the arm. "You mean the three of us," she said with a smile, and Kyle once again saw in her the determination and refusal to back down from danger of any kind. "Five, if you count the magicians," she added.

"Yeah, might as well," Kyle said with a shrug. "I guess they're not too bad."

"Hey! What are you two standing around for?" Chunin said sharply. "You said you wanted to help us, so get a move on!"

"Yeah, yeah," Kyle said, sighing. To Jessica, he said, "Ready to unleash unholy hell on some bad guys?"

"Always am," she said.