Kratos was pale, tight-lipped, and silent as the four made their way into the ruins of the governor's mansion. Martel watched the man in concern and asked her brother, in a subdued voice, "Is there a chance to recover Lord Aurion's body?"
Mithos shook his head shortly. "I don't think so. Everything started burning when Efreet went nuts." The boy closed his eyes in an attempt to fight back the memory, but only saw it all the clearer in his mind. He snapped his blue eyes back open, determined not to close them again as he struggled to calm the shaking the memory caused.
The ruins were foreign to Martel and Yuan, and even Mithos had a little trouble navigating it. Kratos, however, guided them through as if he had lived there his whole life. Grim determination drove the Knight on, even when it was obvious to his companions that being in this place was intensely painful for him.
They finally came to the place where the shrine to Efreet was located, deep underneath the mansion itself. It was marked by a magitechnology "gateway", a circle of blue light that would instantly transport anyone who stepped fully within its bounds to the altar itself. "We're here," Yuan said, for lack of anything better to say. "Before we do anything else, we should discuss what our plan is. Martel obviously needs to stay b- Kratos? Kratos!"
Yuan didn't manage to get out, "Come back here!" because Kratos had already dashed up the stairs, sword drawn, and dove into the portal. Yuan cursed in Elven and ran up after him, leaving the siblings to exchange bewildered looks. A moment later, Martel shook her head and took the stairs, followed closely by Mithos.
Much to the young half-elf's surprise, the room was absolutely quiet and still. Kratos was looking around, eyes narrowed, searching. The other three held their breath, fearing to make too much noise. For Martel and Yuan, the fear was the unknown; Mithos, however, knew already Efreet's power and did not want to face it a second time.
Just as Kratos was about to call out for Efreet to show himself, a scorching heat swept into the room, accompanied by a roar that shook the place. The Knight barely had time to shift to a defensive stance as the Summon Spirit flew at him, his body flaming in his senseless rage.
As Martel managed to throw off a protection spell to him, almost by instinct, Yuan leapt forward, slashing at the creature with his butterfly sword. Efreet reared back, and was further driven back by a simple ice spell cast by Mithos.
The half-elf boy gasped as he cast the spell, crying, "This is the same as before! We can't subdue this thing!"
"Like hell we can't!" Kratos yelled back. "There were two of you before and four now!"
"I'm useless!" Mithos wailed.
"You're not!" the Knight yelled back, parrying a swipe from Efreet just in time. "Have a little faith in yourself!"
Kratos's last words were drowned by a scream of pain from Yuan, who came a little too close to Efreet's flaming claws. The berserk Summon Spirit dug its fire talons into the half-elf mage's side, mercilessly ripping at the man's flesh. The knight cursed loudly, leaping to his friend's defense. After a few strikes, Efreet roared again and turned his aggression on Kratos, leaving Yuan to drop to the floor.
Martel rushed forward, healing magic in her hands. Mithos yelled for her to get back, but she didn't heed her young brother. The young woman knelt beside Yuan, attempting to both focus on healing him and staying alert enough to see if Efreet was attacking her. She noted that her former master did his best to keep Efreet's attention, but the Summon Spirit eventually noted that two of his opponents were incapacitated, and whipped away from the Knight in a flurry of flame.
The Knight followed him, but he wouldn't be fast enough. Mithos, acting on instinct alone, bolted forward. He was able to shield Martel and Yuan, but the Summon Spirit, without his sense, tearing into to child ferociously.
Martel lost her concentration and shrieked in horror and consternation, her hands going to her face in a gesture of terror. Kratos himself gritted his teeth, muttered, "That's not what I meant," to himself, and launched his attack anew. Distracted once again, Efreet turned on Kratos. The Knight couldn't see the extent of Mithos's wounds from where he was, but if it was as bad as Yuan, Martel would have quite a bit on her hands. As Yuan was fully-grown and Mithos a child, the damage to Mithos was probably much worse.
He wanted to shout above Efreet's raging, try to find out how bad the situation was for their two companions, but he couldn't afford to waste the breath. The room had grown so hot it seemed to suck the air out of Kratos's chest. He prayed silently, desperately to the Great Tree that Martel could heal one of them, at least, quickly. Efreet's moves were easy to predict, making time Kratos's true enemy. He couldn't keep up this pace much longer.
Mithos screamed from behind Efreet; the Summon Spirit howled as the room abruptly cooled and ice encased the fiery being. It lasted only a few moments, but it was enough for Kratos to launch his attack anew. The Knight struck hard at the stunned Spirit, his blade driving true this time. Efreet gave another great howl and fell to the floor as the blade came free of the Spirit, his fire diminished.
Kratos held at ready, as did Mithos. He chanced a glance over the wounded Spirit at the other three; Yuan was conscious and on his knees, and Martel was supporting Mithos, who looked prepared to attack once again if he had to. As Kratos's eyes flicked back to Efreet, the Spirit looked up at him in confusion. "Lord Aurion?"
"He's dead," Kratos replied flatly.
"I… see." The Summon Spirit raised himself up again, his flame brightening slightly as he looked over the group. "I sense a very similar aura to his in you, warrior."
"I am his son."
"Indeed." Efreet sounded mildly amused, and he turned his attention to the rest of the group. "I cannot begin to describe the shame I feel for what I've done," he said somberly, "but I am intensely grateful you survived, Summoner. The fact that I so easily lost control of my own power indicates that things are indeed as grave as Maxwell has told you."
"Do you think his plan will work?" Mithos asked, his demeanor serious and business-like. Kratos winced inwardly; he knew that feeling, of being a child in age but having responsibility that most adults in age would balk at…
"It may. I believe it is our best option at this time." Kratos could hear the sorrow and pain in Efreet's voice; the professed shame was genuine, but the Spirit also sounded sick, depleted. "Are you prepared to make your vow, Mithos?"
The half-elf boy stepped forward, just as weary as Efreet seemed to be. "I vow to strengthen the Great Kharlan Tree in order to prevent its death."
"Agreed." Without another word, Efreet's form faded into pure energy and flowed towards Mithos, surrounding him, caressing him. Efreet's light focused briefly at Mithos's chest, and then dissipated in a shower of magical sparks.
The boy turned to face the other three travelers, something clenched in his hand. "Kratos," he said softly, and closed the distance between the two of them. He held out the clenched hand, saying, "Efreet had this. He wanted me to give it to you."
Kratos reached out and took the object from Mithos, examining it carefully. "It's a Cruxis Crystal," he said, his voice questioning.
"I think it was Lord Aurion's," Mithos replied meekly. "If it was, then it makes sense for Efreet to want you to have it."
The knight nodded, and removed his Exsphere and Key Crest both, and replaced it with the Crystal. Mithos's hypothesis was instantly confirmed, as Kratos felt his father's presence, almost as if the man had his arms around his son right that instant. The sensation lasted only seconds, but it was enough to Kratos to know that the Crystal was his father's.
After a moment more of awkward silence, Yuan cleared his throat. "We better go see Maxwell," he said. "We're not making pacts with other Summon Spirits by standing around and gawking at each other."
"I agree," Martel said quietly, being the first to head to the exit of the now-empty temple. The four moved out slowly, all of them solemn. All of them felt the pain of Lord Aurion's loss in some way, and Efreet handing over the man's Cruxis Crystal had made his death seem all the more real, more final.
Kratos was the last in line, as he walked a little slower. He wanted to remain here, with his father, as long as he could; he had no intention of ever returning to this place once he left it. He didn't hesitate at the entrance. However, as he stepped out of the ruins of the Governor's mansion, a feeling of vertigo overcame him that was so intense that he desperately thrust a hand out to the nearest wall to steady himself.
Mithos, being the closest to him, was the first to be aware of the knight's motion. "Kratos! Are you all right?"
Mithos's cry alerted Yuan and Martel to the knight's plight, and turned quickly. Kratos waved them off irritably as they surrounded him. "I'm fine," he snapped, and then cringed as his companions all appeared hurt. "I'm fine," he repeated, gentler this time, "the heat's just getting to me. Crowding me will make it worse."
"If the heat's bothering him, we should probably get back to Maxwell as quickly as possible," Martel said in concern.
As the group all voiced their agreement, Kratos didn't say anything. He was too embarrassed to. He'd dealt with hotter temperatures before, and never had a problem. Why was he now?
Maxwell seemed immensely pleased with their success. "I can already feel the outflow of mana slowing," he told them excitedly. "Just by forming the pacts, you're helping. None of the Spirits residing on this side of the border have pacts, except Efreet now. Start with them."
The Spirit had, as soon as he felt Efreet become subdued, started planning their route through Sylvarant. A map outlined the stops they were to take; after a stop in Triet for supplies, they were to head across the Ossa Trail and then north to Luin. The Summon Spirit of Light was near there. Once they had that Spirit's pact, they could head south to Asgard and form the pact with the Summon Spirit of Wind, and then west across the ferry to Palmacosta to form a pact with the Spirit of Water. That being done, they would continue west back across the Ossa Trail and return to Maxwell's base, where he would give them his next instructions.
As they were preparing to leave the base, Martel pulled Kratos back next to her. Although he ordinarily moved faster than she did, and Yuan was already watching their rear, he let her pull him to walk in step with her. "Are you going to mention almost fainting to Maxwell?" she asked him quietly.
He shook his head slightly. "No. I'm fine now. It really was probably just the heat getting to me."
Martel frowned, but didn't say anything else.
The Ossa Trail, while still uncomfortably warm, was a little more reasonable in terms of temperature than the Triet Desert had been. The half-elves were in high spirits, a sharp contrast to Kratos's own dark mood. As they reached the peak of the trail, the temperature dropped further, refreshing them all with the cool breeze from the ocean they were now approaching.
As Martel breathed in the cool wind, a musical sound filled the air, grabbing her attention quickly. With an excited "Oh!", she looked around for the source of the noise. All three of the boys noticed her excitement, but Mithos was the only one to question her about it. "What's up, sis?"
"A linkite tree!" she exclaimed, still looking around. Then, having decided that the tree wasn't in their immediate vicinity, she bolted ahead on the path, giggling. As Mithos took off after her, Yuan and Kratos exchanged bewildered looks and followed as well.
As the three rounded the bend, they were treated to the site of a beautiful tree, with oddly-shaped nuts hanging down from its boughs, and a determined Martel leaping up, over and over again, attempting to capture one of them. Yuan approached her, asking, "Do you need some help?"
"I just need… to get…" Martel continued to jump, swiping in vain at a large nut that was just out of her reach.
Yuan, the next time Martel's feet touched the ground, put his hand on his shoulder to stop her, and pushed her gently away. He took her place, looking up at the nut she wanted, gauged the distance between him and the prize, and jumped. His hand closed over it and it snapped from the bough it was on as he came back down. He grinned broadly as he handed the woman the object.
She smiled in appreciation, taking the nut from him. Martel held the nut to her ear and shook it slightly, then giggled in delight. "Thank you," she said, "this one is perfect."
"Perfect for what?" Kratos asked.
Martel's prize obtained, the four began walking again. "To make a Linkite flute!" she exclaimed brightly. "Have you ever heard one?"
As both Kratos and Yuan shook their heads, Mithos piped up. "They're absolutely gorgeous-sounding," he gushed. "But Martel, you don't have a carving knife!"
Again, Yuan stepped forward, producing a small dagger he had strapped to his wrist. "Will this do?" he asked the woman.
"It should, until I can get a real knife," said Martel, "but I can't take one of your weapons!"
Yuan waved her concern off. "I still have my butterfly blade," he said. "I only have that in case I'm somehow disarmed, and the last person to disarm me was Kratos. Years ago."
"Well, if you say so…"
"Can we pick up the pace a little?" Kratos snapped. "We're supposed to be in Luin by dark! And, in case you haven't noticed, it's already mid-day!"
He strode briskly past his slower-moving companions, his whole demeanor irritable and surly. The three half-elves didn't need to communicate concern about this; all but Mithos knew that this attitude was far out-of-character for the man, and Mithos could figure this much out based on the other half-elves' concern.
At dusk, Kratos finally stopped and allowed his companions to catch up. "We're not going to make it," he said shortly. "I don't think we want to travel at night; we'll be safer in the woods, staying still. Let's find someplace suitable to make camp and settle down for the night."
They traveled into the woods, alert for the presence of monsters. The group found a clearing that provided both sufficient shelter and sufficient cover, as well being oriented in such a way that they'd be alerted to any intruders. Mithos set about creating a fire pit and Martel began preparing dinner automatically, leaving Yuan and Kratos to seek firewood.
It wouldn't be a difficult task; they were, after all, in the middle of a forest. Mithos, after the two men had wandered away and the siblings had worked in silence for a few moments, finally screwed up the courage to ask, "What's Kratos's deal, anyway?"
Martel looked up briefly from her preparations and answered, "I don't know. His surliness is extremely uncharacteristic. I imagine that it's probably because of-"
Her words were cut off as the sound of Yuan and Kratos yelling resounded in the darkening woods. Both half-elves reacted immediately, reaching the clearing the two were in just as Kratos abruptly stopped yelling. What exactly had been said was unknown, but the Knight's expression was stricken and Yuan's, horrified and ashamed. "Kratos, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"
"Yes, you did," he cut Yuan off, his subdued voice speaking louder than it had when he was yelling. "You wouldn't have said it if you didn't mean it."
"Kratos-"
The knight shook his head, turned, and started half-running away from them. Yuan repeated his plea, but Kratos didn't heed him. "Should someone go after him?" Mithos asked in concern.
Martel was the one to answer. "No. He'll come back when he's calmed down." After this, she turned to Yuan and asked, bewildered, "What did you say to him?"
The half-elf man considered the questions, began to answer, and then shook his head. "Something I absolutely shouldn't have," he responded finally. "It he does come back, it will be for you two. I'm afraid that remark would be enough for him to completely disown me."
Martel took this in, and replied, "Well, we'll see what happens. Right now, we should finish making camp. I really think he's going to calm down and come back."
The three half-elves returned to the camp-site. They built the fire, finished preparing four portions of their meal, and ate in silence. All of them exhausted, they set a watch, with Mithos getting the most rest, being a child, and settled down to sleep.
The young Summoner was the first to rise in the morning, sensing the sun's ascent from the dark horizon. Martel still slept, and Yuan still kept stoic watch from when he'd taken over for Martel. Kratos's meal was left untouched, and his spot on the camp ground undisturbed. The knight hadn't returned.
Logic told Mithos to be angry with the Knight. He had, after all, just revealed himself to be every bit as racist as all the other humans were. Logic didn't seem to have a say in what he felt, though, as a deep concern squeezed at his heart. Martel was right and he knew it. He should have come back.
As Martel woke as well, she and Yuan discussed in quiet tones what to do, both of them steeped in worry. "It would be best for us to just continue to Luin," he heard Yuan insist at one point.
"What if he's-"
"Martel, this forest is huge," Yuan cut her off. "We have no chance of finding him if he's wandering around somewhere. Our best bet would be to get to Luin and try to convince the townspeople to help us find him, if our paths don't cross."
Mithos watched the pair, silent. It was clear that Martel didn't agree with Yuan, and Mithos didn't really, either. But he was right; they had no way of knowing where the Knight was. The trio broke camp in silence, the young Summoner brooding as he tried to figure out why he was concerned about a human who had abandoned them.
