Disclaimer: This is fanfiction, guys. If I owned this, would I be posting on a fan website? Hmmm… I think not.

I'd like to apologize for the lateness of this update. I wasn't planning on it taking so long. While I was unable to finish this in time for my Spring Break due to an English project (which still isn't finished) and English extra credit (which I posted as a one-shot on this site) I had foolishly assumed that this would only be a few days late. What is it they say about good intentions? Ah, well... the site had some issues with uploading that held me back as well. But that is over and I present to my wonderous readers the next chapter.

Chapter 14

Lethian smiled politely at his fellow scouts and then ducked into the valley easily. Well… perhaps they weren't really his fellow scouts seeing as his orders to join them were falsified.

Despite being surprised over the fact that no one had caught on to his scheme, Lethian was fairly confident that his plan would run smoothly from there on out. He just had to concentrate on the source of the psychic emanations and get to said source before anyone else.

That would be easy, right?

A loud roar startled Lethian and he let out a yelp, stumbling over a root at the same time. He fell to his knees and winced as the angry roar filled that air again.

"Easy, right… this is just a walk in the park," he muttered, getting back onto his feet and glancing about sheepishly in the direction the others had disappeared in. Despite being completely alone already, the half-elf felt an embarrassed blush appear on his cheeks. "This is going to be a long day."

/o/

As an angel without the capabilityto sleep, Yuan had reconnected his computer uplink to the Cruxis mainframe. Ra, Isis, and Kratos had been reading over his shoulder. After some time had passed, Raine wandered in and sat down on the couch.

"Morning," she managed to say before closing her eyes again.

Kratos disconnected Yuan's computer uplink to Cruxis, ignoring the blue-haired man's possessive scowl and what may have been a muttered "my computer, you cretin."

Lloyd clambered down the steps sleepily, Colette fluttering along behind him. "Now you have to promise to be careful," the blonde girl admonished.

"I promise…"

"Hurry up, Seles, Presea, Genis…" Sheena walked out of the guestroom with the three younger teens following. "It's morning; time to go. I wanted to go last night, you know…"

"You were the one who said staying the night was sensible!" Genis growled.

"Since when do I do sensible things?" she muttered in annoyance. "Haven't you ever heard of sarcasm?"

"But it was the sensible thing to do. We would've been too tired to be effective last night. Now we are rested; our energy has been replenished," Presea offered in confusion.

"Don't worry, Presea. The witch isn't supposed to make sense, remember?" A glare landed on the strawberry haired girl and she scowled in response. "Let's just go, okay? I want my brother back; I was just starting to get along with him."

"He loves and misses you too, Seles," Genis whispered softly.

Face flushed at the words, Seles nodded and charged towards the door.

/o/

Zelos wasn't entirely certain when it was that he had fallen asleep the previous day. He thought that he remembered the air smelling funny; but he also might've drifted off on his own. The current setting, however, argued quite clearly for the former theory.

Well… his headache and distinctly nauseous feeling argued for having been drugged, too. Though the headache could've been from whatever was blocking his power. The psionic dampener, as Zelos had dubbed it, had been brought along for the ride.

"Back in the land of the living, I see." Apophis' familiar drawl was definitely not what Zelos wanted to hear.

Zelos focused his cold blue eyes on the other man. "I'm awake. Now what? I'm still not going to help you," he said, sitting up. They were in the forest, but Zelos was on a small platform equipped with airlifts. The design was similar to the lifts that kept the Rheairds in the air, but on a smaller scale. The few feet above the ground that it was currently floating over seemed to be the highest it could go.

"We're in a valley in the Gaorrachia Forest," Apophis informed him curtly. "The scouts are leading us to the Firelight Mirror's approximate location; most likely a cave of some sort. You will lead us to the device."

"Why don't you just build a new one?" Zelos asked. "I've been wondering that for some time now. You and Set worked on the original, right?"

"Yes, but only parts of it. The only people who could recreate the Mirror in its entirety are either dead or on the side of the enemy."

"Isis?"

"Ra."

"Oh…" There was silence and then Zelos hopped off the floating transport in order to start walking. "He's the one who irritated you into burning down my house."

"That would be the one," Apophis allowed after a moment.

"Thanks. I would've appreciated a heads up, I did like some of the things in there, but I don't exactly mind that it's gone."

"You're thanking me for burning your home up?"

"It was a house, not a home. I'm working on a home; it's simply taking longer for me than most."

"Why are you telling me this? Just… shut up."

"Fine, be that way. If I'm not wanted, I should leave…" swallowing nervously at the look on Apophis' face, Zelos hopped back up on the floating platform. "Or I could stay up here…"

"Nyaaaaaaaaah!" The high-pitched shriek startled the group of travelers.

A pterodactyl-like creature soared through the clearing. It was the size of two people length-wise and had a wingspan of maybe fifteen feet. It was probably bigger up close, though, and it was letting out the ear shattering shrieks. Claws of steel raked through the air and glinted in the streams of sunlight that poured through holes in the forest canopy.

"What the hell is that!" Apophis snarled, drawing his sword. "Lethian didn't mention monsters in his report!"

"Maybe he didn't know," Zelos muttered, opening up the control panel on his floating transportation.

"It's coming around…"

"I know. I hear it. They can see it. You're very good at stating the obvious, no?" Zelos tugged out several wires from the panel.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"You'll see. Why don't you just fight it?"

Apophis didn't have to answer, however. The pterodactyl did it for him.

Swiping its claws at the dark haired intruder, the creature expected that the puny pale being would make easy prey and a tender lunch. It wasn't expecting the wings that Apophis suddenly manifested or the spell infused attacks that the angel had in his arsenal. Not that the attacks were enough. The claws weren't the only steel part on the pterodactyl. Its scales were made from the material as well.

"Use fire on it!" Zelos hissed, viscously rewiring the platform.

"It's made of metal! It won't burn, you idiot!" Apophis snarled, darting out of the creature's way in midair.

"Yes, it is made of metal. Heated metal, when cooled quickly, has what effect?" the younger man patronized. Then, with a smirk, Zelos reconnected the final wires and reattached the control panel face. "If you can't improvise, get out of the way."

The other half-elves in the group had been listening to Zelos, unlike Apophis. As one, the Anubian Warriors sent their fiercest fire spells hurtling towards the pterodactyl.

Zelos' fingers danced across the panel and, to his delight, the platform followed his commands. It moved a little higher and shot forward. The sudden movement's caught the metal monster's attention and, still on fire, the pterodactyl left Apophis behind in an attempt to capture the more alluring prey.

The smell of burning air in his nose, Zelos breathed shallowly as he darted around the trees. Left… right… left… left… right… straight… He didn't dare look back at first. Ears ringing with the pterodactyl's shrieks, he knew it was to close for comfort.

The burning smell intensified, but the sound died off after a few moments. Zelos turned his head, blinking furiously as the wind dried his eyes, and attempted to focus on the monster.

It was still too close; but its scales were melting under the pressure and heat of the combined magic attacks. It was time for the second phase.

"ICE!" Zelos yelled, turning his platform around and zipping right at the dinosaur.

It was turning away from Zelos; Apophis had decided to take a turn at distracting the pterodactyl. His wings were slower than the transport's airlift system and that was barely fast enough to keep ahead of the pterodactyl.

Apophis didn't stand a chance despite the dwindling speed of the monster.

The platform, however, was now much faster than the pterodactyl. Zelos rammed the monster; the impact jarring him badly enough that he nearly fell to the ground. As it was, he found himself hanging off the side of the platform in an area dangerously close to the creature.

With effort, he pulled himself back onto the device. His arms were both sore from the jerk of catching himself on the ledge. The air was freezing; when he managed to look up, still trying to catch his breath, Zelos found himself watching something truly amazing.

The pterodactyl's wings had been covered in melted scales after the fire spells. The metal had hardened under the barrage of ice spells. The pterodactyl's wings stopped in mid beat and the creature, despite a visable effort to fly again, fell from the sky and plummeted to the ground with a painful crash. There was no further movement.

Apophis landed on the back of the small platform, much to Zelos' private amusement, and glared at the Chosen as he drove it back over to his captors. "Is this your stop? I don't usually take on hitchhikers…"

"Why did you do that?"

"It does me no good to let you die. I know you; your lackeys are unknown variables. Better the devil I know…" Zelos trailed off with a smirk.

"Get off the transport!" Apophis snarled after a moment of stunned silence.

"Hey! I hot-wired this puppy fare and square… and of course I don't mind giving it up," he mock quailed under his captor's glare. "I could use the exercise..."

/o/

Lethian poured the panacea potion over the bite on his arm as carefully as he could. The antiseptic sting would've made him cringe, normally, but with the thing that made the wound lay dead not far away.

He was too busy trying to fix his wounds and get away to have any normal reactions.

CRACK!

Lethian winced and turned to look in the direction of the sound. No one had followed him; he was sure of it. It seemed as though he'd finally been found by one of the monsters of the valley.

CRACK!

Whatever it was; it sounded huge.

The corpse was about four-and-a-half feet tall.

A baleful expression on his face, Lethian wrapped up the now clean wound in the gauze from his first aid kit. There wasn't anymore left by the time he was done, and he hadn't used very much.

He hoped things wouldn't get worse as he packed up his kit and cleaned off his sword.

It was short.

Okay… as first impressions go; this seemed like a very simple monster to fight. It was a slavering creature with a beaver tail and a squirrel-like face.

It thinks I'm an acorn… Lethian thought in disbelief as the squirrel-beaver crept forward. For something so small, it made an inordinate amount of sound. It has to be deaf in order not to react to it's own noise like that…

It seemed clunky and graceless, but Lethian pulled out his shortsword anyway. Better safe than sorry in a place like this.

Leaping unexpectedly, the squirrel-beaver forced Lethian to bring the sword up and forward. In that moment, Lethian realized something very important: never underestimate the squirrel-beaver.

Slinging his pack back onto his shoulders in a haphazard manner, he gave the creature a final look. Never underestimate small things; it was a good lesson to take with him.

In fact, simply not underestimating anything was a good lesson.

CAW!

Lethian took off running before whatever made that shriek could catch up to him.

The squirrel-beaver had fangs. The pearly white teeth clanged eerily against the metal blade as it bit the sword. Yelping in pain, the creature chittered what must have been its version of curse words.

Confident of himself, Lethian stabbed at the fuzzy being and, though his aim was true, the squirrel-beaver had one last laugh before the hole in its chest forced him (her? It?) to keel over. He (she? It?) bit down hard on Lethian's arm.

Lethian stumbled away, yanking on the sword and dropping it on the grass in shock. The wound was already burning.

Poison.

There was a panacea bottle in his pack, which he dropped to the ground. A moment later, he pulled out the prize, drank some, and then began applying the rest to his arm.

----

It wasn't a cave; that much was certain.

The cliff, when viewed from above, seemed normal, but at this distance with a head-on view… the cliff almost seemed like a building. The structure was built directly into the cliff face and appeared to tunnel in further. Windows dotted the stone for miles in every direction and air vents were already popping up on the ground where Lethian stood.

The main entry, or at least the only entrance that Lethian saw, was what appeared to be a hanger bay. Devices out of legend were stored within. Flying devices, similar to Rheairds, were stationed in stacks at least six high beside the left wall. There were also rows of what must have been some form of hover car; they resembled to mana-burning chariots depicted in the Book of Martel. A lone device, shaped like a spider and designed to have a single occupant, lay dormant at the front of the right wall. The stories of sentient acromantulas must have arisen from similar devices.

There were also caches of weapons. The conventional sort were present, but in small quantities. Then there were laser pistols and phaser rifles and personal shields that would've used electrical mana to maintain the beams…

It was an abandoned base, perhaps from the Kharlan War.

Somewhere inside, the Firelight Mirror called.

----

Once a fool, twice an idiot, three times manipulative…

We picked good ones this time, Morphia. They're getting closer and now…

Now we'll be freed. I just can't help feeling bad. We've torn apart lives before. Just because Zelos is stronger doesn't make it right.

No, it doesn't, does it? I wish things were simpler. Then maybe Isis would know who I am…

Wishful thinking does us no good.

It's all I can do.

----

Set surveyed the group as he rejoined it. He gone ahead some ways in order to get a better feel of the valley.

The place was as beautiful as Lethian's report had promised. It also had monsters that had not been mentioned. The creatures gave off negative emotions so strong that, were it not for Set's fondness for such feelings, the forest might have been considered repulsive. To Set's eyes, though, there was beauty in the mutant beings undiscovered, till now.

There was something else, however, that lurked beneath the surface. A secret danced beyond the Anubian Warrior's grasp; somehow, he knew it would never be revealed to him.

The vision haunted him still. Despite his success at locating the approximate location of the Firelight Mirror, Lethian was still destined for something terrible. The glow of a computer screen and dawning horror… Set wondered what could cause such dismay in a Warrior.

The group was here and now; Set gave them his attention as best he could.

Wilder was awake. He was standing next to Apophis and making himself a nuisance. Except… Apophis seemed to be stifling amusement at the Chosen's actions. The redhead was making quiet jokes about giant birds that would never suffer iron deficiency.

The other five Warriors in view were low on mana. They looked exhausted in the heat of midday. Such appearances were not acceptable to Set and he scowled as he marched up to his troops.

It was high time that he began enforcing his will.

----

"Dear brother, why is the prisoner so poorly guarded? Where are the other three Warriors?"

Zelos jumped at the sound of Set's voice. The calm, cold, poisonous tone didn't bode well for Apophis. Maybe, just maybe, Zelos would've felt sorry for Apophis had his mind not been replaying the words "I hate to break it to you, but your girlfriend's dead." Pity did not come easily when it would have to be directed at the man who claimed to have killed Sheena.

She was still alive, though. Zelos felt it as clearly as the breeze that filtered through the forest.

"I sent them to find the scouts that should've already reported back thirty minutes ago. We were ambushed by a dragon of some sort; I wanted the scouts to return to the main company." Suddenly, Apophis seemed nearly as emotionless as his brother did.

"Wasn't a dragon," Zelos corrected absently, looking in the direction that Set had come from. The brothers gave the redhead identical cold looks and then returned to their conversation over security.

With a tired sigh, Zelos cast his thoughts out towards the rest of the forest. The psionic dampener blocked most of his abilities and blanketed the rest, but he could still sense the dangers that lurked everywhere. He remembered, with longing, the almost unnoticeable power he'd had during the journey to regenerate the world. Having capabilities without known limits was… disconcerting.

He didn't have much time for reflection, though. There was something in the forest.

Taking a step forward, Zelos moved past the two Anubian Warriors. "There's something coming this way." When there was no reaction, he turned to his captors and whistled as loudly as possible. "Hey, old guys. There is something dangerous with fangs headed in this direction. I am in no hurry to die and, since someone took my sword and shield, I would appreciate it if you two would prepare to fight whatever it is that is coming in our direction. Stop posturing and do something."

Then, rolling his eyes, he turned away. "Or you could let me die and I won't have to worry about whether or not I'll end up guiding my enemies to the Firelight Mirror." There was a sound of swords being drawn and Zelos rolled his eyes again.

Then the creature he'd sensed slunk out of the forest.

Maroon fur made a morbid backdrop for fangs that would've made a saber-tooth tiger proud. The beast resembled a panther, except it was much, much bigger.

Zelos hurried out of the way. Without the floating transport, he wouldn't be of any help. Besides, it was easier to judge his enemy when they were the ones fighting.

----

At the edge of the Gaorrachia forest, eleven people landed their Rheairds. They were unlikely friends; some serious and others quirky. Yet there they stood.

Storing the Rheairds in Wing Packs, the mismatched group prepared to rescue their even stranger friend. It was time to make history… again.

A/N Lethian took over this chapter, in a way. I had written about half of this when I decided to rewrite Zelos' flight against the pterodactyl creature. Then, Lethian informed me that the squirrel-beaver (his term for it, not mine) had bitten him… and that it was poisonous. I pointed to what was on the screen and said that he quite clearly was uninjured. He pointed to his arm, and the bandage he'd put on there. I rewrote his post-squirrel-beaver creature encounter.

For an OC, Lethian is getting rather pushy. Thank Martel for small favors, though. Lethian's finally revealed his new road and told me where it leads.

Set still reminds me of Lore, Data's brother from Star Trek.

This chapter took me a long time because there is so much I want to put into the story, but most of it can't go in this update. It's the next update where I can really start pushing over the dominoes. Zelos and his captors… who he is manipulating… will arrive at the complex and Lethian will let his curiosity get the better of him. The squirrel-beaver will return in a new, bigger, more poisonous incarnation, though the pterodactyl is suffering from stiff joints and will not be back.

I should probably finish writing my essay now...

I hope you enjoyed the chapter and, as always, I hope that you'll review. ;)