Chapter 5: The Chaotic Knight

"Garland!" Gordon shouted in a panic. "What's wrong with you?" The knight quickly closed in on his brother, keeping the thief on the defensive.

"Heh," Garland snorted in response. "The time for talk is over. If you want to end this fight, then stand still and taste my steel!"

"Hold it!" Arin blurted, slamming his hammer into the back of Garland's helmet. "Gordon is not your only foe here."

"Ah, I nearly forgot...huh?" Garland glanced in the direction of Arin's voice and blinked in shock to find several versions of the man returning his glare. "Your tricks won't save you, mage. I'll tear through this feeble illusion!" The Arins all held their hammers aloft, poised to strike. Garland rushed at one and sliced it in two, causing it to dissipate. He charged another and slashed, destroying another copy. In the corner of his eye he saw a figure jump. Garland spun around, leading with his left arm, striking the mage across the face with his gauntlet. As Arin rolled across the ground, his copies dispersed into thin air. "Time to say goodbye!" Garland sneered as he stood over the white mage, his sword raised for the killing blow.

Gordon dashed behind Garland and slammed into his back, throwing the knight forward and sending him crashing to the ground near Arin. "Stop it!"

"You selfish trash!" Garland seethed. "You talk of not betraying the king's generosity, yet you think nothing of the time before Cornelia." He didn't bother to stand as he spoke.

"That's not true!" Gordon argued, still wary of his brother. "I still remember all you've done for me."

"Really? Because from where I stand, causing the king no permanent harm by abducting his daughter is, so you claim, 'beyond evil,' yet you repay the one who risked his life on your behalf countless times by turning a blade against him. Who is really the evil one here?"

"Do not listen to him, Gordon!" Arin warned as he struggled to his feet.

"I'm only fighting you because you kidnapped the princess! If you just put a stop to this scheme, I would have no reason to fight you!" Gordon was so focused on the conversation that he ignored Arin's warning.

For a time, Garland said nothing. "You might be right. Kidnapping that woman probably won't get me anywhere." Gordon started to relax a bit, relieved to hear his brother start to face reality. "But I don't care about that anymore!" Garland snatched up his sword and slashed Gordon, cutting him from his left hip across his chest to his shoulder. The thief fell back in shock, unable to move. The yellow glow in Garland's eyes started to fade for a moment as he saw the result of his actions. "Gordon! No! Ugh-" The foul glow returned, brighter than before. "That's one."

"Garland!" Arin shouted from across the room. "No, I am sure of it now. Whatever you are, you are not the man Cornelia respected and Gordon called 'brother.' Who are you really?"

"Oh?" The knight began to laugh, as if consumed by madness and controlled by chaos. "You are the weakest of them all. What do you hope to accomplish by yourself?"

"I see I have little choice," Arin sighed as he dropped his hammer.

"Giving up won't spare you." Garland said coldly as he walked toward the white mage.

"I don't intend to surrender," Arin asserted before taking a large breath of air. He grabbed his robe and began to fling it off himself. He grabbed his hammer again and wordlessly struck a fighting stance.

"Huh?" Before Garland could raise his sword, Arin charged forward and, with one mighty swing, threw Garland several feet backwards. "I-Impossible! How is it that you are so strong?"

"..." Arin refused to waste his precious breath on an answer, and merely lifted his hammer again.

"Say something!" Garland shouted. "I will not be made a fool of! Urg-" Garland doubled over and gasped. "...kill...me..."

"What?" Arin gasped in shock; a dangerous mistake. Black mist poured out of his mouth and nose as blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. "Another trick? No..." he thought to himself.

"Hah!" Garland straightened himself and cackled. "You can't kill me! I'll kill you and the others, and all this will come to an end!" Garland charged forward at the white mage, sword raised.

"..." Arin likewise ran toward his opponent with his weapon at the ready. With a swing of his mallet, he knocked Garland's helmet off his head, inciting a growl from the knight. Garland slashed at Arin, but the cursed man's speed was far greater than the armored knight and he dodged almost effortlessly. "Hah...hah..." The extent of the fighting forced Arin to breathe in the toxic air, which started to blur his vision.

"That's it! It's time to end this!" Garland shouted.

"I will honor your request, Garland." Arin squinted as he raised his hammer one final time. He shut his eyes and brought down his hammer. The sound of a dropped sword echoed through the shrine, followed by a solid thud. "Hah...hah..."

Arin stumbled to his knees, barely able to stay conscious. He could no longer control his breathing, tired as he was. The sound of muffled voices rang in his ears for a few moment before he passed out. "Get tha..."

"Arin, do you know what this is?" Arin's father asked as he showed his son the great Crystal of Wind.

"No," the boy answered. "But if you put that big robot in charge of protecting it, it must be important, right?"

"Indeed," the man laughed. "This crystal is one of four that are said to sustain our world. One fills the earth with life, another warms the people of the world in its fiery embrace, a third one keeps the seas in check, and this one is responsible for controlling the wind."

"Wow!" Arin gasped.

"Sir!" a man shouted from behind a screen. "You should take a look at this."

"Arin, go see how your sister is doing in the lobby. I'll be there shortly."

"...Buddy? Hey! You with us yet?" An unfamiliar voice asked as Arin could feel someone poking his head. He grunted in retaliation, to the mystery man's approval. "Hey! This guy's moving around again!"

"What? What happened?" Arin asked weakly as he fought to open his eyes. "M-My robe?" Arin found himself back in his robe and propped up against a log by the campfire he had seen once before, with a couple of new faces floating around.

"You should thank the other guy for that. Apparently, he fought to stay conscious long enough to tell us you needed to wear it." Arin looked up at the man he was speaking to, a muscular man in sweaty, purple clothes. "And hi. I'm Agura, one of those crystal holder guys."

"Gordon? Is he alright?" Arin tried to get up, but Agura pushed him back down.

"First off, worry about you; that guy passed out after you did and woke up way before you. If there's anyone to be concerned about, it's you. Secondly, we treated what wounds we could, but..."

"Garland..." Gordon whispered, sitting over the fire.

"I don't get it!" Pierre shouted. "Why did this happen? What would have driven him so mad that he would do something so foolish?"

"...me..." Gordon answered bitterly.

"Ungh..." The attention of the four was drawn by the sound of Princess Sarah stirring. Pierre ran up to her and bowed. "P-Pierre? What are you doing here? Where am I?"

"We came to save you, Princess," Pierre answered. "We stormed the shrine to rescue you."

"Yeah, but by the time Pierre and I got there, the fighting was over," Agura added, much to Pierre's disgust. "We pretty much just took care of those two, the white mage and that guy over there. After that, we took the lot of you to a place Pierre figured was safe."

"A white mage and..." Sarah glanced in the direction Agura pointed to find Gordon looking at her, a stone-cold look on his face. "Gordon!" Sarah pushed herself off of the ground, free of the curse that was placed on her, and ran to the thief. She stopped as she noticed he barely acknowledged her presence. "Gordon?" His face told her all she needed to know. "Oh no..."

"Urgh!" Arin hobbled over to Gordon, using his hammer as a cane. "I am sorry, Gordon. I know this is not what you wanted, nor I, but I believe even Garland preferred this over what could have been."

"It's all my fault," Gordon claimed. "He told us himself. He did all this for me. And we killed him for it." Gordon's voice started faltering with each breath as tears clouded his eyes.

"No," Sarah said, putting her arms around the grieving Gordon. "You can't blame yourself for what Garland did, no matter what his intentions were."

"Can we get going now?" Pierre asked bluntly. "We've spent all last night and most of the day in this campsite, and I'd rather like to reach Cornelia before nightfall."

"Is that wise?" Arin asked. "Neither Gordon nor myself are capable of protecting the princess in our condition. Will you and Agura be able to handle all the fighting, er..."

"Oh, my name is Pierre, "Pierre announced quickly. "Don't worry. I am the second best swordsman in Cornelia! Or rather, I am the best. You have nothing to fear."

"I...see," Arin replied as he hobbled away.

"Huh?" Pierre watched the mage shuffle away with an odd look on his face. He turned to see Gordon despondent and Sarah trying to console him. "What was that about?"

"Too soon, Pierre," Agura grunted as he shook his head. "I think it would be best if we just stay here another night."

"Fine!" Pierre barked. "If that will make you all happy, then let's just stay here!" The hotheaded fighter stormed into his tent and refused to leave it until sundown.

Pierre poked his head out of his tent. There was no one in sight, thankfully. He crept out of his tent and ran for the fire, where a portion of meat had been left alone. He snatched up the victuals and prepared to dash back to his tent, but a voice called to him. "Sit." Almost immediately, he froze. He turned around slowly to find Agura and Arin by the fire. "We need to talk. It's about the crystals."

"What about them?" Pierre asked between bites. "Forgive me, but I need to eat something."

"That is why we left you that food," Arin said as he struggled to find comfort on the log he sat on. "However, back to the crystals, I told Agura already, but I have yet to tell you and Gordon. Now that all four crystal bearers have been gathered, it is time for those chosen to travel the world and restore the Crystals to their former glory."

"Travel the world?" Pierre repeated. "You mean to say once we return to Cornelia, we will be immediately leaving?"

"Seems to be that way, Pierre," Agura chimed in. "For drifters like me and Arin, it's kind of normal, but you and the other guy have to say your goodbyes."

"I feel sorry for Gordon," Arin added. "Not only was he forced to play a part in his own brother's end, but he must also leave the land he loves, as well as the princess."

"Well, then some good's come of this," Pierre grunted. "The farther away from the princess he is, the better." A sudden thought struck his mind. "That cad." He dashed away from the fire and ran for Gordon's tent. "No doubt he's taking advantage of the princess in her vulnerable state. Gordon!" Pierre tore open the door of the tent to find Gordon sitting alone, staring at the new opening. "G-"

"I asked to be alone," Gordon said softly. "Sarah, Arin, and the other man were thoughtful enough to honor the request. What do you want?"

"I didn't expect-"

"Didn't expect what?" Gordon's eyes narrowed on the swordsman, his patience wearing thin. "Oh, I see. You thought I'd be so callous as to use my own brother's death as a bid to gain unmerited attention from Sarah. I'm so sorry to disappoint your imagination. Would you feel better about me if I went into the forest and began kicking a wolf pup? Would that make you happy?"

"You may have fooled the others, but I know you're up to no good," Pierre grunted. Just then, a foul idea crossed his mind. "Oh, Gordon, I learned something from the others just now. Once we return to Cornelia, we will be leaving for our journey, perhaps for good. So tomorrow, you should say your goodbyes." Pierre laughed as he left the tent wide open. He started for the campfire again, but bumped into Agura on the way back. "Oh, uh-"

"I heard that," Agura growled. "I thought you of all people would know how it feels to be kicked when you're down."

"Agura, you don't know him like I do," Pierre said in his own defense. "He's a liar, a cheat, and a thief. The day he gets my sympathy is the day Mt. Gulg freezes over."

"Why you-" Agura threw his fist forward, stopping it a hair's breadth away from the warrior's face. "Nah, this is just a waste of my time." Agura dropped his arm and glared at the fighter as he made his way to his tent.

"The crystal holders are returning!" A Cornelian guard shouted from the gate. "And the princess is with them!" News of the rescue traveled quickly, reaching even to the throne room.

"They succeeded?" the chancellor gasped. "Incredible."

"Sire, they are nearly here," a guard announced. "Should I let them in."

"Please do. And find my wife and daughter as well," the king answered. Within a few minutes, the four men walked in, bringing the princess safely home. "Sarah!" The king nearly leaped from his throne and embraced his once missing daughter. "I'm so glad you are alright."

"Father, Sir Garland-" Sarah hoped to explain, but could not speak over her father's joy.

"I know, I know. Don't worry, We'll see to it that Garland is justly punished for his crime." The king stepped back and motioned to the four. "Sarah, you should show yourself to your mother, so she can put her worries to rest. I would like to speak with our brave heroes." Sarah did as her father asked and left the throne room. "I cannot thank you all enough for what you have done for me. This is cause for celebration! I request that you stay for a short while so we may honor you properly."

"A celebration?" Pierre gasped. "Hmm..."

"I don't know," Agura pondered. "See, even though you sent us after these two, we didn't do much. I wouldn't feel like I deserved it."

"Nonsense! I'm sure you did more than enough. You all saved my daughter's life from that wicked man."

"Your Highness, if I may be so bold," Arin spoke up, "I believe it would be in very poor taste for us to accept. While it is true the princess survived this perilous ordeal, I was forced to kill Sir Garland in the process."

"I see," the chancellor interjected. "I suppose that is why he was not with you when you returned?"

"That is correct," Arin said with a nod. "We attempted to convince him to abandon his plot, but he sought to use force to secure his position. After that, he began to fight like a man possessed of some unnatural evil, willing to slay even his own brother. It was then that I..." Arin stopped himself from speaking any more on the subject for Gordon's sake. "It would be best if we quietly left Cornelia to begin our journey."

"...I understand. Gordon, I ask for your forgiveness." The king stepped down from his throne and looked Gordon in the eye. "I did not fully consider what you had to lose from this ordeal. Please do not hold it against me."

"Y-Your Highness!" Pierre shouted. "This- this thief- is not worthy of your forgiveness!"

"That is up for me to decide, young knight," the king answered softly. "I caused him to draw a sword against his own brother, a dilemma I would not wish upon my greatest adversary."

"It's fine," Gordon finally answered. "What's done is done. Please excuse me, but I don't want to talk about it anymore." He directed his attention to Arin. "Let me know when you all are ready to leave." With that, he left the room and started for his secluded corner of the castle.