The guild knight stared into the lava, he turned round slowly. "Put them in there" he said, pointing into the centre of the volcano. One of the thuggish men put a tree trunk leg forward before seeing a strange glint flash before him; he lowered his face to the ground observing a single zeni. More dropped from the ledge above him, he looked up, the penultimate thing to go through his brain was the word mother, and the last thing was a giant sword that made his head splatter against the rock wall. What first appeared to be rock slowly rose up and raised a slate grey arm while extending a fateful finger without looking, towards the other thug, he backed away fearfully before slipping over the ledge that loomed above the centre of the volcano, and he fell into the volcanic magma and was dissolved instantly. The guild knight grabbed his left gauntlet made of Gravios claw and put a sword across his throat. The hooded man stopped instantly, "I'd put that big sword down, boy" snarled the knight, just as he was about to drop it, I put a bullet through the back of the knights head.
"I'm back, baby".
I dragged myself to the wall as the grey robed figure walked towards me, head down, the peak of his hood covering his eyes revealing only a sly smile. I turned my pistol to him, cocking it again in a threatening fashion, he stopped. The smile seemed to twitch and then grew. He grabbed his Enforcer's Axe and raised it to the sky. "I don't think you're in a position to tell me what to do, I could kill you in an instant, but I have more dignity than to kill someone who has been stabbed. You need a healer, come with me". I regarded what I could see of his face, he seemed genuinely concerned. I looked at Megan who was still unconscious with bruises on her face, she had been beaten badly. "Fine" I said, it was the only option and things couldn't get much worse.
The mysterious figure led us to the plains at the bottom of the volcano; Arran was carrying Megan as I was too weak. He stopped and turned around "we're here" he said and pointed to a small cave. We walked over to the cave and peered in, a fire was going but its light was engulfed by the darkness, its warmth was also pointless in an extremely hot environment, therefore it must have been used for cooking something. Sure enough, sweet smells wafted from the cave, tempting us to go in further. A voice came from the cave, soothing and familiar. "Come in" the voice said. We did and the light cast over an old woman's face, which we recognized instantly.
The Pokke village chief. "I haven't seen you for a while, Zak". I started in surprise, looking at the old woman, she smiled. "I have been on the run from the guild too, you created some ripples Zak, and they tried to kill me too. Treshi told me about this cave, its warm and I have everything I need due to the fertile soil at the bottom of the volcano" I looked back out of the cave "I'm really sorry" I said remorsefully. She smiled again walking forward. "No need to be sorry, I'm going soon anyway my child" she said a strange haze across her face. "Going where" I asked, already knowing the real answer. She turned away again. "Away" she said simply and wandered back into the cave, the darkness swallowing her. That was the last time I saw her.
I walked back out, the shadowed man stood in the doorway. "She won't be coming out of there" he said in somber tone. I grabbed him, swung him around and pinned him against the wall.
"YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HER, WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!!!?" I screamed. He retained his calm and stared me in the eye, his hood had fallen off and I saw his face for the first time. His narrow face slanted down in a position of guilt shaded only by a glimmer of cool. "My name is Alexandor Volfring, second member of the Tracker Division of the Shadow Order. I tracked you until you were hit by guild forces, I saw you get a sword through your stomach." I stopped and then said "so why didn't you do anything then?" Alexandor smiled and slowly lifted his face "I needed to see what they would do". I let go of him, in shock of his apparent lack of sensitivity. "You unfeeling bastard" I snarled and punched him across the face. He fell down but did not break his cool, I went for him again but Arran held me back this time. "Don't, Zak. We haven't time!" I stopped and turned round to confront Arran. There were Guild men riding towards us on Kirins. A light flashed across the sky as we saw the Elder Dragon Observation Balloon signaling to us, we ran to it as it lowered down, Arran hauled Megan up onto the deck and climbed up after her.
Me and Alexandor ran but the balloon was taking off because it was receiving heavy fire from the guild men. They dropped a frayed rope from the deck, I tried to grab it but missed as it slipped over the canyon, and I kept running and leapt off the edge of the canyon, for a terrifying moment I thought I missed the rope, falling into the gaping mouth of the blackness I swung wildly about for a hold. I got it, the rope tugged my arm, ripping the muscle, Alexandor was still sprinting, the large sword on his back swinging as he leaped into the air, he wasn't going to make it. I reached my free hand out and he grabbed it, pulling me down, the force so great the flesh was torn from my hand, I screamed in pain. Alexandor climbed over me and held out his hand, I took it and he hauled me up onto the deck. "Truce?" he asked looking at me, I stared at him regarding him cool expression "Truce" I agreed as the balloon sailed over the volcano.