In Archadia.
"Lord Larsa, you called for me sire?" A judge entered the Emperor's chambers. Removed his helm then he paid his respects.
"Ah, Judge Gabranth. Yes, I was. Please have a seat." Larsa gestured for him to sit.
"It is about Judge Rhaene. I heard she's nowhere to be found again." Larsa stated.
"Yes, it has been a few days already. How should we address the matter, sire? Judge Gabranth asked.
"Hmm, I think we should let her be."
"But sire, a judge should be responsible enough to attend to her duties." Judge Gabranth protested.
Larsa smiled. "It is fine. Isn't she always around when we need her. That is her way of attending to her duties. Besides, don't we have enough Judge to maintain peace here in Archadia?"
Judge Gabranth remained silent.
"Are you worried about her well-being?" Larsa asked.
"No sire." Judge Gabranth answered.
"Hmm, that's good then." Larsa simply smiled then. "Ah, about yesterday's report….."
Inside Strahl
"You said you needed another arm to help, but what exactly do I do? I can't navigate, let alone pilot an airship." Aerenn asked Balthier as she entered the strahl.
"You don't need to do any of those, milady. You can leave that to us." He answered leaning against one of the seat.
"So what do you want me to do?" Aerenn sat down looking up at him.
"Just sit down and behave." Balthier smirks.
"Hmm less work for me." Aerenn answered rather coolly. "You'll have your bad day soon."
Balthier chuckled inwardly. "You've learned how to handle your temper. Keep that up and we shall have a long-term relationship."
"I'll take that as a compliment." Aerenn smiled.
Balthier then sits at the pilot's seat. "Have you ever been to Dalmasca, my dear?" he now readies the strahl for flight.
"On a few occasions, yes. Is our destination somewhere in Dalmasca?" She buckled herself to the seat for the take-off.
"Yes. In the fallen Fortress of Nalbina. Turns out, there seems to be a lost ruins somewhere in the Estersand." He said as the strahl takes flight.
"Treasure hunting, I see. But if Estersand is our hunting grounds then why not land in Rabanastre and I have never heard of lost ruins anywhere in Estersand." She looks upon the view outside the window. "I didn't think that I'd really get to ride this airship again so soon"
"My sources are in Nalbina and they have more information for us." He then puts the airship on auto-pilot. Aerenn and Fran both unfastened their seat belts.
"Hmmm.. I see. Though, your sources better be good." She answered back.
"They have never failed me, you see." Balthier said casually.
"We shall see." She smiles amusingly.
Aerenn took her time looking at the breath-taking scenery outside the window. They were literally above the clouds. A thought suddenly interrupt her mind.
"Fran, can I ask you something?" Aerenn stood up.
"Yes, what is it?" Fran listens attentively.
"Vieras don't usually leave their homes, right? And they're not the kind of race you'd see with humes." The atmosphere suddenly felt heavy.
"Oh great." Balthier thought.
"Oh sorry, was I not supposed to ask that? I'm really sorry." She felt apologetic as she sat back down.
"No it is fine. I shall tell you some other time." Fran goes back to what she was doing a moment ago.
Silence filled the air. The atmosphere feeling less tense by the minute but nevertheless it was oppressive. No one dared break the silence till they reached their destination. The flight was long as Balfonheim was far from Nalbina. When they arrived at Dalmasca it was already night time.
The air feels a lot lighter now as Balthier spoke. "I shall gather the more needed information with Fran. My lady, remain here and guard the airship while we are gone."
"I have a name Bathier, and you can drop the formalities. That will make things a lot easier for both of us, don't you think so?" She said as she stood leaning against the side of the door of the Strahl.
"You are improving by the minute. Hmm, Aerenn. Oh, we shall spend the night in the strahl as there are no inns here in Nalbina. I suppose that would be fine with our fellow skypirate?" Balthier smirks. "She really is interesting"
Aerenn chuckles a bit. "You can really be quite trusting. Leaving your precious airship to an almost stranger like me?" she said thinking "Payback for this morning" she grins inwardly.
Balthier let out a laugh. "I didn't think you can get so cunning in a matter of hours. But Aerenn, my lady, the strahl won't be taken by someone who doesn't know how to navigate let alone pilot an airship."
"I have always been cunning, mind you and you could have phrased it better, really." Aerenn was defeated in the battle of words but was evidently amused.
Balthier smiled. "Then we shall take our leave. Take good care of the airship now, you hear?" He said as both he and Fran walked out of the aerodome in Nalbina.
After they leave. "See, it paid off. He talks so casual to me now. I wasn't exactly defeated." Aerenn smiled.
She walked around the strahl. She avoided the cabins since it seems really rude to enter other people's cabin. Then a moogle came out of nowhere.
"Wha-! Oh, it's just a moogle. Sheeesh don't scare me like that." Aerenn knelt down to face the little cute moogle. "Hello." She smiled.
The moogle bowed to her. "Hello! My name is Nono. My job here is to maintain the airship and at the same time guard it."
"O-oh I see." She chuckled. "Hey, can I hug you?"
The moogle tilted it's head as if it didn't understand what Aerenn said. Then without due warning, Aerenn hugged the moogle. "It's so cute"
After a while she let go of the moogle. "I'm sorry, are you alright?" The moogle nodded.
"I'm really sorry about earlier. It has been long since I have seen a moogle." Aerenn apologizes again.
"It is fine, kupo" Nono smiled. "Kupo, I'm gonna rest now. Bye, kupo" Nono bowed then walked away.
"Bye, Nono" Aerenn said as she walked to the pilot's seat. "Hmm, what's taking them so long, I wonder" as she sat, she felt light-headed and then she fell asleep.
Few minutes later
"Aerenn, my lady?" Balthier calls out as he entered the strahl. He looked around a bit and spotted someone sitting on the pilot's seat. "Hmm" He quietly approached then there he saw her sleeping. "Looking so defenseless." He thought as Fran interrupted him.
"It might be best to carry her into the cabin." Fran said.
Balthier carried her and brought her to the unoccupied cabin.
Aerenn felt someone carrying her. She tries to open her eyes but failed.
Balthier puts her down and pats her head a little. "Have a goodnight sleep, my lady." Then he walked out closing the door behind him.
When the morning came, it wasn't noisy outside but surprisingly, Aerenn woke up early. "Hmm, where am I?" She looks around to find herself inside a cabin. "I guess that wasn't a dream after all." She stood up and fixed herself before going out.
When she got out, she looked around. Then she saw Balthier and Fran outside. She walked towards them.
"Good Morning, milady. I wasn't expecting you to be up so early." Balthier said as he saw Aerenn.
"So much for a 'good' morning" She thought as Fran greeted her good morning and she greeted back.
"I'm sorry for yesterday. It seems that I have fallen asleep." She apologizes.
"No, that is fine. Though, we have to leave soon since we have to traverse the Estersand. We have to look for the sand tribe, you see?" Balthier said as he stood up.
"The sand tribe? Why?" Aerenn asks.
"They hold valuable information that we need to find the ruins that we seek. We shall leave as soon as everybody is ready." Balthier said it with a hint of a commanding voice.
In the Estersand, just outside of Nalbina
"Before we leave, what kind of weapon do you use? Fran and I both use long-ranged weapon. I use guns and she uses bows or crossbows." Balthier states.
"Oh, I can use pretty much anything with a sharp blade. Though I usually settle for Katana, see?" Aerenn shows him her katana.
"Good, let's go."
They walked around the Estersand. There's not much threat to them since most of the monsters are wolves, cactites and cockatrices which has a very low level and only a few high-leveled Wild Saurian were around.
Balthier and Fran serves as a support and Aerenn cuts through enemies with such high speed. Most monsters get killed before they even get to act.
"Hmm.." Balthier observes her keenly.
Moments later…
"Uhm, Balthier? Any idea as to where the sand tribe is? We have been walking for hours already. The sun here in the desert doesn't seem too forgiving." Aerenn complains.
"Just a little more, milady. See there?" He points to a certain outpost which has the flag of the sand tribe. "Learn to be a bit more patient, yes?" He smiled then walked towards the outpost.
Aerenn frowns a little then followed them shortly.
At the outpost
They walked in and the tribe members don't seem too bothered. "I wasn't expecting them to welcome us." Balthier said.
Then Fran walked towards a man. "May I ask, where is the tribe elder?" she asked then the man pointed towards the farthest tent. "I see, thank you."
"There, huh? Well, let's not waste any time." Balthier said as he walked on with Fran and Aerenn following after him.
The tribe members look at them as they walk towards the tribe elder's quarters. Their look suggesting that this kind of thing happens often.
They arrived in front of the tent. A man that seems to be guarding the tent spoke up. "What is your purpose of seeking audience with the great elder?"
"We simply want information about the altar of Ashaf." Balthier answered.
The tribe members then murmur. "The altar of Ashaf they said. What do they need there?" They suddenly talked among themselves looking at the skypirates with such curious eyes.
"Let them in" the voice of an old man was suddenly heard through the murmurs.
The man outside the tent hesitated momentarily but then he paved the way.
Inside the Elder's Quarters
"I wasn't expecting a group of sky pirates." The elder spoke as he turned to face them. "My name is Caddo. The present Elder of the sand tribe. I have been expecting you. You hold something of importance to the sand tribe."
"Something of importance?" Balthier asked.
"The stone is with you, is it not what lead you to us?" Elder Caddo states.
"You mean this?" Fran showed the Elder the stone with tribal engravings.
Elder Caddo inspects the stone "It is indeed the stone that was once passed down from our ancestors to us, the descendants, unfortunately it was stolen from the previous Elder. It is Ashaf's stone. But, seeing that this stone has now returned to our tribe, this must be what the fates jest."
"I was never lucky with fate." Balthier said with a hint of annoyance.
"Ah young man, you said you came here for the altar of Ashaf, did you not? Unfortunately it can no longer be found." Elder Caddo said.
"What do you mean?" Aerenn asked. "Isn't Ashaf the God of the sand tribe?"
"Ashaf was indeed the God worshipped by the sand tribe, or at least it was. A certain tragedy had hit our tribes several generations passed. A sandstorm that was stronger than any other calamity occurred. It caused a lot of deaths from our tribe and even the loss of the altar our ancestors built to worship the God Ashaf. You could say it was the death of the sand tribe as well." Elder Caddo told the story with such great emotions.
"What? Then—" Aerenn interrupted herself then she looked at Balthier.
Balthier kept a straight face. "That stone. Wasn't it of great importance to this tribe? It must be used for something."
"Hmm, very sharp young man. It was said that this stone is the only stone that can light the way to the Altar of Ashaf. The previous elders tried everything in their power but none of them ever succeed in triggering the stone's power. Then it was stolen." Elder Caddo answers. "Though it was said that only the true guardian can use its power."
"True guardian? What does that mean?" Aerenn asked.
"We, elders think that he must be the direct descendant of our founders." Elder Caddo said.
"Elder! Elder!" The man guarding the tent earlier entered. "Kanza— *pants* Kanza is missing again!"
"What? That foolish boy." Elder Caddo looked worried then he looked at us "You are skypirates, right? I need your help."
"Great. Fate played its hands again." Balthier thought to himself.
"I need you to rescue that boy, Kanza. There is only one place he could possibly be. The problem is a giant scorpion is habiting near the place. No one from my people can take down such vicious monster." Elder Caddo looked desperate.
"Hmm.." Balthier played with Ashaf's stone as if trying to say something.
*grunts inwardly* "If you rescue Kanza then I'll tell you everything you want to know about the altar of Ashaf. Is that enough?" Elder Caddo cursed himself silently but he had no choice.
*smiles* "Then will you tell us where is this place?" Balthier stood and looked contented.
They all went out of the quarters and it was already night time. The Elder told them where to go shortly after they had come out. They prepared themselves for a while then they set out.
"The Elder said this way, right? Hmmm.." Aerenn said as they countinued to walk. "Oh hey, watch out!" she pulled Balthier back.
"Hmm?" Balthier looked down to where he was standing before. There was a quicksand. "How was she able to tell that before it actually happened?" he thought. "Why, thank you, milady." Then they walked further to the direction the Elder had told them.
Shortly after, they all saw a silhouette of a man.
"Is that him?" Aerenn spoke out then they walked towards the silhouette.
"Oh? I wasn't expecting strangers to come for me." Kanza looked as if he was expecting us. "Unfortunately, I have no plans of going back tonight. If you want me back then I'm afraid, you'll have to use force." He looks at us confidently.
Balthier laughed a little. "Hmm, very confident, I see."
As Balthier said that, Aerenn sneaked up at Kanza's back without him noticing. Aerenn drew a knife and put it against his throat. "Your sense of presence doesn't seem to be up to your confidence."
Kanza grunted. "Okay. I'm sorry. Can you please just put that knife away?"
Aerenn looked at Balthier and he gives the signal. Then Aerenn put the knife away. "So can you please come back with us now? Or I might be forced to do that again."
"Okay. I will but can that be a little later? I really need to do something here." Kanza looked towards the sands in front of us. "I must find it at all cost."
"What are you looking for?" Balthier asked, he seems interested.
Kanza walked slowly towards the sands and before he could even answer his body is already slowly eaten by a quicksand.
Aerenn, Fran and Balthier all helped but the quicksand was too big and it swallowed the four of them. They couldn't breathe until they all fell on hard ground with sand pouring over them.
"Oww. I think my butt's cracked." Aerenn stood and helped the others stand.
Once all of them seemed okay, they all looked around. "Where are we?"