They had to move faster. Coen feared having to face King Albert with the report that he had failed, again. Yet at the same time, the sooner they returned to Bale, the sooner something could be done about the missing Moon Scintillation.

He remembered that some of the mountain streams flowed down into the river that traced its way past Bale. Perhaps they could find a boat to take them down one of those. It would save days of traveling time if they could.

Coen voiced this idea to the others at the campfire that first night away from the forest of Rogue and its deadly inhabitants. Reezy wasn't keen on being on the water again, but he agreed that it was the best plan of action. Alakyl and Kongol had been absent from this discussion, as they had fallen asleep somewhere nearby. They had taken a liking to each other almost immediately, and the wolf enjoyed sleeping draped across the Giganto's arm.

Coen was glad he had at least remembered to bring some healing potions with him. He was even more glad to find that the glasses had remained miraculously intact. He gratefully rubbed the salve over his wounded hands, wincing as the healing effects took hold. Reezy was hesitant to use the substance at first, but in the end he too used it. He stared at his palms, amazed as the skin pulled itself back together. "Amazing," he said.

"It doesn't work as perfectly on more serious injuries," Coen explained. "But it does help."

"I can imagine. Wonder if Alakyl needs some..."

"She's obviously not in enough pain to forgo sleep. We can ask her tomorrow."

"Do you not have such things where you come from?" questioned Haschel.

"No. We keep...I think you call them fireflies. Keep them in little cages, carry them around with us."

"Rock fireflies?"

"I suppose."

"We have them around here, but they're pretty rare," Coen said.

"I don't think I've ever seen them in Tiberoa," Haschel mused.

"Oh, we raise them. They're rare in the wild back home too."

"Hmm. What brings you to Endiness, Reezy?" Haschel sat comfortably with his legs crossed, a hand resting on each knee.

"I followed my cousin here."

"Your cousin?"

"Yeah. Niira."

Haschel appeared thoughtful. "She lives here? Or was she just taking a trip and forgot to tell you?"

"She lives in Serdio. Well, she was born there."

"One of your people lives down here?"

"Er, her mother did. Niira's actually only half Northlander, he father'..."

"Don't tell me!" Haschel leaned forward. "She can't be Lavitz's daugher."

"Yeah." Reezy eyed him suspiciously.

"I thought the name sounded familiar."

"You know about her? I thought Lavitz wasn't too keen on talking about what happened."

"He wasn't. I actually heard about it from Dart. A mutual friend. Even Albert refused to say anything to us, out of respect for Lavitz."

"Speaking of the king..." Reezy stretched a leg. "How do you intend on telling him what happened?" The general question was directed at Coen.

"I don't know." Coen frowned. He wasn't looking forward to that at all. I always have the worst things to report.

"It's I who should be worried about that." Haschel played with the end of his mustache. "He entrusted me with the situation."

"It's not your fault," Reezy said, trying to comfort the older man. "I'm surprised you're even still alive after dealing with a Fireborn."

"That doesn't change the fact that the Moon Scintillation is gone. Albert's life depends on that object." Haschel sighed. "I doubt there'd be time to make another. I'm not even sure making another one is possible."

"Hey, there's still a chance we can get it back," the priest said. "We may not know where it is right now, but it's bound to turn up sooner or later. It was made for a single purpose, I doubt the magic could be twisted for any other use, even by Phoenix himself. And there's really no point in destroying something that could be used as a powerful bargaining chip. Yeah...it has to surface eventually."

"Yes, but how long will it take this Phoenix to figure that out? Albert may not have that kind of time."

This line of conversation chilled Coen. "Let's concentrate on getting to Bale first," he interjected. "One step at a time."

-----

The throne room was brightly lit by the sunlight that streamed in through the tall windows. Nobles paced around the main floor, and up by the thrones, Albert's trusted advisor Minister Noish was talking with a knight whose name Coen couldn't recall off the top of his head. Upon the group's entrance, all eyes were turned to them.

Coen immediately went down on one knee, bowing to his king. "Your majesty. We have returned from the task you sent us on."

"What did I say about large groups, Coen?" Though Albert's voice had the friendly lilt of familiarity, he also sounded tired.

"They insisted on coming, my lord."

"Very well. Rise and tell us of your travels."

Coen did as such, pulling himself as upright as he could. Albert was leaning back in his throne, a posture not typical of the king. Coen thought he looked as if he had lost weight since their departure, but he tried not to dwell on it. "If you don't mind, your majesty, this is for your ears only." He has to know now. He has to know that we failed.

The king only nodded and waved away Noish. The minister called for the throne room to be vacated; the nobles obeyed, heading for the various exits. Albert even sent his wife away. Coen wondered if she knew of the truth behind the king's apparent illness. When the last door had closed, Coen and his group dared approach the throne.

"What happened?" Albert asked, his voice low.

"It was my fault," Haschel started.

"Mine too," Kongol thundered.

"My friend..." The king was going to say something else, but he was stopped by a fit of coughing.

When the coughing subsided, Haschel continued. "I had the Moon Scintillation. I had it in my hands...I thought it had been locked away where no one could get to it. But then...we were attacked by an enemy we did not know how to fight."

"Fireborn, you majesty," Reezy added. "And some of Phoenix's personal troops."

"Phoenix?" Albert's voice was weak now. "He's that 'great enemy' Marach always spoke of, isn't he?"

"Yes."

There was a sudden rage in the king that made the back of Coen's neck tingle. "What the hell does he think he's doing, hounding an innocent party?" Albert's brown eyes narrowed dangerously, and in the moment Coen could see the old fire in him, the fighting spirit that could turn the peace-loving king into a warrior.

"I have no idea." Reezy's face expressed confusion. "I said to them before, it is a very strange move for him. He wouldn't do it unless he wanted to try to force something from you using the Moon Scintillation as the leverage."

Coen suddenly felt a panic. "Niira?" If her uncle knew she was down here, and he wanted her back, was there something about her that made her desirable to Phoenix as well?

Alakyl growled, shaking her head.

"She says that he does know that she's here, but that's not who or what he's after," Reezy translated.

"That doesn't help my current situation," Albert said. "So, I'm assuming these 'Fireborn' took the Moon Scintillation. Where is it now?"

"Well...I think it's the Fireborn who have it now, in which case it'd be wherever they're camping out now. But, if the musteliforms took it, there's really no telling where it is now. It could just be at one of their camps, or Phoenix could have it already. In either case, it's going to be damn near impossible to retrieve it."

"Do you have any idea where either group is located?"

"No." Reezy looked ashamed. "I wish there was more I could do for you. We've been fighting them for centuries and we still haven't figured out their patterns of movement outside of war."

"I appreciate your concern," the king said calmly. He sighed, shuddering from the pain the deep breath drew. "I guess there is nothing we can do at the present time," he said at last.

"Bead Pouncer might know more about them, since he's more in touch with Serpent Mother than I am."

"Then we'll just have to wait for him to return." Albert managed a smile. "In the mean time, I'd like to talk with you, Master Haschel and Kongol. It's been years now, hasn't it?"

-----

The Fallen magician-priests had sent the word to him. The humans knew their precious Moon Object was missing now. He closed his eyes happily, rubbing his clawed hands together. Good. His plan was working perfectly.

Soon, Serpent Mother, this pointless war will be at an end. Your precious thread of hope will shortly be in my claws, and you along with her. He hissed with pleasure. He had waited for this moment ever since their arrival on this world. The moment when all creatures would bow to him, or perish beneath his flames.

Now...we wait for her to return. Even if she finds the Seventh, that will not change the outcome.

They are all pawns in my hand.

-----

Okay. With switch between the two groups, there may be some confusion as to what happens when. Basically, the only thing you need to know is that Niira's group left first, but Coen's group returns first. Everything in between isn't really on a set timeline. So feel free to interpret that however.