Character Counter: 1
Chapter 50: The Price to Pay
Ortal paced impatiently in his chambers. He had repeatedly summoned Scipio's presence and was repeatedly told that the Judge had allegedly "run off" to some place unknown. To even think that he was inconvenienced by a fool made Ortal burn, he could not stomach the thought that his plans could, and most probably would, crumble because of him, him and his mask and lies.
'Lies? You think me a man of law, a liar? Oh, how treacherous the mind is. It is extremely difficult to rein such a troubled mind. Inconvenience, threat and shadows, such thoughts bay like wounded hounds upon the moor.'
Ortal could barely believe what he heard. He wheeled about and saw Scipio standing in front of the double doors, his chin raised arrogantly and his grin smug across his face. He found it increasingly inhuman for Scipio to sneak in let alone…what he just said. It was as if…
'H-how, what…' Ortal stuttered, his voice lost in his confusion, or terror.
'Don't worry, your forms, some days overdue since your behest, has been taken care of. I personally delivered the statements to the foundries. I knew you would stir had I not made the proper documentations,' Scipio puffed his cheeks and slouched his shoulders, attempting to reduce his height to match Ortal's and then, mockingly said in what appeared to be Ortal's coarse voice, 'I need legalization to guise my sinister plots against Ivalice,' than he burst into laughter.
Ortal managed to collect his shattered nerves, he took a deep breath before his locked his gaze on the fidgeting Majister, 'Listen here, boy, I will not have you in my own chamber mocking me!'
'Then I shall continue this outside.' Scipio suddenly stiffened. His grin had vanished and his lips were gently curved downwards. His eyes, concealed as always, were no longer straining.
Ortal, breathing deeply, pointed a mad finger at Scipio, he opened his mouth to say something but the words were lost entirely so he closed his maw shut, shaking his head, he searched his bewildered mind for the promulgations.
He could not afford to cross this serpent, not yet. He still had need of him; the nethicite was not in his possession yet.
'A wonderful trick, she taught me. The key to her victory over me,' Ortal looked at Scipio in confusion, 'Oh don't mind my rambles, I am simply stating.'
'Get out.' Ortal said, after another deep breath. To maneuver around such a cunning and unpredictable man who had the army still at his disposal would be a hard task. At one word, Scipio could command the entire armed force to waste the surrounding lands. The soldiers were mindless sheep who followed their commander faithfully, so long as he was infinitely superior to them. Without strategy or guidance the army would soon fall to a foe that had employed a simple pincer, and to the four winds, the army will scatter as dust.
Scipio bowed a little, and left. Is he employing a pincer, Ortal thought. Once he had the stone in his hands, he'd send the proper assassin to deal with Scipio. He knew of a woman who would kill regardless of whom the target may be at the cost of Gil. A price Ortal was more than capable of paying.
XOXOXOX
Scipio walked happily to the ministry, his arms swinging by his sides, a lively smile upon his face. He turned every head towards him, no Judge reputed for genocide walked with a happy smile in broad daylight.
He had reached the ministry, the tall grey building in all its glory.
He entered the lobby as he had always done in the past weeks, the receptionist greeted him politely, her red hair swinging as she lifted her head to greet him. He scaled the several flights of stairs until he got to the Majistrate floor, the floor in which seven Majisters once served. Now there were only two to guide Law's hand in Archades.
Scipio's office was the smallest and the farthest from the landing. He approached his door silently. He gripped the knob and twisted and pushed it at the same time.
'Hello,' that sultry voice was what greeted the Judge Majister as he entered his office. Sure enough, there was Hilaneya, her almost scarlet lips curved into a seductive smile and her face had lit up at the sight of Scipio. Scipio's smile had gone now.
'Off the desk,' Scipio said in a rough voice anybody would have noticed as unfamiliar to the wily Judge. Striding forward purposefully, he shooed her off his beloved desk like a dog, gesturing her aside with his hands.
'No need for such gruffness.' Hilaneya remarked with a light tone. Nevertheless, she alighted from his desk, her heels making a rhythmic sound as they hit the floor.
With an annoyed sound, Scipio sat down immediately and threw his upper body all over the desk's surface. He glared at Hilaneya through his mask, his scarlet eyes if it even was possible, grew narrower at the sight of Hilaneya looking at him with raised eyebrows, one hand on her hip.
'No more space for you,' Scipio said as he tried to cover the rest of the desk with his arms, 'You may leave if you wish.'
Hilaneya's eyebrow if it was possible traveled higher. 'Maybe no room on the desk,' she replied brightly, her tone free from any stabs of irritation. "But there are lots on the seat.'
Without another word, she scooted over to his side of the desk and plopped her self beside Scipio, positively squeezing beside the armored man. She folded her arms smartly and with a smug smile on her face, she looked at Scipio, 'See?' she said, her voice weaved with triumph.
Scipio continued to glare at her, refusing to say anything. For some reason, that made Hilaneya laugh softly under her breath.
'I give up," she said, raising her palms in defeat. She moved out of Scipio's seat, but before Scipio could marvel at his triumph, Hilaneya pounced on the desk once more.
Hilaneya shoved Scipio to the side, creating some space for her upon the desk. She folded her legs, tucking one over the other and rested her arms on her knees, her amber eyes directed at the scarlet-eyed Scipio.
There was an enduring stillness which discomforted Hilaneya; she disliked long silences. She slowly turned her head towards Scipio, who had pointedly continued to ignore her presence and chose to stare out his large window, and gazed thoughtfully at his profile
'This is boring.' Hilaneya said, and though that was meant as a whine, there was no trace of it in her tones.
An exasperated sigh came from Scipio, a sound that again usually would not be heard from him. He looked at Hilaneya, his mask betraying nothing. 'Then find means to occupy your mind.' Scipio replied dryly.
Hilaneya unfolded her right arm and started poking Scipio's cheek.
'I fail to see how this can occupy your mind.' Scipio remarked sarcastically as Hilaneya kept pressing.
Chuckling, she curtly responded, "You know you owe me."
"For what?" Scipio ejaculated in far rougher voice than the situation deemed necessary. It did not deter Hilaneya however, for she just laughed again and leaned back, using her arms for support, she studied Scipio pensively.
"How long has it been Scipio?" she asked, and this time her voice was devoid of the flippancy that she had first carried when he entered his office. Even her amber eyes seemed to have darkened in depth. Scipio, who had gone back into his thoughts resurfaced to look at her behind his mask, eyebrows knitted under that piece of form-fitting mask.
"You do not need me to answer that." He had intended to say that to her harshly, but it came out soft, almost tender, as if he too had been thinking of those memories.
Memories he had cared to shove at the back of his mind, because it showcased the feelings and the only bit of humanity he ever had, at least that was what the Judge told himself. The main reason was that a majority of those memories involved the woman sitting on his desk right now, auburn hair and gold eyes and whose character was as complicated as his own.
Those memories which he had thought to have been lost forever were slowly being resurrected, simply by Hilaneya's presence alone. How many years have indeed been since she last saw her? He had lost count. And even then he had thought she had indeed fallen to the human disease of death and mortality. He was foolish to think she would not share the fate which also had befallen him.
He leaned back on his chair now, legs crossed and fingers gently steepled as he surveyed and studied this woman before him. Red-streaked ebony hair fell across the already shaded face that was partially hidden by that mask. How long has it indeed been? And just what did it mean that her presence was revealed to him, at this moment during the process of his planning? Looking at her now, this boon and bane of his existence, he did not know if he would let it be that he would allow her to be as close as to him as their pasts had been. He knew better, he was no longer that Scipio. He was Judge Majister and he would remind her thus. However, before he opened his mouth to say something, Hilaneya herself moved closer, leaning in, so her face was directly in front of his.
"I have missed you, you know." She whispered in that soft and silky voice of hers that Scipio immediately stiffened in defense. How many times had that voice brought peril to him, he would do better to be cautious. Scipio moved to lean further back, but Hilaneya was quicker, for she trapped his chin with two of her fingers, bringing his face even closer still, their breaths almost mixing. Hilaneya then traced his jaw line gently with her fingertips, a ghost of a smile upon her lips.
Then suddenly, to Scipio, he sensed something else with Hilaneya's sweet breath. Something he had thought he would never again find. Something that was definitely going to be useful in his plans for the future. Grinning now, he closed their distance and he was sure it took Hilaneya by surprise, for he kissed her, his lips gently touching her own, waiting until Hilaneya responded before he pulled back.
Leaning against his chair once more, Scipio allowed that grin to grace his features. Red eyes gazed at the somewhat befuddled Hilaneya, knowing full well that he would be the master and she the slave.
XOXOXOX
"When will they come?" Yvelle's voice sounded loud even though she had whispered it in the softest of voices to nobody in particular. The party was still standing in the middle of the circular cavern, in a tight circle formation, their guards up and ready, but still nothing could be heard but the steady dripping of some water from the ceiling to the floor. Nobody answered her. Nobody knew. Even Fran with her heighted senses seemed to be confused for her face showed some emotion, some concentration on her knitted brow, her ruby eyes darting here and there, trying to listen, trying to feel. But there was nothing.
"I do not understand." The Viera said a couple of minutes into the silence again. Her tightly wounded stance seemed to go slack, for she straightened, and her grip on her bow loosened. "I feel them, moving about, but they are not there. I can almost see them, and they move about, but they are pale, like wisps of cloud. They are like phantoms, but they are there." Fran seemed to widen her ruby-red eyes before turning to look at Balthier standing beside her, gun slung over his shoulder.
He on the other hand, gave a one-shouldered shrug, as if to cast her worry aside. "You feel them, am I right? So let us not fret, those monsters are just bidding their time. Smarter lot than this pile here, if I do say so myself." He gestured at the carcasses littered about. Somewhere around him he heard Vaan snigger and Penelo giggle.
"What I should be asking, however, is if you are all right Fran," Balthier turned his attention back to his partner, after casting a grin over to Vaan and Penelo. He lowered his voice and looked at his Viera partner. Without looking suspicious, Balthier edged closer to her and laid one hand on her deep-brown skinned arm. Fran did not give any indication that she heard him nor felt the touch but a second later, one of the corners of her mouth twitched and Balthier stepped back. The minute he did however, the ground started to shake violently.
"What the-----?!" Vaan's rude remark was lost at the rumble of the earthquake as the party struggled to stay upright.
"No need for vulgarity Vaan," even at the rumble of the ground, Balthier's voice was smooth and as calm as ever. "We are all civilized people here!"
Before Vaan could formulate a proper retort, the rumbling and the shaking of the ground stopped, and most of them staggered to maintain their balance.
"What was that?" Larsa asked, straightening from his crouched position, looking about the hall as if trying to discern the earthquake's source.
"That, my dear Emperor is called and earthquake." Balthier answered smartly, surreptitiously dusting imaginary and real dirt from his linen shirt. Before he could add anything however, the temperature suddenly dropped. Everything went cold and the party stood still, shocked by the sudden temperature change.
"Necrofiends!" Vaan cried, bringing his Ultima blade into cross guard, calling to his companions at the arrival of the beasts. For suddenly, out of the ground, there materialized several semi-transparent fiends, part-ghosts and part armor, their arms flailing about as if they were nothing but wisps of cloud and cloth though their torsos were as corporeal as the weapons the party held. With each coming Necrofiend the temperature in the room seem to further drop and their breaths made small puffs in the air with each exhale. The Necrofiends seemed to materialize more and more with each passing breath, drawn to the party from the dead carcasses lying about. With each beast the party had brought down meant more Necrofiends to vanquish.
"Anybody remember how we destroyed this beasties?" Balthier muttered under his breath at his companions, checking his gun to see if it was indeed loaded. Memories of their battles at Pharos came to mind and Basch, who seemed to remember exactly what to do, turned to Larsa and Yvelle, who were standing in the middle of their circle, the others around them.
"Can you two cast a Firaga spell?" the Judge Majister murmured softly, as if not catch the attention of the Necrofiends which were still materializing before them. Frost had started to form and evidence of that were at the hems of their clothes, and the slight shivering most of the party made. There was a thick wall of Necrofiends surrounding them.
Larsa, sweeping his long black locks away from his face nodded. His golden Royal Edge glinted from the dull lights cast by the mine's glow. "Most certainly."
Basch looked over to Yvelle and met her amethyst-colored eyes. There was definitely some fear there but she quickly hid them with a shake of her head and a firm nod.
"I can."
Basch nodded satisfactorily. Still with that lowered voice, he looked towards the Necrofiends, spear held loosely in his hand. "On my signal, you will cast them simultaneously, on us."
"Beg pardon?" Larsa asked confused. "You ask us to cast a Firaga spell on all of us?"
"Correct. I would advise the casting of Holy, but they are numerous. It would lead to no end." Basch said somberly with an intense look at the young Emperor. He swiveled his head around to face the encroaching adversaries.
"Is this appropriate?" Larsa asked, still puzzled over Basch's commands.
Basch nodded without looking at them. "We must conserve our energy. Yvelle, if you would be so kind to cast Hastega," he said instead, still murmuring. Yvelle, without a second's thought, whispered the spell and the glowing blue cogs of magick representing the spell fell over the party. The Necrofiends, if it was possible multiplied and moved closer to their tight circle.
"Penelo," Balthier whispered cocking his gun now, Fran gently extracting three arrows from her quiver and fitting them unto her bow. Vaan gripped tighter on his blade. Penelo nodded, Larsa seeing only her back, her braids bouncing slightly.
"Reflectga" she murmured, the spell escaping from her mouth with a puff of her breath. Larsa also felt Penelo's spell drape over him like a soft blanket. Then he understood.
"Very well," he murmured and he prepared to cast the spell. Yvelle straightened up, her palms already glowing an eerie orange.
"On my signal," Basch reminded again, one foot retreating behind the other in preparation of attack, "One," Penelo flashed her ninja blades.
"Two," Balthier raised his pistol. Vaan prepared his blade. Fran tossed her snow-white hair.
"THREE!!" The last number was shouted onto the air as simultaneously Larsa and Yvelle shouted their spell, at the same as the Necrofiends descended upon them, thinking they were easy prey. The combined fire spell which was dangerous enough, rebounded off the party, because of the reflect spell that Penelo cast, and exploded onto the fiends, the flames exploding into an impossible inferno, raising the temperature back with alarming speed.
However that was not enough for all the Necrofiends to perish for several more appeared though not as quite as many as they were previously.
"I think we can take them now!" Vaan cried in a confident way, his eyes positively shining with excitement.
"It would save us a great deal of Mist," Basch said, as they prepared for the Necrofiends to descend upon them again. "What say you Balthier?" the blond man turned to the brunette with a slight grin on his face.
"Well," Balthier pretended to consider the question. "I never really like to get my hands dirty, but I have been very bored lately. If you ask me, you should be the one who's worried. Old age and all that."
Basch gave a grunt, as if to say exactly what he thought of Balthier's remark. Balthier grinned slyly but turned to look at Penelo. "If you please Penelo,"
The Necrofiends were descending upon them again, just as Penelo muttered "Dispelga" under her breath.
"Here we go!!" Vaan cried and that last word was lost into a great war cry as he pulled back and stabbed with as much force as he can to the nearest Necrofiend's corporeal armor. Fran had leapt considerably into the air, body spinning in a tight circle as she rained arrows on the Necrofiends below. She landed with easy grace back down and before she even straightened up, arrows were already notched and she was shooting them, Balthier shooting from his Fomalhaut as cover for her.
Penelo had run up to the nearest Necrofiend and with great slashes from her blades, brought it down. Before the Necrofiend could totally disappear to oblivion, she was onto her next fiend, her loud war cry sharp and echoing.
If Penelo was loud, Basch was hardly eloquent. He executed stop-thrust after stop-thrust just releasing a few grunts here in there to show his effort. Behind him was Larsa, his Royal Edge and his Golden Coil in perfect combination as he spun in an ever-spinning circle.
Yvelle was the only one stationary, muttering spells under her breath, both augmentative and both destructive. Thanks to Penelo's training, Yvelle had finally managed to learn some of the spells appropriate for her Mist power at the moment. Because of the increasing speed she was learning to cast her spells, she was able to quickly recast the augments needed for her group mates when they expired.
Just when the Necrofiends were all but gone, another loud rumble, this time from above interrupted the fray. Looking up, the party saw the ceiling quaking, bits and pieces of rock falling down towards them, as if the ceiling was about to collapse.
Before anybody of them could guard themselves, a loud explosion finally triggered the caving in and collapsing of the ancient mine roof, falling towards the party, reminiscent of their accident only a few yards back.
"Again?!!!" Vaan cried as his fingers frantically conjured the appropriate spell.
"It's too late to stop it!!!!" Penelo cried, her arms automatically shielding herself from the falling rocks.
"Protect and Shell now!!!" Balthier's voice was devoid of calm for once as they dodged pieces of the collapsing ceiling.
"Damn!" Basch yelled as Larsa cried over to Fran who was jumping over falling rocks.
Fran had stopped and turned to the party. "We need to get out of here!" Vaan's voice was heard as Penelo dodged the rocks as best she could. "The ceiling's going to cave in!!! We can't dodge all of it!!!"
"All exits are blocked!!" Basch yelled from over his shoulder, though the marks for Protect and Shell spells fell over the party. His mind was rushing to think of an alternative, though the spells had saved them from the most immediate of the pieces of the ceiling, they needed to get away. Almost as if to answer him, a glow emulated from one of his side pouches, an eerie topaz brown, and in haste, Basch extracted it. It was a glyph. An esper glyph. A grin flashed across his face before he quickly muttered the conjuring spell, thinking and hoping to the Gods for once to save them from this dilemma.
XOXOXOX
Queen Ashe straightened up from her study of the papers on her desk. Another day, another seemingly boring day filled with paperwork and petty problems. She leaned back against her chair, brushing the long ash-brown hairs that had fallen over the simple circlet over her head with one easy stroke. She leaned her chin against this hand while the other held a silver pen between her slim fingers.
She was looking at her calendar for activities, and so far there was nothing there that she was looking forward to. All the dates had either "paperwork" filed under them or visiting the various districts of Rabanstre. How utterly boring and dull. Not for the first time did she regret not going with her friends in their search at Henne Mines.
Friends…Ashe stumbled over the word. She had automatically referred to them as her friends. With Penelo and her childish behavior but nonetheless positive outlook in life, with Basch and his rough exterior but Ashe knew the times the man would speak so softly to a little child, Larsa with his idealistic ideas and political upbringing yet still very much a young man inside. And Vaan. Vaan with his dusty blond hair and dark blue eyes and that grin that made Ashe believe that he reserved only for very few people.
She wondered where they were now, if they had managed to find anything at Henne, and if they were all alright. Biting her lip in a very Penelo gesture she summoned one of her handmaidens to her office.
"Where is the maiden Zirenne?" Ashe asked as the maid entered and curtsied before her sovereign. The maid quickly retreated while promising to fetch the young woman.
Zirenne was a hunter from Phon Coast who had kindly enough brought Vaan's Galbana into port at Dalmasca by Ashe's orders. The queen had extended an invitation for the young woman to stay for a few nights before she would return to Phon Coast.
Consequently, Ashe had asked several experts to discreetly give her information about this supposed female friend of Vaan. For security purposes, was her avowed one, and Ashe knew she was not the jealous type, so there was absolutely no jealousy involved with that request. Absolutely none. Anyway, the reports returned that the young woman had been a resident of Rabanstre for a few years before and during the Great War before she moved to Phon Coast where she took up the merchant business to help hunters. So technically, Zirenne was a citizen of Dalmasca and therefore under Ashe's rule.
Before the maiden was to arrive however, the Queen detected something behind her, out on the balcony that she used whenever she would look out to the remains of Bahamut. Instincts kicking in, she turned to look, but there was nothing. Not to be deterred, her hand slowly dropped the silver pen she was holding to extract the small dagger at the underside of her desk. It was a weapon she often did not use, and was mostly kept hidden, but if she was going to be attacked in her own office, without her guards, she would not be caught unprepared.
Not bothering to think of who could possibly have the audacity to attempt to assassinate her, (she had dealt with several attempts even before she was crowned), Ashe nimble stepped away from behind her desk to proceed to the balcony and catch whoever was there by surprise. Tapered fingers grasped the gossamer curtains lightly ready to strike, when she was abruptly pulled aside and trapped between her attacker and the wall.
"Unhand me!" she said the first thing that popped in her mind as she felt the solid cement of the wall behind her. 'You have no right to apprehend a Queen!'
'My apologies your Majesty.' Whispered her attacker and Ashe snapped her eyes open, faintly recognizing the voice.
'Captain Sephyr.' The Queen said almost with bewildered breathlessness. And sure enough, the Captain of the Order of Tournesol stood before her, his silver hair catching the late afternoon sun giving it almost a white color. But still there he was, standing over her and with an intense in his green eyes bade her to be still.
Almost too late did Ashe fully realize what their body language would look like to an unsuspecting servant or soldier. With Ashe pinned to the wall by what seemed to be the considerable bulk of Captain Sephyr's weight, the Queen herself felt her face grow hot with embarrassment. The Captain however, seemed to not notice anything for he merely brought a gloved finger over his lips, a sign of silence before he stealthily took Ashe's place before the gossamer curtains. Ashe had barely a chance to think how the Captain entered her study when the Archadian stepped out into the balcony, only to return a few moments later, the golden Tournesol flashing before the Captain sheathed it. Then he proceeded with a closer inspection of the study as if he was looking for something. Ashe followed him with her steady grey eyes before she fully realized what he was doing.
"What are you doing?" she said with all the indignation she felt, standing straight and her eyes flashing.
Captain Sephyr continued to do whatever he was doing before he answered her. 'I have come with news from Archadia, your Majesty." He bowed before her, as if he had arrived via the door of her office and not some random obscure way that Ashe would like to know.
"Clearly." Ashe said as coldly as she could, her arms folded and eyebrows raised. That all in all to hide the embarrassment she felt at their previous tableau. She moved away from her position to walk over to her desk, something she did not recognize as defense on her part.
"You had better have a good reason for coming here unannounced Captain.' She continued, her hand skimming over her paperwork before raising her eyes to meet that of the Archadian. 'You may answer to another, but as of this moment, you are in my domain. You will find that Dalmasca does not take treason and trespass very lightly.' Her voice was calm enough but one would recognize the thinly veined threats behind her words, a skill the Queen took years to perfect and had now the ability to procure as second nature.
The Captain bowed again and he did not give any outward sign that he was affected by the Queen's biting tone.
'I have come here with the possibility that my lord has returned here. I have had information of what intended location he intended to reach but was unsure of the time he was spend there. I was also not aware that you have returned. It was my intention only to stop by a moment.'
'Well, he has not returned here and I have no news as to where he is aside from the information also given to you I am sure.' Queen Ashe also noted the withdrawal of definite names and places from the Captain and recognized it as one of the security measures when dealing with delicate matters. " Therefore, he may still be there. You could look there if you want and trace him from there."
Captain Sephyr merely nodded again. The Queen slowly eased her folded arms. 'Will there be enough time for you as to relate to me the information you have for your lord? After all, this matter also involves other nations. Not just your own.'
For once, she could admit she was curious. What had urged the Captain to come looking for Larsa in Dalmasca? A desperate and hasty move, in Ashe's opinion, and that would mean that things were not as good in Archades as she had hoped. Soon enough, her suspicions were confirmed for as the Captain elaborated the information without hinting much to any possible listeners, it was very obvious that things have escalated for the worst in Archades and therefore must be taken into notice.
"I must reach my liege lord at once and relate this information to him at once. Those were my orders." The Captain said smoothly and surely, looking out at the balcony and to Ashe perhaps towards Bahamut as well.
"They would be there." Ashe found herself saying, surprised that she was doing a small measure of means to comfort him. Or whatever you would call it. It was certainly something she was unaccustomed to doing.
"Then I must take my leave.' Captain Sephyr straightened abruptly and bowed once again to the Queen and made to leave. The Queen, who had rapidly come to a decision, bade him to stop with a single word.
When Sephyr turned to look at the Queen inquiringly, the Queen folded her arms in a nonchalant matter. "How exactly will you get there? By foot?"
Captain Sephyr's look that he was reluctant to reveal any information only affirmed Ashe's suspicions. "I have a proposal for you Captain."
Again that inquiring look from the Head of the Order of the Tournesol. This time, the Queen allowed a ghost of a smile to grace her lips. "If you intend to go there by foot, it would take you a fair amount of time. By then, they would surely have left and you would have no clues as to where they are next to go. I doubt they would return here. Therefore, I am offering a spare ship in my Aerodome for your perusal."
"That is generous, your Majesty." Was all Sephyr said but the surprise was evident in his green eyes. "I could not possibly accept. It would be traced and there would be more trouble than it is worth."
"Do you know how to pilot an airship Captain?" Ashe asked as if their conversation did not involve the end of the world or something like that. The Captain merely nodded.
"Then are you must be aware of cloaking devices?"
"I am afraid I am not adept with airship lore, your Majesty." The Captain was withdrawn with his answers and the line in his mouth growing thinner and thinner by the minute.
"Then it is a good thing I am somehow adept then." The Queen was unusually cheerful in her replies, maybe perhaps it was because things were turning to her favor. "Please allow me to accompany you."
She had said politely enough but she was a woman with authority and power, and people in that position rarely asked for anything rather than demand it thoroughly. Sephyr could merely cock his head in silent surprise.
"Forgive my impudence, but does it not require for your presence to be always present in Rabanastre, your Majesty?"
The Queen flicked those stray hairs away from her face again; she had been anticipating that question. Before she could open her mouth to say anything, the door opened and in came Zirenne.
"You summoned me Your Majesty?" the hunter asked after a deep bow for the Queen. Not surprisingly, the Captain had disappeared the minute Zirenne entered the office.
The Queen smiled at her guest, surprising herself with the sudden friendly feelings she sprouted for this supposed friend of Vaan's. Of course, Ashe was never jealous of her. Just cautious. Smiling again at the now confused Zirenne, the Queen gestured for her to sit.
"Thank you for coming Zirenne." She said with yet another discomfiting smile before turning to look about her study.
"It is all right Captain, you may come out now." She called into the air which did not help to ease the young woman hunter's confusion.
After a few minutes however, Captain Sephyr materialized from behind one of Ashe's favoured bureaus and glanced at Zirenne. The young woman gasped in recognition.
"I know you!" she cried out in astonishment. "I met you before!"
The tall man did not answer her but merely raised his eyebrows before turning to Ashe once more in question. The smile had not left the Queen's face.
"You know each other?" the Queen asked, somewhat taken aback. Sephyr merely nodded and the smile flitted back to Ashe's face. "Good. Then this would be easier than I expected."
The Queen turned to Zirenne sitting down on one of the chairs before her desk. "I am correct that you are Dalmascan, am I right Zirenne?"
Zirenne barely nodded before Ashe asked yet another question. "Then do I have your loyalty?"
"Of course, your Majesty." Zirenne said haltingly, growing more and more confused.
"Then if I ask you to do something for me for the good of the country will you do it?" the Queen pressed on more urgently much to hunter's alarm.
"Yes?" Zirenne said, or asked was more like it. Nevertheless, that seemed to satisfy Ashe for she turned to the also bewildered Sephyr.
"You asked me if my presence was constantly required here in Dalmasca, Captain. The answer to that question is yes. To answer the next question you would undoubtedly ask next, the answer is before you."
Triumphantly, the Queen gestured to the seated Zirenne with more than a little flourish.
XOXOXOX
Vaan carefully opened his eyes a few minutes later after he thought he would buried alive by yet another ceiling of those stupid mines. To his surprise and somewhat relief, all the ceiling's remains where suspended in mid-air. Straightening up in surprise he looked around as to the source of this incredibly powerful Majick.
Then he saw Basch and who was beside him and Vaan scolded himself for forgetting. Beside the Judge Majister stood an entity more beast than anything else. With its mane of pure white tumbling down its muscular back and its more canine features, it resembled more of a wolf with its bronze skin. However instead of hind legs and paws, the entity had, without another description hooked arms, with intricate complexities for arms and hooked blades. That along with hoofed feet. Around the body morphed the glyphs that had allowed Basch to summon him. An esper of long ago. Hashmal the Bringer of Order stood before them and stared at the Judge Majister, recognizing its summoner.
"Good call Basch!" Vaan called waving at Basch who stood a stone's throw away from where Vaan stood himself. The Judge Majister acknowledged with a nod and continued to look up at Hashmal as if talking to the esper. Vaan took this as a sign to go check on the others. He turned to look where the others went.
Basch meanwhile had murmured instructions for the esper to eliminate the rocks which Hasmal did within moments, moving most of them aside away from bringing any harm. The espers that they held were very useful in dire situations and Basch was relieved that he managed to pull out the glyph in time. He looked up to meet the onyx black eyes of his favored esper, Basch nodded in thanks and acknowledged the trust Hashmal held within that soft growl he gave as a reply. With a wave of his hand, Basch dismissed his esper, and the glyph the Judge Majister held glowed yet again in a brilliant brown before it dulled again save for the encrypted runes on the gem itself.
Now, the Judge Majister turned to go help his companions who had sustained some damage from the collapsing ceiling. He saw Vaan run up to help Larsa stand up. The young Emperor had a rather large gash across his cheek where a piece of debris had grazed him, but nonetheless, he looked fine. In fact, Larsa merely nodded his thanks to Vaan before looking to where his weapons disappeared to.
Penelo on the other hand was helping Fran look for her stray arrows, for the Viera seemed to have lost some of her strength because of the bursts of Mist around her and was being supported by Balthier into a rather large piece of rock devoid of any blood or dust. Now the only one missing was the young hunter Yvelle, whom Basch last saw being knocked unconscious by a random Necrofiend and a piece of debris. With haste, the Judge Majister began looking for her.
Sure enough, he found Yvelle with a little bit of difficulty. It was thanks rather to her sapphire-colored locks that stood out from the granite. She was buried under several pieces of debris, and she seemed unconscious because she did not respond to Basch's call.
Quickly and trying not to slip over the beasts' blood, Basch skidded to a halt before the buried Yvelle and urgently did he search for a pulse. He exhaled sharply when he felt the weak but steady pulse on her neck.
"Yvelle," he said again, in yet another effort to rouse her but in proved in vain for she did not stir. Breathing heavily to calm himself, for it was indeed yet another scenario that proved to be of grave consequence, Basch tried to move the rocks with his strength but it seemed that if he attempted to any of the rocks, they would shift in weight and would nonetheless imperil Yvelle further into the fold. Basch resigned to call for help, which he did with a shout over his shoulder.
"What happened?" Penelo asked with alarm as she ran up to Basch, with Vaan trailing behind.
Basch shook his head in reply, indicating he did not know. "Help me get her out of here." He said his voice rougher than usual and thick with emotion of the struggle. Penelo, with a glance at the already paler than usual Yvelle called for the Mist and quickly cast a spell over the rocks and the top most vanished with a wave of Penelo's hands. Not all the rocks vanished however, but that was enough, for Vaan had enough liberty to lift the rest gently but quickly enough for Basch to slide Yvelle's body out of the trap.
Yvelle was completely out cold, for she still did not respond to any of the rousing they made. With closer examination, Basch discovered the rather large bump on the back of Yvelle's head as well as the evidence that there was some other injury because of the stickiness and wetness of both Yvelle's clothes and hair.
When Penelo also saw this, she tried to gather what other Mist she had left to cast a full-heal spell on her student but her gauge had been depleted and would take some time for her to be able to replenish her energy.
"Do not waste your Mist," Basch chastised Penelo while gently trying to look for the source of the blood.
"She---She's not d-dead right?" Penelo said in a drawn out whisper, her voice choked and pained. Basch it seemed could not reply for he merely shook his head.
"We need to get her somewhere safer," it was Vaan who replied and it was he who was calm enough to assess the situation. "Come to think of it, we all need to get to safety."
"Where?" Penelo asked in desperation, her hazel eyes appealing to Vaan as he looked around.
"Perhaps I could be of assistance?" an eerily calm and serene voice interrupted and they turned to see a little girl, dressed all in white with long black hair looking at them with a soft smile.
"You!" Vaan cried out in disgust at the sight of Selena. "You were the ones who got us into trouble the first time! If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't be in this mess!!"
"Oh?" Selena asked, still with that soft and calm voice. "Are you sure about that? I did not ask you to follow me as I recall."
Vaan's face contorted with rage and he made to go for the girl but Penelo quickly stepped in. "Vaan stop! She's just a little girl," she said soothingly to her partner.
"I don't care," Vaan spat, losing the calm he had displayed earlier. "She knows something, I know it. I won't let her get away without telling us."
"Well," Selena interrupted as if Vaan had not attempted to attack her. "I did offer to show someplace where you could be safe as of the moment." She said rather cheerfully with a twinkle in her eyes.
"And where exactly is this place?" This time it was Basch who asked and there was more than doubt in his tone.
"Where else but the Hall of Sorrow?" Selena replied cheerfully.
"The Hall of What?" Vaan asked roughly, his tone still very doubtful. Selena merely cocked her head to one side, looking as much as an innocent little girl.
"Isn't that why you came here in the first place? For the Stone? Well, I can show it to you."
Vaan, Penelo and Basch exchanged glances. Should they trust this child? After all, they haven't heard of this Hall of Sorrow and they had visited these dangerous mines before. What if it was a trap? At their current state they could not afford to fight yet another battle. Basch looked down at Yvelle and saw how quickly the young woman seemed to be losing pallor. They did need to get her to safety.
"Why are you telling this to us now?" this time it was Penelo who asked and Vaan nodded his affirmative with agreement to Penelo's question.
Selena merely laughed, as if highly amused by Penelo's remark. But nonetheless she gestured towards Yvelle. "It is not her time." She said enigmatically. "But she will die if you do not hurry."
Slowly, Selena turned and pointed towards one of the smaller exits. The rocks blocking the path instantly vanished.
"How did you---?" Vaan asked, his jaw dropping in surprise. Beside him he could feel Penelo and Basch give similar reactions of bewilderment. Nevertheless, Selena just laughed again and pointed.
"You will find what you are looking for at the end." She said in yet another calm manner. "Be careful of who should desire to possess it."
Before they could question her further, Selena turned and ran away, down the tunnel and out of sight.
A/N: We have reached our 50th Chapter!!! Hooray!!! I hope you guys are still with us and that you would be kind enough to review...Since it took us a while to update, we tried to compensate by writing this longer than was expected and I hope you guys were satisfied!! Mind you, we still haven't gotten to the nitty-gritty of this fic and like the game, there are a bit of twists and turns...We will say no more here, but I hope you guys are still with us....Happy 50th Chapter!!!
Cheers!
Comet
P.S. If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask...And kudos to "ZIRENNE"...We told you she would have a part to play in this fic...though you would have to wait a little longer to actually know what it is...hehehe...Cheers again!! (",)
