5. Fire from Heaven, part 5: The Exile
It was impressive, Bartz noted, like a mountain just decided to fall from heaven, and burn up half the villages in the plains in its anger. The ground was covered in burn, the tree trunks surrounded with scorched streaks, and many of the rocks nearby had simply been crushed into dust. The earth was still hot.
"Stay here," Bartz told Lenna. She did not respond, but it was clear from her expression she was surprised as well.
Bartz made his way through the rubble, and touched the rock. It stung him, hot to the touch. The rock was still throwing smoke into the air, as if it was made of ash and brimstone. Almost like the rock came from hell itself.
Bartz clambered up on the rock. It was soft under his feet, like molten steel before fully cooled into a blade. He made his way higher up the surface of the rock, and stopped cold. He heard a sound. A groan.
It was clearly a groan. He rushed over to the sound and found a man on the ground, his clothes burnt and blackened. He had soft red hair, with a full beard that had seemingly been untouched by the flames.
Bartz shook him, and the man opened his eyes.
"Where…" he struggled, breathing in for what seemed to be the first time.
"How is it that you are alive, man!" Bartz said. "Come here, it's not safe here."
Bartz lifted the man onto his shoulders and brought him out into the clearing. Lenna gave a short gasp, and jumped off the chocobo, helping Bartz lower the old man to the ground.
"Careful," Lenna said, smoothing his clothes with her slim and gentle hands.
"Where… am I?" the old man asked.
"You are in the Junel Plain, near the border of Luca," Lenna replied.
"You were also on the top of this smoking rock," Bartz said dismissively. "Can you explain that?"
The old man was puzzled at Bartz's remark. "My name… is Galuf." He scratched his head. "But I don't remember much else. Where is Luca?"
Lenna looked with care at the old man, and she helped him sit up. "You just need some time to rest; you'll remember soon."
Bartz paced around the site. The rock totally blocked the passage through to the other side of the mountain. There was a short cave that led through part of the mountain, but the falling rock must have destroyed the passage.
"This way is closed off. The only way through is through the pass, but the pass has been destroyed, and this time of the year it's much too dangerous to try the scale the mountain, especially with our condition."
"What do you suggest?" Lenna asked.
"There is another way around, but we must go through goblin lands and to the north. I believe I saw a port there when in passing, where we can catch a ship."
Lenna sighed. "We must hurry. Are we in any danger?"
"Just do what I say, and we won't have any trouble with them. You too, old man. We'll get you to a safe haven, but then you two have to go your own ways."