Dead Man's Fantasy

by Soleneus

His name is Balthier, the Legendary Sky Pirate. But he's also called Saul in private. Why is this? The answers will come, but in the middle of an event that will reshape Ivalice, by the hands of six people. One thief and his childhood friend. A Princess thought dead, and knight responsible for her father's death. Two Sky Pirates, a skilled viera and a hume with two names.

2. In The Dark Again

Saul's Diary (JOURNAL!)

Entry II:

Now that I look back on it, our partnership is a perfect fit. I had the strength, he had the skill. I had the talent, and he had experience. Of course, it couldn't be left like that. I would have to rely on him too much to get me out trouble. He views the whole things as some sort of play, always going on about being the 'leading man'. He even devised roles.

"So, I have this role in mind for us." Balthier announced one morning as they ate breakfast. "A pair of Archadian Rogues, brothers perhaps, who decided to spurn the Imperial Military for a life of wealth and adventure! It even has a kernel of truth in it, as well."

Saul raised a hand. "I'm not Archadian." He pointed out blandly, munching on an apple.

The sky pirate shrugged carelessly. "Well, I'll just have to teach you how talk, act, and fight like an Archadian, then." He replied, kicking his feet up on the table. "We already look similar, so the 'brother' role is down. First, we need to get you some stylish clothes!"

Naturally, his idea of 'stylish' meant basically his style, though tailored to fit my frame. I'm broader in the shoulder than Balthier, and just generally wider. Plus, all the details on his vest make my eyes hurt, so I got something a little different.

"Why a sun?" The sky pirate asked curiously.

Saul shrugged. "I dunno."

And after I got a haircut and a shave, it turns out Balthier and I really did resemble each other. Not as closely as brothers, perhaps, but definitely cousins.

After getting the look down, it was time to sound and move the part. Balthier is a surprisingly strict taskmaster; he really takes this image business seriously.

"No, you need to enunciate more." Balthier stressed. "Repeat after me: 'I should say, we are in quite the conundrum.'"

"I should say, we are in quite the conundrum." Saul repeated slowly, feeling out the words.

"Stress the 'a'."

That wasn't the most difficult part, though. No, that was dealing with Balthier being a drama queen. Kidding! Stop reading my journal, Balthier!

Learning how to sword fight was the worst part.

"No, no, loosen your grip and flourish!" The sky pirate barked. "Again!"

Saul grit his teeth and went through the move set again, but instead of coming off as graceful, it came off as angry.

"Wrong!" Balthier rebuked, lightly smacking his partner's leg with the thin branch they practiced fencing with.

"Ow! Stop hitting me!"

"Say it as: 'Steady on, lad!'"

"I'll 'Steady' your 'on', you bastard!"

Of course, the worst part about it was that Archadian Fencing just didn't fit me. I wasn't built for it. It's too light and girly, more fit for Balthier and his svelte, womanly figure (seriously, stop reading my journal, Balthier). It has too many looping flourishes and wide, slow swings. It just doesn't fit me. And it seems very slow. I wonder if that's why Balthier uses a gun?

"I have come to a startling conclusion!" The sky pirate announced after Saul finished a set of Archadian Fencing moves. "You don't fit the style at all."

Saul glared at him, slack-jawed. "You couldn't have figured that out sooner? Like, a month ago, when we started this?" His voice definitely carried a light Archadian accent, which was progress.

Balthier shrugged unrepentantly. "I did. I just wanted to see how far you would take a hopeless case. You performed rather admirably, actually."

His partner scowled. "That doesn't inspire confidence."

…

"So, this is the welp you want me to teach?" An old bangaa, his beard white with age, asked grouchily.

Balthier leaned casually on the counter of the weapons store, giving a charming smirk to the assistant. "Indeed he is, my old man." He winked at the girl, making her blush and turn away. "So, you think you're up for the task?"

The bangaa growled at him, giving Saul a searching look through his thick eyeglasses. "Aye, I am. Though, I'm not doing this for free. I have a few things I need done…"

…

"Oh gods!" Saul yelped, sprinting towards Balthier with a large red-and-purple wolf close on his tail. "Help me!"

Balthier took aim, firing off a shot as the wolf leaped at his partner, the bullet passing through the creature's mouth and into its brain. "You were supposed to fight the wolf, not run away from it!"

"You didn't tell they would be that big!"

…

"Here you go, fourteen wolf pelts." Saul set the load on the counter, wiping the sweat from his brow with a bloody sleeve, smearing red on his face. He grimaced, frowning in concentration before slowly folding his hand, sending a weak Cure spell at himself.

"Good work." The grumpy bangaa said grumpily, beckoning him into the back, grabbing a practice sword. "Now, let's see where you stand."

That bangaa kicked my ass. For a month straight. When I wasn't out hunting by myself (Balthier was there, but at a distance, just in case I got into more trouble I could handle), I was being trained into the ground, then Cured until I felt perfectly fine, then trained to the ground again.

At the end of the month, I could handle myself better, and I could use Cure pretty much negligently. I still kind of hate that old reptile, though.

After that, I got taught how to shoot a gun and fly the Strahl, Balthier's airship. That was the easiest part, actually.

A crack rang across the plain, and a wolf dropped, the bullet passing through its eye and into its brain.

"Huh." Balthier muttered, stroking his well-groomed sideburns. "Well, there you go."

…

The Strahl looped through the air, passing over a bank of clouds by an inch without disturbing it. It spun and flipped through a rocky canyon, barely avoiding an explosive, fiery death by inches, its wings folded behind it as they flew through the crack that led outside. Once it was out, the wings slid open, allowing the ship to soar into the skies.

Saul, at the controls, turned to Balthier with a smirk. "So?" He asked.

Balthier began laughing heartily, slapping his hand on his knee. "That, my friend, was impressive! The corners could've used some tightening, but otherwise, well done!" He reached out, grasping his partner's shoulder. "We're ready."

It was the first time Balthier called me 'friend'. Not, 'My man,' or 'partner', but friend. It felt good. Honestly, he felt like the brother I might've had at one point. And I was ready for my first act of Piracy. Sky Piracy.

…

Saul awoke when the barred carriage stopped suddenly, squinting the bright sunlight. Must be about noon. He thought, trying to judge the position of the sun. Not something easy to do when in a rolling cage. Fran was looking as unflappable as ever, merely giving him a small smile when he looked at her. Vaan was still unconscious, though judging by the snoring he had actually fallen asleep.

He wouldn't hold that against the young man. They had been fighting through the night and the morning, the fact they were underground hiding the changing of the day. And the blue crystals could only do so much for fatigue.

"Up you get!" An Imperial barked through his helmet. Saul privately wondered how the soldiers could stand the heat in full armor. Maybe they stuff Motes of Ice in there? He edged around the sleeping blond, allowing himself to be led through the large stones doors of Nalbina Dungeons.

They were stopped in small room that held a multitude of chests and stripped any weapons or items from them, storing what they had surrendered back in the Waterway there as well. Saul had his armor removed, though they didn't insist on Fran doing the same, thankfully. They probably thought, with the way it hugged her lithe form, that it only looked like armor.

One of the Imperials examined the wooden tube he found in Balthier's pouch closely, trying to determine what it was. "Oi, Prisoner!" He called, wiggling the tube in the pirate's face. "What's this?"

Balthier gave the man a strange look. "It's a flute." He replied simply. "You blow in it, and sounds come out."

The guard cuffed him roughly. "I know what a flute is!" He tried to twist it, failing because it was one solid piece. "Why won't it move?"

"It just one piece." The pirate replied with a shrug. "It doesn't move. The only moving parts involved with my flute was the auger I used to make the holes."

The Imperial glared at him from under his helm. "Things like this always have something hidden inside! Tell me how to open it, or I'll break it!"

Balthier arched an eyebrow. "It. Is. A. Flute." He said clearly, as if speaking to a child. "It doesn't do anything except make music. It's hollow." He was telling the truth, mostly. The stones embedded in the wood would make anyone listening more relaxed and sleepy, but that was about it.

"What's the hold up?" Another Imperial asked, this one wearing thinner, fancier armor.

"Warden, sir! The prisoner refuse to cooperate with information regarding this object!" The soldier replied, straightening his posture and presenting the musical instrument.

Saul got the feeling the Warden was giving the soldier an incredulous look under his helm, possibly questioning the parentage of the man before him. "…It's a flute." He said after a second. "They make music. Put it with the rest of their belongings and get a move on!"

With Vaan being carried behind them, they were led into the dungeons proper. The various prisoners backed away fearfully as the guards marched the pirates past them, holding swords on them while one unlocked their cuffs. Another released the sleeping Vaan from his bonds, dropping him on the floor carelessly. "Here's your food and water ration for the week, thieves." One spat, tossing a small waterskin on the floor, along with what could kindly be called biscuits, and unkindly called biscuit-shaped rocks.

Their job done, the Imperials backed away, the doors slamming shut, leaving the group in the dungeons with the other prisoners looking at them curiously. With a sigh, Balthier knelt down by the blond thief, levering him up onto his shoulders as Fran gathered their 'supplies' and walked ahead, looking for a place to rest for awhile.

She nodded to a large alcove that was unoccupied, with the exception of a mummified bangaa corpse. The pirate shrugged and carefully set Vaan down on a bench, making sure he was comfortable as could be in the situation. He took a seat on the one across from the thief, leaning against the warm stone.

"I sense a leak in the paling." Fran stated, her ears twitching. "There may yet be a way to leave. I will seek it out."

"Stay safe." Saul replied, watching as the viera cast Vanish at herself, causing her form to shimmer and fade. He felt a pair of cool lips touch his cheek, then heard Fran's soft footfalls fade into the dungeon.

He sighed and grabbed a rock-shaped biscuit, resigning himself to waiting for Vaan to waken. He discovered that it had the taste and texture of a rock, and hurt his teeth.

Within an hour, Vaan began to groan and twitch, his eyes flickering open. He made to stand and gasped in pain, grabbing the back of his head tenderly. He saw Balthier waving dryly at him, a question on his lips. "Where are we?" He asked groggily.

"Where else? Prison." The pirate answered blandly, crossing his legs on a bit of rubble. "A dungeon, actually, but not a proper one. They just sealed off the bottom of Nalbina Fortress and call it a dungeon."

Vaan stood unsteadily, quickly shaking off his sleepiness, taking in the area. Most everything was a dull, sandy brown, with faded paint the only remainder of a time where it was clean. Sunlight poured in through dust-clogged lights, and the air stank of dust and decay.

"More like a tomb, really." Balthier added, his face twisting in a grimace. "How lazy of the Imperials."

A shrill, tortured scream echoed through the dungeon, making Vaan jump in shock, nearly tripping over the mummified corpse on the floor. He gasped in surprise, accidentally inhaling a mouthful of dust and coughing heavily. "What?"

"They at least have the ambiance down." The pirate said dryly, fruitlessly brushing dust from his sleeves. He arched an eyebrow at Vaan, who was pointing at the body, looking between him and it incredulously. "It's just a corpse. It won't bite…at least I don't think so. Here." He tossed the waterskin to the thief, who fumbled with it, but managed to hold on. "That's all the water we have, so go easy on it."

Vaan took a long pull, coughing and spluttering and making a face. "This is water is filthy!" He stated, wiping his mouth. He looked around the alcove, just noticing their party was one short. "Where's Fran?"

"Fran sensed a weakness in the paling keeping us here, so she went to see if it could lead to a way out." Balthier replied. "And what did you expect? We're prisoners, not guests." He stretched his arms above his head, cracking his neck. "If you really must have a look around, be cautious. Curiosity kills."

"I'll keep that in mind." The thief muttered as another scream rent the air. He shook his head before quietly stepping out into the dungeon.

"And stay out of trouble!" The pirate called after him, getting comfortable. He spent the next ten minutes tapping a biscuit on the stone wall, then tapping a rock in the same place and finding them to sound exactly the same. After a few seconds, he pocketed the item and stood. "Vaan's probably in trouble."

He strolled through the dungeon with a confident stride, glaring when a hume prisoner growled threateningly at him. Walking through a hall, he found a wide open room at the end, with a high, rounded ceiling. At the center of room was a sunken, sandy pit, lined with rails with four closed gates. A group of prisoners had gathered around the pit, chattering in a mixture of excitement and dread. Stepping up to the pit, Balthier sighed.

Vaan was in the pit, with three seeq slowly approaching him, two holding clubs and drooling excitedly, their eyes dark with bloodlust. "Filthy hume! Try to interrupt our fun? Well, you're the fun now!" The leader, a fat, cobalt seeq growled in his rough language, his pig-like nose twitching in excitement.

"It's definitely filthy down here." Balthier called, disgust evident in his tone. "It's even less of a dungeon, now, more of a sty."

"What did you say to me, hume?!" The seeq leader shouted at him, waving his club threateningly.

The sky pirate spat to the side, cracking his knuckles. "I said…" He whipped a biscuit-rock out of his pocket, hitting the dungeon master in the eye. "You're the filthy one, pork-chop! Did you hear that?" He jumped over the railing smoothly, landing in front of Vaan and the seeq. "You alright, Vaan?"

The thief, one side of his face livid with a fresh bruise, nodded resolutely, preparing for a fight.

The dungeon master laughed mockingly. "Two humes, double the fun!"

Balthier smirked dangerously, crooking his fingers before twisting his hand jerkily, a bolt of lightning leaping from his palm to strike the leader. The seeq squealed in pain, jerking back as the pirate punched him in the nose.

The two humes fought cautiously, as while the seeq were slow, they could take a punch and were strong. They weren't too fast, but they had rough, heavy clubs that could cause some damage. Vaan slid under a swing by an orange seeq, punching it in the stomach with a gauntleted fist and hitting it in the head, skipping away as it lashed out at him with a club.

Balthier shocked the dungeon master again, and is it spasmed in pain, he yanked the weapon from its hands and smacked the seeq across the face with the club. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the third seeq trying to corner Vaan. Focusing, he spun on his heel, lashing out with the weapon in his hand.

The rusty orange lizard squealed in surprise as something hit it heavily, but there was no one within three feet of it. Balthier swept the dungeon master's legs out from under it and hammered away at its head until it fell still, before going to help the thief.

Vaan had managed to wrest the other club away from the seeq, trapping it under his arm and pulling it away as the blue lizard landed a blow to his side. He kept it at a range, beating it around the head and dodging away when it swiped at him. The seeq squealed in rage and put its head down, charging at the thief.

Vaan backed up against one of the walls of the pit, waiting until the last second to skip out of the way, letting it slam into the wall, flooring it.

The last seeq glanced between the two humes, fear shining in its piggy eyes, before it pushed a gate open and quickly dragged the bodies of its friends away.

Balthier tossed the club on the ground, straightening his cuffs, sharing a victorious look with Vaan as the various prisoners whispered about them. Most of it was good, as the those seeq apparently beat whoever they wanted when they wanted. They sounded glad someone had knocked the trio down several pegs.

The echo of metal rang over the lull of conversation, drawing the attention of the prisoners to a large door above the overlooking the whole room. With a loud rattle, the door slid open, disgorging a company of Imperial soldiers, lead by the Warden.

The prisoners backed away fearfully, quietly skulking away as the company formed up around the steps. Balthier pushed Vaan against the pit wall nearest to the steps, hiding themselves but leaving enough room that the pirate could clearly see through the bars.

The Warden flipped the visor on his helmet up, scanning the area with a critical eye. He humphed quietly, before turning and nodding to someone behind him. It was a forest green bangaa with orange highlights around his eyes, with white scales on his torso. He had some sort of black leather harness on his chest and beak, with multiple ring piercings on his jaw. He was followed by several other bangaa, all as angry and twisted-looking as the first.

"Ba'Gamnan." Balthier growled to himself, his hands balling into fists. His ice blue eyes were fixed on the bangaa, before drifting to the company of Imperials. "Now would be a good time to leave." He muttered to Vaan.

A soft click pulled them to a gate to their right as Fran stepped into view, beckoning them with a jerk of her head. The gate was opened enough to allow the humes to slip through, but not enough to draw attention from the Imperials. "There's a way out through the oubliette, but…"

"But you sense the Mist." Balthier finished for her, frowning in distaste as his partner nodded. He lay on his stomach and crawled under the gate, dusting himself off on the other side and helping Vaan up.

A sudden shout made them pause, looking as the bangaa and the Warden argued loudly, insults thrown back and forth like a ball, until Ba'Gamnan turned on the Warden threateningly. "Maybe I'll whet my blade on you before I kill Balthier!" He poked the Warden's chestplate tauntingly. Vaan shot a surprised look at the sky pirate, though he did expect someone like Balthier would be chased by someone wanting his head.

The swordsmen in the company gripped the hilts of their swords in preparation, before an irritated voice spoke up.

"That's enough, Ba'Gamnan!" It came from an almost larger-than life figure, wearing armor that was more ornate and well made then the other Imperials, heavier and with an aura of power.

"A Judge." Fran sighed in bland dismay.

Vaan gave her a curious face. "Judge?"

"'The guardians of Law and Order in Archadia', at least according to the Empire." Balthier explained, rolling his eyes. "They're the elite soldiers of House Solidor, which effectively makes them the Commanders of the Imperial Army. If you ask me, they're less 'judge' and more 'executioner'."

The thief blanched, looking at the intimidating figure descending down the steps, making the nasty-looking bangaa back up a few steps. "Oh. That's not good."

"No." Balthier agreed dryly. "They're not the friendliest bunch. And it's just our luck that one would come here today."

"The Emperor is willing to overlook race for his more talented servants; however, those that do not show respect will receive none in return." The Judge's voice was sharp and direct, and he cut off the bangaa before he could protest. "You travel freely through these lands because the Emperor wills it, correct?"

Ba'Gamnan searched for the right words to use, but gave up the argument as useless. It warmed the cockles of Balthier's heart to see the bangaa get taken down a bit - even by an Imperial. The Judge, his target of ire thus brow-beaten, turned and began to descend down the steps, the Warden quickly following him as they strode toward the oubliette.

The headhunting bangaa turned to his brothers and sister, barking out orders. "He's here somewhere! Find Balthier and bring him out!"

The bangaa spread out as the trio of thieves watched the Judge walk away. "Time for the hare to follow the fox, I guess." Balthier muttered, shrugging and folding his hand.

"What do you mean?" Vaan asked in confusion, before blinking in surprise as Balthier faded from sight.

Fran had done the same, turning invisible even as she spoke. "The magicks binding the door to the oubliette are quite strong. Not even my talents can break them." The thief felt an odd cooling sensation rolling over his skin, and it seemed like the shadows grew in size, while Balthier and Fran reappeared, looking like statues made of clear glass.

"They'll open the door for the Judge, and we'll slip right through before they even know we're there." Balthier finished with a smirk

"What is this?" The blond asked in wonder, waving his arm in front of his face.

"Vanish. It's a spell that turns whatever it's cast on invisible. Very useful for persons in the thieving career. I'm surprised you don't know it." The pirate replied quietly as he peeked around the pit, watching for the bangaa.

Vaan blinked, just realizing what their escape plan consisted of. "Wait, how is going further in this place going to get us out?"

"If she says there's a way out, there's a way out. Viera's are sharp, and Fran's senses have never led us wrong as long as I've known her." Balthier whispered, before shushing the thief. "This is an invisibility spell, not silencing spell, so hush."

The trio snuck around the edge of the pit, just below where Ba'Gamnan stood overlooking the arena like a sentry. Once out the wide, circular room, they jogged through a set of winding halls, picking the pace up slightly upon noticing that area was devoid of Imperials for the time being.

Balthier slid to a halt as they passed a familiar room. "The Prison Repository! Perfect." He grinned happily, stepping into the room.

"Our stuff is here?" Vaan asked, noting the chests and sacks of things.

"Indeed." The pirate replied, cracking open a chest and making a sound of satisfaction. "There we are." Inside the chest was his armor and weapons. Quickly, he strapped his armor on, all two pieces of it, along with his rifle harness, the holster on his thigh and his belt. His pouch, which, like most bags and containers, had been magically expanded on the inside to hold far more than something of its size should, went on his belt.

His rifle went on his back and the sword he stole from the treasury was sheathed. The sword itself was plain, for the most part, with the exception of the materials. The hilt was wrapped in alternating dark brown and black leather, with a bronze crossguard that had a carving of the sun in the center. The blade was made of dark metal, though the edges shined silver. Oddly, the hilt looked like it was missing a few gems, with one large empty slot on the pommel and six others on either side of the crossguard.

Balthier accepted Fran's bow and stored it in his pouch, before slipping the red bangle had gotten from Firemane on his wrist and the gem from the same with the rest of his equipment.

Vaan adjusted the sword at his hip for comfort, glancing over as the pirate pulled the strange platinum gun from the chest. "Hey, Balthier." He said quietly, getting his attention. "I was wondering, what is that?" He pointed at the gun in the holster.

"This?" Balthier patted the grip. "It's called Invictus. It's a unique gun that needs to be reloaded after every ten shots instead of just one. I can put scrap metal into my belt and it will make ammo, storing it in these cartridges here." He pointed the various bits out. "I don't know how it really works, but I'm guessing some sort of advanced magic."

Fran, her oaken pole resting comfortably on her back, interrupted before they could talk. "Now is not the time for conversation." She rebuked sternly. "Speak of your toys later, when we are not escaping."

Balthier smiled sheepishly. "Right you are. Let's move."

They dashed down the hallways as a loud creak rang through the air. Rounding the corner, they found the door to oubliette beginning to close. Putting on a burst of speed, Balthier sped through it, closely followed by Fran as Vaan slipped through at the last second. He slid to a stop, hopping behind the wall around the door.

He put a finger to his lips, pointing around the outcropping. "There are more Imperials than prisoners here." He whispered, already going through the motions for Vanish. Setting it on himself and then casting it on Vaan, he put a finger to his lips. "We've had our fill of chains, I'd say. Tread lightly, but quickly. This spell doesn't last forever."

Balthier slipped around the outcropping, darting through open space to a pillar in the middle of the room, with his companions following him. "There." Whispered Vaan, gesturing to a set of steps leading up around the room.

Nodding, the group snuck up the steps and past a duo of quietly chatting Imperials. They slipped down a hallway just as the spell faded. As they walked, the jingling of multiple sets of armor filled the air, and the trio slowed down as to not overtake the Judge and his followers.

Creeping through the halls and nearing the last door, Balthier paused and peered around the corner.

The group of Imperials stopped in front of a door that was covered cobalt vines that magically locked the door. The Imperial Magus of the group stepped up, chanting a phrase as his clasped hands lit up. The vines were engulfed in ethereal blue flames, blue sparkles glittering in the air. The flames shone with bright light, making the Warden grunt in pain as the vines slithered away, and the doors swung open.

The way now open, the Judge and his posse strode inside. The trio of thieves waited until they were out of sight before quietly following. They took an off-shooting corridor that led to a small, unused room, that overlooked the central room, and waited there for the Imperials to leave.

The room was large, though most of it was blocked off by piles of rubble, and a pit with depths that went black was the dominant feature. Clinking chains sang as a soldier pulled on a lever, a pulley retrieving a cage from the depths of the pit. Inside the cage, chained to the bars to the point that he could not move, was a man. He had filthy, matted brown hair and a beard to match, and his once muscular frame was emaciated.

The Judge approached the cage, looking up at the chained prisoner for a second, before reaching up and pulling off his horned helm, revealing a surprisingly young face beneath the intimidating visage.

"You have grown very thin, Basch." The Judge commented emotionlessly, making Vaan gasp and peek through a barred window into the room. Balthier looked carefully, noting the way the two men seemed similar. "Less than a shadow. Less than a man. Sentenced to death…and yet, you still live. Why, I wonder?" He asked rhetorically.

"To silence Ondore." The prisoner hissed, his voice dry and ragged. "How many times must I say it?"

"Is that all?" The Judge asked.

The prisoner lifted his head to glare at the armored figure, and Balthier's eyebrows rose in realization. Put a beard on the Judge and let his hair grow out, and they'd be twins. Brothers, maybe? "Why not ask Vayne himself? Is he not one of your masters?" The man spat the word as if it were diseased.

The Judge made of sound of dissatisfaction. "We've caught a leader of the Insurgence. She's being brought from Rabanastre, a woman named 'Amalia'."

Basch looked up with a low gasp.

"Who could that be, I wonder?" The Judge asked, his tone taunting as if he already knew the answer. When the prisoner failed to rise to the bait or answer, he shook his head. "Such a faithful hound, to cling to a fallen kingdom."

"Better than throwing it away!" That got a rise from Basch.

The Judge slid his helm back on, his voice gaining a metallic tinge. "Throwing it away? Like you threw away our homeland?" He didn't wait for answer, having already turned to leave, his posse falling in behind him.

When they passed the room the trio waited in, Balthier emerged, his eyes on the Judge's red and black cloak. Definitely brothers. Only they could be such dicks to each other. They strode over to the pit, and he looked down into the blackness. "This is it?" He asked, ignoring the prisoner.

"The Mist is flowing through this room." Fran answered, nodding her head at the pit. "It has to be going somewhere."

Balthier hummed. "How do we get down, though?"

"You!" Basch called desperately, "You're not Imperials. Please, you must release me!"

The sky pirate waved him off negligently. "It's against my policy to speak to the dead, they tend to be rather bitey." He glanced at the emaciated prisoner briefly. "Especially the ones who slay kings." He and royalty had never seen eye-to-eye, but Raminas had been one of the good ones. One did not become a beloved king by being a tyrant, after all. And his daughter had been quite the beauty, but that was completely tertiary to the matter.

"I did not kill him!" The prisoner protested vehemently.

"Oh? Is that so?" Balthier favored him a thin smile, the kind parents everywhere gave their kids when they lied. "Glad to hear it." And then he went back to ignoring him in favor of contemplating the way out.

Basch, seeing that he was making no headway with the sky pirate, turned to a pale Vaan, who was staring at him with wide eyes. "Please, you must get me out, for the sake of Dalmasca!"

This was the wrong thing to say. Vaan's face twisted in anger and he leaped over the ledge, clinging to the bars of the cage like an enraged monkey. "Dalmasca?!" The thief shouted, his voice echoing through the room as he shook the cage. "What do you care about Dalmasca?! Everything that's happened is because of you! Everyone who's died, every-single-one…even my brother…" He sobbed with a mixture of anger and repressed sadness. "You killed my brother you son of a bitch!"

"Well, the guards definitely heard that." Balthier commented calmly. "We need to get out, now!"

Fran kicked the lever mechanism strongly, shattering the metal. "I'm dropping it!" She warned, leaping onto the top.

The sky pirate rolled his eyes in dismay. "Pirates without a sky." He sighed, before jumping onto the cage as it dropped into the depths. The blackness swallowed them, the walls rushing past at a breakneck pace. The cage bounced off the narrow walls, twisting and hurling the thieves off of the top and onto the stone floor painfully.

Balthier pushed himself up, clearing the dust from his lungs and brushing himself clean. Clean as could be, anyway. "This is twice in as many days we fallen somewhere with no way back up." He grumbled, helping Fran to her feet.

The cage had been smashed against the walls hard enough to dislodge the bottom and the chains holding Basch prisoner, allowing the emaciated man to slip out. He knelt on the floor, panting in a mixture of shock and surprise, rubbing his scabbed and scarred wrists that were free of chains for the first time in years.

Vaan gave an enraged scream as he charged at the kneeling kingslayer, tackling him to the ground, bringing his fist back. Balthier swooped forward, wrapping his arms around the blond's torso and hauling him off of the traitor. "Easy! Easy, Vaan! Now is not the time for this!" He pulled the struggling thief away from Basch.

"He killed my brother! I'll kill him!" Vaan snarled, still trying to escape and reach the traitor to pummel him into the next life.

"I know you want revenge, Vaan, I understand it, but this is not the time nor the place for it." Balthier said quickly, feeling the blond slow and stop, panting.

"What do you know about revenge?" He whispered, blinking away hot tears.

The sky pirate sighed, releasing the blond but wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "That bangaa back there, the green one? He…he killed my best friend, my brother in all but blood. I wanted nothing more than to kill that bastard for what he did, but…" He breathed a harsh exhalation, raking a hand through his platinum brown hair. "There are more important things right now, like getting you back home. We're stuck in a dangerous place, with no idea on how to get out. We need all the help we can get."

Vaan sighed in resignation, his shoulders slumping. "You're right, Balthier. We need to get out of here. But as soon as we do…" He glared at Basch, clenching his fists.

"I'll hold him down so you can kick his ass." Balthier agreed, suddenly realizing that his accent had faded. "Now, chin up, Vaan. The day's not over yet." He patted the younger man's back, looking at Basch. "We could use another sword arm."

The former soldier stood steadily, despite the years of bondage. "And you have it." He replied honestly, before looking down at his empty hands. "Though I have no sword."

"That's fine with me," Vaan bit out coldly, turning on his heel and walking off. "You'd probably stab us in the back with it."

Basch flinched as if physically struck. "I…"

"We can converse of guiltiness when we aren't deep underground." Fran interjected calmly, her heels tapping on the dusty stone floor as she walked. The group, now one larger, walked cautiously through the dusty passage, a soft, metallic skittering echoing from farther on.

Balthier reached into his pouch and withdrew a flask, shaking it next to his ear. There was barely any sloshing, so it was full. He popped the cap off, taking a deep drink of the cold liquid, sighing in satisfaction. He tapped Vaan on the shoulder and handed it off; and once Vaan was done, he passed it to Fran, who gave it to Basch, who greedily gulped the last of the water down, instantly looking contrite as he held the empty container out to the sky pirate.

Balthier chuckled lowly as he took the flask, retrieving a softly glowing blue stone from his pouch. He cracked it on the rim like an egg, and water gushed forth from the halves, pouring inside swiftly. "I suspect whatever solitary confinement they kept you in wasn't designed for unnecessary comforts, like healthy amounts of food and water." He joked, handing the flask back.

Basch shook his head ruefully, drinking deeply. "No, it was not. I thank you." He said gratefully, giving it back after having his fill.

Balthier nodded in reply, noticing Vaan giving him a questioning look over his shoulder. "What?" He asked with a shrug. "Dehydration is not a good thing, you know."

The thief shook his head, tilting his head in curiosity as he beheld a pillar in the middle of the hall, a dim light shining on an old, rusty metal button. Shrugging, he reached out and pushed the button.

Nothing happened.

"Huh." Vaan muttered, rubbing his chin. "Doesn't work."

Balthier joined him at the pillar, examining the box and the wires around it. "The fuse is blown, so there's no power reaching the switch. If the wiring is any indication, this is a central power relay, but given the condition of everything down here, I doubt we'll find anything running down here." He explained.

They continued on, walking into a wide, dark room with a large central pillar. They were at the top of a staircase, so the group descended, finding another light-lit switch and a blue bangaa sitting on the floor calmly. He waved them over with a cheerful greeting. "Don' get many visitors down here. Come scavengin' for odds and ends, have you?"

"Er, no." Vaan replied quickly. "We're looking for a way out, actually."

"Ah," The bangaa nodded sagely, before pointing back the way they came. "The way it out is just up those stairs-"

Balthier coughed sheepishly. "It's…blocked off back there."

"Blocked off?!" The merchant asked in shock. "Oh. Well, then there's nothing left but find some other through these tunnels. You'll need to get the power working again, though, before this gate'll budge." He rapped the rusty metal gate he was sitting near. "The fuse in that contraption upstairs is blown, though…but this ought to fix it up."

Fran took the makeshift fuse from the bangaa, examining it with a critical eye. "I suspect it will work just fine, though it is handmade." She commented, pocketing the fuse.

"Oh aye, lass, made that tube fuse from parts I found in these very tunnels." The bangaa replied with a grin. "It's good as any you'll find and better than most, mark my words."

The viera tapped Vaan on the shoulder and lead him back up the steps to fix the fuse while the others stayed behind. Basch hummed to himself as he saw something in the dim light, while Balthier turned to the merchant. "Do you have any food I can buy?"

"Aye, that I do, along with various other odds and ends." The bangaa nodded. "What're you looking for?"

"Simple things." The pirate replied with a shrug. "Bread, fruit, dried meat."

The merchant reached into his pack, withdrawing the items requested and laying them out on a blanket on the floor. Balthier took his pick of the offerings, grabbing a pair of bread loaves, four starfruits and a package of dried wolf meat. "Do you have any weapons?" He asked as the bangaa totaled his purchase.

"Ah, none that I can sell right now." The merchant shook his head, scaled ears flapping. "I do have a few accessories, armor pieces and spells, though. That'll be seventy-five gil, by the way."

Balthier handed the merchant the coins, before rolling the sleeve up and showing the bangle inset with red stones on his wrist. "Do you know what this is?"

The bangaa examined carefully. "Oh, that's a Red Bangle, an excellently made one at that. It gives protection against fire, and if you use Flame Spells yourself, they should be stronger by half."

The sky pirate bought a Protect spellstone and Blizzard, along with an Armguard. After paying the merchant, he approached Basch, who was looking through an old metal chest. "Find anything interesting?"

The traitor shook his head, holding a handful of gil. "Just coins." He arched an eyebrow as Balthier split one of the loaves, handing half of it to him along with a starfruit and a few strips of dried meat. He wolfed the bread down quickly, tearing into pieces with his teeth. After he finished, Basch gave the amused sky pirate a sheepish look. "Excuse my manners."

Balthier shrugged uncaringly, eating his own half slowly. "I don't mind."

As the former prisoner took a bite of his fruit, he paused in thought. "You are being strangely kind to someone you barely know." He stated, his face confused.

The pirate shrugged again. "If you fall over from a lack of strength, it won't help anyone." He replied plainly, before scratching his chin. "Though my 'mystery' senses are tingling when I think about that conversation the Judge had with you - that, and the fact that you could be twins, yet one is a Judge and the other is a former soldier of Dalmasca. Something tells me there's a deeper mystery to the events that led to your 'execution'. That's a given, seeing as you are currently alive."

Basch sighed, rubbing the scar over his left brow. "It is a long a story." He admitted.

"And not one we have time for right now." Balthier interjected, sensing the man was going to tell it. "It's something we can talk about once we're out of here. And Vaan needs to hear it."

"Right." The former prisoner agreed, taking the armguard offered. "My thanks."

"The merchant didn't have anything in the way of weapons, but it should offer some protection." Balthier replied as a deep humming thrummed through the passages and the lights flickered on, bathing the area in a warm glow. "Ah, seems Fran and Vaan fixed the fuse."

The pair came down the stairs, he approached them and handed off the food he bought. After a quick thanks, they ate their food quickly. Vaan wiped his mouth with his hand, hurriedly catching the glowing stones Balthier tossed at him. "What's this?"

"Protect and Blizzard spellstones." The pirate answered. "I figured you would need them, give you a few more magicks for your arsenal."

"Thanks." The thief said gratefully, looking deeply into the glowing stones. A vision flashed before his eyes, instructions on how to use the spells flowing into his mind. Once he was done, he pocketed the stones and held his hand out, concentrating. Then, Vaan folded his hand as he saw in the vision, a white glow emanating from his palm, before he waved it front of him, a mystical shield springing to life in front of him. It then sank into his body and faded, imbuing him with protective properties.

The quartet gathered as Vaan pressed the gate button. The rusty metal gate slid up into the ceiling with a rumble and the lights flickered. They moved on, walking a short distance and coming to an open room. On the far end, at a point where the stone had crumbled, exposing bare wire, there sat a metallic creature. Energy shot from the wires into it, and the lights flickered and dimmed.

"What is that thing doing?" Vaan asked, pointing at the metallic spider creature.

"Ah, Mimics." Balthier replied, drawing his rifle and firing a shot that made the creature chitter in pain. "Insidious creatures, hiding themselves as random objects, then attacking when you're least wary. Apparently, the ones down here like to gorge themselves on power. I bet if we can kill them fast enough, the power will come back."

"Oh." The thief said, going through the motions of Blizzard. A spike of ice formed in front of him, zipping through the air to smash into the mimic, covering its metallic body with a sheen of frost. "What would happen if it doesn't?"

As if on cue, the ground in front of them cracked as a skeletal hand burst through, followed by a body with the tattered remains of light armor clinging to it, holding a rusted sword in one hand. It didn't have eyes, only glowing blue mist filling its eye sockets. It shambled towards them, growling through decayed vocal cords as its hanging jaw flapped with every step.

"The dark invites deadlier creatures to rise." The pirate replied, a gout of fire erupting from his hand, bathing the skeleton in flames. "Let's keep the lights on!"

…

…

…

…

A/N: I kind of wanted to get them out of the dungeons, but I also didn't want the chapter to drag on more than it already does, so I'm ending it here. Quite a bit happened this chapter, and I don't want to overload anyone.

So, some differences should've been made apparent already. Compared to Balthier, Saul is warmer and much more friendly and not as self-serving. This, I feel, came across in the part where Vaan tries to kick Basch's ass. In the game, Balthier grabs Vaan by the hand and throws him aside like a misbehaving puppy and basically tells him 'Spare me, and we're working together whether or not you want to.' Saul, on the other hand, pulls him aside and connects with him, revealing a bit of his backstory.

I'm also using the Wiki to fact-check things, plus I have a working PS2 and a copy of the game, so most of what you see in the way of items is true to the game, with the exception of the Red Bangle, which is from FFX and is modified for -50% Fire Damage and +50% Fire Magick. That water stone is also a thing. I remember the first time I saw one of those in the game, I thought, 'man, that would be really useful in a desert.'

So yeah, some more backstory for Saul and generally more stuff. I think the desire is fading a little bit, so hopefully I'll be able to work on something else, because I did literally start this chapter as soon as I posted the first.

I hope you enjoyed, and if you did, why not review and make my day? I been feeling under the weather lately, and you know what they say about laughter being the best medicine: 'What does that have to do with reviewing?'

Stay Awesome.

~Soleneus

P.S.: Why is Invictus there?

There is always a gun.