Locke leaned forward a bit, allowing his eyes to travel over his companions. Banon, once and future leader of the Returners. Sabin, martial artist extraordinaire. Gogo, the master of mimicry, who effectively doubled the team's strength with her ability to absolutely replicate any action. Alcan, the latest mysterious figure to enter his life. Driel--alive, thank the stars!--and her companion, who seemed familiar, but... <I wish I could place her. I used to have a better memory,> he thought wryly.

And another young lady, who flinched even at his gaze. She literally shivered for a moment in terror. Ahni-Baska. Inwardly, he sighed. <She was sent to kill me, so _why_ do I feel sorry for her?> He looked away, reminding himself to keep an eye on her. <It _could_ be an act, I suppose...>

There was nothing he could do about that, and the matter at hand was more important anyway. "South Figaro it is, then? The tunnels?"

Banon, ever the cautious one, frowned. "That puts us right in Edgar's hands if we make even the smallest mistake."

Sabin chimed in, "But we have to be able to counter him quickly, for now. Especially with our army..." He cut off, with a quick glance towards Ahni-Baska. <So he doesn't trust her either.>

Locke nodded. "Edgar's main power right now isn't his army. It's his magic. I was prepared to search for a mystical treasure I read about in the Land of Summoned Monsters--" he winked at Driel, who was agape at those words. "--where there's quite a library. I'll tell you all about it when we have more time. But, with so many of us gathered, I think we can win without it. It seems that the Light has chosen its Warriors for this conflict."

Driel caught onto that immediately. "The Light Warriors? Weren't they the heroes who defeated the arch-fiend Zeromus two thousand years ago?"

Locke nodded. "Yes, in a way. Incidentally... well, later," he added, glancing sidelong towards Ahni-Baska. <Wouldn't do to tell her that some of those very heroes have returned,> he thought. <If she's a spy.> He continued, "But the Light Warriors are not a specific group of people. Every time there has been a major conflict between the Light and the Shadow, the Light has put forth a call for heroes. Those who answered--and there were always heroes to answer-- became the Light Warriors of their time. They always managed to join forces, sometimes through the most unlikely coincidence, and together, they were always able to overcome the legions of monsters summoned by the Shadow. This has been true since the earliest Light Warriors..."

Driel finished in a voice both frightened and excited, a tone of awe, "...prevented the manifestation of Chaos on the world."

"Then during the time of Kefka..?" Banon began.

Locke and Gogo replied in unison. "We were the Light Warriors."

<Nice trick.> Locke suppressed a shudder. <That's really unnerving. She even mimics my voice...>

The others, Locke noticed, all looked slightly stunned at the news. Even Ahni-Baska. <Terrible acting, the Impresario said. Well, at least I can do melodrama!>

He seized the initiative to make his point. "I think we should head for Figaro Castle immediately. In fact," he added with a broad smile, "I wouldn't be surprised if a few old friends joined us along the way. Things like that tend to happen to the Light Warriors." He winked, in good spirits now despite their peril. <Banon is alive. Driel is alive. And somewhere... somewhere, Celes is alive.>

Banon was nodding. "I'll arrange transport to South Figaro immediately. From there, we should be able to reach Figaro Castle. Locke's, ah, _talents_, will help us slip in--maybe this mimic will be able to help as well. I trust that Sabin, with help from the others, will be able to fend off Edgar's guards."

A smile flitted across Locke's face at Banon's chosen term. <'Talents' indeed. They served me well enough in South Figaro once... looks like they'll do again.> His expression became grave as he looked around the table at six pairs of eyes, resolution as strong in theirs as in his. Ahni-Baska, of course, ruined the moment by having her eyes tightly closed. She seemed to be crying again...

Banon either wasn't aware or didn't care about that. The weariness in his eyes was gone now, replaced by liquid fire; the man looked three years younger. His voice, though it was subdued to avoid attracting unwanted attention, was still clear and strong.

"Edgar will answer for his deeds!"

Locke stood up and frowned. "No rest?"

Driel smiled and tried to comfort Locke. "Maybe we'll get some rest on the voyage." As she said this her eyes betrayed her thoughts. The last sea voyage had been anything but restful... and she knew that Locke had a tendency to be seasick.

Locke looked at her with an exhausted look. "I'll be fine. Although, what I wouldn't give for an unmoving, steady bed!" Locke chuckled at himself.

Banon interrupted. "We must go, NOW!" He eyed the party with excitement. "The ship will leave in ten minutes! No stragglers now!" He turned and left the tavern.

Gogo got up from her table and proceeded to follow Banon out the door, imitating his every move... and his words. "No stragglers now!

Lola motioned to Driel. "Well, I guess we'd better start heading over to the ship, eh?" Lola whirled around suddenly. "Oh, no! I can't leave Pop and Pip here alone!" She immediately ran out of the tavern and began to dash toward the chocobo stables.

Driel looked up in time to see Lola disappear from sight. "Lola! We don't have time for..." Driel sighed and wondered why Lola had a tendency to go hyper now and again. "I guess I should go after her..."

Locke nodded at Driel. He turned toward Ahni-Baska and held her shoulders still. "Go with Sabin to the ship." He looked at Sabin. "We'll catch up..." Locke turned back to Driel. "Wait up! I'll go with you. Where was she headed?"

**** Meanwhile ****

Lola was dashing at a high rate of speed toward her chocobos. "Pop, Pip, I can't let you down like I did Alma!" Tears sprung up in her eyes. "Alma! Why did you have to die?"

She reached the stable, and began to look for the guards. "Hmmm... that's strange." She sniffled and hurried over to Pop and Pip and ruffled their feathers. "How are you guys? Come on. You're coming with me..."

Before she could unlatch the gate, she heard someone behind her. "Hello? Who's there?" She strained her eyes to see in the dark. "Driel? Is that you?"

Suddenly a dark figure stepped out of the shadows. "Greetings, flower-spirited one..." Rhiannon hated small talk. His low rumbling laugh sent chills up and down Lola's spine. She gasped in fear, and clutched at her ring. Rhiannon had anticipated little resistance on her part, but he had come prepared.

Rhiannon raised his arms and his bellowing voice gave freedom to the word, "VIRGO!"

The roof of the stable seemed to open up, and a torrent of wind enveloped Lola. She lost concentration on her ring and began to panic. Suddenly, an angelic looking creature descended upon them, her wings creating a gale of unearthly wind. Lola began to relax at the innocent and beautiful sight of Virgo. She lifted her arms to the celestial figure... Virgo reached down to her, and gently touched a wheat ear to Lola's cheek. Lola sighed, and dropped to the ground... asleep.

Rhiannon's laughter surrounded the room with darkness as Virgo disappeared. "Thank the stars...", he mumbled triumphantly. "That was too easy..." He lifted Lola onto his shoulder and looked at the squawking chocobos. He bowed to them sarcastically. "Thank you my friends, for your assistance."

Suddenly the stable door flew open. Driel stood in the doorway. "Lola? Where are..." Driel spotted Rhiannon and saw Lola slumped over his shoulder. "Who are you?" she demanded.

Locke appeared next to her, his hand twitching beside Valiant. He looked at Rhiannon, confused. "What's going on here?"

Driel gritted her teeth. "Stranger... unhand her this minute!"

She shook her head violently, torn once again between those conflicting desires. Her body burned with a power she had never felt before, yet she could not harness it, for the conflict would not end. If only...a compromise could be reached with her tormented soul.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck her, solidifying the shattered remnants of her will into a sharp blade of purpose. The master had given her new direction through the communication he periodically manifested with her. She knew what she had to do...and it would bring harm to no one.

She smiled even as she crept silently toward the prone Locke. Fingers with the strength to crush a man's skull like a ripe melon dipped beneath his tunic to the hilt of the blade he wore. Valiant. The Master's soft kreen of triumph wafted beneath her consciousness, bringing a sudden rush of pleasure over her.

Her feet pitter-pattered near mutely against the moist ground as she crept away, unnoticed in the chaos surrounding Rhiannon's departure. She would have to remember to thank him. Appropriately.

"Lola's not going anywhere," Driel said adamantly.

"So, who will stop me? You?"

"That's right," Locke said. "Now do as she said and -" He gasped and collapsed to his hands and knees, eyes wide and unseeing.

"Locke!" Driel shouted. "Locke! What's wrong?" She knelt down and shook him, but his eyes remained distant, a look of shock and horror on his face. She looked up at Rhiannon, meeting his amused smirk with an angry glare. "What did you do to him?"

"I'm afraid Locke can neither see nor hear you at the moment. A pity, since I'm sure he has some interesting stories to relate concerning people named Rachel and Celes." Something inside Driel snapped as Rhiannon continued to mock her, and in a fit of rage she drew Graedus and lunged at the fair-haired warrior. He simply caught her arm and twisted, letting the knife fall harmlessly to the ground. Driel struggled and tried to fight back, but Rhiannon was faster and stronger. He smashed his fist into her stomach, then picked her up by the front of her tunic when she doubled over. "If you want to see your friend again, you will have to come to Figaro and defeat my master." He laughed scornfully. "However, I doubt I will be seeing you or your companions again." He tossed Driel out into the street as if she were some stray dog. "Goodbye," he said, and concentrated as he prepared to teleport.

Waves of blue light exploded from the street, interrupting his spell and forcing him to shield his eyes from the brightness. He looked up...then looked up again at the sea serpent towering twenty feet above his head. "Release Lola," the serpent cried, the voice low and harsh, but still unmistakably Driel's.

"Interesting," Rhiannon said, as he studied the magical field pulsing about Driel. "I've not encountered this type of magic before. Still, it will do you little good. Do you still wish to fight, lady serpent?"

"I won't let you take Lola," Driel hissed.

"So be it," Rhiannon said. He gently lowered Lola to the hay, then paused a moment as he studied her peaceful, sleeping face. Something seemed so familiar about her... but he couldn't quite figure out what it was. In any case, it wasn't important at the moment. He traced a rune in the air and disappeared, then rematerialized further down the street. "Prepare to be annihilated, monster," he said, with a smirk.

Driel flinched a little, but remained determined. "You hurt my friends. For that, you are a dead man." Crashing waves of water rose up behind her as she summoned her magic.

Rhiannon laughed as similar waves began to rise at his back. "Then make me one."

"Tsunami!"

"AQUARIUS."

**************************

"Evil magic!" Alcan blurted.

"Say what?" Sabin said. "That's an odd thing to -"

"Back there! Where Lola and Driel went!"

"Calm down," Banon said. "Are you sure -"

"Yes! It's the same one I sensed outside the tavern earlier. It disappeared, but now it's back. It's probably after Lola and Driel."

"I think we should check it out," Sabin said.

"Alright," Banon said. "I guess we're not going to make this boat."

"Who cares, we can always find another boat," Sabin said. He took off at a fearsome pace down the street, followed by Gogo, who was exactly mimicking his great strides. Alcan began to chase them, then suddenly stopped as he sensed another disturbing presence.

"Look out!" he shouted, a little too late.

Sabin and Gogo flew back into Alcan and Banon, propelled by the fury of the Aero and Cleansweep spells which raged down the street. People fled in panic, either on their feet or caught up by the power of the wind and waves. The four companions jumped back to their feet. Before them floated three dark figures clad in shapeless black robes. Flames flickered about their bodies, and the only thing visible beneath their ornate pointed hats were their glowing red eyes.

"Dark Forces," Sabin said.

"What are those?" Banon asked.

"Powerful creatures of magic. They once served Kefka, protecting his tower from intruders. But with magic gone, how can they exist now? Alcan! What about that evil presence?"

"Beyond them," Alcan said. "It makes these creatures seem insignificant in comparison. I think they are trying to prevent us from reaching it."

"Okay," Sabin said, raising his fists in front of him. "We'll have to go through them then." He jumped forward with incredible speed, leaving behind a trail of flickering images as he tore a hole through one of the dark figures. Then chaos reigned over the street as the Dark Forces and Alcan cut loose with their magic.

*****************************

"Yes," Rachel said with her melodious voice. She smiled radiantly at Locke. Her beautiful dark eyes glittered with happiness.

"Do you mean it?" Locke asked.

"Of course," Rachel said, continuing to smile at him.

Locke rose to his feet and took her other hand. "I love you," he said sincerely.

"And I, you," Rachel replied. Their lips met in a passionate kiss, until finally Locke stepped away. "What is it?" Rachel asked.

"That was only half the reason I brought you here," Locke said. "There's something I want to show you. It's the greatest treasure in the world... next to you, of course. Would you like to see it?"

"Sure," Rachel said, with a shrug and a smile. Locke wordlessly guided her over a pile of rubble, then they walked side-by-side through the vast cavern.

"Just a little further," Locke said, as they approached a sturdy wooden bridge spanning a yawning chasm. They were so lost in each other's presence that they did not notice the creaking and snapping sounds until it was too late.

"What was that?" Rachel said, startled by the sound of a beam failing.

"What the - don't move!" Locke said. "I - the bridge is giving way -"

"Locke!" Rachel screamed. She reached out and shoved Locke forward just as the support beams shattered, sending the center portion of the bridge falling into the darkness of the chasm.

"RACHEL!" Locke screamed. He ran to the shattered edge of the bridge and peered down, finding naught but air and darkness. He turned...

... and walked out onto the promenade surrounding the Inn of Albrook. Stars gleamed brightly in the indigo sky, and the pale light cast by the moon gave his surroundings a dreamy, enchanting glow. Celes was standing at the railing, staring out at the surf as it hit the shore in foamy white waves. Her long golden hair swirled about her in the breeze, shimmering in the soft moonlight, a stark constrast to her battle-worn armor and cape. He walked to the rail and stood there, scarcely ten feet away. It was a while before he spoke.

"Celes," he said. "I know that I hurt you. I should have trusted you, back there in Vector. I would still like to be friends. Can you forgive me?" Celes continued to stare out at the waves as he spoke, then she turned and walked away, towards the stairway leading to the lower part of the town. "Celes!" Locke started to follow her, then stopped as she continued to walk away, her white cape fluttering behind her in the brisk sea breeze. "Celes," he repeated, sadly.

"Rachel. Celes," Locke whispered, then he crashed to the ground, insensate. Above him, the one known as Jardek disappeared, his mission accomplished.

*****************************

"Ice2!" Shards of freezing ice converged on the floating Rhiannon, then fell to the ground in a clump, leaving him untouched. Another image, Driel realized. She turned her long neck to find the warrior chuckling behind her.

"Your spells are of no use if they cannot hit their target," Rhiannon said.

"Shut up! Geyser!" Water rose up all around her, then exploded outwards in all directions in crushing sprays. They passed through the hovering warrior and continued onwards, smashing into the burned-out buildings lining the street. Driel looked around, trying to locate Rhiannon, then belatedly noticed him dropping from above.

"LEO." An outline of a lion's head surrounded Rhiannon as his voice became a deafening roar, blasting into Driel and pulverizing the cobblestones of the street below. Driel wavered unsteadily and fell stunned to the ground. Rhiannon drew Razor and ran in for the kill, but was forced back as Driel's tail came around in an arc, almost crushing him. He jumped back and sliced downwards with Razor, sending a line of white fire tearing into Driel's scales. She screamed in pain and fury, then retaliated with a column of water which sent Rhiannon flying through five walls. He regained his feet slowly, wiping a trail of blood from the corner of his mouth. "Well, well, you've broken my arm," he said, indicating the odd angle of his left elbow. A white glow surrounded him, and with an audible pop his arm resumed its normal orientation. "Fortunately, I can regenerate myself. You, however, seem to be rather exhausted. Perhaps you should surrender before you get hurt."

Driel slowly raised herself from the ground. She wasn't badly injured, yet, but she was rapidly tiring from the use of her magic. "It's not over yet," she hissed.

"True. It's about time this battle ended, however," Rhiannon said. He reached into a pouch at his belt and withdrew a blue-white flower with five petals. He bit off two and returned the flower to the pouch. An aura of shimmering blue light surrounded him almost immediately.

Driel was aghast as she realized what was contained in the flower. "Those are -"

"Yes. The life energy drained from the forest near Maranda. And now it ends. ZEUS." Lightning flashed from the sky and struck his upraised hand, surrounding him with a crackling aura of electricity.

Driel lashed out in rage before he could redirect the lightning. "Tsunami!" The waves rose up and crashed down on Rhiannon, cracking the ground from the force. Then Driel screamed as electricity exploded into her body. She fell to the ground, twitching in agony.

"Fool," Rhiannon said, emerging unscathed from the waters. "Your lack of experience is amusing. Don't you know that water conducts electricity? You let me channel the lightning right into your body, bypassing any defenses you might have." He prepared another Zeus spell to end his opponent's life, then stopped, chuckling. "Inexperienced, but such power. You may yet prove useful to the Master." He concentrated, and with a wave of his hand returned Driel to her human form. "I am sure we will meet again." He walked back to the stable, where the two chocobos uneasily watched over the unconscious Lola. He picked her up, then began tracing a series of runes in the air. A globe of absolute darkness enveloped them, then collapsed inwards on itself, leaving behind only the two frightened chocobos.

The moment of distraction nearly cost Alcan his life. Just in time, he "saw" the buildup of magical energy in a form that could be deadly. He instantly erected a magical shield, and the creature's - /Dark Force? Is that what he called it?/ - magic expended itself harmlessly against the shield. Alcan then responded with a similar spell of his own, and one of the Dark Forces... dissipated. Without sparing a thought for the strange manner of the creature's departure, Alcan finished Sabin's work on the second, magically tearing it apart; it died in the same manner as the first.

Then Alcan was swept from his feet by a gale-force blast of air. He hurtled backward and landed with a *thud* on the street. Pushing himself upright and shaking his head, he saw the remaining Dark Force advancing. Once again he sensed the death-spell forming, and he restored the magical shield which had fallen when he had hit the ground. The magic was once again wasted. Alcan then concentrated, creating a charged area of ground below the creature and another high above it in the air. An instant later, an immense lightning bolt connected the two points, and the creature, stuck right in the middle, was incinerated. "And you can go to hell too," Alcan muttered. Then he threw his arms out in front of him to protect himself from the rubble that flew from the point of the lightning bolt's impact.

Dusting himself off, Alcan thought, /How did I do so terribly? To let that one right in on me - and that bolt was massive overkill.../ Shaking his head again, he hurried toward the others to see what else he would have to deal with.

She retreated to the comforts of the familiar caverns beneath the town. There was a forest nearby, and she hunted there until morning. She slept in the cave for a few hours as she soaked the pelt of the rabbit she had caught. She was too weary to work the leather tonight.

She awoke the next morning to the sound of running footsteps. Instinctively her hand went to her stone knife, and she crouched in the shadows. A dark figure ran past her, trailing the scent of a human and some large animal. There was a grunting, laborious sort of growling and heavy footsteps of a quadrupedal being. The musty scent grew closer and another large shape lumbered swiftly past. Ahn squinted as her nightvision came into use. It was a large dog that wore a spiked collar around its neck. It was chasing after the human.

She leapt from her hiding place and grabbed her bow. She nocked an arrow and fired, cursing as it hit the beast's back foot and not the intended target, its neck. It roared and wheeled around to face her, its jowls dripping with saliva in its rage. Ahn let another arrow fly and just barely had time to jump out of the way as the Ralph pounced, the arrow embedded in its shoulder. Ahn moved in for the kill, driving her knife deep into its eye. She clung to the knife for a second, but sprung away in fear of being crushed by its jaws. It twisted and writhed on the ground, blood and fluid pouring from the wound around her blade. It fell to the ground and collapsed.

Ahn was amazed that she had come from the battle with no more than bruises, and that no skin had been broken. She whispered a praise to the spirits and pulled her knife from the Ralph's body. ~Where's the human now?~ she thought. She hadn't had time to notice whether it had stopped or kept running. ~What was it doing to the Ralph that caused it to give chase?~ She stared at the carcass. She had to leave it here for now. The leather would be thick and would make for a good cold-weather frock, but she wanted to question the human. She felt confident that she could face them and talk with them now.

She tried to smell past the Ralph's odor, to pick up a trail or the human itself. ~Aha.~ She looked in a small crevasse and found a human male pressed against the stone. "No need to fear now," she said. "The beast is dead." She extended her hand down to him. He looked up at her with wide eyes. His fear-scent was very faint. Had he been afraid at all in the first place? He took her hand and pulled himself out of the hole.

"Thank you. I would have helped you, but I lost my weapon to the other one."

"Other one?"

"There were three outside, actually. Strange, too. Never heard of Ralphs wandering so far from their home. My name's Lance." He bowed slightly and a few loose strands of his long blond hair that had fallen loose of the black cord which tied it back fell forward into his green eyes. He smiled at her hand brushed the hair back. "I'm a mess." He gave a slight chuckle.

"I am Ahn." She smiled at him as well. "Could your weapon be retrieved?" she asked.

"No, the dog ran with it in his side. He was going at a pretty fast clip when the other last one started coming after me. I managed to kill the other one before I lost my sword." His face became angry. "Damn. I loved that sword too." He looked around. "It's dark in here. Why don't we go outside so I can think of a way to repay you?"

Ahn hadn't realized that he had no nightvision at first. "Yes," she answered.

"You don't talk much, do you?"

"I have nothing to say right now."

They stepped into the forest. Afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves of the trees overhead. Lance sat on a fallen log and lifted his sleeve.

"You're wounded."

"It's nothing, really. Just a scratch."

Just a scratch. Ahn hoped that it was nothing like the scratch she had received from the cat before. She had no desire to treat a poisoned human today.

"Were you traveling through this forest?" Ahn asked, hoping to strike up a conversation and make herself speak more. It was like self-therapy.

"Yes. I was on my way to Maranda to visit my sister. Business has been slow as of late."

"What sort of business?"

"I'm a mercenary. But lately everyone's been taking up their battles by themselves. It's hard to make a GP these days."

The only living creatures she saw were the chocobos, Pip and Pop. She glared at them, hating them with all of her being. She blamed them for Lola's disappearance. If Lola had not returned to get them... But it was unfair to hate the birds so. They were just dumb animals. Sighing, she turned to leave, and saw someone out of the corner of her eye. She rushed over, and found Locke lying senseless on the ground. His face was bunched up in despair, even though he was unconscious. She knelt down and brushed his hair away from his face, wondering what could cause him so much pain. He seemed like such a noble man, if a bit devious. He hardly deserved to suffer. She sighed and rocked back on her heels. From what little she had heard, she knew he was in search of his friends. Driel understood how painful it must be for him, because she was aching inside, even though Lola had only been gone for a few minutes.

Biting her lip, she wiped a tear away from her eye. She tried to picture the woman (for what else could inspire such a yearning for Locke?) that had touched this man so deeply, and had visions of beauty and kindness. Driel wished she could know a love out of the stories she had read, one full of joy and eternal bonds.

Shaking her head, she laughed harshly at herself. This was hardly the time to grow sentimental. Lola, her dearest friend, had been torn away from her, and Rhiannon must be made to pay... These thoughts set off a smoldering fire deep within her, as she decided that she would let nothing bar her way. Resolute, she hefted Locke over her shoulder for a second time, and headed back out onto the street.

As she walked out, she saw Banon, Sabin, and the other man she had just met, Alcan, rushing her way. They came to a halt when they spotted her.

"Is everyone alright?" Banon asked.

Driel shook her head. "No, Locke's unconscious, and this man kidnapped Lola. I don't even know if she's still... Oh wait, I can sense her, faintly." Driel glanced off to the east, testing a thin bond which stretched out over the land. The link faded in and out, as if Lola were not quite awake, or the bond was too weak. "I've got to go help her. I know Edgar is a very big threat, but that guy I fought had a lot of powerful magic. He could be just as big a threat, if less obvious than Edgar."

Alcan nodded. "He did have strange, powerful magic, and it has been twisted and corrupted by someone or something."

Banon furrowed his brow, as he looked around the street. "Indeed, he did leave quite a mess." He tilted his head at Driel. "Nevertheless, if you have enough magic to stop this man, even for a little while, I would much prefer having you with us when we take on Edgar. From what the villagers described, your healing and water magic could be very helpful."

Driel sighed. "I do not have full use of my spells without Lola. We're... linked, and she is the only one that can release many of my spells. I doubt I would be much help at all without her. I am going to go after her. I can go see Captain Bryant, a good friend of mine I saw in town, and ask him to take me where I need to as an old favor. I would like help, but I understand if all of you wish to continue without me... after all, I'm sure Alcan's magic would be better than mine against Edgar."

"I'll go with you." Locke lifted his head wearily, having heard most of the conversation, but only now gaining enough coherence to speak.

Driel glanced at him, shocked, then gently set him on his feet, so he could regain some of his dignity. "Are you sure? It might be dangerous, and I wouldn't want you to get hurt..."

Locke chuckled as he smiled brightly at Driel. "Of course I will come. I promised I would protect you, didn't I? And I want to keep that promise."

Driel's throat closed up as she whispered, "Thank you. I... I'd like for you to help me." She smiled back at him shyly.

His grin broadened, and he said, "After all, you still have Graedus, and I still have Valiant, so we won't be completely helpless." He reached for his sheath, then blinked and looked down. "Um, where is it?" He looked around, searching in the hay in the stables. Then he realized something else. "That woman, the one who said she was sent to kill me. She's gone, and so is Valiant... I knew I should not have trusted her, even a little bit."

Driel lowered her eyes, looking at Graedus, which had fallen in her battle. She lifted it up, and handed it to Locke. "Here, I won't need it."

"Are you sure?" He looked at her with concern.

"Yes, I'm sure. When I... cast my spells, I don't really need Graedus."

"If you say so. In any case, I'll still go with you. I'll not let the loss of one mere weapon prevent me from keeping my promise." Locke looked resolute as he said this, as if he were making up for the past...

Driel nodded, relieved. She turned to the others. "Is anyone else coming?"

Banon thought for a moment, then shook his head. "I am sorry, but I need to lead this battalion of the Returners' army against Edgar."

Locke nodded, then turned to Sabin and Alcan. "And how about you two?"

She didn't even hear the cries out for her to return, as unmistakable as Locke's voice was; she was too involved in her internal problems. Who _was_ she? I have, realized Gogo, no identity. No life of my own. I'm a parasite, and no one likes a parasite. I can't even think for myself half the time. Where _is_ everyone? Why won't they accept me for who I am? But who's that?

Despondent, she began to walk northward, back towards Kohlingen. The occasional monster appeared from time to time, but Gogo wasn't desperate enough to sacrifice herself. She _did_ still have that dagger.

The sun began to rise over the horizon, casting long shadows to the west. Gaining some momentary confidence, she sprinted in that direction, towards the coast. And there, in a small grove of trees, was a small mausoleum, carved with airship-shaped insignia, and a single name: Daryl.

Daryl. Was it the multiple bumps on the head from falling repeatedly through great distances, or did that name sound familiar? Daryl. Gogo rolled it over her tongue a few times. The door was open, revealing a lengthy set of stairs. Slowly, she began to descend...

The architecture inside the immense underground place was stunning; dark blue and purple stone, offset by flickering blue flames. And that unmistakable aura of familiarity. What was it about this place?

Descending more sets of stairs, and wandering around passageways, Gogo eventually came to a coffin. Enshrouded in pink linen with a bouquet of year-old decaying roses. An engraving read, "Daryl sleeps here." Perhaps now this mystery would be solved.

With supreme effort, Gogo barely managed to lift the heavy marble lid from the coffin. No corpse. No body. No trace of any living or formerly living material, just a small note written on parchment in dark purple ink. A note that read:

"Dear Setzer,

I do not know when you will recieve this note, but you have counted me out far too soon. This elaborate place is a testament to your devotion - it shows your true feelings towards me. However, I am not gone. I am not here, either. This note was only placed here by a Warp spell, from one underground location to another. Yes, I know magic; I do not know how. I can't explain, but I am trapped, and feeling very alone. I can't Warp or Exit myself from this wretched place for some reason. Please, all I know of my location is that I am north of the Veldt - I saw that when my airship crashed. Yours Truly,

Daryl."

Gogo's mind was made: first to the Veldt, then northward to find this Daryl, whoever she might be.