Chapter 16: Pure Chance
                         -----------------------

	It was early, but Cecil was starting to get used to rising with
the sun again.  He may have been getting old, but heck, he really had
missed waking before the birds with armor-chafed skin after going to bed
late with aching wounds.  It was the life, and he wasn't being sarcastic.
The thrill of the unpredictible day, the exhiliration of trudging through
undead with his gleaming Paladin's Sword, or the satisfaction of saving
another from certain doom.  That was what it all boiled down to in the
end.
	It made Cecil happy to help those less fortunate, and it was much
easier to see the effects firsthand rather than being stuck to a throne,
his weapons and armor a mantelpiece.
	That reminded him, he needed a emergency sword to carry at his
side in case he did run into some undead any time soon.
	Looking across the room at the Jidooran inn, he noticed Kain was
staring out the window.  "What do you see, old friend?"
	Kain winced at Cecil's words, for though he knew that he should
remember all the great times these two "old friends" had had, it was
painful that he could not.  "Cecil, it's like I remember bits and pieces
of everything, but none of it makes sense.  Yet, when I look upon the
rising sun, I *know* it's always been in my memory, and it brings peace
to my chaotic mind... I wish I could put together the images I see just
as the sun fills the morning with certainty..."
	Cecil felt for his friend, but could think of little to say.
"It'll return, eventually," Cecil hoped.  "Do you want to come to the
weapon shop with me?  I need to get a Crystal Sword... heard they have
them *on sale* here... and to think we almost got fried by that dragon
back on the moon trying to get my old one..."  He could see that Kain had
no recollection of the event,  "Well, come along, and maybe a story will
jar your memory."
	A half a day and numerous war stories later, Kain remembered
little more.  Cecil had bought the Crystal Sword, and it had brought a
vision that Cecil had described to mind, but that was the only image Kain
would have for the day.  So they walked around the city's outskirts,
chatting in hopes of another image that never came.
	A familiar voice interupted the two.  "Cecil, I have discovered
the whereabouts of Murcreties, one of my fellow spirits," it was
Cerebratan, "He's in a mountain range onan island northwest of here,
northwest of the Veldt."
	"Cerebratan, the Veldt's a good distance.  How'd you get your
scanning to work that far?"  Cecil was puzzled, for he had earlier asked
the spirit of his Helm to find the other three, and had been given a
reply of 'no can do' because of distance.
	"It seems my friend has heard of your arrival and subsequently
sent a servant spirit to find us."
	"Really..."  Cecil didn't like the fact that dead guys could go
around following him without his knowledge.  His Paladin senses should
have warned him...
	"Wrong, Cecil."  Cerebratan had read his thoughts.  "Your sensee
only warn you of evil, and this spirit was not evil."
	Meanwhile, Kain had been uncomfortably listening to Cecil speak
to himself, or what seemed to be himself.  "Cecil, would you mind letting
me in on whatever that ghost has been telling you?"
	"In just a sec, Kain.  Cerebratan, how do we get there?  You can
only teleport one of us at a time..."
	"I've been thinking about that, Paladin, and I may have an
answer..."  Cerebratan told Cecil how he could channel his magical energy
into Cerebratan to allow both Kain and Cecil to be transported at once.
The only setback was that it would drain all of Cecil's magical energy
until he rested again.  They agreed that it would be worth it, and the
duo soon found themselves atop the peak of a mountain.

***********

	"Kinda chilly up here, Cereb..."
	"Paladin, I only transport, I do not make the forecast.  Follow
the trail until its end and you will find Murcreties.  I must rest, so
good luck, one of Light and Dark."
	"Kain, Cereb says we folow this path.  Up to it?"
	"Yeah, Cecil.  Guess I don't have a choice."
	The duo trudged through snow until coming to a castle of sorts.
Hidden amongst the trees and cliffs stood an indiscreet tower that no one
could have seen from any angle but the one at which they now stood.
	"Pretty strange looking Cecil, what are we gonna find in there?"
	"Another dead guy."
	They walked to the edge of the tower, but could find no door.
	"How the hell we suppossed to get in it?"  Cecil was getting
miffed now.  The air was cold, the wind brutal, and now the only shelter
was doorless.
	"Got a mattock?  We could..."
	Kain's sentence was interrupted by a quick, shrill voice.  "Who
seeks entrance into my home?  Let it be known that if you have awakened
me from my stasis for any trivail matters, I shall possess thy bodies and
jail thy souls."
	Cautiously, Cecil spoke.  "We seek the one called Murcreties.  I
am Cecil, the Paladin, the one of Light and Dark, and this is my friend,
Kain, the Master Dragoon."
	"Cecil, eh?"  The strange, quick voice now took on a mocking
tone.  "And what proof have ye that ye be this Cecil?"
	"I give you my word, and that of Cerebratan and Salvatar."
	"That means nothing, your word that is, for one can claim to be
something he's not.  As for the other two names, they sound familiar, but
familiarity never proved certainty."
	Cecil was at a loss.  He could 'feel' Cereb and Sal trying to
talk with the voice, but it would not listen.
	"If you do not believe me, then that is your loss.  But that
obviously shows that you cannot be the one I am searching for.  So unless
you know where I can find Murcreties, then I shall leave."
	"Now wait a minute.  You may not leave.  I am Murcreties, the
wonderfully great Murcreties.  There is no one who can outrun me, and
you'd be fools to try."
	Kain decided to jump in the conversation.  "And we wouldn't try.
But if you're who *you* claim to be, what proof have you?"
	Murcreties was silent for a moment.
	"We have four opinions that we are who we claim, yet you have
none."
	"Well, uh, I say I'm Murcreties, and you have no proof
otherwise."  The spirit was satisfied with his answer.
	Cecil whispered an idea to Kain, and Kain became confused.
"Huh?"
	"Trust me..."
	Kain shrugged and repeated what Cecil had told him.  "We will
only believe you if you show us you can inhabit these boots."
	Cecil took off the Obsidian Boots he was wearing, and held the
Genji Medalion in one hand.
	"Of course I can.  I'll show you."  With that, Murcreties willed
a pair of luminous boots into existence and concentrated.  At the same
time, Cecil concentrated on both pairs of boots as he held the medallion.
The boots swirled in the air before Murcreties and miraculously fused,
and then the spirit entered them.
	The result was an ever changing obsidian/pearl-colored pair of
boots that seemed to be both colors and neither at the same time.  The
medallion glowed brightly for a second, then was again lifeless.
	"Hey, I can't get out!  You tricked me!  No one's allowed to do
that but... but... the Paladin..."
	Cecil smiled as he slipped on the boots.  "Yes, I am who I say.
And from the vigor, speed, and energy I feel from these boots, you are
who you say you are, Murcreties."
	"Humpf!  Some Paladin.  Why, I'll..."
	Cecil ignored the annoying spirit.

**********

	"Cecil, do you know where you're going?"
	"Nope, but do you have a better idea?  Cereb's still recuping,
and I don't have the energy to power another dual teleport anyway, so I
figure we'll try to find our way down the mountain."
	"At least let me lead."
	"Sure."
	The duo walked for another two hours before the sun started to
set.  And when it finally did, Cecil and Kain found that the nightlife on
the mountain was not to their liking.
	"Cecil, does that look like a zombie to you?"
	"Nope."
	"Good, I thought I was seeing things..."
	"It looks like thirty of 'em."  The undead swared, and Cecil
started telling himself he'd never wish to fight undead again.
	But the fray went well.  Other than a few gashes in each, the duo
was relatively unharmed.  Cecil's Crystal Sword was quite effective
against the undead, especially in the hands of the best swordsman that
ever lived.  And he was a Paladin to boot.  Kain and his lance, Dranthar,
also fared quite well, felling nearly half the monsters.
	Yet, the undead had one advantage: they didn't grow tired.
	"Cecil, we *really* need to find a place to sleep."
	"Let's keep going a little further.  I thought I saw some sorta
house up... there it is."
	Not far ahead was a huge mansion, one "fit for a king."  The
lights were on.
	"hope we can get shelter... Wait, Kain!  To your left...
something evil..."
	Cecil drew his sword again, and slashed at a creature wreathed in
black flames emanating darkness.  The thing fell with one swipe.  Kain
got the other, but it dodged enough to prevent its death.  It turned to
flee, but as it did, Kain finished it off.
	"It's a wonder that whoever lives there's not dead already..."
	"Kain, I'm begining to wonder..."
	Nonetheless, the duo walked to the door and knocked.  Moments
later, the door opened and a frail old man opened the door.
	"Master Rhiannon is not expecting visitors.  Please leave."
	"Please, my friend Cecil and I need shelter for the night."
	The man turned and addressed his master.  "Master Rhiannon, two
vagabounds wish shelter for the night..."
	Cecil could see into the mansion as far as the dining room.
There sat an imposing male and a beautiful female, apparently having
dinner.
	The old man return with an answer...