Chapter 26: The Power of the Spirit
                    -----------------------------------

After hours of air travel, Ciara finally managed to bring the airship
within a few hundred yards of the robot. To say the thing was huge would be
an understatement: the airship was smaller than the thing's eye. And it had
left a wake of destruction miles long.

"Would you take a look at the footprints that THING left? They must be 40
feet deep!"

Cecil just nodded at Ciara's comment. He was concentrating too hard to
respond verbally; his telepathic link with the spirit of his helm,
Cerebratan, and his gaze upon the thing itself kept him fully inside
himself. "Cereb, there has to be a way in, a way to stop this thing. Scan
again for an opening!" Cecil was shouting out loud now, and the others
looked at him oddly.

"Ciara, Cecil's been pretty damn aggressive ever since he obtained that
sword, don't you think?" Sabin whispered, just to be sure Cecil couldn't
hear.

"Yes, it seems our Paladin has lost some of his...holi--"

Ciara was cut short by a ear-splitting yell of vengence, and as she looked
up, she saw Cecil jumping over the edge of the airship.

"What the--"

Sabin was in action before Ciara could finish her sentence, but it was too
late; the Paladin was gone.

"Ciara, what the hell just happened?"

"Last thing I heard him say-he was talking to his helm again--was something
about how he'd have to make like a can opener..."

Sabin ran to the edge and looked down.There, standing on the right shoulder
of the robot was Cecil--yelling out the names of Salvator, Arthurian,
Murcretes, Cerebratan, and Aretian. Raising his sword above his head, it
began to glow, then crackle with multicolored electricity. Soon, the metal
seemed white hot and hurt to look at directly. Finally, when it seemed that
the sword would blind them, even looking on from the airship, they saw
Cecil bring it down in a furious and quick slash that severed a gash in the
robot's neck big enough for two people to walk through...and then they saw
Cecil collapse.

"Did you see that?" was all that Ciara could form words to say. Sabin only
nodded. They were stunned at the display of power. But then their senses
kicked back in. "Quick, we've gotta get down there and help Cecil before he
falls off...and then we can destroy this monstrosity!"

Sabin agreed, then Ciara spoke again.

"You go help Cecil, I'll land the ship on this thing's head and join you in
a sec."