Kharazz wrapped his cloak of shadow around him and *travelled*
through the darkness.  He was the master of Shadow and could appear
anywhere a shadow fell.  In this case, on the Big Whale.  The Fiends of
times past had failed because they had underestimated their foes.  Kharazz
did not intend to make the same mistake.  He would watch first, learn their
ways.  And then he would destroy them.  He would rule, second only to his
Master... and he had thoughts about that, as well.  But for now... he had
to find a way to relieve Celes of her magic, as his Master commanded.  And
eliminate the Big Whale as well.
	Invisible within his shadow, he studied the crew of this ancient
Lunarian vessel.  There was the Lunar, FuSoYa.  In times past, the ancient
one would have sensed his presence easily.  But he was nothing without his
magic, which was fading rapidly.  FuSoYa would be helpless against him.
	The golden-haired woman... she was the one who had helped the
Paladin destroy Zeromus so many centuries ago.  Her magic seemed to linger
on, and her skill with a bow was not insignificant.  Still, if he felled
her before she had the chance to cast White, he would win.  He could use
his Shadow Shroud to block her white magic.
	Near her was the Caller.  <She might just be the most dangerous of
them,> he mused.  <Bahamut and Leviathan answer her calls.  I must take
care not to confront her directly.  Perhaps I can cloud her mind with
Illusion, make her think one of the others is her enemy?>
	Dismissing her, he turned to the object of his mission, the
ex-Knight Celes.  That sword registered as roughly equivalent to the
Illumina, but fortunately it was not a blade of Light.  Illumina would have
been deadly to Kharazz.  Her magic was less troublesome.  The flame spells
would be dangerous, but if he could act first...
	It all depended on his ability to strike first, he realized.  If he
did not, he could not defeat all of these at once.  And from past
indication, Celes would not split from these others.  She would gather more
allies.  There were combinations he could not defeat.  He had to strike
soon... but not yet.
	He turned his attention to the last member.  A masked man...  Could
this be the ninja Edge, of Eblan?  Still alive, after all this time?
Incredible.  He sensed... something.  Hate.  Anger.  Yes.  He could use
this man.  Eblan's king would be his instrument to defeat Celes and destroy
the Big Whale.  He was not Jardek, the Fiend of Mind, but he could do just
as well.
	He chuckled in amusement as he stepped further into the shadow and
*travelled* from the Big Whale to his lair in the Land of Darkness.  He
would plan carefully, this time.  This time, he would be victorious.
	Kharazz, the Master of Shadows, laughed at the darkness.