Chapter 49

  The Crystal City

  “I need a nap.” Hyato said as they touched down on the ship.

  “I feel like playing Command.” Michael said, stretching, “What a great fight.” Yan, Wolf, and Sebastian ran over before anyone else could, pleased the two swordsmen were okay.

  “I missed all the fun!” Wolf said, “Next time, I won’t skip training for lunch.”

  Captain Rils approached with a scowl, patting Michael on the back with enough force to make a man stagger. “Never do that again!” She commanded, then she smirked, “And good job.”

  Michael chuckled, recovering from Rils’ slap. “Don’t worry. My next technique will make that kind of fight even easier.”

  Rils shook her head, “Mien, your brother is insane.” She said, glancing at the Myrrhmidon.

  “Well, that’s not my fault.” Mien said, grinning.

  Hyato wandered off to get some sleep. “Brother?” Michael said, “I mean, I guess you’re right.”

  “Weren’t you paying attention yesterday?” Yan asked.

  “Well sure.” Michael said, “Mistan became me, so I’m Mien’s brother. Huh.”

  “I don’t think you need to worry about that now.” Mien said, “After all that fighting, everyone should take a break. The Sailors are going to be doing repairs anyways, and we shouldn’t be in the way. The Training deck is off limits.”

  “If we have to.” Yan said, “I’d actually like to keep training.”

  “Then train with me.” Sebastian said, “We can work on planning, while the training deck is unusable.”

  “And in the meantime,” Mien said, facing Michael, “How about a game of Command?”

  “Yes please!” Michael said, grinning from ear to ear.

  Yan and Sebastian left for the quarters while Mien showed Michael over to a command table in a lounge. Wolf yawned and stretched, then turned towards the sailors, “I may as well help with repairs.”

  Despite having just survived an attack by one of the most dangerous types of Zori, the repair crew seemed to be in high spirits when Wolf found them. ‘Less damage than usual,’ some of them were saying. Having powerful adventurers on board was better than they expected.

  “There would have been no damage if I had fought.” Wolf boasted, as he helped move large stacks of materials. The sailors accepted his help with pleasure.

  The Skuzori had damaged the rails, some of the side, and some of the plating on the bottom of the ship. The foundation of the ship was intact, so all the repairs were considered minor ones. With a slight adaptation to the platform Sebastian had them make, the repair crew dangled down to do repairs mid flight. Wolf remained with the team on deck passing materials down, crafting was not one of his skills.

  “We need a large base plate!” The Repair Foreman called.

  “On it.” Wolf said, turning to find one in the stack of materials. There was lots of lumber and tools, where was the sheet metal?

  “Here you are.” Someone said, handing over the plate. Wolf accepted it from the tall First Mate, Den.

  “Thank you.” Wolf said, passing it down the pulley for the repair team. “Why are you helping, aren’t you an officer?”

  “Why not?” Den asked, “Besides, you are a passenger. You have no obligation to help here.”

  Wolf shrugged, “Might as well. Not like there is much else to do. I can’t train.”

  “Are you kidding?” Den asked. “Drinking, chatting, eating, and forming relationships happen all the time in our Tavern. We also have a lounge for reading, board games, and puzzles. Besides that, meditation or just relaxing in the breeze is an option, and there is a deck just for tanning.”

  Another material was requested, so Wolf passed it down. “Lots to do.” He said without enthusiasm.

  “Captain Rils endeavors to keep this ship ready to entertain it's crew and passengers.” Den said. He picked up a toolbox and handed it to Wolf.

  “I’d rather help out.” Wolf said. He stared at the toolbox for a moment, then the Foreman asked for it. Wolf wondered how Den knew that already, passing it to the repairman.

  “If that’s what makes you happy.” Den said. Wolf didn’t respond, and the two continued to work in silence for several minutes. Then Den coughed, “I’ve been meaning to ask...”

  Wolf passed down more requested items, “I’m listening.”

  “Why didn’t you stay at the Champion’s Tower? You could have made great money competing.” Den said.

  “Ah, that.” Wolf said, “Well, I joined the Champion’s tournament mostly because I wanted a challenge. I had no interest in climbing the ranks. The Trials were more fun than the rank fights.”

  “Three day survival match through the wilderness to reach the Tower.” Den said.

  “And then the Battle Royale for those that made it.” Wolf finished. “When I won and claimed the title of Champion, I’d had my fill. Besides, those Tower Climbers all seemed so jaded to me. I thought I would find better challenges by travelling.”

  "Really..." Den said. "I never got the appeal of adventuring. I prefer steady employment." He passed another item to Wolf before it was requested.

  "I get to travel and face epic challenges. I see things and do things I'd never experience just fighting over and over at the Champions Tower." Wolf said.

  Den nodded, "I get to travel and see distant vistas as part of this Airship." He said, "Why not make money while you're at it?"

  "It's not the same." Wolf said. He scratched his head and thought hard. "But I don't know how to explain it."

  "I'll take your word for it." Den said.

  The two continued to work with the repair team until the airship was fixed. All the while, the airship continued to make its way east.

  "It was intense. I felt pressured the whole while, and he never let me catch my breath." Yan said. "He didn't let up either, interrupting whatever I tried. I had to adapt on the fly."

  Sebastian nodded, "But it worked, and you're happy?"

  "Right." Yan said. "I feel like it was a learning experience. But, I'm not sure I want to do it again."

  "Why pass up the chance? It won't happen often." Sebastian said.

  "But it's so scary..." Yan said, eyes glazing over for a moment.

  Sebastian and Yan were relaxing in the passenger cabin for their party. Two beds and a few hammocks had been provided to make for enough sleeping space, though the two sat at a table near a window. Sebastian was working on noting something down. "Sparring with Mien may have been harrowing, but I think you should continue, if you get the opportunity."

  "Yeah," Yan sighed. "You're right. Two of the techs we trained were useful in that fight."

  "Blade Blossom Barrage," Sebastian read from his notes, "And Twister Grip."

  "They shouldn't call it grip." Yan said, "Since you can fist stuff with it too."

  "Indeed." Sebastian said, "though, I'd avoid that particular phrasing." Yan tilted her head. "Anyways, what is the third combat jutsu that you trained with Mien?"

  "Slip Shot." Yan said, "I can surround my Kunai in Wind and throw it far and fast, and even curve the trajectory."

  Sebastian nodded, "That seems very useful. Are you able to use it quickly?"

  "Not yet." Yan said. "I need more practice. But I can't just throw my Kunai off the ship, I'm not able to use Arm Return or anything."

  "Can you use the jutsu without throwing anything?" Sebastian asked.

  "I can, but it doesn't help. The weight difference will be a problem." Yan said.

  "Good point. No use getting used to something if it doesn't work for the real thing." Sebastian said.

  "I'll train with Michael." Yan said.

  "Just don't hurt the boy." Sebastian said.

  "We're not kids, you're just old." Yan giggled.

  "I'm not old." Sebastian said, "You are all just young." He said, smiling and shaking his head. "Ah, this reminds me of the old days."

  Yan huffed, "Back before we knew anything about one another?"

  "Yes. Just two travelers on the road to nowhere." Sebastian said.

  "Yeah, after I saved you from all those Phuzori." Yan said, "And you stopped at every town to get drunk."

  Sebastian shook his head, "Did I really?"

  "Yeah, but it's okay." Yan said, "Look at us now. We're on an airship and going off to see Mystia! The King of Cryston!"

  "The man who invented Modern Magic." Sebastian said, looking out the window at the plains below.

  "Although, it's kind of scary what we're after." Yan said. "Maybe I should go see if we can train again."

  Sebastian rubbed his chin, "You've got a point, we should all get together and have a meeting, I think."

  "Then let's do that tonight." Yan said as she stood up. "I'm going to find Michael and get to work training. I feel I can still improve." She started for the door.

  "Don't forget to use your Synergy." Sebastian called as she left. The door latched close, and Sebastian moved into a meditative pose. "I should too."

  The day grew late on the ship above the clouds. The sailors continued to go about their duties, working to maintain the ship and enjoy the open air. The crew of the airship had always considered their job taxing, and took rests where they could. Today, however, they wondered if their work was challenging at all.

  Yan, Hyato, Michael, Wolf, and Sebastian had returned to the training deck once repairs were complete. The short time they'd had away from it seemed to revitalize them. Rather than rest to recover from the battle with the Skuzori, as the combat crew were doing, the party of adventurers threw themselves into training even harder than before.

  Sebastian trained his spellwork. He needed to be able to fight alongside the others, not just give loose plans. His water magic was refined, but he could advance his earth and fire spells. With Elemancy as an extra tool, he could cover his weaknesses. As the Evari Mage cut through the air with the elements, the Valon Swordsman split the air with steel.

  Hyato trained harder than ever. As each slash sailed through the air, he would jump, pivot, or dash. After each round of strikes, he switched to Techniques. The way he fought made him appear to be at war with his shadow.

  Next to Hyato's swift slashing, the brutal sword swings of Wolf hit with sluggish heavy strikes. What they lacked in speed, Wolf made up for in power, tearing apart the training dummy he'd assembled from scrap. He omitted his usual salvo of fire and lightning, focused on polishing up his form after so much time using sword techniques with other weapons.

  For Yan and Michael, a different method of training was in order. The two sparred, moving with great leaps and gliding around above the others as their attacks clashed. Michael moved in sync with Yan and her Energy Double, keeping up with her initial speed.

  The moments when Yan would unleash a Jutsu, she picked up to a speed Michael could not match. To compensate, Michael unleashed a tireless combination of Dark techs and elemental blasts.

  The five passengers of the airship continued to train, much to the awe and confusion of the sailors. During one of their coordinated breaks, a few people approached the party.

  "Good work," First Mate Den said, giving them a congratulatory clap. "I've lost count of the hours you've been training."

  "Twelve." Hyato provided. Den chuckled, nodding.

  Michael took a moment to look at everyone that approached. Den had fair lavender skin, he was an Aaphuso. They were considered one of the 'lesser' races, which meant they had shorter lifespans. The Aaphuso could project a phantom image of themselves to communicate or scout. Michael had never seen Den's Phantom, perhaps he was advanced enough to hide his. "I can see you looking." Den said, without turning towards Michael.

  The others that approached were Mien, Medic Valerie, and the blonde Valon chef lady from the previous night. "I've brought snacks." The chef said, placing a platter down near the party. "Protein and Carbs to revitalize your weary bodies. Eat up." She said with gusto.

  Wolf took an offered sandwich before the others even reached the platter. Michael took one and a drink, but paused to ask, "Sorry, but could I please get your name?" He asked.

  The chef smiled, "Anything for you, cutie." She spun in place, making her untied apron fly about, "The name's Florentina. The fabulous flourishing Florentina or just Tina, if you prefer."

  Sebastian gave a polite clap and Yan chuckled. Michael grinned, "Nice to meet you Tina, and thanks for the food."

  "You are most verily welcome," Tina bowed. The party quaffed their offered sustenance with ravenous hunger.

  "You'd better not be overdoing it." Val said to everyone. "Honestly, where do you get the energy to train so hard? I'm giving you all a quick check before you continue."

  Val walked the members of the party through a swift meditative procedure. As they were treated, Mien sidestepped into the group. "I wasn't expecting you all to be training again so hard, and so soon."

  "Well, we don't usually have time to train like this." Michael said. "We spend most days traveling all day."

  "I see," Mien hummed, a few ideas running through his head, "In any case, I'd like to offer my expertise to make some suggestions to everyone."

  "We'd be happy to hear them." Sebastian said. "What have you got?"

  "Just a few ideas." Mien said.

  Once Val had finished making sure no one was pushing themselves too hard, the short snack break came to an end. The party slipped back into training like they'd never stopped.

  Sebastian continued to work on his spells and elemancy, when Mien approached. "You're a Legend in the MAW strategies division." He said.

  "What of it?" Sebastian said, his lips pursed.

  "Why don't you employ some of the tactics you honed and developed back then? You were unmatched in every scenario." Mien said.

  "Those scenarios didn't account for enough variables. And I can't use unit commands meant for a platoon, on just four people." Sebastian said.

  "I think you can. And I know what you need. A Command Center." Mien said.

  Sebastian arched an eyebrow, "That spell requires ten people."

  "Yes. That spell does." Mien said, "But Elesense doesn't."

  "Elesense? A new elemental skill? How does this one work?"

  "I don't know." Mien said, withdrawing a small book from a bag. "But I had Pierre find and have a skill dossier transmitted and put together for you."

  Sebastian accepted the home made booklet. "I see. I'll give it a look." He flipped open the book and began to read.

  Mien wandered over to Wolf next. "Hey there big guy." Mien said. "I thought I might give you a few pointers."

  "Nah." Wolf said, "I'm good." He continued to practice his sword strokes.

  "Are you sure?" Mien asked, "I know you're good, but I can teach you some things you don't know."

  "I'm sure you can." Wolf said, "But I can handle myself."

  “Well, if you feel that way.” Mien said, “Best of luck on your training.” Mien moved on, heading over to speak with Michael and Yan. The two continued to spar against one another, even when Mien watched.

  After a few moments Mien cleared his throat, “Yan, a word?”

  The Ninja girl flipped out of her attack to land in front of Mien, “What’s up?”

  “How many Energy Doubles can you produce?” Mien asked.

  “Umm, I dunno.” She concentrated, then formed three of them. “Looks like three, now.” The other Yans looked around.

  “You should use all of them in your sparring.” Mien said, “Being able to fight with all of your clones would be a great help.”

  “It’s not like they can do any damage.” Yan said, then she considered it, “Well, I can distract with them and switch places.”

  “Exactly.” Mien said. “And you can push Michael harder that way too.” Yan grinned, and turned to face Michael.

  “Okay.” Michael said, brandishing his sword, “Bring it on.”

  Mien watched as Michael and Yan went back to their training, amping it up to another level. Pleased, Mien moved on to the last of the party of adventurers, Hyato. The swordsman was training his techs and swordplay as if he hadn’t just been involved in a dangerous battle hours earlier.

  “Hyato.” Mien said as he approached.

  “Mien,” was the response, “Do you want to offer me advice as well?”

  “Actually, no.” Mien said, “I want to train with you. Care for a sparring partner?”

  Hyato blinked, then nodded. “Very well.”

  Training continued for the party and Mien for the next several hours. One by one the adventurers came to rest their aching bodies, until at last even Michael was fatigued. Daylight had waned over the skies of Cryston when Michael retired to the cabin he and his fellows shared.

  “There you are.” Sebastian said in greeting, “Come have a seat. We wanted to have a meeting, go over some things.” Sebastian and Hyato were seated at the table near the window, overlooking the deep indigo sky of early evening. Wolf sat at the bed on the far wall, reclining against the paneling.

  Michael moved to the bed he had been given and sat down, “Sure. What’s the meeting about?”

  “I wanted to discuss the Party and our Quest.” Sebastian said, “And our goals.”

  “The Party?” Michael asked.

  “Haven’t you heard that term yet?” Yan asked, she was in a hammock near Michael’s bed. “A group of adventurers is called a Party.”

  “Why’s that?” Michael asked.

  “Because, we can’t help but do what we want.” Wolf said, grinning.

  “Well, there are other reasons, but that works.” Sebastian said. Michael nodded, so Sebastian continued, “Alright. I feel everyone has been improving lately, especially today, but does anyone have anything they want to work on in particular?”

  Everyone gave it some thought. “I’d like to hone my Fire and Lightning.” Wolf said, “Last time I used a big attack, it damaged my arms.”

  “In that case, I want to be able to better use my stealth in combat.” Yan said.

  “I’ve been working on a new technique.” Michael said, “Haven’t gotten it to work yet.”

  Hyato did not respond, so Sebastian nodded, “I’m glad that everyone is looking to improve. I am too, I need to be more useful to you all.”

  “Don’t diminish yourself.” Wolf said, “You do a lot.”

  “Could do more.” Sebastian said, “So, our Quest. We are going to stop Vero from using the Revenant, the Soul of Mexizu, for whatever nefarious deeds he is planning.”

  “Right. And we know they are going to the Shards of the Sky.” Yan said.

  Michael leaned back, “Are we sure it’s Mexizu’s Soul?” He asked.

  “What do you mean?” Yan said, “Isn’t that what we learned from Drackle?”

  “But what if we are wrong, and Mexizu’s Soul is someplace else?” Michael said, frowning. He was worried, a thought eating away at the back of his head.

  “If it’s not Mexizu’s Soul, it changes nothing.” Sebastian said, “We know first hand how dangerous Vero and the Revenant are. We need to stop them regardless. They’ve destroyed seven towns, by our count, maybe more. That’s way too many lives, and none of the Kingdoms are getting involved fast enough.”

  “You were the one that wanted to do this.” Yan said to Michael, “Do you not want to anymore?”

  Michael paused, “I still want to. You are right, Vero needs to be stopped.”

  “Good.” Sebastian said, “So, anyways. I am pretty sure that the Shards of the Sky are a trap, and we are walking right towards it.”

  “What?” Wolf said, “Then, should we not go?”

  “We have to.” Michael said, “We don’t know where else to look.”

  “We ran into them the other day,” Yan pointed out.

  “That could have been a coincidence.” Sebastian said. He turned to face the silent swordsman, “What do you think, Hyato? What should we do?”

  Everyone looked at Hyato, “Yeah,” Wolf said, “Do you know which way we choose? You’re from the future, right?”

  Hyato took a deep breath. “My past, your future, my choices.” Hyato said, “Can all be different. I won’t behold myself to what I think I remember anymore. I think,” He paused, “we should meet with Mystia and get permission to enter the Shards of the Sky. All things considered, I think it’s our only option.”

  If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  Michael stood up and walked over to the table. “I agree.” He said, patting Hyato on the back, “Glad you are being yourself, man.”

  “Thanks.” Hyato said, avoiding eye contact.

  As Michael returned to his seat, Sebastian nodded. “Very well, we stay the course.” He said, “Now, I would like to know one last thing. Our goals. It may or may not be important, but knowing more about what everyone wants is good anyways. I’ll start. I want to find the missing city in the skies, Sky Reach, someday.”

  “There’s a city in the skies?!” Michael exclaimed.

  “There are several.” Sebastian said, “Ailands can be found all around the world. There’s even a sport called Free Gliding that’s all about visiting as many Ailands as possible with just a glider.”

  “You’d be disqualified,” Wolf said to Michael, “Since you can fly.” Michael chuckled.

  “But Sky Reach,” Sebastian said, “The capital of the Skylands, an archipelago of Ailands, went missing during the Broken Times. It’s the birthplace of the Pheom, and they are still searching for it.”

  “The Pheom,” Michael said, “That’s the race of people with wings, right?”

  “That’s right.” Sebastian said, sounding impressed, “You’ve been learning. Good job.” Michael grinned.

  “Well, that’s a noble goal.” Wolf said, “Mine is much simpler. I want to fight strong foes and grow stronger.” He flexed, posing for fun.

  “Is that really it?” Yan asked. “You don’t want to do anything else?”

  “Well.” Wolf said, “It’s kind of the only thing I am good at. And normal living stuff doesn’t really hold my interest.”

  “It’s best to pick a target and aim for it.” Hyato said, “I want to become more skilled than the six ancient Swordsmasters.” He said, “So I learn every variation of Swordplay I can find, and meld them into my own style.”

  Hyato looked Wolf in the eyes, “You should pick a concrete goal. A target to beat. Then keep that in mind when you train.”

  “When did you get that goal?” Michael asked Hyato.

  “I've been training this whole time, but I decided on it today.” Hyato said. He avoided looking at Michael, still.

  Wolf sat back, in deep thought. To break the silence, Michael spoke up, “Well my goal has always been to defeat the Revenant.” He said. “Although, if I had to pick something else... I want to see the world. I want to visit every country in Alymbai, and in all of Sera, and all of Iagorothi. And maybe, even the Planes outside of Iagorothi.”

  Yan chuckled, “That’s amazing.” She said, “You really have no sense of scope, do you?”

  Michael smiled, “I don’t even know what you mean.” They both laughed.

  “What a fantastic ambition.” Sebastian said, “I hope you succeed. Yan, have you any goals?”

  Yan shrugged, “I’ll open the End Gate.” She said. Wolf chortled, and Hyato looked at her, startled.

  “Really?” Sebastian said, “I mean, I want to do that too. But, is that it?”

  “No, of course not.” Yan said. “But, it is the biggest legend, right? Obviously one of us had to say it.” She laid back in the hammock, swinging it a bit as she thought. “I already achieved one of my goals. I am free from the obligation of my clan, and my village is open. At this point, I just want to be happy.”

  Sebastian nodded, “I understand.”

  “Well, did we go over everything?” Michael asked, “Because, I’m actually a bit tired.”

  “Oh.” Wolf said, sitting up, “I nearly forgot.” Everyone turned to look at the Phanokai warrior. “My goal, it’s obvious. I want to recover my memory. I want to be able to dream, and live a normal life.”

  “Oh yeah...” Michael said.

  “I’ve been having so much fun, I guess I forgot my own troubles, huh.” He said. “And, Hyato, I picked a target. I want to defeat a Greater Deno.”

  “That... is an intense target.” Hyato said. “I’ll help.”

  Wolf chuckled, “Yeah, I know.” He said, and laid back. “I’m going to sleep.”

  “We should all do the same.” Sebastian said, retiring to his own bed. Hyato climbed into a hammock as well, and someone shut out the candlelight.

  Michael laid back, watching Yan sway in his peripheral vision. Was the revenant Mexizu, or was Mexizu inside him, as Dark Michael? The thought worried him, chipping away at his mind.

  “Hey, Michael.” Yan whispered. Michael turned to see Yan with her face pushed up against one of the squares of the hammock net. It was comical, and cute. She smiled, “Good night.”

  Michael smiled and whispered, “Good night.” Yan grinned too, then turned to lay back.

  Things were fine. Michael lay back, and closed his eyes.

  The last day of the airship trip went by without much hassle. Michael spent his day training, trying to master his secret new technique. The others were not so full of vigor, and took the day off to recover from their insane training session the day prior. Instead, the party got themselves ready to continue their journey, and relaxed while they could.

  A few hours after dawn the airship arrived above an enormous city. Michael had underestimated the sheer size that cities could be. With Nita in his mind as a frame of reference, the numerous buildings, roads, parks, and rivers below all sprawled into a city at least five times bigger than Nita. The city was surrounded on two sides by a body of water Michael assumed must be an ocean, it was the most water he had seen, and the other side was only just visible from where he stood.

  The trees and grasses of the city were brilliant. White and pale gray leafs spread out on branches from tall thin trees, and the grasses were a mixture of pale green and violet. Amongst the trees were several crystal growths the size of boulders, and some smaller ones bridging across branches and roots.

  “The Stardust Woods sure are beautiful.” Mien said, stepping up to the railing next to Michael. “They are one of the biggest features of the Crystal City, next to Lake Warl.”

  “The Crystal City?” Michael asked, looking over at Mien, “That’s what some people call it. But it’s really called Crystia.”

  “Isn’t that a bit on the nose?” Michael wondered.

  “It is! I think so too. They wanted to name it Mystia, but apparently the King didn’t like that.” Mien said. He pulled a scroll out of a bag and handed it to Michael, “Here.”

  “What’s this?” Michael asked, opening the scroll to look it over.

  “Proof that the Bounty was found to be in error and was canceled. It’s got the Myrrh Royal Seal, so it’s indisputable.” Mien said. “I figured it might come in handy, in case you encounter trouble trying to see the King.”

  “I guess so.” Michael said, placing the notice in his bag, “But Drackle gave us a letter of recommendation.”

  “Doesn’t hurt to be prepared.” Mien said. “I’m going back to speak with the Captain now, see ya.”

  It took a few hours for the ship to be cleared to dock at the Skyport. By the time it had, Michael and the others felt more than ready to get off the ship. Michael wore glasses, and Wolf pulled out a mask from his pack to wear when they entered town. “This is the mask I used when I fought as a Champion.” Wolf explained.

  “We won't be in town for very long.” Sebastian said, “We should head directly to see King Mystia.” The party had gathered just off the deck of the Airship, waiting in the Skyport landing zone for Captain Rils to finish being checked through customs.

  “Assuming they will let us do that.” Yan said. “It will be hard to see a King, right?”

  “Probably.” Sebastian said, “First things first, does anyone know where we go to see the King?” Everyone shrugged. Hyato shook his head.

  “We can just ask people in town.” Michael offered. “Someone will know.”

  Sebastian placed a hand on Michael’s shoulder. “You can’t just ask random people things in the city. Most everyone is busy. And be careful, some people will try to scam you.”

  “Scam?” Michael wondered.

  “Trick you into giving them money or getting you to do something for them.” Yan said. “Also, don’t worry. I will keep an eye out for pickpockets.”

  “Always nice to have a rogue around.” Wolf said, flashing Yan a grin. She stuck her tongue out at him.

  Pierre approached the party, his usual backpack was nowhere to be seen. “The crew has almost finished checking in. Mien wanted me to tell you that he paid Rils to stick around for a while, in case you need to go somewhere on your quest.”

  “That’s awfully nice of him.” Sebastian said, “I suppose.”

  “Hey Pierre.” Michael said, “Do you know where we go to meet King Mystia?”

  Pierre nodded. “You will need to go to the seat of rule and show one of the Ministers that you have permission.” He said, “It’s like city hall, basically.”

  “Gotcha.” Sebastian said, “That should be easy enough to locate.”

  Someone called out from the exit of the Skyport. "Looks like we can leave." Hyato said.

  "Finally." Wolf made his way towards the crew that were departing the Skyport, and the others followed along.

  Crystal City looked bigger from the ground, or perhaps it was because the buildings looked much bigger up close. The Skyport sat on a hill above the city below, giving a wide view. Michael took note of the roads, he could see a circular plaza with six roads leading to it. Each of those roads connected to more curved roads, making for large circular roads connected to various buildings. Past that array of structures the roads straightened and became boxy, with occasional meandering one.

  The party walked down the stairs from the Skyport, stopping at a landing with several benches and meditation hollows, as well as a large gazebo with a crystalline roof. "Here we are, everyone line up." Sebastian said. A small line of people were queuing and entering the gazebo one at a time, being let in by an attendant.

  "Oh... Not this." Wolf said.

  "What's the matter? Don't like convenience?" Sebastian asked.

  "Can I just walk? I promise I won't take long." Wolf said.

  "We have no way of contacting each other, so you'll get lost." Sebastian said.

  Wolf slumped his shoulders and queued up behind Sebastian. The line moved fast as people entered the gazebo, but no one was coming back out.

  Sebastian was up next and spoke to the attendant, who wore a green uniform. "We need to go to the Seat of Rule. There are five of us."

  The attendant, a Sennish man, nodded. "This connects to the Valor Plaza. The Seat of Rule is at the north end of Pinnacle Plaza. Proceed to the main gateway at the other end of Valor Plaza to reach there."

  "Oh, okay. Thanks. What's the fee?" Sebastian withdrew his coinpurse to get out some gil.

  "Fees have been waived at the moment."

  "Oh, alright. Why?" Sebastian put his gil away.

  "With all the buzz about towns being destroyed, the city has decided people don't need to worry about teleport fees." The attendant said as he opened the door. "One at a time."

  The party shared a look, frowning. The towns being destroyed were affecting the city. He needed to be stopped. "See you all in a moment." Sebastian said. He entered the gazebo.

  Yan patted Michael's arm a few times, bouncing with excitement. "We get to teleport!" She whispered, a huge smile on her face.

  "Yeah." Michael said. "What's that mean?"

  "It's like long range warping." Yan said. "In the Broken Times there was a Magi called Vortex that could teleport anywhere in the world. I read about him."

  "Really? That sounds awesome." Michael said.

  Yan stepped up to the gazebo. As they had been chatting the others had gone through. "Yep. Lets go, Michael." Yan entered the gazebo. The door was closed behind her.

  "You next." The attendant said, opening the door again. Michael entered the gazebo. The enclosed room had a glowing blue pattern of lines drawn on the stone floor. The lines seemed to be made of a blue metal or crystal. No one was in here, but the air in the center of the small room felt rather heavy. The door closed.

  The world around seemed to crash in on Michael, squishing into him. Yet there was no pain, just the feeling of being squashed down.

  It was like being made one dimensional. Michael became a single point.

  Then the world expanded again and Michael stumbled forward. Hyato caught him before he fell.

  Michael recovered fast and looked around. Wolf sat on a bench nearby, head in his hands. Sebastian stood off to the side looking around, and Yan walked over to Michael. "That was fun!" She said, "I wanna go again."

  "That was pretty strange, but fun." Michael said. "Thanks for catching me Hyato."

  "Just stand still," Hyato said, "You won't fall."

  "Alright everyone, stick together." Sebastian said. "Valor plaza is an adventuring hub, you don't want to get separated." The party was in a small courtyard surrounded by those tall white stardust trees. One path led out of the arrival zone from the Skyport. Another person arrived in the courtyard and strode along his way, not so much as glancing at the party.

  Hyato, Yan, and Michael joined Sebastian as he roused Wolf. The tall Phanokai Champion grumbled as he stood up, "I hate teleporting." He complained.

  "We have to teleport one more time." Sebastian said, patting Wolf on the back. Wolf grunted.

  The party grouped together and walked towards Valor Plaza, ready to make their way forth.

  Last time Sebastian went to the Crystal City, he had been to Valor Plaza. It was a hub of adventurers and artisans, where you could find boastful warriors, eclectic mages, thrifty delvers, and an array of gear for adventures.

  Sebastian remembered visiting a dozen taverns and skill schools around the plaza last time he came through. There were always vendors selling food from carts, impromptu duels, and a raucous of conversations echoing throughout the plaza.

  The party stopped behind Sebastian as he rolled to a stop in total shock. Valor Plaza stretched out before them, an enormous empty lot.

  Where food stalls had been, clean patches of flagstone remained. The numerous tables and benches had only a spare few people relaxing alone. Less than a dozen others were in the plaza at all, passing through without pause.

  "What happened here?" Sebastian asked, confusion and disappointment in his voice.

  Michael looked around. "Well. Maybe they're all out having adventures."

  "Or maybe they are looking for the cause of the town's being destroyed." Yan said.

  "Didn't really see any adventuring parties, but I guess we were in the air." Wolf said.

  Hyato continued walking, "We should go." He said. The others joined him, after Wolf patted Sebastian out of his trance.

  The other end of the plaza led to a large rounded structure with several crystals affixed atop it's roof. "That's a big gazebo." Michael said.

  "They're called Gateways." Hyato said.

  "Okay."

  The party walked up to enter the large Gateway building. There were more people inside, but half of them were wearing green gateway attendant uniforms. Hyato approached a booth just inside the doors to speak to a clerk behind a protective barrier. "We need to go to Pinnacle Plaza." He said.

  The clerk nodded and directed the party, and Hyato led the way. This building was large, six different areas each held their own array of teleportation gateways, and the rest of the building were lanes for handling large amounts of people. Hyato showed the group along one path past a waiting area to a gateway zone.

  "You're so on top of things today." Yan told Hyato.

  "I've been here before." He said, smirking a bit. He seemed more confident today.

  Wolf complained as the party was led to a gateway, but joined the others. This one was large enough for all five of them to teleport at once. After a moment of the world compressing into a single point, the party arrived at an arrival zone in another terminal. This one had blue accents on the architecture, as opposed to the black from the last gateway.

  A loud thump resounded as Wolf collapsed into a heap on the ground. Two attendants surged forth in a panic, as Yan and Sebastian exchanged a worried glance.

  Hyato and Michael knelt down beside Wolf. Before they could ask what was wrong, Wolf let out a whine, "I don't wanna teleport anymore!" He complained. "It sucks!"

  "We already teleported." Michael said. "It's over now."

  "But when we are done we'll have to go back to the airship." Wolf said, "I don't wanna!"

  Michael and Hyato exchanged a glance, and Hyato sighed. "Come on, let's get you up." Hyato tried to lift Wolf, but the big man was too heavy.

  "Don't worry buddy." Michael said, patting Wolf as he whined, "We are already where we need to be. And it took hours for the airship to land, right? While the others go ahead and get departure started, we can walk back."

  Wolf looked at Michael. Both men wore coverings to hide their eyes, but Wolf let out a sigh. "Yeah. I guess I should stop being a baby." He stood up, still supported by Hyato.

  Sebastian walked over and checked Wolf. "You alright?"

  "I'll be fine." Wolf said. "I know it doesn't hurt. It just... I hate teleporting."

  "That's not what I meant." Sebastian said, "You did a pratfall on a concrete floor."

  Wolf looked down, "Oh."

  Michael chuckled and Sebastian shook his head. Wolf appeared alright, so the attendants ushered the party out of the arrival area.

  Pinnacle Plaza had all the bustle and activity that Sebastian expected out of a city. As the party stepped out of the Gateway building Michael and Yan stopped in their tracks at the sheer number of people.

  Crowds of people gathered around public speakers at several places in the huge plaza. Most were near the large elaborate fountains, but there were a few underneath huge bronze statues. The space left open between groups were lanes that various folk walked through.

  "We'll never get anywhere standing around." Sebastian said, "Come along you two."

  The party walked through the busy plaza as a group. Despite the sheer volume of people around, there was plenty of space to navigate. The entire plaza was all for foot traffic, not a cart or vehicle in sight. As they crossed Michael noticed there were several groups of guards standing vigilant around the place.

  Focused on their mission, Sebastian led the party to an enormous marble building. Many people in various outfits were moving in and out of the building, past an organized crew of elite guards that watched everyone. In bold letters above pillars atop the steps were the words 'The Seat of Rule' carved into the marble. The party walked up the stairs next to a smooth ramp and reached the entrance to the building where Cryston was ruled from.

  A burly Moorin guard stopped the party at the doors. "No glasses or face coverings." He said, a perpetual scowl on his sharklike grey face. He was of average height for a Moorin, which was to say seven feet tall looming over the party.

  "Can an exception be made?" Sebastian asked. Both Michael and Wolf seemed nervous.

  "No exceptions." The guard said, teeth clenched.

  Michael removed his glasses, jaw clenched as he avoided lowering his face. Wolf followed suit, removing his mask. Both men stood with their empty eyes visible.

  The guard stiffened, apprehension flickering on his features for a moment. Then he growled, "You may pass." In an unpleasant tone. His tendril hair was turning red.

  Yan's eyes narrowed and she stepped towards the guard, but before she spoke someone shouted, "Officer! Attention!" The commanding voice made all the nearby guards stand upright and face towards their posts. A tall uniformed Evari man approached, stepping right up to the Moorin guard. "Recite rule number twelve."

  "Yes Captain," The Guard's eyes flickered, as if recalling an old memory. His eyes glazed over and he said in a quiet voice, "Guards don't discriminate." He hung his head. "I apologize, sirs."

  The Captain nodded. "Right this way, what brings you to the Seat of Rule?" The Captain asked as he led the party inside.

  "We are here to see the King." Sebastian said.

  The Captain hummed, "I see. Then I suppose you will need to speak with a Minister."

  After passing through two meter thick metal walls, the party reached the interior of the building. The wide open room had an enormous statue of two tall figures. Michael recognized the right figure as Drackle, while the figure on the left was labeled Warlin. The statues seemed to be made of shiny steel. On the left and right walls there were several desks with clerks standing to speak to various visitors. The suited folk that appeared to be working moved to the other end of the room to queue for the gateway, or just take the stairs.

  The Captain guided the party to a sitting area near one of the desks. "You want to see the King? For what reason?"

  "We cannot disclose the reason," Sebastian said, "But we have a letter from Drackle."

  The Captain nods. "Have a seat. I'll have one of the Ministers come down to meet with you."

  Everyone sat in the waiting area chairs. They were cozy to a point, but rather stiff overall. Wolf folded his arms and sat back.

  Michael sat near Yan, while he watched people rush around the building. "Do you think we'll get to explore the city a bit before we go back to the airship?" Yan asked.

  "I think so." Michael said. "Is there something you want to do?"

  "Not really. I just want to explore." Yan said.

  "I'll go with you." Michael said. "We'll have fun." Michael continued to people watch as they waited to be seen, while Yan grinned. Hyato shifted in his seat.

  Several minutes passed as the distant sound of workers moving about was accompanied by Sebastian flipping pages in the book he read. The change in sounds was noticed first, and Michael saw several suited workers pause as someone walked by.

  The Minister approached to the sound of clacking heels, striding with a posture of either confidence or arrogance, Michael couldn't tell. Her shaggy mane of gray hair and large furred ears displayed her mixed Phanokai-Feral heritage for all to see. Her rank above others was clear by her posture, but the gilded mantle she wore about her shoulders was a clear indication of status.

  "I am Minister Felvora. Welcome to Crystia, adventurers. Please, tell me your names." The Minister greeted them with professional courtesy.

  Sebastian stood and bowed. "Greetings. I am Sebastian," he said, "And this is Michael, Yan, Hyato, and Wolf." He pointed to each as he made introductions. Michael smiled, Yan and Hyato nodded, and Wolf made eye contact.

  "Thanks for seeing us." Michael said.

  "Of course." Felvora said, "I have been informed that you have permission from Magistrate Drackle to see the King."

  Michael produced the sealed letter and handed it to Minister Felvora. "Here it is."

  The Minister accepted the letter. “Pardon, but all the offices are full of people trying to solve the ongoing crisis.” She opened the letter and began to read it right there. After a few minutes she nodded. “This does appear to be from Master Drackle himself. We will have to verify it, of course.”

  “If you say it’s from Drackle, why double check?” Sebastian asked, “It’s paramount that we see the King today.”

  “There is no harm in checking, and besides.” Felvora said, “The King will not be able to see anyone for another two hours anyways. If Drackle confirms this, you will be let in to see him, but you will need to come back in two hours time.”

  Sebastian sighed, “Very well. Since nothing else can be done, we shall return in two hours.”

  “I’ll wait here.” Wolf said, arms still folded. “See you all in two hours.”

  “If you insist.” Felvora said, “I will check this myself, and meet the five of you here shortly.” The Minister departed.

  Yan turned to Michael, “Let’s go explore!”

  “Yeah!” Michael and Yan hopped up to head outside.

  “Just... be careful.” Sebastian called after them, then he sighed. “Hyato, what will you do?”

  The swordsman stood and began to stride towards the door, “I shall make money.” He said, leaving on his own.

  “Guess I’m on my own,” Sebastian said, “See ya, Wolf.” The party split up to enjoy the scenery of the Crystal City on their own. A meeting with Mystia imminent, Sebastian decided to seek out what information he could. He went to the library.

  Crystia sang a tune of resonant mana, a mystic veil dancing through the streets. Michael could tell the city was filled with magic, the air seemed to buzz with it. There were lamp posts about the place that seemed to be foci where mana was channeled through the air, and Michael couldn’t help but wonder what their purpose was.

  Yan stepped out of the store she had stopped at and handed something to Michael. “Here.” She said.

  “What’s this?” Michael asked, taking the stick with a red ball at one end.

  “It’s a lollipop, you suck on it.” Yan said, “It’s candy.” She demonstrated by popping the candy into her mouth, leaving the stick out.

  Michael copied Yan with his candy, and his eyes widened. “It’s good! So sweet!” He said.

  “Right?” Yan said, turning to begin walking again. “Some things you can only get in cities.”

  “There’s so much going on.” Michael said, “I don’t even know where to start. I could explore this place for days and still not see enough.”

  “That’s true, it’s massive!” Yan said, “Did you see the view from above this morning? Incredible!”

  “I did.” Michael said. The two kept walking along one of the curved roads a few streets over from Pinnacle Plaza. The two continued to walk along the road. There were so many storefronts and buildings that Michael didn't know where to look.

  Yan skipped ahead and spun around, "Where do you want to go, Michael?" Yan asked with a smile.

  "I'm not sure." Michael said, "Is there anything you want to do?"

  "We don't have very much time, or money." Yan said. "How about we just stroll around for a while?"

  Michael took Yan's hand in his, "Yeah. Let's just take a walk." Yan blushed, and the two continued to meander through the streets of the Crystal City.

  Yan and Michael were in their own little world as they wandered about. They gazed at items through windows in all kinds of storefronts, walked through ivy archways in cultivated parks, and just took in various sights around the city.

  People from all walks of life were out and about, Michael even saw one of the winged Pheom race. It was a man in glasses with sky blue feathers and hair, and the occasional yellow feather mixed in. "So Pheom have feathers and hair." Michael noted. "Cool."

  "Yeah, I mean Feral have hair and fur. Our ears are technically fur covered." Yan reached up and ran two fingers along Michael's white furred ear. He twitched away a bit, laughing.

  "Sto-ha-haoop." Michael giggled. "That tickles."

  A mischievous grin spread on Yan's face. "Oh yeah?" She said, and reached up to tickle Michael's ears more. He laughed and moved away, but Yan was faster and chased him.

  Michael kept giggling and trying to escape as Yan tickled him, dodging away down the road near a park. Then he saw something approaching through the air, fast. Michael held up his hand to block, and clutched when something struck.

  He blinked and looked, he'd caught a leather ball in his hand. It was about the size of his head. Three kids ran over, "I'm sorry mister!" One boy said, "I'm so sorry."

  "Nice catch!" The other boy said.

  "It's no problem." Michael said.

  "Umm, can we have our ball back?" The girl said.

  "Of course." Michael knelt to hand over the ball.

  "Woooah!" The second boy said, "Your eyes."

  "Lemme see!" The first boy said, "Wow, they're purple. So pretty."

  "Cool, you have no pupils!" The girl said.

  "Did you drop them?" The second boy asked, taking the ball. None of the kids seemed concerned that he had empty eyes.

  "No, they're just like that." Michael said.

  "Oh okay." The first boy said.

  "Thanks for catching our ball." The girl said. The three kids ran back off to keep playing.

  Michael stood up and looked at Yan. She was standing in silent surprise, and smiled. "They weren't afraid of my eyes." Michael said. Yan nodded, smiling more.

  The man with empty eyes let out a sigh, a knot in his chest fading away. 'I'm not a monster.' Michael thought.

  "Let's head back, Michael." Yan said, taking his hand in hers. Michael nodded.

  The last person to arrive back at the Seat of Rule was Sebastian. When he went to the sitting area, Hyato, Michael, and Yan had already rejoined Wolf.

  "Why are you all back already? We have ten more minutes to wait." Sebastian said.

  "We decided to wait here." Yan said. "You're back early too."

  "True." Sebastian took a seat. "Did you enjoy seeing sights?"

  "Yep!" Yan handed Sebastian a lollipop. He chuckled and accepted it.

  "Hyato was just telling us what he did." Michael explained.

  "Oh, and what's that?" Sebastian asked.

  "Gambling." Hyato said.

  "What?!"

  "Nothing bad." Wolf cut in. "He was doing duels for money, or something." Hyato nodded.

  "Oh, I suppose that's better. You win anything?"

  "Undefeated." Hyato said. "Here." Hyato passed over a red leather pouch that jingled with gil.

  Sebastian perused the pouch, eyes widening at the array of coins. "Quite a haul." He held it out towards Hyato.

  "You hold on to it." Hyato said.

  "Okay." Sebastian stored the gil in his bag. "Then I guess we'd better figure out our plans. We need the King's permission to go to the Shards of the Sky, and we need to stop whatever Vero has planned when he reaches there."

  "So, we just make an ambush and lie in wait?" Yan asked, "What if they beat us there."

  "I doubt they have access to an Airship. We should be ahead of them now, and we will ask Captain Rils to take us the rest of the way there." Sebastian said.

  "Will we be able to afford that?" Wolf asked.

  "We can try." Sebastian said, "and if we have to, we will travel on foot."

  "As long as we don't have to teleport." Wolf said.

  "Not even Mystia can teleport people anywhere without preparation. Even the gateway system here is complex and expensive, and only to preset locations." Sebastian said. "But if the option is open, we're taking it." Wolf groaned and pouted.

  "Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Hyato said.

  "Right." Michael said, "We have to get permission in the first place. We don't even know where it is."

  Sebastian leaned back. "I guess we just have to wait." He said, opening his Elesense booklet.

  A few minutes of silence passed, when a familiar clacking sound was heard approaching. Minister Felvora stopped before the party, and Michael rose to his feet. "I would like to extend an apology," the Minister said, bowing.

  Michael blinked, and Felvora continued. "Magistrate Drackle informed me that you are to be granted an audience with King Mystia immediately. If your party is ready, I can escort you myself."

  "Yes." Michael looked back at the others, who all stood up and gathered their things. "We're ready."

  "Right this way." Felvora said, leading the party towards the back of the room. Wolf hesitated for a moment as they walked towards the gateway, but Felvora led them to the stairs instead.

  The party walked down a long ornate hallway on the second floor, passing several doors. "So, the King is no longer busy then?" Michael asked.

  "The King was not even in Cryston until a short time ago." Felvora said, "It was true that you could not see him early."

  "He was traveling? Will he be able to see us?" Sebastian asked.

  "We have already sent word ahead." Felvora said, "He is expecting you."

  "What do you mean you sent word? Is he not here?" Sebastian asked.

  "No. The King does not bother with normal affairs of the Kingdom, that is what his Grandsons were appointed for, and the Ministers were appointed by them." Felvora said. "The King is at his estate, the Crystal Tower in the heart of the Stardust Woods."

  "So we didn't even need to come to the city?" Sebastian said, sighing.

  Felvora came to a door and pressed her hand to it. Her hand began to glow, as did the door. "Don't worry," she said as the door opened. "We have a private gateway to his estate."

  The room beyond was a stone room with a crystal array of glowing lines etched into the floor. It hummed with a power that had become familiar by now. Felvora smiled, but the rest of the party looked behind them.

  Trailing at the back of the party, Wolf fell to his knees. "Nooooooo..."