Rating: PG
Genre: action, RPG.
Setting: Gaia
Note from the authoress: Hands up everyone who spots a light reference to FF7! No-one? Oh well, just me then! For those of you who can’t spot it, I have based “artefacts” strongly on Materia. Oh, btw, I know the names of the monsters, but Tai and Crysta don’t, so please don’t try telling me what the monsters are. They will find out in the next part!

The two mages hid in the tree as the black mages searched the ground. Fortunately for them, they remained undiscovered. Eventually, the Black Mages disappeared, teleporting in a golden hue, leaving the grounds silent. Tai and Crysta dropped lightly to the floor. Crysta gave another gasp, gazing at the school, and Tai turned to face the building. It was a complete ruin, merely a charred shell of what it once used to be. The mages walked over to it. Parts were still smouldering; the roof had caved in in numerous places. They picked there way through the remains of the building, when Crysta suddenly screamed. Tai turned quickly, and the sight made him feel sick. The bodies of quite a few mages could be seen in the remains of the canteen. Tai closed his eyes and pulled Crysta away from the sight. They continued to walk through the building, and it became clearer and clearer that there were no survivors. The duo finally clambered over the charred remains of the once proud doorways that had graced the school, and stood at the top of the steps, looking out over the plains that surrounded the school. Crysta walked down the steps and sat down.

“Now what?” Tai didn’t answer. Despite himself he was starting to feel happy. Instead of being stuck at Understone, they had the opportunity to travel Gaia. They could visit some of the places they had only learned about in class. They could go to Alexandria, or Lindblum. They could explore the alleyways that made up most of Treno. But he knew that Crysta would be scared to attempt this. The school had been her home, and she would be loath to leave it behind. He had to think of some way to coax her out into the world. And he found, even as he thought that, there was a perfectly valid reason, and one he was anxious to find the answer to. He spoke to her.

“We have to find out what happened. Why did Black Mages attack Understone? Who sent them? We have to find out.”

“And how do you intend to do that? We have no idea where they came from!” Tai sat beside her.

“Think about history class. Where were they created before?” Crysta frowned slightly. She had never paid much attention to history. Tai gave a laugh and answered for her.

“Dali. We go to Dali, we may find out something.” Crysta nodded slightly, and stood.

“Let’s go then.”

The two mages walked for an age, before Crysta broke the silence they had been walking in with a question.

“Where exactly is Dali?” Tai hesitated briefly.

“Well, if we can get to Alexandria we should be able to find the way” Crysta stared at him momentarily

“And you now know the way to Alexandria?” the elf didn’t reply. He wasn’t sure of the way, having been raised in a small town, miles away, across the Burmecian Mountains, on the coast. The furthest he had been was Cleyra, and on the odd occasion Burmecia. He distinctly remembered visiting Lindblum a couple of times before he was sent to Understone, but never as far as Alexandria. Yet he knew he had to find it. But Crysta had made him realise he had no idea where to go.

“It’s ok, we just need to get to a town and we can find out whereabouts Alexandria is.” Crysta still didn’t look too happy, but she seemed to be contented enough with this answer. But Tai continued to think. Where was the nearest village? He gazed across at the horizon. That wasn’t their only problem either. They had only been trained against sphere-grams in battle. A real battle was likely to be far tougher, and Tai knew there were some monsters that magic was weak against. If only they had a fighter with them. They continued to wander aimlessly, yet always in a straight line. Their luck was holding at the moment, no monsters had attacked. But that meant nothing. Tai hated being this unprepared. Mages were only given one artefact until they passed their exam. They used others in lessons, but they only had one of their own. Tai’s was fire, and Crysta’s was cure. Artefacts were equipped to their weapons, in the designated slots. Eventually the mage learned the ability, but although they had searched the school a bit before leaving, there were no traces of the artefacts anywhere. This left them virtually helpless, relying solely on Tai’s magic to survive. And Tai didn’t put much faith in that. He sighed as they continued to walk.

The sun was slowly sinking on the horizon as a village loomed in view ahead of them. Crysta stared in relief. They had come across a couple of Mu’s on their walk, but nothing more serious. Now, with the prospect of food and rest their hope was renewed. Breaking into a run, Tai, closely followed by Crysta, darted towards the village. The houses drew closer. Closer and closer. But then, a hiss and a sound somewhere between a shriek and a growl cried out. Tai slowed, and turning, he cried out.

“Monsters behind! Coming up fast!” Crysta turned and whimpered, as the haunting shrieks called out in their path.

“They have us surrounded!” Tai swallowed as the monsters drew closer, ready to attack. They stood little chance. Three spider-like creatures and a snake had surrounded them. Tai readied his staff, and they prepared to face what looked like their final battle.

END OF PART 2