Author’s Note: Ahem... Chapters to go... zero! Enjoy!

Chapter 18: Curious...

The Mage Duel continued with Dregan facing, and ultimately defeating, Orko (though not before Orko had some fun, turning Dregan's robes bright pink and confusing him with multiple mirror images only he could see so to the crowd he was chasing after thin air), and then Dregan and Vivi went at it. Neither one held back, using their most powerful spells, some of which the Bretheren hadn't even seen their elven friend use before, like one Kest said was called Blood Chasm, where the target's blood would burst inside their veins (unfortunately for Dregan - and to the amusement of the audience - something about Vivi being made of Mist made him immune to this particular spell, so the only effect was Vivi blinking at the sparkly lights around him, and Dregan's mouth falling open in amazement). The flashy spells and occasionally humorous antics had the crowd cheering and applauding loudly, some on their feet calling for their chosen mage to win. But it seemed the Bretheren's assumption that Vivi was the better battle caster was correct, for at last a final Flare/Doomsday combo took Dregan down. Through all this, Savander just laughed and clapped.

"How odd," Quatrill commented as the mages joined them. "He seems fine now."

"Maybe it's because he knows me," suggested Vivi, who was feeling very proud of himself and wearing the gold and semi-precious gem medal his victory had earned for him.

"Not likely," answered Evarion, drawing all eyes. "I think Savander has the Verikith, the Soul Foresight. It's a very, very rare trait that I've heard of in Sylvani, but not other races, especially Dunedi. It's when a son is so close to his father, or a daughter to her mother, the child will sense whenever the parent is in lethal danger. He was fine until he saw Dregan's opponent. Then he threw his fit, trying to warn us in the only say he could." Now all looked at Savander, who just cutely giggled and snuggled up to Dregan.

Now Vivi smacked himself on the forehead.

"Now I'm the one forgetting important things!"

"Trolly-Molly, so had I, in all the excitement of finding Savander and the Duel. Tell them!"

"Tell us what?" Zidane asked.

"What the odd feeling was?" asked Kuja. Vivi smiled, gathering his sons around.

"Boys, Zentarou asked Priestess Lynea what that odd feeling was we all had right after the Mist cured us of the Spirit Plague."

"We remember it," Ollan said.

"Priestess Lynea used her magic to talk to the spirit world, and another Black Mage, one of those who died trying to protect me from Black Waltz No. 3 - " They shuddered at that, as he'd told the story before. " - answered her call and told her what it was." They looked at Lynea, who only smiled, then back at Vivi. "The Black Mage told her that the Mist gained a new benefit just for us when it was used for something good, to heal us, and it - it - " Vivi had to take a deep breath before continuing, as he was still having trouble believing it. " - it lengthened our life spans, beyond our original years." For a long moment, all were silent. Then Zidane turned Vivi to face him.

"Say that again?"

"All Black Mages cured by the Mist will have longer life spans!" Vivi joyfully repeated.

"How long?" asked Freya.

"The spirit didn't say," answered Lynea, "but I would venture to guess at least as long as a normal human, if not longer, perhaps even to the generations of an elf." Dregan's eyes suddenly got wide at her last comment.

"Wait! Vivi, recite the rest."

"He said my wish would come true, and so it would be for all the rest of the Black Mages healed by the Mist."

"You're forgetting one part. He finished with 'through all their generations.'" Lynea blinked, as if this was obvious.

"Of course, he did. It would only make sense that what traits a parent possesses, so would their offspring."

:But we were all cured by the Mist," replied Cal. "And we're the only Black Mage kids."

"Unless..." Nicara began slowly, "unless he meant that the other Black Mages would be given the ability to make children too, like father made us!" For another moment, all were silent. Then Dregan grinned.

"There's an easy way to find out. Nic, say what you just did, as a statement of fact."

"Those Black Mages cured by the Mist can now create Black Mage kids like father made us."

"True," answered Cedras instantly.

"Wow!" cheered Zidane. "Just wait until they hear this back in the Village!"

"We'll have cousins!" Sola said with a laugh.

"A true reason to celebrate," Zentor added, as the Heroes round was announced. Alaya winked at Freya.

"They won't touch me." Daeranin playfully tapped the vixen's nose with an arrow.

"Doesn't matter how high you jump, I can still peg you with my arrows."

"We'll just see about that!"

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Author’s P/N: Hehe, congratz Lori and Shishio! You both pegged the exact word I was looking at. The Black Mages now will be able to make their race last on through the years. Had that part planned since Spirit Plague too.