Author's Note: The Bretheren Arcanum are back again! Just a few notes: One, I would strongly suggest reading at least Bretheren Arcanum, as from here on out I'll not be describing the Bretheren too terribly much, and referring back to previous instances. Two, this story at times might seem a bit rushed, but that is intended, and three, I am trying something new with the later chapters. I have them more or less in my head, so I'm foregoing writing then out longhand, and just trying them straight. Hope it turns out okay. Enjoy, and as always, review if you feel like it. Constructive criticism and approvals are always welcome.

Disclaimer: Nothing belonging to Final Fantasy IX or He-Man is mine. Zentarou, Dregan, Savander, and anything else not FFIX or He-Man are mine. The names and personalities of Vivi's sons are Pilotlover's creations, thanks for the permission to use them. ;)

Chapter One: A Celebration and a Surprise

The sun shone brightly over Alexandria on Gaia, a warm late spring day. And it seemed very bright indeed to those gathered at the palace. A long table had been placed on the lawn, covered by a white tablecloth and lots of party foods, the centerpiece being a three-layer iced and decorated cake. The reason for the celebration?

"Happy Birthday, Vivi," Zentarou Cat greeted as he magically appeared in the area, via the Bretheren's Gate Cubes.

"Thanks, Zentarou," Vivi replied cheerfully, accepting the gift the cat handed him. Orko the Great, the Trollan mage, waved a greeting from where he was watching Vivi's sons and Eiko play games.

"I guess Dregan's last, huh?"

"He send me a note through a small portal he said Feamor made," Vivi answered. "Something apparently was going on, and he had to meet with the Counsel of Mages in Salladium. But he'll be here right afterwards, and bring Savander too."

"Yay!" cheered Valian, who was quite fond of the little Dunedi after meeting Dregan's son at the Caine Spring Festival on Zentarou's home, Talsdia. Just then, the Gate Cues of the three there began to shake, the side keyed to Dregan's world of Sindaya flickering and flashing briefly at them when they pulled them out.

"That's Dregan's signal that he'll be here soon." Vivi was smiling quite happily, as a white light flickered, and the ash elf and his young son appeared, the boy holding a gift wrapped in colorful paper and ribbon.

"Sorry we're a little late," apologized Dregan, smiling at his 'brothers in magic' fondly as Elfalon, Dregan's familiar, popped his head out of Dregan's ever-present dimensional backpack and waved a paw at them.

"Not late at all," replied Vivi. Zidane put in,

"Yeah. The party doesn't start until everyone is here, so you're just in time." Dregan laughed.

"I can see why you and Kest got along so well, Zidane." Savander giggled, then walked up to Vivi in his cute half-toddling gait and held up the package, being shorter than Vivi despite his five year's worth of growth versus Vivi's practically none since his creation.

"Thank you Savander," Vivi said as he took the package. Savander smiled, his liquid-rainbow eyes whirling happily and brightly.

"You're welcome. And Happy Birthday."

"Everyone froze, looking at Savander, while Dregan gave a smug smile. Savander just giggled as he looked back at his father.

"You were right. They look really surprised, hehe"

"Did - did Savander just speak?" asked Garrnet. She, like all those present, clearly remembered Dregan claiming Savander didn't talk, and having not heard a word out of him at their last meeting.

"To answer your question, yes," Dregan replied. "He just started talking two days ago. That's partially what I had to speak with the Counsel about."

"I didn't start talking," Savander interrupted in a very mature manner, rather than childish syntax, putting his fists onto his hips and tipping his head to the left, looking at the elder elf as if his father was being silly. "I decided to talk. I had to, or you would've left. I told you that already."

"I stand corrected."

"Um..." Zidane scratched his head, "what's exactly going on here?"

"Well, on Sindaya, occasionally a mage virus gets passed around from caster to caster. They're not usually fatal, just cause any arcane caster to have trouble controlling his or her spells, which can be disastrous."

"Trolly-Molly, you're telling me!"

"Fortunately, long ago the Counsel of Mages devised a vaccine that generally lasts a couple of years. They administer the vaccine free of charge to any mage who needs it, like me. So, I got ready to head there using a ring Feamor sent to me for that purpose, when suddenly Savander started whimpering and fussing, trying to get me to stay."

"I finally decided that if I talked," Savander picked up, again noticeably sounding older than he was, "daddy would stay. So I asked Him, and He said I could talk, and I told my daddy to stay home."

"Asked who if you could talk?" asked Steiner. "And shy did you not want your father to get the vaccine?"

"I asked the One, of course, and so my daddy wouldn't die." This time two voices, Freya and Beatrix respectively, spoke at once,

"The One?"

"Die?"

"The One is the God of the Sindaya pantheon's gods," Dregan explained, "who is who made them in the first place, along with everything in our corner of the multiverse, a.k.a. Savander's patron deity." Savander smiled and tapped the crystal orb around his neck so it spun and glittered in the sun's light. "And Savander did save my life. I contacted Iridesca using Kest's scrying sphere to tell her the news. While we were talking, she looked to one side, and screamed, and then I lost contact. It took about four hours before we reached the Mage Keep again." Dregan frowned slightly. "An orange dragon, chased by a group of adventurers, had gotten one wing membrane torn and crashed right into Iridesca's tower, Enigma, directly into the room where the vaccines were being given. Half the tower was destroyed, and all in the room killed. I would've been there myself."

"The Verikith," whispered Nicara, remembering the ability mentioned by Dregan's 'brother' Evarion. Dregan nodded at his observation.

"those that died were resurrected by some clerics that live in the Keep, from the Tavannes Temple, but if I had been there, there would've been nothing anyone could do for me. A while back, purely by accident, we discovered that none of the "Syndisian Sword Company' can be resurrected, for reasons only the gods know." Savander returned to his father's side to hug him, as if the incident still unnerved him, and for a few moments all were silent. Then Dregan smiled. "But everything turned out for the best. And this is a party remember?"

"Yeah!" Zidane replied. "Sine everyone's here, lets get this party going!" Savander giggled and pulled out a wand from his belt. It was small, as if made for a child, but of foreign design and crafted of wood wound with copper threads and topped by a rough cut red crystal. He pointed it up, and a burst of glittering lights exploded from the tip into the air like enchanted confetti.

"Savander can cast!" Vivi exclaimed. Dregan was beaming proudly.

"And he's a Spirit Caster, too. No Gems needed."

"Daaad," Savander interrupted, sounding very child-like all of the sudden, probably for cuteness sake, "quit talking so we can have some fun!" Everyone laughed, the candles were lit, and the party commenced.