The Melody of a Silenced Harp
		    Chapter Five: High Above and Far Below



	Cecil and Anna strolled with a spring in their step, into Agart. To the townspeople, it appeared as if the Happy Beggars had arrived.
	"Excuse me," Cecil said loudly. "Are there any ships to Baron here?" The townspeople all ignored him save one old man, who came rushing over, scowling at him.
	"What do you want? A couple of gold pieces? Now go away..." he said, fishing in his pouch for some money.
	"No, no, no..." Anna said. "We don't...well, we DO need cash, but what we really want is passage to Baron." The old man looked closely at them, then shrugged.
	"There isn't a port in Agart. Sometimes ships sail north of Magma Mountain, but not now that Baron began raiding everywhere. Did you hear what happened to Damcyan??" Anna looked away.
	"Yes." Cecil said tightly. "But...there's no one here who can ferry us to Baron? Or even somewhere where we can go to Baron?" The old man shook his head. 
	"If there's anyone, it's Crazy Kory." he said, walking away.
	"Crazy Kory?" Cecil wondered aloud. A middle-aged man wearing a red robe, with his blond hair tied back in a pony-tail, loudly protested. 
	"I'm not crazy!!" he cried, dashing over to them.
	"Are you Crazy Kory?" Anna asked him.
	"But I'm NOT crazy! That's just the townspeople's stupid name for me....My name's Professor Kory. I work in astrology." He shook Cecil's hand.
	"Nice to meet you." Anna said courteously.
	"Here, come inside my house. We can talk more there." Kory invited. They accepted his invitation and walked inside his large house, which was actually part observatory. Scientists were running around, looking into telescopes, and jotting down data. Kory led them into a comfortable study.
	"So, where are you folks from? We usually don't get folks that look like you guys in Agart. It's mostly a touristy town. Almost everyone here's of Dwarven descent. They won't shut their mouths about it...how their ancestors migrated from the supposed "underworld" and all." he said.
	"Are you....?" Anna started. Kory laughed.
	"No, I'm not descended from any dwarf. My wife and I came here because, well, it's a beautiful island. And, it's easy to study the moon from here. That's what I do." Kory explained.
	"Say, Professor...why is everyone so busy out there? Are they always working like that?" Cecil asked.
	"No, it's unusual. In fact, I was the one who found out." Kory said proudly.
	"Found what?" Anna asked, suddenly very interested. Kory's face took on a grave look.
	"The second moon has turned red. Red as blood." he said gravely.
	"What does it mean, Professor?" Cecil asked breathlessly.
	"I don't know yet. And that's what has everyone in a huff." Kory said, sitting back in his armchair.
	"So Professor, can we catch a ride to Baron anywhere?" Cecil asked him. Kory laughed.
	"So intent on it, are you?" he remarked. "Well, perhaps I could expend a small boat of mine for you. I like you, you're different than most. Both of you have this excitement in your eyes, this longing." 
	"You know..." Kory said offhandedly. "You two are perfect for each other." Cecil tensed up, and Anna turned pale.
	"N-no..." Anna said, looking at Cecil quickly. "We..."
	"I-I.....I'm....already...." Cecil stammered.
	"Already spoken for, eh?" Kory chuckled. "Well, if it's not meant to be, it won't happen I guess." Then he quickly changed the subject.
	"What do you need in Baron?" Kory asked.
	"My girlfriend, er, Rosa, she...was kidnapped by them. In Fabul." Cecil stuttered. Kory sighed.
	"Ah, the war. Me with my head in the stars, and the villagers, concentrating on the underworld. No one here speaks of the war. I had hoped before that it wouldn't spread to the south seas. But, there's word that Eblan has fallen to monsters, that Bab-il is inhabited again....everything's gonna go to the Dark World soon." Kory mused.
	"Bab-il..?? Like as in the Tower of Bab-il??" Anna said, her face pale.
	"Yes, that's right. I've heard reports that there's something in that Tower. Something bad." Kory said.
	"Father said the Tower hides a very special power that only Mysidians know about really. You know, with their study of magic and all." Realization spread over Cecil's face like butter over hot toast.
	"You mean......the Crystals..?" he said slowly. Anna nodded.
	"The Crystal of Water in Mysidia, the Crystal of Fire in ...Damcyan," she paused, choking. "Air in Fabul, it all adds up to something. Golbez is planning something very awful, Cecil. All that's left is-"
	"Toroia. The Crystal of Earth." Cecil said grimly.
	"Then you're saved!" Kory said brightly. "There's nothing to worry about now!"
	"What do you mean?" Anna said, giving Kory a skeptical look.
	"It's all over the news. Well, what little news we get here. The Crystal of Earth is gone from Toroia. It was stolen by Astos of Magnes." Kory said happily. "Of course, the crystal getting stolen isn't good, but if Astos, the Dark Elf has it, at least Baron doesn't." Cecil nodded.
	"Golbez is very tricky. It'll only be a matter of time." Anna foresaw.
	"You don't understand. The Clerics of Toroia explained it all to me because they want me to help them recover the Crystal. You see, Cave Magnes, where the Dark Elf lives, is protected by a magnetic field. No metallic weapons or armor can be used there. No one can enter. The Clerics want me to try and break the magnetic field." Kory explained quickly.
	"But how would you be able to destroy the field?" Cecil asked.
	"I've studied similar fields on the moon." Kory replied.
	"That means you're in danger!" Anna said suddenly, jumping out of her chair.
	"What? Why??" Kory asked, unconcerned.
	"If you can break the field, Golbez will be after you for it! He wants the Crystal very badly!" she said.
	"That's ridiculous. What would he want with a simple man like me?" Kory said skeptically.
	"Please." Anna said, her eyes welling up with tears. "Golbez is a cruel man. He'll do anything to get what he wants, and I mean anything. He....Edward....he killed my Edward...my poor prince...." Anna began sobbing uncontrollably.
	"I understand. I heard about the ordeal at Damcyan, but the truth is, I didn't want to believe it. What should I do?" Kory said.
	"Well...." Cecil said, but he was cut off as the entire house shook violently.
	"What's going on?!" Anna cried, hearing screams from outside. 
	

	Cecil, Anna, and Kory ran outside. They dashed down the white stone steps of Kory's home. In the town of Agart, chaos descended like a bird of prey. Near the center of town, where the city fathers had enshrined an ancient well, stood a horrible hunchbacked creature, with glowing red eyes and bandaged hands. Undead corpses roamed the streets. 
	"Cecil Harvey." the creature addressed in a raspy voice. Cecil drew the Black Sword.
	"What do you want? Leave these innocent people out of this!" he shouted. 
	"Allow my introduction. I am Milon Scarmiglione, Fiend of the Earth. My Master Golbez wishes you a very painful death. Good bye." Milon hissed. Green bolts of lightning shot from his hands, barely missing Anna and paralyzing Professor Kory. He writhed for a moment, then fell to the ground.
	"Lhhevel twooo maghhic..." he slurred, his mouth numb.
	"Level two is nothing we can't handle. Come on, Anna!" Cecil said, running towards Milon. He realized for a moment that he had never seen Anna fight, but he quickly dismissed that thought. Several spikes jutted out of the soil.
	"You'll find it's not quite that easy to defeat me, Cecil Harvey." Milon hissed unkindly. Anna grabbed a broken branch to defend herself with, then began chanting strange words. Ice flew from her outstretched fingertips, and settled on Milon and the zombies. They didn't even notice it.
	"Ice isn't their weakness!" Cecil cried, slashing the arm of a ghoul with his blade. Strangely, his sword didn't seem to be damaging them much either. Milon came up from behind, and raised his hands.
	"Cecil!!" Anna's voice rang out like a bell, but it was too late. Lightning sprang from Milon's wrapped hands, and shocked Cecil severely. He dropped to his knees.
	"Ah, the pleasure. Golbez would have enjoyed watching your death, but he is currently occupied with his catch of the day." Milon laughed. Cecil's face contorted in rage.
	"Rosa!!! How dare you---I'll kill you--" he sputtered, trying to get to his feet.
	"How courageous of you. Feed, my children!" Milon said with a wave of his hand. The zombies moved in. Red orbs encircled him, and he could feel his strength being sapped.
	"Cecil!" Anna cried, casting a spell. There was a white flash, and golden dust flew from her palms---Cure Level Two. However, this was a new spell for her, and she missed Cecil completely, hitting a group of undeads. They crumbled away to nothing.
	"....The cure!! That's it!" she gasped. By now, Kory had recovered and was lending a hand. He poured a Cure Potion over Cecil's limp body, restoring his lost strength. 
	"Drat! This was not as I had planned!!" Milon snapped. He shot more lightning at them, but Cecil was quicker this time. He dodged and slashed Milon's tattered robes. The Fiend howled in pain.
	"I will kill you all!!!" he screeched. He pulled a slender ruby key from his robes.
	"Oh Key of Magma, I implore you..." he chanted, dashing for the well. Anna ran after him, not about to let him finish whatever he had planned. 
	"Stop him!!" a frail old woman cried. "That key will open the mountain!!" 
	All the energy Milon had gathered, from the Earth, surged into the key as he stabbed it into the well.
	"Oh glorious Death! Consume this pitiful hamlet!!" he gasped as the town began to violently shake. His body was dissolving away form the energy loss, but Milon just laughed maniacally. The ground split apart, swallowing up townspeople.
	"Anna! Stay close to me!!" Cecil cried. Anna dashed over towards him, but turned back.
	"Kory!" she cried. Kory was crawling across the ground, but there was no way he'd make it before falling through.
	Cecil and Anna rushed over and each grabbed an arm. They hoisted him up on their shoulders, but the ground cracked and swallowed them whole.
	"Hahahahahahahahahahaha...........glorious...." Milon said as he disentegrated.