Part One, Chapter Two

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Lenna stepped forward. "I apologize for trying to take your ship like that. I'm Princess Lenna."

Butz and Galuf gaped. "Princess?"

Lenna continued. "My companions and I are trying to get to the Wind Shrine. Please, won't you help up?"

The captain laughed and motioned for the pirates to grab a hold of the three travelers. "The princess of Tycoon. Oh, she is going to be worth a lot. Men, take them down to one of the storage rooms."

"Aye, aye, Captain Faris," they quipped. They dragged the three travelers down into the ship.

Butz laid, looking at the drab ceiling. Lenna laid quietly on one side, and on the other side was a moaning Galuf. "Ow. Who's stupid idea was it to steal the pirate ship anyway?"

Butz craned his head to see Galuf. "It was your idea, Old Man."

Galuf rolled away from Butz, stopping only when he hit the bulkhead. "Ow. I don't remember. My head hurts."

Butz could do not much else than roll his eyes. "What a convenient excuse." He shifted, trying to get as comfortable as the ropes bounding him would allow. "But that sure was a surprise about you being a princess, Lenna."

Lenna spoke for the first time since they were put in the room. "I'm sorry. I hadn't intended to hide it."

"What were you doing away from Tycoon, anyway?"

Lenna shifted to get a better view of Butz. "My father left on the Hiryuu to the Wind Shrine, but then the wind stopped. I was afraid something happened to him, so I snuck out of the castle. But when I got out, the meteor fell. I have a feeling something bad is happening.

"Me too," Butz mumbled. "And it has something to do with being on a pirate ship, bound in ropes."

Captain Faris sat at the table, resting heavily cloaked elbows on the table. Who would have guessed this would be a lucky day with the capture of the princess of Tycoon? Yet, Faris didn't feel all that lucky. If anything, Faris felt more confused now than ever before. In the confines of the Captain's Quarters, Faris removed a golden pendant, and contemplated it. It was a beautiful pendant, imprinted with a flying Hiryuu. It was perhaps the only treasure Faris had that wasn't stolen.

Faris had never thought that it was too important, that is, until Princess Lenna showed up on the ship. "Why would the princess of Tycoon have the same pendant as I do?" the captain wondered.

Faris got up and walked back onto the deck. The bow was Faris's favorite part of the ship to contemplate, and that's where the captain ended up. Perhaps she would know more about this pendant. Faris placed the pendant back, hiding it even from the trusted pirates.

"Captain?" one of the pirates asked. Maybe he had seen Faris's hand movements.

"Bring the prisoners above deck."

"Sir?"

"You heard me, didn't you?" Faris's orders were not to be taken lightly. The three prisoners were dragged up onto the deck. "Release them." When the pirates dropped their jaws at the orders, Faris bellowed, "Are you going to follow my orders or not?"

The pirates had no choice but to follow through with the orders. Lenna bounded up to Faris, rubbing her sore arms. "Thank you."

"Nothing of it," Faris interjected. "I've decided to help you." The number of pirate jaws that dropped when Faris said that was more than Faris hand fingers and toes.

"Thank you, but why?"

"It is enough that I am helping you."

Lenna took the brush off well. Faris could tell something else was on her mind, and wasn't disappointed when Lenna asked, "How is this ship sailing without wind?"

"You really want to know?" Faris walked forward and leaned over the rail when Lenna nodded, acknowledging curiosity. "Syldra! Say 'hi'!"

So Syldra did. And an impressive 'hi' it was. The large sea serpent raised his head above the water and roared the friendliest of greetings. The sight of such a large sea serpent made the three travelers jump, which only made Faris laugh. "Oh, my," Lenna gasped.

"Ah ha ha ha ha! This is Syldra. We grew up together. Hey, we're practically brothers!" Faris turned to face the crew. "Set sail for the Wind Shrine!"

The ship dropped anchor near the shore.

From there, a small boat was lowered, this Butz, Galuf, and Lenna rode, with Faris doing the rowing. It really shouldn't have been all that great a surprise that Faris decided to join them.

Inside the shrine, it seemed pandemonium had struck. Scholars rushed back and forth, racing faster than any human had a right to race around. One of them, the Master of the shrine, took notice of the newcomer. "Princess Lenna!" he called out.

Lenna rushed up to him. "Please, tell me, is my father safe?"

The Master shook his head. "We're not sure. The king has gone into the crystal's chamber, but has not returned. And there is a monster in the way."

"The chamber is on the top floor," Faris commented.

Lenna turned to the others. "We've got to go up there. My father might be in trouble." She raced up the stairs with the other three in tow. But when she stopped, she sent the others cascading into her back, forming a sort of human sandwich.

"Why did you stop?" Butz asked.

"scrEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEch.......!!!!!!"

Galuf looked up... and up... and up... "You know, that's a real good reason." Butz and Faris followed his gaze, Lenna's was already there.

Towering far above them was an enormous bird of prey. Not quite as big as a Roc, or even Garuda... but Wing Raptor was sufficiently big enough. With one swipe, the bird had taken down both Faris and Galuf.

Both managed to pick themselves up.

Wing Raptor let loose Breath Wing, slamming into the four with terrible speed.

"I've had enough of this," Butz grumbled. Swiftly, he clambered onto Wing Raptor's back and plunged his sword into the bird's neck. It threw him off, tossing him into Farris and Galuf.

"I am not interested in a three man dog pile," Faris declared. The pirate captain shoved back onto leather booted feet, and snatched the knife Galuf was holding. With one flick, the knife was sent hurtling through the air into the bird's forehead.

The bird screamed in outrage.

"Good grief," Faris muttered. "Doesn't that thing ever die?"

Wing Raptor dove for Lenna. She side stepped, awaiting the bird's next move... but the bird didn't get up. "I think you got it," Lenna said in a shaky voice. She gingerly tiptoed passed the dead bird into the crystal's chamber.

The chamber was a horrifying sight. There was no blood or guts... just sparkling dust and shards of crystal. The horrifying thing was... there was no crystal.

"We're too late!"

Lenna dropped to her knees. Butz patted her back, trying to comfort her.

"Lenna," a powerful voice echoed.

All eyes turned to the source of the voice. The image of the king was hanging suspended where the crystal should have been floating in mid air.

"Father!" Lenna exclaimed. She hardly noticed that Faris had taken a step forward.

"You four are the chosen ones," the image said, not moving it's lips. "Save the other crystals. They must be protected." The image disappeared.

"FATHER!"

"The shards..." Butz muttered. Attention was shifted to the shards laying about. The shards had begun glowing, and moving! Gracefully, the shards picked themselves off the floor and into the traveler's hands.

Knight
Monk
Thief
Blue Mage
White Mage
Black Mage

The king's voice permeated the air again. "The spirit of warriors reside in these pieces. The crystal has chosen you four to bear them. Bear them well, and use their power wisely. Save this world, protect the crystals."

There was silence.

Finally, the silence was broken. "If this crystal has shattered... we must get to the other crystals," Galuf said.

"The nearest crystal is in Worus," Faris said. When Butz looked at Faris, the captain only responded, "I travel a lot."

"We'll need to get through the Torna Canal," Lenna said, "but it's been locked to keep monsters from getting out."

"How do we get through?" Butz asked.

"I'm sure Zokk's got the key," Lenna said.

"I've heard of him... I think I know where he lives," Faris said. "C'mon."

Sure enough, Faris knew where it was. When the four had entered the house, Zokk had turned around and exclaimed his joy over seeing Lenna again.

"She gets around quite a lot too," Faris mumbled.

"Zokk," Lenna puppy-dogged him. "I have a favor to ask of you. We need to get through the Torna Canal to get to Worus. Would you help us?"

Zokk's eyes shot as big as dinner plates. "Uh uh... It's too dangerous..." He lowered his head. "And besides... I've lost the key."

The four lowered their heads.

Zokk turned around, "But if you like, you may stay here for the night.

Faris stepped away from the others. "If you mind, I should let my crew know that we'll be here for tonight... I'll stay with them... get them situated in the inn." Without yea or nay, Faris left them.

Butz couldn't sleep. He got up, wandered around, checked on Lenna and Galuf... who snored like a pig. Butz wandered out of Zokk's house into the night air.

He stood, looking at the stars, but his mind was back on Earth... in the past. "You know, come to think of it, I think I remember Dad talking about the crystals."

A tall man, sandy brown haired, sat at a table. His green haired wife sat next to him. The man was looking down, thinking something over. Finally he glanced over his shoulder to where his son laid in bed. He turned and faced his wife. "If something ever happens to me, don't tell him about the crystals." His chest lowered, resigning to his decision. "He doesn't deserve such a heavy burden." His wife only nodded.

Butz had been awake, back then, it didn't make sense to him so he had forgotten about it. Now...

Now, it still didn't make any sense.

Butz wandered back inside, finding Zokk up also. Zokk turned around and saw Butz, but there was no real surprise on his face. "What's up?" Butz asked.

Zokk walked over and placed something into Butz's hand. "The reason I lied about it was because I didn't want Lenna to get hurt... and please, don't tell her you got it from me."

Butz looked into his palm, there sat the key, where Zokk had placed it. Butz nodded and went back to bed.

"Where's Galuf?" Butz asked.

"He got up early," Lenna responded, "and went to buy some spells. He thought it might be a good idea since we can use them now."

Right then, Galuf walked in. "Are we ready to go save the world?"

Lenna looked at him, "How are we suppose to do that if we can't get through the canal?"

"We'll find a way," Butz assured Lenna. "I'm going to go find Faris. Faris said he'd be in the inn, right?"

Galuf and Lenna nodded. In short time, they had found their way to the inn. Inside, the pirates were dancing and chugging beer... and being typical pirates. Butz stopped by a piano and played it.

Prompted by Galuf and Lenna's strange glance at him, he shrugged his shoulders.

They bounded up the stairs to the inn's top floor. In the last room at the end of the hall, they found the captain, sprawled out in the bed.

"Wait here," Butz said before entering the room. He walked over to the bed and looked down. His eyes nearly popped out. Cleaned of grime and cleared of hair, Faris's face looked stunningly beautiful. Butz stumbled back out of the room, his heart racing at top speed.

"What's wrong?" Galuf asked.

Butz shook his head. "Uh... nothing... Maybe I'm just crazy."

Galuf shoved past him and entered the room. Shortly after, Galuf was back out, with the same look on his face that Butz was sporting.

Lenna looked back and forth between the two.

"Ah, that was a good sleep," Faris's voice came from the room. The door opened, showing the captain, hair back in it's customary place... in the captain's face... Faris looked at Galuf and Butz. "What's wrong with these two?"

Faris's back hand brought the two out of their trance. "Sorry," Butz and Galuf mumbled sheepishly.

Faris walked back into the room. "Um... look, I'll meet you guys later, I wanna be left alone for right now, okay?"

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