FF Crystal Caravan - Sala's Legacy

"Oh shut up Rae." Lyn said.

"No, I won't shut up. You damn hypocrite. You spent the better part of this journey acting as if my falling head over heels for Kara was a big joke to you. Then you go and turn from mocker to lover with Daniel and you think you have the right to criticize me?" Rae said flatly, following her sister out of the barrier.

"What the hell Rae? I share a little moment with Daniel, I apologize to him and we make out a bit and you rip my head off? At least I didn't fuck him the first chance I got." Lyn snapped.

"Oh you know damn well what that was about. Between you and her, if I hadn't done it I would've sure as hell heard about it for the next week!" Rae said, "You don't ever let little contests like that go if I lose them."

"Oh yes I do." Lyn said with a half hearted chuckle.

"If you do then why did I hear about it every single time we had a little race or something and you beat me?" Rae asked, crossing her arms.

"Because I wanted you to know who was better." Lyn said simply.

"And it's that kind of an ego that makes you such a bitch! God, we used to get along so great and then you started to become a...a...bitch!" Rae said cruely.

"Why you...! How Dare...!" Lyn was cut off by Rae spreading her wings, "Oh yea, just fly off. Fly away like the little pussy you are!"

Rae was already twenty feet off the ground and at least that far away. She kept moving forward, holding back the tears in her eyes. She picked up speed as the wind currents higher up in the air carried her north. The freedom of the air was soothing and she flew just below the low cloud cover. The landscape was spread out around her and she could see the Caravan far behind her.

She did feel kind of bad for yelling at Lyn, but she wasn't going to go back and apologize either. Rae just floated on ahead, high in the sky, heading for Goblin Wall.

*******

"Where's Rae?" Kara asked as Lyn walked back into the barrier.

"Gone. I imagine she'll meet us at goblin wall. That was the direction she flew off in." Lyn said, running a hand through her hair.

"Why'd she do that?" Daniel asked, reattaching the Caravan.

"We had a fight." Lyn said, reaching the Caravan.

"Is everything alright?" Kara asked, buckling her shoulder pads on.

"No damn it, it's not. We fought over relationships, took pointless jabs at each other and just yelled a lot." Lyn said shortly.

"Is it my fault? Because of what we did?" Daniel asked as he climbed into the Caravan.

"It's because of what we did, but it's not your fault. My sister is just being childish." Lyn said.

"Did she call you a hypocrite?" Kara asked as they started off.

"Yes...wait, how did you know that?" Lyn asked.

"Give me some credit, I have been paying attention to you all. First she falls head over heels for me and you spend your whole time joking about it. Then I'm assuming you and Daniel had sex and she heard or saw it." Kara deduced.

"Not entirely. We were just making out in the Caravan and she popped in on us." Lyn explained.

"Well, don't worry about it. You two are sisters, you'll patch things up tonight." Kara said.

"How can you be so certain?" Lyn asked.

"Because from what I've seen, a little fight isn't enough to keep you two apart." Kara pointed out, "I know, I fought a lot with my sister and we didn't ever stay mad at each other for very long."

"Hmm...if you say so." Lyn sighed.

It was a quiet ride to Goblin wall. As the sun went down, the Caravan bumped and rattled its way up the grassy hills. They reached their spot for the night just a few minutes from the entrance to Goblin Wall. Daniel unhooked Al from the Caravan and Kara started to pull stuff for dinner out of the Caravan.

There was soft whoosh of air and a rustle of feathers. Rae came out of the darkness and landed nearby. She walked over and looked around. Her face was tired and her hair was windblown. She sat down and ruffled her wings, folding them behind her.

"Hey sis..." Rae sighed, looking over at Lyn.

"Hey Rae." Lyn said sitting down near her.

"So how was the flight?" Kara asked as she chopped vegetables into the pot for stew.

"Refreshing. It cleared my head. Lyn, what I did was inexcusable. I yelled you up one side and down the other for no good reason." Rae admitted, "I suppose I was just feeling a little cooped up and giddy, always being stuck with the Caravan."

"Well...I can see where you got off yelling at me. I mean, I did give you crap for falling for someone and then I went and did the same thing." Lyn said.

"So are we okay?" Rae asked.

"Yea, we're okay." Lyn said, showing her fangs with a smile.

"Now what did I say?" Kara said with a laugh.

"Oh shut up." Lyn said, blushing and looking away.

"So would you really have screwed me if your sister hadn't come in?" Daniel asked, squating down next to Lyn.

"Well..." She looked up and prodded Daniel in the nose, "You'll just have to wait and find out!"

They all burst into laughter as Daniel blushed and walked away.

"Oh come back here Daniel." Lyn said, getting up.

Daniel stumbled backwards as Lyn pulled him back by the back of his jacket. She sat him down and then sat down between him and Rae.

"I'm just messing with you Daniel. But I'm serious, we'll just have to see what happens." Lyn said, leaning against him.

"The stew will be a while. So what are we expecting tomorrow? I've never been to Goblin Wall or even heard about it. So I would like some information before hand if any of you know anything." Kara said flatly.

"I'm surprised you give a..." Daniel started.

"Daniel!" Lyn said, jabbing him in the side.

"I may be flippant about our traveling, but when it comes to a monster infested area that bad, I'd like to know some prior knowledge." Kara said, "Believe it or not, but I actually take dungeon exploring seriously."

"Well it's a bit of a maze. The entirety of Goblin Wall is inside a large number of caves in the hillside. It's called Goblin Wall because for many years now, it's been infested with every manner of goblin. The major problem is that for nearly fifty years now, a single goblin has ruled over it. It's a goblin Shaman with some fearsome powers." Daniel explained, "And so every year the Caravan has come here in the past, as well as any other Caravans, we've just driven them deeper into the caves in order to give us a path to the Myrrh."

"And so all we can do is play on the goblin's cowardice and hopefully get them to run away and hide." Kara said, stirring the stew.

"Exactly. So this year should be about the same. Maybe we'll get lucky and slay that bastard and maybe not." Daniel said, "Personally, I've never fought him, but I've heard stories."

"Spooky." Rae said.

Throughout the night, they slowly moved around the circle until the four of them were coupled together. Lyn and Daniel had fallen asleep together, Lyn's head on Daniel's chest and his arms around her. Kara and Rae had fallen asleep together as well, cuddled in each other's arms with Rae's wings laid out on the ground behind her. There hadn't been any sex, the four of them were just content and happy to be together, enjoying their last night together before the great fight that awaited them.

*******

Everyone was up, the Caravan was hidden in the nearby trees and Al was tied to a tree with a long rope, grazing happily in the long, forest grass. Each of them took their weapons from the Caravan and readied for battle. Rae buckled her Tachi on her left hip. The blade was a curved, thin sword of about three feet in length. It could be swung and slashed with quick finesse that could out do most enemies. Lyn carried two Dao Swords. They are single edged blades that curve up away from the handle with a large cutting surface. Black cloth hung from the hilt of both swords and they hung on both of her hips. Daniel held a bastard sword in his hands, four feet long with a cruciform hilt; it was a formidable blade. A simple round steel buckler was strapped on his left arm as a defense. Kara was the strangest by far. She wore next to no armor and her only weapons were glass orbs strapped on her wrists. She looked over each of them, watching the orbs shine with magic when she focused on them.

"I've never seen anyone use Magicite like that before, what do you have there?" Daniel asked.

"Well, on my right wrist, I have two of each fire, frost and shock. They're simple and used the most since they require the least time to recharge. On my left wrist, I have two cure, a life, a clear and two spheres that combined will make Holy." Kara said, looking over each of them.

"You have a life Magicite? Wow, that's rare." Rae said, looking over at her.

"Well, it's rare for a reason. I can only use it so many times before the orb turns dark and dies. Unlike the others, life cannot recharge over time." Kara explained.

"Holy? I didn't know that was a spell. What's it do?." Lyn asked, leading the path down the road.

"It's a special combination of element and healing that causes a special spell. Holy is a very powerful spell that only harms the darkness in a person. So if you are essentially a good person, Holy will not effect you. However, if your heart is consumed in darkness, it will be devistating." Kara said, "I've rarely used it though because it's very difficult to cast and is very tiring."

"Speaking of which, do we need to protect you the entire time or does your magic cast fast enough to protect yourself?" Daniel asked.

"Somewhere in the middle. I'm going to stay behind you three because I can cast almost as far as I can see. Most of my spells simply conjure a burst of magic at a single point, but I can use it in other ways if I get creative." Kara explained, "Do any of you have any Magicite?"

"No, but Rae knows how to use them." Lyn said, jabbing a thumb at her sister.

"I hung out with an old Yuke in Tipa when I was young and he taught me how to focus my mind on the Magicite and draw it's power into the physical world. I've only ever used the three elements and cure before though." Rae said as they neared the rocky hillside that signified Goblin Wall.

"Speaking of Magicite, what does clear do anyway?" Lyn asked.

"It's a special Magicite that can flush an organic being of all foreign matter and enchantments. With it I can cure almost all types of poison, petrification and a few other ailments." Kara told her.

"Wow...I didn't know it was this big up close." Lyn exclaimed, staring up at the rocky cliffside.

"Come on, let's go get that Myrrh." Daniel said, shifting the Chalice on his shoulders.

Daniel was carrying the Chalice in a way taught to him by his father. It was a crisscross net tied in the same way a fishing net is. The Chalice is placed inside and it's worn like a pack on your shoulders. Daniel's strong shoulders carried the Chalice as easily as his father did.

As they entered the ten foot cavern entrance, an eerie sound met their ears. Echoes of goblin cries floated from the entrance, distorted by the twisting and turning of the cave. Daniel eased his four foot sword from it's leather scabbard and held it in front of him. The twins mimicked him, drawing their weapons. The cave was dark except for the bright golden glow from the Chalice's crystal. Sometime, many years before, Sala and her Caravan came across an ancient Chalice pedestal that made it's crystal glow a beautiful golden and it gave them their strongest barrier against the Miasma yet. Since then, nobody had placed the chalice on any elemental pedestal because, according to the elder's volumes of information about the Chalice and the crystals, this element was known as Holy.

"Keep out a sharp eye. Rae, tell me if you see anything moving farther in." Daniel whispered.

"Gotcha." Rae nodded.

"Why her?" Kara asked.

"She's got the eyes of a eagle, quite literally." Lyn pointed out.

"Goblin!" Rae called and a short creature ran towards them from a small nook in the wall.

It was a squat creature about four feet high with a pudgy body and long, tough ears. It had leather skin that was a burgandy and it held a small sword that looked like it was made from stone. The goblin took a swing at Daniel. Daniel parried and lopped it's head off with a clean, two handed swing.

"I can hear them moving. They're coming this way." Lyn said, her ears perking up.

"How many?" Kara asked.

"A dozen, maybe a few more. All the echoing is making it very difficult to judge." Lyn said, padding slowling along behind Daniel.

The scratching of rocks and stomping of feet met their ears and slowly became louder. A small horde of Goblins was running towards them and the first came into view. Before it could even reach them, A large burst of fire exploded in front of it and turned it into a crispy goblin that fell to the ground.

"Be careful, spread out. Kara, stay near me and the Chalice." Daniel said, holding his sword ready in front of him.

"Come on sister!" Lyn howled, lunging forward.

The Goblins neared the barrier as Lyn leapt out of it. Fighting with the ferocity born of her wolf-like characteristics, she leapt straight at the goblins. Both of her two foot Dao blades sung with glee as they cut and slashed through tough goblin flesh. A number of larger Goblins slipped past Lyn and started to swing their makeshift swords and axes at the others. Rae, fighting in a much more controlled manner, waited for the Goblin in front of her to close the gap between them. It did and Rae made a single quick swing. The Goblin's head rolled, split by her Tachi blade.

Meanwhile, two goblins bore down on Daniel and Kara. Kara was busy focusing her magical energy as Daniel parried a blow from both of the large goblins' blades. He swung out and slashed across the chest of one of the goblins. Kara leapt forward as she cast her spell. Lightning magic rippled around her right forearm and she punched forward. A lance of lightning exploded from her fist and struck the large goblin through the heart. Daniel recovered and killed the injured goblin.

"Yaaah!" Lyn cried as she killed the last goblin by putting both her swords through it's chest.

She ripped the Dao blades out, bloody and dripping from the goblin's chest.

"Whew. What a fight!" Daniel said, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"It was a good warm up." Lyn breathed, cleaning her blades on a goblin's loincloth, "I know I'm feeling good."

Lyn, like her mother before her, drew pleasure from battle. Her body was hot and sweaty with ecstasy right now from the fight. Rae on the other hand wasn't as drawn to battle as her twin. She did feel pleasure as her sister did, but she did prefer to avoid fighting.

"Through there. I can smell goblin as well as smoke." Lyn said, pointing at the light that was coming from the cave ahead of them.

They passed into the light. Around them, the cave expanded outward into a massive underground cave. It was an easy hundred feet high and it curved up. There were dozens of smaller caves off the main one, their entrances covered with ramshackle gates of bone and wood.

"So which one leads to the Goblin King?" Kara asked, looking at all the different entrances.

"I'm guessing the one up there with the torches at the entrance." Daniel pointed up near the top of the Cavern.

"And all of the goblins between us and it." Kara pointed at the two dozen goblins milling about the cave.

"Well crap. I suppose there's naught to do but kill them all." Rae shrugged.

"Careful on this section here, we wouldn't want to fall down in the canyon." Daniel said as they walked along the path.

The path was about five feet wide and lead forward to the curved potion of the cave where the goblins were.

The small group rushed forward, lead by Lyn. Goblins turned and ran towards them, brandishing spears and swords at them. Lyn howled and lunged towards the first goblin, slicing him clean in two through the middle. More goblins approached and the rest of them launched into battle. The goblins only posed a challenge in great numbers. One by one they could be slain with ease, but when they circled around and struck in groups, they were dangerous.

However, within a few minutes, they had slain all of the goblins with minor nicks and scratches.

"Oh god that felt great!" Lyn laughed.

"Come on! There's only the King left!" Daniel said, brandishing his long sword towards the entrance of the King's lair.

The four young Caravaners strode up the slope and through the interesting entrance way. It was completely encircled by large teeth. Through the other side of it, they found themselves in a large room. A single staircase lead up in front of them. That split into two staircases that circled around a large bubbling cauldron. In front of that cauldron stood a large goblin with an eccentric head piece and some bright clothes. He brandished a staff about and dropped something into the pot that made it bubble and boil angrily. He gave a surprised cry when the four warriors walked up the steps towards him.

"What you want?!" The Goblin King demanded.

"Your head!" Daniel cried, lunging up the steps.

Just as it seemed Daniel would take the Goblin King's life, there was a flash of light and it disappeared. The Goblin King reappeared behind them in the doorway.

"Year by year stupid creatures come take me glowy tree stuff. This year not happen!" He cried, holding up his staff.

There was a glowing of Magicite on his staff and a large mist of frost appeared around Daniel. It crystallized and cracked loudly, encasing him in cold ice.

"Daniel!" Rae cried.

She turned and ran towards the Goblin King. He disappeared in a flash of light again and reappeared near Daniel.

"Stupid creature." The Goblin King cried, kicking Daniel roughly.

He fell down the stairs and the ice shattered loudly, freeing him from it's cold embrace. Kara brought her hand down and a ruthless shower of fire appeared around the Goblin King. He cried in pain and disappeared in a burst of light. On a cliff up above them, he reappeared and started to wave his staff around again. There was a sudden conglomeration of green air around Lyn and she coughed loudly. Her vision spun and her swords dropped from her hands. She fell to her knees and hacked, trying to catch a breath.

"Help her!" Rae cried.

She took a running jump and bounced off a large rock. Her wings spread wide, half the width of the room and she arced right towards the Goblin King. He disappeared in a burst of light before Rae's sword touched him.

"This should fix you up." Kara said, holding out her hand.

A white wind spread from her hands and enveloped Lyn. Her skin glowed and her vision cleared. She grasped her swords and stood strong. Just then, the Goblin King appeared in front of his pot again. Lyn launched up the stairs towards him and he gave a cry of terror. His Magicite wouldn't activate fast enough and Lyn stabbed him in the side. He disappeared in a burst of light and reappeared on the far end of the room, away from them.

"Attack him now!" Rae cried from her perch.

The three of them lunged towards the Goblin King and he disappeared.

"Lyn, stay there. Kara, Daniel, go after him again." Rae instructed as the Goblin King appeared on her left.

The two of them chased after the injured Goblin and he, very predictably, teleported again. However, he made the mistake of teleporting in front of his pot. Rae slipped off her perch and held her sword straight down. The Goblin King didn't even hear the rustle of her feathers before her sword pierced deeply into his back. Before he could make another move, Rae tore her sword upward and blood sprayed into the air. The King fell forward, head first into his pot, his flesh searing off from whatever terrible concoction he was making.

"Yes!" Lyn cried.

"Bru~tal." Kara laughed.

"Nice tactic." Daniel complimented as they converged behind the Dead King's pot and headed down the small tunnel into the room of the Myrrh Tree.