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The Crystal Rule	By : QueenDraggyofSwords Category: Final Fantasy Games > Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Views: 956 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy: chrystal Chronicles, any of its characters nor am I making any profit off of them.

Chapter List
- 52
- 53
- 54
Chapter Fifty-Three

"Quickly! In here!"
Keiss ran forward, his body half hunched over as he ran from cover to cover along the rocky ash ridden mountain side. The dark skies had given way to a light blue horizon hidden by grey haze that bellowed up from the volcano itself. As Sherry had promised, when the sun started to come up the Abbadons started to arrive.
An Abbadon was an insect like monster, twice the size and triple the weight of a full grown man. They stayed aloft with four rapidly beating wings, only occasionally touching down on the ground to sleep and eat. They fought and attacked with aero spells and long bones attached to the ends of their arms that had grown into the shape of sickles and scythes. In addition the creatures had barb like stingers they could release and regrow that contained a terrible poison that could kill if left untreated. They were an ugly, vicious, and territorial monster. And right now the Colonel and the Guild Master's son were using their egg nest for cover.
The red head jumped as he ran, pushing himself forward to skid along the ground and slide into the rock crevasse Sherry had found. She helped him up and pulled him deeper into the little gap in the side of the rock wall. Outside a loud buzzing could be heard. Overhead shadows passed by rapidly, those of the monsters that made their homes here. The duo had been trying to make their way back around the mountain to get to the boat belong to the scouts, but the monsters were making it difficult.
"Cracked Crystals…" Keiss run his hand along the side of his face. The addition of the sunlight just made the environment hotter. "We're so close, but with all these bugs, we'll be seen…"
"Not if we keep going as we are," Sherry nodded to him. The Colonel started to unbutton her military jacket. The heat was making it hard for her to concentrate. Underneath the turtleneck she wore to hide her crystal had no sleeves. Without her jacket, the plat like skin that covered most of her Lilty body was exposed to heat. The Lilty tribe was know for their foliage, but it was also fact that most of the tribe covered themselves from head to toe to protect their bodies. In most Lilties, what they shared in common with plants didn't stop at their heads. Patches of their skin were colored, textured, and soft like a flowers stem.
The Colonel wrapped her arms around herself ad rubbed at her upper arms making a face. Keiss hadn't considered that the heat was damaging to the woman. He knew it was getting to him, a wonded arm and lugging his bag of stolen goods around. But for the Lilty, the hotter this environment was growing, he couldn't help but wonder if it was deadly. After all, no plants could survive in Kilanda due to the heat. For a person who's body was mostly plant like…
"Are you going to make it?" He watched as she dropped her heavy coat on the ground and looked over her arms. She ran her gloved fingertips over the softer parts of her skin; they were light pink in color like the flowers in her hair.
"I will if you will, Selkie," she stopped and took a few deep breaths. "Ready?"
"Yeah…" Keiss nodded to her, a bit of sweat dripping form his now droopy bangs. "I'll go first. I saw a palce to hide on my way over here. Just stay low." The cherry haired woman nodded to him as he walked back up to the entrance of the little opening. He held his wounded arm with one hand and looked around surveying the area. There was a good break in the swarm of bugs that had been flying around. Keiss took another breath and darted from the crack in the wall.
He ran forward toward a cluster of eggs and ducked around it. With his head down he ran to the next and then a third. Sherry followed up behind him. Keiss broke away from the eggs and made his way over to the rocky wall framing the edged of the nest. He jumped as he approached it, reaching out with his good hand to grab on and pull himself up. His feet skid a bit out from under him as he fought against the heat and his body weight to haul himself upward. Sherry jumped up next to him and started to climb.
The woman was up to the lip of the rock ridge before him and turned around to grab his wrist and pull him up. She yanked him up to her level, and without hesitation Keiss squeezed her wrist back and hung onto her as he started running again. The Selkie led her to the edge of the rock ridge and toward a cave on the side of the mountain facing out toward the ocean.
"In here!" He yanked her inside and they both fell back against the wall panting and looking out to see if anything had noticed them. "See any- any bugs?"
"Nothing-" she shook her head and took a deep breath.
"Soldiers?"
"Na-da."
"Fantastic…" Keiss finally let go of her and slid down to take a seat. From here the two could see the water and the edge of the island below them. There were considerably more boats then when they started their trek across the island last night. "…They must be nearby though."
"I agree… We can't wait here long. If we can get down to one of those boats, we can get out of here." The Selkie nodded to her. Sherry looked down at her hand rubbing her fingertips together. "So… Selkie… Are you going to tell me who you are before we get out of here?"
Keiss closed his eyes and let his head tilt back, he was still catching his breath. "Does it matter?"
He heard the Lilty woman chuckle, "It kind of does… When the heat is making your tan rub off."
The red head's head snapped forward and he looked at her wid-eyed. She held up her hand still rubbing her fingers together. The tips of her gloves were stained. Keiss looked down at his wrist, indeed there was a huge smear across his lower arm where the makeup was running from the heat. He shook his head and reached up to touch his shoulder. Again it smudged and he muttered under his breath. Sherry watched him and raised her hand to run it down his arm.
"What's that mark-"
Keiss yanked his arm back from her. "Quit that will you!"
She smirked and waved her finger in his face, "It is you, isn't it! The Selkie working for Spinosa!" The woman chuckled. "I knew you were too good to just be some Guildie."
"Look, I am not confirming or denying anything-"
"You don't have to. The heat will eventually." Keiss glared at her but she continued to smile. "Why are you betraying him?"
"Why are you!?" He retorted back a bit agitated.
"I already told you why…" Sherry took another deep breath and whipped the sweat away from her face. "To be High Commander I need to eliminate the competition."
"Then shouldn't you be trying to eliminate me as well?" He put his hands on his hips and continued to give her dirty looks.
"You aren't a threat… Yet. You've got skill. But not the High Commander's eye. And that's what matters to me." The Lilty officer pointed to him, "Listen here. I explained to you, why this is important to me. My family thinks, the only way to honor our home is to follow tradition. One that's out of date. I'm doing this not just to make a statement for myself… But a change for any daughters of our home that come after." She put her hand on the back of her neck. "Our tribal Crystal promises us prosperity. But Lilties often forget the rule of our Crystal is to fight, to triumph over our foes. All Lilties are warriors triumphant in the face of adversity."
Keiss watched as she lowered her hand, "They think that means in the face of war… In battles against Selkies or monsters. No one considers it against each other. No one wants to think a Lilty will fight a Lilty. But we do everyday. And its those that think prosperity is handed to them that lose. I'm fighting for my own piece of it. Maybe this crystal embedded in me was given to me to get it- just as Villosie was given hers to fight. Spinosa expects things to be handed to him. He's stuck in the old ways. Anyone that is, doesn't get prosperity. At least not the kind they've been dreaming of."
Keiss took his hands off his hips and smirked at the Lilty, "You Crystal Bearers are all a like, pretty defiant in the face of what should be."
"Do you have a problem with that?"
"No," the Selkie shook his head, "Believe me, I'm all about defiance in the face of what others tell you." The red head turned his gaze out of the cave and toward the water, "I know all to well that following the beaten path doesn't get you the dream that you want. It makes it pretty hard on you and on those around you. But I like what you said, about changing things for those that come after you… I can really, understand that."
"…" The Lilty put her hand on Keiss' shoulder and brought his attention back to her.
"Hey, you, when I make High Commander, you can be my top officer, you know?"
"When you make High Commander!" He scoffed at her, "I don't know if you know this, but my Crystal promised me treasure. And my personal treasure is that title. You can be my top officer."
Sherry took her hand back and rolled her eyes, "I guess we'll have to face off and see who gets there first." She let out a sigh and wiped her face again, this time some of Keiss' make up smeared across her cheek. "That is if we don't die from the heat first."
"All the more reason to get out of here." Keiss motioned for her to stand. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah…" Sherry stood up and nodded to him. Keiss peaked out of the cave looking around to make sure the coast was clear. "Selkie..."
He turned back to look at her, "What now?"
"Let me go first. In case there are guards. I'll give you a good warning."
"…Fine." He stepped aside and let the Lilty go first. He watched as Sherry ran out of the cave and started to make her way down the mountainside. She used the natural incline of the mountain to slide down and braced herself against some of the larger rocks here and there to plan her descent. Keiss followed her taking the same path she did.
Things were going smoothly for the two. They were only one rocky path away from the shore line. Sherry leaned up against a large rock waiting for Keiss to catch up.
"Look there… After this fall, it's a path. It's wide open, but if we sprint across we just have to slide down to the water and the boats. Think you and your arm can handle more sliding?"
Keiss squeezed at his right arm and nodded firmly, "We'll make it. I'm too hot to even notice its hurting me any."
Sherry laughed and slipped out from around the rock. She slide down the remaining feet and landed on the flat path. The Colonel dusted herself off and started to run forward when someone shouted her name. Keiss, who was about to follow her fell back behind the rocks.
"Colonel Sherry!" The woman stopped running and turned around, coming up the path was Sir Regal and a patrol of guards. "Sherry Du Blanc! Where have you been!?"
"Regal!" She was startled at first but quickly gained her composure. "Where have I been! Where have you been! I've been combing this island all night by myself- I finally spotted some boats and came looking for help!"
The rose haired Lilty sneered at her. "Don't give me that woman! You're the one that dropped your communications!"
"Me! Ha!" She flipped her braid of cherry blossoms over her shoulder and frowned. "Well at least now you're here. Let's get going and move onto the next set of islands. There's nothing here."
"I wouldn't be so sure." Regal shook his head at her smiling. "My scouts spotted a boat among the rocks-"
"You mean my boat?"
"Was it? Well I guess we'll know for sure when the boys are done checking the volcano."
"Are you mad, Regal? There are swarms of Abbadons on this thing. And you want to poke around!"
"Afraid of a few monsters, Sherry?" He chuckled at her. "Hardly proper behavior for an officer. Perhaps you're not cut out for it?"
The cherry haired Lilty twisted her lips, "I am more suited to it than you ever were, Regal. There is no reason to risk the safety and well being of your men against an army of vicious monsters. Not just 'a few' as you so cutely put it."
"We will search this island for that Selkie, Sherry. We are not going back to the Lieutenant empty handed. Understand!" He snapped his fingers and two of his men came to stand next to her, "If you are so worried then stay here and watch the boats."
"Regal!" Sherry reached forward to grab him as he walked by but the guards cut her off.
"I will find the Selkie if he is here. And then we will finish this, Sherry."
The cherry haired Selkie narrowed her eyes at him as he made his way down the path. She glanced up the mountainside to where Keiss was hiding and then looked back down the road.
"Two guards…" The red head pulled at the strap of the bag he was carrying and tried unclenching the fist of his wounded arm. "There's no way… I can't fight them. Not to mention all the guards on the island." He leaned against the rock and glanced up to where he came from. "I can't… But a monster can." He started to slowly make his way back up the cliff face using the rocks for cover just as he had before. He wasn't sure if this would work, but he had to do something. If the Abbadons were swarming in rage, the soldiers would be too busy fighting across the island to notice him stealing one boat and getting away.
At least he hoped it would work out that way.

"And… There…" Milka pulled her hand back form Layle's face with a smirk. "You'd hardly ever know you were a Crystal Bearer." The former pirate closed the make up kit she was working out of and put it back into her trunk. The Clavat reached up to touch the side of his face and then looked over the side of the boat to see if he could make out his reflection.
In the water he saw a blury image of his face in the rushing water. He could just barely make out a scar painted across his face and over his crystal.
"You really thing this will work?" He looked back over at the woman and Nadeen. The two Selkie females were now going through her trunk prepping and loading all of her weapons.
"No crystal, the fake tattoos, the new clothes- plus leaving the wrist shackles on so you look like an escaped prisoner… It's a perfect disguise." Milka nodded to him. The Selkie woman had spent the first part of the boat trip doing Layle up to look like anything other than what he was. She gave him a red bandana and a red and orange striped shirt. She'd painted markings up and down his arms she said meant prisoner and criminal, but he had no idea if that was true or not.
"This idea is eerily similar to Keiss'."
"Ha!" Milka pulled out a rifle and started to inspect it, "You think all of his ideas are original, don't you? Half of them are just his own spin on what he picked up from us."
Layle watched her and turned to the Guild Master. Vaigali was focused on getting them to the volcanic island. He hadn't spoken in hours. "Yeah I can see the similarities."
"So what's the plan for rescuing, Keiss?" Nadeen stood and backed away form Milka's supplies.
"Well," the Guild Master spoke up, "Since you two are part of it now… Nadeen, you and Milka will stay with the boat. Keep it running. Nadeen you'll drive while Milka takes care of anyone on the water."
The orange haired girl nodded, "Yes, sir."
"Crystal Bearer," Vaigali turned to Layle, "You and I will take care of anyone on the island while we look for that brat and get him out of there."
The Clavat cracked his knuckles. "Just leave it to me."

It was at least another hour before the group was making their final approach to the island of Kilanda. As the Guild Master's boat weaved in and out between the smaller, jagged geo-masses that sprang up out of the water they noticed that chaos already seemed to have engulfed the island. Milka, Layle, and Nadeen found themselves looking up at the skyline in awe as they saw massive green monsters swarming and buzzing about the island. Their cries and the sounds of their wings echoed into the parties ears. They were coupled with the sounds of gunshots and the screams of men.
"…What… what are those?" Nadeen spoke up.
"Abbadons." Vaigali said, not a hint of surprise in his voice. "Nadeen, get up here and take the wheel." The orange haired girl didn't move at first. She was still captivated by the monsters fighting and falling from the sky. As the boat cleared the smaller islands and made its final approach toward Kilanda, another boat raced out form behind the rocks after them; a few soldiers that had been stationed out in the water to keep an eye out in case anyone escaped from the island.
They opened fire immediately upon the vessel prompting everyone to duck. Layle raised his hands and created a shield around the boat. Milka hauled up her rifle and came to stand beside Layle. She opened fire, shooting three times. Once striking the windshield of the other boat, again hitting the weapon of the the Lilty opening fire on them and a third hit the shooter themselves.
"Hey!" Layle looked at her as the Lilty went down.
"Relax, their just tranqs." She smirked at him, "I haven't had reason o kill a man in years." She raised her weapon again as the boat turned and this time hit the driver. The boat started to swerve and Layle reached out with his powers to pull the Lilties from the boat and into the water before it crashed into the rocks surrounding the island. "Nice reach."
"Nice shooting," He still glared at her, "Though they would have died if I hadn't grabbed them."
"Hey, I said I don't kill any more. If they get into an accident afterwards, that's not my problem."
"Nadeen!" Vaigali shouted at the Leudian girl again. "The wheel!" She scrambled forward and grabbed it nodding. Vaigali walked toward the back of the boat giving orders. As he walked past Milka she handed him a gun form her trunk. "Milka, keep our way out clear, Crystal Bearer, let's go. Nadeen! Take us in close!"
"Yes, sir!" The orange haired girl turned the boat at a sharp angle and ran close to the end of the island.
"Think you can make it, boy?" He put one leg up on the edge of the boat and prepared to jump.
Layle stood next to the old Selkie and smirked, "Can you?" Without a word Vaigali lept from the boat. Layle followed him extending his hand and hooking into the rocks of the island with his magic. He was yanked from the moving boat toward the land. Layle landed a few feet down the coast from where the Guild Master did. "Ha!"
Keiss' father said nothing however. He just looked form Layle up the path and started running upward into the fighting and chaos. Layle followed taking the higher ground, pulling himself form rock to rock to keep up. Vaigali ran around the boulders and up paths toward the fighting and the bugs. The Clavat had to admit to himself, after seeing how the Guild Master handled him, he was curious to see how the old sea salt handled the monsters and the Military.
The two made their way up to the first plateau of a path they came across, and encountered a swarm of Abbadons and Lilty soldiers fighting. At first only the giant bugs took notice of them. Layle reached out with his powers and hooked onto the scythe-like appendage of one bug. He pulled and turned causing the creature to spin in mid air and slash into the wings of another. The Abbadon with the damaged wings let out a cry and fell to the ground.
As soon as it's body hit the rocks the soldiers noticed they were not fighting alone. Half the group continued to fight the bugs in the sky while the others rushed toward Vaigali and Layle.
"Here they come!" Layle shouted at the old Selkie, but he said nothing back. Layle thought for sure he'd raise the gun Milka gave him to fire at the men racing toward him. But instead he waited as they approached. A smaller solider raised a spear toward him, trying to run him through. The Guild Master stepped to the side and grabbed the neck of the weapon. He hoisted the Lilty off the ground and swung him around on the end of his spear. The Lily solider was flung from the handle into another on coming guard.
Vaigali turned the spear over in his hands and used it to pery the attack of the next guard. The ends of their lances clanged and sparked as he met him blow for blow and began to push him back.
Over head the Abbadons circled swinging their arms and projecting their poison stingers at the fighting groups on the ground. Layle used his magic to catch the stingers in the air before they struck him or the Guild Master and returned them toward the monstrous bugs. In some cases the Abbadons blocked the barbs with their scythes, in others they were stabbed through with their own attacks. The insects were immune to their own poison, but the barbs piercing through their exoskeleton was enough to make them fall back for a bit. The Clavat turned his attention to Vaigali. The Guild Master was now fighting with two lances.
He used them to beat back his latest Lilty advisory, knocking him form the path and causing him to slide down the slanted cliff side. Overhead an Abbadon made an approach at Vaigali. It swung its arms firing aero spells at the old pirate. Just as Layle raised his arms to protect the Guild Master, Vaigali rolled to the side, just missing the spell. He raised one of the spears over his shoulder and hurled it at the monster. The Lilty lance pierced through the next aero spell disbursing it, and it continued to fly forward until it struck the monster through its chest cavity. The Abbadon floundered in the air letting out a horrible screech before falling to the rocks below.
"Whoa…"
"Come on, boy!" Vaigali turned to Layle and motioned for him to follow him, "We've got to keep moving."
"Whatever you say, Captain." The Clavat gave a mocking salute, even though he really was impressed.

Across the island, Keiss and Sherry were fighting off the monstrous swarms themselves. The Lilty officer had taken a gun from a downed soilder and was using it to shoot down the giant bugs. Or at least trying to shoot them down. Keiss was behind her, standing to her back making due with one arm and his quickly depleting set of daggers.
"Tell me now-!" Sherry turned around and grabbed his shoulder to push him down. She fired at an oncoming Abbadon striking the monster in the chest. It let out a cry of agony before wobbling in the air and crashing into the rocks. "-Why you thought upsetting the bugs was a good idea!"
Keiss shrugged her off and jerked his head towards the shore line, "Because while they're fighting the monsters- we get on a boat and leave!"
"Oh, yes, brilliant!" The woman rolled her eyes as Keiss grabbed her wrist and started to drag her back to the boat they had seen. The Selkie had been forced to back track to the egg nest they two had climbed out of earlier to make a commotion. He used a few loose rocks along the sides of the mountain to break the shells of the monster eggs. Oh course hearing their eggs break and seeing them topple over sent the Abbadons residing on the island into a rage. Anything and everything that wasn't one of their kind was targeted to be sliced up.
This was good for Keiss and Sherry, as it meant the Military now had dozens of giant violent bugs on their tail. However, it did land Keiss in the middle of a monster nest. One handed, carrying a heavy bag of equipment and put him further from the shore than he had been. Luckily Sherry was kind enough to backtrack and find him, if only to yell at him.
"And you couldn't think of away to carry out this plan without- you know, getting stuck down here!?" She allowed Keiss to pull her under a slight overhang of rocks to protect them from the next oncoming round of attacks.
"I knew you'd be back for me!"
"And what if I didn't! What if I let you die here!?"
"Never," Keiss winked at her, "I've got you pegged. You've got a code of honor; it wouldn't let you if you tried."
The woman opened her mouth to retort but instead just growled and reloaded her weapon. "We need to get to a boat, or we will die here."
"The fastest way back to the shore," Keiss pointed forward across the nest, "Is back up that ledge and it's a straight shot."
"That way has no cover! Not to mention he ground is uneven, we'd be slowed down and exposed!" Sherry raised her gun and fired as soon as one of the monsters drew near. She missed.
"Well, staying under here won't get us to a boat. So are you going to make a break for it or not?"
"The Military could see us! You could be shot down. You must have taken that into consideration!"
Keiss looked ahead and clutched at the strap over his shoulder with his left hand. "Yeah I have, but I've already taken quite a few risks today? What's one more?"
The Lilty nodded to him and they both turned their attention outward. The two turned their eyes towards the skyline to wait for a break before rushing forward. They ducked and weaved in between eggs, using them for cover. The Abbadons wouldn't attack from afar so long as their children were between them and their targets. The monsters had to swoop in low, making them easy targets for Sherry's weapon. However they wouldn't have the eggs for cover for long. It was going to be a mad dash up the side of the ledge to get out of the way without getting hurt.
At the last line of eggs Keiss ran first, the cherry haired Lilty would cover him as he climbed. It would take him longer with one arm after all. As soon as he started climbing one of the bugs swooped in raising its sickle arm to slice into Keiss' back. The Lilty officer raised her weapon and fired at it, shooting through its arm joints and forcing it to pull back. Again and again she shot at the oncoming bugs until Keiss was over the top.
The redhead turned around and beckoned her to follow him. The Lilty raised her gun one more time to fire and clear a path only to find she was out of ammunition. Cursing Sherry tossed the weapon down and bolted. As with Keiss, as soon as she was out from her cover the monsters descended upon her. Keiss took out what he had left of his daggers and used them to distract the monsters. He waited until they came in close, almost close enough to strike the female Lilty, and fired, hurling them towards their heads. Even if never struck one in the skull the insects were forced to stop and block his attacks giving the woman enough time to climb.
"Cutting it a little close aren't you!" The woman pulled herself up over the rocks and started running; Keiss followed.
"Hey! You made it didn't you!"
"For now we have!" She looked over her shoulder at the bugs following them. They were swinging their talons and casting aero spells trying to flip the duo. "But we're not in the clear yet!"

"Keiss could be anywhere in all of this!"
Layle had his hands raised and grappling with an Abbadon that was trying to cut through his barrier to get to him and Vaigali. The Guild master was fighting fist to fist with a Lilty solider while the Clavat kept the monsters at bay. He pushed back against the shield he'd put up between him and the monster; when it swang with scythed arm down, the impact pushed it back into another oncoming bug. The two tittered in the air and fell to the ground. Using his magic Layle grabbed hold of their wings and pulled at them, snapping the interconnecting shell and joints that allowed them to fly.
"Wrong!" Vaigali elbowed the Lilty he was fighting in the face. As he grabbed his nose the Guild master grabbed the man's arm and lifted him up over his head. Layle watched as the old pirate turned and tossed him away from them like a piece of rubbish, down the slope and to the rocky path below. "He'll be in the center of all this trouble!"
"What makes you so sure?"
The old Selkie chuckled at him. He was about to answer when a shout up the way caught his attention. Another round of soldiers was approaching, three to be exact. The two turned to face them and Layle shook his head. It was two large guards with spears and one shorter Lilty with roses at the ends of his hair.
"Oh no, Regal!" the Clavat grabbed Vaigali's arm and pulled, or at least tried to, "We can't fight them!"
"Hmn?" He turned to Layle raising his eyebrow.
"If he finds out Keiss is here, Keiss will kill me!"
"…" Vaigali turned back toward the oncoming soldiers. Regal was shouting for them not to move.
Layle continued to try to urge Vaigali to run, "Come on! We have to go! Vaigali!"
The Guild Master reached down and grabbed Layle by the scruff of his shirt. Startled the Clavat yelled out and grabbed at the larger man's wrist trying to pry himself free. But before he could do anything Vaigali turned and started to run. He lifted Layle up and onto his shoulder preventing him from seeing where they were going, but he could see what was coming. The Crystal Bearer reached out with his magic and grabbed a few rocks pulling them into the way of their path and stopping Regal's group form catching up to them. He gave himself a mental pat on the back as he heard them screaming at them to stop. However his congratulations were short lived.
Suddenly he felt Vaigali lift off the ground. The old Selkie was jumping, but at what Layle didn't know. The Calvat turned his head just in time to see the Guild Master had launched himself at an oncoming monster. The Crystal Bearer hollered as they flew toward the beast. It raised its arms ready to cast an aero spell but never got the chance.
When they collided with is Vaigali dug his fingers into the gaps the insect's hardened exoskeleton. The Abbadon let out a monstrous cry and started to fly faster. It twisted and turned in the air trying to shake the two off. Yet Vaigali held fast and Layle held onto the Guild Master. He couldn't tell if this was exhilarating or terrifying; it was more than likely terrifying because he wasn't the one clinging to the bug, he was hanging to the Guild Master and had to hope Vaigali wouldn't drop suddenly.
But that hope was wasted. After spiraling for fifteen seconds and losing all sense of orientation, the old pirate let go of the bug. He dropped to the ground, still holding onto the Clavat on his shoulder. As soon as his feet hit the ground he let of of Layle and let him stumble back onto the ground. The gravity bearer wobbled a bit before falling back to sit in the dirt.
"Uh…I never- never thought I could motion sickness…" he put his hands on either side of his head and closed his eyes.
"Come on, Crystal Bearer, we still have half the island to search."
"Aye aye, Captain…"

Just beyond the edges of the island, Milka and Nadeen were still circling the waters. The bugs were not as big a problem for them as much as the soldiers were. The old female pirate was crouched next to her trunk taking out weapons to fight off the Military. Every time one ran out of ammunition she pulled out another rather than wasting time reloading.
"We're either going to run out of gas or you're going to run out of bullets before they get back!" Nadeen shouted over her shoulder as she turned the boat to avoid an oncoming Military vessel. There was already one on their tail, and now two were following them.
"Don't worry about the gas, Nadeen! We can just take another boat if need be!" Milka raised her rifle and fired at one of the boats behind them just as the orange haired girl turned their craft around a set of rocks. The shot ricocheted off the windshield and the woman cursed. Ten years younger and she would have had that shot.
She discarded the rifle and pulled out another, "Though when I run out of ammunition, then you can worry!" She glanced into her trunk to see that wouldn't be long form now. Take us out into the open!"
"Are you mad?! We're more exposed! This saves you ammo!"
"Do it! I'm wasting shots back here either way! There are too many damned rocks!" The woman turned her attentions back to the boats chasing them. Nadeen did as told and brought the boat back around the rocks into open water. Even though the rocks were now removed from her focus Milka didn't fire right away, she kept her gun raised and waited for one of the perusing boats to draw near. As it pulled up to the side of their boat she fired at the steering wheel and the panel, jamming the controls. "Turn!"
At her word Nadeen turned the boat in front of the Lilties' just clipping the nose and causing them to spin out of control. They knocked into the other boat and the two stalled out in the water. The Leudian girl sharply turned their boat again and sped along the edge of the island cheering.
"Good work, Nadeen!"
"Thank yo-" She cut her sentence short when something caught her attention on the island. Both the women looked up to see lightning streaking across the sky to the island. But it was unusual. Not only was it a clear morning, but it almost looked as if the lightning bolts started on the ground. "Did you see that?"
"Aye… Make your way around to that side! Now!"

Layle and Vaigali also saw the unusual blast of lightning from where they were on the island.
"Do you think that was Keiss?"
"I told you, he'd be where the most trouble was. Now come on!"

At the edge of the island Sherry had let loose a lightning spell to knock back the surrounding swarm of Abbadons that had gathered at the shore line. There had to have been more than ten of them buzzing over head trying to cut down her and Keiss. Without weapons they only had their wits and her magic to rely on to escape. However, despite the strength of her spells, the Lilty woman was not used to aiming. She just didn't have enough practice with it. So her magic's directions was chaotic, as lightning itself often was.
Only a few of the swarm were taken down, the rest flew back and started circling again.
She stopped running and dropped down to one knee out of breath. "We're not going to make it!"
"Yes we are!" Keiss grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. From where they were he could see the water it was just ahead and down a jagged slope. "We'll get there!"
"Only one of us will!" Sherry pulled her arm back. "They won't stop coming if we stay together!" She looked up to see the bugs coming down for another round. Sherry clenched her fist and did her best to concentrate. She raised her arm and let a spell fly out from her fingertips. Again the flashes streaked across the sky creating a brilliant display, but she only took down one of the bugs.
Its body fell not far from them and Keiss grabbed her wrist to pull her toward it for cover. He crouched down by the bug and pointed for the water. "If you keep this up we can make it! You don't need to take them all out, just keep them off of us!"
Sherryp ut her hand over the Selkie's. Could they make it? If he believed they could then perhaps it was true…
Keiss grabbed her shoulders shaking her, "Don't tell me you're going to start doubting now! After all of this! What happened to the determined over confident lady that was stranded here with me!" Sherry looked at him shocked. Did she seem like she was losing it? Perhaps she was. But it was becoming daunting. The bugs, the soldiers, the heat, her magic. "Look you! You said you were out to be High Commander! You stood up to everything that's come your way so far don't let a few bugs beat you! If you're going to give up here, you may as well go home and take up the life of Lilty noblewoman and leave the position open for me! Because I'm going to steal it right out from under you!"
The Lilty frowned at him. "You wouldn't dare!"
"Why not?" Keiss shrugged at her, "It's as good as mine anyway. No Lilty can beat me."
"Says you, Selkie!" Sherry stood up and clenched her first, "You're not stealing anything form me!" The cherry haired woman infuriated let out another spell at the next round of bugs. This time she took down more than half of the creatures. The rest scattered further out to avoid the spell, giving the two some time to breathe. Keiss stood and cheered raising his good arm into the air.
"Ha! I knew you could do it with the proper motivation!"
Sherry turned to him, ready to yell at the red head for implying he was going to take the position of High Commander away from her but her words caught in her throat. The Abbadon they had been hiding next to was stirring. It hadn't been killed, just paralyzed by her magic. The massive bug slowly beat its wings and lifted itself up from the ground. Keiss catching the look of shock across her face turned to see the bug turning toward him. It raised its arm, the long scythe appendage up in the air ready to strike. Sherry thought to cast a spell but before she could move the bug took a swipe at the redhead.
Raising his arms in front of himself for defense was all Keiss could think to do. Even though the action would surly result in his arms being cut off, but at such close range and with no weapons what could they do? He was expecting excruciating pain to follow within the next few seconds but it never came. Instead he heard Sherry gasp and the Selkie lowered his arms. The Abbadon had stopped moving.
No that wasn't right, he could see it was still moving, but it was struggling. Its body was encased in a faint blue light and it struggled to strike at the Selkie. From the side they heard a loud cry and the two turned their heads to see the Selkie Guild Master rushing at the monster. Keiss reached out from Sherry and pulled her back as the man rammed at the beast. Vaigali struck it hard with his shoulder causing it to topple over again. This time the shield around it broke as it rolled over several times.
The bug picked itself up and turned setting its sights on Vaigali. It raised its talons and swiped letting lose a few of its poison barbs. The Guild Master dodged them and rushed the monster again, as soon as he was withing range it tried to strike him. Again the bug was encased in a shield before it could complete its attack, and this time the old Selkie grabbed the end of the bug's arm and pulled. His grunts of frustration and anger with the monster weer almost louder than the bugs own screams as he ripped the bladed arm off. Vaigali swung back and hurled the Abbadon's own scythe back at it and into its chest. This time the bug fell back to the ground dead.
"Holy Crystal-" Sherry raised one hand to her mouth startled.
"Yeah, everyone says that…" Keiss turned to find the source of the gravity shield that kept encasing the giant bug. Not far up he could see Layle making his way toward them. He almost didn't think it was him, what with the ridiculous way he was dressed. "Crystal Bearer!" He shouted at him and extended his good arm to grab Layle and pull him into a one arm hug as soon as he was close enough.
"Ahoy! You looked like you were in a bit of a need of a rescue, mate."
Keiss pulled back and put a hand over Layle's mouth frowning, "Don't ruin this. Don't you dare."
Layle pushed his hand away shrugging, "Come on, that was funny."
"No its not…"
"Keiss!" Vaigali shouted at his son, "We need to go, now!"
"Yeah," Layle nodded, "Sir Rosebush is hot on our heels."
"Rosebush, you mean Regal?" Sherry looked over confused.
"Yeah," Layle grabbed Keiss' left hand and started to pull him while running. "Who's this by the way?"
"Oh, just another Crystal Bearer."
"You're not replacing me, I hope."
"If you keep talking like an idiot pirate I will be."
Vaigali lead the way toward the coast. The Abbadons that had scattered out were now coming back, and with back up. Layle and Sherry took to using their magic to keep the bugs at bay as the group made their way down the slope.
"We need to find a boat!" Sherry shouted.
"We've got a boat!" Vaigali dug into his pockets and pulled out the gun Milka had given him. He raised it into the air and fired. A pellet flew high into the air before exploding into a cloud of purple smoke.
"Fantastic!" Sherry looked up at the signal, "But now everyone knows where you are."
"We'll be long gone before they get here." The group stopped at the edge of the shore. Layle and Vaigali turned their heads up and down the coast line looking fro Nadeen and Milka. "Where are those blasted women!"
Keiss looked back at the on coming bugs, some of them were turning around and shots could be heard off in the distance. "I do believe the Military is on their way!"
Vaigali shook his head, "We'll have to fight them off!"
"We'll be seen and identified!" Sherry shook her head. "I can't afford that!"
"Neither can I!" Keiss shouted.
"Well you can't afford to die either, boy!" The older Selkie snapped at his son. "We have to fight! There's no place else to run!"
"You- if you hadn't shot off that flare, this wouldn't have happened! You did that on purpose!"
"On purpose! We came here to save you, Keiss! Save you from your own damned mistakes!"
"No one asked you to!"
"Keiss!" Layle shoved himself between the Guild Master and his son. "Keiss can you not do this right now! The bugs are coming and so is Regal! We need a plan!"
The red head huffed and turned away from the two of them, "This is his plan! He wanted me to get caught all along! Sending me on this mission! Forcing me to turn on the Lilties! You just can't stand that I came so close- so close to proving you wrong so you set me up!"
"It was my decision to come rescue you!" Layle shouted.
Sherry turned her attention back to the sky and the way they came. The Abbadons closest to them were not gearing up to cast a few aero spells in tandem. "Selkie…"
"Well maybe you should have left Vaigali behind then!"
"Guys…?" She looked back at them. "We need to take cover!"
"Keiss," The Guild Master pointed at him over Layle's shoulder, "Stop being a stubborn fool! You did this to your self! Following some impossible ideal! And for what? And act of rebellion!"
"Hello, guys!"
"It is not impossible! It only is because you want it to be! Because you're so short sighted and stuck in the past! You don't think I can make it without you! Without following your path-"
"You obviously can't, boy! Or I wouldn't be here rescuing you!"
"Guys!" Sherry shouted again as the Abbadons let a spell lose at the group clustered together at the shore line. The cherry haired Lilty turned and shoved Keiss at Layle pushing the two of them out of the way. Vaigali caught sight of the spell just in time and jumped to the side. The massive gust of wind knocked Sherry up into the air. She screamed as she came back down and landed a few feet away on her shoulder.
Keiss pushed himself up looking around frantically, "Sherry!?" He darted over to the Lilty and rolled her over. "Sherry?"
"…Great…" She groaned. "Now we both have busted arms…"
"Keiss!" Vaigali pointed toward the monsters, "Take cover!" The Guild Master had ducked behind a few of the large rocks protruding out of the uneven shore line. Layle ran over to Keiss and Sherry and helped his partner and the woman get behind cover.
"We're going to get caught here…" She leaned against the rocks. Around their feet the water splashed up soaking their legs.
"Yeah we are…" Keiss rest his forehead against the rocks as another aero spell hit the ground where they were. The gunshots were closer now. They could clear be heard over the sounds of the bugs beating wings. The constant hum sounded a lot like an engine running.
Specifically a boat engine.
"Hey!" The four of them looked out over the waters to see Nadden and Milka speeding up to them in a new boat. One the girls had taken from the Lilties when theirs' ran out of gas. The Leudian girl waved enthusiastically, but quickly lowered her hand to change direction as the Abbadons fired an aero spell and their poison barbs at them.
"It's the girls!" Layle waved to Nadeen.
"They'll never be able to stay still long enough with the monsters." Keiss shook his head.
Just over the ridge they heard shouting. The boys looked back to see a Lilty scouting pointing at the boat circling just off shore. They were still shooting at the bugs, but now they were making their way towards them.
"It's over…" Sherry shook her head. "Tell your friends to run! They can still make it."
Layle looked up at the bug and back at the boat, "We just need to paralyze them… All of them at once!" He turned to Sherry nodding to her, "You ever tried to combine spells?"
"What?" The woman looked confused.
"Layle," Keiss rolled his eyes, "You barely have a handle on that yourself!"
"We can do it!" He pointed at Sherry, "You cast thunder, I cast gravity, we make thundaga. Trust me."
"Can- can we do that?" She seemed startled by the idea of it.
"I know we can. I've done it before-"
"On a fluke!" Keiss interrupted him.
"Well you got a better plan?" He watched as his partner shook his head slowly. "Good, then let's do it." Layle lifted his head, "from the top of this rock we should be able to hit them all."
Sherry peeked around the rock from her side to see more soldiers in sight. "I can't…I'll be seen. They can't know I'm a Crystal Bearer. I'll- They'll-"
"Then I'll get on top of the rocks!" Layle turned and started to climb up, "You cast from down there, got it?"
The cherry haired Lilty looked to Keiss for his opinion. The Selkie just nodded. "Fine then, get ready." She watched as Layle climbed up the rock they were hiding behind. He raised his hands up like he was getting ready to cast and shouted 'Now!' for Sherry to fire off one of her spells. The lightning streaked up form behind the rock and over head.
As it arched up around Layle the Clavat lent his own magic to her's. The two spells mixed in the air and the thunder spell expanded. It flashed and turned, and soon a massive sphere of lightning took shape over head. The world around them flashed and sparked with blue and gold light. The monsters were caught up in the sphere and the bolts that shot off of it. The lightning extended far up the slope and into the line of soldiers striking them and keeping them in place. The Abbadons fell to the ground stunned and twitching.
Vaigali banged his hand on the rock he was hiding behind and cheered in approval.
As the girls brought the boat around the group started to hurry through the shallow water towards them. Except for Sherry.
Keiss turned back and motioned for her to follow.
"No can do, Selkie."
"What? Why not?"
"How will I explain my disappearance? Regal already saw me once on the island. I have to be found here."
"But the monsters-"
"Paralyzed. As are the soldiers…" she reached up and grabbed her shoulder. "And I've been sufficiently wounded by the enemy. I have to stay."
"But-"
"Keiss!" Vaigali called to his son from the boat.
"Come on, that spell won't last forever!" Layle shouted at him as well.
"Go on, Selkie!" Sherry smirked at him, "Don't worry about me. I'm competition remember. You're out to steal the position of High Commander. And I'm out to keep you form succeeding."
"Me? What about Spinosa?"
Sherry laughed, "After seeing you in action…I know who to be more weary of. Your ambitions are more dangerous to me than Spinosa's." The Lilty pointed at him, "So go now, because next time, you're the one I'm going to be throwing under the bus."
Keiss nodded to her, "You know, if you weren't a Lilty, you wouldn't make a half bad Selkie." The red head turned around and waded the rest of the way to the boat. Layle reached out and helped him on board. As soon as he was over the edge Nadeen started them off away from the volcanic island.

The Guild Master's son looked back at the shore of Kilanda as they speed away, he kept his eyes fixed on the Lilty female. He meant what he said, she wasn't all that bad. Sneaky and underhanded; and focused on obtaining her own goals at any cost. She really had a Selkie way of thinking about life. She could have easily turned him in, but let him go. Even in the end, she let him go. Weren't they rivals now? Didn't it suit her better to let them all be captured? And yet they were escaping. He wondered if he would have done the same.
"So who was that woman, Keiss?" Layle leaned over the edge of the boat with him.
The red head was quiet for a moment before smiling and nodding to his partner, "Someone I believe in…Someone who believed in me."
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The Crystal Rule