Standing on the deck of her airship, wind whipping through her long, honey hair, Meterah Valvalis was energized. She always got excited whenever she was about to make a raid, and tonight it was going to be a fairly risky one. She was on her way to the village Mist, the renowned city of the Callers, to try and obtain a fabled Call Ring. It was common knowledge that only a low percentage of those born in Mist possessed the ability to summon monsters with any effectiveness. To compensate, Meterah had discovered evidence that Mist wizards had developed a method of infusing magic rings with the ability to call a single monster so those without the natural ability could still defend themselves. Meterah wanted as many of the rings as she could get. Not only to sell, but for herself.

Of course, Mist did have many skilled Callers in its populace, capable of great magic, but it wasn’t as if Meterah was alone in the venture. She was one half of the leadership of a gang of thieves that had no name. Giving it a name would have likened it to an organization. Meterah hated organizations.

It was with the help of her partner, Danar, that she was able to steal the airship on which she was riding. It had been the first prototype for the great Baronian fleet of airships. It was old, and much smaller than it’s mammoth descendants, but it held the twenty six of them comfortably. Baron had long ago discarded the airship as it tested and built newer models, and their guard around it was nearly non-existent when Meterah and Danar made their move.

Needless to say, she now owned what she believed to be the only airship outside of Baron’s forces.

Even through the howling wind, Meterah heard the footsteps come up behind her. Knowing full well who it was, she didn’t react when two strong arms slipped through hers and wrapped around her stomach.

"Tera," Danar said quietly into her ear, "it’s late. We’re going to be hitting Mist in a few hours. Don’t you think you should be getting some sleep before then? You could come back to my cabin if you wanted."

Tera grinned slyly and turned her head so that she could whisper into her friend’s ear. As she spoke, her lips connected with his skin just enough to send shivers down his spine.

"Danar, I’ll go back to your cabin, on one condition,"

Danar pulled away with a smile, turning Tera to face him. "Let me guess, I can’t be there, right?"

"Something like that."

"Hey, you can’t blame me for trying."

Tera folded her arms and leaned on the side railing of the airship. "I can and will. You just have to face it, you’ll never get me. It’s been, what? Four years now? How many times have we had this conversation?"

"Well, I figure sooner or later you’ll still be single, and too old to get anyone else and you’ll have to settle for me."

Meterah laughed. "That plan just might end up working."

"Seriously, though, you really should get some rest. Hopefully the Callers won’t see us at all until it’s too late, but if we have to fight, you don’t want to be worn out."

"Danar, I do actually know what I’m doing, contrary to what you may believe. I was just about to get below before you came out here and assaulted me."

"Assaulted?" Danar scoffed, "It was hardly more than a mild groping." Tera rolled her eyes and moved for the stairs leading below.

"You’re hopeless. You know that, right?"

* * * * * *

Tera kept low to the ground, and crept through shadows, bushes, and anything else that could provide her with cover. Her lithe body easily whisked both in and out of small, tight spaces, making it hard for most anyone to spot her. She was the first of her band to enter the city. The airship had landed in the foothills that surrounded Mist, the thick fog hiding it well. Her companions were just outside the city’s limits.

The amount of ease in which Meterah slinked through the city undetected amused her. She had only seen one person that she thought might be a guard so far, and they had been wandering around with their face in a book, trying vainly to read in the night torches that dotted the street sides. Such a great defense.

Finally, Tera was at the training center that was thought to house the Call Rings. She flipped her hair -- now pulled back but still somewhat bothersome -- behind her, and stood slightly. Her signal was a shining blue stone that Danar and the others should be able to see from their vantage point beyond the town’s limits. As she was about to pull the rock out of the pouch at her side, a tiny voice spoke up from behind her.

"Hi."

Tera swung around, and it was only because of her extraordinary reflexes that she hadn’t drawn her slender sword and sliced what turned out to be a small child, in half. Tera had no qualms killing stupid guards, but kids were another thing. Her damn morals always got in the way.

"Hello little girl." The child was half hiding in a small bush at the corner of the training center. In the light Tera could see the kid’s cherub face and pale green hair. "What are you doing out so late, hm?" She couldn’t have been more than four or five years old.

"I sometimes sneak outside at night. I like looking at the stars and moons."

"Well, if you get back home and into bed right now I won’t tell your parents."

"Okay. Do you live in the village? Your hair is very pretty." Meterah didn’t have time to deal with the child.

"Get out of here kid. Or I’ll go to your parents right now."

The small girl frowned and moved back into the bush. Meterah heard her move away, and before long she was gone. Tera quickly gave the signal to the others. She doubted that the girl would be able to keep her mouth shut about someone sneaking around town if she was caught by her parents, meaning they had to be faster than they had originally planned.

Damn child. If only she had have been some stupid adult.

* * * * * *

Danar and Meterah gave a whoop and each took long, smooth swallows from their flasks of alcohol. They sat amongst their companions, elated with the almost tangible thrill of victory. They had easily infiltrated the training facilities and had complete run of the place. It wasn’t long before a golden chest was discovered, and inside were five simple golden bands, each with a tiny gem encrusted in its surface. On the inside of the rings there were short inscriptions, almost too hard to read, that gave the proper way to summon the creatures.

"So," Danar said, "are we gonna sell the rings then? It would be nice if we could actually use them. Having five monsters on our side could help us out a lot." Danar fingered one of the rings, with a pale blue gem, and looked thoughtfully at Meterah. She knew what he was really asking.

Out of all the people in their band, only Tera seemed to have any sort of magical abilities. Not on her own, but she was able to use charms, and magic staffs, and other objects augmented by magic. Her most prized of them all was a wind charm worked into her bracelet. If she needed to she could utilize its power to give her a sudden boost of speed, brought on by a gust of wind.

Danar was asking if she could use the rings.

"Look, Danar, magic charms are one thing. These rings are totally different. It’s not a spell, but a creature. A living creature." Danar raised his eyes at her in challenge, though he hardly needed too; she had wanted to use the rings anyway. Tera smiled. "So, I guess I should find out which one I like the best."

Somewhat of a cheer sounded through the crew as she stood up on the deck, almost like liquid being poured into the sky. There were only four women among them, and Tera was by far the most seductive. She used it to her advantage.

She took the ring from Danar and read the inscription. After she was sure she wouldn’t mess up the incantation, she stood in the center of the deck, everyone else clearing the way. She braced herself, and began to mutter the words repetitiously, feeling a tingling deep inside her stomach. If felt like electricity was turning in her belly, slowly spreading through her veins. Then, with a sudden burst of light behind her eyes, the energy exploded through her, as if her very pores were conductors for it. Tera couldn’t see, couldn’t feel anything.

And then, it was gone.

She licked her lips and breathed heavily. She turned and looked at the others, who stared back at her expectantly.

"Well," she asked, "did it work?"

"You haven’t done anything yet, Tera..." replied Danar with mild concern.

"What are you talking about? Didn’t you see it? The energy – " and then she stopped herself. As her memory and feeling returned to her, she had a better idea of what had happened. She realized that, in fact, the energy had been completely internal, and the discharge seemed to instantly be diluted and dissipated without any effect.

"Danar," she said, "I felt it. It was inside me, the energy. It wasn’t like anything I’ve ever felt before. This ring, I know I can use it. I can!" She went to grasp the ring, to feel its power... but as soon as she touched it, the golden band crumbled to pieces.

What was possibly worth several million Gil fell to the deck in tiny, brittle pieces.

"What in the Realm?" said Danar. He and several others picked up the broken pieces of the ring, which promptly turned to dust in their hands.

Tera frowned, mind working. "I think I know why it did that." She said. "It’s probably a defense or something. If I had that ring still, there’s no doubt in my mind that I’d be able to use it if I practiced a couple times. But a real Caller, I bet they wouldn’t need to practice at all. So if someone uses it and it doesn’t work, it probably destroys itself."

Danar looked at her blankly for a moment. "Alright, then. I guess we’ll have to sell the other four. But we – you – had to try." There was disappointment in his voice. Tera couldn’t tell if it was because the thieves would have to settle without the power of a summoned monster, because one of the priceless rings was gone, or because Tera didn’t seem to have the power to use the ring.

She thought perhaps it was a combination of the three.

"Danar, you don’t understand. I was so close, I almost did it. If I try again, I’m sure it’ll work."

"Tera, we can’t chance it! What if you’re wrong, and you can’t do it. Are you going to waste all five of the rings?"

She fixed him with a steely gaze. "No. I’m not. I know I’ll get it right." Danar looked doubtful, and the rest said nothing. "Just think about it, even if I can only get one, just one, of these rings to work. We’d have so much more power on our side. We wouldn’t have to fear the Red Wings quite so much." Danar seemed to be considering, and he looked at the rest of he group. Tera knew that it couldn’t be him alone to make the decision. Everyone had put some sort of effort into capturing the Call rings, and she was going to have to appeal to all of them.

And she hated having to ask. If it were her choice, she’d just have taken the damn rings. Sometimes there were drawbacks to working in a group.

"Alright," she said, "if I do waste all five of the rings, I’ll compensate with money. If we say they would have sold for three million each, that’s 15 million Gil we would have gotten. I’ve got more than that in my personal reserves. If I fail, which I know I won’t, I’ll give the money to you all. And this way you won’t even have to split the profit with me."

Get them with money.

As if on cue, the group of thieves that had thus far been silent in the debate began to murmur to one another at once.

She knew she had them.

Without waiting for verbal confirmation, she grabbed the small container that they were using to hold the rings, and flashed a smile at Danar, who merely gave here a look of grudging defeat.

Standing in the same place on the deck, Tera slipped another ring onto her finger. This one’s gem was ruby.

Again she chanted the inscription, and again she felt the strange energy forming in her stomach. She felt it moving through her, to her pores, and then....

The same result. She felt the power, felt it so close, but it fell just short of calling whatever beast it was meant to. This time when the energy burst from her body she was able to remain conscious to its effects.

She growled and viciously removed the damaged ring and replaced it with another. She had been so close. She had to concentrate more, put all her thought and whatever power she had into using the rings.

She tried two more. With the third one, she was able to get close enough to have a shimmer of energy swarm around her. But again, it failed. With the fourth, she felt something... more. She could actually feel a presence almost come to her, come through her.

But again, she had failed to summon a monster. And there was only one ring left.

And what she hadn’t told her companions was that she had recently purchased a small Keep deep in the heart of the forest near Toria. It wasn’t large, and its staff wasn’t extensive, but considering it belonged to a woman without any nobility or army backing her, it was fairly impressive. It had drained much of her resources away, though.

She didn’t have anywhere near 15 million Gil left.

The last ring that she placed on her finger had a gem of deep purple. She clenched her hands into fists, and tried to calm herself. If she didn’t get this one, she’d have to leave, and though she wasn’t romantically interested in Danar, he was her friend. Plus, she made more Gil with her pack of thieves than she ever had before.

She didn’t want to leave.

Breathing deeply, eyes closed, Tera chanted the spell. This time, when she felt the electric tingle inside her, she tried to hold it back. Each time before she had worked harder to encourage it to come through her. Now, she attempted to repress it, to have it build up as much as was possible inside her lithe frame.

The sensation inside her was intense, if not exactly painful. Soon she felt that she might be torn apart by the energy within her, scattered throughout the sky like bits of burnt parchment. Still, she kept the energy within her, even when it was attempting to force itself out.

Then, it happened. It was as if all of the haze had been washed away in one, swift, stoke. It was there. Ready for her to use, to control. She didn’t exactly know how to control it though, so she merely let the energy pour from her.

In front of the airship, there was a flash of purple light and a deafening snap. Out of nowhere appeared a snake-like beast, nearly as long as the airship itself. The creature pin-wheeled through the air, sending wispy streaks of energy through the sky in all directions. Where the blasts hit the airship, the outer layer of wood splintered away as if the strength had been sapped from it. The creature shrieked, and encircled the airship, staring down with blazing eyes at the thieves. Danar and the rest scattered - some trying to go below deck, others hastily loading the ship’s cannons. Some were even frozen in place; fear taking control of their functions.

Then, as suddenly as it came, the monster disappeared.

* * * * * *

Meterah sat on the dinning table in the bowls of the airship, surrounded by Danar and the other thieves. They had landed the ship in its usual hiding spot, concealed deep in a mountain range far from Baron. There were great amounts of food spread around, but no one was eating. Immediately after the monster had vanished, Tera had fainted with exhaustion. This was the first time she had been awake since the event. They wanted to know more about it.

"It’s a Shadow Dragon," Tera said, relishing the attention she was getting. "I think it comes from the Underground. I can’t be sure – it’s not like I had a conversation with it – but when you call a monster... you understand it. And it understands you."

"It knows as much about you as you know about it?" asked Danar. He was very concerned. When Tera had fainted, he had been the first to rush to her aide. He wasn’t sure she should try calling the Shadow Dragon again.

"Oh yeah. This isn’t a typical monster, by any means. In fact, I wouldn’t even really call it a monster. It has a mind. Intelligence." Tera laughed. "In fact, it knew I wasn’t a real Caller, and it’s not too happy with me."

"Isn’t that dangerous?" someone spoke.

"Not at all. When I bring it here, when I call it, I am in control. It has a certain amount of independence, of course, but it can’t hurt me, or anything else I don’t want it too. Even if it tried." Tera looked at Danar. "Don’t worry. We have a dragon at our complete disposal. And once I practice at it some more, I’ll be able to order it to do very specific things."

Danar tried to manage a casual smile. "Sure, but do you think it’s safe to practice with it? You passed out the first time."

"Only because I’ve never done it before. With practice it won’t be a problem for me at all." Danar looked doubtful. "Look, I’m going to do it anyway, so you might as well stop worrying about it. This should be time for celebration. Things are definitely looking up for all of us!"

She grabbed a tall glass of wine and stood on the table. The others erupted in cheers and laughter. The feasting began, and talks of what kind of things they could do with the new dragon monopolized conversations.

Danar sat at the table, remaining somewhat silent.

* * * * * *

The brisk mountain air was refreshing, and Meterah stood in front of the open window in her quarters as she changed, not minding the chill. She put on some of her more casual wear, though still managed somehow to find something that fit tight on her body. As always, her Wind bracelet was around her wrist, now joined by the Call ring on her finger.

It had been nearly two weeks since Tera had first called the Shadow Dragon. She figured that now she was as adept at summoning it as any Caller would be. Practice, after all, made perfect. She had never actually used the dragon in practical battle yet, but it hardly mattered. She knew it would do as she willed it.

Tera was considering what she was going to have for a meal when a harsh knocking came from her door. Out of reflex she slipped her hand behind her back to the dagger always kept hidden there.

"Come in."

The door flung open and Danar strode in with parchments clutched in his hand and a look spread on his face that lied somewhere between excitement and nervousness. He started talking before Tera could say anything.

"I’ve found it. We’ve found it. I can’t even believe that after so long we’ve actually found-"

"Found what?" she asked. Tera crossed her arms and sat on the ledge of her open window. Danar strode close to her and looked directly into her eyes.

"Baron’s storage facilities."

"… what?…"

"The storage facilities of the country of Baron. This is where they keep everything, Tera. Weapons, gold, jewels, magic scrolls, everything. All of their most prized treasures." Meterah’s jaw was significantly lax.

"But… but how did you… how did we…?"

"I was going through the storage compartments in the airship, cleaning out a lot of the old junk, and I found a map stuck in the floorboards. It’s a map to the storage tower, and instructions for the airship. Seems that Baron was about to put our flyer away there, before we got a hold of it."

"Where’s the tower?" Meterah grabbed the parchments from Danar and began feverishly scanning them. "With the Shadow Dragon on our side we might actually have a chance at getting a good amount of Baronian treasure before the Red Wings get to us. We’ll have to make the attack at night, of course, but we’re used to that. I’ll take the point and get rid of any outer defenses they have in place with my Dragon. Then we’ll…" She trailed off. "Danar, this map says the tower is in the middle of the ocean." Danar smiled.

"No. It’s above the ocean. I don’t know where they got the magic to create a floating tower, but they did. The best part is that since no other airship exists except for ours and the Red Wings, it can’t be very well guarded. I mean, what would be the point? No one else can get there" He carefully took the map and other documents from Meterah and tucked them inside his vest.

"This is perfect," she stammered, "when do we leave?"

* * * * * *

The nameless band of rouges soared higher into the black sky on their stolen airship, cutting through clouds and dark mist, leaving a cool wind in their wake. Most of them were assembled on deck with their weapons and tools of thievery already drawn, anxious for the job to begin. It hadn’t taken them long to decide as a group about the attack on the hidden Baronian tower, but actually finding the thing was proving to be somewhat difficult due to the lack of landmarks to use as points of reference.

"There. It’s right there, I can make it out." Tera pointed even higher in the sky and the massive structure slowly came into clearer view. "I’ve never seen anything like it before… incredible…"

Black clouds seemed to cling to the base of the monolithic building, mocking the absurdity of such a thing being present among the stars. It’s deep grey surface reflected the starlight and made it seem as if it was glowing. As far as Meterah could see, though, there didn’t seem to be any entrance into the gigantic building. There were no windows, no airship ports; nothing.

Danar slowed the airship and halted it several hundred feet from the smooth side of the tower. Everyone was silent for some time before he spoke. "What do we do now?" Tera considered for a moment.

"You stand back. If Baron thinks that sealing the place up is going to stop a gang of simple thieves, they’re probably right. Fortunately for us, I’m no simple thief."

Meterah calmly walked up to fore-section of the airship and pointed her fist at the tower. The Call Ring shimmered slightly as its power was once again tapped for use, and the Shadow Dragon came forth at its masters command, charging at the tower. It let out a hideous scream and slammed into the structure, powerful magics filling the sky in a tremendous explosion of power. The collected thieves hid their eyes at the brilliance of the energy and braced themselves against the shock wave.

The dragon was gone. The magic dissipated. Tera looked to see what damage her great beast had accomplished, hoping that a gaping hole would be showing in the tower’s side.

Instead, she saw a man of great stature and dark armor standing before her on the railing of the airship’s deck. The only thing that was blacker then the cover on the man’s helmet was the terrifying feeling his presence sent directly into Meterah’s heart. When he spoke, she couldn’t help backing away from him, and had to force herself to draw her weapons instead of turning to run.

"Well, well, well. It seems we have another nuisance to deal with," the dark man boomed. The rest of the airship’s occupants were scrambling across the deck, trying in vain to escape the dark man’s voice. "I would have loved to have been able to make my visit to this site as quick as possible, and you pathetic things have interrupted me. I do not take kindly to such intrusion. I will, however, be taking that wonderful artifact that brought forth that beast for you. So please, hand it to me."

Meterah’s confidence was slowly coming back. She could feel that the only way she was going to kill the man in front of her was with the power of her Dragon. She also knew that if she didn’t kill him, he would certainly kill her.

Then, as Tera was about to speak, the dark man raised his arm in front of him with lightening speed, and thinking he was about to strike her, she used the power of her Wind charm to shift herself well out of reach. It was then that she saw Danar charging towards the armored man, his rapier in attack position. Laughter came forth from under the black helmet and a great blast of magic lanced forth from the dark man’s outstretched hand, connecting with Danar’s chest. He let forth a scream and fell unmoving to the wooden deck. His body was crumpled and the smell of the grave filled the air.

The dark man turned his attention back to Tera. "If you give me the ring I shall make your death less painful than his."

Her lips quivered. This black thing standing before her had just killed her one and only true friend. Danar had been the only person that she had ever really cared about, and the closest person she had that she could trust. All the fear of the darkness before her bleed from her soul, replaced only by burning hatred. She readied herself to attack.

"What?" the dark man asked, "you mean to fight me? How amusing. How you can still hold hope in your heart is beyond my comprehension."

"It isn’t hope," Meterah hissed.

The dark man’s blast came with such power that a large section of the airship’s deck exploded outwards into the night sky. With a gust of wind, and her natural agility, Tera cut through the air above the flash and raked her swords across the dark man’s shoulders, and landed on his opposite side. The man growled in annoyance and spun around, clearly annoyed, but unhurt, from her attack. He swung his hand towards her, but Tera was easily out of his reach, and responded with a downward slice at his wrist.

Her sword shattered as it connected with his armor plates. He stood frozen in place, and Meterah found that she couldn’t move. His unseen, icy, grip was holding her still, though he stood several feet away from her.

"Well, what a skillful girl you are."

"Just… kill… me…" she choked. There was pressure all over her body, and pain far greater than she had every experienced.

The dark man seemed to consider a moment. Much as his phantom grip held her in place, it seemed as though his gaze was piercing her soul. "I shall kill you, if that is what you wish. But I have a far more… profitable proposition for you to consider. Maybe we can put all this anger you have to some good use."

* * * * * *

Valvalis lounged on the throne of the great and powerful Lord Golbez and swung her legs back and forth. Golbez was on his way back from the tower of Zot, and she was getting impatient. Dr. Lugae was always eating up her Master’s time, and Valvalis always chided Golbez for spending far too much time humoring the doctor. It wasn’t serious, of course. No one ever seriously berated Lord Golbez, unless they were looking for a quick trip to the after-life, or worse.

Finally the dark form of her Master appeared in the archway to his throne room, set in the refurbished halls of the former Baronian storage tower. Valvalis slid off of the chair and glided to Golbez through the air, her honey locks trailing behind her.

"And so the Master returns at last. I still think you need to get rid of that retched Lugae. Rubicant agrees with me, you know." She circled behind him and her hands found their way over Gobez’s shoulders and onto his chest. He couldn’t feel them with his plate armor still protecting him, but she knew he was fully aware of where they were. He stood in place.

"I will deal with Lugae as I see fit."

Valvalis came back around in front of her Master and pressed herself against his cold carapace. "Of course, Lord Golbez. I was wondering, though, if you would be interested in hearing about some other suggestions that I have that may be to your benefit…" She smiled coyly and her dark Master leaned his masked face closer to hers.

"I need to you leave."

She laughed. "Oh come on, I don’t intimidate you that much do I?"

"…No. But Cecil is making his way here. I want Kain and myself to deal with him alone. You are needed in the underworld to help Rubicant with Giott."

"What," she scoffed, peeling away from Golbez and crossing her arms. "You’re sending me away, and keeping that pathetic Dragoon in my place!?"

"I do not have time to argue with you. You will go. Now."

His voice had returned to the dark, threatening tone it was most accustomed to, and Valvalis decided it would be wise not to argue with him any further. She rose higher in the air and bowed to him. Tendrils of her hair coiled around her golden body and she spun quickly in place, her powerful magic taking effect. In mere seconds, empty space was all that was between Lord Golbez and the rest of the room.

However, Valvalis wasn’t following her Masters orders. At least, not directly. She would indeed be on her way to the underworld in due time. Before then, though, she wanted to observe this Cecil and his companions, and hopefully she would be able to see the Dragoon, Kain, fail the Master. It wouldn’t surprise her is his feelings for the hostage they had chained up got the better of him. And, she decided there was no harm in waiting around, since there was little chance Lord Golbez would find out. She had spied on him without his knowledge before, so she could do it again.

So she decided to wait, to watch the Paladin Cecil and see just how her Master dealt with him. At the least, she would be able to watch Cecil get torn to shreds by her Master’s black powers. That itself was worth the risk.