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III. Titan, the Master of the Earth

Windurst was in turmoil. The Tarutaru prepared the cardians and polished them, the Combat Casters seemed to patrol through the outskirts of the city more often and even the members of the Sibil Guard left the Heavens Tower and made their preparations for the day of the treaty.

Later that day the ambassador of the Yagudo would come to Windurst to speak to the Star Sybil and the members of the Patriarch Parliament, to extend the non-aggression treaty between the Federation of Windurst and the Theocracy of the Yagudo for another five years. There were rumours that with the shadows in the northern lands rising, the Yagudo wanted to end that pact and would declare war again.

Aralays and Moogle-Woogle sat at the Bomingo Round and watched the people walk by. While members of the Manustery, the Rhinostery and helpfull cardians piled the presents for the Yagudo Ambassador nearby, Aralays played nervously with the ruby he had in his pocket. Even though the gem made his skin tingle and was pleasantly warm, it didn't ease his worries. What if someone found out about him being a summoner, an user of the forbidden magic? According to the treaty he was a ... warmonger, knowing the spells needed to call the ancient gods.

"What is, master? You seem troubled. Is it because of the rumours about another Crystal war, kupo?" Moogle-Woogle asked Aralays. "Hmm ... what? Oh, yes, that also-walso." "Why have you to fight all the time, kupo? People and beastmen are angry at each other for so many centuries, kupo. Why aren't you like we moogles? We have no war with anyone and everybody likes us." Moogle-Woogle gave Aralays a grape juice he had made earlier this week, so his master would calm down a bit.

The Tarutaru took a sip from the bottle and seemed lost in thought again for a moment. "We are just so, Moogle-Woogle. The most people-weople don't like the beastmen and the beastmen don'taru like people. That is Promathias curse. There are very less beings which are free from this. Let me tell you a story ..."

- - - - - - - - - -

Long ago, before the rise of the three nations, there still lived gigas in the southern parts of Quon. It was long before their race retreated to the northland from the assault of the newborn elvaan kingdom.
At this time the people fought a war against the Gigas. They hunted the large beastmen, killed them and drove them away from their small villages. The plundered the caves of the gigas and killed the hunting groups of Gigas. First the Gigas seemed to win the struggle, but soon the greater number of the people overcame the strength of their enemies and they were defeated.
The few remaining Gigas started to leave the forest and the people thought they had finally found peace and at the last day of the war, the people drove the Gigas from their forest.

In the days after the last battle, a little girl was wandering in the forest. Her name was Deamdalus and she was searching a lamb that had run away from the flock, she had to watch over. After she had wandered a long way, she was lost in the forest and at last she reached a clearing where the corpse on an Gigas lay. The young sheperdess remembered what her mother had told her, that the Gigas would eat little children which wander to far into the forest, and wanted to run away.

But she had to stay there, the lost lamb was a prized lamb, born from her older brothers most precious sheep. Finally she heared the lamb behind the Gigas, and decided to look after it. She crawled over his enormous body which resembled a great rock and gazed at the deep wounds the dead beastman bore. And behind the shoulder she found the lamb, munching on some grass. Daemdalus cried of relief, but when she took the lamb on her arm and wanted to go back, the Gigas trembled under her and a groan came from the mouth of the giantic body.

The lamb screamed in her arms, but Daemdalus was to horrified to move her body and saw in silent terror, as the giant form moved. It opened its eyes and tried to move, but a with a moan it collapsed again. The girl saw the deep cuts in the hide of the Gigas and noticed his left leg stick out in a weird angle. Fresh blood was flowing from the wounds and somehow it stirred Daemdalus’ heart.

Daemdalus put the lamb down and took her water pouch from her bag. Cautious she poured some water in the Gigas’ mouth and he opened his eyes again. When he saw her, one of the children of the people which had killed his family and friends, rage boiled within his soul and he wanted to crush her under his fist. But soon he was overcome with sadness and with a loud sigh he sat up and saw down on the little girl.
In the meantime she had ripped a part from their cloth and wrapped it around his broken leg. She gently fixed it over his knee and then she led him to a little cave she has found on her way through the forest. There she gave him a bit of her bread before she returned home, her brother’s lamb by her side.

Each day after that incident Daemdalus went into the forest and brought the Gigas water and some of her food and also checked his wounded leg. She could not read the expression on his withered face, but he didn’t attack her, so she started to tell him about herself and her life.
She told him from the lamb she was searching, from her older brother who was a member of the militia and also from her mother who had died years ago. The girl told him also the stories she know, about helping wounded beings and being kind to them, but also the stories about the GIgas, which where described as ferocious monsters which took pleasure in killing people.

After some days had passed, the Gigas opened his heart to the girl. In a broken fashion and with his deep, rumbling voice he told her his name which was Titan. Titan told Daemdalus the stories of his tribe, which were different from the stories her people told.

He told how the Gigas has lived in the forest for more years then the people and lived peacefully. But when the people settled their and started to harvest the fruits of the forest without giving anything back, the Gigas started to protest. But the people didn’t hear their words and so the Gigas decided to scare away the people by stealing their sheep and destroying their buildings. But then the people started to attack and what began as an argument turned to a deadly war.

When Daemdalus heard this story and tried to apologize for here people, Titan smiled at hear and patted her head gently with a finger as she started to cry. The two became friends, but soon their happy time would end.

The girl’s brother became suspicious when he saw her running into the forest each day and decided to follow her. He sneaked through the forest and when he came to the cave, where Daemdalus and Titan met, he saw his sister speaking with a Gigas, the last Gigas in the forest. He rushed home in the village and reported to the other members of the militia.

When the soldiers entered the cave with drawn weapons, Daemdalus tried to stop them from harming Titan, but the Gigas saw the bloodlust in their eyes and he allowed the people to capture him so the little girl wouldn’t be hurt. The people bound the Gigas in chains and brought him away.

Three days later Daemdalus saw Titan again. A large crowed has gathered to see the execution of the Gigas which was chained in the middle of the village square, his grey hide giving him the sight of a bound stone figure. But he was still alive and there seemed to be fresh wounds in his flesh and the piece of cloth Daemdalus had wrapped around his left leg got drenched in the glittering red.

His leg started to tremble and his great body shook slightly. Daemdalus could see the pain in his eye and so she broke free from her brother’s grip. She ran to Titan to help her weakened friend and hold his leg to support his stand. He straightened up and stood proud in the village square, his hands protective put around her.
But soon his strength reached its limits and he roared with pain and sorrow and under the cold staring eyes from the people he fell onto his knees. Daemdalus wanted to protect her friend from harm and shame and prayed to the Goddess to save him. But as he fell down, tears welled up in her eyes.

Altana saw down from the heavens and smiled. She opened the gates of paradise and a beam of light came down from the sky. Bathed in this glow and surrounded by the love of the goddess Titan and Daemdalus rose to the heavens. The Goddess of dawn put a glittering constellation in the sky, showing Daemdalus besides of her friend Titan.
The people looked up at the stars and finally realized the wrongs they had done to the Gigas and in the following years the held ceremonies to remember the girl and the last of the giants.

- - - - - - - - - -

"And till now the yellow-wellow star has the name of the little girl Deamdalus. I wish, the Yagudo-wudo and us ..."

"Come here, young lad, and move your lazy legs!
Follow me to the talks and carry those present bags!!"
The voice of Professor Shantotto interrupted Aralays's thoughts. The chairwoman of the Patriarchs Parliament pointed unmistakably at him and staple of nicley wrapped presents. Moogle-Woogle fluttered some malm higher and hide between the Bomingo Tree. Aralays looked round "Um ... me? But, but, woul-wouldn't a chocobo or a cardian more appropriataru?" Shantotto looked at him impatient and played with her ancient Wise Wizard Staff.
"Shut up the nonsense and do what I say,
you surely don't want me to cast a lightning your way."

With a sigh Aralays took the presents and piled them on his arms, then he followed the Professor to Odin's Gate.
"What if they can somehow detectaru the ruby-wuby? What if they want my extradition to Castle Oztroja? What if they can find Carbuncle in the ruby-wuby? What if they try to shattaru the ruby? Oh, Altana, whataru will they do to me-we?" This thoughts buzzed in and out from his mind, as he waited there for the Yagudo to show up. Shantotto had him instructed to give the presents to the Yagudo Ambassador himself.

When the Yagudo approached, Aralays could see a tall figure with a great wooden mask stick out of the crowd. He heard the ministarus behind him whisper as they realized the Manifest herself has come to Windurst to talk to the Star Sybil. He felt Carbuncle’s ruby burn in his pocket, as Professor Shantotto gave him a little prod with her staff.
“Stop standing around like a rock and go.
Give her the presents, but with a proper bow.”

Aralays stepped forth and held the presents high up into the air, staring at the dark eyes of the Manifest which looked back at him with a stern look. A wink of the Yagudo and some of her servants took the presents from his hands. She pointed at Aralays and with her melodic voice she said: “Gawk. I sense something within you, young Tarutaru. Perhaps we should talk …”

“Tzee Xicu, I’m pleased to meet you again, Manifest of the Yagudo. It has been a long time.” The gentle voice of the Star Sybil interrupted her. “Let’s start with our talk, shall we?” She smiled at Aralays and nodded to him. “Thank you, my child, you are dismissed.”
Nervously Aralays bowed. “Thank you, your Holy-woliness. Goodbye, Manifestaru!” The he ran from the meeting of the leaders as fast as he could, feeling the gaze of Tzee Xicu in his back.

Moogle-Woogle found him near the storage halls in Port Windurst. “Are you ok, master? You seem to have almost a nervous breakdown, kupo?” Aralays wiped the sweat from his brow and nodded. “Yes, I’m okie-dokie now. But I almost thought the Manifestaru would try to attack me.”

When they slowly walked home to the residential area, Moogle-Woogle looked down at his master. “Why can you people and the beastmen not think of anything else than fighting, kupo?” "Of course-wourse, we can. Have I ever told you off a young goblin-woblin I once knew? His name was Fickblix."

Suddenly Aralays seem to get a thought. "Hey, Moogle-Woogle, I never asked that before-wore ... butaru ... what are you? You're race is neither a child of Altana nor a child of Promathia, so where do you come from?"
Moogle-Woogle thought for an moment, then he danced around Aralays. Glittering bubbles surrounded him, as he rose high up into the air and darted at the residental Area. "See~cret, kupopopo!"
Laughing Aralays dashed after him.

IV. Ramuh, the Philosopher

"That is boring-woring!" Aralays sat in front of his flowerpots. All of them had growing plants in them, herbs, grains, some little trees and even a cactus Cyrisis had brought him from the Altepa Desert.

His sistaru was visiting him and stayed at his moghouse since two weeks. She had told him from the things she had seen on her travels with some of the san d'orian adventurers she knew, from the missions she had done for the windurstian embassy and the royal family (fostered by ambassador Kasaroro) ofSan d'Oria and off a ball at Chateau d'Oraguille she was once invited to. In return Aralays had told her from his own travels and the things he has seen on it.

And now the two tarutaru and the moogle were sitting in front of the table and waited for the plants to bloom. Moogle-Woogle had promised they would open their blossoms this afternoon, but could not tell how fast it would happen.

"Tell me another story, master! We had ice, wind and earth, so the next one is thunder. Tell me the story of Ramuh and the time will pass faster."

So while they waited - and Cyrisis sharpened her sword - Aralays began to tell his moogle the story of Ramuh.

- - - - - - - - - -

Long ago, before the rise of the three nations there was a city state at the far eastern end of the Buburimu Peninsula overlooking the Gugru Blue. This state was small but had a highly advanced technology and it was well known as a place of science and inventions.

The energy for the mighty machines and tools of the city came from power of the lightnings which got by through the vessels the sage Ramuh had built. The people said his wisdom was unmatched in the whole world and once he had studied tomes of knowledge which he had gathered from all places of Vana'diel while writing tomes of wisdom himself in turn.

The people of his hometown trusted his guidance and searched his advice whenever they had problems. Often he could help them and so his fame grew and he became known on the whole continent. But one day he saw something unnatural. One of the multiple apparatuses he was using to measure the move of wind, water and earth predicted something terrible. Earthquakes would shake the whole land and enormous tidal waves would destroy the city. The forces of nature would come with such a violence nothing would be able to stand against them and Ramuh saw his people loosing their home. He checked and verified the measuring again and again, but his apparatus was working flawless: Three days would pass and then the city would fall.

When he told the citizens the bad news they were scared at first, but then they decided to ignore Ramuh’s warning. They had lived for a long time in peace and prosperity and didn’t want this age to end. So they continued their careless lives and in the morning of the third day just some hundred people followed Ramuh and climbed on a mountain. And when the earthquake came and the giant waves struck the city thousands of lives were lost.

Although he had warned them, distrust grew in the hearts of the surviving people. Instead of starting to mourn the dead and rebuild the city they became angry of Ramuh. They searched a scapegoat to blame for all the beloved people and things they had lost and turned against the sage. “Ramuh … he was the one which predicted the earthquake,” they spoke to each other. And they wondered “Did he cause the earthquake? Did he plot against us so he could be the feared ruler over this city?”

The rumours spread faster and faster and soon all the survivors believed this baseless sayings. Their eyes followed Ramuh wherever he went and the whispers never turned silent. He saw their eyes and saw their feelings in them and the old man became sad. It seemed to him as the whole city would hate him and one day a young boy threw stones at him. Ramuh knew this lad and also knew he had lost his parents in the tsunami. First he wanted to talk to the boy, but after some time he lost his patience and at this day he decided to leave the city forever.

He took his most precious apparatus, his inventions and his library, put them into a boat and set sail. In a moonless night he sailed to a small uninhabited isle near the coast and started to live in a cave, where he continued his research work. For a long time it seemed he had found peace again, but he was wrong.

After some years the apparatuses and the tolls he had left in the city stopped working. The people had not maintained Ramuhs creations and so the watchtowers, the defence walls and the weapons decayed slowly. The beastmen of this region soon learned about the weakness of the city and so they built a great fleet of warships and forged new weapons for their warriors. They invaded the city and as the citizens wanted to activate the defence tools of Ramuh nothing happened. Without resistance the beastmen could take over the city and soon the people had to make a choice between becoming slaves for their new masters or to flee.

And then they remembered Ramuh the sage. They wondered if his inventions could help them to take back their home and so some people took a boat and travelled to the isle of Ramuh. They wanted to ask the man who they have driven out of this home merciless if he could aid them in their fight. At first Ramuh denied, but then he recognized one of the men: the boy who has thrown the stones years ago was now servily asking for his help. The sage wondered if the people had really become honest after all the time and were no longer suspicious and full of distrust. He agreed to come with them and returned to the city which was once his home.

Ramuh stood of the top of a cliff and looked down on the fleet of the beastmen in the harbour. For a moment he watched them running around in the streets, plundering houses and bringing the precious things to their ships, then he took his weapon, the Staff of Olduum. He opened his arms wide and the people standing behind him shivered. The felt strong energies surrounding the sage and when he pointed with his bladed staff to the sky, the clear blue turned black with clouds. Then Ramuh waved his staff over the city and a lightning struck the first ship. As it started to burn brightly, a second lightning hit a little crowd of the beastmen and just a black hole remained in the ground. And after that the catastrophe began. Lightning after lighting rained down on the beastmen and their fleet, greater bolts dividing into smaller sparks, dancing through the streets, hitting the enemies and killing them where they stood. The thunderstorm just lasted for a couple of minutes but when it ended, the beastmen were already dead or running for their lives.

Happy about their vixtory the people praised Ramuh and his wisdom and power. They cheered and danced for a night, but secretly it was just a deed and nothing more. The people clearly remembered the lightning coming down from the sky and followings each of Ramuhs gestures. Once again distrust and fear grew in their hearts and the wondered if some day Ramuh would use this destructive force against them. In their suspicious blindness they didn’t see the honour in Ramuhs doings and they waited for the day to come when Ramuh would raise his staff again and unleashing its energies against them.

And again the rumours spread through the city, the fearful looks turned to Ramuh and again youth threw stones at him. The sage sighed deeply, but he did not complain. Finally he had seen the people would never change and so he left the city a second time, returning to his isle and to the laboratory and the library inside his cave. He sealed the entrance and vowed never to return to the world.

Years later the city got finally destroyed, not by a beastmen attack but by the distrust of the citizens and the people left their former home. Some of them came to the isle of the sage to seek advice to create a new life. The people prayed to him and thanked him for his heroism. Later they claimed although Ramuh had not shown himself his presence gave them new strength to continue their life.

 Altana saw down from the heavens and smiled. As the sage died, she opened the gates of paradise for him. She created his constellation in the sky so the people could look up and see Ramuh above them, a wise guide and strong guardian.

 - - - - - - - - - -

"Poor old man, kupo." Moogle-Woogle had a sad look on his face. "But we can learn an important lesson from this story, master." "And that is whataru, Moogle-Woogle? The bringer of bad news are not responsible-wonsible for them?"
"If you know an old hermit, ask him where he stores his weapons of incredible doom-woom so you can fightaru your enemies easier," Cyrisis said. Aralays had a funny look on his face as he thought a bit over the words of his sistaru. "Umm … yes ... that also-walso."

"Look, master, the blossoms open!" All three jumped on their feet and examined the flowerpots. A moment later a torrent of terrible curses was heard and a very angry Tarutaru stormed out of the moghouse and ran into West Sarutabaruta. To his left and right side grass burned down and little pebbles shattered, while the Tiny Mandragoras hid behind trees before looking with great eyes at the Tarutaru.

Cyrisis looked through the door and turned to Moogle-Woogle with a puzzeled look on her face. "Doesn'taru he like blue peas-a-weas and bay leavies?"

V. Leviathan, Honour and Guidance

Aralays packed his gobbiebags with clothes and some food while Moogle-Woogle fluttered around him. The moogle gave him some bottles and checked the mogsafe if there was anything else he could give the Tarutaru for his travel. "I will miss you master, kupo. Here, I made some grape juice for you." "Thanks, Moogle-Woogle." Floating over the table Moogle-Woogle pointed to the plants in the flowerpots. "I will take care of your flowers till you come back", he said with a silent voice.

"Aww, Moogle-Woogle, I don't will stay there forever-wever. It is just a trip to Aradjiah and if I don'taru like it there, I will warp back. Perhaps I can rent-went a roomie so you can come too." Aralays looked at the watch on the table. "But till Cyrisis arrives-wives with the airship and we ride to Mhaura I will tell you a story-wory about the seas."

- - - - - - - - - -

Long ago, before the rise of the three nations mighty vessels traveled the world, connecting continents and countries and bringing news and goods to all the people.

But one day without a warning ships started to disappear in the Gugru Blue between the continent of Aradjiah and the Far East. Rumours spread the great serpent Leviathan has appeared and warned the seafarers of the dangers and disturbances they caused the sea. Many feared the great serpent of the ocean would attack the ships, so they stopped to travel the seas.

There was a kindom on an island between the Far East and Aradjiah where many merchants lived. They feared for their business if the ships would continue to stay in the ports and so they hired mercenaries and corsairs to uncover the mysterious threat. Although these soldiers often brought leathery skins back to the kingdom, all they did was killing crocodiles and strange fishes. They claimed they had killed Leviathan, but in fact they didn't dare to travel out to the open sea so they betrayed the merchants and let them down.

Finally the merchants decided to hire a man named Veydal, the 'One-Eyed Demon'. He was a former admiral and a great hero in the wars of the past, but after he took his leave from the fleet he lived a solitary life as a fisherman. He wasn't interested in fighting the great serpent even when the merchants told him he was their last hope and explained how they had been disappointed by the other soldiers. But Veydal's wife which had been a good friend and faithful to him for many years talked to her husband and with a few words she reawakened his lust for adventures and his eye started to glitter with anticipation. His wife smiled as she realized there is still something just he can do.

The news spread quickly and many sailors and soldiers heard of the return of Veydal. Their vigour and courage rose quickly and many of them returned to the sea after a month of being away. There was no longer fear in their hearts and the hushed whispers of the wrath of Leviathan calmed down. It took Veydal just one week to gather a fleet of five ships and a crew of the finest men to aid him in his adventure. Not just the best soldiers and mercenaries from his former crew but also many young sailors joined him, all believing in his abilities and admiring the old admiral. There was a soldier whom Veydal had raised when he still was a young seaman and served on the ship of the admiral. Believing in the character of this man, Veydal made him to his first mate.

Days passed and Veydal instructed to drift of from the trading routes. The fleet tacked in regions rarely ships ever came to and finally they found something shocking. The people had believed the ships had been sunk by attacks from Leviathan but now the crew of Veydal's fleet had encountered the plundered boats floating on the ocean. They were still no wrecks, but giant roots were wrapped them, unveiling the mystery for Veydal. Greedy merchants had risked the life of their crews and ordered to change the trading routes, to cut time and costs for them. Veydal remembered the colony of Sea Morbols which lived in these waters and which captured the ships and their crews.

The fleet could not find any survivors and staying away from the dangerous water plants they decided to finish the hunt after Leviathan. They returned to the trading routes and were on the way home but in the second night a horrbile incident occured: One of the watchmen saw a row of fins to the right of the fleet and as he shouted a warning, the great serpent surfaced. The body of Leviathan was enormous like a ship, his fins parted the waves and his scales shone in a blue light, glittering like water and dark like the unknown deeps of the ocean.

While the crew stared at the magnificent sight of Leviathan, Veydals first mate issued an attack. He was envious of Veydals fame and tried to create some fame on his own. Before Veydal could stop the assault, a barrage of harpoons shot to Leviathan. The giant seprent roared full of anger and started to attack the fleet. Although Vedaly tried to rescue the crew and to retreat from the battle, four of the five ships fell under the attacks of Leviathan. So there was just one thing Veydal could do. He ordered to ram the serpent with the last remaining ship. They rammed the unguarded throat of Leviathan and Veydal climbed on the railing of the ship. Weakened but still furious Leviathan continued to fight the ship and had almost sunk it when Veydal jumped from the bow and landed of the head of Leviathan. He unsheated his sword and stared into the deep dark eyes of the serpent.

For a moment Leviathan stopped his wrathful assault and Veydal bowed his head. "Leviathan, Great Serpent of the Ocean, Guardian God of the Sea, please forgive my crewmembers the offense they have commited. Please, spare their live and don't drown them in your anger which is the force of the ocean. If you want an offerning to forgive us, please take my own life!" Leviathan tried to shake of Veydal but he left the ship and together with the admiral he fell into the ocean and returned to the depths.

After some days the ship returned to its home, damaged but the crew still alive. The first mate was welcomed as a hero and he told the people how he fought Leviathan and how Veydal ran away from the fight. He said both the battle against the serpent and the discovery of the missed ships were his doings and so he was honoured as a great seaman. A feast was held for him this night, dancing and singing the whole night and as the twilight of the coming dawn illuminated the eastern sea the first mate had told his story over and over again.

But the dawn didn't bring just the new day it brought also the flood and with the waters the corpse of Leviathan was washed up on the shore. A bloodcovered sword was trust through the head of it and it was clearly not the sword of the first mate. The villagers whispered and rumours spread as they debated over the owner of the sword and they wondered why the deadly wounded Leviathan swam to the island. Just Veydals wife and his long-time ship-mates and friends understood ...

Altana saw down from the heavens and smiled. She had been watching her children for a long time and so she opened the gates of paradise for the soul of Veydal who offerend his own life for his friends and Leviathan who sacrificed himself to restore the honour of a former adversary. The glittering constellation of Leviathan an Veydal looked down on the peoples and animals living from the ocean since this time.

- - - - - - - - - -

"You don't go on a ship which can sink, kupo!" shouted Moogle-Woogle. "I'll jobchange you so often you won't be able to reach Mhaura and hmpfhmmm!!!" Cyrisis had sneaked up behind the moogle and poured a big load of black pudding of the hecticvally fluttering Moogle-Woogle. "Run, brotharu! Run for your freedom-weedom!" Cyrisis and her brother laughed as they sprinted to the Chocobo stables. "Seems like my cooking lessons-wessons were not entaruly useless", she added while they paid their bird.

"Hmmmpfhh mmhp that's  ... oh ... Chocolate ... and Vanilla ... kuporific!"

VI. Ifrit, Demon with a Heart

"Have you ever wondered who built this great towers, kupo?" Moogle-Woogle asked as he and Aralays sat in the shadow of Rose Tower, sipping some orange juice. "They were built by an ancient-wancient race known as the Kuluu. It happened many centaruies ago, in the age of the Zilart", Aralays answered.

"Hmm ... so old. For what did they build it, do you know, master?" Aralays thought a bit and answered: "They built them to use the magic flowing in the nature. The eight elements and the power of the protocrystals were used for their magic. If you want I can tell you a story from these ancient times."

Moogle-Woogle nodded happily and sat down besides Aralays.

- - - - - - - - - -

Long ago, before the rise of the three nations, there was a mighty ancient empire which ruled over a whole continent. The power of this empire came from its army and the leader of this army was a man named Frit. Friends and enemies alike called him a 'demon', because he was short-tempered and strong-willed but also merciless and invincible on the battlefield. His cruel strategies on the battlefield didn't care for the live of his own men and while fighting face-to-face with his opponents he enjoyed to play with them and slaughtered them laughing. He was a beast, a rabid wardog, and the citizens of the empire never saw him as a hero.

But suddenly he changed. He had patience with his subordinates and sometimes even showed them understanding with their problems. The rumours of his cruel temper became silent but for them new rumours spread. The people started to speak of a young maiden named Falbub. Years ago Frit and his army were burning down a city of their enemies when he walked through the burning streets and the flames rained down around him. He heard a little child crying and when he searched for it, he found a dead woman and in her arms a small baby girl, wrapped in clothes and crying for fear. As he bend down to her, she looked in his eyes and in spite of his dreadful look she stopped crying, stretched her hands out to him and smile appeared on her face. Falbub was this little baby.

Frit took her with him and when the war ended after some month, he brought Falbub to his home. He had two old servants which were married and lived a happy life in the city despite of the reputation of their master. They should care for her and over the years Frit watched her grow to a beautiful and smart girl. Although she knew that Frit had burned down her mothers village, there was no enmity and bitterness in her heart and often she came to him to talk to him and slowly she planted kindness in his heart and calmed down his temper.

It could have been a good life for Frit and Falbub, but when he returned to his home after a war, sad news were brought to him. The surviving leaders of the countries he had destroyed in countless wars had gathered and found out where he lived. They hired assassins and burned down Frit's estate and the old couple and Falbub died in the flames. He cursed himself and remembered all the cruelties he had done to defenseless people and in his grieving heart he knew that Falbub and his servants had paid for his sins.

After cursing and crying for a day he remembered an old verse he was told a long time ago. "When the Moon consumes the Sun, the Gates of the Underworld will open and at the Mountain of Fire the Souls of the Dead will gather." He left his country and traveled to the south till he came to the island called Elshimo where a giant volcano, Mount Yuhtunga, existed. Months and weeks passed and after much travail he finally reached the summit. There was a crater like an enormous cauldron and he sat besides it and waited.

he waited for a long time, not knowing if it were months or years passing when suddenly darkness enclosed him. The full moon burning in a blazing red flame stood in front of the sun and night has fallen. When he saw down into the crater the spirits of the dead wandered to the center and submerging in it, a pale white light shining around them. He climbed down to them and as he reached the bottom he was horrified.

Some of the dead had noticed his presence and when he saw the hate in their faces and their eyes he remembered every one of them. They were soldiers and citizens from the villages he had destroyed and killed himself and also the soldiers of his own army whom he had sent into their death. The drew they ghostly blades and with a silent war cry they jumped at him. Knowing the sins he had committed he was unable to protect himself from their blows.

The sharp blades tore his flesh into pieces, his blood spilling in the fire of the volcano. And at the end the spirits cursed Frit and while fire swirled around him two horns grew from his head. So they transformed him to the cruel demon he was when he fought with them. The spirits laughed and tried to draw him into the lava of the crater so he would stay in this terrifying state forever in the underworld.

But in this moment a single girl fought her way through the crowd and stood by his side - Falbub. Frit tried to turn away to hide his appearance from her to not cause her pain and sorrow, but Falbub just stared at him and then she stretched her hands out to him and smile appeared on her face.

It was the same smile she had her whole life from this very first moment when he found the crying baby. Frit loomed above her, but when he embraced Falbub his touch was gentle and with tears in his eyes he prayed for the first time in his life. He begged Altana for Falbubs life and his prayer reached the heavens. The pale gloom around her disappeared and she became flash and blood again.

Frit put her to a safe rock where she could climb out of the volcano and then with a last smile he sank slowly into the lava, accompanying the spirits of the dead to the other side. She screamed and cried for a long time and her lament traveled with the winds.

Altana saw down from the heavens and smiled. She knew Falbub would never be happy again without Frit so she opened the gates of paradise for them and invited them to the heavens. The people of the ancient empire heard this story and as they saw the constellation Altana had put into the sky with the burning red star in it, they called him I'frit meaning Frit of the Flames and told the tale how a demon became a caring father due to a little girl.

- - - - - - - - - -

"That was the last avatar-story, kupo!" Aralays nodded. "Yes, it was. I believe Ifrit is the oldest-woldest of the elemental avatars, the old writaruing I'frit shows a zilartian name." "Now just Odin and Alexander are missing, master." Now the Tarutaru smiled. "I have a feeling-weeling like we will soon hear their stories, Moogle-Woogle."

And then they continued to sit in the shadow of the rose tower, enjoying the gentle wind of West Sarutabaruta. Holidays from adventuring were great ...

Finally the last one, yay!

The next thing I'll write will be a rather large story about the background of the Terrestrial Avatars, the history of summoning and about the struggle between the Terrestrial and Celestial Avatars.

"You don't need a reason to help people." ~~Zidane Tribal, FFIX

"You don't need a reason to help people." ~~Zidane Tribal, FFIX