Eclipse avoided Drake for the whole trip. It disturbed him that the boy had managed to get such a reaction from him. It hadn't hurt, but it had surprised him, and it had knocked some of the air out of him. It was a sign of some weakness, and he couldn't tolerate that. It would have to never happen again.

The trip was also boring. They had flown to Alexandria so many times now that the scenery was getting old, and was no longer a distraction from the tedium.
Once they arrived, it wasn't much better. There were world leaders all around, getting ready for the speech. Guards and castle servants were hurrying around. It was one big headache, and one that Eclipse was in no mood to put up with. He was determined not to be in the crowd.

 

Drake changed into some more ceremonial clothes, something more appropriate than what he had been wearing.
He followed Eclipse off the ship. “… King Talud and Queen Talula said something about the Inn giving up its balcony for the day. Would be up away from the crowd.” He offered, quietly.

 

“Very well.” Eclipse said shortly, and led them there. He was glad to see that it had been properly prepared for a noble audience. Soft chairs, fully cleaned, and fancy refreshments fit for royalty.
There was the mild annoyance of the balcony already being reserved, but it wasn't hard to convince the innkeeper to let them have it instead.
The view was better than expected too. Allowing them to see the stage perfectly, as well as what was going on with most of the crowd.

 

Drake’s eyes scanned the crowd, even though he did his best not to make it obvious. He spotted Garnet; she was up on Stage.
Then he spotted Zidane who was in a line with a few other Knights down below. Zidane looked up and Drake smirked down at him.
Zidane’s glare could have broken stone, Drake was fairly sure.

 

“Well, he seems glad to see you.” Eclipse commented sarcastically, and resisted the small urge to smirk.

 

Drake listened to the introductions and watched as Zidane was called up. Zidane looked like he was through, done, finished… but he said something rather unexpected.

Prince of Terra!?! To say it was unexpected would have been an understatement.

It was revolting, and it ruined everything, which Drake had no problem stating.

The entire event infuriated him, but he obeyed Eclipse…
He did his best to be calm through it all; even when Zidane nearly hit him with the door… he did take the time to snarl at the queen, though.
He was ready to go home as he got back on the ship.

 

“Well, that was somewhat unexpected,” Eclipse commented as he sat down. He put his long-fingered hands together and tapped his fingers contemplatively. He didn't seem very upset, or worried.

 

Drake paced by the door as if he were waiting for someone to open it so he could escape.
He didn’t answer for he was far too busy screaming curses in his mind.

 

“Sit down,” Eclipse instructed calmly. “You look nervous, and it's irritating.”

 

Drake didn’t want to stop moving, that was torture when you just had to move. However, he had promised to do whatever Eclipse said, so he sat down on the window ledge and pinned the door with his eyes as if he were trying to see if it would squirm.

 

“Calm yourself.” Eclipse ordered, and crossed his legs. A thin hint of a smile on his face, “It's not that bad.”

 

“…It is that bad.” Drake argued, not looking away from the door. “It’s very, very bad.”

 

“Oh, I wouldn't say that.” Eclipse said with a smirk. “Zidane obviously cares a great deal for the Princess, wouldn't you say?”

 

The door caught fire.

 

Eclipse’s smile faded, and he sighed. “Put that out, and start using your brain, boy.”

 

Drake put the fire out and looked at Eclipse. “How does this not ruin everything? He won’t open the door now.”

 

“Simple,” Eclipse answered. “To alienate him from the Princess, all we have to do is get him to care more about someone else...”

Eclipse paused there, giving Drake a chance to fill in the gaps for himself before giving away the full answer.

 

“You plan on doing something to the Genomes?” Drake tipped his head to the side. “Isn’t that going for bold?”

 

“No, not really,” Eclipse disagreed. “Would have to be careful, of course. Besides, it's more like one genome in particular.”

 

Drake wasn’t too sure about that idea… it seemed like that was going a bit too far. Then again, his job was to kill Zidane so the idea of going too far was pushed aside. “His sister?”

 

Eclipse sat back in his seat, his face being cast in shadow as the ship changed direction. “We'll see that she goes missing,” he announced, his tone spookily devoid of emotion as he spoke.

“While he's distracted, we'll see that he drifts apart from the princess. Then you will have your chance.” The man sat in the shadows added, then fell silent. Allowing Drake to think the plan through.

 

“They’ll blame us,” Drake pointed out. “Before they accuse anyone else, they’ll blame us.”

 

“Not if we are at the castle at the time. Not if you are spending time with the princess right before. We'll have the perfect alibi.” Eclipse enlightened, sounding perhaps just a little pleased with himself for the conception of such a perfect plan.

 

“Might work,” Drake granted.

He was silent the rest of the trip, thinking about a lot of things. When the ship landed he was off before anyone else and headed up to his room where he would remain undisturbed, until a little before five am the next morning.

 

Ellipsis had, for some reason, decided upon that ridiculous hour to start banging on Drake's door.

 

Drake groaned and looked at the clock and then the door. “Go away! I only got to sleep three hours ago!”

 

“Come on, Dracula!” Ellipsis shouted back. “We're leaving in forty minutes!” He added, and then started banging on the door again.

 

“Have fun!” Drake shouted. “I’m staying here!”

 

“You can sleep on the airship!” The pale and tired-looking man promised. “Move your şezut!”

 

“De Bază Flacără!” Drake warned.

 

“Oh no you won’t!” Ellipsis warned, recognizing the name of one of Drake’s more powerful attacks. Regardless, he started banging on the door again. “Do you want Eclipse to come and get you instead?”

 

“I’m not yet that suicidal!” Drake screamed and rolled off the bed. “But give me a few days, I’m getting there…” he yawned and looked under the bed. “… my shoe…”

 

Ellipsis wasn't about to believe Drake was getting up that easily for once. So he stopped banging, but stood beside the door. He'd give him a few minutes, and then if it sounded like he had gone back to bed, he'd wake him again.

 

Drake did not go back to bed. He fell back to sleep on the floor, beside the bed after losing interest in the fact that he’d found a shoe he didn’t remember losing.

 

Ten minutes, and several episodes of almost falling asleep on his own feet later, Ellipsis started to bang on the door again, hard. Only thirty minutes left to get ready.

 

Drake snarled and got up. He got cleaned up and dressed and then realized that he still, really, really, really did not want to go! He stomped over to the door and opened it, preparing to argue.

 

Ellipsis grabbed Drake and pulled him out as soon as the door opened. “Come on! We're going to be late!” He scolded.

 

Drake’s talons scratched against the stonewall. “No! I don’t want to go! I want to stay here, sleep for three or eight more hours and then go hunting! See? Vanda’s even ready!”

Upon hearing her name, Vanda flew to Drake and screeched loudly—showing her disproval of being left out on what was going on.

 

“There's no time for that, you can sleep on the ship, and more later. Right now we have to fly to the Outer Continent.” Ellipsis announced, and pulled on Drake’s un-owled arm to try and get him moving.

 

“Vanda, kill! Kill!” Drake ordered.
Vanda fluffed out her feathers and began preening one of her wings. She did not attack anyone, mainly because she was too tired.
“…Traitor,” Drake grumbled and started walking down the stairs after releasing the wall.

 

Ellipsis gave a sigh of relief that Drake had given in, and led the way down the tower stairs. It was apparent as they passed Eclipse's room that his lights were all extinguished, so he was either asleep, or already gone. “Don’t be a brat, I’ll let you bring Vanda.”

 

“Where and why are we going?” Drake asked, trying to keep his eyes open and looking at Vanda.
He decided that if Ellipsis didn’t give a good enough answer, he was going back to bed.

 

“I told you! To the Outer Continent!” Ellipsis replied. Eclipse had said that the boy would be more trouble if they told him before hand about the trip… Ellipsis found it hard to believe.

 

“Where on the outer continent?” Drake snarled. “And why?” He followed Ellipsis out of the tower. “And why at 5am?”

 

“We have to make sure no one spots us,” Ellipsis informed Drake as though the fact should be obvious. He led them out of the tower, to where there was a carriage waiting for them.

 

Drake sighed, not liking that most of his questions were being ignored. He woke up a bit as the night air hit him and he spotted the haunting carriage waiting. Chocobos were not seen in Daguerreo. They were too loud, too reckless. “… I don’t think horses can swim that far.” He commented, looking for his ship.

 

Ellipsis ignored his question. They had to be quiet, and it was a stupid remark anyway, ladled with sarcasm, and was barely worth answering, especially when Ellipsis himself was as tired and annoyed at having to be awake. The answer should be obvious anyway.

Instead, the tall and pale man opened the carriage door and held it for Drake, motioning him inside.

 

Drake sighed and stepped into the carriage, with Vanda. If he was forced to suffer through this, then they would have to deal with the owl.
Vanda fell asleep on his arm and Drake had to be careful not to cause her to fall as he sat down.

 

Ellipsis took a few moment to consider how he would explain letting Drake bring the owl if Eclipse asked and settled on the usual answer of “it isn’t hurting anything and it did get him to come.” It was stupid… if he wanted to bring one of the raptors, what was the big deal? The kid needed something and those birds were it… besides, they didn’t hate Ellipsis yet they despised Eclipse and Ellipsis found that very entertaining and refreshing.

 

The carriage took them to a site a few miles outside the palace, where the Veşnic Viaţă was sitting in a field, its engines already running. Obviously, the distance was to keep the noise of the airship from alerting anyone at the palace. It was also obvious that the driver of the carriage seemed to be in some kind of trance. His eyes were unblinking, and his face emotionless.

 

Drake got out of the carriage and stepped silently onto the ground. He’d found it increasingly easy to walk without making a sound as he’d gotten older. He was more balanced; his smaller size making him better proportioned, and he noted it was just a simple observation of that the terrain was like and knowing how much pressure could be put in an object before it broke or crinkled. It wasn’t even something he needed to think about anymore, just something he did.

He looked toward his ship and then glanced around at the quiet field. It was almost frightening, this situation. So quiet, so secretive, and he hadn’t been told anything about it. When he got scared, though, he usually just got defensive, on edge. Anything not to show he truly felt nervous.

Drake looked at the driver for a moment, at his blank stare. It was as if he were no longer a person, but had become one of the animated dead Drake had read about in so many horror stories.
Then he walked to his Veşnic Viaţă.

 

Ellipsis followed Drake, taking less care in his steps. He knew that there should be no one that he need worry about for miles. And if there were, the ship was making all the noise. A few footsteps weren’t going to make any difference.

Still, when Eclipse suddenly appeared out of the darkness, he seemed to glide over the ground. It didn't look like he was stepping carefully, more like just his aura was smothering the sounds. Or the dry leaves themselves were afraid to make a noise in his presence.

“Nice of you to finally join us,” he hissed when he was close enough. There was a slight gust of wind that caused the dry leaves to rustle. It almost looked and sounded like they were shivering at the sound of his voice.

 

Vanda hissed as she woke up and Drake looked at her, “Morning.” He said and thrust his arm forward, slightly.
Vanda knew that signal and took off flying.
Drake looked at Eclipse. “My fault, I prefer to sleep till a sane hour. Where are we going, exactly?”

 

“To scout out that genome village.” Eclipse said, spun around and started toward the ship. He'd paid no attention to the boy's stupid pet owl on purpose.

Another cold breeze came that chilled the air, and the leaves rustled again, almost drowned out by the airship's engines. It had none of its lights on, so it looked like a dark, sleek shadow on the field.

 

Drake rolled his eyes wondering why he couldn’t have been told this earlier, like yesterday… He’d agreed not to argue, though, so he just followed Eclipse onto the ship.
From there, Drake went to his room and called Vanda in through the window. He put her on her perch and then he laid down on his bed and went to sleep

 

The ship flew high, and weaved around towns and cities to remain unspotted. Then, so they wouldn't make the genomes suspicious. The ship 'landed' a distance away. It would be a bit of a hike to get there. Not to mention, because of the trees, they would have to climb down a long rope ladder to the ground.

Of course, it was again Ellipsis' job to wake Drake up, and he repeated his earlier performance of banging on the door loudly.

 

Drake opened the door and stared at him. “You promised I could sleep,” he pointed out.

 

“We're there.” Ellipsis informed him, seeming not at all sympathetic. Apparently he hadn't got to sleep on the way like Drake had.

 

Drake sighed… but for a major change, he didn’t fight it. “Alright…” he walked back in his room long enough to pull on his shoes which he had kicked off sometime while he was sleeping and his coat which he had stored on the ship, then he walked out into the hall.

 

Eclipse was waiting outside for them on the main deck. It was cold and breezy, not to mention dark. The stars were perfectly clear, and stunning above them. The ship was the only thing able to eclipse them, like a giant dragon in the sky.
Below them was a sea of silvery moonlit treetops, swaying back and forth in the wind, and downdraft from the airships engines, so that it really did look like water that the lowered rope ladder disappeared into. Eclipse gave them the signal to head down.

 

Drake looked down the ladder for a few seconds before giving in and heading down. He was really starting to hate the ‘no argument’ agreement… on the up side, less pain, on the down side, no freedom.
He couldn’t help feel like he was going down into another world, one where the mist once again ruled and unknown creatures lurked in swamps. He half expected to find the ground was actually ice but was thankful when his feet hit dirt. He let go of the ladder and walked a few feet away, looking around the misty forest.

 

Ellipsis stepped off the ladder a moment later, and like a cold silent breeze, Eclipse glided through the treetops. His wings so dark and shadowy that they were almost completely invisible in the dark forest. They didn't even reflect the moonlight.

“This way.” Eclipse whispered emotionlessly as the airship pulled up, and headed into the distance, where it would land and then pick them up at the arranged time, later. Eclipse had replaced the usual pilot for this mission. He was too unreliable, and too inclined to talk.

 

Oh, so unfair. I didn’t know TF’s were allowed… Drake followed quietly.
His curiosity always had and always would get the better him—he couldn’t help but look around.

This place was… strange. It had weird smells, weird sounds… it was freezing cold, and wet. The air was wet, which made the cold even worse.
Snow he could handle! It was sometimes wet but he could stay away from it. This… damp cold air was sickening. It made him even more tired, he felt sluggish and weak… He hated it; he almost would have preferred to be in Shivel—except that this place might actually kill him while in Shivel he just wished he would die.

 

It was a long walk, and Ellipsis regretted not bringing something like hiking boots. His current shoes and socks were already uncomfortably soaked and squished as he walked and at some point, mist started to set in, coincidentally as they came to a patch of dead trees, which looked creepy and menacing in the whiteness. Like twisted skeletons looming over them.

 

Drake felt like he was suffocating— like he would just pass out any minute or drown.
He almost wanted to speed up in the hope of getting through this.
Due to all of this, he stopped paying as much attention and ended up stepping on a brittle branch, causing it to snap in a sound that seemed to echo through the haunting forest. The sound startled him before he even knew he’d made it, then it just filled him with dread and he stepped to the side in the slim belief that he could vanish into the mist and never come out.

 

Eclipse's slender, but strong hands flashed out and grabbed the Prince and Ellipsis, and flung them to the base of a tree without a word. There was a rustling as someone could be heard coming towards them. A hint of voices could now be heard in the distance, and two dots of yellow started to shine faintly through the fog. Moving towards them...

Eclipse's wings snaked out of his back, like the living shadows that they seemed to be, and grew larger, and larger, until eventually, they enveloped all three of them. Eclipse held them still, Ellipsis already knowing not to move, as the wings made the group appear as nothing but a shadow cast by the tree. A dark void, further obscured by the mist, with not a hint of movement.

The black mage wandered by, and paused to look around. His magical eyes having as hard a time penetrating the mist as any human. As well as his high coat collar making it hard to see anything low on the ground. But there was no more noise and nothing to be seen.

 

It must have been an animal… It thought, and turned back, slowly plodding noisily back into the village.

 

Drake kept quiet, watching the eerie creature clumsily retreat. He’d never seen one up close before, they were very odd indeed. As far as he could tell, they didn’t have faces. They were glowing eyes trapped in clothes. Bad clothes. It fit this wretched environment. It didn’t seem like it could be as strong as the rumors said it was, though. Watching it leave, Drake had a hard time figuring out why they shouldn’t have just destroyed it… he was pretty sure Vanda could have killed it, had he not left her on the ship.

 

Eclipse stood up, and his wings retreated into his back in the usual, disturbing manner. Ellipsis also got to his feet. They were dangerously close to the village.

“We'll need to find a better vantage point,” Eclipse instructed with a whisper, and started to move silently around the village rather than toward it. They needed to find a small hill, or something similar.

 

Drake stayed where he was for a bit, watching and debating going back to sleep… then he got up and followed, being much more careful where he stepped.

 

They walked around the village a way before they eventually came to an overgrown incline in the ground, which bordered one part of the village. The abundant bugs and wildlife on it didn't seem to bother Eclipse. The same could not be said for the other way around. The bugs flew or crawled away as fast as their wings or little legs would carry them. A few snakes and hares also darted or slithered out and Ellipsis was even sure he saw a spider abandon its web.

Eclipse took up a position, hidden in the long grass, and crawled forward, until he had a good view of the village.

 

Drake jumped into a tree. Unintentionally, he found possibly the best place to observe the village. He was above them, high enough that no one would see without looking up, but the branches and leaves blocked anyone from seeing him unless they got directly under the tree and looked up. Which would be hard… considering there was a building there.
This had not been Drake’s intention, but he’d claim it was if asked. In all honestly, he didn’t care about being there. He was tired and didn’t want to crawl through the grass. He gave a bit of a sly smile at his little vantage point and then went back to the real reason he’d jumped up here.

Owl watching.

They’re much bigger than Vanda… good thing I didn’t bring her; she’d get eaten.

 

The Black Mage village, its name only half-accurate now, was one of the most peculiar that Eclipse and Ellipsis had ever seen. The huts were odd, their construction seeming to show some strange fascination with faces, and their own large steeped hats. The effect was weirder as you noticed more and more hidden faces, and as you walked around, more would appear. It begged the question of how aware the strange creatures were of it, and how much was just their strange and twisted subconscious. If the glorified automatons actually had such a thing.

Eclipse's first thoughts were that all the buildings seemed to be made of wood, and straw... Like a giant fire waiting to be lit. It was almost too easy.

 

Drake got bored and actually did what he assumed he was there for.
The trees were fairly close together, it was hardly any effort at all to move from one to another, but Drake was being especially careful not to shake the branches.
At one point, there was a tree that was too far to get to, so he walked across one of the houses amusing roofs. No one saw him— he made sure of it. Thanks to the slight time difference, it was still dark here anyway, and the trees only blocked the sun helping his stealthy prowl through the village.
The genomes were dotted among the village. Standing as if they were at their posts for the day. Drake vaguely wondered if they slept at all. Though they could be found around the village, Drake noticed that the majority of them all stayed at one end, the furthest end from what appeared to be the front of the town. They stood surrounded by a lake on one side and a hill where cemetery rested, on the other.

Drake had to be careful there… he didn’t want the water catching his reflection, especially when he was this far in. Getting out could be very problematic if he were spotted here.
The Genomes were vastly different from the mages. The mages differences were obvious, simple. Some were short, some tall, some fat, some scrawny. The genomes, on first glance, were all the exact same. Their ages differed, though. The Black Mages didn’t seem to have ages, but the Genomes did. There were also obvious differences between males and females, while in the Black Mages... well, they just creeped Drake out on that aspect. The Gemones also had smaller things making them each individual. Hair color, there was a gradient among them, hair length, eye color… it was all a gradient—differences in the same family, hardly noticeable, but there. Their clothing was far better than the Mages and the styles differed, faintly. Some dressed in the same style as one another, others didn’t, tiny cliques among the whole group… it was interesting.
The one he was looking for, Mikoto, was closest to the village as if she were standing between the two species, and it didn’t look like she was there to unite them.
She was sleeping on a rather large patch of moss…

Drake moved to another angle and saw a small house by her. It was dug out from the hillside, and then tall stones were added for support as well as a door that seemed to only close three fourths of the way. Fairly clever… a quick exit for anyone slim and small enough to get in and out… the mages would have trouble getting in there if the door were closed, but the genomes easily could dart inside.

He took that to be where Mikoto must live. Fire proof, though he bet the inside had wooden objects. Very clever.
He waited, watching the other Genomes. A few appeared to be sleeping, but he couldn’t be sure if they really were, or if they were just imitating Mikoto. None of them looked too worried. A few looked up and over to the other side of the lake, away from Drake and he moved slightly closer, trying to see what they were looking at, but they went back to what they were previously doing before he could see anything, and a few others suddenly did the same as the first group.
One, closest to the area they had looked at, held it’s stare longer and then stood up and turned away. The genome walked calmly, emotionlessly, over to Mikoto and shook her gently.
As Mikoto got up, the Genome said something to her that Drake couldn’t quiet hear… something about her being wanted… She got up and followed the Genome back to where it had been before. She walked into the forest…

Odd… one of them must be over there.

Drake didn’t wait much longer, he was pushing it as it was and Mikoto might notice him, she seemed to be more perceptive than anyone else would be in this village.
He turned and headed back the way he had come, going silently as the sun was beginning to break through.

 

“Find her?” Eclipse asked quietly when Drake was finally within whispering distance. He hadn't told the boy to go wondering off like that, and was almost annoyed, but if it had served a purpose, then there was no harm done.

 

“Yes, most of the Genomes stay by the lake. She has a little house there carved into the hill by the cemetery. Fireproof, but she’s sleeping outside anyway and this little house doesn’t have a door that fully shuts.” Drake replied in a whisper, jumping to another tree. He paused for a moment, wondering if he should mention their strange behavior toward the other side of the lake.
In the end, he decided not to.

 

Eclipse considered pushing the plan ahead early. It would be so simple to just put it in action now. They were unsuspecting, undefended, and the girl was out in the open. It was tempting.

But no... they would lose their alibi, and that would be foolish. Besides, there was something that didn't feel right. A presence in or around the village. It wasn't there when they had arrived, but it had just seemed to have appeared...

Eclipse couldn't see anything, but he could feel it. It seemed strong enough that he didn't want to go against it without knowing more of its origin.

“Come; let's head back to the ship.” He finally announced, though in a whisper.

 

Drake jumped from the tree to the hill, “Alright.”

 

The trip back was rather uneventful. Eclipse was eager to get them away before they were spotted, or any of them were missed at the palace. They arrived back in the carriage long before people had started to get up. Only the easily manipulated night guards were about, even though it was starting to get light.

Eclipse strolled up to his room, and Ellipsis pretty much rushed to his own, wanting to get changed out of the soaking wet and muddy clothes. Ellipsis hated nature.

 

Drake dragged himself back to his room, regretting the decision to stalk around the village, and not to sleep on the way back.
He dropped into bed and was asleep in seconds.