"Somebody please kill me now and be done with it," Leo groaned. "I seem to have had too much wine last night."
"It's your own fault," Mauri, Leo's sister said smugly. "I have absolutely no control over how much you drink. If it makes you feel any better though, I'm no better off."
"Just drop the subject," Leo growled. "I feel like I might if Zophar'd been dancing on my head all night."
Hiro entered and saw the bleary-eyed pair. "You two celebrated a bit too much last night," he remarked. "But you're not as bad off as Lucia. She's been trying to cure her hangover with more wine."
"Now that's going a bit far," came Ronfar's voice. He'd just entered, followed by Lemina Ausa, premiere of the magic guild of Vane. "I guess I can spare a few spells," Ronfar said. He cast a Calm Litany and they all felt better.
"Don't get near Lucia," Hiro warned. "She about killed Lemina when she tried to heal her."
"Will the lot of you shut your traps?" came an old man's voice. It was Hiro's grandfather Gwyn. "Lemina's not the only one that's felt Lucia's wrath today. I tried to tell her that wine doesn't cure a hangover and she looked like she was about to thrash me."
"Where is Lucia anyway?" Leo asked.
"Probably in the observatory," Hiro said. Then he stopped, listening.
"What's wrong?" Mauri asked.
"Quiet," Hiro said. "I'm trying to listen to something."
They hushed up immediately.
Lucia was thinking every swear word she had ever known, and since she was an immortal, she could think of quite a few. Some were so volatile no mortal could listen to them for long. Why had she been so stupid? She'd forgotten how strong that Irish beer from the Blue Star was. The voices from downstairs weren't helping much either. Lucia knew they were not talking loudly, but when one had a hangover noises that weren't loud at all could seem really loud. She gritted her teeth and went in search of Ronfar. She'd risk owing him some silver if he would just rid her of this hangover.
Lucia entered the common room then, looking bleary-eyed. "All right," she said to Ronfar, "I'll pay you."
"Huh?" Ronfar asked. "Oh, that. No, just some chocolate will be just fine as payment." He cast a Heal Litany spell on Lucia, who felt better almost instantly.
"What are you listening for, Hiro?" Lucia asked. "You look like you're waiting for the fire alarm at that Rede College place to go off."
"What's-" Leo began, but at that moment they all heard what Hiro had been hearing. It was a long, drawn out yell filled with startled panic, which was quickly getting louder and louder.
"What's that noise about?" Gwyn demanded from his work room where he was reading. Then there came a crash and a tinkle of breaking glass as a figure plunged through the window nearest to Mauri, who dived to the floor to avoid the falling man.
"Who the hell's idea was that?" the man demanded, throwing aside his hood.
"Ghaleon!" Leo cried, running forward.
"Back off!" Ghaleon snapped, "Nobody come near me until I know who planned it this way."
"What are you talking about?" Lucia demanded. "As far as we all know you willingly gave up your life to save this world."
"Yeah yeah," Ghaleon said. "Now I'm supposed to save it again, which I have every intention of doing. First I want to know who arranged it that I come smashing through some old man's window."
"Don't look at any of us," Gwyn said as he entered the room. "Let me take a look at you and see if you hurt yourself. I can at least heal your injuries if there are any."
"I think I cut myself in a hundred places. If Zophar messed up the travel plans I'm going to find him wherever he is and shove my sword up his arse and see how he likes it!" In order that Ghaleon would have privacy while Gwyn assessed his condition, the others decided to walk outside. Not that there was much to see out there, but it was rather boring staying inside all the time.
"I know we're technically not supposed to," Leo said, "but we could always take the Destiny out for a spin. I've been remodeling it."
"Althena still let you keep it?" Lemina asked, "I'd have thought that since you found out that you were actually working for Zophar-"
"How have you altered it?" Lucia asked. "I've been researching some records from another world. Some guy on this world called Lufia built a ship that could travel on water, under it or through the air. The Destiny can already travel on land and water, but I thought I could set it up so it could also travel under water or through the air."
"But you're not a genius like him," Mauri said. "You don't even have the parts you would need."
"I never said I was a genius," Leo said. "And second, I am a magic user. I found out what parts I need, what properties they normally would have and created them. I also tested it several times. It's sound."
"Nonetheless I want Ghaleon to take a look at it," Lucia said. "He knows some stuff about that sort of thing."
Ghaleon emerged from the house looking much better. He approached the friends and gaped at the ship. "Where've I seen something like that?" he muttered.
"Leo's been inventing," Lucia said. "I know he's no fool but could you inspect his handywork and see how stable it is?"
"Oh, right." Ghaleon entered the ship.
"He seems younger," Hiro remarked. "He seems more my age."
"Althena must have broght back his younger self," Leo said. "I don't know for sure of course, but it would explain the younger figure we see here."
A few minutes later Ghaleon emerged. "It's completely safe." He said, "It would appear that Leo knew what he was doing."
"So what was this about saving the world again?" Hiro asked. "I'd kinda like some peace."
"The evil comes from the very same world from which the idea of the remodeled Dragonship came."
"The land of Lufia?" Lucia asked. "That would mean-"
"Yeah," Ghaleon agreed. "The four Sinistrals. Even Zophar was scared to death of them and their overseer. Now they've given up on Lufia and are planning to attack Lunar. Althena told me that if I agreed to try to help save this world I could live again as I would have if-" He paused and his face clouded briefly.
"You don't need to say it," Leo said. "I bet I know what you're thinking."
The next day a messenger arrived at the door. He was tired and obviously badly hurt. "Is there a Hiro here?" he asked when Gwyn had tended him.
"I'm Hiro," Hiro replied. "What's the trouble?"
"Larpa's been attacked," the man replied. "The town's been destroyed by monsters of a kind never seen in this world. There leader wore a black cape and did most of the work himself."
"We'll take the Destiny," Leo said. "It'll get us there in time to assess the situation and maybe catch the one responsible."