Chapter 13: Castle in the Desert

They made it to the Dessert

Morgana: Guys.

Ann: Yeah, what is it?

Morgana: I think this whole Journey is getting long.

Reynn: Well, the word "Journey"--- it used to literally mean "bad stuff happening to you."

Morgana: Thanks for the uplifting bit of Trivia.

Tama: Wait!￼ I the-hear some activity over that-the-way. I think we're not far from a place to the-rest! Let's go take the-five over there!

They head off to the Caravan

Reynn: Excuse me. Would you mind if we rested here a bit?

Person: Sure! You can stay as long as you like. Hey, look at you guys. You'll get baked alive out here dressed up like that. Wait! Here, some sunscreen. Help Yourself.

Futaba: How much is it?

Person: It's free. Go crazy!

They put on some Sunscreen

Lann: Sunscreen force fields... Applied and activated!

Ryuji: You are so weird.

Haru: Thank you so much.

They went ahead

Lann: Now that I'm all lathered up, I can smell them.

Makoto: Smell what?

Lann: Mirages and Shadow, over there.

Tama: Over the-where? To the North?

They went to the Phantom Sand

Yusuke: Despite the harsh desert climate, Mirages and Shadow are full of life.

Ann: When did we step into a Documentary?￼

Ryuji: Docu-what?

Then three Worm Monsters appeared

Lann: Oh boy! How many of them are wriggling around down there?

Akira: Well, whatever the answer is... Don't say it!

They are fighting it and it doesn't work

???: Are you trying to get yourself killed?!

They heard a Voice and they saw another giant Monster, And then Girl who was riding a Motorcycle with a another girl named Mitsuru and Lightning

Mitsuru: Could you go any faster?

Lightning: I'm trying.

Then some Powers from the Mirage Keepers and Persona Users give them some speed

Lightning: What's just--

Mitsuru: Forget it, we'll use it.

They made it and they defeated the Monster

Akira: We don't know who you are, but thank you.

Mitsuru: Save it for later. The longee we all stay out here, the shorter we'll live.

Lightning: Come on, before they came back.

Lann: Dude, what?

Then more are coming to rise up the ground

Mitsuru: Hurry!

They retreat and rest up

Mitsuru: Surprising. We never thought the Jiants from the Hills would have so much trouble crossing a dessert.

Lann: Really, so you heard about us?

Morgana: Why are you so happy, Lann? We do not want Fame.

Person: Here these will warm you up.

Yusuke: Thank you.

They give them drinks

They explained everything about it

Lightning: Keys from the Prophecy? Interesting... That explain some things.

Ryuji: So you've heard of them? I don't suppose you can tell us more?

Mitsuru: There are four: Earth, fire, water and shadow, if I remember correctly.

Ryuji: Say you won't happen to know where they are, right?

Lightning: Hm...

Ann: Is something wrong?

Lightning: Oh, sorry. Me and Mitsuru didn't exactly where the keys might've hidden.￼ But then--

Person: I might know something about it.

Akira: Really?

Person: The Key of Earth... Lies in the "cradle of mako's light." The key of tides... That one lies in the "Temple in the deep." The key of shadows... Lies in the "land of naught but night."

Ann: Wow, that sounds nice and specific.

Makoto: Wait. Is that Crimson Prophecy's missing verse?

Person: Yes. You know much, traveler.

Yusuke: Wait, what is the "missing verse"?￼

Mitsuru: They say that part of the original Prophecy was omitted from subsequent copies.

Lightning​: However, to be able to read that---

Person: Oh, I haven't read it myself. I heard it from someone who has.

Morgana: And Bahamut's castle? You, uh... Probably don't know that much.

Akira: How could she know where that is?

Person: I don't know... But there's a whisper.

All: Huh?

Ryuji: Seriously!?

Person: This is merely a rumour, but... they say the castle you seek-- the domain of the Herald's and their king--- lies past the Crystal Tower, beyond the path of the gods.

Reynn: Heralds... So then, the king who founded Bahamut.

Lann: Cool! So, all we have to do is get those four keys, and then haul hiney over to the Crystal Tower, am I right?

Akira: Yeah, from the sound of it.

Then they look sleepy

Ryuji: (Yawn) All the reassuring info is making me sleepy.

Reynn: (Yawn) Don't Yawn, Ryuji. You're making us yawning too.

Morgana: What do you say we just... turn in here for the day...

Ann: Yeah.

They went to sleep

Next Morning

Then something shaking and woke them up

Morgana: Huh? What the?

Futaba: What's going on?

They saw a Castle raising

Ryuji: The chain!