FINAL FANTASY IX: GAIAN CHRONICLES

[Artorium]

FINAL FANTASY IX: GAIAN CHRONICLES:
DRAGON KNIGHTS

Prologue I. a

The ancient world of Gaia is a land of many legends, many stories and many events. Most lost to the ravages of war and time, yet many are passed down through the people of Gaia that shape its history like the sea shapes the cliffs.

In a time long before the powers of summoning where lost to the world, a great war ensued among the nations of the Mist Continent. Many lives where lost and lands ruined, yet in the final moment of battle the Kingdom of Alexandria used its ultimate weapon. A great General with countless power summoned the Holy eidolon Alexander for the first time. Its Holy Judgment lay waste the all the rival Kingdoms and such power had never been seen within Gaia before.
All of lindblum’s Head Hunters, Burmecia’s Dragon Knights and Madain Sari’s Summoner Tribe decimated to small numbers. After seeing that Alexander was too powerful, the Nations agreed on peace and that the Alexander Jewel be split into four crystals. One piece was given to the three kingdoms of Burmecia, Lindblum and Alexandria.
The last piece was taken by the summoners and kept a secret in Madain Sari on their own Continent. Soon afterwards, a civil war broke out in Burmecia over who should be in control of the Crystal. The piece is in question was taken by a group of fundamentalists, who separated themselves from the city of eternal rain and set up their own nation in the Vube Desert; and so Cleyra was founded.

Prologue I. b

The Dragon Knight is an age old custom of valor and bravery of the Burmecian people. To become such an honorable position takes years of honing various skills and proving your strength by slaying the strongest of beasts to reach Dragon class Lancer of the Burmecian Guards. Many of these knights died through Burmecian history to honorable and glorious deaths and make their mark on time and many of the Knights were lost to the Great Wars of the Mist Continent. The Dragon Knights of Burmecia became a rare and respected breed of citizens over time and named some of the worlds most brave yet feared warriors.
However, peace reigned throughout the Mist Continent and need for the Knights of Burmecia dwindled. Many of the remaining knights set out for adventures to prove their worth and strength and others became mercenaries working for the high rollers of Treno.

The Crescent Household

Our Chapter begins amongst the household of a long line of Dragon Knights called the Crescents. This particular family had been known far and wide for their ferocity in battle, and played a major role in the Mist Continent wars.
The family prided themselves on a strong line of male knights that had won many glorious battles against famous Dragon of Gaia, and the most Famous of all was the Tale of Kain and his Lance.
Many battles ensued over time and many years passed away until one day a Female was born the Crescent family.
Disappointed by the birth of a girl, the family saw it unfit to bring her up under Dragon Knight Lore, yet she yearned for its knowledge. Freya would secretly learn from her friend Vermont who was learning under his father to become a Lancer and so even though Freya was brought up as a spoilt, Lord’s child she came to become quite the fighter.

One especially gloomy day in the realm of eternal rain, the great Dragon Daine became very agitated in his cave because of the noise created by the festival of the Dragon Hunt, celebrating the initiation of the new Dragon Knights.
Daine, stirring in his sleep awoke furious and came down onto Burmecia breathing hot Sulfur and fire upon its people. The city guards launched a number of attacks and interrupted in their ceremonies the Dragon Knights also tried to intervene yet all to avail. Young and naive Freya ran to her home to grab her ancestors Lance, she hurried towards the spot where Daine had landed in the city and staring deep into his eyes showing no fear she pointed the lance towards him, even finding it hard to hold up. The dragon snapped at her ferociously as she swooped above its head to escape its clasping jaws. All where in marvel at her bold but stupid act as the dragon rose to knock her down from her jump. Freya dropped the heavy lance to the ground as she laid on the wet bricks semi-unconscious.
A young man with a large hat and yellow Dragon Knight Garb came to her rescue as he pierced the Dragons chest. Daine fell loud to the ground with a crash and it later took 100 guards to drag the dragon out of the city and bury it under a burial mound. See people of Burmecia, even though they hunt Dragon revere them as sacred beasts and thus why Dragon Knights slay them for status.
The young Dragon Knight in yellow lifted little Freya from the ground.
‘’who are you?’’ Freya asked incoherently.
‘’My name is Fratly’’ he answered back softly.
She stared into his eyes with admiration and with fascination of his mystery.
‘’why have I not herd or seen you around my city before’’ she proclaimed with a little more energy than before.
Fratly chuckled a little. ‘’your city?’’ he exclaimed. ‘’I thought it belonged to the king’’
Freya did not answer for as far as she was concerned her family was in charge of Burmecia due to the fact that the king was so very young and her father so very old. To her this notion of him serving under a child seemed stupid.
Fratly gave up the information to her surprisingly willingly.
‘’Oh, I travel the world far and wide. Not much need for my kind around the city anymore for peace reigns nowadays. Not like times of old’’
‘’I wish for times of old’’ Freya snapped back proudly. ‘’for those where the days Warriors proved their might in battle.’’
Fratly faintly smiled to himself. ‘’Life means much more than battle you know. Battle is only a way to open the doors to this. That is when it is honorable. Battle brings death and death is suffering for all effected. Be most grateful Freya that you live in this time of peace that your ancestors fought for’’.
Freya seemed to agree with Fratly and was quite taken back by his words, although she would have not liked to admit this to him.
‘’why are you back here then, if you love to travel so?’’ Freya asked trying to change subject.
‘’well as a Dragon Knight I serve the king, and he has had me return for reasons of his own’’. Fratly didn’t really want to talk anymore about the kings reasons for calling him back so he bid farewell to young Freya and set off towards the palace. Freya was left standing in the beating rain staring towards Fratly has he disappeared into the mist.
‘’What an odd fellow’’ she thought to her self and made her way back to the festival.
As you could imagine though, her family where terribly displeased with her actions and her father so very mad sent her back to the house.

Freya awoke the next morning aching and bruised from Daines ferocious blow she had taken the night before. She tended to her morning in the usually way yet this morning there was an unexpected visitor downstairs. Freya could hear a familiar voice below conversing with her father.
‘’but I do not agree!’’ Freya’s father exclaimed. ‘’ It is not tradition! In all my years as Chief Dragoon! No way! Never!’’
Freya was very curious at this point and made her way down the stairs and into the entertaining hall. Freya’s father was there looking up at her as if waiting for her and along side him at the large table sat Fratly.
‘’what is it!?’’ Freya exclaimed. ‘’why are you both looking at me so?’’
‘’Freya…’’ Her father addressed her. ‘’by order of the king you are to become Dragon Knight’’
Freya was shocked. ‘’What could prompt such a thing a thing as this? Was it my actions from the night before?’’ she thought to her haughtily.
‘’I am here to accompany you to your training Lady Crescent’’ Fratly announced.
‘’But why!?’’ Freya shouted out surprised ‘’how did this happen?’’ If she was honest to herself she knew that this was so very strange and happening so very fast. All her life Freya dreamed of becoming a Dragon Knight just like her best friend Vermont but knew that she would never be accepted. Yet here she was with an order from the king to go through Dragon Knight training!
‘’that is what I would like to know!’’ Freya’s father loudly pronounced.
‘’All will be explained Lady Crescent’’ Fratly answered her in her confusion.
Freya’s father looked around very displeased with the whole situation. To him it was an outrage that she even be considered to have the title of a Dragon Knight.
‘’Well you will not be needing any possessions except for your lance’’ Fratly lifted the Crescent’s family lance from where it was hinged to the wall and presented it to Freya. Freya’s father was not happy at all and the look on his face Fratly found rather comical for there was nothing he could do.
It should be known that Freya at this point in her life was a very spoilt child being the daughter of a Lord of Burmecia and one of the head Dragon Knights of times gone by. She was naïve and cocky in her ways, yet Fratly could sense a certain air of destiny around Lady Freya Crescent. In fact it was he who chose to assign her the position of learning to become a knight. The king was young yet well educated and knew of times old. He realized that through years of peace the number of Dragon Knights had dwindled to a small number. It was becoming a tradition of old and seen to be a tradition that had no use any longer, yet the king did not agree. The rest of the Mist Continent had been advancing towards technology and machinery yet the king saw advantages to holding onto these ways of old yet embracing the new at the same time. Through this he belived in a strong and advanced Burmecia and it was this reason he had called Fratly back from his travels.
‘’Fratly, you were friend of my late father and he saw you as a son. My father belived that we should never forget our past and that we should hold onto it true. That by knowing where we came from and how we got to where we are it will lead us along the path we need to take. For this reason Fratly I ask you to gather all the Dragon Knights of Burmecia for a journey. It shall be a test of Valor, strength and will.
Alexandria has their generals of great power, Lindblum have their Fleets of airships and so by the winds of Cleyra we shall show our strength as a nation through our ancient and powerful ways. This shall be most honorable to my father’s memory.’’ This is what the king explained to Fratly.
‘’Sir Fratly, go and gather our army of Knights, you shall lead them!’’ the king announced proudly.
Sir Fratly lowered his head sadly. ‘’My Lord, this day we are few in number and since I have been back it seems less of the children of Burmecia chose to live the lore of Dragons. In fact only one by my count at this year’s celebration……’’
The king looked saddened towards Fratly’s facts. ‘’that is sad. It is far more a serious matter than I had reasoned. Then Fratly, I leave it to you to find those you see fit to train in your ways and on this journey you shall take them’’.
‘’Yes my Lord’’ Fratly answered obediently and so this is how the King and Sir Fratly conversed.

Lore of Dragons

Freya and Fratly set out from the Crescent family house and through the city and never did she ask for a minute why she was leaving. It was this willingness to learn that Fratly probably saw in Freya that made her the only candidate to learn from scratch the Lore of Dragons.
‘’Where are we headed to good Sir?’’ Freya asked excitedly.
‘’We shall wait at the gates for the third.’’ Fratly answered.
Freya wondered for a minute on what he meant. She could of easily of asked but her headstrongness would not let her, she was the type to always seem in control of a situation. Freya and Fratly stood in silence as they waited for ‘the third’ and soon enough he arrived. Vermont was a good looking Burmecian by Burmecian standards with long black hair and a strong build. He always carried his fathers Trident as a weapon that would glow a wonderful Mythril color. Clothed in Dragon Knight Garb Vermont smiled warmly towards Freya.
‘’Sir Vermont!’’ the surprised Freya cried out as she flung her arms around the tall Burmecian.
‘’Sir Vermont shall be accompanying us on the journey as a fellow Dragon Knight. It is custom for him as a newly initiated Knight to take a year proving his bravery by facing the fiercest of beasts yet the most magnificent; the Grand Dragons. From this he shall learn the Lore of Dragons’’ explained Fratly.
Somehow Freya had not noticed this before, but as she stared at Fratly as he spoke his words she noticed something rather odd about his tail.
‘’Sir Fratly, may I ask you a question?’’
‘’About the Lore of Dragons?’’ Fratly asked.
‘’oh no, not at all really’’ Fratly looked disappointed for he always loved to share his vast knowledge of the Lore.
Freya continued. ‘’I wanted to ask you a question about your tail, I notice something odd about it’’
As Sir Fratly lowered his head his as his eyes glinted with a certain disheartened look for a second and then he raised his head back up to answer. ‘’many years ago I ran away from my home at the palace for I later lived there as my parents were killed during the last war. I was angry at the late king who took the role of my surrogate father for he would not let me leave with the other mercenaries for the Alexandrian border. I was already a Dragon Knight by that point-‘’ Freya interrupted him.
‘’you were a dragon knight before coming of age!!’’ she was very surprised for that would make him the youngest of all Dragon Knights recorded even before the days of the great Kain.
Fratly chuckled a little ‘’yes that is the truth, very young I was when I slew my first Dragon, much like in the fashion that you tried to the other night’’ This time Vermont laughed alongside Fratly at this mention of the events but Freya looked cross and did not like this at all.
‘’Sorry Lady Freya’’ Fratly expressed before carrying on with his story.
‘’well I was lost in the far plains and even to this day I do not know where I had ended up for Gaia is a large place and I have only seen a fraction of it even in all of my journeys. As I was traveling through a small clearing in a wooded area I came across a girl the same age as I. She was collecting water for her mother from a well and offered me a drink. I gladly excepted for I had traveled far without quenching my first and eagerly I drank. Not long where my eyes off of my surroundings did a great winged beast lay ruin to the trees and burnt the poor girl. Next the Dragon came for me and I ran as fast as I could before it swooped down to clasp its teeth onto my tail. Up I went into the sky as the Dragon carried me off towards its roost. Lucky I was though that the king had sent out a search party of Dragon Knights, your father being one of them Freya.’’ Freya was too captivated by Fratly’s story to answer in any way and instead urged him to go on. Fratly smiled at her response for he enjoyed and avid listener to his stories. Not many have traveled Gaia’s lands as much as Fratly had except a few explorers like Ipsen and his troupe, but that is another story for another chapter. Fratly went on at eager request.
‘’So through the air I traveled and the end of my life I had foresaw. So young I was yet I was ready to face my death at this sacred creatures jaws. The band of Knights spotted me in the grasp of the animal and launched a spear attack onto the beast. Down it swooped again to counter their advances and as it did one of the knights threw me his lance. I caught it just and thrust it into the Dragons heart. Down it fell back first and onto a couple of Knights crushing them beneath its weight. When I next checked up to half of my tail had been lost and it was in the mouth of the dead beast.’’ Vermont and Freya gave out a gasp at all this action.
‘’ Sadly we lost Knights that day and I learnt never to be so foolhardy. The sly eagle waits to attack with its claws and so I shall never be again so careless. I kept that brave knights lance.’’ He showed them the lance he was holding with its unimaginable sharp blade protruding from its edge at the top.
‘’What you see before you today is an iron tail the king had made for me by the blacksmith. It reminds me forever of that day and it is sharp just as I need to be with all I do.’’
From that day on Sir Fratly was always referred to as ‘’Iron-Tail Fratly’’ by Freya and Vermont and so that name stuck to this day.
The trio of Dragon Knights made there way outward toward the unknown, in search of knowledge and experience to prove their honor just like their ancestors.

Many adventures they had together through the years that followed and many people they met but that in its self is a whole different story.

Tragedy for the Trio

It was a cold winter night and the three Dragon Knights were very weathered by the winds that wore them in their path. Many nights they would question why they where out on this journey, and for a second or two they would feel it was all pointless when they didn’t even know what they were looking for.
The light of the sun was dimming and they had only limited time to find shelter before they would be stranded in the worsening weather. The wind howled past them at extraordinary speeds and it surprising that they kept grounded upon the side of the high mountain they were climbing.
‘’we need to find a cave or something fast Fratly!’’ shouted Vermont through the wind.
‘’Agreed my friend, but finding one is easier said than done in this twilight’’
‘’Careful!!!’’ Vermont shouted loudly as he caught Freya from falling to a sudden death.
‘’That was a close one’’ she laughed
‘’easy to loose your footing on here my love’’ answered Vermont as he kissed her cheek lightly.
Freya smiled a little but her face was quite numb due to the prevailing winds that fell like pure ice being held against her skin. She shook the snow off of her bright red garb. ‘’Its getting colder, how can it get ay colder than this!’’ Freya exclaimed.
‘’It is not even night time yet m’lady’’ shouted Fratly to Freya. He always addressed Freya in that way, ever since leaving Burmecia and even through all this time.
‘’Then we must make fast for the base’’ cried Vermont trying hard to make the others hear through the loud icy winds.
‘’No, we are too high up now! It would be madness to try to climb back down now!’’ Fratly exclaimed with authority.
The three paused in their tracks feeling lost and helpless for a second.
‘’I ask you now Sir Vermont, be strong. We will find a way to shelter from the storm’’ Fratly urged.
‘’again Fratly, this is madness! I am going back down and taking Freya with me’’
Freya looked bewildered for a second, never did Vermont question Fratly’s judgment on these things before and to include her in his argument made her feel a little uneasy even if he was her boyfriend.
Vermont took hold of Freya’s hand. ‘’come my dear, let us take leave of this utter madness for Iron-Tail’s judgment is clouded and through his poorly taken decisions he endangers our lives.’’ Exclaimed Vermont to Freya.
Fratly look at Vermont with a little dismay and a little frustration ‘’don’t be foolish Vermont, the extremity of the cold is what clouds your judgments’’
Angrily Vermont quickly made is way backwards the way they came up with Freya tripping along behind him as he dragged her down with him. Fratly was now angry and usually he would not be over such things yet the scenario was pushing his patients. ‘’Vermont, stop I say. You endanger not only yourself but the life of Freya!’’ Vermont carried on with his fast pace down the mountainside.
‘’Vermont, if you truly love Freya you will not do this to her!’’ Freya tripped and fell over the snow and rock yet Vermont would not listen for he was at the end of his tether in this matter and for years they had been living this way it seems he had finally snapped. The matter was that over these years Vermont had fallen in love very much with Freya, but Freya did not return such feelings to the magnitude that Vermont was yearning for. Instead Freya loved him as a childhood friend and rather felt feelings towards Fratly. Vermont knew this and it ate at the core of his soul. Jealousy he felt everyday he was with Fratly but until now it did not surface.
‘’Vermont!’’ cried Fratly for the last time, but it was too late; Vermont was too far down the mountainside to hear.
‘’Stubborn child he still is’’ Fratly thought to himself.
Then, through the mist of the blizzard he could hear a loud scream.

Quickly Iron-Tail Fratly made his way down the mountainside towards where Vermont had headed and eventually he could see the breath of not one but two Dragons melting the snow all around. Two great big Grand Dragons with wide wing spans and acid breath that could melt the hide off of its own back.
Freya’s leg had been hit by the venom breath and she lay paralyzed on the ground, yet she could still hear and see everything that unfolded before her.
Sir Fratly leapt into the air and unleashed a powerful aerial strike onto the first Dragon’s back. It shrieked a deafening roar as Fratly pulled his blade back out of the Dragon’s hide and the monster rolled in the air trying to shake off the protruding Fratly. Instead this flung him onto the Dragons belly where he had a better chance of extinguishing the animal for good. While this was all going down, Vermont was battling the second Dragon that had landed at his feet and was snapping at his legs. This Dragon was much younger and so could not breathe its deadly breath yet.
The first Dragon had managed to fling Fratly to the ground and so the tables had turned on the battle. The Dragon was flying arching away then back towards the Dragon Knight for a second aerial attack of breath.
The Dragon spat its acidic fire at Fratly and before it could hit Freya, he picked her up over his shoulder and dragged her under a large rock. She looked into his eyes with appreciation and loving look as he jumped away to war with the Dragons once more.
Sir Fratly wasn’t having any more of it; powering up he unleashed a death wave of magic onto the first Dragon that fried its wings. It fell with a large crash but quickly rose to its feet to snap at the two fighting Dragon Knights.
The younger Dragon dived at Vermont with its mouth wide open and as it did Vermont Threw his Trident down its throat and into its head killing it almost instantly. The Dragon flopped onto the snowy mountainside with a sharp yelp. The mother on the other had quickly noticed what had happened and was enraged with anger and sorrow at her child’s death. She lashed out for Vermont chasing him upwards along the mountain path with Fratly trying to tail them.
It all happened so fast, but Vermont tripped over some tree roots onto the floor and the Dragon quickly swallowed him up. Vermont had no time to regain his trident from the dead Dragons moth before the Mother began chasing him so was left defenseless. Fueled with rage Fratly flew to the air with all his might and forced his lance deep into the dragons shoulder so that it pierced its heart.

Fratly returned to Freya who had passed out behind the rock. He lifted her onto his back and made his way over the mountain still so very tiered. Slowly his eyes were shutting and he collapsed along side Freya in the snow. The last thing Fratly remembered was seeing Freya’s red coat beside him and a fire in the distance.


Picked Up By Bandits

Fratly’s eyes opened slowly but he couldn’t move. He could only stare at the roof that was made of rafters.
He could hear though, the sound of a large engine rattle through the space he was in.
Appearing above him was an ugly looking fellow with a reddish nose and a big smile encircled with a beard.
‘’Your awake at last, thought you would never wake up’’ the man said.
‘’how long have I been here?’’ asked Fratly.
‘’Well we found you on the side of the mountain under a pile of snow 4 days ago and you have been asleep since’’ explained the man. ‘’your very lucky you are still alive’’
Fratly was shocked but didn’t have to time feel anything before asking ‘’where is Freya?’’
‘’The other one, the girl?’’ asked the man
‘’yes, Lady Freya’’ exclaimed Fratly
‘’She is fine; in fact she woke up a day before you and told us all about what happened. She seemed very concerned about some guy named Vernon?’’
‘’Vermont’’ Fratly corrected. ‘’He was slain by the Dragon’’ Fratly suddenly remembered the tragedy.
‘’I must go see Freya right away!’’ Fratly announced importantly.
‘’She is on the top deck of the airship; oh and by the way my name is Cinna’’ explained Cinna.
‘’Please take me to her’’ Fratly followed Cinna down a hall way of the airship and up a staircase into a lavish room with wide glass windows where a huge man with furry pointy ears stood wearing a pair of goggles.
‘’Hi, I am Baku, boss of these boys here that found you’’
‘’many thanks my friend, you shall be rewarded in full by my king’’ Fratly expressed.
‘’Well we are docked in Lindblum right now, and most of my crew are downtown so we wont be leaving for many days now’’ Baku explained.
‘’oh, well then we shall request passage through the Dragon’s gate to Burmecia then’’ Fratly answered.
‘’I wish there was some way I could repay you but I have nothing of worth on me right now’’ Fratly apologized.
‘’Gwahawhaw’’ Baku chuckled. ‘’No problem, you can replay me in deeds in the future if ever need be’’
‘’that is reasonable’’ Fratly concluded. ‘’Well good sir, would you mind telling me where I can find the Lady Freya?’’
‘’She was down town with my boy Zidane last thing I knew, Cinna!’’ Baku shouted ‘’Go find Zidane and bring back the rat chick’’
‘’ok boss’’ Cinna answered quickly while running out of the room and through the airship.
Fratly didn’t have to wait long before Freya came in through the airship docking bay with a smile on her face. It was evident that she was glad to see Fratly well.
‘’Oh Fratly, don’t ever leave me again’’ she proclaimed as she fell into his arms for a warm embrace.


Return to Burmecia

The Dragon Knights had gained permission from the Regent of Lindblum to pass through the Dragon’s gate, and so make their way to Burmecia after all these years.
Home would seem so very wonderful after so long, but the tragedy of Vermont haunted Freya and Fratly still and all the way back was spent in almost silence. They passed through the plains and marshlands eventually making their way to the border. Two guards met them at the gate and recognized them immediately.
‘’Returned, the Hero’s have returned’’ they sang but Fratly and Freya did not know what they had meant.
Throughout there journey through Gizmaluke’s grotto they were recognized and acknowledged as the Hero’s of Burmecia. Finally they came to Burmecian lands and for them it never felt better to be home. They still couldn’t shake of the last of their sorrow for knowing that they had to reveal the tragic news to the Vermont family made them uneasy.
The two stopped in front of the city gates. ‘’Are you ready m’lady?’’ asked Fratly.
‘’As long as I have you with me I will always be ready for whatever life throws at me’’ Freya smiled.
Fratly went a little red in the face and help Freya’s hand planting a kiss upon it.
‘’let us go’’ he exclaimed. The two entered the city to be received with much joy. Proclamations of being Hero’s echoed through the city walls and the two created a loud stir as they made their way to the palace.

-To be Continued-
Written by Artorium from concepts and stories by Squaresoft