Um, I do not own Breath of Fire, or any of the characters that they have in the game. ^^;; I do, however own Mathew, the cranky red sorcerer. And Chris is mine, though I think I got the idea for him from Phantasy star 3. Oh, and while the name Bahamut isn't mine, I own the character. The name in pre- Islamic, and he's the legendary Land Beast or something. But he's the King of the monsters in Final Fantasy 2, so I'm using the name here!

Don't sue me because I'm just a poor little college freshman. I won't have any money for five or six years. So =P!

                                                                            Chapter 1


Guardians were nothing but pumped up gargoyles, Bahamut reflected. However, they were creatures of fire, while real gargoyles were water creatures.

Fire or water, they were a pain.

So this time they were a party of two travelers, dressed in normal clothing, traveling at a normal rate.

Normal, normal, normal.

Bahamut swept a hand through his blue hair, not even bothering to frown as it stuck back up. He was more or less used to it now; nothing could get it to stay down. Dressed in red pants with a white sleeveless shirt, a sword in its scabbard across his back, he really looked the part of a common traveler. Of course, he usually dressed casually even around people who didn't, which made it easier for him.

Mathew, however, was slightly grouchy, and made it obvious by his constant muttering as he brushed the tangles out of his waist length blond hair. Dressed in black pants and a red shirt, a katana on the ground next to him, it would have been odd to think that he was usually in a red mage robe.

Bahamut soon lost interest in his usually tolerant friend and turned his gaze to the skies.

The blue sky was dotted with just a few puffy clouds. For two days he'd been up in his element, and would have liked to finish the trip in the same way, but, he reminded himself, a dragon in the air was an easy target; a Brood on the ground was harder to identify.

So for the final stretch they were walking it. Actually, he wouldn't have minded it so much if it weren't for the fact that he was in a hurry to get home- he needed his time free for business, not pleasure. The fact that a guardian probably would shoot on site didn't help.

At times like these, he was increasingly jealous of Mathew.

No true dragon could be a sorcerer. It wasn't exactly fair, because some had truly strong abilities, and would strive to reach the next level. It couldn't happen. Their basic magic was in their nature, used to switch between their component species. There just wasn't enough left over to reach the sorcerer level. Perhaps in a few centuries a Brood sorcerer would show up and disprove the rule, but nobody was putting any bets on it. It was just that turning into a twenty-foot fire breather could be difficult when innocent people who could get hurt surrounded one.

Mathew, however, had diluted blood. It was increasingly difficult for him to manage an ascension as the years went on, but no creature in its right mind, and even most of the ones who weren't, would mess with a sorcerer.

It seemed like a fair enough trade. However, Mathew's human stock also made him less than immortal; he aged faster then real Brood, but slower then a real human. Such were the effects of cross breeding. Mathew was around twenty-five and looked around eighteen; Bahamut, while nearing thirty-six, looked about the same age. He would age at an even slower rate and probably survive for quite a few centuries.

Mathew might achieve immortality.

It was true that one of the goals of sorcerers was immortality. It was probably true for Mathew, and it was definitely true that Cain had taken quite an interest in him; they needed all the good magic they could get, after all.

Unfortunately, Kara didn't like the idea of Mathew spending most of his time settling problems she didn't even want to name. So it was basically like this: Cain was offering Mathew possible immortality and even more power at the cost of him agreeing to some position that would take up much of his time, but Kara was offering immortality too and the only thing he had to do if he took her up on that offer would be to suffer through taking a potion every now and again.

Well, that and he would have to stay out of direct sunlight for a couple of years until he adjusted.

A lot of work or vampirism. He didn't envy his friend that decision.

"Bahamut? He-llooooooo??"

He blinked and snapped back to attention. Blue eyes met annoyed green ones. Mathew looked impatient and was definitely in a hurry to leave.

It wasn't exactly his own health he was worried about. Bahamut really shouldn't have insisted on going to the meeting at Township, but once he had his mindset on something, there wasn't any was to talk him out of it.

Mathew was basically all right in the area; Bahamut could be hurt or killed.

So he frowned and acted impatient, though he really would have rather stopped for a while longer. He had made it a point to stay in shape, but traveling quickly over rough terrain for over a day was taking effect. He'd be sore when he got home.

He was starting to wish that the Urkan Tapa would 'accidentally' be blown up.

There was counter magic floating about that diverted warp spells Ladon-knew-where. All that was known was that it would be to a place that was unfriendly to Brood. A high-powered spell would draw the attention of just about everything in the area, including the demons of the forest, who not even Mathew would want to fight on a normal occasion.

In other words, no magic.

Ladon this sucked.

****

There was a yawn from the corner. Chris could well understand why. He had hated reading those annoying books at that age- he still hated it, actually, but he was expected to act differently now that he was an adult.

Sixteen counted. It did!

However, Ryu was only around eight, so could get away with childish things, like minor mischief and complaining.

No one wanted for him to be really unhappy though, because they weren't sure of what might come from it. He was more or less in a good mood now though, seeing as Teepo was supposed to come soon.

Chris was more interested in Teepo's older sister visiting, though.

Sara wasn't always nice, but hey! She was a dark dragon and had to act that way. He was catching hell from just about everybody but did it really matter what they thought? There were pacifist Dark Dragons and Violent Light Dragons and all types of other Dragon clans that made up the Brood Race. For all anybody knew, a horrible disaster could occur that might screw up their entire way of life. So why think about minor things like species type and just focus on the important things?

The last time she had been over, however, Ryu had caught the jiff of the parting conversation and had been disgusted.

Apparently, it had been the fact that it had consisted of about ten 'I love you's and about five pumpkins.

He'd held his throat and made vomiting gestures.

Chris turned and caught Ryu's eye, making his younger brother gaze to the heavens with a 'why me?' look. Chris laughed. Still in the phase where he thinks girls are poisonous or something. Aw, he'll learn...

"Just wait until you're my age; then you'll find some girl and feel just the way I do."

"Promise me you'll kick me into a demons nest if I do."

"Sayyyyy... isn't dad supposed to be back soon?" Catching the blink, he continued. "Yeah- Deis said he'd get back today."

Chris suppressed a laugh as Ryu ran out and continued planning what to do with his weekend. He'd be happy as long as it was away from Ryu because he was sure his little brother would plot revenge for what he had just done. Ah well, a few days and it would be forgotten.

Maybe Sara would let him visit there for a change.

***

Mathew frowned and finished packing. His wanting to get home quickly was given a jolt as he noticed something on the terrain coming towards them.

Tanned, rock hard skin. Red tunics that fitted snugly, pronounced snouts and clawed hands and feet.

Guardians.

Mathew cringed inwardly; things could get complicated.

No, he corrected himself. They didn't have their trademark spears out, and they seemed to be more interested in talking to each other than the landscape.

Male and female... they were probably involved, taking a nice walk together. The forest was lovely when one didn't fear the local monsters and spooks. In fact, they were probably the reason that the forest was so scarce of monster activity; anything that had reason to fear them would hastily make themselves gone to avoid an untimely demise at the end of a spear. If they could only avoid them...

"Ho, Guardians!"

Mathew felt an incredulous look spread across his features. Was Bahamut nuts?! The man must have injured his head on the trip or something to do that!

No, no, that wasn't right. Bahamut, despite his age and position, retained much of his old habits and thinking patterns. He was generally termed a 'nice guy' who didn't throw rank around and therefore got along with most people. Mathew, for example, who was as reclusive and unsocial as was just about possible to get without becoming a hermit, even had to admit that he thought of him as a brother.

A much younger brother, which was hard to believe considering the age difference.

But Bahamut kept Draegen in pretty good shape and would continue doing so. The problem was that despite this, he was still perpetually innocent because he knew little of the way the world could really be at times. Hence the need for responsible people to be around him constantly to keep him from getting into too much trouble and just why Mathew had gone on the accursed trip in the first place.

So as he watched Bahamut walk straight up to the guardians, he said the only thing he could think of as he started after him.

"You idiot!"

*********************************

^___^ I fixed the errors!!!! *Happy dance of joy*

I swear, I based Bahamut's character on a friend of mine. I'll admit it; some people have got charisma… dang him.