Rafa stretched her arms and turned to Moldun. "So, what does this thing look like, Moldy?" She asked, playfully tagging on her newly devised nickname. Moldun shrugged, not at all annoyed. "It's invisible to us humans, but monoliths tend to be tall, upright structures, don't they?" He said uncertainly. Rafa's brow furrowed as she looked back over her shoulder and pointed. "Like that one," she asked, surprised. I ran my eyes over the area she'd indicated and came up blank. We spent another five minutes searching the rock face for what she'd spotted, but no one else could see what she was talking about. I blinked a couple of times. "Is that it then?" I asked somewhat rhetorically, feeling a mixture of suspicion and excitement brewing within me. "Well, it's worth checkin' out, ain't it," Perry interjected, speaking for the first time since we'd set off. No one else could think of anything better, so we started uphill.

It was hard going, but we made it to the precipice where the monolith was located, supposedly anyway. "So...now what," I gasped, exhausted from the hiking trip. It sure had seemed a lot closer when we'd first spotted it. "Oh, just one more thing," Moldun said, exhausted. Leaning on a walking stick he'd obtained along the way, he sighed, wearily making his way to the monolith with Rafa's help. Once there, he reached out and touched something invisible. "Sindar, the grandson of Varayeth Dunworth has come to ask a favor," Moldun intoned quietly, head bowed and eyes shut. Before our eyes, the surrounding mountainside melted away in a brilliant blaze of white, slowly solidifying into four opal walls.

"Greetings, descendant of Varayeth, we have been awaiting your arrival," a deep voice echoed, rebounding harshly throughout the chamber. Just like the walls, the speaker's form hardened before us, the pale colors of their attire deepening into a dark charcoal. Contrary to my first impression, the Sindar was a woman, her skin an exotic brown, a lot like some of the Grassland tribes.

"Greetings to you also. I have something to ask of you," Moldun replied, bowing deeply. The ebon woman nodded, silver hair dancing across her brow. "We have anticipated your visit. There is no need to ask, we shall do it. However, this man receiving our favor must prove himself worthy. We will prepare three trials to test his mettle," she monotoned like she did this every day. Two aquamarine eyes bored through my skin.

"...Whatever you want," I said hesitantly, nervously fidgeting under her delving gaze. She stared at me a moment longer, my unease growing exponentially. "Pick one other to accompany you, but it mustn't be the descendant," the Sindar stated, waving to Moldun, "Failure on any of these tests will mean death, for you and your companion." As soon as she said 'death', Kalveen and Perry had backed off, hands raised in surrender.

"Um...sorry, my friend, but I think I'll sit this one out," Kalveen apologized. His partner grunted, fully in accord, leaving only Rafa. It wasn't even funny. I was stuck with a woman who could jeopardize everything. "Can I just go in alone," I inquired, looking over my shoulder at the Sindarian.

"Really, are you sure Amada? I'll go with you...if you want me to, that is," Rafa asked immediately after the words left my mouth. She was practically pleading to go along. I thought it over. Why did she want to go? Especially after the obvious death threat. It's not like she could actually be concerned about me, could it? I'd only really known her for, what? Three days? And half the time I'd avoided her or acted like a complete jerk. (You love Rei right? Think of her, constantly if need be...) Isn't that what Moldun had said? By all rights I should go alone, it seemed more heroic that way. But what if I failed? Was I willing to take the risk just because I didn't think I could rein in my libido? ...Nope.

"Okay, you can come," I replied, wondering if maybe I'd regret the decision. Rafa's expression brightened considerably, kind of a weird reaction when you're getting ready to risk your life. The Sindarian woman seemed impatient and, seeing I'd made my choice, exited out through a white door, Rafa and I right behind her.

She led us out of the room and through a labyrinth, twisting and turning until I was completely lost, which took about thirty seconds. Finally, we ended up in a medium-sized room, the walls the color of pearl. Before us, a white pedestal stood, nearly invisible against it's surroundings. On top of it stood something indescribably horrid vase, but I'll try to describe it to you anyways. Imagine an ugly urn covered with the ugliest slimy scales that was the oddest, most ugly shade of green. Scanning the room quickly, I cautiously walked to the pedestal, expecting everything from fire-breathing dragons to a thirty-foot flyswatter to leap out and torch me. Or in the case of the latter, swat me into oblivion. I darted a quick glance in the vase, ready to split if anything shot out, like say, a spiny purple tentacle or something equally unpleasant. I was slightly off.

Something orange shot out of the vase turned man-eating beast and promptly wrapped around the first portion of my anatomy it grasped. I yelped in surprise as my ankle was pulled out from under me, and not gently either. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that the thing currently in possession of my foot. It was big, it was scaly, and it was ugly with a capital UG. Simply put, it was a lizard. I kicked frantically at the tongue while it tossed me around with relish. Apparently it was the kind of monster that liked to play with it's food. A few minutes and three wall slams later, the creature screeched and I fell the five feet to the floor, landing rather ungracefully on my back. Rafa shot me a quick hand and helped me up. The monstrosity glared at Rafa unhappily. In one hand, she held a ichor-stained knife, in the other she held one half of it's ochre appendage.

Gargling all the way, the four-legged lizard charged us, lips pulled back to reveal long, sharp teeth. It roared as we individually dove out of it's path of travel and it tackled the wall. No, not crashed, tackled. If the wall could have said something right then, it would've been something along the lines of "Ooof." But it couldn't talk, so instead, a network of cracks appeared, spider webbing from the point of impact.

The thing whipped around, it's tail leaving a groove in the already abused wall. With the few seconds we'd garnered, Rafa had the presence of mind to reach inside her blouse and toss me a knife. I grunted appreciatively and side-stepped another rush. Once again, the room shuddered in protest as the lizard careened into the opposite wall. At that exact moment, a piece of masonry chose to plummet from the ceiling and crush the monster's skull, showering us with an explosion of gore. Both of us tensed, expecting at any moment for it to shrug the fallen ceiling off and come at us again. Cautiously, I brushed off a piece of the monster's brain that'd unceremoniously splattered across my shirt. A minute passed, then another. Finally we decided it was pretty dead.

"...That was close," I mumbled, my blood still pumping. Rafa nodded, brushing her blond hair back with a hand. "Yeah...it was," she paused and looked at me, grinning, "Well? What do you say?" It took me a second to see what she was asking. "Oh, thanks for saving my life, it was very nice of you and all," I said. I'm pretty sure I didn't sound too sarcastic. "Shall we go," the Sindarian inquired, reappearing from wherever she'd disappeared to. Not waiting for an answer she left the room via the door we'd entered from.

We went through the maze again and entered another room, identical to every other place we'd been in here. The woman walked to a, surprise, white table. She pulled out a chair and sat. "Sit down," she commanded, gesturing to the chair across from her. "What about Ra...," I trailed off suddenly. Rafa was nowhere to be seen. "Where is she," I asked, not really expecting an answer. She gazed at me for a minute. "You may call me by my name of Chondylicritise," Chondylicritise said, not so much changing the subject as refusing to acknowledge it. "Um, whatsat? Chodidlykittie," I asked, stringing random letters together in the hope of getting her name right. I didn't. She snorted at me, then shrugged. "Just call me Chond. As for your friend, she is in this room. I've just made her both invisible and inaudible to you and vice versa. We have much to discuss, potential wishmaker," Chond said, stressing the potential bit.

I licked my lips nervously and nodded her on. She gave me another of those deep looks. A few minutes passed while she looked me in the eye and I barely repressed the sudden urge to up and bolt from the room.

"What is your name?"

"Uh, Amada Jipee Numori."

"Why are you here?"

"I'm here to, um, bring someone back from the dead."

"Who is this person? Are they important to you?"

"Absolutely, I'm...I think I'm in love with her. Her name's Rei Shosawa"

"But you're not sure? Why risk your life for that?"

"Sorry, I stutter sometimes, I meant to say that I AM in love with her."

Chond peered at me for a moment. "That is a lie. You aren't certain."

"Okay, is that a crime? How am I supposed to know what love feels like?" It was about then that I really started sweating.

"You don't know what it feels like, or at least you haven't realized it. How does this person make you feel?"

I paused for a sec. "Gee, this sure is getting personal, isn't it? I...don't know. It feels weird, you know. Whenever I'm around her, I get this glowy feeling like I can do anything if she's with me."

"Is that all?"

"I guess it is..."

"Then no. From what you've told me, you are not in love. Fondness maybe, but not love. I can see that you are a good man...for a human anyway so I won't kill you or your friend. Do you want me to escort you out, or do you think you know the way?"

My blood chilled with every word she spoke. I'd failed... Oh God, Rei, I'm so sorry, I failed you again. My face screwed up and a lump formed in my throat. By sheer willpower, I stopped the tears. Rei, what will I do without you? Suddenly I found the hope I'd held slipping away to despair. Now, she really would be gone, forever. Images of her flashed before my eyes. Rei, looking at the ground and swearing loyalty to me. Rei, smiling and, for the first time, looking me in the eye, but shyly. Rei, eyes focused on a group of children, looking so vulnerable, so sad. And lastly, Rei, peaceful and staring up at me, pain forgotten, life fading...

"No, I will not leave unless it's with Rei," I stated, determination flowing through my veins. I glared at Chond defiantly, knowing she could strike me dead with a whim if she wanted. I didn't care at all, any fear this woman had ever stirred in me had vanished.

"For that remark I should kill you," she said bluntly,"But unfortunately you've shown me that your heart is true in this matter. This way, if you please." The woman snapped her fingers and Rafa appeared right beside me, she looked shaken. "What's wrong," I asked her, her face was extremely pale. She looked away and said, "I didn't know that you felt that way about her, she paused for a second, before forcing a smile, "I guess I'm a little out of my league, aren't I?" Her eyes were glistening. "I...I'm sorry that you're hurt, but...," I stopped, lacking anything else to say. Rafa nodded and absently wiped her eyes. "It's okay, I'll get over it," she said.

That taken care of, I turned to Chond. "I thought you said she couldn't see or hear me either," I asked her, wondering about the motives behind the action. Chond grinned slyly, the first facial expression she'd shown since we'd met her. "Did I? Hmm, I guess I lied. Though I only think it fair that she know that the man she'd been chasing is taken, don't you agree," She asked, her grin disappearing as suddenly as it'd come. Grudgingly, I had to admit she was probably right.

"So is that it? Am I done," I inquired, the adrenaline from earlier giving way to exhaustion. The Sindarian woman shook her head. "Not yet. There still is the third test to consider, it will be the hard part," she stopped momentarily, more for theatrics than for anything else,"You must travel to the domain of Death and bargain with him for her life. The normal deal for such a favor is a life for a life. I warn you now so you have the luxury of a decision. What will it be?"

"I'm going in," I stated, any reservations I'd had about death evaporating on the instant. Chond nodded. "I must say, human. It takes much courage to give one's life for another. In the eye's of the Sindar, I judge you worthy of our attention. To get where you're headed, proceed through that door and through the gate beyond. If you change your mind, return here, no one will think the less of you," she said, a tone of respect edging into her normally inflectionless voice. "Ok, Rafa, go back to the others. Tell them to wait for nightfall, if Rei isn't there by then, then everyone can leave. And, either way, good luck with life," I said quietly. That done, I turned slowly walked where I had been instructed. Needless to say, the room was a carbon copy of the rest, except for the portal. I found myself staring into a pure black void.

Bowing my head, I prayed to every God or Goddess I knew, asking them to lend me the strength to do what needed to be done. Calmly, I strode to the gate and stepped into it. It seemed like forever that I fell, floating down slowly along a predestined path. I don't know if it makes much sense, but the abyss was not a place devoid of everything, it was a place of nothing. How long it took, I'm not sure, but the darkness opened into a flourishing garden. The garden was empty except for me. "HELLO? I DIDN'T KNOW ANYONE WAS SCHEDULED FOR TODAY. MAY I ASK WHAT YOUR NAME IS," someone behind me asked, their voice having an odd coldness to it. Turning to face the speaker, I wasn't disappointed at all. The figure towered over me, a giant scythe held in one hand and a clipboard in the other. He was grinning, well, a skull can't exactly look otherwise, but he seemed positively jolly.

"Um, name's Amada Numori, I came here to talk to you...sir," I muttered, my courage stalling for a second. "OH, ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE YOU? IT SEEMS LIKE THE ONLY REASON PEOPLE VISIT NOWADAYS IS WHEN THEY WANT SOMETHING. NOT LIKE THE GOOD OL' DAYS, NOPE NOT AT ALL, BACK THEN, PEOPLE WOULD DROP BY JUST TO SAY 'HELLO' AND 'GOOD DAY'. THE YOUTH TODAY...I BLAME SOCIETY? SORRY ABOUT THAT, WHEN YOU'RE ALONE AS MUCH AS I, YOU LEARN TO RAMBLE. WHAT IS IT YOU WANTED?"

"Uh, well, er, I came here to trade my life for a woman named Rei Shosawa, she died about a month ago. And just for clarification, she has a nigh identical twin named Meia, but she's got a scar on her neck, she died on the same day as Rei. Um, I hope that helps," I replied, everything pouring out at once.

"IS THAT ALL YOU NEEDED? ALRIGHT, I'LL DO IT. BY THE WAY, THIS MEIA PERSON, SHE'S NOT DEAD, SHE WAS SLATED TO DIE THAT DAY, BUT THINGS GOT KIND OF HECTIC WHAT WITH ALL THE VILLAGE BURNINGS LATELY."

"What?! She's alive! So what do you do now? Just kill her off any old time you want?"

"THAT'S A RATHER INDELICATE WAY OF PUTTING IT, BUT THAT'S THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT. HOWEVER, WITH THE WAR THAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN SOON, I DON'T THINK I'LL BE ABLE TO GET AROUND TO IT FOR QUITE A BIT. ANYWAYS, BACK TO THIS FAVOR..."

"War?! What are you talking about?! You mean between Jowston and Highland," I blurted, very much shocked by the news, well, soon to be news.

"DIDN'T YOUR MOTHER EVER TELL YOU INTERRUPTING PEOPLE WAS RUDE? HOW ABOUT THIS, YOU SEEM TO BE A BRIGHT YOUNG MAN, AND FROM WHAT MY FRIEND'S TELL ME, YOU'RE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS WAR THAT SOON WILL BEGIN, I'LL LET THIS REI AND YOU GO BACK TO THE SIDE OF THE LIVING AND...WHAT THE HECK, YOU CAN GROW OLD TOGETHER. HOW'S THAT FOR A DEAL?"

Hearing those words, all thoughts of the war evaporated. "You'll let both of us go? How can I thank you," I replied, each surprise hitting me one right after another. I'd play a part in the upcoming war? How would that happen? I shot back to the present, those were thoughts for another day. "Where's Rei?"

"KEEP YOUR SHORTS ON, FRIEND, I'M NOT TOTALLY GENEROUS IN THIS OFFER. I ASK ONLY ONE THING. YOU SEE, IT GETS KIND OF LONELY DOWN HERE AND IN RETURN FOR THIS RELEASE FROM DEATH, I SHALL BE ABLE TO VISIT YOU WHENEVER I SEE FIT. YOU KNOW, TO HANG OUT."

"That's it? No problem, man. My home is your home, whenever you want, just give me a little warning," I said, ecstatic with getting off without dying.

"OF COURSE, WELL, HERE SHE IS," Death said amiably. Behind me, I heard the most beautiful voice I ever could hear, "Amada, is that you?" I spun around to see Rei, just like she'd always been, more beautiful than all the world and twice as important. I grinned with pure joy, not able to restrain the tears. "Rei," I whispered, crushing her to me and sobbing happily. She smiled at me, the light illuminating everything about her that I adored. "I knew you'd come for me," Rei said, kissing me deeply. Now, I know this will sound odd, a tough, handsome guy like me, but I'd never kissed a woman before. All the women I'd wanted to kiss, I'd been too nervous to. The ones I didn't, well, I didn't. I'd always thought that if a woman put the moves on me that I would've backed off. As usual, I was wrong again, but happily wrong.

I gave as good as I got, feeling like everything was coming together now, that things would be perfect from now on. "UMHMPH," Death cleared his throat loudly, "PERHAPS YOU'D LIKE TO RETURN TO THE WORLD OF THE LIVING?" We nodded and then we were back with the others.

"Let's go home," I smiled. So did Rei.

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"Amada" and "Suikoden 2" are (C) Konami. This chapter was posted before May 14, 2000