Disclaimer: El Hazard is the copyright of AIC and Pioneer LDC.  The author owns only 
the writing.

Chapter 8: Roshtaria

Back at the castle Miz approached Shayla-Shayla in the court yard. "How did the training 
go?" she asked implying the obvious.

"Humph, I'll have you know he is a serious student. He might not be as powerful as a real 
Priestess, he is pretty creative in the use of our powers. He handles them with a certain 
flaire and finesse the Academy has never seen." her voice was tinted with respect and 
attraction.

She was right. Above both of them Hiashi was concentrating on a new trick. Warping 
tight bands of elemental flame around his body, he managed to shape it into a suit of 
armor which looked like a cross between a comic book superhero and a mecha. Red and 
blue streams flowed over its surface. While it didn't maintain a constant color, the shape 
was sharp and looked as solid as a wall. A gun of fire formed in his hands. Glancing at a 
row of targets at the archery range, he shot a rapid series of firebolts. Each one left a 
smoking mark in a bull's eye. Unfortunately, the hay supporting the targets was drier than 
expected and more than one caught on fire. Miz activated her powers and was about to 
put the fire out when Hiashi's flame gun shot a continuous stream of cold water, ending 
the problem before it could get worse. "Like I said, an excellent student." Shayla 
commented.

Annoyed, Miz called out to Hiashi, "Hey! Be more careful! What if I wasn't here?"

Hiashi landed and dispelled his armor, "Then I wouldn't have done it in the first place." 
he said with a smirk.

This only annoyed her further, "Don't let those powers go to your head. Remember, 
unless one of us is close by then you're helpless."

"Believe me, I know." he said rubbing his shoulder.

"I ahhh got too far ahead on the way back and he kind of...." Shayla started as she 
fidgeted.

"Did a swan dive into a sand dune. I still think I got sand in my underwear." he finished.

Riho was sitting next to Shayla and said, "Why no bring Riho? Riho want come. 'Ashi no 
like Riho?"

Hiashi picked the cat up and began petting it. "Sorry, I didn't think I'd need your 
protection. I don't want you to feel like you have to always have to be there protect me 24 
hours a day."

"It's my job." Riho said quickly rubbing up against Hiashi's scratching hand.

Miz's expression softened a bit. "Everyone is in the Royal Hall explaining what has 
happened to the princesses."

Fuji and the others had finished their report as Miz, Shayla, and Hiashi entered. Fatora 
gave Hiashi and Riho an evil look. Hiashi tried to return the look while Riho sought 
safety between Hiashi's feet. Rune stood, "Clearly Kazusa must be stopped at all cost. 
Any elemental Lamp must be kept out of evil hands. Miz Fujisawa, Shayla-Shayla you 
know what this may mean." The two priestesses nodded solemnly. "Makoto Mizuhara," 
she continued, "Your intelligence has been a great asset to El-Hazard. Your thoughts."

"Well...I don't think the Lamp was completely lost." he started.

"Makoto, you are not implying the Grand Priestess was wrong are you?" Miz asked in 
shock.

"Not wrong, just mistaken. With all the search efforts by representatives of the 
Priesthood, I find it hard to believe not one of them was successful. Kazusa and his 
successor weren't the only ones who knew Rock magic."

"But Kazusa put a cloaking spell around the Lamp to keep others from finding it." Miz 
countered.

"People like him tend to be overconfident. Even with that spell, someone else had to have 
found it and I have an idea who." Makoto said opening an ancient text. Referring to a 
picture of a group of adventurers he said, "They called themselves Izeria's Heroes. As a 
group or individually they were famous for doing good deeds in those days. Not much 
has survived. Most of it was contained in some of the books we brought over from the 
library. They seem to be very powerful and skilled. Their search for the Lamp seems to 
be their only failure. Details on this adventure were intentionally omitted in favor of their 
other exploits."

"Go on." Rune prompted.

"I believe Izeria's Heroes were successful in finding the Lamp. But for some reason 
decided to keep it's discovery a secret. Perhaps they feared corruption in the Priesthood or 
that the Lamp was too dangerous to be uncovered. So for the greater good, they moved 
the lamp somewhere else. Someplace they were sure it would be safe."

"Hey, I remember them from a tutor. They were pretty independent. Didn't answer to 
nobody like mercenaries." Fatora interjected.

Everyone looked at her in surprise. She looked offended at their shock, "I know stuff 
too!" she said defending herself.

"So, Makoto, what makes you think they found it?" asked Shayla.

"Their quest for the Lamp ended suddenly after a search of a cave to the south. After that, 
they temporarily disbanded. The group's elemental mage vanished for several weeks. 
When he returned, they reunited and continued looking for the Lamp. But from these 
records, it would appear they did it half-heartedly, without the passion and drive they 
usually show. They were also the first to suggest the Lamp was permanently lost and all 
efforts should be abandoned."

"Sounds like a coverup to me." Fuji commented.

"Exactly! Back then their word was unquestioned. The Lamp was considered lost until it 
was virtually forgotten about. By that time Izeria's Heroes were long dead and the stuff of 
legends. I suspect there is a clue to the Lamp's location in their tomb."

"So where's the tomb?" Nanami asked.

"Details are sketchy and were written thousands of years ago, but they seem to point to a 
cave under the forests east of here."

Hiashi gasped, "That's where I landed and I think Jinnai said something about looking for 
something in that area."

"Then that's the spot we should check out first."

A guard ran into the throne room. Londs asked what was wrong. "Priestess Afura has 
attacked the Shrine of Wind. Everyone has been driven away and the whole thing is 
surrounded by an enormous whirlwind!"

"Dear gods."

"Miz, Shayla, can you think of any reason Kazusa would go there?"

"Maybe he's after her library, looking for a clue." Shayla said.

"We'll figure it out later. Now let's move." Fujisawa said already running towards the 
hanger.