Author's note:

This is my first attempt at a Fan Fic. Breath of Fire was always one of my fave games and Rand my favorite character. He's Awesome Baby! I apologize to purists who might pick up on the fact I can't seem to spell Numamba's name correctly. I just am not sure if its Numanda, or Numanba, or Numamba. The first and third sound more correct than the second and so I just went with the first that came out of my wordprocessor.

Rand looked at the grave of his mother for the longest time, his friends stood by his side and held their heads in mourning.

"Daisy, may not have been the easiest woman to get along with," Numamba's Monk said with a rueful smile on his face, "However she was always one of Numamba's greatest supporters. The great God Numamba watches over the souls of his faithful. Hers shall be a rich reward."

Rand's powerful hands clenched and unclenched, he had no stomach for the talk of religion anymore. He hated all the so called Gods and their self serving desires. He kept his hatred in check out of respect for his mother's wishes. After everyone had gone, however, the rage bubbled to the surface.

"Damn you Numamba!!!" He roared as his great fists crashed into the hardwood tree in his path, the tree moaned in protest, "Damn the Dragon God! Damn Detheven, Tyr, and all the petty supernatural monsters preying on the faithfull and bullying the weak!" The tree had long since given up and fell before his wrath, splinters of wood flew in every direction as the powerful Hero continued to pummel it.

"That's a nasty blow you got there man." Said a deep, powerful voice behind him.

"Wadda ya want stranger." Rand huffed. He turned to see one of his clansmen in the robes of Numamba.

"Nothing, really." The stranger said. He looked intently at the large man who had helped save the world from Detheven. "I'm sorry but I couldn't help but overhear your rage at the Gods of our peoples."

"They aren't Gods, they're just useless bullies."

"Now I can't believe that. What about all the good that has been done in their names?"

"Good? You call almost destroying the planet good?"

"Numamba did not threaten the world, and a scion of the Dragon God saved it."

"So? Where was Numamba when we were fighting Detheven? Where was he when my mother gave her life to save us. Why didn't he protect her then?"

"I am truly sorry about Daisy," The Monk said, lowering his head. "I Only wish there had been something I could do."

"You weren't there, so don't let it bother you. You were probably training." The last word dripped with venom. Rand turned away from the monk and began to walk away.

He felt a strong hand on his shoulder.

"I'm gonna give you three seconds to remove that hand Monk, then I'll remove it for you."

"We need to talk." The Monk said evenly.

Rand turned towards the monk and shoved him away, "I've nothing to say to you or any of your ilk, sir."

The monk reached for him again and Rand swept his arm away and threw a thunderous hook, catching the monk and sending him staggering backwards. Then he advanced, the monk was a representative of the Gods Rand hated and suddenly, he felt the need to punish this man for the crimes he believed the Gods guilty.

"Why did my mother need to Die!" He roared and smashed his fist into the monk's gut, the priest grunted but did not move. He didn't defend himself or counter attack. He just stood his ground. Rand kept striking him, his fury building as he screamed his curses. "Why did we need to suffer! Can't the Gods play their games without us?" He rained down blow after powerful blow, dust kicked up around the two men as the one sided battle slowly began to ebb. Rand realized that he was attacking a living being, and one that wasn't fighting back at that.

"I am sorry about your mother and what you had to go through, however, the Gods are not all evil and self absorbed. Numamba did not act against Detheven because he had been weakened, like the Dragon God. He was saving his power, trying to defend his faithful while still providing fertility to the earth that had been ravaged by Detheven's corrupting touch."

"Even so, he could have sent a champion, someone to aid the fight."

"He did," The monk said as he wiped blood from his mouth. "He sent you."

Rand did not reply. He looked closely at the monk in front of him. He had struck him with blows that had felled demons, yet the monk seemed little damaged from the experience. His eyes widened. His mouth dropped open.

"How do you know he sent me?" Rand said at length, his voice anxious, even hesitant.

"You were long a favorite, Rand. There was much more to your life than working on your mother's farm. She new that."

"Who are you?"

"A friend."

The monk smiled and wrapped a huge arm around the Hero's shoulders, "Come chosen of Numamba, we need to drink a toast to those who we love and have loved."

The Chosen of Numamba looked into the eyes of the monk and saw the spirit of the earth itself.

"Take good care of my mother for me." He whispered.

"I will. I'm sure she will take good care of me too." The God giggled.

They walked towards the village of Farmtown. The sun rose and the Dragon God smiled down at his brother and his children.

<END>