Final Fantasy Tactics: Another Story
Chapter Two, Part One
-=Serra and Hyrina had been traveling for a good 10 months by this time with no sign of Kasios. It just so happened that today, on a job to take out some rebels that he would show up. He had gotten alot stronger and had also improved his weapon. The large Cross was now entirely black metal and in twisting rose and thorn shapes. Only a rosewood handle was safe to be touched. He stood atop a stone fortress in all green, as if he were a member of the Death Corps. When he caught sight of Serra they immediately went into their rivalry. Alot of times best friends made the best of opponents. Gabriel was now fighting as a Samurai. He brandished a Masamune and wore black Genji armor. He was the first to attack the place but was held off by a few knights. The yelling from Serra started out as a bunch of archers stepped alongside Kasios atop the fortress.=- "Kasios! You're alive! I suppose after all this time it is my job to change that!"
Hyrina had gotten herself a sword as well. It was a single bladed weapon, with phoenixes etched into the blade. Her blade resembled a Masamune as well, only it was smaller, to suit her size. She was still short, but that didn't matter much. She ran up behind Gabriel and started to attack the knights with him, flowing from move to move, slicing critical points of their bodies. Her sword was dubbed the phoenix blade, and had haste and auto life as an added status. Kara was now a ninja, and she dispatched shurikens in a fury at a white mage.
-=As a rain or arrows pelted the pathway to the Fortress they would hear Kasios laughing. It was like a game to him. Like a god he stood atop the fortress. Lightning struck in the distance and sounded his own attack. He leapt down from the rooftop using his cross as a means of landing. It weighed him down but also supported his frame as he hit the ground. Gabriel immediately burst through the knights thanks to Hyrina's support and was face to face with the former ally. Kasios was obviously kept in great shape and training. He was too strong and fast for Gabriel alone. His cross was used to deflect the Masamune and the Illumina was twirled about in the other hand. He was like a dancer using both weapons in a perfectly balanced kata. While he fended off Gabriel Serra started to charge up a spell. He yelled out again.=- "Kasios you bastard! Selling your blade to Weigraf! How disappointed our Lord would be!"
Hyrina snorted to herself as she sliced another knight's throat clean across, letting the body fall as she ran at a black mage, running him through with her sword. Already she had blood covering her clothes, arms and face, but she didn't care. Some things couldn't be helped. What was really amusing, as she began to laugh madly, was that Serra considered Elmdor their lord still. The man still never gave them any credit. Forget looking after Kasios. His abandonment had taken it's toll, and she considered him just another twisted noble, who abandoned people once they had served their purpose. It sickened her. The only ones she trusted now were Gabriel, Serra and Kara.
-=Kasios was thrown back into a wall by a Fire 2 spell from Serra. He rolled against the wall and just out of the way from having his face slashed in half by Gabriel. The Masamune hit so hard that pieces of the wall flew everywhere and for a moment Kasios was completely stunned. A remaining Knight distracted Gabriel again and used his Ice Brand to keep him busy. An archer talked down from the roof to Kasios.=- "Hey, Alexander, do you know these guys???" -=Kasios laughed again, regaining his balance and looking directly at Serra.=- "No, just some demons from my past. Annoying demons who don't understand a thing!" -=Then he rushed Hyrina, using his cross to prevent her from seeing where the Illumina was held.=-
She turned and threw a punch to his face, kneeing him at the same time as he came at her. She didn't want to kill him, but if he was going to attack her, then he would die. Now she knew for a fact that he was not her friend, and he probably never would be. That was how she was.
-=The extensive training he suffered from the Marquis kept his skills quite updated. Her punch and knee combo barely seemed to affect the Knight Blade. With his Cross he poked at Hyrina. For some reason, she knew he could have easily stabbed her by now, but he did not. He stood between her and Gabriel, using an arm for each of them. The Illumina was deflected by the Masamune but Gabriel was thrown into the air and back about 50 feet from an Ultima spell that the Illumina had added to his attack.=-
She managed to get a knife out and stabbed him in the arm, shoving him backward, doing a backflip and landing her feet right into his jaw. She was not playing games, even if he was. She was angered, and it showed, but one thing that hadn't shown in at least six months, tears down her cheeks as she clenched her teeth and snarled at the man who would have been her first friend in this world aside from the group of rebels who had saved her life.
-=When he was stabbed Kasios realized just how serious things were getting. Archers were preventing Serra from getting close enough to aim his magic. Two of them were taken out though when a Flare tore the rooftop apart. Gabriel lay on the ground trying to shake off the dizziness from the ultimate magic that Illumina held. Kasios used the flat end of his cross to push Hyrina backwards, and as he did so she would fall into a trap door. She would either drop her weapon to hold on or fall 30 feet into the water below the fortress. Either way it gave Kasios time to get out of the small room, and time for three thieves to run in. While he ran to the top of the place he tore the knife from his arm, screaming at the pain and then quickly pouring a potion on the wound.=-
She had chosen the plunge over dropping her weapon. As she fell, she threw one of her knives at him, but it only skimmed his cheek. The splash was great and could be heard for a distance, then blood in the water marked where she had landed. For a time, it was like that. Then a geyser sprung up, with her riding the top of it. She leapt from that place to the fortress, and into a window, shattered glass going everywhere. "Why did you abandon your friends?" She asked calmly, but he was at a distance from her, where she was in the hall he was in the room. "What's the matter, Noble, we don't mean a thing to you? See what I've become? I don't know you. I wish I had never met you." She said, wiping her blade off with her cloak.
-=Kasios was hurt by her words, but would not show it at all. She would feel an arrow land just shy of her knee and barely miss her while the Knight Blade moved higher up the fortress. Serra was close enough to take out the lower level of the place with 'Ice 4' and basically prevent anyone from getting out. Kasios yelled down to him as he started to climb a cargo net toward the highest level of the structure.=- "Serra! Why must you always interfere with things?! I thought if I left you would stay out of the way and go live a commoners life! I don't need friends! Just LEAVE ME ALONE!!!" -=An archer was able to hit Serra directly in the chest. The arrow pierced his 'Robe of Lords' and sent him onto his rear while Gabriel started to charge the building again=-
Hyrina got to the archer just as she saw what had happened to Serra. Instead of a clean cut to the throat, she was angered enough to squeeze her fingers into his jugular and then rip. The archer was dead before he had much pain, which to Hyrina was a pity considering what he had just done. She was upon Kasios again. "So I see that you don't give a rat's ass about your friends. Would you see us all die because we have been looking for you almost a year? Not telling us where you've gone, or even if you were alive or not? You know how much we worried about you?" She grabbed a knight who was sneaking up on her and tossed him off the fortress. He landed on a railing on the way down, breaking his back and then falling into the water.
Kara was next to Serra in a moment, attending his wound with a phoenix down and the X-Potion she had. She hoped it would be enough, for it wasn't time for Serra to die. Not yet.
"Damn it! Stop worrying about me! Can't you see that's why I left in the first place?" -=As soon as it hit the Death Corps that he was really not one of them they turned on Kasios and started to attack him. A 'Jump' was used to take out an Archer below. When he landed he was on the upper level of the fortress. It was high and difficult to get to. It would be dangerous with the archers and confused Death Corps now trying to kill everyone and anything that got close. Serra was healed by Kara and started to wave his 'Dragon Rod' about. A spell was charging up. Hyrina was third in line to get to Kasios. Two thieves and a Knight were already climbing the cargo net towards him. Kasios yelled down again.=- "I don't need you to be involved in this! GO BACK TO LIMBERRY!"
Hyrina started to attack like a mad woman, taking down three more before she saw the other three getting to him. She ran to them and pulled one of the thieves down, dispatching him the same way that she had dispatched the knight a few moments ago. "I don't abandon people, no matter what kind of a lost cause they are. I wish I could say the same for some people. Before you get away I want to know why. You owe it to me. And you owe it more to Serra and Gabriel!" She began to fight the second thief as the two of them both climbed. If one of them lost their grip, they would fall to an untimely death.
-=Serra yelled back up at them.=- "Hyrina!!! Get down!!!!" -=As he said that she noticed that a shadow had taken up the entire sky. It was a 'Jikku Meteor.' The huge rock fell from the sky and basically took the entire top of the fortress off. Kasios fell from there into the water below. It looked like Hyrina would have no answers on this date. He never reappeared in the water... and would not be found. Not until they noticed a blue chocobo on the horizon. But it was impossible to tell if Kasios made it to the ride or if it just ran away from the magic. Either way, his cross spiraled down from the explosion, sticking in the ground by Gabriel as the building started to collapse. Gabriel shouted to Hyrina.=- "Jump down! I'll catch you!"
It had been a long way down, but he had caught her effortlessly. The spell float had helped a little bit, Hyrina casting it on the way down. Otherwise, her weight, though slight as it was, might have broken his arms. She coughed slightly as she looked up at him. Giving him a kiss on his cheek, she climbed down. "The bloody bastard... Hope he broke his fool neck." She stated, and then went over to check them all. She had grabbed the reins of all their chocobos as she walked, a slight limp and a bloody shoulder, but nonetheless okay, as far as she was concerned. "Is everyone alright?" Kara nodded, dabbing at the blood coming from a split in her forehead with some potion.
"You think I got him? Probably on the bottom of the sea with all that armor he was wearing." -=Serra seemed more concerned that everyone was alive than what happened to Kasios. But he knew... something was wrong. The Knight Blade was still a good ten levels up on them and far more experienced. There was no reason why they should have won that battle unless... he was injured going into it or he just underestimated them. No answers... just a difficult battle that nearly killed them all. Gabriel smiled to Hyrina but was still shaken from the Ultima. That spell was a pain in the ass, literally. he hurt all over and still couldn't see straight. Then he said.=- "We should try to find that blade he was using. Something in it really blew me away."
"The legendary spell Ultima. It's what Serra and I have been looking over. It's hard to translate, but we may end up breaking the script soon. Texts as recent as three hundred years ago say that only demons are known to be able to use it in recent times. We plan to be the first." Hyrina took a vial out of her pouch and gave it to Gabriel to drink. It would take the cobwebs out of his head, and act sort of like a painkiller to numb the pain. Kara was working on fussing over Serra. The whole group searched.
-=The painkillers worked, but seemed to replace the dizziness with silliness. Gabriel started giggling and looking for the Illumina in the ruins of the fortress. At least, he found a Kaiser Plate that someone could use. It was a rare shield that was quite powerful for these times. Serra also looked about, but couldn't really find anything with the girls paying so much attention to him. he spoke as the leader at times, but now was as confused as any of them.=- "The more I think about it... he really should have been able to handle us. We were outnumbered and honestly... his weapons and skills are still above our own. yeah, Ultima. It's not the kind of spell you can learn unless you're hit by it. Too bad your magic is so weak Gabriel or we would translate it for you."
Hyrina looked at Serra. "Then again, if we could... You yourself said that he could cast magic, but it'd be weak. What if he cast a weakened version of it on us?" She asked him. Sometimes the two of them got into long discussions about magic and philosophy and many other things. It turns out that Hyrina, though less distracted, was almost as smart as Serra. Hyrina squinted and then walked fast toward an area covered in rubble. She moved a large rock and then pulled up Kasios' cross, showing it to them. "Maybe the Illumina is near, since this landed in this spot?"
-=The cross was extremely heavy and it was surprising that he could even hold it. Yet he swung it and parried it about like it was light as a feather... even could use jump with it. Serra heard her idea out, and knew that it would work. The only problem was that Gabriel was so bad at magic that it would take forever to teach him... much less translate the many many pieces they were yet to work on. He explained.=- "Yeah, that would work out Hyrina. But will we be able to function with our only heavy blade as a weak mage? And... even then it will take a long time for him to learn this spell that already takes a long time to learn. Maybe, you can start training for Geomancer or Lancer so we can stay balanced?"
"I can do that. Kara is a ninja as it is already, but I can do that. I still need to keep my all magic skill, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm already learning some geomancy." She said to him. She realized her shoulder was still bleeding, and used a potion on it. "I did use that water as an elevator earlier." She said. "As for your other suggestion... Maybe he was holding back... But as for me, it was probably to use us again in the future."
"Oh, I did not say that his motives were for our gain. Of course, I see now that everything he does is for his own reasons. You don't think... that we.. forced him away though. Do you?" -=Perhaps Kasios had done more damage with what he said than with his blade. Serra seemed to think that he had a point... and that it would be best to stop looking for his 'friend'. He took the cross from Hyrina and it immediately dropped to the ground. Serra shouted.=- "Damn that thing is heavy! How the hell can anyone use those?"
Hyrina shrugged. "We didn't do anything but cover him in battle, and help him. He left because Elmdor was kidnapped, and didn't even go with us when we found him less than a week later. Not even when it was made public that Elmdor was back did he return. As far as I'm concerned, we're the ones who should have left. I don't know if he was using us, but it seems he was. Why else just leave? If he can't trust us, we can't trust him. As long as he acts that way, we'll have to treat him as an enemy." Hyrina put her phoenix blade away and took out a double edged blade. It would suck getting rid of a sword that had haste and auto life on it, but if she was going to train as a geomancer, she might as well start now. She was already wearing a green goemancer cloak as it was, so that needn't be changed.
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-=The night was breezy and calm at the same time. Outside Limberry were the mercenaries when word of the kidnapping was first released. Serra wore his Robe of Lords and now brandished a Glacier Gun. It was brand new, stolen from a noble and passed to him through a friend. Inside the bar sat Serra and Gabriel, drinking the hard scotch and betting on the roulette wheel. The crowd started to clap as Gabriel took a 35:1 payoff and he bought a round of drinks for everyone.=-
Hyrina was playing cards with Kara at the same time, sitting next to each other at a round table. They could smell the smoke in the air from the many people in the inn who were smoking. Likewise, the faint smell of alcohol hung around with it. The inn wasn't overly rowdy, but it was filled to bursting with mercenaries. Maybe that was why the noise levels weren't as high as one might expect. Some of them talked hushed about jobs they had coming that supposedly no one else knew about. Or maybe it was because of the bad news. Hyrina won her hand and began to shuffle to cards again with one hand as she took a drink from her cup. She was drinking something or other with alcohol in it that tasted like butterscotch. "I wonder what's happening with that kidnapping. Do you have the faintest clue what it's about?" The geomancer asked her partner. Kara, the ninja, merely shrugged.
-=Gabriel returned with a pitcher of ale and set it on the table. Serra brought four frosted mugs and set the beside Gabriel's tower of GP. The sorcerer managed to find two chairs and relaxed beside the women while his brother poured more drinks.=- "It's a tradition that on the one year anniversary we drink together. Hopefully it will bring us good luck and we will find the Princess."
Hyrina set the cards down in a neat stack, took one of the gold coins and began to flip it, alternating between rolling it over her fingers and rolling it between her fingers between tosses. She set her own drink down and then grinned. Kara grabbed a mug as did Hyrina and the two women smiled at Serra. As far as they were concerned, they were a team, unbreakable, with unbendable wills. They were truly friends now.
-=Gabriel was the type to trail off on single person side jobs whenever he could. He was part of the team but remained self-reliant at the same time. Usually he could help with different connections but right now they had nothing. He was removed from the black sheep before the traitor came out... but he had no knowledge that Delita was even involved. Serra drank back his ale in almost two gulps, settling in his chair.=- "Something is telling me to head south... What do you think?"
Hyrina and Kara clinked mugs delicately and then drank. The women of course drank slower, and more feminine than the guys had, but they were good as far as that went. They weren't lightweights, but they didn't drink even near half as often as the men would. Well... Lately they had been drinking for several reasons. Mostly dulling sore muscles and forgetting a day's events long enough for sleep to overcome them. But tonight they were in good humor. "I'd think so too. It'd be a shame to miss, but we're usually right when we get these feelings. Whoever it might be. Too bad I never stopped in to see the Marquis though... Then again, I'm not so sure I want to..." She had liked the Marquis before. But no one snubbed Hyrina. She wouldn't even give him the pleasure of knowing that she might as well rule an entire continent back home, setting her above rank than even he. "So you want to head straight for Lionel? Or Warjilis?"
"I was thinking Goug. That city is rumored to have treasures that we cannot even imagine. A link to the ancient world of the magi." -=There was definitely a forgotten race, but he had no idea just how much there was that was undiscovered. The mage had thought about Lionel as well but figured the church would be the last place a kidnapper would go to.=-
"I've always wanted to see Goug. They say those guns are made there. Or at least found there." She was talking about Serra's new toy of course. But that was the least of her worries. "Maji, huh? Do you think all those mechanical things there had anything to do with the downfall of the Maji?" They had only gotten a few more phrases translated of Ultima. Well, if Maji had been around Goug, maybe they could find more to translate?
-=The spell factor was definitely interesting to Serra and a point for traveling there. It was a long way, but they could make it and look for the princess at the same time. Gabriel finished his ale and took a cigarette from his jacket. It was rough for him, first day as a mage and training for when Ultima is translated.=- "It's worth checking out. I say we do it."
Hyrina nodded. "We can start out in the morning then. Our chocobos are fast, so it shouldn't be as grueling as for others. In any case, it'll be worth it. We can even get Gabriel a little more spell worked while we travel." She grinned at the man. Inside, she devoutly hoped they wouldn't be running into Kasios again. She had found that the thought of him alone made her violent in battle. His presence had been disastrous on her temper.
-=Serra was angry, but had been angrier with Kasios at times. In the end, he would always forgive his friend... but if one of them died before that end there was nothing he could do. He was prepared to face his rival once more. Gabriel blew out some smoke and started to eat some wild berries that were on the table.=-
"In any case, what are we supposed to do the rest of the night?" She asked him. "Besides sleep. We'll need to get good rest if we're going to be traveling."
"Well, I think we should all go out and get on the boat to Goug. Serra would have us go by chocobo or walking but I just don't have the time and money for that." -=Serra wanted to argue but the man did have a point. In all truth the princess would take a long time to find and hot spots would vanish quickly.=-
"We ARE bringing the chocobos on the boat, right?" She asked him. She didn't want to waste nearly a year of training a chocobo for nothing. Two chocobos, in fact.
"Whatever you want to do. I have the funds to buy a new one if I need. I'm impartial." -=He tried not to get attached to the animals because he had to bring them in battle. If the animals died he felt terrible, but even worse if he made friends with it. Serra spoke up and kinda lightened the mood.=- "Well, they can sleep with Gabriel since he's impartial"
Both the women laughed at that and patted Gabriel's arm. "I'd rather take mine and Kara's along. I spent ten months training them, I'd rather not have to start from rock bottom again." She told him, and took a long sip of her ale.
"I want to buy a Mountain chocobo. It would make the trip shorter when we pass the swamps to Lionel. It will also give us better time for securing the area." -=If they only knew just how far the lies went. Even the mercenaries were tools. And if Serra realized it he would not be happy about it. Just another reason for him to hate the nobility that keep she and his friends down.=-
Hyrina nodded. "Well, I hate to see your chocobo go, but if he has to, I guess that's it. The red and black can make it over mountains fine though, so at least the ones I trained are still fine." Hyrina finished the rest of her ale and went back to her other drink for the time being. No use wasting what she already had.
"Well, I'll let him stay for as long as he can keep up. But for riding I want a strong green chocobo. Then again, not much a mage can do in battle." -=He was not a big fan of magic which made it even harder for him to learn. Luckily once he was able to teach the spell to Hyrina and Serra he could change back. Little did they know that Ultima is a Squire ability and he was not a squire when hit so it is impossible for him to ever learn it at all.=-
Hyrina nodded to him, trying to stifle a yawn. "Damn it's early... the last few weeks have caught up with me. I don't know what I need worse. The hanging out and having a good time would lighten my mood, but what good is it without being awake enough to enjoy it?"
"Don't feel restricted by us. You are free to do as you please. We won't take it personally." -=The soldier seemed to be very loyal to his friends nowadays. Perhaps because he was so used to his 'friends' only caring about noble virtues and considering him a tool. At least with them he was part of something, more than just a servant.=-
"Yeah I know that. I just want to have a good time. Oh well. I'm going to get some sleep then." Hyrina stood and kissed all three of her teammates on the cheek, then headed upstairs to the inn, whistling to herself.
Kara looked at the two men. "It's good of you two to be such good friends. I don't think either of us have known people as nice as you in a long time. You don't mean to turn if the situation looks bleak, do you?"
"Who knows what will happen. We really have no impact on the future at all." -=Or so it seemed. But the past was not always remembered for what really took place. Kasios in a way was building a chain of events that would make them all legends in Ivalice. their grudge just might have an impact on the future. Serra drank the last of the ale and shrugged. Gabriel finished.=- "But whatever it is, at least we can make money."
"So you would turn on us if the situation looked better, even for a second?" Kara asked, cocking an eyebrow. She really didn't understand men sometimes. Perhaps it would have been better if she never asked, but she had to know.
"Why would we turn on you?" -=Gabriel suddenly felt as if he had done something to make her think he was a traitor. He sat forward in the chair assertively and put his cigarette out in the ash tray. Serra just decided Hyrina had the right idea and decided to make it a night as well. So much for leaving tonight, it ended up being just her and gabriel=-
"I don't. I was thinking about Kasios. I only knew him a day... But it kind of got to me. Hyrina knew him a little longer, and she had trusted him." Kara laid her hand on his. "I trust you, Gabriel. If you were to turn, you probably would have done so by now." She gave him a smile. "I just want to protect her. I apologize if I sounded rude and untrusting."
"It's not that. Just kinda stressed from not working for a while. I like to get things done and not waste time. Perhaps that's why I prefer solo work." -=That and he was the perfect solo guard. A well balanced Knight with excellent attributes for deflecting attacks and defending.=-
"Well, I'd say go and do some more solo work, but that doesn't do much on a boat to Goug... Then again, we could always meet you there." She shrugged. "But then you'd be late in arriving?"
"I don't want to go off or anything. I'm working with Serra for a while. We're brothers." -=The soldier moved back in his chair, counting his GP and putting them into a pouch. It looked like he was going to be the last to go to bed.=-
"Well, maybe we can figure something out." She told the man and gave him a reassuring squeeze on the arm. "We'll at least do something stimulating in the meantime. Once I figure out what that is." She stood up. "Until then, I suppose I'll turn in for the night too. I'll see you in the morning, okay?"
"Yeah, goodnight." -=Gabriel never seemed to fit in with anyone. He was too arrogant and caught up in training to ever get to know someone. It was as if he was always too busy to make time for his social life. He went off to bed, leaving a few berries on the table and a coin for the person who decided t o clean up the mess.=-
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-=Goug. It was a dreary place, filled with criminals and poor commoners. It was a working Port City. On top of that, now it was getting attention from the church AND bounty hunters. It seemed like every city they went to was a 'hot spot' for finding the princess. Of course, they would have no such luck in that. Outside a coffee shop in Goug they brought glass pipes with your coffee. Gabriel and Serra were smoking on it and drinking hot coffee under the mid-evening sky. Across from their table was Vormav and Balk. Gabriel recognized Vormav from his days with the Black Sheep Knights. He was never revealed to be a member of the Shrine Knights... but now he was. Maybe it was the drugs.=-
Hyrina was just stitching up some worn traveling clothes. By the time she was actually done with them, they looked as good as new of course. She has finished that an hour ago on the way in though... Now she was embroidering some stars and things on it in silver thread. She was watching the two Shrine Knights out of the corner of her eye.
-=Since the ladies were not smoking Serra decided to be a gentleman and put his pipe out. Gabriel however, stuffed his with new magical herbs. He stepped away from the table with his back to the Knights, so that they would not recognize him. (not like the would, he was just a soldier then) That left the three, to listen in on what the nobles were saying. Something about the Princess! But Serra could not make out just what it was from there.=
"And you're confident in the Church's 'plans', Vormav?" Balk was asking the other Shrine Knight. Both of them knew about the plot by Funeral to revive the Zodiac Braves. Actually, Balk knew that Vormav was one of them. Hyrina didn't look up, pretending she wasn't listening. However, since her senses were actually more than a normal person's, she could hear the murmurs quite clearly.
-=Serra started to get frustrated... but could tell that Hyrina was catching some of it. Therefore he remained quiet, casting a 'faith' spell on her to make her chances of finding out information even more reliable. He played with apiece of his hair and grinned. The glass pipe was placed in his pocket so that he could use it later on. He turned to see Gabriel out smoking by the water...=-
-=Vormav spoke back to Balk, completely sure there was no one here important to hear. He seemed to have no fear of nobles and considered this bar safe.=- "Listen, the plans with the Princess are unfolding as we sit here. It's all up to Delita and the Cardinal at this point. I'm completely confident."
Hyrina didn't move an inch, she just kept embroidering her stars into her cloak. If she showed any sign of listening or shock, she would be a dead giveaway. She knew Vormav's type... he was a sharp one indeed, and one that she didn't want to cross. Hell, she wasn't sure she felt safe in the same room with him.
"Well, I'd rather not see it in the hands of someone with not even half the experience of any of us. Even your son Izlude would have been a better choice than an outsider." Balk knew Vormav had been a kind man at one point. He had recently taken a turn in that for some reason he didn't know. He wasn't sure how Vormav felt for the boy Izlude anymore either. But Izlude WAS one of them. And so was Meliadoul.
"My son is not suitable for this mission. Besides, a young soldier with the blade of the Marquis is training him right now. After I saw what he could do with a Cross I knew he was the one to train Izlude. Delita on the other hand... thinks he's slick. We'll use him as long as needed." -=There would be some degree of difficulty in using Izlude for something that required so much knowledge of the war that had not even started.=-
-=Serra heard something about a Knight Blade. He tried not to act like he was noticing anything but... it was just too tempting. He turned to the knights and luckily they did not spot him. He looked into his palms when turning back to the table. He kinda looked like a very tired playboy that had taken two ladies out at once.=-
"You mean that guy..." Balk said, and lowered his voice. "Is he really that good?"
Hyrina kept her calm, though inside she really wanted to throw something. She knew it was Kasios they were talking about, and despite him not killing them when he had the chance, his betrayal really got under her skin. Of course he would be involved in something shady. It seemed he was always ruining their plans.
"Yeah, I know it. He might as well be an Arc Knight. All the men in his family end up becoming drifters and turning from their lineage. His brother Beowulf is the same way. Kasios... He can use a Cross like it's a dagger... and when he jumps with it it's twice as powerful as even a spear." -=Vormav was certain that no one here would know anything about Kasios.=- "He's strong... but we can't call him by his name. It seems he is trying to escape his past. Well, as long as he's on our side he can live. Besides I have plenty of collateral. Not like someone with that ability would work for free you know." -=Vormav laughed at the pleasant situation and how stupid the nobles were to not see his plot. Serra had definitely heard the name Kasios... seemed to get angry just as it was mentioned. But he stayed quiet and calm.=-
Hyrina couldn't help but want to laugh at the fact that Vormav thought that someone who didn't even trust his own friends would stay long with anyone. She had seen him leave the Death Corps... yet, it was partly her fault. But he deserved it.
"Collateral? You have something on him then?" Balk was asking, still trying to act inconspicuous while at the same time whispering.
"Yeah... It all started about a year ago. His sister serves at the Holy Place as a Priest. Once I found out she was related to him it was a piece of cake to get him on our side. You know, so he has motivation. If he behaves, his sister can keep her rank. And her life. Maybe." -=Vormav laughed again, taking a long drink and then looking back at Balk.=- "Anyways, you ready to leave this slum? "We have a meeting with Rudvich of the Bart Company and the Cardinal in a few hours."
"Right." Balk said, getting up and leaving the inn with Vormav.
Hyrina threw her embroidery down into her lap and began to grumble under her breath. "I'll tell you in private what I learned. In detail. In our room, when Gabriel gets back."
"Yeah... I hope you found out where he is. I can't wait to get revenge for the insult at the Thieves Fort." -=He had no idea of what was going on. But when Kasios was part of it he knew there was no good to come from it all. It was like a bad dream that went on forever. Two beats, like a song in counterance with each other. Sometimes friends, sometimes enemies. He stepped up and signaled for Gabriel to come back, he was equally anxious to hear the story.=-
The four went to their room, they would only share one room here in Goug, partly because the women weren't keen on being too split up, partly because there was little available in any case. Once they were sure that everything was taken care of, with a simple spell by Hyrina to make sure the room was soundproof, Hyrina began to pace while telling every last word the two had said. She left nothing out, for even the most unimportant sounding fact could be critical. Once she was done, she stopped, but looked as if she wanted to pace still.
"His sister... at the Holy Place? That doesn't explain why he was with the Death Corps. Then again... with those Shrine Knights you never know the reasoning." -=He was thinking about trying to sneak in there and get her out. But was that really what was best? TO have her living in danger and fear? It was not his place to interfere... and of course, no love lost for Kasios. Gabriel started to stand against the wall, giving his side.=- "I'm not overly impressed by that story. Kasios is strong enough to protect himself and all of us... but maybe that's why he had been missing for so long? Didn't Vormav say it had been about a year since he found out about her?"
"Kasios is strong, but I don't need his protection." Hyrina said. "Well, if he is looking for his sister, it would be an okay excuse for wanting to find her, but why the hell not tell any of us about it? Does he think we'll screw up that much?"
"Truth be told, we're all screwups. We wouldn't have all met each other if we hadn't made mistakes in the past." -=Serra started by saying that. It made a little sense to Gabriel. So he finished off the point by stating.=- "Well, Serra does have a point. No one becomes a bounty hunter because they enjoy making people suffer." -=Which is really what they did. Mostly just cleaning up people who could not pay taxes and had become thieves or rebels.=-
"Actually, I just stayed to find Kasios... And Kara stayed because of me. We COULD just go back to our home worlds... But what good would abandoning our friends be?" Hyrina asked, looking out the window. "But the main question for now is... Do we go after Rudvich or the Cardinal? Or the Shrine Knights?"
-=Serra knew that answer easily. The first person he was after was not Rudvich, the Cardinal, nor the Shrine Knights. It was not even Kasios. It was the princess and that high bounty. Of course, without going after one of them he would have nothing to do. So he answered as best he could.=- "Gabriel goes with me, and I'm going for the Cardinal. You girls in? I'll even start splitting the money 50-50"
Hyrina and Kara exchanged glances. By the way they were worked out, they were already basically getting that much. It was a joke of course, but on the whole, the girls only spent money on what they needed, unless the whole group was partying. It was a way of making sure you had funds left over incase you fell on hard times and had no means to get food. "I mean, we've got to get the princess, but any of those three could lead us to her."
-=Gabriel was now standing against the balcony window. He took out his glass pipe and started smoking on the remained of his magical herbs.=- "No one minds if I smoke in here right? I can step outside if it's a bother." -=It wasn't like tobacco smoke at all. It actually made you feel relaxed and smelled like fresh flowers rather than burning tar. He blew a smoke ring in the shape of a heart, which eventually faded into the wind.=-
"Not a big deal." Kara said, and took out one of her knives and a whetstone, sharpening it. Hyrina was still pacing, thinking to herself.
"Well, I want to stick with you to the bitter end..." Hyrina said. "Of course I'm in."
"And I'm sticking with Hyrina." Kara added.
"So it's agreed. We will go to Lionel and see the Cardinal. If my guess is right, it will lead up right to the princess." -=Little did they know that the church and it's Shrine Knights were using her to plot a war and take complete control. It was like two different stories being told at once. One of a manipulator and the one of the party... who would be the subservient.=-
"Right. We start out in the morning, at first dawn. Maybe we can find something of use on the way there."
