Written by BHart
December 26, 2007

click for map

Act LXXVI
The Secret Order of Alexandria

The sailor senshi got up, ready to fight.

"Don't move or else I'll kill your mithran friend here," said the figure standing behind Feral Heart.

"If you're here to steal my wares, you're out of luck, I already sold most of them," said Feral Heart.

"Steal your goods? Are you joking? I'm here to take back what you grave robbers stole," replied the figure hidden in the fog.

"We didn't steal anything from any graves," replied Rie.

"You lie. You're just trying to trick me," replied the figure.

"Check our belongings to make sure," challenged Feral Heart.

A female hume stepped forward, looking through their belongings while holding a blade to Feral Heart. Her hair color was a silvery gray. "I apologize. I thought you were the ones who have been stealing buried merchandise from King Ranperre's tomb. There have been many people caught stealing from that area, and many of them come to this forest to hide from justice."

"That's understandable. What's your name?" asked Kousagi.

"I am Aurora." Her sword was shaped like a crescent moon.

"What are you doing here?" asked Aurora.

Feral Heart explained.

"I see. May I ask who you're looking for in this forest?" asked Aurora.

"I'm looking for someone named Vasteel," answered Feral Heart.

"She was here recently. Like all rangers-thieves, she's hard to find; especially in a forested area."

"I know. We could be wandering around for days until we find her."

"Actually, there is a faster way of finding her. Instead of looking for her, have her come to you," suggested Aurora.

"How do we do that?" asked Nami.

Aurora grabbed an axe she was carrying on her back. "She'll come running in our direction when she hears me chopping away at a tree. She's an environmentalist tree hugger who patrols this area."

The chopping sound echoed throughout the forest. "This could also draw unwanted attention to us," worried Kousagi.

They heard footsteps running through the forest, trampling the grass and leaves on the semi damp ground.

"Are you sure this will work?" asked Feral Heart.

A dagger flew through the air, striking the bark of the tree Aurora was chopping. "It worked," replied Aurora.

There was a female hume wearing a metallic breast plate, metal boots and skirt. She dismounted off a black forest tiger. "What do you think you're doing to that tree? There are penalties for such actions," warned the woman.

She recognized Aurora. "Aurora? Is that you? You know better than to disrupt the fragile ecosystem."

"I know. I had to get your attention somehow. You're almost impossible to find in forests. I was helping these people find you."

"Vasteel, it's been a while," said Feral Heart, walking up to her.

"What an exciting time, the reuniting of the sailor senshi," said Vasteel.

Kousagi noticed that Vasteel had a small, triangular shape on her right arm. "You're a part of the hunter clan? Like Huntress?"

"Yes, I am. We became hunters together."

"Next time, try something less destructive to the environment to get my attention."

"I'll try to remember that," replied Aurora.

"Shall we be going?" asked Vasteel.

"It's getting too dark. We won't be able to see where we're going. We should wait until tomorrow morning," suggested Feral Heart.

"I guess I've grown so accustomed to night life in the forest that the dark doesn't affect my vision much."

"I can help you see in the night with my moonblade," offered Aurora. The sword emitted a brilliant, soft light.

"I don't know if we'll be able to catch up with you and your forest tiger," said Feral Heart.

"I'll walk alongside my pet and you with your chocobos."

"Your tiger isn't going to eat our chocobos is it?" asked Rie, worriedly.

"No, I've raised this guy since he was a little cub. He feeds off of fish and berries."

They followed Vasteel through the forest, with Aurora lighting the way.

They headed east, towards the outpost. "Turn off your moon light blade until we get past this outpost," said Feral Heart.

"There's no need to worry. My woodland friends and I have taken out the council cronies here," assured Vasteel.

They headed north east, finding themselves in Spore Hollow. "I need to get some poison from the funguars here. I use it on my daggers," said Vasteel.

"Need any help?" asked Rie.

"I only need to find one. It will give me enough poison for the time being. It takes a lot of practice extracting poison from the jugner funguars."

Everyone else waited while Vasteel was out hunting funguars. "It shouldn't take her very long. There are funguars everywhere in this area," assured Aurora.

Feral Heart heard something walking on dry leaves on the ground. "Something's coming."

They were surrounded by a pack of scavenging hounds. "We've got company," said Feral Heart.

"They probably picked up on our chocobos' scent," said Aurora.

"I can get rid of them with my ground fire," said Rie.

"No, don't do that! It could cause a forest fire. I'll take care of them," offered Vasteel.

"Make sure the chocobos are safe," said Aurora.

"Don't breathe through your noses for a while; the breath and gas of these creatures will make you nauseous," warned Vasteel.

Vasteel moved around the pack with great agility and ease, taking them out one at a time with her daggers.

Aurora attacked them with her moon blade, using her crescent slash technique and full moon ability; cutting them up and engulfing them with the burning power of a yellow moon.

Vasteel's pet tiger fought against the hounds.

"Are the chocobos alright?" asked Vasteel.

"They're a little scared, but they'll be fine," replied Mia.

"I got what I need, we can go now," informed Vasteel.

Aurora walked with them to the edge of the forest. "It was nice meeting you. I should head back to King Ranperre's tomb and stop any would be grave robbers," said Aurora.

"Thank you for your help," said Feral Heart.

They arrived at Batallia Downs. They followed Vasteel to a place behind some large boulders and dead trees.

"Places that are close to Jeuno are dangerous since Jeuno is a major stronghold of the council," warned Vasteel. She stood upon a rock, looking around.

"What are you doing? Shouldn't we be on our way while it's dark?" asked Feral Heart.

"I'm checking out the area by performing a wide scan. I'll be able to sense any nearby people, creatures and landmarks."

After she was done, they followed her lead, sneaking past people and creatures in the darkness of the night. They arrived at a small hill near the north east corner of Batallia Downs. She kneeled down, cutting away at some of the sod.

"What are you doing?" asked Kousagi.

"There's something I've got to do while I'm here." She lifted up part of the sod, revealing a small staircase leading 6 feet underground.

They were in a large, empty room about 5 feet wide and 12 feet long. "Is this an empty tomb?" asked Nami.

Vasteel pulled out a gnarled stick from her purse-like bag. She drew a symbol on the wall with the stick.

"This is a magical branch from an aged arbor," explained Vasteel. Vasteel touched the symbol on the wall, allowing her hand to go right through it.

"Follow me," said Vasteel, walking through the wall.

They found themselves in a crypt. There was a man there dressed in chain mail armor. "Hi Vasteel. I see you brought some friends with you. Do you need help with something?"

"Yes, I do need help with something, Allen. It's time to call upon the aid of the Alexandrian secret force."

"Dark days are plaguing this world if it is time to unite them." He walked to the center of the room and poured some orange liquid out of a bottle onto the ground. The bottle was labeled "Montalvo."

An ivory coffin arose from the ground. There was a large, silver sword standing erect on top of the coffin. Its hilt was shaped like a crucifix.

The name "Alexandria" was written on the coffin. There were five wires underneath the coffin, each going in different directions. Vasteel pulled down on the sword, causing the five wires underneath it to glow a turquoise color. "It won't be long now," said Vasteel.

"I have been waiting for this day. The day her avengers will come forth and smite the evil upon this planet will soon come," said Allen.

"I don't remember anything about an Alexandrian secret force," said Kousagi.

"And you wouldn't since only five other people besides Allen and I knew about it," explained Vasteel.

"After the council rose to power, we lost many allies. We decided to recoup and fight another day. We suffered great losses back then, especially when we lost the sailor senshi of this planet, Sailor Alexandria. A group of five people was formed to compensate for this loss. Some of our finest warriors came together to form this group: One hume, one elf, one taru taru, one mithra and one galka make up the Alexandrian secret force," explained Allen.

"You've been down here all this time guarding her grave?" asked Mia.

"Yes, I felt it would be an honor to do so, especially since I'm her only living relative. I was her 2nd cousin. That consecrated oil from our bloodline is the only way to summon her grave from the ground," replied Allen.

"Would you be willing to join us? We could use all the help we can get," said Feral Heart.

"I will not leave this crypt until the world is safe again, until everyone in the council of princesses is dead."

"We should be going now. Take care, Allen," said Vasteel.

"I will show you an alternate route. You risk being detected if you go back the way you came," said Allen.

..to be continued..