Odiad Chronicles [ IC / Started / Currently Not Accepting ]

[.:Blu:.]

OOC: [url=http://forum.yugiohcardmaker.net/topic/285230-odiad-chronicles-ooc-not-started-currently-not-accepting/]http://forum.yugiohcardmaker.net/topic/285230-odiad-chronicles-ooc-not-started-currently-not-accepting/[/url]


[center][size=7][b][u]Odiad Chronicles[/u][/b][/size]
[size=5][b]CHAPTER 1: THE PRINCESS OF THE FALLEN KINGDOM[/b][/size][/center]


[spoiler=Chapter 1 Synopsis]The day of Princess Dosca's wedding finally arrives and the Princess must execute her escape plan or face marrying the son of her father's killer. Meanwhile, using the wedding as a distraction, Cael, Ikeno, and Alexander attempt to steal a treasure from the Dosca Museum, unaware that their heist will end up evolving into something much larger. Finally, a young woman named Rose arrives at Dosca with plans to see Princess Dosca's wedding. Unbeknownst to Rose however, she will soon find herself caught in a problematic situation.[/spoiler]



It was early noon in the massive city-state of Dosca. A once independent kingdom, Dosca was quickly stripped of its status after having lost a short war against its former ally, the city-state of Paradisus. With King Dosca XII executed, his daughter, Princess Elzira Dosca became a prisoner in her own castle. Now she is forced to marry the son of her father's killer and it so happens that today is the day of the marriage ceremony. A festive and exciting aura filled the air as everywhere a person can look, from the entrance of Dosca to the very furthest point of the city itself, they can see wedding decorations and professional musicians playing wedding songs. The wedding is themed in the traditional Paradisus manner; not surprising considering the ruler of Dosca is now the Paradisus king. The central plaza of Dosca is where the actual ceremony will be held and it is also the part of Dosca that is the most heavily decorated. [url=http://www.chrisiliff.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/Soldier1_wc.jpg]Paradisus soldiers[/url] littered Dosca's streets, keeping the excited citizens at bay in order to ensure a smooth marriage ceremony.

At Dosca Castle, within Princess Elzira's room, the beautiful young Princess sat at her vanity, contemplating the wedding and, more importantly, her escape plan. Suddenly, a young [url=http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz46/wirespy/SolitaryKnightGancelotfull908721.jpg]knight[/url] secretively entered into the room, checking outside before finally closing the door quietly. Fortunately for Elzira, this knight is an ally and the person who will help the princess escape. The knight's name is Sir Lag [acronym=Bos-Ken]Baschan[/acronym], a native of Paradisus who was saved by Princess Elzira at one earlier point in his life. The honor-bound knight now had the chance to help Elzira by helping her escape her cruel fate. Baschan turned to face the princess and quickly kneeled down as a sign of respect.

"Princess Elzira, my men are ready at the central plaza. We will make sure you escape unharmed, even if it means the lives of my men and I will be put down today." the noble Baschan stated without hesitation. "I apologize but I must ask one more time... Are you sure you want to go through with this? The consequences could be fatal." Baschan stated.

-Meanwhile-

Back at the streets of Dosca, a young man with blonde hair walked through the decorated city streets. On one hand he carries a large brown sack swung behind his back and on his other hand, the young man held a green, star-shaped fruit. He carried on his face a confident and calm expression as he then took a bite of the unusual fruit before finally entering into a large alleyway. There, two other young men were waiting. These two are named Ikeno and Alexander and they are childhood friends with the blonde-haired young man, whose name is Cael. Cael is a street orphan, living in the slums of Dosca, and while Ikeno fared better, having been adopted by a generous man and his daughter, his father had died a while ago and his sister is now in Paradisus. Alexander fared exceptionally better than the two, having been born to a wealthy family. "Alright, I brought our gear." Cael said as he gently placed the brown sack against the wall of a large house the three of them were standing behind. Cael opened the sack to reveal a plethora of equipment including weapons. "All of your things are there. Now, lemme go check out what's happening at the plaza." Cael said to his friends before climbing up the house and onto the rooftop.

From this position, Cael is able to see the central plaza where the marriage ceremony will be held. After a moment of watching, everything seemed to be in check and so Cael leaped down to the hard ground below. "Everything's looking good. So, you guys ready or what?" Cael asked, referring to their agenda today of stealing an object from the Dosca Museum not too far from here. As he awaited their responses, Cael reached into the bag and pulled out a scimitar and a small wrist shield. Cael then strapped the shield around his left wrist before securing the scabbard of his sword to the left side of his waist. The three of them planned to get inside the museum via the complex waterway system built beneath the city. Fortunately, Cael has spent enough time there to completely know the passages down to every corner of the stone walls.

-Meanwhile-

A ship suddenly arrived at Dosca's city gates and soon stepping off of the ship was a young girl by the name of Rose. A native of Soladad, Rose has decided to visit Dosca to see Princess Elzira's marriage ceremony. Suddenly, four Paradisus soldiers walked towards Rose and her ship. "Halt, what is your purpose of your visit here today?" one soldier asked as another soldier stood by. Meanwhile, the two other soldiers walked around the ship, carefully checking it to see if anything is out of the ordinary. After Rose has given her reason for her visit to Dosca today, the two soldiers who were inspecting Rose's ship finished checking the exterior of the ship and then walked back to their two fellow soldiers. "Outside looks clean." one of the soldiers reported. The soldier nodded and they turned back to look at Rose. "Very well, you may enter the city." the soldier stated.

Close by, four suspicious-looking men stood against a particular small ship, eyeing Rose's ship from afar.

[Kakashi Hatake]

Ikeno stood there with a slightly excited expression as Cael arrived with their things. "All of your things are there. Now, lemme go check out what's happening at the plaza." Cael said before climbing up the house and onto the rooftop. As Cael climbed, Ikeno reach down ad opened the sack to see the two handles of his swords. He grabbed them both, black in left and white in right, and slid them out. Giving a gentle blow to the blade of his lighter colored blade, he placed the white one in a sheath on his back and the black one in a sheath on his right side. By then, Cael had come back down from the roof to give a report.

"Everything's looking good. So, you guys ready or what?" - Cael

"Yeah, I'm good and ready." Ikeno replied, as Cael retrieved his things from the sack. As Cael readied his equipment, Ikeno adjusted his jacket and swords, and said "Are you sure you've got every slot memorized in the waterway?" Ikeno teased.

[Ｄｈａｒｃ]

Alexander shifted his weight nervously as Cael dropped the trio's weapons in front of him and Ikeno. One could tell from his sheepish smile that he wasn't nearly as excited as the other two were about their upcoming task.

[i]Stealing is wrong...U-Unless you need to...Then it's okay...Lesser harm...[/i] Alexander thought to himself. [i]I...I just hope that I don't let them down...[/i]

Alexander grabbed The Harp, his family's heirloom scythe, and the Viper's Kiss, his father's rapier from the Navy. He placed the scabbard of the Viper's Kiss on his hip, and folded down The Harp's blade before undoing his jacket and strapping the massive scythe to his back underneath. With a shiver, he zipped his jacket back up.

"Everything's looking good. So, you guys ready or what?"

Alexander was caught slightly off-guard. "H-Huh? R-Ready for what...?" He paused. "O-Oh, yeah! I'm r-ready, Cael." Alexander then looked over at Ikeno when he made his comment. "D-Don't say that! I-It makes me worry when you say stuff like that..."

[Hotaru987]

There had never been a time in Ezira's life when she could say that she was looking forward to leaving Dosca. Ever since the war ended, and in Paradisus favor, she had been locked away in her own home. To make matters worse, she was forced to marry the youngest son of the Paradisus king, which was going to happen today. As she sat at her vanity table she could hear the noise from outside as all of the preperations were being prepared. Princess Elzira Dosca dislike being treated as a thing to be passed around, and disliked this marrige arrangement even less. The mirror in front of her reflected the unease, and helplessness at being locked away. However, the underlying defyant and rebellious princess shone through her honey colored eyes like a beacon in the dark. The though of her most recent plan was fresh in her mind, and her skin tingled with nervousness. Though not for herself, but for those that were helping her.

The door behind her opened quietly, and then closed just as gently. Form the corner of her mirror she could see Sir Lag Baschan enter before kneeling. This man was a knight of the Paradisus army, but Elzira trusted this man more than a few of her own soldiers. Some time ago, she had saved that man and sence then he had been loyal to her. He told her that he and his men were ready to help her escape and would make sure it happened even if it costed them their lives. He continued to ask if she really wanted to go through with this plan of hers. Ever since she told him of this plan he had a habit of asking her that question. She knew he was only worried for her so Elzira wasn't angry.

Princess Elzira stood from her seat, smiling serenly at her kneeling knight. "You may rise Sir Baschan." As she said this, she walked over to the window over looking Dosca. "Sir Baschan, I love my country. Even now as it is under the Paradisus rule, I still believe it is the best country in the world. It is because of this that I must go through with this plan. I cannot marry the son of the Paradisus King. He is a man I despise, and to be forcibly wed to any child of his surly cannot be right for Dosca. Furthermore...I wish to complete a task that which was entrusted to me prior to the end of the war."

Once again she faced Sir Baschan, though now clear worry marred her flawless features, "However, my safty is the furthest thing from my mind. I am more worried about you and your men. I have complete faith that you will ensure my escape, and it is because of that faith that I am worried for you. I do not want you or your men to suffer because of my own desiers." She paused, "If...If things go worng...Would you consider coming with me? Though your are a soldier for Paradisus, you are valiant and honorable. To lose someone like you is surely a waste, and I personally will be very sadden."

[Cherz]

Rose sighed. She puled her fan out and fanned herself with it. She viewed the city, and after scanning the area, she decided to change into more appropriate cloths for the weather out side. She borded her ship, and went to the dressing room. She was quick to undress, and in a matter of minutes, she was wearing a white t-shirt with a sky blue skirt. She chose to put on her fancy diamond neckless, and fairly knew blue sneakers. She topped it with a ring that had a pink diamond in the shape of a flower petal. "[i]It is a wedding after all.[/i]" Rose said to herself. She unborded her ship. She was a bit nervouse, since she heard and read about the slums of Dosca. She did not want someone to try to msteal her ship, or try to mug her.

But, she did ot want to miss the wedding, the reason she decided to voyage to Dosca in the first place. Rose heard a faint rumbling noise, then she blushed. Rose was famished after making such a long voyage, Rose walked to four men near a smaller sip. "Do you know where I could find some food? I am famished after such a long voyage." She said in a relaxed tone of voice. She then pulled her fan out and fanned herself with it.

[.:Blu:.]

Within a lavishly furnished room, a [url=http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz46/wirespy/Joonfull576263.jpg]young man[/url] stood, staring outside from a large, beautifully-framed window. The young man looked at the festivity happening on the streets and gave a drawn-out sigh. "Must I really marry this girl...?" the young man asked, referring to Princess Elzira and revealing himself to be Prince Sinegard Judawne Paradisus XVIII. "You're not fond of Princess Elzira's beauty? Such a shame little brother..." a calm voice with a hint of deviousness resounded a ways away from the young prince of nineteen years. It came from the young prince's elder brother, [url=http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz46/wirespy/964612.jpg]Prince Sinegard XVII[/url], a prince and a high-ranking general of the Paradisus Army.

The younger prince turned to his brother with a saddened expression. "I do not know her and forcing someone to marry the son of their father's enemy... If I was in her position-" the young prince was quickly interrupted by his brother. "But you're not... So," the elder brother paused, stood up, and walked over to his younger brother; placing his hand on his younger brother's shoulder, "Smile and marry the beauty... future King of Paradisus..." the older prince ended his sentence with an ominous air.

-Meanwhile-

Hearing the princess' request, Baschan nodded his head once. "When I agreed to help you Princess Elzira, I've sworn that, from now on, my only goal is to keep you safe on your journey to the Tree of Aska. I am no longer a knight of Paradisus. I am a now a knight of Princess Elzira." Baschan stated. Suddenly, someone began to knock on the door of the Princess' room. "Princess Elzira, it is time to change into your gown." a voice of an older woman said from behind the door. "It is time I must go. Remember the plan Princess Elzira." Baschan said before opening the door to see three servants, all here to help Princess Elzira change into her wedding gown. "Sir Baschan. What are you doing here?" one of the women asked. "I had orders from Prince Sinegard XVII to check on Princess Elzira. Now I must leave to join my men in the central plaza." Baschan stated before walking pass the three women. Before moving out of sight, Baschan gave one more look towards Elzira as a way of wishing her luck. The plan was rather simple. Elzira would proceed with the ceremony as normal but then Baschan's men will create a diversion with the crowd of people. This will allow Elzira to make an escape, change her clothes, and good to the underground waterway system where she would meet up with Baschan and his men.

After Baschan had left, the three women entered into the room. Two male servants arrived with an absolutely gorgeous wedding gown on a wooden stand. The two male servants gently placed the stand down and left the room, closing the door as they left. "Are you ready Princess?" one of the female servants asked.

-Meanwhile-

Hearing Ikeno's doubtful, but obviously teasing, question, Cael smiled and flicked his nose with his thumb in a horizontal motion. "Heh, have faith in me Ikeno. I memorized all the dust spots on all the ways of the waterways." Cael stated confidently. Alexander reacted quite differently when he heard the question posed by Ikeno to which Cael chuckled. "Don't worry Alexander, things'll go without a hitch. Alright, let's get to it!" Cael optimistically said before removing a large grate nearby. These grates are commonly found throughout Dosca and they lead down to the waterways. The grates didn't need to be locked due to the simple fact that almost nobody knows the waterway system and can get lost easily. The key word there being almost. Cael picked up the brown sack from earlier and swung it onto his shoulder before climbing down the ladder that led to the waterways. Once Cael reached the bottom, Ikeno and Alexander followed.

Looking around the waterways, all you could see were grey stone walls with a lot of turns and corners. The waterways were designed to be maze-like in order for criminals to get lost if they tried escaping via the waterways. Special soldiers and guards who work who are assigned to work down in the waterways are given a map because even they can't remember everything about the waterways. Fortunately, Cael does, like the back of his hand. The three of them walked around for about ten minutes before Cael finally stopped. "Alright, the grate leading into the museum is here. It's locked though so we'll need to destroy the locks before we can get the crate open. Luckily, the guards of the museum aren't guarding from the inside and the museum is closed today 'cause of the wedding. So that means I can bust the grate with magic." Cael explained before his right fist was enveloped in a red glow.

Cael punched at the grate, unleashing a red, sphere-shaped magic attack that made quick work of the grate, blowing it off its hinges and onto the museum floor. What Cael had just demonstrated was one of his magic, in particular, Scarlet Bomb. The three of them then climbed the ladder into the empty and poorly-lit museum. None of the lamps in the museum were lit today because the museum was closed. The only light that was provided to the three of them came from the sun outside. But sunlight was further diminished by the small windows. "You guys remember what we're looking for right? It's an ancient [url=http://www.authenticmodels.co.uk/images/CO012-hi.jpg]compass[/url] said to have the power to show the path to Oasaah." Cael reminded.

-Meanwhile-

"Food huh? Uhh, there should be like a little eatery near the central plaza. You can grab something to eat and watch the wedding of our Princess if that's why you're here." one of the four men stated. "The place is called [acronym=Roar-Kay-Yen]Rorkeyan[/acronym] Garden. They serve some the best salads and meat sandwiches you can get in Dosca." the same man added. Suddenly, some kids hastily ran into the city gates. As they passed by Rose, she can hear them say, "Hurry, the wedding is beginning really soon!"

[Hotaru987]

Releif washed over her, and she placed a hand over her chest, "I am please to hear you say that. You truly are important to me, and I can't ever thank you enough for your help and loyalty." Elzira smiled brightly. Soon Sir Baschan had to leave as the women who were going to change her into her wedding gown arrived. Catching his parting glance she nodded subtly, before facing the women for her fitting. Elzira watched as the two male put the wedding dress in the room before leaving. She felt as though a heavy pressure was craching down on her inabling her to breathe. [i]'If I were to go through with this I would be forever trapped. There is no way I will resign my life to such a pitiful fate.' [/i]The woman asked if she was ready, to which the young princess put on a secretive smile, "Yes I am ready. You may proceed."

[i]'I'm counting on you Sir Baschan.'[/i]

[Ｄｈａｒｃ]

Alexander jumped at the mention of the mythical city. "O-Oasaah?!" he yelped. "Th-That's what we're after?" Alexander was just about to yell at Cael, but he calmed himself. He didn't want to risk upsetting his friend, even though he himself was a little bit upset about being kept in the dark about Cael and Ikeno's schemes, like always. "I-I mean yeah...Y-Yeah, that's right. I-I remember."

Alexander shifted his weight nervously, and he looked around the empty museum. There were many artifacts from all over Odiad around the massive room they were in. There were glass cases and towering statues all over the place, and there were three corridors, each going to another wing of the museum.

"A-Alright, I've been her before with my D-Dad..." Alexander paused. "S-Sorry...Umm, anyway, l-lemme think....The Northern Wing has all of the artifacts dealing with myths...The Eastern Wing has all of the super-ancient artifacts, so that would be a good place to look for it...But the Southern Wing has a bunch of artifacts dealing with navigation and travel...And of course, there's the Central Exhibit, which features all of the big-ticket items..." Alexander rubbed his temples and sat on the floor. "It could be anywhere in here...Urgh..."

Alexander looked up at Cael. "What do you want to do, Cael? There's four places it could be in, and three of us..."

[Cherz]

"Thank you." Rose said in a polite mannor. Upon seeing the kids, she decided she had to hurry. She decided she would see the wedding first, then she would find something to eat. She walked into the festive streets. But, she decided to meet some people before the wedding. The wedding had not started, and if she needed to make it, she would more or less, fly there. She wandered off, but quickly got lost. In no time, she ended up in the slums. Rose wanted help out of the slums. She bean searching around. "[i]How odd. Why would there be no one around? Maybe it is for the wedding[/i]" She said to herself. She began looking around the whole place. Searching for someone to help her. But, she was getting deeper into the slums.

[.:Blu:.]

The time had finally come. The marriage ceremony was about to begin as the quiet music played by the musicians before was now replaced by loud, ceremonious music that easily muted the talking of excited citizens. Prince Sinegard XVIII waited for his soon-to-be-bride to walk out from the castle and join him in the ceremony while his elder brother stood by [url=http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz46/wirespy/BlazingSoulsfull677411.jpg]King Paradisus XVI[/url], sitting patiently and happily upon his lavish throne. A marriage officiant stood facing the young prince with a joyous expression on his face. It was ironic that everybody besides the groom and bride were happy, but that's how the circumstances were. Suddenly, walking from the castle, escorted by several bridesmaids, was Princess Elzira in all of her stunning beauty and her gown seemingly glittering in the sunlight. Nearby, Baschan stood, ready to begin the plan. Once Elzira had passed King Paradisus and the older Sinegard, and she was walking closer towards the younger Sinegard and the marriage officiant, Baschan gave the signal discreetly to one of his men in the crowd of people. The man replied back with a nod to Baschan.

Suddenly, the man pulled out a flintlock pistol and fired it at Princess Elzira, missing on purpose. Panic quickly followed afterwards as people pushed passed the soldiers and filled the central plaza, running around in a frenzy. "Princess Elzira!" Baschan called out as he pretended to rush to towards her to protect from the frenzied crowd. However, one man, who is part of the plan, got to Elzira first and grabbed her, taking her to a house where she can change into her escape clothes. "Protect me!" King Paradisus yelled at his eldest son to which the older Sinegard unsheathed his sword to kill anyone that dares come close. The guards attempted to regain order but the panicked citizens were just too much to handle, and that's because a lot of them are trained soldiers under Baschan's command, disguised as ordinary citizens for Elzira's escape plan. Some of the soldiers surrounded the young prince and escorted him to his father and older brother for protection.

Meanwhile, Baschan discreetly slipped away into one of the alleys. The man who had grabbed Elzira from before let go of his grip and led her to the house mentioned in the plan. "Alright Princess Elzira, I will wait here while you change. Hurry, we don't have much time before reinforcements are sent looking for us." the man stated.

-Meanwhile-

"I guess we'll each take a different direction. I'll take the Eastern Wing. You two decide where you'll head and we'll just shout to each other if we see something. Don't worry, it's not like any guards will hear us." Cael stated. Suddenly, three Paradisus soldiers walked into them museum. "You sure we should be in here. Shouldn't we keep watch outside?" one of the soldier asked. "Don't worry, I just want to show you three this one artifact-" right as the second guard finished his statement; he looked in front and saw Cael, Ikeno, and Alexander. "Crap..." Cael cursed. "H-Hey what the hell are you three doing in here?!" the second guard asked. "W-We're- Uhh-" Cael struggled but couldn't find a logical explanation for why he and his friends were in the museum. The three guards took out their spears and readied themselves for combat. "You three are coming with us!" the second guard shouted.

Cael looked back to his two friends. "Hey, there was a chance this was gonna happen right? Let's just knock them on their butts and restrained them with the rope I brought." Cael said as he unsheathed his scimitar. "Oh, so you three wanna do this the hard way huh?" the second guards asked rhetorically as he faced Cael while the other two faced Ikeno and Alexander. "Hey Alexander, sorry for getting you involve in this." Cael apologized. "If-If you run now, you can still make it outta here. Ikeno and I will take care of things here." Cael stated. After Alexander gave his answer, the guards charged them. Using his Leaping Dodge technique, Cael quickly got behind the guard he was facing. The guard looked up and saw Cael had disappeared. "What the- Where he'd go?" the guard asked. "Behind ya!" Cael answered and as the guard turned his head back, Cael bashed the bottom of his scimitar's handle into the guard's face, sending onto the ground. The guard quickly stood up from off of the ground and faced Cael with an angry stare after being humiliated.

"You street rat!" the guard shouted before attempting to thrust his spear at Cael. Cael quickly sidestepped, evading the attack altogether before slashing the wooden shaft of the spear with his scimitar, breaking the spear. The guard watched with wide, surprised eyes as his spear was destroyed. The guard thought he was facing some amateur thief with rarely any combat skill but it was an unfortunate day for him and his men. Cael, Ikeno, and Alexander are skilled in combat. "D-D-Don't kill me!" the guard pleaded to Cael. "I ain't gonna kill ya." Cael reassured the guard before smashing the end of his handing one more time into the man's face, rendering him unconscious on the floor.

-Meanwhile-

As Rose wandered deeper and deeper into the slums, she suddenly saw a group of armed men waiting near a grate that would lead into the waterways. Suddenly the men saw her and quickly rushed over to her. "You're finally here! Hurry Princess we must escape into the waterways before Paradisus soldiers show up!" one man stated but before he could allow Rose to respond, the man grabbed her arm and led her to the grate. Once the other men had climbed down, the first man looked to Rose. "Alright, hurry Princess. I'll follow after you. I hope you're not afraid of rats because there are some big ones down here." the man stated. Suddenly, a Paradisus soldier rushed into the alley. "Go!" the first man shouted to Rose before unsheathing his sword. The Paradisus soldier charged towards the man and rose with his sword drawn as well. The man performed a diagonal slash only to have his sword collide with the soldier's sword. The two swords grind against each other, producing a metallic screech.

[Hotaru987]

The dress is beautiful, is what the young princess thought as she was being escorted toward her soon-to-be-husband. Her head was down, and not a single smile formed on her lips. Unlike so many other people, she was not pleased with the wedding, but that wouldn't be a problem for long. As she passed the throne of the Paradisus king and his older son, the plan began. A gun shot ran in the air, turning the calm crowd into a frenzy. The bullet aimed for her, obviously missed as intended. Elsewhere, she heard Baschan call out to her but knew it was all part of the plan. Playing her own part, she looked around in panic feigning fear. An arm reached out to grab hers discreetly pulled her out of the chaos.

Eventually they reached a small house, in which she would change into commoner clothes as to not be recognized. Princess Elzira nodded at the man, thanking him before swiftly entering the house. Carefully shedding the dress, and placing it down she then dressed in plain brown pants, a white shirt and a black jacket over it. For added effect she also wore a brown beanie, stuffing as much of her hair into it as she could. Now finished she exited the house and nodded to the soldier in front of her. "I am ready, let us proceed."

[Cherz]

Rose was in a state of shock. She was confused. She looked around, and two soldures were brawling with each other. Rose was also getting upset. She was missing the wedding. She heard a gunshot from aar. She sigfed and thought[i] I guess not verybody was looking forward to this wedding.[/i]. She pulled her fan out. In a quick motion, she brought the fan up. A whirlwind began to form. he wind took the form of an updraft. Little pink blossom petals were drifting i ot. The updraft was strong enought to put rose in the air as well. She gracefully landed down, and she dropped the updraft. "WILL YOU TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON!? ONE, I AM NOT THE DAMN PRINCESS!" Rose screamed at the soldiers. "Now, will either of you two "men" Tell me what is going on here?" Rose said, in a more calm manor. Rose suddenly realized something. [i]The princess is trying to get away![/i] Rose laughed to her self. Her expression quickly changed again. She pulled her fan out again, and leered at the soldiers.

[Ｄｈａｒｃ]

At the sight of the guards, Alexander froze. "U-U-Uh..." He listened to Cael's suggestion, and he instantaneously responded with: "N-No! I-I'm not going to r-run away!"

Alexander shot his arm. out in front of him, angled slightly upward, and his hand began to glow blue. The blue energy bolt of a Cadenza shot from his palm and slammed into the ceiling, causing a small explosion. From the cloud of dust and debris, the skeleton of a Greater Wyvern fell at an alarming rate. The guard let out a shout as the ribcage of the beast fell on top of him, trapping him inside a prison of hard bone.

"S-Sorry, sir! I-I mean, i-it's b-better than killing you, r-right?" Alexander apologized, bowing to the trapped guard.

Alexander then ran over to where Cael stood over the unconscious guard. "U-Umm, Cael? M-Maybe w-we should ask th-that guard over there w-where the c-compass i-is?" He looked down at the guard, and he was filled with a feeling of embarrassed pity. "S-Sorry, sir..."

[.:Blu:.]

The man helping Princess Elzira waited patiently outside the house for Elzira to finish changing. Suddenly, Elzira walked outside, now looking like a completely different person. From afar, no one would be able to tell its the Princess of Dosca. Only upon the close inspection of her alluring, flawless face can one deduce her identity, but Baschan and his men won't allow that to happen. Elzira nodded to her guard and tell him to proceed. The man nodded once to reply and began running down the long alleyway, not wanting to waste time and allow Paradisus soldiers to catch them. "I apologize for making you run like this Princess, but we can't waste a single second on walking." the man apologized.

-Meanwhile-

'W-Wait a minute. Y-You're not the Princess???" one of Baschan's men asked in surprised as he sat there on the ground after Rose had used her powers to subdue him and the Paradisus soldier. The Paradisus soldier quickly rose to his feet and attempted to attack his enemy on the ground but the man reacted quickly and impaled the soldier through his chest armor and his actual chest, killing him and staining the man's own sword with blood. The man stood up and looked at Rose noticing her leering of him. "(Who is she then, and more important, what is she thinking?)" the man wondered, nervous about the fact that Rose may have malicious intent towards Princess Elzira. Fortunately, he wouldn't be given the chance to find out when a sword quickly came from behind and stopped a few inches from Rose's neck. "I'm only going to warn you once. If you make a single move, I'm afraid you won't be keeping that head much longer..." a calm, and definitely serious, voice emanated from behind Rose.

"Captain Baschan!" the man in front of Rose stated, a bit surprised to see him so suddenly. "At ease soldier..." Baschan said before turning his direction back to Rose. "Now tell me. What intent do you have towards the Princess, and I want a honest answer because you are now deep in something you shouldn't have been in at all..." Baschan stated, referring to Rose's earlier laugh when she was confused to be Princess Elzira.

-Meanwhile-

As Princess Elzira and the man continued to run, they were suddenly stopped in their tracks when they saw a large group of Paradisus soldiers in front of them. The real danger, however, wasn't the soldiers at all, but the one leading them: Prince Sinegard XVII, the older brother of Elzira's would-be husband. With a calm, mocking, and malicious grin on his face, Prince Sinegard took a step towards Elzira and her guard. "I believe your wedding is in the opposite direction... Princess..." Sinegard joked, letting the words ominously linger in the air, intimidating both Elzira and her guard. "Obviously this man with you is a kidnapper, right...? He should be killed on the spot and then you'd be brought back to the safety of Dosca Castle..." Sinegard said as he unsheathed his sword.

"Princess Elzira... I'm sorry, but you must go on without me. I'll stay here and fend them off for as long as I can. This is the only thing my old, tired bones can do left for Dosca..." the man said, staring back at a waterway grate nearby in a signal that he wanted her to go on her own through the waterways and hopefully will bump into Captain Baschan. "Please Princess Elzira... Come here to your soon-to-be brother-in-law. It's much easier this way..." Sinegard said, retaining his vicious glare and cool demeanor. "Go..." the man said to Elzira once more before rushing at Sinegard and his group of Paradisus soldiers, clearly a death wish.

-Meanwhile-

Back at Dosca Museum, Cael, Ikeno, and Alexander were confronted by three museum guards who snuck inside to see an artifact. Luckily, the museum guards were nowhere near a match for the three of them and two of them were quickly restrained by Cael and Alexander. The last soldier faced Ikeno, a bit more nervous than his two comrades but as willing to fight as both of them. The soldier lunged at Ikeno with no thought of a single strategy, using his spear to thrust at the young man. Ikeno, being the cautious fighter that he is, did not risk attacking so quickly and just simply evaded the attacks while moving back. Ikeno was hoping to tire the guard out and his plan was working as the guard began sweating and panting heavily after twenty or so failed thrusts. The soldier attempted another thrust but this time, Ikeno sidestepped, evading the attack, and getting behind the guard. Ikeno then used the bottom of his white sword to strike at the guard's neck, knocking him down and rendering him immobile.

Cael quickly tied a rope around the soldier Ikeno just defeated and the soldier that Cael defeated a moment ago. Alexander then mentioned to Cael that he should ask one of the guards where the compass is located at before apologizing to the guard he restrained with an improvised cage made from the bones of a fallen Greater Wyvern. "Just what I was thinking Alexander." Cael said smilingly before turning to one of the guards. "Yo, you heard my friend. Where is the compass for Oasaah located at in this museum?" Cael asked. "Hah! Like I'm gonna tell you punk." the guard smugly mocked. An angry vein popped up on Cael's forehead. "Listen Old Man, I ain't got time to play games. Don't make me do something you'll regret, right Ikeno?" Cael bluffed, holding his scimitar to the man's face and asking Ikeno to vouch for him.

"That's right. My friend here is not a patient person so I suggest you tell him what we want to know." Ikeno stated, obviously lying however. "F-Fine! You want the truth? Well you're a little late because the compass was transferred over to Xilith's museum!" the guard stated. "What?! H-Hey are you playing me?!" Cael asked. "Don't trust me? Go ahead and look all you want! Even if you kill me and my friends, you won't be able to find the compass here hahaha!" the guard laughed at Cael's downfall. "Crap... Looks like this whole plan's been for nothing... Sorry guys..." Cael hung his head down in shame and apologized to his friends for dragging them into this heist only to received bad news.

[Cherz]

[font=times new roman,times,serif][size=3][color=#222222]Rose changed her expression in a quick moment. She looked bored, but she was trying to find a way to weasel out of her situation. "Well, to start this conversation, I came here from Solidad to watch this marriage. I wandered off looking for some food, and found myself being rushed away by a soldier. Regarding my laugh, I realized this was an attempt to get the princess out of the marriage, and that I came here to see an escape.” Rose said in a calm tone. “Now, why don’t you put down that over glorified pointy stick of yours? It would be a “shame” if something were to happen to either you or that excuse of a sword.” Rose said, now flaunting her strength. She turned around to the man that was called Baschan. “I have always wanted to go on an adventure. “It was so foolish of me to wish to view it. Why, may I help her escape? I originally came to witness history, but now, I want to make history.” Rose said. She had her fan ready incase the “chat” were to get ugly.[/color][/size][/font]

[Ｄｈａｒｃ]

Alexander blushed at Cael's apology. "N-No, it's okay...You d-don't h-have to apologize..." Alexander said, smiling halfheartedly. Then, a thought crossed Alexander's mind. "W-Wait a m-minute! M-My uncle [acronym='Rash']Rasch[/acronym] i-is a pilot! H-He c-could take us to Xilith i-in an airship! W-We'd just have to get down to the airship docks..." Alexander's expression darkened. "B-But that's really close to where the wedding is...I-It'll be a zoo...H-He might even be transporting people now..."

Alexander looked down in shame, and he shifted his weight back and forth nervously. "U-Umm, excuse me, sir?" Alexander said, addressing the guard. "I-I'm sorry...W-We just wanted to see the m-museum w-when there was no one else..."

The guard looked up at him. "That's a load of dung and you know it!" he spat.

Alexander turned his head away. "I-I'm sorry..." He reached to his back and pulled out The Harp, unfolding the blade and materializing the strings.

The guard's eyes were visibly wider, even in the dim light. "H-Hey! D-Don't kill me! I got a wife and kids!"

Alexander ignored him and lowered The Harp's blade to the level of the man's face and sat down. He began strumming on The Harp, while singing a soothing aria. A soothing green light washed over the guard, and his expression began to calm.

"O-Oh, I get it...I'm sorry, kids...Tell ya what, I'll forget all of this ever happened, okay?"

Alexander smiled, stood up, and returned his scythe to its original position under his jacket. [i]When in doubt...There's always Anima...Thanks, Ma...[/i]

[Hotaru987]

Princess Elzira shook her head as she followed behind the soldier, “Do not worry about me. I can handle running as long as it gets me away.” She replied. Though the physical exercise already had her tired she pushed through. Not only for herself but also for the people who were risking their lives to help her escape. Bad news was soon upon them as she and her guard came across a group of Paradusis soldiers. That, however, isn’t what made Elzira’s blood run cold and fear to shoot through her body. Of all people she was to run into during this attempt it had to be Prince Sinegard XVI. His eyes always gave her the impression that he was a snake lying in wait to strike and poison her. She and the guard stopped. Elzira pulled her hat down, and stepped slightly behind the guard in hopes that she would not be recognized, but it was all in vain.

[i]"Obviously this man with you is a kidnapper, right...? He should be killed on the spot and then you'd be brought back to the safety of Dosca Castle..."[/i] Elzira’s eyes widened in worry for her guard when the older prince unsheathed his sword. “No, stop!” She called out. Even a single life loss was something Elzira didn’t want. The guard however, pleaded with her to run while he did the little he could for Dosca by protecting her. She saw him look at the Watergate passage, signaling her to go on ahead. She stepped back. Arguing now would do no good, he was doing all he could for her and so she should honor it. “Alright, thank you. I shall never forget your bravery and loyalty for as long as I shall live.”

[i]"Please Princess Elzira... Come here to your soon-to-be brother-in-law. It's much easier this way..." [/i]His words sounded like chains to her ears, and not the comfort that it should have been. Elzira matched his glare with regal defiance, her head held high despite the common clothes she wore. “I will not. You would have a better chance taming a lesser wayvern than putting me back in that cage.” With her guards final signal, she dashed towards the Watergate entrance, praying that she would get away.

[.:Blu:.]

Prince Sinegard's smirk only widened when he heard Princess Elzira's words of defiance. "Such a pity..." Sinegard stated as the man protecting Elzira charged closer with sword in hand. In a flash, Sinegard's sword impaled through the armor-less man, coming out from his backside and dripping his blood onto the stone ground below. He did not even had a remote chance of beating the ruthless Prince. Fortunately for Elzira, her guard's distraction served well in allowing her to escape into the waterways. Seeing this, a bit of a displeased frown appeared on the Prince's face. "So you chose to defy me... Such an arrogant little lamb... walking towards your slaughter..." Sinegard stated with a scowl. With a slight tilt of the head, Sinegard ordered a part of his large group of soldiers to chase after Elzira.

-Meanwhile-

Looking straight into Rose's eyes, Baschan could tell she was telling the truth and responded first with a smirk. "Do not show arrogance when facing someone you've never seen in battle." Baschan said, not so much as giving a warning but rather a tip for the self-assured young woman. Baschan than sheathed his sword. "Captain-" one soldier tried to plead that it would be a bad idea to let his guard down against Rose but Baschan interrupted with a motion of his hand. "It's alright. A person's eyes cannot deceive me, at least not that I've met of anyways. This young woman speaks the truth." Baschan told his men before turning his attention back on Rose. "I apologize for the confusion. Things are... hectic to say the least. My name is Sir Lag Baschan, a loyal knight to Princess Elzira. You must understand, the Paradisus King has kept Princess Elzira imprisoned for two years and has forced her to marry his son. No person should be subjugated to such things, especially not a Princess." Baschan explained.

"I will be honored if you could help Princess Elzira escape and accompany us in helping her reach the Tree of Aska. History will be made. Dosca will reclaim its power." Baschan stated proudly. Suddenly, Baschan could hear an incoming group of soldiers, and by the sound of it, it was a pretty large group. Not willing to risk showing his face to the enemy yet for certain reasons, Baschan needed to get into the waterways. "Hurry everyone, go down into the waterways." Baschan commanded. After everyone had gone into the waterways, one soldier placed the grate back onto the entrance before group started to run in order to avoid being caught. The group of Paradisus soldiers entered into the alleyway only to discover the dead body of their comrade. "Someone or maybe a group was here, but could they have gone?" one Paradisus soldier asked.

As the group walked through the waterways, giant rats could be seen scurrying everywhere. There is also an odd stench that filled the air although due to the sheer size of the waterways, the stench isn't as bad as it could be. "I'm sorry Miss, but I did not catch your name." Baschan said as he turned to face Rose.

-Meanwhile-

Using Anima, Alexander was able to calm the guards enough to allow them to forgive Cael, Ikeno, and himself for their trouble-making. Cael and Ikeno felt somewhat of an effect as well but not as substantially as guards due to the fact that they have gotten used to the calming nature of Anima by a bit. "Great job Alexander. Now let's get outta here and get to the Airship Docks. Hopefully your uncle won't be busy and will allow us to use his Airship." Cael said. The three of them had already planned beforehand to leave Dosca today once they've stolen the compass so not much has changed in their plans beside stealing the compass from another place. "Oh wait- Alexander, I hope your Uncle's ship got supplies. We only packed enough for a few days of traveling. Getting to Xilith on an Airship will take at least a couple of weeks." Cael said.

"We should get going you guys. Sticking around here will only get us into more trouble. We can talk on the way to the Airship Docks." Ikeno told his friends. "Right." Cael responded before they climbed back down into the waterways, accidentally keeping the two guards still tied up with the rope and the other guard imprisoned in the Greater Wyvern's rib cage. In the waterways, the three of them ran in the direction that would get them to a grate closest to the Airship Docks. Suddenly however, Cael bumped into someone running in his direction, causing both of them to fall onto their butts. "Oww!" Cael exclaimed as he fell. "Hey, watch where ya going would ya?" Cael said, regaining his composure before getting back up onto his feet.

The person he bumped into quickly stood up and briefly brushed the dirt from their clothes and fixing their beanie before looking up at the three. "H-Hey, you look kinda familiar. Have we met?" Cael asked the person. Suddenly, four Paradisus soldiers appeared with weapons drawn and saw the person Cael had bumped into. "There she is, and these three must be her guards!" one soldier shouted. "Guards...?" Ikeno asked, confused as to what the soldier had shouted. "You three here will die!" another soldier proclaimed. "*Sigh* More trouble..." Ikeno said, drawing his weapons. "These guys are soldiers so they'll be tougher to beat than the guards." Cael said, drawing his scimitar.

"Hey you, stay there cause you got some explaining to do!" Cael said to the person who he had bumped into, not realizing he was speaking with none other than Princess Elzira Austerbaine Dosca herself.

[Ｄｈａｒｃ]

Alexander nodded at Cael's query. "Yeah, he should. He's more of a private pilot, so he's used to long trips."

***

As Alexander, Ikeno, and Cael ran through the waterways, he noticed Cael bumping into someone. "H-Hey! Are you two okay?" Suddenly, he noticed the soldiers coming after them.

Alexander gulped. "N-N-No! Th-This is a m-m-misunderstanding!" However, he soon realized there was no way to explain it to them. He shook his head and pulled The Harp from his back, once again unfolding the blade. He charged one of the soldiers, strumming quickly and powerfully on The Harp's strings. "Heartstring Sonata's Second Movement: Burning Passion!" An array of red spheres of energy formed around Alexander. The spheres elongated into spears of crimson light, and they drove themselves into one of the soldiers, causing him to cry out in pain. As Alexander continued to play, the spears extracted themselves from the man and pierced a wall on the other side. Alexander played the finale of the Second Movement, and the spears exploded in a massive burst of red light, causing part of the wall to collapse, damming up the waterway and allowing entry into another waterway.

"C-C'mon, miss! G-Go through there and hide! W-We'll take care of these guys!" Alexander ushered. He then turned back to the knight he had attacked earlier, who was now standing back up. Alexander charged once again, this time swinging The Harp and catching the knight's sword arm with the handle. As the knight tried to push Alexander away, strings shot out from The Harp and encircled the guard's elbow and wrist, constricting him tightly. Alexander swung his scythe to the side, the strings undoing themselves and the knight slamming into the pile of waterway rubble.

[Hotaru987]

Elzira collided into something hard, as she was sent to her backside. "O-ow..." She groaned silently. Quickly regaining herself, she jumped to her feet, dusting herself lightly and fixing the beanie which was about to fall off. After, she looked at the boy she bumped into, then at the two behind him. Were they also Paradisus soldiers? But none of them seemed to recognize her, even up close like they were. Behind her the Paradisus soldiers caught up, accusing the three guys she just ran into to be her guards. The Paradisus soldiers wasn't going to be swayed so the boy she bumped into just told her to stay put because she had explaining to do. He drew his weapon getting ready to fight.

The shy looking boy was, surprisingly, the one to rush in first using his weapon to fight. His choice of weapon was a scythe, but it was different than what Elzira was used to. There were actually strings around the head of the scythe which allowed the boy to play it like a harp. Though a bit unorthodox, it was very effective. [i]'W-ow he's pretty strong.' [/i]The shy kid stuttered that she should go through the hole he blew open. "Um...Thank you, and I am sorry." She ran into the hole, but didn't leave completely. Not because that boy told her not too - she would set him straight soon - but because she felt responsible for them now. Unknowingly she got three innocent people caught up in her life threatening escape plan. They didn't know what they just got themselves into, and if she could have fought off the guards herself she would have. Instead she had to rely on these total strangers. Though from what she saw they were able to handle themselves.

[i]'On another thought, just what were they doing down here in the first place?'[/i]

[Kakashi Hatake]

Ikeno stood by with his blades in hand as he and the other two soldiers watched as Alexander took care of business. He and thos other two soldiers were a bit suprised. Ikeno laughed and put his white sword back onto his back. He looked at one of the remaining soldiers and said, [b]"C'mon, I guess it's our turn."[/b] The soldier quickly regained his compser and charged at Ikeno, sword raised. Ikeno began to swing his blade using one hand but when the soldier got close, Ikeno quickly jabbed the soldier in the throat using his free hand. This momentarily paralysed the soldier and he fell to the ground holding his throat. [b]"Wow. I feel sorry fo you, man. I really do. It was just a reflex."[/b] Ikeno stated as he put his black sword away onto his waist.

[Cherz]

"My name is Rose." Rose told to Baschin. "Would you mind filling me in on exactly what has been going on? I walked in on the middle of an escape. Things are, difficult to piece together." Rose asked. She was not fond of the musty oder, and she was trying to keep a distance from the vile rats. She even killed one that got too close to her. Rose, despite the glumy waterway, was exited. This was the knid of adventure she had always dreamed about. She was so exited to be apart of history. Rose finally had her chance to prove to her mother, if she was watching, that she was more than just a fragile flower. [i]Every rose has its thorn.[/i] Rose thought to herself.

[.:Blu:.]

"A pleasure to meet you Lady Rose." Baschan replied, adding "Lady" in front of Rose's name as a sign of gentlemanly respect. Rose then asked if Baschan could fill her about what has happened so far to which Baschan nodded in agreement. "As I've mentioned before, after the fall of Dosca, Paradisus swiftly took control of the kingdom. The Paradisus King then executed Dosca's king and imprisoned Princess Elzira. She was forced to marry the Paradisus King's youngest son but long before today, the Princess and I came up with a plan to escape Dosca in order for the Princess to seek out the Tree of Aska. The plan was working fine but my men confused your for the Princess and here we are. Now I am worrying however... Princess Elzira should have showed up in this alley and long time ago but yet she still isn't here... I hope Prince Sinegard XVII hasn't caught up to her yet... He is the only possible person who can respond quick enough to make this escape plan fail..." Baschan explained. "Sorry, I shouldn't hold such thoughts in my mind. Shall we continue?" Baschan apologized before they proceeded down the waterways.

It was a safe bet that the man guarding Elzira might have taken another entrance into the waterways after an unexpected counter with the enemy; at least that is what Baschan believed. However, the truth was far more unfortunate than Baschan hoped for. After some time of walking, the sounds of fighting suddenly filled the air. "Fighting...? Hurry, this way!" Baschan shouted as he ran towards the source of the fighting.

-Meanwhile-

One soldier attempted a downward strike on Cael with his spear, but fortunately, Cael easily evaded the attack by shifting his body to the side and then returned the favor with a upward attack using his wrist shield. The wrist shield made impact with the soldier's chin, quickly knocking him onto the ground and immobilizing him. From behind, another soldier attempted a sneak attack by performing a horizontal slash with his sword but Cael, with an amazing display of acrobatic prowess, backflipped over the soldier and landed behind him; knocking the back of the soldier's head with the bottom of his scimitar's handle and rendering the soldier unconscious. Finally, all four soldiers were defeated, albeit not before giving the three youths a good sweat. Cael wiped the sweat from his forehead and exhale. "Man, they were definitely tougher than those guards." Cael said before turning to his two buddies. "Don't know what that was but hopefully we'll get some answers right now. Hey, uhh, you! Miss!" Cael called out to Elzira.

"I hope you aren't hurt." Cael first said. After receiving an answer, Cael got down to business. "So why were those soldiers chasing after you? Are you a criminal?" Cael asked, unaware of the Princess' status. Cael knew she looked familiar but couldn't exactly identify her. Not that anyone can blame him. People who live in the slums aren't exactly privileged enough to see the Princess. However, his interrogation would have to wait as Rose and Baschan and his soldiers arrived at the scene. Naturally, Baschan has his sword drawn being protective of the Princess. "You three! Step away from her!" Baschan shouted at Cael, Ikeno, and Alexander, pointing his sword towards the three of them. "W-Wait a minute, we're not the enemy here. We just saved her from some Paradisus soldiers." Cael stated. Hearing that, Baschan looked around and saw the unconscious and defeated bodies of the mentioned soldiers.

Baschan placed his sword at his side without actually sheathing it, still weary of the three young males. "Is this true?" Baschan asked, walking over to the Princess. Baschan was smart in not calling Elzira by her title as a princess. He still couldn't trust Cael, Ikeno, and Alexander nor was he forced to trust them like with Rose. After the Princess gave her response, Baschan nodded. "I see... My humblest apologies for raising my sword at the three of you. Come, we must be off. I'll introduce you to Lady Rose here after we get to safety." Baschan told Elzira. "Hey, hey, hey, hold on. We risked our lives defending her just now. The least you could do is explain why she is being chased after by Paradisus guards." Cael said. "My apologies but it is best for the three of you not to know-" Just as Baschan said that, the rubble, created by Alexander, that blocked one path of the waterways was suddenly destroyed by a large fireball.

"What the-" Cael got caught off guard by the suddenly explosion of the rubble as he turned around to face that direction as with others. Appearing after the cloud of dust and smoke had dissipated was a large group of Paradisus soldiers and not surprisingly, the one that is leading them is Prince Sinegard XVII. With same malicious grin visible on his face, the Prince began addressed the group. "Well, well, well... What do we have here? A bunch of filthy weaklings? Is that the best you can scrounge up Captain Baschan?" Sinegard asked calmly. Without speaking, Baschan took a defensive stance along with the soldiers that followed him. "H-Hey what's going on here? Who is this guy?" Cael asked, not aware of Prince Sinegard either. "You have soldiers fighting for you that can't even tell who the enemy is? Such poor choices... I wonder are you even trying to resist me..." Sinegard said.

Baschan clearly knew he was outnumbered and matters were made even worse due to the fact that he got three other people now involved that shouldn't have been. "You..." Baschan said, turning to Cael. "W-What is it...?" Cael asked. "Please, I beg of you to help me. My life doesn't matter but her life is of the utmost importance. You, your friends, and Lady Rose must help Princess Elzira escape Dosca." Baschan finally revealed the princess' identity. "What? Princess Elzira, her???" Cael asked with wide, surprised eyes. "Please there is no more time! The Princess will surely be captured here if the four of you do not help her! Please, I'm begging you!" Baschan exclaimed. "Humph, trying to escape are we? I don't think so. Kill them but leave the Princess alone..." Sinegard ordered his soldiers.

"Please!" Baschan shouted one more time, the pain in his voice was clearly evident. Without thinking, Cael grabbed Elzira's wrist and began to run in one of the waterway paths while yelling, "Let's go," to his friends and Rose.

[Later]

After a long time of running, the five of them quickly ran out of energy and stopped at an open hall in the waterways. Even under pressure, Cael was constantly using his knowledge of the waterway system to outsmart and outmaneuver the Paradisus soldiers. The five of them were safe... for now at least. Cael fell to his butt, propping his left arm on top of his left knee. "W-We're safe... Th-They won't find us for now..." Cael said, panting heavily.

[Cherz]

Rose was panting like a dog in the hot summer sun. She was not sed to running for such a long time. She put a littlke gust through the area, trying to cool the group. She also gave the must cave an aroma of sweet cherries. "Now, should I explain everything going on?" Rose asked diligantly. "You 4 seem to need the filler." Rose told the group. She constantly looked around the musty cave, making sure the Paradus troops were far from them. Her fan was still drawn. It seemed she had the answers the group was craving. She also felt bad for the princess, who was now in her presense. "Those paradus men! I hated them before, and I hate them now. They are so power hungry! They must be brought down." Rose ranted. She looked at the boys. "Now, you three. What has been going on with you? How did you get dragged into this mess?" Rose asked Cael, Alexander and Ikeno.

[Ｄｈａｒｃ]

The end of the battle and the meeting with Baschan was all a big blur, up until the rubble Alexander created was blown apart in a burst of flames. He stared, wide-eyed at the elder Prince Sinegard. "H-Huh?! P-P-Prince S-Sinegard?!"

Then, Alexander heard Baschan's order to protect the Princess. [i]Princess...?[/i] Suddenly, it dawned on Alexander that this girl was Princess Elzira Austerbaine Dosca. His eyes grew wide once more, and his adrenaline started pumping. [i]I...I must protect her...I must protect the princess! [/i]And with that, he ran off after Cael and Elzira, not bothering to put away The Harp.

-Later-

Alexander thought back to something his mother told him years ago...Something that he was always reminded of as a child, and something that was now burned into his memories

[i]Alexander, now seven years of age, sits atop his mother's shoulders, the sweet smell of her perfume wafting off her beautiful sandy hair. They were watching a parade, honoring King Dosca and the entire Austerbaine Dosca family. After the parade ended, Alexander climbed off his mother's shoulders and stood beside her, grabbing her hand. She looked down and flashed him her enchanting smile. They walked together for a while in silence, before his mother spoke up.[/i]

[i]"Alexander, sweetie?" Anabel Blackwood said in her soft, soothing voice.[/i]

[i]"Yes, Mother?" Alexander replied.[/i]

[i]"Did I ever tell you about my family, the Lidares?"[/i]

[i]"I think so...I don't quite remember."[/i]

[i]"Well, I'll tell you about them. The first member of the [/i][acronym='lih-dah-ray'][i]Lidare[/i][/acronym][i] family was a direct ancestor of mine, from about ten generations ago. His name was [/i][acronym='sir-ah-no'][i]Cirano[/i][/acronym][i] Lidare, and he was one of the original founders of the city of Dosca, along with the Austerbaine family and some others. He was a skilled magician, and he was especially skilled in healing magic, a skill that has been passed down in my family for years. He was hired by the original King Dosca as a royal healer, and he swore his undying allegiance, along with that of all of his descendants to the royal families of Dosca. And since then, the most skilled healer in the Lidare family has always served as the royal healer. In fact, my uncle Therius is the royal healer now. And when he comes to pass, I will be the last person born under the name Lidare in all of Odiad, and I will take his position."[/i]

[i]"Why are you telling me this, mother?" Alexander asked.[/i]

[i]Anabel Blackwood smiled once again. "Because I wanted you to know that, no matter what, you must always vow to serve the royal families of Dosca, [/i]especially[i] the Austerbaine family. And hey, since you're a Lidare, too, maybe you could become the royal healer after I'm gone. And the Princess isn't much older than you, so maybe you could marry her. I hear that the royal family likes to marry skilled magicians." Noticing her son's flushed appearance, she giggled and tousled his hair. "Remember, Alexander Rosencrantz Blackwood, Descendant of Cirano Lidare and [/i][acronym='hal-see-us'][i]Halcius[/i][/acronym][i] Blackwood, you must always serve the Royal Family of Dosca. It is your duty as a Lidare."[/i]

-Later-

Alexander came to a stumbling halt just in front of Cael and Elzira. "P-Princess...Milady..." Alexander panted, obviously tired. "I...I...I am...Alex..." Alexander paused, trying to catch his breath and regain his composure. "I am Alexander Rosencrantz Blackwood, Descendant of Cirano Lidare and Halcius Blackwood, son of Anabel Lidare and Halcius Blackwood IV. And I swear to eternally serve the Royal Family of Dosca, and to protect you, Princess Elzira Austerbaine Dosca, all at the cost of my own well-being, and if necessary, my life." Alexander felt ridiculous. This was totally unlike him, and he wasn't wavering or hesitating, but it seemed so natural. To complete the recitation of his vow, he bowed to the princess and stood The Harp beside him, the blade pointed away from the princess.

After a moment of awkward stillness, Alexander once again stood erect, his face fully flushed. He caught sight of the princess's face, and quickly looked away. [i]She's beautiful...No, what am I thinking? I need to protect her, not develop feelings for her![/i]

Alexander then looked at Rose, his face still flushed. "Umm...We...Uh...Cael?"