Odiad Chronicles [ IC / Started / Currently Not Accepting ]

[Cherz]

"Oh, Baschan, why is it you constantly find yourself in these messes?" Rose thought to herself. She ran with the group. "The boy with the braid is new." She thought to herself. She felt better that one of the men, the one with the braid, had a ship. She ran as fast as she could. "We must escape frm Dosca." She though to herself. From afar, she heard an explosion. She looked over at one of the boys. [i]Were is his scyth?[/i] Rose wondered. She only knew the answer when she realised that it was gone. She clutched her fan. She secretly hoped Baschan would live, but she also hoped he would die. She wanted him to live, because she liked him. She wanted him to die so if he got captured, he wouldent be captured. She also wandered about the magic users. [i]What would they do to him?[/i] she thought. It was amazing how much she could think of while trying to escape.

[.:Blu:.]

"Get the hell out of my way!" the braided man shouted as he grabbed one soldier by his face and forcibly threw him into another two soldiers. Cael helped fend off the soldiers as well, using multiple Scarlet Bombs to hit soldiers advancing towards them, but of course, with every one soldier defeated, two more take their place. At one point Cael thought that maybe they had a chance to defeat all of the soldiers and then proceed to help Baschan, but now it was an impossible goal considering the multitude of soldiers entering into the battlefield. It just goes to show that the Paradisus royal family really wanted to capture the Princess, but at the same time, it only helped to imbue Cael with more willpower to defy the family whose army killed his older brother. An advantage for the group however is that Sinegard refuses to deploy dragon soldiers due to the heavy damage it would cause on the city and thus would make Dosca's economic value lessen substantially. Finally, the group reached the very back of Dosca and the Seaship Ports. A single ship was anchored beside one of the ports and surrounding that port was a couple of unconscious soldiers.

"Is that your work?!" Cael asked the braided man while running, referring to the unconscious soldiers. "Yeah, good thing they're not awake!" the man replied. The ship was of a fairly decent size, being not too small and not too big. Finally at the ship, Cael, Ikeno, and Rose stayed on the port to help fight back some of the advancing soldiers, while Elzira, Alexander, and the braided man boarded the ship. The braided man needed to get the ship sailing and so he took care of pulling up the anchor. Down at the port, Cael fought back using his scimitar, weaving his way through the soldiers while cutting them and knocking them back. On the ship, the braided man finished pulling all of the anchors back onto the ship's deck. He then proceeded to take a rope and threw it onto the side of the ship. "Hey you three! Hurry up and get onto the ship!" the man shouted at them as the ship started to float away.

Hearing that, Cael rushed back towards the ship, allowing the soldiers time to recover. By now, Ikeno and Rose had gotten onto the ship via the rope and only Cael was left on the port. Meanwhile, the ship was getting further out to sea. And then there was the soldiers who had now recover and are chasing after the ship. "(Alright, time to take a leap of faith.)" Cael thought. As he neared the end of the port, Cael leaped off of the port and successfully grabbed hold of the rope, much to his relief. The soldiers, however, could still get onto the rope as well and so Cael needed to take care of the port. With his free hand, Cael used several Scarlet Bomb to destroy the wooden pillars holding the port up and essentially collapsing the port itself. The group watched with much joy and relief as the soldiers fell into the ocean with the port now destroyed. However, that joy and relief was only a temporarily comfort as they soon remembered that they were forced to left Baschan behind. Cael was finally pulled up onto the ship as it drifted further enough out into the sea so that it would be impossible for the Paradisus soldiers to ready their own ships and catch up with the group's vessel.

The group was luckily able to turn the soldiers' own advantage against them. Without speaking, the braided man ran towards the helm of the ship in order to navigate it. This gave the others time to relax and think about their current situation.

[Ｄｈａｒｃ]

Alexander was gasping for breath. His hair was matted to his forehead, and there was sweat and tears running down his face. He was covered in dirt and dried blood, and his face was red from both crying and holding a girl's hand for the first time. It was at this point that he realized he was still holding her by the wrist, and he promptly yanked his hand away.

"P-Princess...I-I'm sorry..." he said, referring to both grabbing her by the hand and leaving The Harp behind. He slowly walked into a corner of the ship and sat on a stool, and proceeded to slam his head into the wall. "I'm—So—Stupid—!" he said, between hits. He screamed and slammed his fist into his face, knocking it into the wall on the other side. Pained, sorrowful tears ran down his face. "I'm...I'm so sorry..."

-Several Years Ago-

[i]Alexander stood before his father, holding The Harp in his hands. He looked dreamily up at Halcius Blackwood IV, and his father simled back at him, his eyes merely slits behind his reading glasses[/i]

[i]"Now son," his father said, crouching down to Alexander's level. "If you want to protect people, then it's best you have this. This is one of the strongest magical weapons ever wielded by a member of the Blackwood Clan, and it was hand-crafted by a master weaponsmith from Xilith for the original Blackwood, Halcius Blackwood I."[/i]

[i]"R-Really, Dad? Y-You're gonna let me have it?"[/i]

[i]His father nodded, but his expression grew more serious. "Now listen to me, and listen well—In all of your travels, [/i]especially [i]to Xilith, you must carry this with you. If you lose it or, Atherion-forbid, it's destroyed, and a member of the Blackwood family learns of it..." He paused, and looked out the window. "Well...A worse fate will befall you than that of your uncle Rasch, and he was exiled from Xilith forever."[/i]

[i]Alexander's eyes widened, and he nodded. "I'll never lose it, D-Dad...I-I promise."[/i]

[i]Halcius Blackwood nodded. "See that you don't."[/i]

-Back in the Present-

Alexander continued to weep in silence, refusing to look at anything but the corner he was in.

[.:Blu:.]

Even after fending off Paradisus soldiers, more new problems arise. This time, Cael's good friend Alexander can be heard weeping in a corner. Before, he had banged his own head against the wood. Being his childhood friend, Cael of course needed to comfort him and so he decided to walk over to him for a good pep talk, hopefully. "Alex..." Cael called softly, a sorrowful expression on his face. "It must be painful... To lose The Harp... After all, it was given to you by your own father..." Cael stated as he pulled up a stool and sat alongside Alexander. "But think about this... If you hadn't done what you've done, what would've happen to the Princess? You saved her, you, Alex. Your part of a family whose sole mission is to protect the royal Dosca family and you did exactly just that. You're a hero..." Cael explained as he placed one hand gingerly onto Alexander's shoulder. "And I promise you... Once we get back to Dosca, I'll do whatever it takes to help you get The Harp back." Cael stated, his sorrowful expression from earlier transformed into a confident air.

[Hotaru987]

"You don't have to apologize...." The princess trailed off as Alex slumped over in the corner and proceeded to slam his head against the ship. She winced each time his head collided against the wood. He was going to hurt himself if he continued. Before she could move to him, Cael got there first and began comforting him. "He's right," She said when he finished, "You have done your Lidara lineage proud, and I am grateful for your sacrifice." That word brought Baschan, Frone and all the other soldiers that were killed or capture trying to help her escape. However, she needed to focus on the here and now. Her back straightened, and her head rose, the small action instantly demanding attention from everyone present. Elzira looked each of them in the eye, or in their direction if they didn't return her look, before addressing them all.

"I would like to say I'm sorry for all of the trouble I have put you all through. I'm sure none of you believed that you would be aiding my escape from Dosca, and becoming enemies of the Paradisus and Dosca kingdom in turn. However this has come to pass, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help. Now I must ask for another favor, this one possibly more dangerous than what we just went through." She paused to gather her thoughts. It was already too late to not involve them, so whether she told them or not they would be hunted. With a sigh she spoke again, "There is a place that I need to go. Before my father's death, he had instructed me to find the Tree of Aska. I don't know exactly why, but he said I would understand when I got there. The road to the Tree of Aska will no doubt be long and dangerous, not to mention that no one knows exactly how to get there. I...I can't do it alone. I'll need help. If I was to run into Prince Sinegard and his men again I would be captured in a heartbeat. As for fighting skills I have none, and my magic is too weak to do much of anything. So-" Elzira suddenly bent over a complete 90 degrees, bowing to the group there, "-I ask you all for your help. It'll be dangerous, and some of us may get hurt and possibly even die. There's no guarantee we'll even find the Tree of Aska. I won't take it to heart if you don't wish to help me, and even if you agree now but chose to back out later I won't complain. But please think about it...I can't do much for you in return right now but if we somehow succeed in this quest and I gain my kingdom back I will compensate you all greatly, and help you in any way I can. For now all I can give you is my word."

She remained in her bow, eyes screwed shut, and her hands by her sides. Her callous free hands were clenched tightly.

[Ｄｈａｒｃ]

Alexander looked over at Cael. He sniffed, and wiped the tears from the corners of his reddened, puffed-up eyes. "Th-Thanks...And it doesn't matter if we find it...I am no longer a member of the Blackwood family, now that I've lost it..." Alexander held back further tears as he said this, wondering if he'd have to confront any members of the Blackwood family back in their home city of Xilith.

It was at this point that Alexander heard the Princess's speech. At first, he was too nervous to say anything. However, after thinking about what now not only his mother had said about his lineage, but what Cael and Elzira had just said, he finally got the courage to speak up. "I-I'll go with you, P-Princess. A-After all...I-It's m-my job, isn't it?" He somehow managed to smile at her while still trying to clear away the signs of his sadness.

[.:Blu:.]

"Don't say that Alex. We'll find it. No matter what." Cael said firmly, a fire of confidence and hope can be seen within his eyes. Just then, Princess Elzira delivered a small speech, requesting for the others to help her on her quest to the Tree of Aska. Cael stood up from his chair hearing Elzira's speech, the tone of her voice caused an empowering sensation to permeate into Cael's very core. After she had finished, Cael felt a sense of duty and honor pulsing throughout his body. "Princess," Cael paused to await for Elzira to look to him and see his fiery blue eyes, " I promise you. As long as I can still move a single part of my body, I'll get you to the Tree of Aska. Count on it." Cael smiled confidently. Whether it be coincidence or fate that allowed him to meet the Princess when he did, all Cael knew now was he needed to help Elzira get to the sacred tree. Just then, the reserved Alexander mustered up some confidence to allow him to respond to the Princess' plea for help as well. "So you're Princess Dosca huh? I don't usually help fugitive Princesses, but maybe I'll be able to find what I'm looking for if I come along with you guys. So I guess you can count me in." the braided man stated. "Oh, by the way, we haven't gotten to know your name or thank you for helping us." Cael said to the braided man. "It's Yuu, and you're welcome. Besides, those Paradisus soldiers attempted to take my Atlas so of course I gotta pay those sons of b*tches back." Yuu stated.

[Cherz]

[i]So, Yuu is his name. [/i]Rose tought to herself. "Does anybody know where the Tree of Aska even is? I mean, don't you need an artifact to find it?" Rose asked. She took a deep breath. "Lets get the facts in order. We are heading out on open sea, whitch is infested with pirates,heading to Oasaah, in search of a magical compass that will lead us to a tree that will solve all of Doscas problems?"She asked trying to remember the myths she had heard from her dad. "Great, this is going to end well." She said, obviously stating her displeasure. "But, if Baschan believes it is real, and he has faith, I guess me must keep on this carzy, probably deadly path." She said, honoring Baschans word.

[.:Blu:.]

"I think you got your myths mixed up Rose." Cael said with an amused laugh as he placed his arms behind his back. "Oasaah and the Tree of Aska are two different things. Completely unrelated. If we're helping out the Princess, then we'll be heading to the Tree of Aska." Cael stated. "I should have a map somewhere on the deck. If you can find it, just show me the location we need to get to and I'll get us there." Yuu said as he continued navigating. "[b]This should be what you're looking for.[/b]" Ikeno said as he picked up a rolled-up map on the ground near him. Ikeno then threw it over to Cael, and Cael proceeded over to Yuu. Opening the map, Cael and Yuu searched around and soon found the Tree of Aska on the map. "There it is." Cael said. "Alright, while I figure how to get us there. You guys just talk I guess." Yuu told everybody. Cael walked to the others. "So, since we're all on the same boat now, or ship, maybe we should get to know each other a little better. So, I'm Cael, I'm a war orphan. I never knew my parents but my brother was killed by Paradisus soldiers, so I guess I can give some payback by helping the Princess." Cael explained.

[Ｄｈａｒｃ]

Alexander blushed. "T-Talk about ourselves? U-Umm...A-Alright..." He looked nervously around at everyone, trying to decide on what to say. Finally, in a quiet voice, he said: "W-Well...I-I'm a descendant o-of both the L-Lidare family and B-Blackwood family...S-So, I had a lot of money growing up...M-My mom was a healer, a-and my dad was a member of the Xilith military b-before moving to Dosca...H-He's a teacher, now..." Thinking of what might happen to his parents, Alexander began to tear up again. "I-I'm sorry..."

He sniffed and wiped his eyes. He continued to speak, but he now avoided making eye contact with anyone. "A-Aside from Cael and Ikeno...I n-never had any real friends growing up...M-My mom had always said 'The amount of friends you have doesn't matter, it's how they treat you...'" Alexander paused, thinking about the people gathered around him. "M-My dad wasn't like that, though...H-He...He only s-seemed to c-care about me w-when it was convenient to him...I-In fact, I-I'm in an arranged marriage with th-this girl who's five years o-older than me...I w-was supposed to m-marry her on my 18th birthday, but..." He trailed off, signifying he was trying to refer to the state of affairs they were all in.

He looked up again and looked around the ship and the ragtag bunch of people within.

[Hotaru987]

“Thank you all so much.” Elzira felt better knowing that she wasn’t going to be doing this alone. Before she thought Baschan would be with her, but after sh had been forced to leave him behind she was afraid of what would happen. She was relieved that she now had new companions. It was shortly after that the braid man introduced himself as Yuu, “Thank you for allowing us to use your ship.” She called out in thanks. Ikeno and Cael then got out a map to find out where the Tree of Aska was, and once they found it Yuu began to figure out how to get there. He also suggested that they all talk to each other. There was a census of agreement. Cael went first, followed by Alex. At the mention of an arranged marriage her face darkened. It was a sore subject for her, though she quickly shook herself out of it in order to formally introduce herself.

“I am Princess Elzira Austerbine Dosca, 18 years old and the only child of King and Queen Dosca. Um, my childhood wasn’t anything exciting; though I was a bit of a trouble maker in my younger years. I grew out of that thankfully.” She laughed remembering some of the times she got in trouble for messing with some of the servants. It was all good natured fun, and they never got truly mad at her.

[Cherz]

Shr rolled her eyes. She thought to herself [i]This whole thing is such short notice, its not like any of us had this planned. [/i]"You want us to share stories? Well, alright. My name is Rose YuYu, I came from Solodad. I grew up in a rather strick famly, almost never seeing my father, who was always adventuring. My mom was a bit over protective, and she would not allow me to leave the town I lived in. My mom was killed, and I do not know what happened to my father. He is either dead, or he is still on a journey. I moved in with my aunt, who did not care about what happened to me, so I left. I sailed to Dosca to watch the wedding, that being my excuse. I was going to then leave, and continue to adventure around the world, until this came up." She informed everybody. "So, there you have it. My life in one decorated box."

[Ｄｈａｒｃ]

Alexander looked over at Yuu shyly. "U-Umm...H-Hey, Yuu, s-sir?" he asked sheepishly. "D-Do you...Do you have a story?" Alexander looked away before he could answer, however. He directed his gaze out over the side of the boat, watching the sea race by.

He was always fascinated by the sea as a child...The smell of the salt spray, the wind stinging his eyes, the soft, whispering crunch of sand beneath his feet while at the beach...It brought back memories of spending quality time with his mother and father...A kind of memory he'd probably never be able to make again...

He sniffed a little, and returned his thoughts to the situation at hand. He was rather keen on listening to Yuu divulge some of his past...It helped to know people well if you're fleeing a powerful city-state in their ship, and above all else, it was a polite gesture.

[.:Blu:.]

[spoiler=The Rest of Chapter 2]When asked by Alexander if he has his own little story to tell the rest of them, Yuu's expression turned rather melancholy, although he did not turned around to face the others. "No... I don't..." Yuu replied, his voice, no doubt, contained sadness and a lonely tone. "What do ya mean? Everyone's gotta have some story or past. Where were you born, who are your parents, that kind of stuff." Cael said. "I don't know anything about myself... Not a thing..." Yuu stated. "What? But how is that-" Cael was quickly interrupted by an agitated Yuu. "Look I don't know alright?! Just shut up!" Yuu turned around and growled fiercely which placed everybody in a silence. Yuu quickly turned back around, his expression calming. "I- I'm sorry..." Yuu said. "It's alright." Cael replied. "You see... I have no memories of my past... The last thing I can remember is waking up in a desert next to this ship... All I knew was the name Yuu and the ship name, Atlas. I suspected since Atlas was the ship name, Yuu must be my name... At least that's what I think... To be honest, I don't even know if Yuu is my real name..." Yuu explained.

"So you must've been traveling all over Odiad to try and discover your identity and past." Cael guessed. "Yeah, that's right. So far I haven't gotten one clue much less one answer... What if I... What if I am nobody...? Can somebody exist without a past...?" Yuu questioned. "Probably not." Cael answered which surprised Yuu. "But it's not like you don't have a past. You just don't remember it." Cael added. "What if I don't ever find it...? What then...?" Yuu asked. "You'll find it, especially if you're not searching alone. We're on the same team now so it's only natural to help each other out. We'll save Dosca, help you find your past, and then we'll go on to find Oasaah." Cael said, giving a confident smile. Hearing that, Yuu gave a doubtful smirk. "Maybe... Uhh, anyways, forget about me. Here, check this out." Yuu said as he stepped away from the helm and walked over to the others. Yuu then opened the map and pointed to a [url=http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz46/wirespy/LandingLocation.png]location[/url] on it.

"This is where we'll be landing. From here, we can get to Gurada Village in about a day or so and then onto the Tree of Aska." Yuu explained.

"[b]Paradisus soldiers will be on our trail...[/b]" Ikeno said, a hint of uneasiness in his voice.

Cael quickly picked up on it and decided to turn his attention to Ikeno. "Hey Ikeno, is something wrong?" Cael asked.

Ikeno was surprised that Cael had picked up on his worried tone, but he figured if anyone could, it would be Cael. "[b]I'm afraid... I'm afraid I can't join you guys.[/b]" Ikeno stated.

"What?! But why?!" Cael asked.

"[b]I'm worried about my sister's safety. If the Paradisus soldiers found out about my family... I have to go to Paradisus.[/b]" Ikeno explained.

"We'll go with you. We'll help you!" Cael exclaimed.

Ikeno shook his head in disagreement. "[b]You guys have to make sure Princess Elzira makes it to the Tree of Aska. The faster she gets there, the better. I'll go alone.[/b]" Ikeno explained.

"Yeah, but-" Cael was quickly interrupted.

"[b]Don't worry. I'm more than capable of handling things myself. You guys go do what you have to do, and hey, maybe if it's fated, I'll cross all of your paths again someday.[/b]" Ikeno stated.

"R-Right... We'll be seeing ya..." Cael said with a clear sign of sadness in his voice.[/spoiler]


[center][size=5][b]CHAPTER 3: NIGHT SKY[/b][/size][/center]


[spoiler=Chapter 3 Synopsis]After Ikeno's departure, the group find themselves stuck within a small town and forced to defeat a monster that's been killing the townspeople's livestock. Meanwhile, Prince Sinegard XVII has hired a powerful mercenary to track Princess Elzira down.[/spoiler]


After five days of traveling, the group finally managed to get to their landing location. And after getting onto the main road, it was finally time for Ikeno to depart. "Guess we'll be seeing ya. Stay safe alright?" Cael said. "[b]Yeah... I will.[/b]" Ikeno said before walking over to Cael. "[b]Cael, keep Alexander safe alright. And make sure you get the Princess to the Tree of Aska. I can count on you, right?[/b]" Ikeno asked quietly. "Yeah... I promise I will." Cael replied. With their goodbyes said, the group separated from Ikeno and head deeper inland. Cael was not surprisingly upset about Ikeno's leave as he stayed rather quiet as the group walked. He walked in front of everybody else, with his arms behind his head, and all he could think about was Ikeno leaving. Then suddenly, a small group of Dire Bats appeared and flew towards the group. "What the-" Cael rolled to the side and was successful in avoiding the Dire Bats attempt to hit him.

"Dire Bats. Shouldn't be a problem." Yuu said. There were six bats in total, a relatively small number for a group of Dire Bats. One of the Dire Bats attempted to lunge at Cael once again only for Cael to dodge and dispatch the monster with an upward slash. Another one rushed at Cael to which Cael easily intercepted with a downward slash this time, leaving four Dire Bats left. Yuu killed one of the remaining Dire Bats with a quick swiping attack, using his hand as if it were some kind of paw. Three bats remained, and after Rose and Alexander jumped into the fray, the rest of bats were quickly dispatched. "Wow, that was amazing!" a voice shouted from afar. Just then, a man around fifty years of age ran up to the group. "You just defeated those Dire Bats with no problem. Are you warriors?" the man asked.

"Umm, not really warriors per say, but we do know how to fight." Cael responded. "Either way, that was really a great performance. Look, I know this may sound sudden but it would be much appreciated if you can help my town with something." the man said. "What do ya need?" Cael asked. "Well you see, my town is a small town that relies on farming and livestock as its main source of income but recently a monster has shown up and started killing the town's livestock during nighttime. Being farmers and such doesn't really qualify us for dealing with this monster. Sure we can handle Dire Bats and we have tamed Arkolves but none of that has mattered when dealing with this particular monster. Hell, we haven't even gotten a good luck at the monster since its so fast and its fur is dark as night itself. We're really in a pickle." the man explained. "So do all of you think you can help us desperate farmers with this problem? Please do and we'll even reward you with Jewells." the man added.

"No, no, we can't take your hard-earned Jewells like that. We just need a ship tower to get our ship to the desert. Do you think you can point us to one?" Cael asked. "Well you're just in luck. My brother is a ship tower. He can get your ship to the desert in a day." the man stated. "Alright, that sounds great. As for the monster problem, I'll have to consult my comrades." Cael said before turning around to face the others. "So what do you guys think? I think we should help." Cael said.

-Meanwhile-

Within Dosca Castle's throne room, Prince Sinegard XVII sat on the throne of the former Dosca king. It wasn't the Paradisus throne, but Sinegard didn't seem to mind. Suddenly, one guard walked into the room and quickly bow to Sinegard. "Prince Sinegard, the mercenary you've requested has arrived." the guard stated. "Good, bring him in." Sinegard commanded. "As you command, my liege." the guard replied respectfully before walking over to the two large, wooden doors that is the entrance of the throne room. Who the guard was looking at could not be seen from Sinegard's position, but the Prince knew he was hiring someone competent enough to get the job done. "You can enter now." the guard said to the mercenary who has yet to be revealed.

[Hotaru987]

After they all found out Yuu was searching for his past, he showed them the location of where they would be headed, pretty much mapping out their whole route. It was then Ikeno told them he wouldn't be able to go with them in worry of his little sister. Everyone understood, and he was wished well on his journy. However, Ikeno didn't depart until after 5 days when they finally got back on the mainland. Once Ikeno was gone, some time passed until they were attacked by a group of Dire Bats. Elzira, not having experience in fighting, moved back trying to stay out of the other's way and not get attacked herself. Thankfully the others made up for her lack of skill ten fold, and between them the Dire Bats were no match. Suddenly, a man appeared asking them if they were worriors. Apparently him, and some other farmers were being attacked by this monster that was apparently really dangerous. When they offered their money, Cael declined saying all they needed was a Ship Tower. Luckily the man's brother was one, and with the good news Cael turned to the rest of them to ask their oppinions.

"I think we should help. I simply can't turn my back on someone who needs help. Besides we apparently need this Ship Tower, and without it we're stuck right? So it's a win-win situation." While Elzira saw the benefit in it, she get a ship tower, and the farmers get rid of their monster problem, she knew that when it actually came down to it they would be the ones fighting. Cael, and the others would be the ones risking their lives. "So are you guys ok with this? I mean it's a good deal."

[Ｄｈａｒｃ]

Alexander teared up a bit when Ikeno mentioned he was leaving. "Oh...Okay...I understand...Tell your sister I said hi, okay?" He wiped his tears away with the heel of his hand, trying his best to smile at his childhood friend.

After they parted ways with Ikeno, the party was attacked by a small swarm of Dire Bats. At first, Alexander reached to his back to grab The Harp, but when he just clutched at fabric and air, a pang of sadness hit him. [i]Oh...Right...[/i] He reached down to his belt and unsheathed the Viper's Kiss, the rapier feeling rather light compared to the massive scythe Alexander was used to wielding.

Alexander brought up his arm and fired a blue Cadenza from his palm, blowing off one of the Dire Bats' wing and foot, killing it near-instantaneously. "S-Sorry!" he called, pirouetting to face another Dire Bat. He jabbed at it with his rapier, slicing a hole in its membranous wing. The creature squealed as it fell to the ground, flapping helplessly with its now defunct wing. When it hit the ground, Alexander sliced the creature's throat with the Viper's Kiss, silencing its pitiful screams.

He wiped the blood from the blade on the grass in front of him before sheathing it once more. As he did so, a local farmer approached them and asked them if they could help solve a problem that had been plaguing the village for some time. "A m-monster...? Y-Yeah, s-sure, count m-me in," he said, blushing at being referred to as a warrior.

[Astolfo]

[color=#000066][b]Nycht entered the room of the - now Paradisus but - once proud Doscan throne room, and kneeled before Prince Sinegard XVII. "I am here as you have ordered me. My name is Nycht. What do you wish of me? I have heard that the fair maiden of Dosca, known as Elzira Austerbine Dosca, has escaped with a band of some sort, unfortunately right before she and your brother were about to be engaged. Assessing all the details and facts so far, I'm assuming you wish me to [i]retrieve[/i] the Princess? If so, I would wish for a full detailed briefing on all the members of the escapade party. This will assist me greatly during my [i]job[/i], per say." Nycht said in a smooth baritone voice. "Do not worry, I shall not fail you. I have not failed a single assignment since I took my [i]current role[/i] on." Nycht reassured the Prince. [/b][/color]

[color=#000066][b]Hearing about the fearsome reputation of Prince Sinegard XVII however, if worst came to worst, he was sure he could blast his way out the window or door before anyone had time to react, escaping with the money, if possible without any risk to himself. Looking around carefully to fully analyze the room from under his temporary hood, he planned out the fastest possible routes. [i]"[/i][i]Knowing the ins and outs of this place could be amazingly helpful...[/i]" Nycht thought to himself.[/b][/color]

[color=#000066][b]Silently, and inconspicuously taking out Nuller, one of his specially imbued knives, and holding it in a position he discovered to be extremely useful for lightning fast attacks or throws, at the whim of the owner, he waited for his - hopefully choosing to be - hirer to give further instructions. It was so messy and distasteful when they got everything ready, and decided to back out at the last moment. When that happened, he had to make a fast escape, and usually kill a few people, which was just plain annoying, because trying to go for the money if he can usually put him in tight situations. He sincerely hoped it didn't happen with this [i]particular[/i] hirer, because that would take a lot to get out of.[/b][/color]

[Cherz]

Rose said her farewells to Ikeno. "Good luck." she shouted to him as he was leaving. Shortly after, a flock of dire bats approached. They began there attack. Alexander killed 2 with out breaking a seat. [i]Any thing he can do, I can do better. [/i]Rose thought to herself. She pulled out her fan, and began to play with the bat. Flipping over it, side stepping its attacks, simply mocking it. She then created an updraft, skyrocketing . She then pushed her fan down, causing the wind to create a down draft. The Dire Bat slammed the floor a an incredible speed, and was killed instantly. A small crater formed were the bat made impact. Then, a man approached them. "[i]Are you warriors?" [/i]He asked. After Cael told him they wernt, he asked for help. "Well, I am in. If you need help, so be it. But, I need some info. How does it fight, does it only come out at night, and were is it to be located?" She asked, trying to find out as much info as she could.

[.:Blu:.]

With the consent of the others, Cael nodded and said, "Then it's agreed," before turning back to the middle-age peasant farmer. "Thank you! Thank you so much! You have no idea how grateful I am that you agreed to help!" the farmer earnestly said. Acknowledging the Princess' concerns, Cael turned to her. "Don't worry Prin- Errm, Elzira, we'll be able to handle things with no problem. It's your safety that is our main concern." Cael said, stopping himself from referring to Elzira as "Princess" but rather by using her actual name. At least there was more than one Elzira in Odiad. In fact, the name actually became even more popular with the birth of the Princess so using her name straight out wouldn't draw much attention. Cael then turned to the farmer. "I hope you don't mind keeping my friend safe in your home while the others and I take care of your monster problem." Cael said. "I don't mind at all. After all, it's the least I can do personally for the help the five of you are providing me." the farmer replied.

"Then that settles it. Elzira, you stay with the farmer. We'll take care of the rest." Cael said. The farmer than turned to Rose who had earlier asked some questions about what they would be facing. "About your questions... I'm sorry but I really don't have a clue what the monster really is. I, myself, nor the other villagers have ever gotten a good look at the monster. It moves so fast plus in stays hidden in the cover of the night." the farmer explained. "Don't sweat it. I'm sure we can handle whatever the monster turns out to be. We'll have it running out of town with its tail tucked between its legs, umm, assuming it has a tail of course." Cael stated. With that, the group then followed the farmer to his small town.

-Meanwhile-

The hidden person that Prince Sinegard was expecting turned out to be a mercenary, and not just any ordinary mercenary, but one of the best on the entire face of Odiad. This particular mercenary is named Nycht which curiously sounds almost exactly like "night". The name of the mercenary himself is known far and wide throughout Odiad but his appearance is less known mostly due to the fact that those who cross his path in a negative manner have all ended up dead. This is just the kind of person Sinegard needed for something like finding the Princess and killing those who tried helping her. Nycht introduced himself respectfully and assured the Prince that he would not fail him. Although, knowing the Prince's rather ruthless reputation, Nycht proceed with caution, planning his escape route and also having his weapon ready in case anything life-threatening would happen.

Fortunately, such tactics wouldn't be necessary. "It was quite a difficult task for my subjects to track you down. Though I understand why you would want to keep a low profile considering you're reputation as being a highly-ranked, wanted criminal in just about every large town and city within Odiad. However, I'm not going to be discussing that aspect of your career. Rather, I'm more interested in your capabilities which I believe are key to dealing with the situation that has occurred. You're correct, Princess Dosca, with the help of some soon-to-be-dead fools, has escaped the city and that's why you're here. I want you to capture the Princess and bring her back here, and kill the ones who helped her escape. Try not to harm the Princess too much by the way." Sinegard explained. "After torturing a prisoner and threatening his family members' lives, the weak-minded imbecile has revealed the Princess is heading to the Tree of Aska. As for why she would have an interest in an ancient weed, I don't know and I don't care to know. All I want is the Princess being returned and the ones who helped her dead." Sinegard stated.

"Now before you chase after the Princess, I want you to have a chat with a rather uncooperative prisoner. I think you might've heard of the name Lag Baschan?" Sinegard asked. Awaiting a response, the Prince motioned his head for several soldiers carrying small, wooden boxes to place them in front of Nycht. "Another thing. I want you to show the content of these boxes to a particular fool who helped the Princess before you kill him. It's a present from me personally." Sinegard stated before the soldiers from before opened the top of the boxes to reveal a horrifying sight: the severed heads of Alexander's family members.

[Nighttime]

At the small town where the farmer lived, night finally arrived and Cael, Alexander, and Rose were preparing to go out in town, hoping to come face-to-face with the monster that has been ravaging the livestock of the townspeople. The four of them were in the farmer's small stone house where the Princess will stay until everything is over with. Yuu had gone out earlier before evening arrived and has yet to come back, leaving the others with a bit of worry. "Yuu still hasn't come back yet. I hope everything's alright. Ahhh, what am I saying? I'm sure everything's fine. Yuu's tough, he can handle whatever crosses his path including the monster mentioned by the farmer." Cael stated, attempting to assure himself and the others. Suddenly, a distant roar can be heard. Clearly the roar must've been extremely loud and powerful to be heard from the original location from the farmer's house.

[Hotaru987]

Elzira smiled appriciatively at Cael for not reffering to her as 'Princess Elzira'. It wouldn't be good if her name travel around and the older Prince Sinegard was able to track her. No doubt he was already taking the proper measurments to retrieve her. [i]'But there is no way I'm going back! Not until I've completed my quest'. [/i]She was a bit displeased that she would have to hide out at the farmer's cabin while they went out to deal with the monster, but Elzira knew it was for the best. She would only be int he way since she didn't have any fighting abilities. The best she could do was heal them if they came back with any injuries. With a few more words the group followed the farmer to his town, and before long night befell the area. Some time before that Yuu had left for whatever reason, but it had been a few hours since then and he had yet to return.

Cael was the first to voice his worries, and Elzira was inclined to agree. Suddenly a loud, monsterous roar shook the house they were in. Her eyes widened, and her muscles tensed in fear. Just hearing it sent a jolt of anxiety and fear down her spine. This was her first time so far away from home, or even out of the castle without her father, and one could say it was a culture shock. How were they suposed to fight something that sounded like that. Her fist clenched in her lap. She wondered if they were scared as well, though she was probably scared enough for all of them. What if whatever it was got too Yuu? [i]'B-but they managed to fend off Sinegard's men, and Sir Bashcan trusted them...So....They'll be fine, and Yuu is fine too. Everything will be fine...'[/i]

"...Right..." Realizing she mummbled that part aloud she quickly recovered saying, "You guys be careful. It's dark out so be stay alert for anything, and try to find Yuu. Watch out for each other and...ah, um just...Try not too get hurt."" The way she was figiting, and looking in every corner of the room proved she was nervous for them.

[Astolfo]

[color=#000066][b]Kneeling respectfully, he listened to the Prince. When he heard the part about it being difficult for Sinegard's minions to track him down, he thought, "I'd rather not have been managed to found." This was due to fact that most people who would have enough money, or urgent issues to require someone like him already knew who he was, and he knew them, and as he moved around Odiad, it was decently easy to find out who important needed him, and come to them, instead of being found. My senses must be getting old... That's worrisome... Listening a bit longer, it was revealed his conclusions were right - as usual -, and he was amused by the fact that the Prince said 'soon-to-be-dead', when it would be probably him who'd have to get his hands dirty. Then again, his hands had enough 'dirt' on them to create a new world from, and people like them all have a high opinion, that can be easily seen through their speech. "... Try not to harm the Princess too much by the way." he heard, and Nycht was sure he could manage with that, but there were usual scratches and such, or burn marks from struggling with ropes or refusing to walk along, and being dragged.

Upon hearing about the group's plan to head for the Tree of Aska, a legendary myth, he became somewhat intrigued, because he heard about what had happened to anyone who ventured near, and the fact that nothing was really known about it. I must get some more information on that Tree. Nycht practically salivated at the idea of gaining some kind of power related to the tree, or even useful information, because as everyone says, information is power. He almost missed what Sinegard said next, and tuned in, and realized it was just a restating of his job, which kind of annoyed him, as he can store memories for a long time, but as with anything, he hid all his emotions on a stone cold poker face. Not that most people look under his hood or past his mask anyway. He sometimes considered it to be disrepectful, and well, most of those people disappeared, or found dead, maybe with mutilations.

"... a rather uncooperative prisoner." "... Lag Baschan ..." Wait a second... Baschan? LAG BASCHAN? Nycht's eyes narrowed at the mention of that particular person, and he ground his teeth silently. So then... Fate's hand pushes our paths together again... It's going to be... nice, for a lack of a better word, to relieve past issues. We meet again... Baschan... Being sure to keep his voice steady, he nodded his head in agreement to the question silently. Nycht wondered if Sinegard would know about the past... dispute, for a lack of a better word, and sincerely hoped not, because it was embarrassing to him.

Noting the soldiers coming forward with several, small, wooden boxes, he became noticeable of a somewhat old, - but still detectable with good sense - smell of blood. Hearing that he wanted the box to be shown to a particular unspecified member of the escapade group, and that it was a personal present from Sinegard himself, he already knew before the soldiers even opened the boxes that it would be something traumatic to its receiver. As he looked, he could tell it was a family group, meant for the - most likely - sole survivor of the line, and of the Lidare and Blackwood family, no less. From analyzing the - now late - members of the family line, he distinguished it was for a young teenager named Alexander, most likely, as that head was the only missing, crudely speaking. So... I at least know 2 of the party members now... Too bad for them I'm going to crash it. As he was required to keep them, until needed, he took out a decently about fist sized Dimensional Cube, or DC, for short, which only he and his Scion could use from his bag, and slid the boxes through the cube, closed again, as he would his sword. A Dimensional Cube was like a safe in a separate dimension, so the inside would be larger than the outside, and you could put something larger than the cube's 'entrance', because the sides, where it would be too large, would seem as if the cube extended to that part, and slide in as well. These were undoubtably useful, but were hard to create, and as such, extremely rare, and all owned by him, or his Scion. He then waited to be taken down to the dungeon to see [i]Baschan.[/i] That name... That name invoked a flurry of emotions inside of him, and for once, his normally [i]truly[/i] calm mood, was... [/b][/color]

[color=#000066][b]Shattered.[/b][/color]

[Cherz]

She followed the group to the farmers house after the farmer tolder her he had no cknowlage on the beast. She felt mixed emotions. She wanted to return to her house, but this was the kind of adventure she had been seeking. She decided to see where this would take her. She was a bit dissapointed too se that his house was so small. After the farmer left the room, she asked the princess "Dont you think he should know he his hiding the princess that fled Dosca? What if the Paradus soldiers find us here? It could mean death to the poor farmer." She was worried for him. The Paradus, as she knew, would not just letElzira escape.

When the sun set, she was outside, pondering what she had gotten herself into. She was exploring near the farm when a roar was heard. She ran back to the farm, but stopped about 3 feet from it. She looked off into the distance. She tried to scout for the monster, but the fact that it was dark out and the monster had black fur didnt help either. She looked out again, and sent some butterflys into the distance, useing them as a light source.

[.:Blu:.]

It was clear that the roar surprised everyone. Just the magnitude of it is enough to scare all the townsfolk hiding in their homes. "W-Was that- the monster...?!" Alexander asked worryingly. "Yeah, that roar may be from the monster the townsfolk are talking about. Judging from the sound, it looks like the monster is far from the town. But damn, even then it's roar can be heard all the way here?" Cael clearly understood the magnitude of what they would be dealing with. Elzira then told everybody to be careful all while she fidgeted and looked overall nervous. "Hey Princess," Cael called to her, awaiting for Elzira to face him, "don't worry. We'll be okay." Cael finished, his eyes clearly full of confidence. "You just stay safe. We'll handle this quickly." Alexander added with a confidence air about him as well. "Right then, let's go." Cael said before he and Alexander walked out the door to see Rose already prepared. There were some unusual butterflies up ahead that glowed brightly like lanterns. "Huh? Are those actual butterflies?" Cael asked.

The three of them were about to head out of town to go look for the monster when suddenly a roar filled the air and from the sound of it, the roar seems to be coming from within the town. "I-It's here...!" Alexander voiced. Suddenly, some of the townsfolk walked out of their homes, carrying with them torches and farming equipment to use as weapons. "W-We're here to help!" one nervous farmer stated to Cael, Alexander, and Rose. "So where is the monster?!" a baker asked. Before anyone else could say anything, a large figured leaped over and across the large group of townspeople; landing onto the ground near Cael, Alexander, and Rose. Cael could not tell what them monster looks like exactly but he could tell that it towers over a human being and has black fur. Then, when the butterflies flew towards the monster, the true appearance of it was finally revealed. It looked like an anthropomorphic big cat - a black panther more exactly.

The monster suddenly roared. It's roar was so intense that it caused everybody outside to cover their ears. "(Damn, that's loud!)" Cael thought before peeking one eye at the monster to see an injured right arm. Once the monster who stopped roaring, Cael looked at again with both eyes open to see that it was wearing what appears to be larger versions of items Yuu wears. "What the hell...?" Cael asked. "Attack it!" one farmer from the mob shouted before they charged at the large monster. The monster turned to face them but didn't seem to have a hostile response to them. One farmer, holding a sickle, slashed the monster's arm, causing the massive beast to roar out in pain before gritting its fangs and snarling viciously. The monster grabbed the farmer's arm and threw the farmer away; not really killing the farmer but just knocking him away.

Alexander then quickly attacked the monster with a few Cadenzas. The monster turned around, only to end up getting hit directly with the energy bolts. Cael, meanwhile, was still thinking about what the monster was wearing.

-Meanwhile-

It was nighttime in Dosca and Nycht was currently being escorted by two soldiers to the castle's prison. Nycht was there to meet up with Baschan who he seems to have history with. Prince Sinegard had instructed for Nycht to question Baschan about the other three people (Cael, Rose, and Ikeno) who helped the Princess and any other information Nycht could squeeze out of Baschan. Finally, Nycht and the two soldiers arrived at a small cell. Inside was a bloodied and beaten Baschan whose eyes were closed. Overall, it seems as if he is half dead. One soldier opened up the cell door to which Baschan did not open his eyes or even bother to look at what was happening. "Hey Baschan, you have a visitor!" one soldier joked. "If you're going to kill me, kill me... You're not going to be able to make me say anything about-" As Baschan looked up, he saw a surprising figure from his past - the fearsome mercenary known as Nycht.

"I-It's you..." Baschan simply uttered with a surprised tone. "W-What are you doing here you bastard...? You killed my men... You're here to take my life too...? Well go ahead..." Baschan stated.

[Hotaru987]

Though Cael's words calmed her down for that moment, the moment the three of them were out of her sights her worry returned with a frightening vengeance. She quickly shook her head, bringing her hands up and balling them into fist, "N-no! They'll be just fine. They are capable people after all." She found herself a seat and decided to wait for them to return. After a few moments of silence another deafening roar shook the house she was in. Were they really doing ok? For the umpteenth time a sigh left her lips. When were they going to come back? All of this worrying wasn't good for someone.

[Astolfo]

[color=#000066][b]"Well, well, well, if it isn't my..." Nycht suddenly rammed the guard closest to him in a powerful hook, launching him off his feet, and into the second guard, slamming them both against the wall, unconscious, at this point in his talking and asked if Sinegard could excuse himself, so he could say some private things, knowing Sinegard wouldn't be too worried, of a betrayal, as he had quite a history, of his [i]occupation[/i]. Taking his mask and hood off, he showed - a rare incident - trace amounts of amusement on his face. He knew Baschan wouldn't recognize the face, and showed a smirk on his face. "... [i]once[/i], and emphasis on [i]once[/i] childhood friend?" Seeing no reaction from the defeated prisoner, he went on. "Oh come on, you don't recognize me? Silven?" he asked of Baschan light-heartedly, although this was a guise, because other than the fact this meeting had occurred, there was nothing to be happy about. He saw Baschan's jaw drop at this statement. Reaching into his pocket, Nycht pulled out a token - a token that once Baschan and Silven had both shared. It was a old stained necklace on a cord of flexi-steel, a remarkable material, that could bend like rubber, but was as strong as steel. That part wasn't important though. The pendant, which was half a sphere of a clear water, frozen in time, had a small metal token in the shape of a sword, with a spear of lightning as its blade.

(Flashback from long ago...)
*knocking on door of Baschan's house* "Basch!" *kid comes running out, and Silven and him climb up a tree-house like structure*
"You said you wanted to show me something! What is it?" Silven excitedly said.
*Baschan pulls out a small spherical like pendant, with two necklace cords attached, one on each half*
"Hm? What's that?"
*Baschan twists the sphere 90 degrees, each half in a different direction, and sphere falls into two halves*
"Look inside Silv!"
*Silven looks closely inside sphere, and sees a small metal token in the shape of a sword, with a spear of lightning as its blade*
*Silven puts the necklace on, as does Baschan*
"Wow! This is so cool! How'd you get it made?"
"I asked the blacksmith if he could nicely. And money helps."
*Baschan winks, and both laugh*
"See, Silv? The lightning is for magic, like you, and the sword's for like me, a knight-y guy!"
"Thanks so much Basch! I'll always keep it!"
(flashback ends)

(another flashback, a bit more recently...)
"BASCHAN!" Silven cries out anguished.
*Silven struggles against a large group of Paradisus soldiers, crying out in pain as he gets beaten with clubs repeatedly*
A knight looks shocked, at Silven, and draws his sword, and charges at the soldiers, yelling Silven's name, and slashing, but only taking down a few, before a soldier from afar shoots him in the left shoulder with an arrow (Baschan's left handed), and a soldier slashes a sword across Baschan's chest, and half the one or two dozen soldiers chase the wounded Baschan out, which was too much for Baschan to be able to take down, and Baschan runs, yelling that he's sorry, and don't worry, he'll get help.

(As the war draws to an end...)
*Silven, half dead still waited for Baschan, clutching his pendant, until a soldier laughs at him and says to him that his friend's never going to come, and that he lied to you, giving up on you, and feeding the beaten Silven streams of lies, until Silven believed it, and bitterly tried to crush the pendant, but it resisted his efforts, and he bitterly spat his [i]once [/i]friend's name out*
"You liar... Just wait... You're going to get it...
*starts hacking up blood and falls unconscious*
(flashback ends)[/b][/color]

[color=#000066][b](back to current)[/b][/color]
[color=#000066][b]"You left me, you dirty two-faced liar. I would kill you, but it seems like some important people need you. Or rather your information. Meanwhile, I'm gonna have fun getting it out of you." Nycht spits out, maliciously, filled with hatred, and desire for revenge. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DID? TO ME, THAT YOU JUST LET ME STAY CAUGHT?" Nycht yells at Baschan, enraged. "They turned me into a killer. A mercenary. A fighter. AND ONE OF THE BEST! I am known all over Odiad now, wanted for killing more people than I could keep count of, among other things. I AM NUMBER ONE! TOP MERCENARY, AND WANTED MOST IN EVERY PART OF ODIAD! It was a bitter experience, but I became stronger than those weak-minded people could ever have dreamed of being. But that doesn't matter. YOU LEFT ME TO BECOME THIS." Nycht's calm metaphorical mask had been long since shattered now. "I, A SILVER BIRD, PURE AND LIGHT, HAVE BECOME A NIGHTINGALE. I AM TAINTED FOREVER, AND I LUST FOR THE DARKNESS, AND SAVOR IT WITH MY VERY BEING. I AM DARKNESS NOW. The light is no more. Do you see, Baschan? What I have become?" Nycht's voice had fallen disturbingly calm, which was even scarier than when he was yelling. "Did you have hopes I might have come to save you? Pah. You truly are a gullible, weak minded, two-faced fool."[/b][/color]

[color=#000066][b]--- [/b][/color]

[color=#000066][b]From outside the dungeon floor, Prince Sinegard XVII could hear the screaming, and yelling, and he smiled viciously. The torturous, agonizing screams of the pained were like the most melodious music to his ears. Listening for around another hour, he waited contently, until the sounds stopped a few minutes later, and Nycht came up, with his mask and hood back over his face, not revealing anything even in his voice. "I have the information I need. Please have a transport ready. The best, if you may, as it will aid in tracking and capturing." Nycht said calmly. "Is he dead?" Sinegard's serpentine voice asked Nycht. The Prince's voice was like poisoned honey. Sweet and smooth, but vicious truly. "No, but he would probably want to be. Do not allow him contact with anyone else, if you could. But do not kill him. I have given him information to him, that would be worse than death. Much more worse." Nycht replied.[/b][/color]

[color=#000066][b]Under his hood and mask, Nycht smiled, as he walked - or more like glided - out of the room, not making a sound.[/b][/color]