Sorry but setting Windows ME over to XP f***ed it up a bit...
Chapter 1
Walking into the Wagon Hitch should have been more inviting. Had Rein’s heavily oiled cloak kept the water off he may have felt the heat from the fire, though the cloak seemed to do a better job of keeping the cold in than the water out.
The aging common room had eight cracking tables polished to a dull shine, despite the graying wood. A couple officers of the Edge Guards were drinking their salaries away at the bar, happy to have a night off for the festivals. Raleigh was sitting at the fireplace, causing a chill to run up Rein’s spine in anticipation of the warmth of the fire.
“Well it’s about time you got here Rein,” Raleigh chuckled, seeing the young May’nardian shaking off excess water before checking his leather shoulder straps to his raven branded scabbard. “I had started to think that the rain had washed you away!”
Rein grumbled as he snapped his order of mulled ale from the buxom waitress, who scowled at him, and prepared to drown the rest of the Festival of Tempests in his mug.
By tradition, during the Feast of Tempests no one was to have a sour face, to celebrate the last storm created by the Trade Winds. He was willing to break tradition tonight.
“If you don’t cheer up Rein, that Islander over there may put a knife in your ribs. That is, if Yusch’e doesn’t get her hands on you first.” Rein blinked, he didn’t realize that the blonde he ordered from was Yusch’e. With her temper, he would be lucky to just get that knife in his ribs.
Returning to the table with a tradition-breaker of her own, Yusch’e set down an empty cup in front of Rein. “Until your mood shapes up,” Yusch’e said, squeezing her hand above the cup, “all you get is water.”
Clear liquid slowly Rendered from Yusch’e’s hands into the pewter chalice sending a chill down Reins spine.
“I wish you wouldn’t do that around me,” Raleigh moaned, “no matter what we think, it is illegal. I don’t want those soldiers deciding that the award money is worth more than the trouble of arresting you. Besides, I really don’t think that Rein enjoys Rendered water.”
Realizing that he still held his frown, Rein quickly compensated three seconds too late. Yusch’es glare was confirmation enough for that.
“You just concern yourself with your own affairs.” Yusch’e replied, chewing on her lower lip.
It was clear that she was either deep in thought or contemplating how best to tan Rein’s hide. The expression on her face confirmed the latter.
Wishing that knife would hurry, Rein took a swig of the room-temperature water, grateful for the little warmth that it offered. Continuing the fake smile, he pretended to study the common room. Perhaps he could smooth it over somehow.
“Why don’t you just tell her how you feel?” Raleigh whispered when Yusch’e resumed her table runs. “We all know how you feel towards her. I wouldn't be surprised if she does.”
“It’s not that simple.”
"If you don't tell her how you feel, someone else is going to get her! It's just a date man, you’re not asking her to marry you."
"Come on, gimme a break."
"Just walk over there and ask her out. If you don't ask her you'll never forgive yourself."
A slight draft from outside passed through the common room as Rein bent under the table to fold down his leather boots. “Maybe I’ll skip the initiates’ exam tomorrow. I don’t think that I am ready to apply for the Edge Guard yet. I only have one Raven anyway.” Rein said, trying to change the subject. It was the wrong idea.
Raleigh pounded on the table, making Rein jerk his head too quickly. His skull made a sickening thud as his head hit the already splintered wood.
“What did you do that for?!” Rein demanded, nursing his swelling head.
“I am sick of you degrading yourself all the time! Everybody in Shalon knows that you could easily receive your second Raven, or even your third, if you would just take the bloody qualifiers! If you had taken the exam two years ago you would have been in without a problem! Your only problem is actually taking the test. You have a harder time taking tests than asking Yusch’e out! No, when you take the exam tomorrow and you will mind you or I’ll string you up by your toes, I wouldn’t be surprised if you made the Sheath!”
His comment made Rein jerk again. Without adequate time following the bump, it caused a jolt of pain to travel up the back of his neck.
The Sheath was the personal guard of the Sliver Throne, the ruler of May’nard.
“You flatter me, but you know as much as I do that it takes years to graduate to the Sheath.”
“Look, I don’t care if you are nursing the biggest hang-over that has ever existed in Shalon, you are going to be there!”
“Sounds like you aren’t going to be drinking after all,” came Yusch’e’s voice from behind him.
“Yeah, I guess not,” Rein said finishing off his luke-warm water and preparing himself for the driving rain of the failing storms. “I’ll stop in after my test tomorrow,” he finished, wishing that he could stay by the fire a little more before returning to the cold pounding rains.
Kissing him on the way out, Yusch’e whispered, “For luck,” and after a pause, she leaned over again to nip his ear with her teeth, “and that’s for your sour puss.”
*
The rain drove the make-shift cape into the man’s back.
Throwing the useless cloth back he pulled out a small sheathe of paper and allowed the tip of his pen to scratch the sealing wax off the paper while completing Yusch’e’s name.
“Yes,” he gushed with pleasure, “That’s five for Morlin. Morlin will be rewarded by the Keeper.”
His slow dry laughter cut off with a pang of guilt. Maybe this is wrong!
Strange, his kind didn’t have feelings. He must report this to the Reverent. No! He said to himself, Mission First! Keeper must get his catch!
The howling of the monsoons drowned out his laughter as he started his return to the confine, trying to ignore the incessant pangs of guilt along the way.
*
Rein blinked the grainy remnants of sleep from his eyes as he rolled out of bed to a washtub of cold water from the night before. Deciding himself too lazy to get a fresh tub, he washed with the slightly foggy water and began to slowly prepare for the long day ahead.
Fitting the last of his knives to his sleeves, Rein checked to make sure the straps of his sword were secured around his shoulders and that the Raven was clearly visible through the intricately connected sheath, coat, and cloak on his back. Certain that all but the hanging handle of his sword was concealed; he stepped out the front door into the cacophony that was the capitol city of Shalon.
The intricately straight streets used to assist in the daily life of a city were paved with the slight red tint of the local clay. Fishmongers called out, swearing to the freshness of their fish and the poor quality of their competitors’. While, salesman cried their wares and seamstresses attested to the quality of their linen.
As usual, gossip was a free commodity, as long as you pretended to be interested in what the peddler was selling.
The majority of the rumors were usually comprised of higher taxes and increasing tariffs, though today there was a reluctance that was quite uncharacteristic of the talkative city, causing the walk to feel longer than normal. The usual flow between people seemed to slow him for lack of information, or maybe it just seemed longer without the intricate underpinnings of a city the size of Shalon that usually stimulated his mind on the way to the training field.
Shrugging it off, Rein approached the courtyard of Shalon’s barracks and walked past the two guards to meet with two crossed swords.
Slightly shocked at the newly enforced security, Rein bowed to show the raven on his sheath.
“He’s one of my students gentleman, he’s okay.” Came a weathered voice from beyond the gates. “I’ll vouch for him.”
“Yes sir, Master Shayle,” the guards replied in unison, uncrossing their swords to allow the young swordsman’s advancement.
“What’s with the security sir?” Rein asked.
“There is a new set of executions today,” He replied.
Every once in a while an Illegal is caught: a person who Renders an Esper without the permission of the Queen. When they are caught, they are brought to the gallows in the training yard, and hung in front of the students. It was a constant reminder of the Queen’s position on such things.
He usually ignored the executions, and tried not to think of whose families were being torn apart by the loss of a sister, brother, mother or father.
Shaking it off, Rein stepped to the end of the already long line of qualifiers. Most of them seemed almost children too him. Then again, he thought to himself, Most of these “kids” are older than me.
Starting his stretches Rein prepared himself mentally for the long day of testing yet to come.
*
By noon most of the students had completed their test. That is, they were found lacking and were sent home to try again next year.
The heat of the day had slowly worn on Rein and his final test was with the roughest instructor the Edge Guard had to offer, Master Nelo. Using what little time was allotted by the instructors between tests, he decided to study his soon-to-be opponent.
Nelo was a tall, heavily tanned, and thick muscled man in his late fifties. His many scars illustrated past battles, bragging of his fighting skill when he was a general in the Sheath.
Rein’s sharp eye slowly picked out subtle, defeating traits in the other students moves that came from years of slacking off while practicing with the sword. A slight dip here, a minor mistake there, and the bundled lathe came down on the unprepared student’s head, effectively knocking him out cold.
“Fail!” the man yelled, “Next!”
Rein stepped forward, double checking the straps that held his sword in place to assure himself that they would not loosen while he fought the balding man. He still didn’t understand the tradition of having the sword there in the first place. If you bore steel during the test, even if it fell out of its sheath, you were disqualified and jailed.
After another sickening crack of lathe verses skull, Rein ran toward the gallows that shared the field and found a bundled lathe that most closely resembled his sword, making sure that the intricate braiding in-between each piece of wood was secure and without flaws. There were no excuses in the Edge Guard. If one failed, they failed, even if their lathe broke.
Returning to the training circle, Rein prepared for the instructor to nod him in. Setting himself in a stance that he could easily defend with, he nodded to the instructor to start the test.
Nelo moved. Rein barely had time to raise his lathe, as the old man’s legs produced a seemingly unnatural burst of speed, to deflected the blow too his right.
“I know you only have one Raven on your back boy,” The grizzled man smiled sharply, “but I’ve seen you fight. Don’t think that I’ll hold back on you, like I did on those other kids! It’s been a while since I could sink my teeth into a battle!”
The man was crazy! Rein thought frantically. He’s handling that wooden sword as if it could actually slice and kill! It was all Rein could do to prevent the man from splitting his head.
Blow after blow, Rein madly dodged and deflected blows. Each hit miraculously missing or being blocked at the last minute.
The intense battle continued as the few students who passed their exams, and their teachers gathered around to watch. They were careful to keep a safe distance though, as not to interfere.
Hours seemed to pass as the dance between the two men continued. Gradually, Rein grew used to the crazy man’s strikes and could round the hits easier each time.
A sudden pause in the assault startled Rein, who nearly blocked thin air. Stepping back, the other man gathered himself for another series of attacks. Rein prepared himself for another barrage of attacks when something caught his eye that caused his blood to run cold.
What had caught his eye was the sun reflecting off of the little bleach blonde hair that showed beneath a black hood being led towards the gallows. A slight figure with a graceful walk, even in shackles could only belong to one person.
Yusch’e!
The crack of the lathe across Rein’s face threw him across large circle made by the spectators. Causing sparks to shower over his vision before he could shake them away.
“Passed!” Nelo barely huffed, obviously winded.
With the fight over, the throng of spectators instantly started to dissipate. Shaking the last of his blurry vision away, Rein threw the useless lathe away and reached around his back for his sheathed sword still nestled between his shoulder blades. I have to get to Yusch’e!
“Don’t do it boy!” The weariness the old man showed after the fight was gone. Instead, the menacing veteran in Nelo had returned with a gleam in his eye and a hand on his hilt. The old man’s muscles tensing as if to test their now adrenaline soaked strength. “You’ve passed, and did a fine job at doing it. I’d hate to throw you in jail after all the fun we just had!”
Shaking away the last of the sparks in his eyes, Rein stopped listening. He would to get to Yusch’e if he had to carve a way though all of the teachers here. The well oiled sword slid smoothly from Rein’s sheath as the group of teachers and students closed in.
Chapter 2
Rein was on Nelo with a new burst of vitality.
With a fluid motion Nelo removed his sword from his hip and met Rein’s attack. The traditional flint-gilded blades sparked as they made contact, causing small, white-hot after-images to cross Reins vision.
“No!” Nelo yelled, swords still crossed, to the rest of the group closing in on Rein. “He is my problem.”
Rein used the distraction to kick at the mans chest, causing Nelo to jump back. Rotating on the balls of his feet, Rein realized the reconstructed circle of spectators closed off his escape.
Getting back into position, Rein barely reflected Nelo’s blow which pushed his sword to his side. Nelo used the opening to hit Rein with the hilt of his sword, forcing Rein to his knees.
Nelo continued his attacks on the downfallen Rein. Each blow becoming harder to reflect as Reins position left little room to maneuver and no room to attack.
Most of his attacks consist of overhead blows, Rein thought to himself. If I can dodge one of those...
Rounding on one of his reflected blows, Nelo came down again for another head shot. The sword came down in a slight angle so the sword wouldn’t break if hit the opponents sword dead on. Rein used the opportunity to roll out of the way, hoping that Nelo had overcompensated for a stronger blow. Using the momentum of the roll to get back to his feet Rein turned to face Nelo, expecting another blow for him to reflect.
Lying on the ground, Nelo had grabbed his chest and was gasping hard. The students started to gather around him to see if he was alright. Taking the opportunity Rein headed through the throng towards the gallows, desperately searching for that silver head.
Though the students were concerned with one of their instructors, the guards had no such misgivings. Closing around him, three guards took their swords from their sheaths and proceeded to close in on him. Rein prepared himself as the first blow came down on his upturned sword. Pushing away the offending sword, Rein turned and swiped the face of one of the younger guards, who screeched and dropped his sword. Grimly pushing the horror-stricken look of the now deformed guards face out of his mind, Rein used the momentum of the sword and released it, causing it to spear towards the last guard. As the guard dodged the flying sword a flick of Reins wrists produced two knives from the thongs under his sleeves, lodging themselves in the throats of the two remaining guards.
Pulling his sword from the ground by the dying guards, Rein rounded the edge of the gallows and found his target: a guard and a platinum haired prisoner. The hood was now gone and he could see her terror stricken eyes and the pain caused by the knife to her neck.
In one smooth motion Rein dislodged another knife from under his sleeve and threw it into the guard’s throat.
Keeping his forward momentum, he grabbed Yusch’e’s arm and dragged her toward a servant’s exit, to be blocked off by the remaining students, teachers and guards.
Preparing himself to protect Yusch’e, he felt her tighten her grip in his hand. He looked at her questioningly. “Just give up. I don’t want them to kill you,” she whispered.
Rein hesitated, and then drove his sword into the ground reluctantly. He barely felt the hilt make contact with his head.
*
Yusch’e woke to the stark darkness of one of May ‘nard’s prison cells, her breath clouding in front of her. In the dungeons, everything was cold.
Fighting the darkness induced claustrophobia; Yusch’e readjusted a shackle around her left wrist and started to test her muscles and stretch to check for any bruises.
Satisfied with her impromptu checkup, Yusch’e placed her hand on her neck, intent on rubbing away the sword-induced headache and froze. On the back of her neck was a soft lump, nearly identical to the bump caused by the sword hilt except it swelled slightly with the beat of her heart.
She pulled at the offending object and sparks were thrown across her vision in pain, pushing her into a fetal position until she released it.
“Every time you pull at it, it will get worse.” Came a voice in one of the darker areas of the cell, causing Yusch’e to reach for an Esper. To her horror, it slipped from her grasp like sand. “It’s best not to think about it. You can’t Render an Esper because you are wearing it and you can’t remove it without Rendering an Esper.”
“Who are you?” She replied warily.
“I’m the one who turned you and your little boyfriend in.” The man’s smile didn’t touch his eyes.
“Really?” Came Reins voice, slightly muffled by the effort of getting up. “And who are you?”
The dim light made it difficult too see each other, though her eyes were starting to adjust to the light. Despite the heavy atmosphere and the fact that he was outnumbered, he didn’t seem to be concerned.
“It’s connected directly to your nervous system through your spinal cord.” He replied, the false smile continuing. A furrowed outline of a scar above his right eye seemed to draw his face into a constant scowl, causing a conflict of facial emotion.
“Don’t change the subject.” She returned.
“Yes, well we all have skeletons we’d rather not share, now don’t we?” He continued, still smiling.
Rein had had enough, he advanced toward the stranger and was cut short sharply by his own shackle and chain around his right wrist.
Laughing to himself, the man leaned over and gave a pull to the links on Rein’s chain, severing one with a clink that echoed deeper into the caverns. “My name is Josch, but you can just call me Jo. Everyone else does… or did. And who do I have the pleasure of meeting?”
“I’m Yusch’e.” Yusch’e jumped in.
“I’m Rein.” Rein said more reluctantly.
Josch went rigid, causing the perma-smile to falter slightly. “You’re Rein?! Great! Of course you would be!”
“How’s that?” Rein replied.
“It’s not important now.” Jo sighed, turning away toward the bars.
The small bump on Josch’s neck wiped the questioning look off of Rein’s face. So, he can Render Espers. He thought to himself. He was probably caught grasping as well.
Yusch’e’s chain was next, causing her to grimace at the slight pressure to the raw ankle underneath.
The small amount of light combined with their accustomed eyes provided enough stimulation to outline their cell. The metal bars were the only part of the prison that wasn’t naturally formed. The dim light revealed little indents into the limestone that had to be a natural catacomb of cells. Catacomb seem to be the correct word, he thought to himself, hedoubted anyone came down here to do anything but die.
“So,” Josch said cheerily. “How do we get out?” The look on Rein and Yusch’e’s face almost made Josch laugh out loud.
“Why can’t you do the same thing to the bars that you did to the chains?” Yusch’e and Rein echoed.
Shaking his head Jo replied, “Chains are easy. They are worked and they can be pulled apart at the weakest link. With bars, they are forged and reinforced. I can’t do that.”
Silently, Rein readjusted what remained of his shackle around his wrist and started to work at the brittle limestone around the bars.
Jo and Yusch’e joined in shortly after, working slowly into what passed as night, taking what little rest and nourishment was left before the guards had abandoned them.
*
Raleigh walked slowly to Rein’s house, nursing a hangover-induced headache. Every step reminding him that he should have stopped drinking a lot sooner the night before.
Knocking on the door only served to add to the pounding in his head. Considering it a private penance, he knocked harder when no one answered.
Shrugging, Raleigh turned to leave but paused when he heard motion inside the house.
A little interested and more than a little frustrated, Raleigh redeemed another penance and knocked on the door once more, but a little harder.
The door swung open under his knuckle, opening to the living room of the house.
“Shut the door on your way in, and sit down,” said a low voice. A small trail of smoke coiled around a man’s head from a pipe in his right hand. Each puff seemed to slightly illuminate his features, but not enough to make a definitive face. “It’s time we talked about you and your friends.”
Longing for a bed to sleep his hangover away, Raleigh fell into one of the three overly cushioned chairs clustered in the oval living room.
“Who are you?” Raleigh asked, having a sudden moment of clarity.
“I am the one who is going to change your existence,” He said with a smile as a large man stepped up behind him. “Meet my assistant Borgon. He’s going to help you… see our side of things.”
The smoke continued to smolder around the man as Raleigh felt the darkness of death slowly close around him...
Chapter 3
The sickening scrape of metal against rock finally fell silent as the last chip was worked away from the encasement of the bars.
Josch and Rein, using the leverage of the top part of the bar, pulled hard to bend it out of the way. With the bar out of the way, a gap in the bars opened to the rest of the catacombs.
The catacomb stretched three ways from the center, and with the lack of light, each corridor seemed to stretch on forever. “Now where do we go?” Yusch’e asked as she assessed each way.
“The guard’s station is to the north,” Rein replied,”I remember studying it in class. So which way is north?”
“It’s that way.” Jo pointed to the right. “The tracks in the dust show more traffic going in that direction. Unless you want to see how you can handle swords with your bare hands I suggest we go west,” he stated, pointing down another corridor.
“How can you see in this light?” Rein argued. “I can barely make out the other cells.”
“I’ve been here longer than you, my eyes are adjusted to the light. Let’s go, I don’t want to be around if they decide to feed us and find an empty cell.”
The group shuffled slowly through the dungeon, taking care not to wake any of the sleeping prisoners. At least, Rein hoped they were asleep.
The echo of their footfalls gave them the uneasy feeling of being followed. Each sound reverberated through the many twists and turns as they continued to follow the strange man through the dark halls.
Death seemed to saturate the walls, magnified by the smell. Each breath was labored and short in an attempt to stop the dry heaves unsuccessfully.
Eventually, they came upon the un-renovated part of the cave system. Carved out by an ancient river long since gone, there were hundreds of tunnels running in all directions.
“Wait here,” Jo said, looking at each tunnel in turn. Testing the air at each opening, each big enough for a person to fit.
“Fresh air from that way,” He finally said.
*
The world was a wash of blood and agony. Pain induced blurs passed before his field of vision in a gruesome dance. Waves of hate and malice flooded his mind and saturated every part of his being.
Slowly, his vision cleared but the pain and the blood remained. His pain. His blood. Both flowed from his body as it grew too large for its skin, splitting and bleeding from every pore. Each fingernail elongated into gruesome claws, both pupils squeezing into vertical slits.
Eventually the pain receded. Making sure that his legs would support him, he stood up using the warm, red rock to his right as support. “At last my child has woken up,” came a familiar voice. “When you are more adjusted, we’ll start your training.”
*
The fading sun flushed the world in an eerie red glow as a mud-caked silver head popped out of a small sink hole five miles outside Shalon.
Slowly, two more dragged themselves out of the same sinkhole, equally caked with mud.
The sun had risen late into the day and the underground hike had taken a lot out of the trio. After they began to clean themselves off, failing miserably, they each decided what to do. Unfortunately, each had a different idea and was determined that theirs was the correct one.
Rein decided that it was all a mistake and that they should return to the palace and find where the error had been made.
Yusch’e wanted to return to the Wagon Hitch and get her things and leave as fast as possible, forsaking the idea to return to the palace.
Collapsing to the ground Jo decided that his plan was inconsequential, and at this point, the two would disregard any additional suggestions out of hand.
Eventually, the two compromised. They would return to Yusch’e’s house to get provisions and then head east towards the islands.
Collecting themselves, the trio moved towards the towering buildings of Shalon.
*
“What do you mean you let them escape?!” Verdant yelled; her shaking blue cloak emulating her fist. “Your usefulness is coming fasts to an end ****se!”
“Please Mistress; I didn’t know who he was.” Quivered the normally reserved, Queen of May’ nard. Angering one of the Riders was always foolish, and ****se hoped to avoid any repercussions. “I’ve already sent soldiers to hunt them down.”
“Well for your sake I hope they find them. I’d hate to crown a new Queen so soon!”
Verdant left in a large gust prompting a long breath from ****se she didn’t know she was holding.
Standing up, ****se brushed off her velvet green dress and readjusted her ample breasts to make a semblance of the self-controlling grace a queen should emanate. When she was done, the Queen snapped off a command to the guards outside.
Jerald, Stephen, and Allen ran into the room and flinched at her anger-distorted face. Almost sneering at the salutes they offered, she walked slowly to them.
She had chosen these three by hand out of the Sheath to be her closest guards. The best of the best you could say, but she had other reasons to choose these men. Allowing her mood to seep into the three men, she walked between each and looked into each of their eyes in turn. Nodding to herself in a decision, ****se sent Stephen and Allen back to guard the doors.
“Find them, and kill them Jerald… Is that understood?” She whispered, venom dripping from her words.
“Absolutely my Queen,” replied Jerald. “They will die under my sword.”
*
Jo smiled to himself. Ever since he left the clique he couldn’t help but smile. To think! He thought to himself. This untrained fool can’t even draw an Esper. What kind of chance would he have against my family?
Trailing slightly behind the two others, Jo steeled himself for what he knew he had to do. They were so caught up in their own argument; they didn’t notice the knife he drew from under his cloak.
*
Azure laid back in her chair allowing her blue prehensile hair to trace the various divots in her chair. They were barely noticeable but she took comfort in the slight defects in the craftsmanship. It reminded her that the person who created it was only mortal, despite the exquisite beauty of it.
Talk about LONG! You really had a lot to share, huh? That's awesome! I didn't mind reading the whole thing, though...even though I'm eighty-five years old now.....JUST KIDDING! Guizzmyo, the whole thing was stunning. I'd like to read more. But for the forum, try to break things up a bit! Just a suggestion. *donates a wee bit*
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-Jinta Beouvle, Holy Knight of Ivalice's Sunlight
Last edited by Jinta Beouvle : 06.06.03 at 18:23:26.
arhhhh.. wow that was long.. really really long.. it took me like 10 minutes to read it.. but yes I got through. you definitely need to feed this to us section by section.. cause.. my eyes were straining.. no..not really. I really enjoyed reading it.. Your narative is really good.. and descrpitve.. which gives my imagination a nice ride..
anyways keep writing.. I want to read more of your stuff..
Thank you all, and next one will be in paragraphs. Also I must say, AVF, that i did not receive your donation... I dont need it, but i just want to notify you.
Originally posted by Guizzmyo Thank you all, and next one will be in paragraphs. Also I must say, AVF, that i did not receive your donation... I dont need it, but i just want to notify you.
I have a record of donation on my RP statement, and have donated to you.
Guizzmyo, the whole thing was stunning. I'd like to read more. But for the forum, try to break things up a bit! Just a suggestion. 
*donates a wee bit*
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