Playing with madness

Chapter one

Three men were taking a lazy afternoon off from their quest. The three men were sprawled out on a grassy knoll just outside Vault. Enjoying the afternoon sun. A light breeze ruffling their hair causing small waves in the grass. Their names; Pietro Pent, Lars Stane, and the leader of their party Hinaro, no one knows his second name. His family and his past remain a mystery although he has moments where his past shows through and how he deals with it is well not the smartest of ideas. The only thing Pietro and Lars could gather was the name, Tara, they had no idea who it was but he seemed to have strong feelings for her.

Pietro was slender and thin he has long light purple hair that reached half way down his back, tied just above his shoulder blades. He wore glinting black armour over a dark purple robe open at the sides from the waist down to give freedom of movement. Dark leggings and dark leather boots protect his legs and feet and a light purple and black cloak attached at the shoulders of his robe. He has two daggers at his waist attached to his belt. Pietro has barely any muscle. For what he lacks in physical qualities he makes up for mentally. His element was as you can tell by his intelligence, wind.

Lars had short dark fiery red hair that reached just above his shoulders and with a flick at the front right, he wore dark red leather jacked with no sleeves and a high collar, he had black trousers with a glinting iron belt buckle. He wore a metal shoulder guard over his left shoulder strapped to him across his well toned chest. He had a mighty great axe on his back and was built with the muscle and physique to use it well. He was a fire user.

Hinaro had long bleach blonde hair shining down to his lower back, black armour with white tint. He had a beige cape resting neatly on his shoulders, under it he had a silk under shirt straight from Xian with a yellow silk belt tied at the right side of his waist and had some wooden beads laced through the knot. He has a light blade on his back belted across his chest but he prefers to use his fists, however he was the most balanced, medium build, slightly 'chubby' (as Pietro and Lars called it) and is very keen in his martial art skills rather than weapons, when it comes to solving puzzles he can do them but, to Pietro's annoyance, it takes him a bit longer than expected. He is the party leader his element is earth.

Hinaro remembers the time they spent back in their home village before the monsters became ravenous. Yes that was their quest, to find out why the monsters were attacking the villagers and stop it before it became worse. They were the three best warriors in there village which had become known when some bandits invaded the village and crossed these three and got brutally beaten by Lars but the villagers assumed it was all three by the state the bandits were found in. They had found out what was happening on their rest in Lunpa. They spoke to a man that had asked of their quest and their business in Lunpa. He informed them that it was a certain type of crystal that had been there for a while but since the seal was placed on alchemy it's powers began to seep into the earth and spread throughout the ground in the surrounding areas, infecting monsters at their breeding grounds, causing it to spread faster. He called it the 'corruption crystal' he also told them roughly where it was first sighted, before who ever saw it were chased away by monsters that dwell there. He told them that it was far north of Vale in the mountains between Mt Aleph and Imil. It perturbed the three of how much the man knew of their quest and the so called 'corruption crystal'. They dismissed thoughts about why the man knew so much and focused on the task at hand. Pietro had reasoned that it was just a tainted Psynergy stone and the villagers just referred to it as a 'corruption crystal' due to it's appearance and effect. The villagers, not being adepts nor educated in the study of alchemy, didn't actually know what a Psynergy stone was. At the moment they were resting in Vault near their home town Bilibin.

As they finish resting a figure approached from the distance. Tall, dark and covered in black he had dark blue hair and a extremely large katana on his back. Hinaro eyed the stranger wearily. Pietro glanced at the man for a few seconds before staring back into the distance, contemplation how to deal with the crystal. Lars' eyes were fixated on the man's katana. His eyes drifted towards the ground for a few seconds before coming out with something that only Lars would, "You think he's compensating?" Lars grinned. Hinaro sighed and Pietro face palmed at this comment. He was only a passer by but they sensed that they had not seen the rest of this man he appeared to be going in the same direction as they were set to head. They waited for several minutes for this figure to vanish into the distance. Just in case the figure thought they were going to try something and challenged them.

They headed up north towards vale. The light breeze stirred up small clouds of dust from the hard, dry earth of the beaten track. Monsters prowled the paths endlessly. The threefold watched anything that could be used as cover by monsters with hawk eyes, as not to miss a thing. As they passed a small patch of woodland Hinaro's ears picked up the distinct sound of breaking twigs underfoot. Hinaro silently signalled the other two to take up arms. It was either bandits or monsters. The threefold stood on guard. The bushes beside Lars parted and the shambling form of a zombie dragged itself out from the woods and let out a low moan. It must have been some form of signal. As if on cue several more zombies limped and dragged themselves out of the cover of the undergrowth.

Lars slashed at the closest zombie taking it's arm off, moving quickly he twisted and decapitated it with a follow through blow. The headless corpse staggered backwards and collapsed with a crash into the thicker part of the undergrowth.

The zombie must have fallen upon a vermin nest as droves of the blue creatures dashed out from the bushes waving makeshift staff like weapons. Vermin, although not very strong in small numbers, can be quite troublesome in larger groups.

Pietro sheathed his daggers and concentrated. Tapping into his Psynergy, drawing up the power he needed. Pietro unleashed a powerful plasma. Reducing a large number of vermin to ash.

Hinaro struck quickly. Two powerful strikes hitting the shoulders of a zombie disabling use of it's arms. He followed up with a somersault kick to it's head before landing and finishing up with a roundhouse kick, sending the zombie sprawling.

Lars casted a mad blast around the feet of the vermin as they swarmed towards Hinaro throwing them up into the air.

Hinaro kicked of the ground into the air amongst the vermin, lashing out with his fists, elbows, knees and feet. Felling each one of the vermin that his attacks connected with.

Their dead bodies fell from the air and landed among the trees.

Pietro, deciding it was best if he stuck to his Psynergy for this fight, waited for the closest zombie to lunge at him. Pietro quickly sidestepped the attack and slapped a hand down on the zombie before casting Wind Slash, tearing the zombie apart.

Hinaro focused his Psynergy as he fell. He could feel the dusty ground below him, as if his own flesh and blood. He embraced the earth and turned to sand as he touched the ground.

"Two left..." Lars thought aloud. He turned to face the one moving for Pietro, who had just finished of another. Lars held his arm outstretched and unleashed a Heat Wave from his open palm. The rippling flame engulfed and charred the cadaver until nothing but a smoking black mass remained. Pietro nodded to him and they both turned to face the remaining enemy.

Hinaro popped up form under the ground surprising the zombie, lashing out with his leg while he rises taking the zombie into the air with him.

"Pietro! Whirlwind! Lars! Eruption!" Hinaro shouted while falling.

Pietro twirled his hand in a circular motion as if to emphasize the casting of the Whirlwind. Pietro's whirlwind began pulling in the various bodies and charred lumps to the one point in the middle of the path.

Hinaro kicked of the zombie directing it towards the swirling mass of air while also pushing himself away from it. He flipped over and landed on his feet gracefully beside Pietro.

Lars called upon his Psynergy once more focusing on the point below the vortex of wind, debris and bodies. He unleashed a full strength Eruption from beneath it, incinerating everything and anything that managed to get caught in the magma flow.

Hinaro and Lars dragged the body of the zombie that fell into the vermin nest away from the path. Hinaro noticed a small cloth pouch attached to the rags of cloth the zombie wore around its waist. He drew his short sword and cut it free. It's contents spilling over the ground.

"Cool, we found some gold!" Lars said as he knelled down to pick up the coins. "Can we buy some food?" asked Lars, his stomach rumbled audibly.

"We don't need food" Pietro said as he stepped through the bushes to join them.

"But we...I'm hungry!" moaned Lars.

Pietro sighed and folded his arms, lightly touching the tips of his right hand fingers to his forehead.

"Come on, we should press onwards to Vale before it gets dark." Hinaro said. Leading them back through the bushes and onto the main path.

As they approached the outskirts of Vale a man yelled "stop that guy!". A small ginger man was running from a nearby house constantly looking back, a burlap sack held against his chest. He ran straight into Lars, barely even moving the large man, and fell flat on his backside.

"Are you trying to stop me!" the small man demanded, trying to pick himself up from the floor.

Pietro sighed and asked "Chris, what are you doing here?"

"How do you know it was me?" he glanced up and froze "P-Pietro?!"

"well, to answer your question. Your idiotic way of running and child like screams gave you away" Hinaro pointed out.

"Uuugghhh lets just find some food and get out of here" proposed Lars.

"I agree" Hinaro smiled.

"Idiotic?...child like? How dare you insult me! I challenge you to a fight!" Chris yelled waving a fist at the three of them.

They pushed past Chris paying no heed to his childish stunt as if he wasn't there.

"Let me help you find the corruption crystal please! I didn't hurt you just there because I want to help." Chris said eagerly, as if trying to hide the shame of having he threefold push pass him with such ease.

Lars and Pietro looked at Hinaro, already knowing the answer. Hinaro sighed.

"No Chris, this is a very important mission and your far too childish and immature to stay on task plus you've got a lot of training to do before your anywhere near our level. Your not ready and never will be." Hinaro put simply.

"Fine, if you wont let me join I'll have to force you!" Chris exclaimed angrily. "I'll just overpower you with my Psynergy!".

Hinaro sighed again and nodded to his companion "Lars, you take him I'm going to get some food".

"No wait, I'm coming to!" Lars' stomach rumbled loudly again. "Pietro. Deal with him" Lars said before running to catch up with Hinaro.

Pietro sighed and casted Tornado, throwing Chris high into the air and off into the distance with no effort at all.

"Pathetic much?" Pietro said to no one in particular before hurrying up to catch the other two.

The Party sat in the main room of the Vale inn after previously purchasing a room. They had settled down for dinner at one of the small circular tables. "Hmm?" Hinaro mused as he noticed the man in black they saw earlier. He seemed to be fixated with a piece of paper. Something told Hinaro it was important. "Pietro?".

"Yes?" He murmured, looking up from the small menu he was looking at.

"Is that the man who passed us outside Vault earlier today?" Hinaro asked quietly.

"I think so. Why?" Pietro asked.

"Something about him troubles me. Could you perhaps read his mind from here? Tell me what that piece of paper says?" Hinaro said.

Pietro closed his eyes and concentrated. The blue glow of Psynergy emanated from him. He was still for a few seconds. Pietro's face creased in annoyance. "Ugh, his mind is veiled or I just can't read him at this range. I can't tell." Pietro said, clearly annoyed at this.

Lars wandered back to the table clutching three tankards of ale. "Here we are! Let's drink! I'm parched!" grinned Lars.

Pietro looks up at Lars "Lars, keep it down. We don't want to attract attention".

"Huh? Why?" asked Lars. Confusion written all over his face.

Pietro jerked his head towards the man in black. "Him. We're trying to find out whats written on that bit of paper." Pietro explained. Suddenly an idea formed in Pietro's head. "Lars, could you perhaps set that guys' cloak alight?".

"but aaallleee!" Lars frowned and made an unhappy face as if trying to convince Pietro

"ill buy you some noodles and rice cakes if you do it" says Pietro smiling sarcastically

"nooodles!" Lars hungrily adds

Lars walked over and casted flare on the mans cloak as he passed by. The man got up without a fuss and attempted to stamp out the flames. Pietro quickly moved over to the man's table and snatched up the paper, swiftly tucking it inside the sleeve of his robe. He moved towards Hinaro and signalled Lars back over. The man then shot a small jet of water out of his hand. Successfully dousing the flames. Hinaro scanned the piece of paper. The man had been looking at a layout of the terrain around Mt. Aleph and how to pass through it.

Pietro looked at the piece of paper over Hinaro's shoulder. "Do you think this man is, perhaps, after the same thing we are?".

"I don't know but this man, is he an adept?" asked Hinaro.

Pietro looked surprised. "Surely you knew this?" he said.

"Uh, a water one I think" Lars added.

Pietro clapped sarcastically. "Well done. Anyway, should we question him?" queried Pietro.

"No, if I'm right we will be meeting this man soon enough." said Hinaro. A hint of foreboding in his voice.

The three of them drained the last of their ale and made their way upstairs to the room. Lars flopped face down on his bed and was asleep instantly. His snoring filled the room. Pietro untied his hair, letting it hang loose down his back, before climbing into bed. Both of them were used to Lars' snoring so Pietro had no problem drifting off to sleep. Hinaro however remained awake. He lay in his bed staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. Who was that man? Why was he looking at paths around Mt. Aleph? Hinaro reasoned that they would find out soon enough. He just hoped they were prepared for whatever may come. He closed his eyes and turned over. They just had to see what tomorrow would bring when they set out for Mt. Aleph.