Thunder rumbled through the dark clouds that hovered over the vast plain, overlooked by a large plateau to the south. A group of people slept in a large cave while one sat outside on the plateau's edge with his long green hair blowing back in the wind. He continued to spin a dagger on its side in the palm of his hand. His head felt heavy as he continued to recall the events that had taken place….

"My life has been full of death, and every step I take I feel one step closer to it."

"It seems like everyone is counting on me, the weight of the fucking world on my shoulders."

"This is just too much, going from small time thievery to taking on the Regime."

"If only we hadn't taken that job. This all would have never happened."

"The story I'm gonna tell you isn't a short one, it's about deception, lust for power, and war. I just hope it isn't too late, to go back."

Chapter 1: The Four Thieves

City of Sprohm, Solician Province:

A young man stood outside an electronic store, staring at the wall of televisions in front of him, each window to the world showing a different broadcast, one in particular catching his attention.

'The Juragian Government is on high alert today after a Revolutionary attack on the estate of Councilman Woodrow in Sprohm, capital of Solice. Judge Dunn had this to say:'

"The Councilman was able to escape the attack and is not harmed. However we have reason to believe that the revolutionaries have stolen classified government documents. It is possible that the revolutionaries responsible have not left the city, so security has been strengthened in the surrounding deserts Delia and Jeraw. The pubic is urged to look for suspicious activity and notify the Juragian authorities if the rebels are discovered. Thank you, and may Lord Juragus be with us all."

"Shit. That's just perfect." The young man said. Suddenly a ring sounded from the pocket of his leather jacket. He pulled out a cell phone and saw the name Ozzy on the caller ID. "Where the fuck are you guys?" he answered.

"We got pulled over on the way." Ozzy replied. "We'll be there in just a sec."

The connection was cut and the young man put his phone away. He pulled a cigarette from his ear and a lighter from his pocket. Lighting it, he heard the sound of a loud motor roaring up the 

street. A black van sped around the corner and stopped right behind him. The sliding door opened as he turned around and walked under the streetlight. He rubbed an eye patch on his left eye as he entered the van.

"You know were like fifteen minutes late." The young man said as he shut the door behind him.

"The damn police have road blocks at all the bridges, kupo." The moogle in the driver seat said as he sped down the road. "I guess the Revolution is in town again, kupo. Have you heard anything Cash?"

"Judge Dunn was on TV." Cash said. "He said they're beefing up security in Jeraw and Delia."

"Didn't Carmichael want us to go out to Delia tonight?" A tall muscular viera said from the back seat.

"If so this better be good." Ozzy said from the front passenger seat. "I'm tired of jacking cars and weapons. I want some silver and gold!"

"Calm down, kupo." The moogle said. "We'll see when we get to the hall."

"Ah, the crew."

"Cash, Jack, and Jonas have been my friends since we were little. We were all at an orphanage in Ozmon, Murathia, when we were ten the Great Mage War started. It wasn't before long that the battle came to Ozmonfield, the Orphanage had to move. It moved to Sprohm, Solice when we were fifteen. When we hit eighteen and we've been on our own ever since. It's been about three years now.

"Cash is the guy we just picked up. Even though he really isn't, he's like my brother."

"Male Vieras are one in ten thousand these days. Most of them are all silent and keep to themselves. Jack on the other hand is a in your face bar fight type. He's gotten us kicked out of a lot of clubs."

"Jonas has got to be one of the smartest moogles I have ever met. He's a total technical whiz and suprizingly an awesome driver."

"We've done a lot of crazy things over the last three years, but we're pretty much moving on in terms of careers. We joined the King Clan from Roda first, but now we work for the Carmichael Clan. Clan Master Arthur J Carmichael is a real hard ass. He uses his clan mainly to collect bounties. We are just one set of his whole band of killers and thieves."

The van pulled up at a building with an electric sign that read "The Oasis". Loud music and a crowd of people filled the building.

"This is it, kupo." Jonas said as he parked the van and shut it off. "Looks like a good time."

The group got out of the van and made their way to the door. After a short wait in line they approached the doorman.

"Evening boys." He greeted as he held up his list. "Names?"

"We're here to see Carmichael." Cash answered.

"I see." He replied. "Right this way gentlemen." The doorman led them into a hallway adjacent to the main entrance of the bar. Down the hallway was a door, they walked through it to see a man in a suit sitting behind a big desk. "Sir, your eight o'clock is here."

"And a half our late as usual." Carmichael said. "I thought the Regime got you or something."

"They're to busy looking for the Revolutionaries." Ozzy said as he took a seat in a chair in front of the desk.

"So what's the job tonight boss, kupo?" Jonas asked.

"It's a big one this time." Carmichael answered. "The Regime is going to great lengths to get the documents that the Revolutionaries stole. They're even turning to the clans for help."

"Why don't they call the Special Forces or something?" Jack asked.

"Apparrently they have a lot on their plate in Central." Carmichael said. "So I signed the four of you up for the bill. Your assignment is to follow a lead the Regime has, that says the Revolutionaries are somewhere out in the Delia Dunes. You are to retrieve the documents at all costs. Keep an eye out for this man." Carmichael handed a picture to Cash.

"Who is it?" Cash asked as he looked at the picture of a man with middle length black hair and a scar on his left cheek.

"It's the man suspected to be leading the Revolution." Carmichael said. "His name is Vega Rockwell. The Regime will let you through any roadblock with out question if you say you're working for me."

"Is that it?" Cash asked.

"Oh. Good luck boys." Carmichael said. "Call me when you're finished."

Sprohm - Delia Bridge:

After being let through the last city checkpoint, the boys made their way across the Delia Bridge. The bridge stood high above a river of sand and rock hundreds of feet in the air, a clear night sky in the background.

"Here we go again. I hate these damn government contracts."

"Ask anybody on the street who's been in power for the last twenty years and they'll more than likely say the same thing. Twenty years ago the Sorcerer Aswrath claimed the Province of Murathia and tried to gain more territory. Then, the Great Lord Juragus who was pretty much King of Invalice at the time led his army to liberate Murathia. The war went on for almost ten years. When Juragus emerged victorious from a one on one fight with Aswrath, but the Mage War as it was called, was far from over. Then Juragus fell terminally ill, and died. In his place came the army's generals: the Chief Commander of the army, R.K. McGrath, the High Priest of the Temple of Juragus, Hue Falkner, and the President of the Imperial Senate, James Dullahan. The Government was renamed after the late king as the Grand Juragian Empire. It has become nicknamed the Regime by the clans."

"The guys at the checkpoint said go left at the first fork." Cash said. "They think they're camping out at a small oasis towards the ocean."

"What do you think we'll find when we get there?" Jack asked as the van turned.

"I say we get ready, kupo!" Jonas shouted as he stopped the van.

The four got out and opened the back door of the van, a large trunk was inside. Ozzy opened the trunk and stuck his hands inside. He pulled out holsters with two small daggers and strapped them to the legs of his cargo pants. "Hopefully I can give the boys a workout tonight." He said as he pulled them out and whipped them around like a show off.

Cash pulled out two pistols and placed them in holsters in his jacket. "Try not to over do it."

Jack pulled out a pair of fighting gloves with gold lining on the knuckles and back hand. "Finally, I've been aching to kick some ass lately."

Jonas pulled an set of radios from the trunk and started handing them to his friends. "Ok, kupo, here are the radios, I'll set up the grid. You guys go the rest of the way on foot, kupo."

"Alright, let's go find some revolutionaries." Ozzy said as he tied his green hair back in a black bandana.

"Now the Revolution is a different story."

"The whole thing started right after the Mage War ended. Vega Rockwell claims that the Juragian Empire is manipulating the world, and that there is some big conspiracy behind the Mage War. The Invalice Revolutionaries have been labeled as terrorists and a threat to the land of Invalice."

Jonas turned on his computer and brought up the map for the area while the others strolled out into the dessert. "You guys hear me, kupo." He said over the radio.

"Loud and clear." Cash answered. "Got anything on radar yet?"

"It's gonna take a minute but the oasis is dead ahead, kupo, just keep going straight." Jonas answered.

The group trekked through the sand unaware of what awaited them at the oasis.