CHAPTER1: THE BEGINNING

The kingdom of Ivalice which is blessed with plentiful resources and beauty, but two thousand years ago this land was once torn apart. It wasn't by any natural disaster but by the people of Ivalice themselves between the Humes, the Bangaas, the Vieras, the Moogles, the Nu Mou, the Seeq and the Gria. The 7 races fought for supremacy over Ivalice in a war that history now refers to as the War of Races, this war was fought for years and was in truth one giant stalemate as no one race would get the upper hand over the other 6. After Centuries possibly a Millennium of fighting the war was over, but no one knows how or even why the races put aside their difference and came together for peace.

After two thousand years of peace the people of Ivalice have decided not to look a gift chocobo in the mouth and just decided to be grateful for the peace. The races that once fought against each other now fight together in groups known as Clans, the Kingdom is now ruled by all the races through a single representative from each race in a Government known as the Council of the 7 Seats and finally a powerful magic was cast all over Ivalice this magic created what became known as laws which are up held by beings known as judges these laws were created to prevent deaths from the clan vs clan combats. However even in times of peace there are always those who would seek to destroy it, and the question the some still want an answer to how or even why did the War of Races end.

IN AN UNKNOWN LOCATION

While most of Ivalice was beautiful land of much beauty where even the deserts of the land were consider beautiful, this particular land however would be consider the greatest exception. The land was so barren that there was barely even any sand blowing with wind, the air itself was so thin breathing was a little difficult and the sky was so cloudy that not a single ray of sun light could penetrate through, The simplest way to put it was that the land was being sucks dry.

''Whose bright idea was it to do this thing in a place as damned as this?'' The voice came from a hume man dressed in clothes similar to that of a samurai, his clothes were all black, he had long green hair and rather tying his hair in a ponytail like most under his job he just left it to hang there as it covered part of his face. His face had a very distinct mark the right side of his face had a claw mark that ran around his face even over his right eye, he carried 2 single edged katana on the right side of his body.

Scyth Grim: The Parivir of Death

''Why so scared Scyth hahaha? Don't tell me that death itself is afraid of a place like this." The second voice came from a rather cocky bangaa who couldn't seem to stop laughing as he spoke, he was dressed in the attire of the master monk job class which was probably the most normal thing about him compare to the rest of him. Unlike most of the lizard kind known as bangaa who had like brown skin his was dark brown, the tip of tail was cut off and his left ear had by the look of it been bitten off. He was carry what looked like a pole which was tied to his back.

Wrath: The Master Monk AKA The Mad Monk

The Parivir looked at his partner with a very dangerous eye not even a novice could fail to pick up on Scyth's killing intent. He placed his left hand on the handle of one of his swords gripped it tightly.

"Listen here you blabbering bangaa if you ever make such a ridiculous comment about me again you will find out first-hand how I got that title." Scyth spoke in a very cold, angry and yet still calm matter. "Never mistake my caution for fear, only those truly desperate to hide from the law come to this place."

The bangaa even after being threaten just kept smiling in a menacing way in fact his smile got wider just after the threat. He even started cracking his knuckles almost as if he were getting ready for a fight and his blood red eyes focus on his hume partner.

"I don't care if they call you death my friend, do I look like someone who fears death? If anything I would to see a demonstration of the famous skill of yours." Wrath as usual was laughing in between sentences was not the least bit scared of his partner's threats, he was if anything excited by them. "But I will agree with you that this place is where only the desperate and cowardly would go just to escape the long arm of the law."

After their exchange of words the two continued on their way, the scenery of the land was all the same the saw few people who based from their earlier discussion were all criminals. As the kept walking a feeling crept up on both on both of them the feeling that they were being followed. They didn't bother themselves with it in both their mind they would be wasting their time, one thing that did bother both of them however was feeling the farther they walked.

(This feeling it's just like we were told when we were sent here.) Scyth thought to himself and became most concerned

"Scyth you feel it too right?" The bangaa decided to break the silence and for once wasn't laughing.

"I hope you aren't referring to the low lives following us?" The hume replied in his usual cold and calm voice

"Don't be ridiculous you fool, I mean the feeling that our mist is being drained from us" Wrath returned to his normal laughing self after that comment. "We can't really use magic in a place like this now can we? No wonder they say the magic of the laws can't reach here, they could get sucked dry."

"It's just not just being drained from us ii looks like this whole play was sucked dry by something, and whatever it is will be the source of us controlling all of Ivalice?" Scyth said that simple comment.

TARG WOOD, WOOD VILLAGE

The Wood village of Targ Wood was a peaceful little place; it had a small population with people of every race except for the wing warriors the Gria. The village was quite small it had a small inn for travellers to rest, it didn't have a shop just local and foreign merchants trying to make money. The village did however have a local black smith shop which was one of the main reasons adventurers would travel from far to come to this small village, the black smith was run by a Seeq named Victor Hama.

TARG WOOD, WOOD VILLAGE, VIC'S BLACK SMITH P.S We only make swords, blades, Knives, spears, rapiers, hammers, maces and Axes… NO REFUNDS

Vic was also famous a few other reasons one of which being his amazing bargaining skills

"What do you mean it's too much? That's a simple place for such a fine piece of work." The voice rather rough and a little loud, the voice is owner wear the outfit meant for Vikings but like any Seeq the horn on his head was sticking on of his hat it was no other than Victor Hama himself.

"YOU CALL THIS FAIR!? I could go to Camoa and get this for more than half of what you offering." The second voice came from a hume more specifically a soldier who wanted to buy a diamond sword, that was until he heard the price. "This is an outrage I have never heard of any place that charged 2500 gil for a diamond!"

"Firstly those shops don't have the touch that I put in each individual's weapon." Vic said with a proud look on his face. "And secondly this sword is for you right? When a soldier wants a diamond sword it's because they want to learn Mug Gil, a move that allows a soldier to not only deal damage but steal a bit of your opponent's gil. I would just like to be compensated for the money you will be stealing with my sword, and what is wrong with that?"

As the soldier considered a way to counter what Vic had just said about him, he found himself unable to do that as everything Vic had accused him of was true. He simply reach into his bag and pulled out the exact amount of gil that Vic had ask for, after which he found that he was out of money as a result. After which Vic took the money and waved at the soldier as he left with Vic as happy as he could be while the soldier left feeling sad, just then the back down of Vic's store open and a hume boy came out so tired.

"Well Vic looks like you just made another satisfied customer or…." The boy pause to take a very big yawn before he continued to speak. "Or another miserable customer." The boy a little taller than the average 14 year old boy, he had short black hair and red reds, he wear a silver coloured shirt which he wear under a grey vest. He wear a pair of brown gloves on each hand, he had two belts around his waist why I don't know, he was sporting a pair of blue shorts that reached his knees and finally he wear a simple pair of brown shoes.

Richard Xanda Commonly known by all as Rex

"Hey he got a great sword and I got my money everyone is happy." Vic paused as he looked at the boy's appearance and it looked as if he had just woken up from sleep, he then looked to the clock on the wall and saw it was 12 o clock. He proceeded to the boy then grabbed him by his grey vest brought his close to his face before he continued to speak. "Are you telling this is when you are getting up you little runt?"

The boy simply gave yet another large yawn as look straight into Vic's eyes with the most board of expressions before giving his answer. "Yep."

"Okay before I bit you silly I'm gonna give you a chance to explain yourself NOW!" Vic spoke in a very threating manner as he was not amused one bit.

Rex was still not worried even after the threat the seeq laid before him "I have been in the back working on that project of yours, what was it you kept calling it? Operation Vic's retir…." Before the boy could finish his sentence Vic placed his hand on the boy's mouth he then looked around to see if anyone was listening in on the discussion. When he was sure no one was within ear shot he removed his hand from the boy's mouth.

"Okay you don't have to be so loud you don't want everyone in the town to get wind of this." The seeq lightened up a little before he continued to speak. "Looked I get you've been working on the project but that doesn't mean you can oversleep."

"I didn't oversleep I was just taking a nap, I've been up all night." The boy spoke in low and tired voice he was even having a trouble keeping his eyes open.

As soon the seeq heard those words he and the boy went to the back room which was also where the weapons were forged as well as other thing in this case. When Vic laid eyes on the room we was beyond amazed, he was shocked at all the work the boy had managed to get done in a single night. The forge was still warm it's as if he was still working, he looked around the room where the boy's bed was it was completely untouched not even a sheet out of place.

"How long have been up?" The Viking directed attention back to the boy who simply yawned every few minutes but still somewhat awake.

"Am still working I just took a little cat nap…" The boy paused to stretch out before he continued. "I really wanted to get as much done in time to meet the deadline we were given I guess I slept a little longer than I wanted, your raged out customer woke up."

The viking kept looking from his apprentice to the room which was filled to capacity with the apprentice's work. Vic felt bad about his earlier out burst on his apprentice he realised that boy sent the whole night and pretty much the whole morning at work. He went to the counter and got his recent earnings plus and added a little more and put it in a small sack about the size of his fist. He then thrown the sack to the boy who was caught off guard and almost failed to catch the sack, the hume boy looked back at the seeq with great shock even raised an eye brow.

"What's the catch here Vic?" Rex could help but be suspicious of Vic having known him for some years. "Let me guess you gonna take this out of my pay? Or wait am going to have to work over time to make up what you giving me right?"

"The catch here is go get something to eat I don't want people in town saying I worked you to death." Vic responded in an annoyed matter feeling a little offended at what the boy thought of him even if everything he said was something Vic would have done on a normal day. The boy didn't want the seeq to change his mind and immediately left the shop through the store's back door at incredible speed.

(That Rex always working so hard every day, it's good to know that when I retire the shop will be in very capable hands) Vic's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the store's doorbell which rang every time a new customer walked in. "Oh well I can always make up what I gave the kid with this new custom." The seeq said to himself before heading to the front of the store to meet his customer. "Welcome to Vic's blacksmith how can I help you tod…." Vic stopped as soon as saw the new customer who immediately sent a chill up and down his spin, she was averaged height hume woman probably in her mid-20s, her hair was purple it wasn't very long but long enough to cover her left eye, her eyes were blue and were so of scary to look at her clothing was rather unique in that it was the dressing for any common job take by humes and tied to her back was long sword more specifically a katana it was the same length as her own body but was odd was that the handle of the sword was facing down. As she saw the Viking she gave him a rather sinister smile which could only be describe as evil.

"So this is the famous blacksmith shop of Wood Village? It's not what I expect from to see when the owner is so famous." She was referring to Vic at one time in his life he was a famous explorer who had done pretty much everything one could think of he even had a nickname. "Vic the Hammer as a live and breathe." She tried to lighten the mood as Vic's eyes didn't let up. "You have to forgive me am a little star struck here your stories are legendary, especially the one that you shattered an entire mountain"

"Just an exaggeration to make the tail more epic, it was really just half the mountain" Vic's who never turned down the chance to tell any who asked of his time of adventure cause it brought back such great memories. Also he would charge people who asked claiming they had wasted his time, but for once money was the last thing on his mind as the woman in his store was the only thing he was concerned with. He slowly reached under the counter for his prized sledgehammer which he kept nearby for those customers who wouldn't take no for an answer. "So as I was about to say how can I help you today? Need a sword? Though with that sword on your back I wouldn't recommend wielding a second one."

"I actually wanted to buy a couple of blades, rapiers and swords for some friends of mine." The mysterious woman handed Vic a list and 6 sacks filled with gil, as she waited for the order she continued to make conversation with the Viking. "So I heard your skill as a black smith got you recognition from one of the 7 seats that must make you one hell of black smith." She continued to talked as she looked around the store and as she keep talking Vic grew more worried as she seemed to know a lot about his business activities. He kept calm and continued collecting her order.

"Well I did meet a lot of people along my travels around Ivalice and yes some of them are very important people that owe me a favour or two, who can say?" Vic had just finished collecting everything on her list and brought it in a big sack and gave it to her.

"Well should get going then." She got the sack and proceeded to the store's exit but just before she left she turned her head to say something. "Good luck with that special order."

After she left Vic's entire body went numb he was beyond worried he looked around the store as if he was being watched. He then went and changed the sign of the store from open to close.

1 HOUR LATER….

Exactly one hour later Rex returned he was surprised to find Vic hard at work on the project instead of making money in the store. That also surprised the fact that Vic had closed the store soon early the boy approached mentor and asked what was wrong. "Hey Vic was business that slow? I guess that soldier you rip off spread the word about you huh?" Rex got no response and could sense something very wrong with the picture. " Vic what happened?"

Vic finally stopped looked at the boy and simply said a few word in low tone "Get to work we leave tomorrow for the airship in Moorabella it will take us 2 and half days to get there so to night make sure you actually sleep." The boy didn't argue he read the situation and knew now wasn't the time for jokes.

JUST OUTSIDE WOOD VILLAGE

"You think you scared him that much that he will leave tomorrow?"

"Without a doubt I spooked him to his core he probably rushing so that he starts off tomorrow morning"

"We should be careful he didn't get called Vic the Hammer for nothing"

"I know"

THE WHEELS HAVE STARTED TURNING (END OF CHAPTER1)

Authors note: First Fanfic I know I have made plenty of typos and will try to upload often please leave your review good or bad.