Hey, just me the author… you should know this fic isn't based on any of the main characters, or ones that feature in the plot. This is based on one mission I did once and thought it was a pretty cool idea…
Oh, and I don't own Final Fantasy-Tactics advance…Square Enix does.
Chapter One – The Freeing of CyrilHe looked down at the city of Cyril below him. It was going to be a good day. Two Viera flanked him.
Gillis strummed his lyre musically. The rest of the band followed suit. Dora began playing the flute, and Odette beat a rhythm out on her tambourine.
Their melody filled the morning air. Soon this road would be packed with peddlers and Clanners and all-sorts. Gillis had chosen this spot well. The southern road out of Cyril climbed steeply after it left the city and branched at Lutia pass to Muscadet, Sprohm and Baguba.
Before long, the first traveller reached their spot overlooking the city. The sun was still low in the sky but he was already up.
He was a judge, riding his chocobo grandly. His armour shone gold in the morning sun.
"Spare us some Gil, sir?" Gillis pleaded. The judge rode on, oblivious to his begging. Gillis swore under his breath.
"Nicely done, Gillis," Odette mocked.
"Don't worry…there'll be others…" Gillis muttered and resumed playing his lyre.
It was lunchtime and the troupe hadn't earned a single gil.
Gillis looked out over Cyril. Something wasn't right. Surely someone should have come their way by now. Dora and Odette were taking swigs of milk form a chocobo-skin bag.
Suddenly, a shrill cry broke the silence. All three jumped up. It had come from Cyril. They peered down at the city. People were pouring out of the city in droves. Fires were spreading across the rooftops.
Cyril was under attack!
It didn't take long for them to get the whole story. A small boy was on his own, running up the Southern road. There were tears in his eyes. As he was about to run past the troupe, Gillis grabbed him by the arm and stopped him.
"Let me go! Let me go!" he cried.
"Calm down. What's happening down there?" Gillis nodded at Cyril while the kid wriggled in his grasp.
"Antlions! The Antlion's Clan is attacking the city! They've beaten the city guard! They beat my Dadda!" the boy bawled. Resignedly, Gillis let go. The boy ran away towards the Lutia Pass.
Most of the Clans were at Bervenia Palace; there was a tournament running all week. Certainly the strongest Clans would be there. All the judges would definitely be there. Cyril had been left vulnerable; it was practically a Jagd.
Gillis shuddered. The thought of a Jagd brought painful memories back.
"Alright, gang; we've got a job. Cyril is counting on us." Gillis said merrily. He traded his lyre for a rod. He donned a wide-brimmed hat. The hat threw his face into shadow.
Gillis the Black Mage.
Odette and Dora nodded as one. They strapped quivers to their backs and drew their bows.
Odette and Dora, the twin Viera Archers.
"Ready?" Dora asked hesitantly. Gillis smiled under his hat. A Firaga spell grew in his hand.
The Leaf Clan.
Ready…
They charged down the hill, into Cyril. As they ran over the remains of the city gates, Gillis let the Firaga fly. It impacted on an Antlion, instantly incinerating it.
Odette and Dora set to work. As one nocked an arrow, the other covered with her bow. They ran up through the burning houses to reach the roofs. There they rained down arrows on the desert beasts.
Gillis smiled. While they took care of this so-called clan, he could deal with the fires. He dashed through the streets, dodging the rain of arrows.
The problem with black magic…is that it only comes in three elements. Fire, Thunder and Ice. Illusionists could use every element…Curses those scholars!
Gillis approached the inferno. No screams for help, that simplified matters. With what he knew, Gillis couldn't put the fires out. But he wasn't going to.
He closed his eyes and raised his hands to the sky. Thick, dark clouds formed above him. He heard the ominous rumble…good, it was working.
In one swift movement, Gillis brought his hand down, the tips of his fingers pointed at the burning houses. Lightning flashed down from the heavens, directed by his Thundaga spell, and struck the houses.
The blast completely demolished them. They were burnt to cinders. The fires had nothing to burn on. And it couldn't jump to the houses across the square; they were too far away. The fire died and went out.
Relieved, Gillis turned to walk away.
Out of the rubble, something stirred. It was a Fire-Bomb, and a very angry one at that. It crept up on Gillis without him noticing. Only as it prepared to self-destruct upon him, did Gillis turn.
It was too late. The bomb was too close. Even if he had the time to form another spell, he would take just as much damage as the bomb.
The Bomb smiled insanely. It's body began to swell and glow. Just as it was going to finish it's attack on the petrified mage, it…
…Fell asleep.
It curled up and cooled down, it's attack forgotten.
"Look's like I can't leave you to deal with anything, Gillis," came a voice. Gillis looked around. Someone strode out of the alley next to him.
They too wore a wide-brimmed hat, but theirs was red. Their rabbit ears poked through the fabric. They wore a red cloak down to their knees and a rapier was strapped to their belt.
"Back so soon, Dana?" Gillis asked as he poked the Bomb with a stick. Sleep, a spell in the Viera Red Mage repertoire.
"What can I say? I do good work" Dana replied as she tossed her Gil reward towards Gillis.
She had been sent to Muscadet for a dispatch mission a few days earlier. The clan didn't expect to see their Red Mage back until next week, at least.
"Are you alright?" Gillis asked. Appearing out of nowhere in a disaster zone can't be good for one's health.
"No need to worry 'bout me. I'm the one that knows Cura remember. I'm more worried about you. I haven't seen a judge here today." Dana retorted worriedly. With no judge in Cyril, there was nothing to stop killings in clan battles.
"Not a scratch, though you should go and check on the twins… I left them by the City gates earlier."
Dana nodded and dashed through the empty and charred streets, leaving Gillis all alone.
Gillis walked slowly through the streets of Cyril. The Antlions Clan, or what was left of them, had been driven off.
Cyril had been saved.
The residents were gradually returning now, hearing news of their victory. They sighed and tutted at the shambles their homes were in. They had been lucky Clan Leaf had been around.
Someone screamed.
Gillis winced and looked around. The rest of the clan would be in the pubs now. He would have to do this alone.
He forced his tired legs to run in the direction of the scream.
He soon found it, in the slums. There was one Antlion left and it was intent on terrorizing the city. It was a big one, biggest all season Gillis would guess.
"HEY YOU!" Gillis shouted. The Antlion turned its massive head and stared at him. The people who it had cornered took this chance to run away.
It was only Gillis and the Antlion.
Gillis smirked. One blast of Firaga should do the trick. He raised his staff and thought fiery thoughts.
Phft!
Gillis dropped his staff in exhaustion. He didn't have enough magic power left. Despite being a Mage, his magic power was quite low, even for a human. He only had enough strength for about two good spells a day. He was running on empty.
He had no choice. Gillis would have to fight this beast physically.
He grabbed his staff and lunged at the Antlion. In one bite of its giant mandibles, the Antlion had turned Gillis' rod into splinters.
Gillis gulped. Only a Bangaa would take on a beast with their bare hands. Gillis was no Bangaa. He couldn't run either. Those mandibles would be on him before he could take his first step.
Gillis removed his hat resignedly. This was the end for him, and he knew it. He stared into the creature's dull eyes and waited for the inevitable,
The Antlion advanced on him. He watched it open it's mandibles around him…
…And he watched it explode in a burst of shining light! Amazed, Gillis checked the carcass. In it's back was an arrow. At first, he thought it was one of Dora's or Odette's. But no, this arrow was blessed. Gillis didn't know much about soldiering jobs, but he guessed it was the work of a Paladin, a holy knight.
Gillis looked up. Silhouetted by the sun, a figure gazed down on him from the city wall. They held a great-bow in their arms, but wore the turban of a Paladin.
Gillis had heard stories about this warrior. He had heard that this former Clan leader had gone solo after the murder of his friend, Montblanc.
Marche, the Paladin-Hunter
"That was my Holy Blade technique…go back to your clan. Tell nobody I was here…" Marche whispered from the wall. Then in a flash, he was gone…