Wanderlust
I have a story to tell, if you're willing to listen. I have little time, so I trust you will take my words to ponder and learn from. You will? I'm glad, and I thank you from the depths of my heart. You've made me a very happy man; I know not many would like to listen to an old sailor and his tales.
My name is Picard, and I am the Captain of the fine Lemurian ship Reise. I'm just an ordinary Lemurian, save for my strong sword arm and unquenchable wanderlust. Typically I prefer to keep quiet, to reflect upon the actions of others to learn and gain experience. Years of travel have taught me that keeping your mouth shut until you know what you're getting into is the wisest course a sailor, or any man for that matter, can take. Throughout my countless decades of life, interests came and fled like the tides, and I've tried everything from writing and telling stories to making ropes and drawing up maps and charts. However, it is not as important that you know so much about me that it drowns what I'm about to tell you.
It all started a few months ago when I found myself on the strangest quest imaginable. I never would've thought that a humble captain such as I would be involved in saving the world. But then again, the waves of the sea have a tendency to take you on journeys you never thought would be possible. I suppose the winds of fate caught the sails of my life and guided me along my journey since the early days of my youth. Ah, but please pardon my rambling. I have always been a man of the ocean, and I suppose the thought of the crisp salt air blowing about brings out my more poetic side.
I met up with a rather unorthodox and intriguing man who went by the name Felix. His eyes were deep and truthful, but they bore a heavy burden; I could tell it from the very moment I saw him. I found it was he who was responsible for proving my innocence and set me free from that accursed Madra prison. He never admitted to it though; for he was a modest man as much as he was odd. When we first met, he and his friends were willing to help me recover my Black Orb despite the risks. He helped me selflessly, and I will never forget that. It was truly an honor and a stroke of luck to meet him and his companions.
Though he was accompanied by a scholar and a Jupiter Adept of some skill, the other companion I most remember aside from Felix was his younger sister Jenna. She, simply put, was interesting. This Mars Adept had an inner fire I hadn't seen in years; something I never saw in Lemuria. Her outspoken nature and hardheaded stubbornness made me realize that there are many kinds of women out there, made me understand that there were ones who weren't the quiet, reclusive women of my homeland. Perhaps I would've fallen for her, if she hadn't spoken so much of her crush Garet. From everything I heard, Garet was quite the amazing man, if a bit stupid at times. I wanted to meet this man in person almost immediately after she described him to me; to see what piqued her interest in someone.
Sheba and Kraden were considerably less fascinating. Sheba was pretty quiet and kept to herself most of the time. However, she was proud of the Jupiter Psynergy she inherited and would not tolerate anyone questioning her or the power of Wind. Kraden had much knowledge of the world, but he came off as mildly irritating to me. I liked him enough, but his constant mutterings over history and science did wear on my nerves after a time. Felix though, seemed to trust the old man completely, and I saw no reason not to do the same.
Well, time passed and I found our ragtag group in the Jupiter Lighthouse. It was here I met the pursuers that had been doggedly hounding Felix across continents. The group wasn't quite what I expected when I saw them. Like us, they traveled in a group of four, and they had one of each kind of Adept. However, when I first laid eyes on them, they were all in grave peril. Garet hung by a single arm on a small ledge below a trapped bridge, with the healer Mia above him. The ones known as Isaac and Ivan were above, fighting Karst and Agatio. Of course, I had no idea which one of our pursuers was which except for Garet, but for sake of cutting to the chase, I will move on.
Karst and Agatio. Now, if there were two more particularly strange characters on the face of Weyard, I'd be a very surprised man, and considering I am over two hundred years old, it takes a lot to do that. Karst seemed motivated by simple revenge, obviously not a novel concept, but the lengths she went at to get what she wanted were astounding. She even attacked us after doing what she wanted us to do. I couldn't understand why she wanted myself and Felix dead so badly. Then again, the logic of Proxians has always eluded me, even after meeting the peaceful people of their town. Agatio was a complete mystery to me. He was brutish, loud, and remarkably tough, but that's really all I ever came to know about him. He was never spoken of in Prox, except by the occasional passerby who seemed to know even less about him than I did.
But anyway, we found ourselves in the company of Felix's 'enemies,' and the unexpected happened; they joined with us, adding a greater dynamic to our traveling group. It was indeed a welcome addition.
Garet was just as Jenna described. He was indeed brave, strong, skilled when he wasn't clumsy or stupid. When I say stupid, I mean that he had a nasty habit of opening his mouth and inserting his foot. Though it was amusing to watch him get into trouble with Jenna for it, I did feel pity for him. As I grew to know him, I saw very easily why Jenna had idolized him so. He was a true friend, the kind that would take an arrow for you, the kind who would never leave your side even when things looked the worst. I wish I had known him since the days of my youth; we would've become fast friends.
Ivan reminded me much of Kraden, although Ivan was wiser and knew when to keep quiet. I admired this trait greatly, and I did my best to gain the Adept's wisdom, but he kept to himself more than Sheba did. I suppose it went with the territory of being a Jupiter Adept, so I didn't bother to press the issue.
Isaac… well, for some reason he reminded me of a grand hero of Lemurian legend. Perhaps it was his sapphire eyes that shone with an unworldly determination, but also with a saint's care and compassion. Maybe it was the way he stood and walked, confident in his friends, but reserved about his own performance. The blonde Adept seemed to be hate making tough decisions for his group without their council; he was a leader, but he didn't want to leave his friends behind. Admirable, to say the least. Most men who have the ability to lead use it for selfish purposes, but not this one. Isaac reminded me a lot of Felix, with the noble heart and honest nature. I could tell they were once friends, but it looked as though they didn't trust each other. I couldn't say I blamed either of them.
The last was their healer, Mia. She was a Mercury Adept like myself, but she was very skilled in curative Psynergy. I'll be blunt. Though she resembled the women I knew in my homeland that I grew weary of the moment I met Jenna, she was absolutely amazing. I doubt I'd ever seen such a combination of beauty and wisdom in a woman, and I thought I never would again. I was stricken with her almost the moment we first talked, but I soon learned she was in love with Isaac, and that the feelings between them were more than mutual.
I suppose for a time I was quite jealous of him. Today I regret once holding such unwarranted envy to him; though thankfully, that spite only lasted a short time. The moment I got over my resentment was the moment I realized how perfect they were for each other. How disgustingly perfect, at times. They always knew what was on each other's minds, and what the other wanted. Simply put, at times I nearly considered them a single entity, of a single mind. It really is both a beautiful thing and utterly sickening. I never thought I'd come across such a sugary-sweet pair. Come to think of it, I have surprised myself. I have found two people stranger than Karst and Agatio. Who would have thought?
Anyway, the nine of us eventually traveled to Prox and the Mars Lighthouse. Not much can be said except that we were successful after a series of tough fights within the building and the fight with the most horrifying foe I could've ever imagined. Oddly enough, the dragon we felled was really the parents of Felix and Jenna, as well as Isaac's father. Felix had once explained to me that the three of them were supposedly killed in an accident in Vale, but Saturos and Menardi rescued them all. This struck as odd, considering all I heard from Jenna and Sheba was that "Saturos was a violent jerk!" or "Menardi was a mean, heartless woman!" Frankly, I never understood why or how any of this happened, but I didn't choose to question it and I allowed my friend and his fellow enjoy the reunion that they received.
Eventually we returned to Vale, the small hamlet that Felix and Jenna called home. Unfortunately, the village had been destroyed when the Golden Sun rose from Mt. Aleph, and the group seemed to despair. However, fates must've smiled upon us all that day; everyone from the village was safe and sound, all of them unhurt. I felt a powerful desire to help my friends rebuild their homes, so I ended up staying in Vale with most of the group for a number more months. It was tough, backbreaking work. I can be the first one to tell you that swinging a sword at a dragon is nothing compared to laying a foundation for a house. It is even worse when a harsh and unforgiving summer sun is beating down on you as you do it.
I was invited to stay with my friends, to live with them in peace. I temporarily accepted their generous offer, mostly because shortly after we rebuilt the village both Garet and Isaac proposed to their respective lovers and the weddings were set. Needless to say, I ended up helping Garet with his formal wear and Jenna somehow conned me into teaching the man grace and manners. That made sailing through the tempest seas around my beloved homeland seem like I was merely coasting in open water. I remember both of their weddings clearly, but those two adventures are stories of their own.
You may be wondering what my point is. Rest assured that I have one. But I feel as though you need to know the people I care about before you can fully appreciate it. My friends are as integral to the story as I, and it is of paramount importance that it is understood what we went through together, both during our quest and after it.
Shortly after Isaac and Mia wed, the wanderlust that I had been working hard to contain broke free. I wished to search for new grounds, new seas, new homes. Of course, considering I had covered most of the known world in my trek with Felix, such an endeavor proved to be impossible.
However, it was actually Garet who brought to my attention that I hadn't seen most of Angara yet. I'd seen virtually all of Gondowon and almost everything beyond, but I hadn't seen the whole of their homeland. Figuring that this would whet my thirst for adventure, I wished to set out to explore. My friends, though, wouldn't let me travel alone. I think the explorer's itch had gotten them too.
And so, the lot of us went off together once more. It was a dream come true, I can say that much. We ventured all over Angara, from Vault, to Bilibin, to Imil, to Kolima; I remember it all so well. It was perhaps the most wonderful time I'd ever had. Kolima in particular was delightful, what with every building built within an ancient hollowed-out tree.
"How did they ever manage to do this?" Sheba once asked.
"I don't know." Felix had told her.
"It really is something, though. Lemuria has all sorts of amazing architecture and marble work, but… for some reason, this is just so much more…aesthetically pleasing." I replied to them.
"We never did get a chance to admire it so last time, did we, Mia?" Isaac asked.
"No, we didn't. We were too busy chasing after a certain someone who shall remain nameless." She giggled lightly, then looked directly at Felix with mock accusation.
"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, Mia!" Felix laughed.
"I can't believe that whole ordeal has become a joke to you people!" Jenna said, with a touch of indignance in her voice. "That was the hardest time in our lives!"
"Yes, it was," I stated, "though I cannot say we shouldn't look back on it with a humorous eye. A great Lemurian once said that life should never be taken too seriously, because you will never get out alive anyway." I remember walking over and resting a hand on the young woman's shoulder then. "Though it truly was a trial of courage and a test of will, it is all over now. We are free to remember it as we please." She then looked up at me, her eyes questioning. "I guess you do not understand. How you look back on something is completely up to you, but you should never fear something that has already passed; especially something in which you have done great things." I remember it became remarkably silent among us after I said that. The only sounds that were heard around us was the chattering of squirrels above and around us, and the soft rustle of leaves in the evening wind.
We departed Kolima shortly thereafter, onward to our next destination and adventure. We passed through what was once Mogall Forest, at least according to Isaac. The locals claimed that a giant, evil forest sprung from the ground when Mount Aleph erupted so long ago, and with the coming of the Golden Sun, it disappeared like a specter in the night. I don't usually believe in rumor, but considering Isaac vouched for its existence, that was all I needed to hear. After seeing what I had seen on my odyssey with the others over a year ago, I was still under the impression that anything can happen. We pressed through the plain and made it to the great city of Xian.
Xian was unlike any city I had ever seen before. The architecture, the people, the food; it was all so incredibly unique! The people were amazingly hospitable and were very hard workers to boot. The inn was the cleanest I had ever seen, even cleaner than the rooms in the town of Prox. The finest silks to be found were everywhere as well, and I remember the girls spending so much time looking at them. Myself and Felix were content to sample the local rice wine, which if I may say, is stronger and better tasting than even the best grape wines I'd ever had. Garet and Ivan sat around delving into the various delicacies of the city. I doubt I ever mentioned this before, but for such a little guy, Ivan could pack it all away tighter than a well kept cargo hold. Isaac, however… he spent his time with one of the native girls that somehow looked familiar. I later learned from Mia that the girl he had spent time with went by the name of Feizhi, and she was a master of kung-fu, turned Jupiter Adept. She explained to me that Isaac had been responsible for saving her childhood friend, Hsu. Of course, it was then I realized it was the same girl from Champa, who somehow mistook Felix for Isaac. My guess was that Kraden's assumption about her was correct. I'm quite sure the scholar was right when he hypothesized that she had a crush on Isaac, and my best guess was that Isaac spent his time telling her he was already married.
The issue was never brought up again as we continued our vacation of sorts. We passed by the mining city of Altin, which was about as interesting as watching barnacles attach to your ship's hull. We continued to Kalay, home of Ivan's adoptive parents, but as nice as the town was, I missed Xian too much to really be enthralled with this town. I may be a wanderer, but I know a good town to rest at when I see one. Though the welcome in Kalay was warm, I was already itching to move on. Every moment we delayed, I wanted to see more elsewhere. I couldn't help myself; it was like I was a child again, eyes wide about everything. Everything seemed fresh and new and I loved it, even if I found a city as dull as a rock.
However, as boring as I found Kalay, this is where everything I have spoken of came to a head. I remember having a fine dinner with Master Hammet and Lady Layana, with Ivan telling the stories of our recent travels to his elders. They seemed to be completely enthralled with the tales. Personally, I thought Ivan's oration to be lacking, but considering they were his parents, I really didn't think it was my place to correct him on the details he missed now and then. Most of the rest of us were talking about what we planned on doing next, where we wanted to go. Sheba had no intention of visiting Tolbi ever again, and I doubt most of the rest of the group fancied going either. Not even Isaac, who was a celebrity there, wanted to go. Unfortunately, we hadn't come up with any new ideas except to later travel to Suhulla and Lalivero. After that, our travels would likely be done and I would've seen just about everything upon the surface of Weyard.
When the dinner concluded, we were taken into Master Hammet's study, which was a markedly large room with many bookcases filled with books on business and epic tales of heroes long dead. The fireplace burned furiously, pumping out light, warmth, and sound into the room like water from one of the Guardian Statues of Altin Isaac told me so much about. There were more than enough chairs for everyone, but I felt compelled to stand and lean against a wall. Felix had a similar compunction, but he stood against the wall to the right of me. Everyone else took varying seats while Ivan continued his storytelling.
Eventually, Master Hammet turned to me after his son was finished speaking. "You are Picard, correct? Ivan tells me you're from a far off island where people never age. Is this true?"
"No." I replied quietly. "Not exactly true, anyway. We Lemurians do in fact age, but we can live many of the life spans most humans do."
"Just how old are you, if I may ask?"
I paused, and gave off a sigh. "I do not feel as though this is important, sir. My age is of little consequence and I believe it is unnecessary to give it."
"I understand." Master Hammet replied with a smile. I was greatly relieved that he did not press the issue like Sheba and Jenna once had. It still to this day surprises me that I managed to stave off both of their inquiries. "So, can you tell me what you've seen of the world? Something that Ivan has not seen, perhaps?"
"I have seen most of the world. The remainder of Angara is all I have left to discover before I have visited it all." And so, I sat down and explained everything to them. This took many hours, but everyone listened intently on my interpretation of the travels. Really, I believe the reason everyone was so fixated on my tale was that this was about the only time I've ever spoken up on this sort of thing. After I finished my long winded story, I could see the dark rings form under most of the men's eyes. Jenna was already snoring softly against Garet's shoulder, while Sheba had been asleep for quite some time.
"Wow, Picard. You told that story a lot better than I could have!" Ivan said, barely above a whisper.
"No offense, Ivan, but your storytelling skills are lacking for one who is so smart." Garet replied, in the same volume of the Jupiter Adept.
"I'm sure it seems that way because Picard has so much more experience." Felix stated. "Now then, I suggest we all turn in for the evening. Master Hammet?"
"Your rooms have been prepared, but you'll have to split off to two per room. I'm sorry that my accommodations can't be better for you all."
"Thank you for letting us stay here, sir." I said to him. "Your kindness and hospitality are most welcome. Again, I give you my greatest thanks."
"You are welcome, Picard. It is nice to meet a gentleman of your caliber. Tomorrow you must tell me more about your homeland. It sounds like a fascinating place. Now then as for the bedrooms upstairs, Isaac and Mia will have the room farthest down the hall, Garet and Jenna will be in the one next to them. Ivan still has his old room he can sleep in, and Sheba can take the small guest suite. Picard, you and Felix will be in the final bedroom closest to the stairwell." He explained to us.
We all then departed for our bunks. I was looking forward to a good night's rest, and I thought for sure the moment I rested my head upon my pillow I would be asleep. I was wrong. Oddly, Felix had decided to strike up conversation from across the room when we finally had lights out.
"Picard," he said, "what will you finally do once you've seen it all?"
I was quite surprised to hear him ask this. Normally Felix didn't pry into the business of his friends. It's not that I minded, of course, so I replied to him as truthfully as I could.
"I don't know."
"I know you must be much older than the rest of us. I know you're older than Kraden. But… how can you do it? How do you find motivation to keep going? Why is it that you aren't lethargic like the people on your home island?" He asked me. His tone was quiet, reserved, but concerned. This was normal for him; I could not tell if he was masking any worries, though.
"I suppose that is because I have had the opportunity to explore." I said back. "I cannot say what will happen once we finish exploring the continent."
"Will you head back out to sea?"
"It's possible, I believe. There might still be parts of the ocean in which I still haven't sailed."
He did not reply immediately, as though he was drinking in my words carefully. "I don't understand your fascination with the sea, my friend. I never could tell areas of the oceans apart. They were all the same to me. How can you find a thrill in traveling over a big, blue, desert?"
"Because it is more than a desert, Felix." I replied, calmly. I was a bit irritated at Felix's insult of the sea, but he and I are not of the same stock, so our views would obviously be different. "There are many things that live below the waves, after all. Part of that is the excitement, actually. I think it is because I feel so attuned with nature out there. Almost like I live with them."
Felix made a sound that resembled a grunt, though I knew by now it was his way of giving his respect. It also meant that he was contemplating what I had to say.
"You know, once we visit Tolbi… that will really be it for Angara. The only thing left would be Lalivero and Suhulla to the south… on the very northern edge of Gondowan."
"Yes." Picard replied. "There isn't much left…"
"Suhulla's just a tiny village. Lalivero is larger… but there still really isn't much worth noting there now that the Venus Lighthouse is gone."
"I suppose not, but I think I would like to see it anyway."
"I'm sure Sheba would like to see Faran again… even if she has no intention of staying."
I paused. I knew deep down Felix cared about Sheba immensely. I honestly could not tell if he was in love with her; but if he wasn't, he was on the verge of it. Unfortunately, I believed young Ivan also held similar feelings for her; I only pray that down the line that no bad blood would come between Ivan and Felix. But I digress, as I often do.
It was about then that we heard a crash. A thundering crash of shattering glass. Felix and I shot up with a start. Our first instincts were to grab our swords. The two of us dashed out into the hallway, our blades drawn. I could feel the adrenaline surge through my veins, and I could feel a thin layer of sweat form on my brow. It was a very short time before Garet dashed out of his room, armed like us. He was the first out into the hall after us, and he frowned with a grim determination the likes of which I hadn't seen of him since the Mars Lighthouse.
Ivan was next. He looked frightened, but he kept his face even and he looked ready to face whatever the issue was. Such bravery in the Jupiter Adept's heart. He was always afraid when things like this happened, but he always pushed those fears aside. If only there could be more people like him.
Isaac and Mia bolted out within seconds of Garet and Ivan. Isaac had actually taken the time to grab his sword and his scarf… goodness knows why. Then again, I established earlier that Isaac is probably one of the strangest people on the face of Weyard.
Jenna and Sheba appeared about an instant after them.
"What was that!" Ivan demanded, expecting one of us to actually know.
"I don't know." Garet replied, his voice solid and unusually stern. "Let's go check it out."
Garet had actually taken charge. This was unusual, given Isaac or Felix usually was the one to do it. But either way, he made the right call, so we all stampeded down the stairs as fast as we could. When we reached the bottom, the sounds of fighting outside became apparent. A spear lay pointed end in the floor, broken glass surrounding it. Looking outside, we could see some of Master Hammet's guards fighting fiercely with some rather tough looking fellows dressed in black. Rogues, no doubt.
"We have to help them!" I called out, making a break for the front door. I turned the handle and threw myself onto the battlefield, my Tisiphone Edge bared and ready. I dashed to one guard who looked in particular danger. The rogue had managed to knock his spear away with his sword, and all the guard had left was his small shield. With a quick swipe of my blade, I offed the rogue before he could land the finishing blow on the hapless guard. Another set of rogues came charging around the manor at this time. I launched a powerful Glacier attack at them, which chilled and slowed them, knocking down a few.
The others had their hands full too. I could feel the earth trembling from Isaac's and Felix's various attacks, and I could hear the thunder coming from the Jupiter Adepts.
I looked over my shoulder to see Ivan. His expression was hard and angry. The boy looked like a raging beast, a cornered tiger. Never before had I seen such burning conviction in him. His eyes were ablaze, and he actually frightened me. All of his spells came down loud and hard, tearing rows of the rogues apart and sending their bodies flying every which way. Whenever a rogue drew close, he used his Phaeton's Blade to bat them away like flies. Ivan was a whirlwind.
Turning back to business at hand, I continued dispatching rogues, giving Mia cover long enough to heal some of the wounded guardsmen. They were up and back to fighting quickly, and the fight began to turn tide. It became clear that we were winning.
That is, until a massive, green, unspeakable atrocity against Alchemy hopped onto the battlefield. It was massive, with a gaping maw large enough to swallow a human whole. It looked like a sort of frog, its features perverted and twisted by an unholy science. Its roar was slimy and hoarse, and it was a fearsome sight.
To make matters worse, an explosion sounded behind me, in the Hammet residence. And then another, and another. Fire smoldered within the windows and smoke curled from the shattered windows and chimney.
"Mom! Dad!" I could hear Ivan cry out, his voice angry and fearful. He tried to head for the house, but the giant creature bounded into his way, as if intentionally targeting him. "Get out of my way!" He shouted, blasting it with his strongest Spark Plasma. The creature barely seemed fazed by this onslaught. Whatever it was, it was strong.
And with its arrival, most of the straggling rogues were retreating. Some of the guardsmen chased down the slower ones, but most tried to make a break for the house to see what was going on. The fires were too intense, I could tell… none of them could get inside, and it would only be a matter of time before the entire house became cinders. Worse yet, we did not know if Lord Hammet and Lady Layana were still inside. Odds are they were.
Ivan blasted the vile creature again with all of his might, and again the creature was not more than fazed.
"Guys! I need help over here!" Ivan shouted, trying to get past the creature. He wasn't having a whole lot of luck because the vile thing was too big and it tried to swipe at the tiny Jupiter Adept as he passed.
Isaac and the others were over in mere moments. They each began attacking the creature with all of their might, and they continually stunned it, though Ivan was still not able to get by. I glanced at the house again, only to see it burning even faster. I looked back at the creature, who seemed to be continually regenerating the damage dealt to it by my friends.
With the fire spreading and becoming more powerful by the moment, I knew I had to do something. Fighting the creature would be unwise… even with Ivan's great power, he couldn't stop the flames from spreading… only Mia and I could do that. I knew what had to be done. I was not willing to place Mia in such a dangerous position once the creature was defeated… she would be drained from healing and she would be at far more risk than I.
So I did what I had to. I ran off. While the creature was momentarily stunned from a blow landed by Garet and a simultaneous hit from Jenna's trademark Cycle Beam, I poured all of my strength into my legs and ran as fast as I could. I ran to the now flaming front door, and used my Psynergy to douse the passage so I could step inside.
The smoke tore at my lungs and I coughed violently as I entered. I crouched down low, and sprayed more of my Douse spells around to cool the room and make my passage clear.
"Lord Hammet!" I called out. "Lady Layana!" I coughed violently again. The smoke was thick, and I could feel my eyes watering from the stinging heat. I hated fire. I always had. But I was the only one who could do this. I strained to hear an answer over the roaring and crackling flames. I could not make anything out, so I tried to press my way to their bed chambers, which were on the second floor.
Tossing more Douses about, I carefully walked up the now weakened wooden staircase. It creaked under my weight, but I moved slowly and it held. The fires were less intense on the second floor, but the smoke was far worse. Even crouched, it was choking… it was like my lungs themselves were on fire as I crawled around on the ground. I coughed violently again and felt like I would soon be ill. My head throbbed with the heat, so I used some of my own Ply power to rid myself of the effects, at least temporarily. I needed to conserve my own energy in case either Hammet or Layana required it.
I crawled around for a few minutes, and finally reached their chamber door, which was closed securely. There was some fire eating away at it slowly, but it looked like it would hold awhile longer. I doused out the flames and called out again.
"Lady Layana! Lord Hammet? Are you safe?"
I heard coughing from the other side of the door, and I made out what sounded like a reply. Relieved, I opened the door and slid inside, quickly shoving the door closed again behind me to stop the influx of smoke.
I looked for them in the room. They were near the windows, which they had cracked open to get fresh air, and they both looked uninjured, though they were both coughing heavily. Scrambling over to them, I asked them if they were well.
"Yes, yes, Picard… we're fine. What's happening?" Layana asked me.
"I don't know. I have to get you out of here. Come with me." I placed my hands on both of them and tried to boost their strength with my Ply Psynergy. Their coughing slowed, and they looked a bit stronger. I headed for the door, with the two of them close behind. When they were near, I opened the door and slipped out with them in tow, quickly shutting the door again. We slid down the hallway, and when we reached the stairs, a loud explosion rang out from behind us, and we saw their chamber doors get blown off their hinges and flung into the wall across the hall, the entire room now engulfed in an ocean of fire.
"What?" Hammet coughed, looking back.
"Don't worry about it! Just get down the stairs!" I yelled. "One at a time! Layana, you go first!" She started down the stairs as quickly as she could, once she reached the bottom, I pushed Hammet to go next, which he did. Fortunately, both of them made it downstairs without incident, and they lay close to the ground to keep out of the intense heat. The fires were quickly growing worse down below, so I hurried down the stairs to protect them.
The rest of the way out of the house was the same as coming in. Spraying out fires if they were dangerous, keeping low, and coughing. How I remember the coughing. Finally we reached the front door and escaped into the cool evening air. Never before had I felt such massive relief on my lungs and body. You really don't know how much you miss fresh air until you are choking on the fumes of a fire. Layana and Hammet seemed fine too, and I called for the remaining guards to protect them. I healed them a bit more too, and the slight burns they had suffered quickly disappeared.
My own strength, though… that was diminished greatly. Normally Douse requires very little energy to use, but I had used it so much that I could feel most of my Psynergy reserves drained. Pushing the feeling of weakness to the back of my mind, I looked to the group fighting the monster. Ivan had actually broken away and was on his way over, and the monster was looking continually worse and worse for the wear.
It was then I caught movement from the corner of my eye. A figure, clad in black, dashed around the side of the burning house. Another rogue. I began pursuit, and ran around back.
The figure, whomever it was, had disappeared. I kept my Tisiphone Edge at the ready in case I was to be jumped.
…It wasn't enough.
Out from behind me, from a small niche in the house that I neglected to see in the shadows, the attacker struck. I hadn't even seen him coming. I felt the knife penetrate my back and I felt all my strength leave me as I fell to the ground. I remember crying out in pain and shock, the left side of my back bleeding profusely. I tried to concentrate enough to heal myself, but with my Psynergy already drained from earlier, I couldn't muster enough strength… Mercury had deserted me.
I rolled over to try to look at my attacker. He had black hair and a thin black moustache. I had never seen him before in my life. Yet he wore a sneer of superiority. His armor looked unusually good, though it did not look like it hindered his movement at all. He held a dagger in his hand, and it was smeared with my blood.
My life force was quickly leaving me. I tried to get up, but it was then I realized that not only had he stabbed me with a knife, but he must've poisoned it too. Now it felt like a blight spread through my veins. It paralyzed me, and any movement felt like I was being quartered by a rack. Breathing was torturous.
My assailant laughed at me. "So, you are the one who rescued them from my firebombs? No matter. They have lost their house and my powerful monster shall keep their annoying brat of a son busy. He ruined me once, and I intend to pay him back."
It hit me then. I knew who it was. The moment the name came to my tongue, I heard it spoken by another.
"Dodonpa!" Ivan's voice shouted from around the corner of the house. I saw him charge at the thief with his Phaeton's Blade. My vision dimmed, but I could see that his teeth were clenched with rage and he wanted blood.
"Speak of the devil!" Dodonpa replied, drawing his own scimitar. He blocked the attack by Ivan and shoved him away.
"I'll make you pay!" He noticed me lying on the ground. "Picard! Are you okay!"
I couldn't reply with anything more than a gasp.
"I would think not. I have poisoned him with my infamous Toadonpa toxin. He won't be getting up ever again!"
"You…" Ivan's rage welled.
"I was saving it for you, if you must know. The pain it causes is immense… but the death is quick."
The voices began to drone, and I found it hard to pick out exactly what they said next. I remember Ivan shouting something at him, and then Dodonpa laughing derisively at him.
"You… there will be no more temperance!" Ivan shouted. I could see waves of purple Jupiter Psynergy forming around him. He looked like a violet hurricane, ripples of energy radiating from him, like when a stone disturbs a lake. Of course Dodonpa couldn't see any of this. He wasn't an Adept… all he did was continue to laugh at him.
That was the last mistake he ever made.
A torrent of purple lightning blasts struck his body and flung him around like a piece of debris. I heard no screams of agony from him, but when the lightning storm finally subsided, I could barely make out that what little actually remained of his body was charred almost beyond recognition.
Even with the poison ripping my body to shreds internally, I felt elated. Ivan truly was a brave and powerful warrior, just as I had thought. The moment the storm subsided, he was at my side. I remember him propping me up, trying to get me to sit up.
"Picard! Picard, are you okay! Say something."
"I…" I replied, my voice shaky.
"Picard?" He asked, his voice almost as shaky as mine, and I could swear I saw tears well up in his eyes. "Hang on!" The sounds of battle out front could still be heard, and the creature was groaning and roaring constantly. But I could tell the battle wasn't over. "Mia!" Ivan called out at the top of his lungs. "Mia! Picard needs help! Mia!"
No one came.
"I…" I stammered. My words were managing to come to me slowly. "Ivan…"
"Picard?"
"I… did not know you… as well as I… had hoped… but…" I trembled. I could suddenly feel an odd warmth start crawling up from my legs. "...thank you, for… everything you have done for…me."
"Picard…?" I could see him tremble.
The warmth snaked up into my waist, and it slowly slithered to my chest. I couldn't feel anything below it. I knew what was happening… "Ivan… do not feel bad for me. Tell the others… I will miss them. But… do not let them feel badly for me…"
I coughed and hacked up some blood. As the warmth came closer to my head, I could see tears running down Ivan's face. He was helpless… and he knew it and hated it. It was obvious. He knew there would be no way to get help in time… and I knew it too. It was over for me. "…it is only another… part… of… the journey."
My vision faded. My hearing dulled, and everything around me faded away. The roaring fire, the battle out front, and the soft sound of Ivan sobbing… it all became gray, like the sea on a stormy day.
...I suppose you are wondering how I am recounting this to you. Well, my time tied to this world is almost up, even though I died many days ago now. You will awaken soon, I'm afraid. You may wonder why I chose you to hear my story? Well… I feel as though you could understand my message better than most. Heh, you look at me like I'm some kind of mad man. I assure you, I'm not.
I have no regrets with my life. I did what I believed was right. And I remember it all fondly. The days on the sea… meeting my friends… saving the world… rebuilding Vale… the tree-houses of Kolima… the rice wine in Xian… I would not have traded any of that away for anything.
I must go now… for although I was a captain in my previous life, I was at heart, an explorer. And there are so many uncharted seas ahead of me. So do not feel sad on my part. There is still plenty for me to do beyond this mortal plane… and my explorer's itch is tingling once more.
-End
Author's Notes: Yes, I actually wrote a one-shot. As for what to take from it all, that is up to you.
-Triad Orion