Hey, before we get started on this story, it is a novelization of the game, particularly the PSP edition; this is because I have not played the original. I'm aiming to have this story updating every two or three weeks, this is because of the current schooling, during the holidays I will be aiming for an update maybe every one week.
I hope you enjoy this story and it helps further enhance your gaming experience, which is the whole point of the story. If you do enjoy, please review and rate, now on with the story.
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy tactics or any of the other games; this includes characters, spells and any other aspect. This story is merely for entertainment purpose like the five hundred other stories.
XXX
Sword in hand, a warrior clutches stone to breast
In sword etched he his fading memories
In stone his tempered skill
By sword arrested, by stone revealed
Their tale can now be told.
XXX
"I am Arazlam, student of Ivalice's Middle Age. You are familiar with the War of The Lions, no?
It was a bitter war of succession that rent the land of Ivalice in two. Here we first find mention of Delita Heiral, a hithertofore unknown young man, the hero who would draw the curtain of this dark act of our history.
His is heroism of great renown - a story familiar to all who dwell within our land.
Ah, but what the eye sees is oftentimes a mere fragment of the truth.
There was another young man, the youngest of House Beoulve, long famed for producing leaders of knights and men.
There is no official record of the role he played on history's stage.
However, according to the Durai Papers, the existence of which became known to the public only this last year - they had long lain concealed in Church archives - this forgotten young man is in fact the true hero.
The Church maintains he was a heretic, an inciter of unrest and disturber of the peace.
Which accounts is to be believed?
Join me in my search to uncover the answer."
XXX
The monastery was quiet and cold, most of the servants had left some time ago, all that remained was Elder Simon, a group of knights and mercenaries and the most highly renowned princess Ovelia. Orbornne Monastery was the last destination on the long and hard pilgrimage of the princess. The Holy Knight and head of the guard, Agrias Oaks was one who could not wait for the end of it. Agrias lightly brushed her blonde bangs out of her eyes and stepped forward to the princess, who was kneeling at the alter.
"Lady Ovelia, it is time."
"I'll not be much longer, Agrias." Ovelia replied in an even tone.
Ovelia returned to her prayer, Agrias raised her hands in frustration; an hour of praying did that to you. "Your escort has already arrived, Majesty." If you could call it that, the escort was just a group of sell swords hired to accompany Agrias and her knights for extra protection. Elder Simon approached the kneeling princess, stroking his beard. "Please, heed the good lady's words. Highness, you must hurry."
At that moment, the very same group of sell swords burst into the hall, not bothering to neither respect it nor be humble. Gaffgarion, the leader of the mercenaries was a big man, he towered above everyone else in the hall, and he was in his middle forties, battle experience he had plenty of. He wore a heavy suit of armour that covered all crucial body points but his joints and face.
"Still in here, are you? It's been the better part of an hour!" He ruffed.
"Gaffgarion, you forget yourself, ser! You are in the presence of the princess!" Agrias replied sharply.
The two other members of Gaffgarion's group, flanking each side of him bowed on one knee. The one on Gaffgarion's left, Ladd, was a simple man and average fighter. He wouldn't last long against a fully trained knight, that's for sure. He wore light leather armour and wielded a short broad sword. The man on Gaffgarion's right however was an intriguing find. Ramza was his name; he looked young, about seventeen and carried an aura of mysteriousness. He had cold eyes that showed no emotion and barely spoke a word. No one had seen him spar or speak. He's an interesting find.
Gaffgarion only bowed his head, the conniving knave. "Mayhap bowed heads would less offend." He solemnly replied. "You would do well to waste less time on idle pleasantries."
"I see even the noble Order of the Northern Sky cannot ride itself of vulgar knaves." She replied smugly.
Gaffgarion shrugged. "A guard captain in these rain-sodden hinterlands ought not to expect chivalry. We are in employ of the order, not of it. Our pay does not cover trite courtesies to the likes of you."
"Govern your tongue!" She barked.
"Enough!" Ovelia yelled from the alter, everyone turned and payed full attention. "Let us be on our way" She walked down to Simon.
"The father watch over you, child." He spoke to her calmly.
"And you, Elder." She replied professionally.
As the group turned to the door, it was kicked open by one of the monastery guard's who tumbled in, holding a wounded shoulder, impaled by an arrow. She crumped into the elder's arms. "Milady! The enemy is upon us!" She wailed to Ovelia.
"Duke Goltanna's men?" Simon asked.
Agrias mumbled something in comprehendible and charged through the open door, drawing her blade.
Gaffgarion turned to his men. "We are paid for this. Time to earn our keep."
Ramza Lugria hesitated at the words.
"What is it, Ramza? You above getting paid to do a job?" The leader asked.
Ramza swallowed his pride and put his fears aside. "I'm a knight no longer. Just another sell sword."
"Right then! To battle!" Gaffgarion commanded.
All three sell swords walked outside calmly, preparing for the oncoming assault.
Ramza strode into the light rain and cloudy weather, his boots trampling the mud as he went, his hand waiting on his sword. His battle instincts were kicking in now, he automatically surveyed the enemy, two knights, two archers and a chemist… They're going to utilize the archers to attack from a distance while the knights cover them… the chemist will be the support… a clever plan…
Agrias broke the silence. "They bear the crest of the Black Lion… Duke Goltanna must be mad! Does he mean to start a war?"
The commanding knight of the Black Lion soldiers addressed Agrias. "You there, wench! You cannot hope to defeat us! You will surrender the princess! If not… Well, I would hate to see anything happen to that pretty face of yours."
Gaffgarion strode confidently to the front, brandishing his sword. "Let us end them quickly, we have little time to waste."
Agrias turned to her ally. "We don't have to kill them? Merely make them surrender."
Gaffgarion ignored her, and turned to Ramza. "Ramza, break the lines and take out the archers, we will back you up." Ramza merely nodded in understanding. Agrias ignored Gaffgarion and prepared for the assault, and for what this Ramza could do…
Gaffgarion may have been an ape, but he wasn't an idiot, and was a good solder. Ramza knew this. He moved to the front of the group and drew his sword. Lightning cracked and he charged. The enemy units gave him a questioning look, a suicide charge?
Then the knight felt it, but by then… it was to late. Ramza felt the familiar force take hold of him and propel him high into the sky, over the two knights and landing in front of an unsuspecting archer who he quickly drove through with a blade. Agrias remained gobsmacked. That was a Dragoon skill; only skilled nobles learn such techniques. Who is this guy? She returned to the moment at hand, and along with her two knights, Alicia and Lavian, charged forward.
Ramza pulled his blade from the felled archer and advanced to the next one, who had ditched his bow for a combat knife. Ramza appeared in front of him with incredible speed, clashing blades. The archer, who was less experienced in melee combat, stumbled only for a second. That second was all Ramza needed and with a quick kick to the kneecap, destroying the archer's knee. He was able to use the opening to run the man through. He pulled his blade from the crumpled man and turned to the conflict.
Agrias and the others had swiftly dispatched the two knights, who without support were easily outnumbered. They all turned their attention to the remaining chemist who dropped his knife and surrendered. Agrias looked down on the cowardly man. "Lavian, bind him and strip him." Before Lavian could move a dark red light descended on the man. The chemist screamed out in pain before his life force was taken from him, she knew that technique. "Gaffgarion! What are you doing!" She yelled at the Dark Knight.
The chemist fell to the ground in a crumpled heap, his body pale and lifeless. Gaffgarion sheathed his sword, and calmly looked over Agrias. "He was better off dead."
Agrias quit her bickering and turned to Ramza, who was closing the eyelids on the fallen archers. Just who is this kid? He shows both honour and skills. If I didn't know any better I'd say he was of noble birth…
The group were brought back to reality by a scream. Agrias turned to the monastery. "The princess!"
She charged back inside, surprisingly followed by Ramza. The two skidded to a halt above the main hall, looking down on the floor below them in time to see a man dressed in Holy Knight armour catching a fallen Ovelia. Ramza gasped… Delita… Delita exited through the back of the monastery, Ramza turned back to the entrance and charged out onto the steps, ignoring the puzzled looks of the sell swords and two holy knights.
He leaped off the steps and turned to the corner just in time to see Delita glide past on a yellow chocobo, carrying the princess.
Time seemed to stand still for a moment, when the two old friends met eye contact. It'd been a year… Delita broke the contact and disappeared into the outcropping, carrying the princess.
Agrias skidded to a stop behind Ramza, puffing deeply. She looked up at the calm and also cold demeanour of the boy. He had a lot of answering to do…
Ramza merely stared in the direction the knight had disappeared. "Delita…"
Images flashed before his mind, pouring into his head. He grabbed his head in pain, as the flow stopped, with two young boys, siting confidently in a debriefing. This, is where the story begins…
A/N: Like? R&R please.