The Salikawoods. An old deciduous forest, even judged by the folk of the Viera, who themselves were ancient, already belonging to Ivalice long before the other races were born. It was a peaceful sanctuary for those who inhabited it as well as for some Hume who crossed it, for the creatures of the forest weren't hostile when left alone. Therefore the only sounds you could hear, would you take some time to listen, were the chirping of foreign birds, the wind whistling through the leaves and sometimes a lone cry of a hare calling for its pups.

But on this fateful morning, while the sun shone down on the canopy of leaves, painting the world below in an emerald green, this heavenly silence was crudely interrupted by the clash of metal on metal and the battle cries of Hume. On the western border of the Salikawoods lay the city of Nabudis, the capital of the Kingdom of Nabradia. Here the Hume were less inclined to savor the quiet provided by the neighboring wilderness, in favor of steeling their bodies and toning their reflexes. For this was no match till death but a mock fight, supposed to prepare the younger of the two combatants for the oncoming war.

But it was more torture than training. The master beat relentless away with his broadsword, coming down on his student again and again, while said youth - more like a child, not even old enough to be called a teen - was barely able to even lift his own weapon for protection. With a final blow the weathered warrior knocked his opponent's sword away and threatened him with the point of his own.

After a long moment frozen in that posture, the winner slightly panting but standing his ground and the loser wheezing for air, sagged to the floor, the master withdrew his sword to sheath it, frowning at his student.

"Your performance is pathetic, your Highness. If you keep that up, you'll be the first to fall in combat."

"But I don't want to fight!" replied the boy, falling from his sitting position back into a lying one, still trying to catch his breath.

"You have no other choice. With the threats from both north and south, our kingdom is bound to get caught in the crossfire. The tensions between Arcadia and Rozzaria are getting worse by the minute. It is your duty as prince of Nabradia to be able to defend your people!"

The harsh tone of the sword master hit the boy like a slap to the face. He looked away, biting his lip. He thought it unfair to be forced to do daily combat training added to all his other lessons when all he wanted to do was playing like the other children his age or exploring the streets of Nabudis. He just wanted to act like the child he really was. But to his misfortune he was also Rasler Heios Nabradia and second in line for the throne. Though his older brother would one day be king, he himself had many obligations, too. He knew that very well. It was also the reason he kept his mouth shut in situations like this. It wasn't the first time he argued with his teacher. Malek, though very strict and rough at the edges, just had his best interests at heart, or so he hoped. Nevertheless, it didn't change the fact that young Rasler wasn't getting better at all. It was frustrating and he told his teacher so. More than once. But the answer was always the same: He wasn't trying hard enough. Was it just that simple? Didn't his efforts suffice?

"Stand up, you have rested enough." Malek prompted, already unsheathing his sword again. Rasler looked at him incredulously, really hoping that his teacher was just joking. Upon realizing that it regrettably wasn't like that, he groaned.

"Why? Can't we continue tomorrow? I'm tired."

He knew he wouldn't get anywhere with that, but he might as well try. As expected the sword master shook his head.

"In a real fight your opponent wouldn't let you rest at all. He would take advantage of any carelessness." he reasoned.

"But this isn't a real fight!"

With what little energy he had left, Rasler picked himself up and turned away.

"Where do you think you're going? Your lesson isn't over yet." Malek inquired, voice dangerously low.

"That doesn't concern you. I'm leaving." the young prince replied, leaving the training area.

"Lord Rasler, return this moment. We aren't done yet!" The master attempted to follow his student, but the youth picked up his pace and took some random turns in the corridors of the palace. Knowing the layout far better than the older, who only entered the palace for his duties, the boy vanished in seconds. Soon Rasler was walking down a secret pathway that would lead him outside of Nabudis and into the Salikawood.

It was only by chance that he found this corridor. Back then he was on the run from one of his teachers too. But unlike today, he'd only been a toddler and not able to outrun any of the adults. So he tried to hide behind one of the many tapestries lining the walls of the palace. Incidentally he had the fortune to crawl behind the one of them all that hid a little gap in the massive wall. One that slight that you wouldn't even notice it if you'd beat against the tapestry with a sword. Little Rasler now, who fell into the gap by accident, wasted no more thoughts on why there was a path in the first place or if anyone knew of it as well. He sprung to his feet and ran, following this passage to its other end.

It had been the first time the boy saw the Salikawoods and though he didn't dare walk into it farther than ten feet, he instantly fell in love with it. And since then he always visited the forest when he needed distance from his life in the palace.

Now Rasler came to the forest once more and walked down his little route he had in his frequent explorations trampled down to an actual track through the woods. He kicked a rock he had found near the entrance to his secret path. But today he didn't pay as much attention to his surroundings as on other occasions. His thoughts strayed always back to his combat lessons.

"He's always hacking away at me."

He kicked the stone forward.

"It's as if I'm his punching bag or something."

Kick.

"Like an outlet for his aggressions."

Kick.

"Maybe he doesn't even care if I learn anything."

Snap.

The boy halted his leg just as he was about to kick the rock once more. Apparently he had been a little too loud and observing his surroundings a little too less. Even though the monsters minded their own business when left alone, they attacked if you crossed their path.

Turning around slowly he found himself face to face with a malboro, a slimy beast with many tentacles and even more teeth. All of its eyes, which were placed on some of the tentacles and draped around that gaping hole of a mouth like a circle, were fixed on the boy. He was so terrified that he couldn't move, even if his sanity told him to run, run away until he's save back home. But all he managed was shifting back with one foot and that little movement alone was all encouragement the beast needed to attack. With a growl it advanced, ready to spew its poisonous slime onto the prince and gulp him down whole. He fell back on his backside, too horrified to scream. Squinting his eyes shut he had no other choice but to wait for his end.

But the blow never came. Instead he heard a blade being unsheathed and the sick squishing sound of steel gliding through flesh. So his teacher must have found him after all. But when he pried his eyes open he saw no Malek, not even a weathered warrior at all. Instead there stood a teen not older than fifteen, with his back half turned to him and his long blond hair bound into a high ponytail. His bangs covered his eyes as he cleaned his claymore with a cloth and sheathed it so it was strapped to his back again. His sand brown cloak concealed his entire statue. When he turned, Rasler could see that his eyes were of a golden color but not warm and friendly like he assumed the eyes of his savior would be, but cold and guarded.

"Are you unharmed?"

To the boys shock the voice was very high, almost shrill and didn't suit the distanced teen at all. It took Rasler a second to notice that the lips of the foreigner hadn't moved, so he looked around in search of the actual speaker. Turning right his vision was suddenly filled with light brown fur. With a shout the prince crawled backwards. At the proper distance he could identify the ball of fluff to be a moogle fluttering on eye level.

"Oh, did I scare you? I'm sorry." the moogle stammered, landing on the ground two feet away.

"Are you okay? That sure was a vicious beast." she inquired again. It had to be a girl judging by the pink gown she was wearing. At last the boy found his voice again, albeit a little shaky.

"I-I think. I'm not hurt."

"That's good to hear. I'm glad." the moogle beamed at him like she didn't smell the stench emanating from the corpse. "Do you think you can walk? We shouldn't linger. The body will definitely attract other monsters."

So she did notice the smell after all. With a grunt Rasler came to his feet.

"I should thank you, sir. You both. You saved my life. And how you slew the malboro with only one blow. That was incredible!"

Rasler couldn't help but get excited. He couldn't hold a sword even if his life depended on it. But deep down he wanted to learn how to fight, wanted to swing a sword with such little effort like the teen must've done it, though he regrettably hadn't seen it.

In his musings he just registered now that the other didn't respond at all except for crossing his arms in front of his chest. On cue the moogle fluttered up again to rest on the teen's right shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Edward doesn't speak the common tongue." she said sheepishly. "I'll translate."

And she chatted away in a strange language that seemingly consisted mostly of clicking sounds. When Edward eventually answered, he did so with a dark and slightly scratchy voice which suited him much more. Judging by how little he spoke compared to the moogle, Rasler deemed it save to say that the taller was short-spoken even in his own language.

Turning around again the moogle shifted her attention back to Rasler.

"Well~ he says it was no big deal... something like that." she said and giggled.

"You're not sure?... Erm, I didn't catch your name." the boy asked her hesitantly.

"Oh! Sorry, sorry. I forgot my manners! I'm Parfait. Nice to meet you!" the girl answered embarrassed, sticking out her little paw.

"My name is Rasler." the boy replied and took the offered hand. He shifted his gaze onto the teen, unsure of how to act around him. Should he offer him his hand too?

"Erm..."

But Parfait noticed his hesitation.

"Oh, don't mind him, he's different."

Before the boy could answer, they heard a cry of another beast, far too close for comfort. Both Parfait and Rasler flinched. Edward on the other hand just turned and walked away, curiously heading right in the direction of Nabudis. After exchanging a look with Parfait, Rasler swiftly followed them.