Bandit's Son and Legendary Blademaster


The mid-September sky was painted dark orange and pink in the dying sunset, clouds of molten shades of red flickering across the ever-sinking yellow sun. But the beauty was never so pronounced as found in the Water City of Mac Anu, capital of Delta, where artistic grace was reflected in every canal of the massive town.

The denizens of the country's capital were winding down as they always did at sundown. Most shop owners had shut their business and private homes for the night. The rich and still-warm autumn zephyrs swung the welcoming sign for a local inn about, a sign bearing a carved bonfire and twisting letters spelling 'The Dark Flame'.

Inside, a few of the local travelers sat and talked in low voices, though the atmosphere was cheerful and pleasant. Within the fireplace by the large window burned magical embers on cherry wood that provided heat like summer sunshine and many of the patrons of the tavern were gathered around the fire, weary from the upcoming cold of winter.

The barmaid and owner of the Dark Flame, a pretty blonde woman draped in a cream-colored dress with a short skirt, sat atop the bar as she polished a glass and looked around at her small amount of customers. She pursed her red lips as she looked around and gave a bitter sigh, slamming her glass down hard and drumming her long nails against the sides of the glass.

"Business is so tight now a day," she grumbled furiously, her tongue of the native country, "A few more months of this and the Dark Flame will be out of business."

Though the words were spoken for only her ears to hear, a man in the corner laughed heartily. He had dark blonde-red hair that fell to his shoulders and across the tops of his eyes. His bare torso and half his face was hidden by dark green war paint, his navy armor catching the glint of the firelight. There was sword scabbard at his waist, the shimmering silver hilt set with a fat emerald. He was powerfully built with a firm, square jaw and broad shoulders, but the look his eyes held was not of a battle-hardened warrior.

"Aw, Alicia, the empire wouldn't close the Dark Flame, it's the only place the Descendents of Fianna actually like down here." His voice was firm and low, but had the hint of childish humor as he raised his mug. It was hard to place an exact county's accent on his voice.

Alicia shot the man a dark glare, her own blue eyes narrowed, but she couldn't stop the smile from stretching across her face. "Aye, but two people aren't enough to keep an inn going for long, my friend, and lately your arrogant partner hasn't been with you."

The man shrugged and stood up, gripping his half-empty mug. He walked over to the bar and pulled up a stool so he could stare Alicia in the eye. "He's had . . . business to be taken care of," he replied with a whisper, "The blasted empire's called him away far too much lately. They seem to want to keep him busy."

"So all that's keeping the Dark Flame afloat is your insane drinking habits, Orca, and I'm afraid even that isn't enough." Alicia sighed and ran her long fingers through her flowing hair, "Besides, doesn't Balmung only drink a single mug per sitting? It wouldn't matter anyway."

Orca shrugged carelessly, setting down his mug and gesturing to Alicia to refill it. "Don't fret long, a frown ill-suits a face as pretty as your own." She flushed crimson as she emptied her supply of brandy into his mug. Orca continued speaking. "I have good news for you though. A friend of mine is coming to town, should have been here a while ago. His folks just died, bless their souls, and he's got no family left to take him in. Real young too." He took a long sip of his brandy.

"How'd they die, illness?" "Yeah, plague's sweeping up in Lambda, fars I hear."

Alicia stiffened slightly, turning to refill another bar patron's glass of sherry. Her attitude was easily explainable, considering her past experiences with the members of the central country. A group of Lambdanian travelers had harassed her a few years back, leaving a rather ugly looking burn on the bar and a distinct prejudice in Alicia's mind. The barmaid's eyes flickered towards her father's ancient sword scabbard, propped up against the wall by empty glasses, before turning back to Orca.

"He got good money?" she asked a little too harshly.

"Fair amount," he responded with a nod and a smile, "You'll never guess who his father was though." He leaned his elbow on the bar, head in his hand and elbow on the bar. His smile stretched mockingly wide.

"Who, you?" she said with a smirk that matched his, her eyes glittering as he chocked on his brandy, face burning behind the paint. When he had finally stopped coughing, he glared at her extremely darkly with eyes narrowed to slits.

"He's almost my age Alicia!" He looked around nervously and spoke in a very low, curt voice, "No, his old man was the Crimson Raid himself." Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped and her already pale face went a pallid shade of grayish white. Licking her lips multiple times and struggling to form words, Alicia's voice was a strangled sort of whisper.

"You're . . . you're kidding! He's the son of Hyrakkidouran Raikoumaru!" Orca nodded, the smile back upon his face as Alicia went even paler, leaning down and picking up the bits of glass she had knocked over in her excitement. "When's he coming!" she demanded, excitement running through her crystalline gaze. Anybody with a father like that had to be rich.

"Just about . . ." Before he could finish his sentence, the door of the inn swung open, brining in a blast of unwanted wind. The mugs and bottles on the wall behind the bar rattled and the patrons of the tavern turned to look as the newcomer entered and shut the door with a snap.

A young man of about average height and scrawny build had entered Alicia's tavern and turned to look at Orca with a thin smile on his lips. He had spiky, aqua blue-green hair under his green and yellow hat, his clothing that of a simple traveler in colors that matched his hat in perfect shades. Red birth markings were on his cheeks, bearing the triangle insignia that every member of the Raikoumaru clan held. His eyes were bright blue and glittered brightly with youthful energy, twin daggers at his sides. He gave a small wave and moved towards the bar.

"Been a while, hasn't it?" he sounded out of breath, his voice smooth and calm with the crisp accent of Carmina Gadelica.

"Ah, Kite! Glad to see you made it here alright! Still haven't gotten rid of that hat, have you?" chuckled Orca, pulling it from the boy's head and examining it doubtfully, "You look better without it, doesn't he Alicia?" She merely smiled as way or a response.

Kite gave a small laugh and an equally small scowl, snatching back his hat with quick reflexes, jamming it back onto his head. He turned to the barmaid, turning red slightly and starring at her face with almost misty-eyes. She grinned lightly at his embarrassment and bowed her head so that locks of wavy hair fell around her chin.

"Orca tells me you're the son of Hyrakkidouran Raikoumaru," she breathed as if to taunt him, her eyes examining every feature of his face, "You look almost exactly like him."

Kite scarlet blush vanished as he pushed back the brim of his hat and fringe as well. "You knew my father?" he asked, trying to sound calm and simple, "Can I ask how, Miss. Alicia?"

She snorted, moving to the other side of the bar to tend to another customer and speaking somewhat loudly so Kite could still hear her. "I never said a word to him! I can only recognize him from, you know, wanted posters." She winked at Kite, which only caused him to sigh and take a seat next to Orca.

"What took you so long; you said you'd be here much earlier," asked the Blademaster, draining his mug and swallowing, "Did some lady catch your eye in a tavern?" Kite glared and gave a bit of a mirthless chuckle, tugging at the collar of the shirt beneath his belted vest and traveling cloak.

"Hardly, Orca, though that might explain why you've been late to several of our meetings. Had a run in with some stray Wyrms by the boarder last night," he said bitterly, "They're getting harder to avoid, have you noticed? Seems the so called 'imperial bounty-hunters' aren't hunting bounty and everyone knows the army won't do a damn thing."

"Well, you can't expect much from nobles," said Orca somberly and Alicia nodded in agreement, "But tell me, is there any news of Balmung up in Carmina Gadelica? I haven't heard from him in a while. Last I saw him, he was up north in Lia Fail having to deal with some of those Dark Asteroids everyone whines about."

"None that I've heard," said Kite, pausing for a moment. Hesitantly, he continued talking in a more quiet and quick voice. "But there are a few people wondering . . . whither or not Fianna's descendents are losing their touch." His last words were particularly rushed and he looked away quickly towards the fire.

Orca went red with anger and ground his teeth very tightly together, slamming his mug down so hard that a long crack ran up the side and split the mug neatly in two. "Who dares to say such a thing!" Alicia winced at the loud shout and dinners either gave the Blademaster shocked, scared looks or took their leave for the night with hurried footsteps towards the staircase that lead to the tavern rooms.

Kite fidgeted slightly and nervously continued speaking. "There are rumors afloat that your partner's become the lapdog for a certain nobleman. I presume you've heard of the Duke of Carmina Gadelica, Lios? The king's right hand man?"

Orca groaned and looked at his shattered mug, though he didn't seem to really see it. "Peasants muttering will never cease to annoy me to death," he barked to the pieces of glass, "Sorry about the glass Alicia."

"No . . . trouble Orca," she muttered, picking up the glass pieces and setting them under the bar, "I'll ask Odin to mend it. He's . . . good at this, sort of thing . . ." She seemed more concerned to keep his temper down then the actual mug.

Kite paused before continuing quieter, trying – like Alicia – to stop Orca's temper from getting any worse. The thought of a very angry Descendent of Fianna was nothing anybody really wanted, considering how destructive that could be.

"The people in a village not to far from here, by the Aqua Field, you know . . . they say that some of the kids who go towards the ancient ruins there . . . don't come back. There are barely any monsters around there and all the bandit's treasure's been whipped clean from it. No need for anything to stay up there, now is it?"

Orca nodded and stood, gripping the hilt of his sword with one gauntleted hand. His voice was still angry when he grumbled a response. "It's really sad when a legendary warrior as myself must purge an area of useless nonsense." He turned towards Alicia. "The second I get back, I'll pay for my meal and room, okay?"

Her eyes widened slightly and she shook her head rapidly. "You're going to the Aqua Field this late! Twilight Dragon slaughter me, your going to die of hypothermia in this wind."

He waved his hand casually through the air and chuckled darkly. "Bah, it's only a few hours walk to the field, less so on horseback. Kite, you come with me."

The young man coughed loudly and obviously, apparently trying to ignore what Orca said. When the taller (and much more menacing-looking warrior) leaned over him menacingly, Kite sighed and stood as well.

"Fine, you win, but if I die I swear that you'll have the Crimson Deaths after your head," he muttered darkly, hands balled in the pockets of his cloak, "And I mean it."

Orca chuckled darkly and pat Kite on the head like one might do to a dog or small child. "What fun, your father's weak little bandit tribe after me, the grand Lord Orca of the Azure Sea. I might crack a rib from laughing so hard."

Kite merely scowled darkly and narrowed his eyes as he followed Orca out of the Dark Flame, wishing that he'd just kept his mouth shut so he could have gotten to sleep early that evening.


I do not own .hack, Bandai does. I own the gist of this story.

I want to apologize, to all the readers who had reviewed and enjoyed this story before I took it done. I really can't give any excuses as to why I've been so inactive with this, but I hope you'll forgive me. I really do.