(This is a Co-Writing project, so if you notice different writing styles, is because of that.)

(Also, a proofreader would be greatly appreciated.)

(Enjoy.)


Chapter 1 - The LightSteel

Arthur stood behind the shadows of the wall, looking for all sorts of trinkets and rare jewels on the pedestrians.

He was a pro at recognizing the most valuable ones, but it seem like today was his unlucky day.

People wore useless, fake bracelets around their wrists and women wore bronze necklances.

Until he spotted an interesting woman, not only by her looks but even the jewels she was wearing.

'She belongs to a wealthy family.'

He though satisfiedly as he started to thank the maker for finding someone to rob blind.

She had lots of interesting jewels to sell for the right buyer, but what made him more interested was her necklance.

The necklace was made of blue diamonds with purple crystals in it, with the heart in the center made out of pure blue/purple diamond.

That necklance could be a perfect gift for his sister. And if he had to sell it, it would surely costs a fortune and bring enough food to survive the winter this year with his family intact.

He slowly left the shadows from the alley and silently approached the blue haired lady.

He reached her neck cautiously and with a quick motion, removed her necklance and started to run as fast as he could.

Vivi felt her necklace come off, skilled hands removing it. She gasped and whipped around, seeing a sprightly youth bounding away with it.

"Hey! Stop that thief!" She cried, pointing at him. Guards immediately took attention.

He heard the lady's desperate screams for guards help, little fool, doesn't she knows that in these parts the guards won't help the civilians?

As he ran, he quickly looked behind his back, and to his surprise, the guards AND the lady were chasing him.

'Huh. They care for some citizens afterall...'

He took the next shortcut on his right, with enough skill and cold blood, he could outrun them, but the lady's costant yelling shows the countrary.

Vivi and the guards rounded the corner, seeing the thief jump down onto a street below.

Letting loose an oath, a guard took out a crossbow with a blunted tip.

"Hit him!" Said Vivi, pointing at the thief.

What did she mean with *Hit him*? She wasn't that foolish to think that a guard would really-

He heard the heavy arrow hitting the wall behind him, he stopped for a second to examine what was going on, the guards were taking this more seriously than he ever saw before.

Looking at his back he saw 3 guards, ready to take him out on the lady's order, the other 3 heavily clothed ready to strike him with their long swords.

He saw the three crossbows loading up, clearly with the intention to end his life.

He quickly rolled to the left alley, arrows piercing slightly through his armour, hitting the walls once again.

To his luck, they didn't hit his skin, he used this moment to find a way to sow the guards. This was going to be harder than he had thought.

Vivi climbed down, her guards right behind her. The thief had evaded the arrows, two guards had swords out and another with a readied crossbow. They would catch him, her father would be extremely angry if she lost that necklace.

They rounded the corner to see the thief running down the alley, beggars lining the side of the deserted street.

Arthur noticed the beggars filling up the street, each one of them had different visible sickness, but one that hit him the most was a sick blind woman, and she was young too... what would he do to bring her in his refuge, people like these deserve a better place to live.

But alas, he didn't have time for this, the lady and the guards were chasing him. He would come back for the poor woman later, he left 10 rusty silver coins in her plate, and lightly tapped the palm of her hands, as he sweetly wispered.

"I'll come back later..."

He started to run away again, he couldn't run around the alley's for too long, so he hoped to be faster than his chasers.

Vivi was handed a crossbow, something she had personal experience with. She and two guards raised the weapons, firing after the fleeing thief.

The bolts twanged and went too far to the side, and the thief entered a side street.

"Cut him off!" Yelled Vivi, as they reloaded. Two guards ran into the buildings, hoping to beat the thief to the other side of the block.

Vivi and another guard got to the entrance, weapons raised again at the fleeing figure.

This side street was unknown to the thief, it was dark too.

As he ran, he looked up to the building. There were balconies that he could use to his advantage.

Surely the guards couldn't chase hin if he choosed that route, but since he doesn't know where he could end up there, he wanted it to be the last thing as an escape route.

He saw two guards coming in front of him, holding position for the lady's orders. He instantly ran backwards and found the guards holding their crossbows on him.

It seems that he had no other choice than to use the last way to escape, hopefully they would believe in his surrender.

He raised up his hands with the necklance on his neck, the hood and the scarf covering his face, only his amber eyes visible.

Now he had to wait and hope for the best for his last escape route.

"Hold still or we're putting a bolt through your chest!" Shouted Vivi, as the four of them advanced slowly, arrows primed and fingers on the trigger.

"Aren't you a sweetheart madam..."

He stood still. They bought his act.

Now he only needed to wait for the lady to come closer... and he could have a chance to survive.

Vivi kept the crossbow trained on the thief, and in a few moments they were each only a few feet from him.

Vivi hefted her crossbow. "Now give me that necklace!" She demanded.

He smiled behind the scarf, his plan was getting in the right direction.

"Of course... Just give me a moment to remove it..."

He lowered the scarf from his face, showing clear silver scars on his left side lips, a horizontal scar between the bridge of his nose, and a long one on his left eye.

He picked a smoke granade from his acarf and gently posed it on the lady's crossbow.

"I suggest you hold your breath..."

He brought up the scarf on his face again, and gave a wink to the lady as the smoke bomb did it's job.

He started to jump on the walls, reaching the balcony. He continued his way to the roof by using the windows and shortly reached the rooftop.

Coughing, Vivi cursed.

How had they let him do that?

She exited the smoke and looked up, seeing the thief jump up onto the roof.

"There!" She shouted, furious. Another guard exited the smoke, and immediately threw his breastplate off.

"Time to get light my lady." He said, as he turned to the wall. Vivi and the captain grabbed handholds, making their way up.

The thief cursed under his breath, why are they fighting over so much for a necklance?

He ran across the roof, jumping over from building to building, untill he had to stop.

The other building was too far away to jump on top of it, he looked down and saw a hay cart, clearly the only way to escape these stubborn bastards.

He looked back to his chasers, only two guards made it alongside the lady.

Vivi barely cleared a rooftop, unused to so much physical exertion. The captain was right behind her, keeping pace with her.

The thief turned to look back at them, and she heard him shout an oath. She stopped, and shot a bolt at him as the captain ran forward, sword in one hand primed, crossbow in the other.

He dodged the dart easily, and it hit a wooden window, angry shouts came on the other side of the building.

"Damn these soldiers! They can't leave us in peace in our own house!"

The thief giggled a little for that scene, he looked down for another time... and decided to make an attempt.

"It was fun 'till it lasted! Now i have to say goodbye to my audience. Untill we never meet again."

He waved his goodbye at the angry chasers and lifted his left leg from the roof and fell into the hay cart.

Vivi and the captain saw him fall into the hay and roll out with ease. The thief immediately began to run down the street.

Vivi looked down, the street had no side roads, and cornered a little ways down.

She and the captain ran to the other side, the shortcut allowing them to beat the running figure. They made it to the corner, now they only had precious few seconds before the theif ran beneath them.

"All right..." The captain took two long barrels out of his backpack, and hooked them together. He stuffed a cone into the tube, and aimed down the street.

"I hate to waste a shot, and Gareth will kill me for using this, but this'll knock him off his feet." He said. "Or into bits."

"Hit him hard, the necklace can't be destroyed." Said Vivi, as the thief unwittingly rounded the corner.

He finally lost those stubborn guards... the lady had lot of stamina for being a normal citizen.

Now that he was thinking about it... she looked pretty familiar... some royal family perhaps?

It would make a lot of sense, guards only act for rich people, they are egoist and greedy bastards... all of them! Nobody cares for the poor people anymore.

He finally reached the dark alley, his sisters and brothers were waiting for him patiently... and when the streets will become calmer... he will try to find the blind girl again.

He knocked the secret code on the broken door, his sister welcoming him with open arms.

"Arthur! You are back!"

He hugged back his little sister, warmly smiling behind his scarf.

"And i have brought back a gift for you..."

She jumped around him excitedly, his 9 years old sister always brought him the good humor.

"What is it big bro?!"

He sweetly hummed in his sister's ears as he was removing the scarf

"Close your eyes..."

She excitedly did as she was told, she heard loud ginglings and he wrapped something cold around her neck.

"Now... you can open them."

She opened her eyes and saw a beautifull necklance around her neck, she gasped in surprise and gave a big smile to him, clearly liking it.

"So... do you like it?"

She hugged him back a second time. Her big bro was the best.

"Of course i like it! Now come in! We have prepared dinner for you!"

He was taken by surprise, where did they gather food? He surely didn't stealed any today... he would remember that... Lance...

He was exploding in anger inside, but he would hold it for his sister... He hoped that Lance didn't dare to do what he was thinking in that moment.

"There!" Shouted Vivi, pointing at the theif. He was entering a house!

"I got him." Said The Captain, training the missile at the door. "This can send sky ships plummeting to their doom, it can take out that house."

He pressed the trigger, a magical and fiery effusion exploding out the back, a red missile bursting from the front. It streaked at the house, racing for the target.

As they were eating, Arthur and his Uncle were heavily discussing on the thief part.

"You sent my little brother to steal food?!"

Lance looked back to his nephew with a bored expression, Arthur was taking this too seriously.

"Mattias is the right age to steal, he is good at it, and he does admire you, you know?"

He shook his head, disgusted by what his uncle did, he could have been easily caught! If someone has to go in jail, and loose his head, he would be that person. He would protect his family at all cost, and now his own uncle has sent Mattias to steal? What if he met those guards?

A strange sound emerged outside the house, Arthur saw something fast flying across the valley from the opened window, it suddenly hit the entreance, blowing up half of their house.

Everyone was half scared to death, Arthur quickly ordered his family.

"Hide!"

They quickly hid inside the cantine, his stubborn sister stayed behind him.

"Nora! What are you doing? Go and hide with your family!"

She eagerly shook her head and stood behind him courageously.

Now Arthur had one more person to think about, whoever was the attacker... he was ready to defend himself.

"Well, I'll be honest... I expected a bigger boom." Said The Captain, scratching his head.

"I think Gareth gave you one of the dummed down missiles." Remarked Vivi, as she quickly hopped down.

"Almost like he knew I'd be using it in the city. But it's certainly not the grade three, those destroy sky ships. And the house is still there." Replied The Captain, as they moved into the charred, smoking entrance. The entire front was gone.

"Hello?!" Shouted Vivi, taking out a dagger. The Captain took out his sword, the missile barrels spent.

"Nora! Please, listen to me and hide!"

She looked up at her brother, she could perfectly take care of herself! She didn't have too hide! She is strong, and she was going to show him!

"Nora... listen to me... our family needs you... go down and barricade the cantine. Understood?"

Two mysterious figures came closer to the blown up entreance, the burning smoke covering their identities.

"Go. Now!"

She sadly did as she was told, she knew what her big bro meant... she will miss him.

Nora closed the cantine... but she didn't barricade it, any chance that they spare him and she will run out to propose her own life for her brother.

Vivi looked around, she saw no corpses, but she heard voices.

"There." Whispered the captain, pointing at a figure in the smoke. Vivi raised her arm and threw the knife, as she had been taught to. It streaked straight and true.

Arthur felt the knife piercing trough his skin on his left shoulder, he hissed in pain as he flipped the wooden table to protect himself.

He slowly removed the knife from his shoulder, it was an extra weapon to protect himself, alongside with some fire bombs, smoke bombs and throwable knifes.

They heard the man gasp from pain, and the captain advanced with his sword drawn, the steel eager to taste flesh. He leapt over the table, even as Vivi drew out another knife.

"Brother!"

Mattias shouted from the cantine, from his voice, he was scared of something.

"Brother! Uncle is sick!"

Arthur rolled inside the cantine, the soldier's sword hit through the wooden table, while the lady's knife was still in his hand, saved it in case they need it in their cantine.

"Barricade it, quick!"

His sisiter quickly obliged, she barricaded the the cantine with a bunch of hard wood, it should keep them away for a while.

"What happened Uncle?"

Lance weakly looked upon his nephew, the pest got over his body quicker than he had thought.

"The pest... is killing me..."

He kneeled in front of his bed, his fever was higher than before. The homemade medicines are getting low, they cannot do much for him.

"Mattias! Cold water, fast!"

Mattias quickly ran to get a bucket of cold water, his sister and Arthur were holding Lance's hand.

"Hold on old fart... you will survive this... you hear?"

The cantine's door was getting heavily destroyed, and in a matter of seconds, they entered inside.

"Thank goodness for the second missile." Muttered The Captain, as the door blew open.

"Everyone in here is under arrest!" Shouted Vivi, as they stepped inside. The thief turned, looking horrified to see them. There were others as well, some young children too. Vivi ignored them for a moment.

"You are under arrest for the highest of treason, the thievery of the SteelLight Crystal! This constitutes Highest treason against the King, the Highest of Treason against the Magik, the Highest of treason against the Armada, and the Highest of treason against the Flagship, Valiant! The Highest of Treason is punishable only by death, a conspiracy against the Valaint removes possibility of Trial! Those in this room, unless proven otherwise, are co conspirators!" Shouted Vivi, as the Captain swung his sword menacingly.

Arthur looked at Mattias, he showed that he could bring the cold water.

He ignored their pathetic excuse to lynch him to death, as if he didn't hear it many other times.

He removed his own scarf and used it to calm down his uncle's fever. He gently layed the wet scarf in his front.

Nora innocently opened the content of the necklance, and inside the heart she saw a mature blue haired man alongside with a girl around her own age, the only difference is the girl in the picture's hair is blue, her own is orange.

"Girl! Give us the Lighsteel crystal!" Shouted The Captain, advancing with his sword.

Vivi saw that a man was sick, and that the thief was caring for him. She frowned, she couldn't afford to develop empathy with a thief who's crime had nearly grounded the Valiant. The LightSteel was too important, and she had nearly lost it.

Nora tightly held the necklance that her kind brother gave her.

"But... My bro gave it to me..."

Arthur and Mattias sadly smiled at their sister, as much as they wanted her to keep it, she could not.

Arthur sweetly ordered his sister to cooperate.

"Don't worry... i will find another one for you Nora... now, give it back to them kindly, please."

She looked at the beautifull gift one last time... and silently gave it to the big man, with a wild curiosity flowing in her head, so... she innocently asked

"Excuse me sir... but who is the tall man in the small painting?"

The Captain opened up the crystal, and saw the picture. He frowned.

"My Lady... you tampered with The LightSteel?" He asked. Vivi coughed.

"My father said it was all right. And it can still power the Valiant." She replied.

"Still... you could have destroyed it."

"I had Magik help me." She said shortly. Vivi then turned to the girl. "The painting is of my father."

"Oh... He looks like a kind man..."

She cluelessly and innocently replied with her big smile.

"That he... is." Said Vivi, as The Captain gave her the necklace.

"And you... are still under arrest!" She said, turning to the thief.

Arthur ignored her words, he didn't care if he was getting in trial, now his uncle's life was at stake.

"Mattias... bring some cow milk please."

He quickly ran inside the storage room, he desperately searched for cow milk, he found enough milk to fill it in two goblets. He ran back and handed it.

Arthur thanked his brother and brought one of the goblets towards his uncle's lips.

"Drink up."

He silwntly obliged, and with some difficulties... he drank it up.

"Arthur... They will... kill you...?"

Arthur fastly shaked his head.

"Stuff and Nonsense... they will imprison me for couple of months... or years... Mattias and Norah will take care of you... Now... Rest..."

The side effect of the milk kicked in, and Lance fell asleep.

"Stop that! You are ignoring an Armada Captain!" Shouted The Captain, grabbing the thief by his shoulder and hoisting him around.

"You will come with us and you will be executed for Highest Treason in conspiracy to ground the Valiant!" He yelled.

"Whatever you say... Captain."

He looked toward his family.

"Take care of our uncle. I'm sure you will do just fine..."

Mattias removed the scarf from Lance's forehead, and gave it back to his brother, knowing this will be the last time he sees him. He silently praised his courage and cold blood, and he knew that he would face death with pride.

"Take care Arthur... and stay strong."

He nodded at his brother... understanding as ever, he knew that he will take care for Nora.

Speaking of Nora... she ran towards him with tears in her eyes.

"Brother... they won't kill you right?"

Arthur slowly shook his head with a good fake smile.

"No... they won't. Soldiers love to show their autority to the poor people... heck, they would even declare to lynch a cat."

Nora's sweet laugh was everything that he needed in this moment, they hugged each other a final time, and Nora joined her brother.

Arthur wrapped the wet scarf around his neck and was ready for wherever they want to bring him.

"Right then." Said Vivi, turning around.

"My lady! The rest in the room are co conspirators!" Shouted The Captain. Vivi paused.

"No... just the thief." She said, after a moment of deliberation.

The Captain frowned, but shoved the thief forward, his steel gloved hand keeping a tight grip on his shoulder. They left the ruined house, and began to march back homewards, to the castle.

Vivi glared at the thief, fingering the necklace.

Arthur noticed her cold glares on himself, he didn't understand why she is making a silent scene in this moment.

"If you want to say something sweetheart, then say it... And since we have known each other so well... can you at least tell me your name please?"

"My name is Vivi. The princess under the King."

She replied, continuing to glare at him as he was lead by The Captain.

"And you very nearly cost me and the Armada a lot of trouble."

He cocked up his eyebrow, it was a necklance... not a weapon of massive destruction.

"Ooooooh i knew i saw that face somewhere... Princess Vivi Kimoto... What a nice surprise... And excuse me, but why are you making such a fuss over a necklance? I mean... it is pretty and all... but a war seems a bit exagerated..."

"The Necklace... has the LightSteel." She snapped. "It powers the Valiant, without a crystal, no Sky Ship can fly. And without the Valiant, our fair city is almost defenseless. There is the rest of the Armada of course... but they might as well be fodder without the flagship. Rockets are too dangerous, and too easy to use. The Valiant is specifically rocket resistant."

He rolled his eyes when she called this city *Fair*

Nothing was fair in this city, might as well fall into the ground and don't give a flying ass about it.

But he got the concept that he practically stole the heart of this city... he felt ashamed... but in the same way proud.

He stole the bloody heart of this city! It was a big accomplishment for a thief...

Looking around, he saw some strange people wearing hoods of the same colour... and it seems that they were looking at the princess with murderous intent.

"Umm... firstly... sorry for the necklance and all... but it is just me... or are they not looking at you in a friendly way?"

Vivi looked at them.

"Perhaps not. It hardly matters." She muttered, but Arthur could feel The Captain's grip tightening, and their pace quicken.

Arthur understood that they were not exactly welcome in this part of the city.

A short hooded man strangely walked close to them, he saw the shine of the blade from this distance.

He picked a hidden throwable knife under his coat and threw it right into the neck of the attacker.

"Hey!" Shouted Vivi, as Arthur threw his knife. "Why didn't we disarm him?!" She exclaimed, as The Captain kicked Arthur's legs in.

Then she saw other men move closer to them, their knifes drawn. The Captain cursed, and took out his sword, flashing in the sunlight.

"Be happy that you didn't!"

He exclaimed as he drew out two other throwable knifes while crouched.

Did this prick hurt him so bad that he couldn't get up? He underestimated this selfish Captain.

He saw another hooded man approaching behind the princess's back, he threw the knife fom his right hand and it hit the front of his head.

Vivi whipped around, seeing the knife hit a man's head behind her. She jumped back drawing her own knives, as The Captain engaged another man.

Their blades clanged for but a moment before the man was bisected at the neck, the sword swishing clean through.

The Captain turned and engaged another man, stabbing him in the chest. But there were plenty more, and a few had bows.

He quickly took out the Archers, two killed by hitting their head, the remaining three for hitting their heart, 8 throwable knifes remained in his coat.

He tried to stand up another time, the pain was too much to overcome, he successfully killed two assassin's before they striked Vivi or The Captain.

He hissed in pain when the wound on his left shoulder opened up again. He tossed the knife unsucsessfully towards the final archer who was aiming at him.

The archer responded by striking his other shoulder with an arrow, making him scream in pain.

The Captain charged at the last archer, his arrows bouncing uselessly off his superior armor. The archer turned and ran, running into a building and disappearing.

Meanwhile Vivi, with a stony expression, tore the arrow out of Arthur.

He hissed as the princess tore out the arrow from his shoulder.

"Ow! You could have removed it more gently, you know?"

He slowly started to caress his new wound on his other shoulder.

"We'll have someone heal you when we get to the castle." Replied Vivi, picking him up. The Captain jogged back, covered in bruises.

"Those arrows didn't do me any favors." He muttered.

He quickly fell on the ground when Vivi finished to aid him up.

He felt the pain overcome him in his legs, that damn brute will pay it one day!

"It hurts! I... I think they are broken..."

"Well, that's hardly our problem." Said The Captain, picking him up. "You'll be dead soon anyways."

"Oh... Well that's just fantastic."

He hoped a little bit that they would be thankfull for his help... oh well... he still had some smoke bombs, he will escape when it will be the right moment.

But now that he thought about it... he was crimpled. He had no possibilities to escape from them.

Arthur silently hoped that there could be another murder attempt, at least he could crawl away from them, he really wasn't in the mood for another execution.

That never came, and they eventually reached the castle.

Arthur closely admired the castle from the distance, he never dared to set foot inside before.

Guards surrounded the golden gates through the castle, everyone lined up in as the captain and the princess passed through.

"So... how does this trial work exactly?"

"There isn't one." Said Vivi with an emotionless voice "Conspiracy against the Valiant removes possibility of a trial."

"And to think i saved your asses..."

He lowly muttered down under his breath, why didn't he just use that possibility to escape from this city for good? He only needed to aboard inside a ship and he could have been a free man.

Maybe because he would have been feeling guilty about it, to steal the heart of the city and not doing anything against the criminals who wanted the princess's life was too low, even for him.

"At least a *Thank You* wouldn't be bad, you know?"

"He did kill someone who was about to axe you, my lady." Said The Captain.

"Thank you. There." Said Vivi shortly.

"Well... if you count the archers and three other assassins who were going to cut your throats... i think i DID earn your trust. Just putting it lightly there, Captain... Princess Vivienne..."

If he had any chance to survive this, then he would use all of his resources to do it. Who knows... he could convince The King itself.

"I..." Vivi sputtered.

"The facts are as follows my lady." Said The Captain. "His crime, though as grievous as they get, was technically not done with malicious intent. He also had a family, one he needed to feed, and a family member with the pestilence. So he seems as common as they get. The flip side is that he would have grounded the Valiant."

"I would not have caused any damage to your precious city... Captain, i had no intention to sell it to anyone. It was simply a gift for my sister, if i knew that it was THAT important, i wouldn't have stole it."

Arthur was surprised that The Captain, the man who wanted to take his whole family here, suddenly is siding with him.

Maybe because secretly he is thankfull for saving their lifes, if so... maybe he could survive the death penalty. Even if he becomes their soldier for life.

"I'm just stating the facts my lady. In the end it's up to you." Said The Captain.

"Ehh... yech. I'm in no mood to decide now." Grumbled Vivi. "We'll discuss your punishment tonight." She decided.

"... As you wish... Princess..."

And from that moment... he stayed silent. He knew that he couldn't pull the subject too far, now everything was in the princess's hands, and if she had questions, he would happily answer them if it meant that he could live.

They entered the castle, going up to Vivi's room.

"All right then." Said the Captain, as Vivi flopped down onto her bed.

For Arthur, this was a very good sign, he wasn't in a trial room... at least not yet... The Captain seems to want him recruited... as a ranger or a spy perhaps.

But the Princess... he had no clue what she was thinking about him right now.

He stayed silent, not daring to say a word. It could cost his own life if he was going to get too cocky.