Game of Kings
Chapter 02: Pawns to Front
Under the deep, dark shadows of a stack of boxes and bags, it's easy to walk the streets of Dahngrest unaware of just how lively it is. Ever since the Union and Empire's efforts to mend their troubles doubled, everyone seemed to have a smile on their face. Less imperial interference meant more work for the guilds, and less annoying knights to worry about. Business was booming for most, if not all, of the guilds that made up Dahngrest.
However, with boxes and bags balanced in his arms, the boss of Brave Vesperia could only focus on his heavy burden. If not for the Berserker Gene so graciously inherited from his father, then the weight would have been too much for him, "Nan," he whined from behind a green box that pressed against his nose, "when can we go home?"
"You promised you'd go shopping with me, and you knew the consequences of insisting to carry every box and bag!" She turned to him with her hands at her hips, "Man up to your decisions Karol." she turned up her nose when she saw his shoulders slump.
Karol groaned, "But I still have so much paperwork to do. We've been overrun with registration requests ever since we received honors for saving the world again."
"Well," Nan muttered to herself, "I guess that makes sense." The entire reason she dragged him around was because Tison and Clint were too busy dealing with a similar problem. The events of the recent past gave people the motivation to sign up for their guilds and the imperial knights. She sighed softly and snatched three of the boxes away from Karol. A part of her was glad she can see his face again, "I guess we can go home now."
"Thanks Nan," Karol smiled at her, "do you want to stay at my place to eat or something?"
Nan shrugged and started towards Brave Vesperia's headquarters, "Sure, I guess I can visit for a little while." Both of them settled into a comfortable silence as they walked the streets of Dahngrest. Nan's hard expression softened as she recalled how shy they were at the beginning of their relationship. Now it wasn't uncommon for them to just walk while holding hands in public.
"Huh?" Karol's confused grunt brought Nan back to her senses, "What's that noise?" Both stopped in front of the door and listened to the chaotic noises coming from Brave Vesperia's building. Karol balanced all the boxes in one toned arm and opened the door with the other. What met his sight horrified him.
Right inside the door was a half-naked Raven with a blindfold over his eyes. With a huge grin on his scruffy face, he blindly reached out and stumbled around, "Oh ladies, where are you?" He sang. A chorus of playful giggles told him where the crowd of scantily clad women were huddled together, "I know the giggles of beautiful women anywhere." He turned towards their general direction, "Marco."
The Black Brigade women giggled once more before answering, "Polo."
Karol, wide-eyed and red as an apple, gawked at the display as Raven chased the women around the ground floor. Where are the other members of the guild? Why was Raven playing Marco Polo with women in bikinis? How did these women get here from Aurnion! Why do I feel like someone wants to kill me? Karol turned to see Nan glaring straight at him, her cheeks red.
The young Hunting Blade felt herself grow angrier when she saw the bouncing bosoms of the women occupying Karol's guild, "So," She growled dangerously, "are these the newest recruits to your Brave Vesperia Karol?" She ignored his paling face, "Busy with registrations huh?"
"N-Nan, y-you've got it all wrong, I-" Karol tried to cool the fires until one of the women hugged him.
"Look, Master Karol's back." She buried his face in her well endowed chest and smiled, "Welcome back Master Karol!"
Karol watched Nan with the only eye not stuffed between two breasts. With her eyes burning hot with anger and small tears, Nan launched herself at Karol.
"You weaselly, two timing, egotistical, disloyal, FILTHY, PERVERTED,...!"
The sound of crashing furniture, screaming, and a torrent of filthy language caused Raven to stop his little game. Frowning in confusion, he removed his blindfold and looked around, "I thought I sent everyone on bogus assignments to prevent this much noise." His annoyed expression turned into one of horror when he saw Nan drive Karol's head through a chair. Making himself as small as possible, Raven left the scene for his own safety.
While Karol was getting his arm broken in the other room, Raven examined the table full of today's mail. Out of the bills and registration letters, one stuck out, "What's this?" He picked up and examined the fancy letter with his "party guests" looking over his shoulders.
-OOO-
Deep below the Imperial Capital, Zaphias, hired hands dug into the dark tunnels that occupy the cemeteries of the city's outskirts. The misty surface of the place of mourning made the ordeal a trying experience, but they continued their tasks faithfully.
"Hey, I think I found something." One shouted to his companions. Shortly, they gathered around the old, stone mozelieum that stood in the darkest, wildest portion of the cemetery, "I'm sure this place was packed with monsters a few years ago." He moved his lantern to light the dark vines that covered the structure like a shroud.
One of the other men present adjusted his glasses, "It looks old enough. Perhaps this is the place."
The only woman amongst them checked an old sheet of paper. After reading through the scribbled text, she nodded, "This is the place. It's almost exactly like what's described here." She looked to the others, "Get it open."
After spending a time ripping, cutting, and loosening the dark vines, they were finally able to pry the door of the mozelieum. The cloud of dust that rushed out gave pause to their advance, but they fearlessly entered the old structure with caution.
Disappointed by the sight of a small, dusty room with a single coffin inside, the one with glasses scoffed, "What a pitiful place. Is this what we went through all that trouble to find?" The woman tapped him on the shoulder and points to the far wall.
"Isn't that the symbol used by the Imperial Order that Lord Philip belongs to?" She approached the symbol and ran her fingers over the coiling lines of the symbol, "Here," She pointed to its center, "smash the wall here."
"Smash the wall?" One asked in confusion. After a nod of confirmation, he brandished a large hammer and readied it. With a cry of strain, he slammed the hammer into the wall. Instantly, he could feel it give a little before cracking with a loud snap, "Oh there's something back there alright." He licked his lips and raised the hammer once more. Putting all of his large body into the next swing, he busted a large hole into the stone wall.
After a few more swings, the contents of the next room was revealed for them to see. All of them gasped in shock. Amidst the dirt, tree roots, brown muck, and ugly vines, a corpse stood embedded into the dirt. All stood in reverence and awe before the woman spoke. With eyes focused on the corpse, she nodded towards it, "Collect what is salvageable."
-OOO-
"If you apply that formula here... then connect that cable to there... and focus mana into this... then... then... GAH, this is so frustrating!" The lone mage in the room cried out furiously and shoved the papers aside. She had half a mind to rip them all to shreds and burn them, "I'm so close, but I'm missing something."
Calmer, she searched through her research and started from the beginning. "It's in here somewhere, I just know it is." She stopped to look at the research she did when she first examined Zaude, "How did the ancient people power all of these things? Purely using aer wouldn't give you the same results!"
The defense that kept the Adephagos sealed for so long ago couldn't have been made of aer. If that had been the case, then the Adephagos would have just eaten through the barrier like it was nothing. An ancient magic was used, one that required a sacrifice, but it was not aer based magic. Whatever the ancient people did to connect their magic together, that is the answer she seeks. If she could only crack that secret, then the road to a highly usable energy resource is just a matter of distribution.
"Mmmm," Rita rapped her fingers on her desk and glared daggers at the lines of complex information. Even with her genius, she couldn't grasp the formulas used to construct such structures like Tarquaron, the Shaikos Ruins, and Zaude. All three structures remained mysteries for a simple reason: nobody knew the details of the past.
"I need a gel." She slammed her pen onto the table and stood up in a huff. It was only after she broke her focus on her work that she heard the rushing of water. She blinked in slight confusion before she deduced the reason, "Dumb dog." Casually, she made her way to her small kitchen. On the way, she kicked her bathroom door, "Hey, you better not use all of the hot water like last time!" Her response was a verse from some random drinking song, "Obnoxious mutt." She walked away with a small smile.
Fortunately, she didn't see her guest until after she sat down with a warm coffee, a sandwich, and a handful of gels. She was sure to pick out the apple gels, lest her visitor would pick food off of her small plate.
"Ah, nothing like a shower to kick off a new day." She looked up to see a young man clad in only a towel around his waist. "Mornin' Rita." He grinned widely at her shocked expression. Without hesitation, he started shuffling around the kitchen to fix himself something to eat.
Rita Mordio, genius of Aspio, was dumbstruck by his bold immodesty, "P-Put some clothes on you filthy dog!" Her cheeks went crimson at his moist, toned body. She could see every muscle flex as he went about his business, ignoring her, "Fen!" She almost roared at him. Her petite body quivered in outrage when he sat down across from her, a large sandwich on his plate, "Fenderick!"
"You act like this is the first time you've seen me in just a towel." Fen calmly bit into the sandwich and grinned, "Oh man, it's been so long since I've had food!" If not for his stuffed mouth, it would have sounded like actual words.
The embarrassed mage blushed harder at his casual mention of such a thing, "You can't just walk around without any clothes on, especially in my house!"
"I'd let you walk around naked at my place." Fen again spoke casually. He took another wolfish bite out of his sandwich and observed Rita's bewildered expression. Finally, her tense face calmed as she sighed roughly.
"You're just like a hobo." Rita popped two gels into her mouth and frowned at the wall. After months of being together with him, she still couldn't bring herself to stare at his exposed body. A part of her wished such a problem existed for the other party. She felt a kiss on her forehead and smiled.
Fen stepped back and finished his sandwich, "Happy to be back Rita." He feigned a conversation that never started, "Oh the assignment? It went well, a bit strange, but good overall." He walked into the next room but continued to talk, "We managed to bag a few ex-Leviathan's Claw members."
"How interesting." She practically screamed her own sarcasm. Thankfully, when Fen walked back into the kitchen, he was wearing his black, pin-striped trousers and his white shirt. He left the button halfway done and his black tie hung loose around his neck. To her, he looked drunk.
His purple eyes examined her less than presentable appearance, "Rita, when was the last time you left that room?" He nodded towards her study room.
"I'm out now aren't I?" Rita stubbornly shrugged off the question.
"When was the last time you left this hut?"
"House," She corrected with a frown, "and I don't remember okay?" Her green eyes glared at him when a familiar smirk appeared, "No, I'm busy." She tried to skip the coming conversation, but wasted the attempt on Fen.
Pointing a firm finger at her, Fen announced, "Tonight is a date night. No excuses or outbursts, I'll drag you out of this 'house' between my teeth if I have to."
"You wouldn't dare." She challenged.
Fen chuckled, "I've done it once, I'll do it again."
"Jerk." Rita rolled her eyes and looked away from his triumphant grin. Why couldn't he just leave her to her research? "Anything else you want to scold me for while you're at it?" She tapped her fingers on the table as he thinks. Every second that passed, she thought of denying him one more apple.
"Have you written Estelle recently?" Unlike before, Fen sounded less teasing and more serious. His face held a caring expression, as if he's kindly asking a child if they stole a cookie from the jar.
This side of Fen always threw her off. With a sigh, Rita shook her head before looking upwards, "No, I keep meaning to, but I always get distracted." She shot him a brief glare, "You don't exactly help in that area."
"I'm sure her heart would give out if you wrote her." Fen ignored her glare, "You know how much she cares about you – almost like a sister."
"I know already!" She snapped before looking down, "I'm just not good at this whole keeping in touch thing."
Fen sighed and patted her head, "And that's why you have such an awesome boyfriend."
"Who are we talking about?"
"Ouch." Fen stumbled a little before sharing a small chuckle with Rita. Figuring he teased Rita enough, Fen turned his attention to the pile of mail sitting on the table. He had brought it in out of pity for the mail-carrier. Who doesn't collect their mail when they are home? Silently, he flipped through the letters (ignoring Rita's glare of course), and stopped at a fancy envelope, "Hello, what is this?"
-OOO-
Elsewhere, in a small house in the quiet town of Heliord, a young noblewoman stirred in her sleep. Estellise Sidos Heurassein, former contender for the throne of the Empire, opened her drowsy eyes to the sound of someone shuffling about. Through her smudged glasses, she could see a man with long, ebony hair flop onto the couch near her desk, "Yuri?" She covered her mouth when she yawned, "Did you just get back?"
"Yeah," He waved over his shoulder, "the Union wanted to hear my side of the story on those ex-guild guys Fen and I caught." Yuri sighed and put his hands behind his head, "This part of my job sucks."
Estelle smiled at him tiredly. Getting up from her chair, she walked over to him and took one of his hands, "Then shouldn't you go to bed?" She gave his hand a tug to help emphasize her point.
If it wasn't her, Yuri would have assumed she meant something else. Smirking, he tugged her into his arms and gently fought her shocked squirming, "Nah, too lazy right now." He waited for her squirming to slow before he shifted to get comfortable.
"You're always lazy Yuri." Estelle looked up at his closed eyes and frowned slightly. When his smirk stretched into a mocking smile, she shook her head. Blushing at how they must look, she placed her head on his chest and closed her eyes.
"So," Yuri suddenly broke the silence, "I assume you weren't sleeping on top of the Black Brigade's budget sheets?"
Estelle looked up at him with a defensive pout, "That only happened once."
"I don't hear a denial." Even with his eyes closed, Estelle could feel the mockery in Yuri's eyes. Hanging around Fen and his father seemed to strengthen the playful side of him, a side Estelle both loved and disliked.
You're not the only one who can play Yuri, Estelle thought. Resting her chin on him, she copied his smirk, "I was sleeping on my rough draft for my next chapter." His eyebrow perked in interest, "You're so cute."
"Huh?" Yuri opened one eye to look at her. All he saw was the top of her pink-haired head. Cursing quietly, he looked towards the idle book on her desk. With the petite princess resting against him comfortably, his body refused to even consider moving. "I regret you ever meeting Judy and Rita." Thanks to her, his curiosity was going to keep him awake.
Eventually, Yuri got to sleep, but had to wake up only a couple hours later. Groggily raising his head to the squeal of his lover, his dark eyes were greeted by a white sheet of paper. He tiredly smirked at Estelle's energetic rambling and gently took the hand that held the paper. Nodding as if listening to every word, he pushed the paper back so he could read it.
Yuri whistled upon finishing the short, elegantly decorated letter, "Well well, we got invited to a royal celebration for Ioder's coronation." He figured it would happen eventually. Pressing political issues and Demigog had pushed back the official celebration for Emperor Ioder, and it was high time they got the theatrics over with.
"Oh Yuri, it'll be so wonderful, I've never been to many celebrations." Yuri heard Estelle clap her hands together in excitement. "I mean, it's not like we had much to celebrate when I lived there." She frowned, "It always felt so stuffy and sad in the castle." she opened her mouth to continue speaking, but a quick flick to the forehead from Yuri got her to stop, "Ow, what was that for?"
The princess's lover chuckled before standing up from the couch to stretch. "Yeah, I think a celebration for someone as loved as Ioder will do the Empire some good, not to mention the Union."
"Knowing Ioder, he'll be sure to make a public pledge towards good relations with the Union." Estelle smiled at the thought. She had the utmost confidence in Ioder, positive that he made a better ruler than she could.
"You know," Yuri stopped in the doorway of the small study, "I don't think I have anything fancy enough for a high-class party." He took a few moments to ponder his words to himself before flinching. Slowly, he turned to see Estelle eyeing him with gleaming eyes filled with visions of grandeur. "Oh well." Yuri instantly tried to rush out, but Estelle would have none of it.
"Aww, please Yuri!"
"No."
"Please?"
"... Fine whatever."
"Yay!"
Yuri watched Estelle jump with excitement and sighed. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught slight movement and looked towards the front door. Repede met his gaze and flicked his pipe. "You keep quiet." Yuri could practically feel the mockery in Repede's posture.
-OOO-
"Gorgeous, isn't he?" The green eyes of Philip seemed to dance at the being before him. Encased in a test tube of aer enriched liquid, the corpse of a pale man was being pieced together by Aspian mages. In one week's time, they rebuilt the corpse's torso and left arm. Philip gazed at the black gap that was the dead body's eye and smiled, "The things he could tell us." He lifted his hand and pressed his palm against the glass.
At his side, Eleanor couldn't stop staring at the lifeless corpse. Its long, white hair seemed to form the slightest cocoon around the rest of his shattered body. Strangely, she couldn't help but agree that this dead body held a sense of beauty. "Mystifying."
Philip laughed and looked to his bodyguard, "Enchanted my dear?"
Regaining her composure, Eleanor coughed before meeting Philip's taunting gaze, "Please do not tease me sir."
"I beg your pardon Eleanor, you just make it so-" Philip's retort ceased when he looked back to the test tube. Startled, he gasped and stumbled backwards in shock. The body within the liquid, once lifeless, now stared at him with his only eye.
Eleanor, frozen in wonder and fear of this astonishing sight, watched at the corpse came to life. Reanimated by some means, the deteriorated portions of his body began to mold and bubble. His pale skin squirmed as blood flowed through old veins anew, breathing more life into the once dead man.
"This," Philip approached the tube once more, "this is perfect. Beyond my wildest hopes and dreams." He grinned broadly, boastfully, "At this rate, we'll be ready for the coronation!" He laughed freely, doubling over at the mere thought. When his laughter calmed, Philip looked back up into the watchful eye of the reanimated body, "Welcome back my king."
-OOO-OOO-
Cold and dying, he lay broken
From atop the castle, the star has fallen
As his light dims, a curse he breaths
"Forevermore..."
-OOO-OOO-
A/N: There's chapter 2. Mysteries are growing, and I'm sure you have lots of questions. Those who followed ToV: Black Brigade know how I answer mysteries. I answer them slowly, and hopefully in a likable fashion. Patience, and thank you for reading. Until next time...