A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I'm completely surprised and impressed at the amount of reviews! A common comment that came up was practicality on Chris' weapon proficiencies, and both Lyn's and Chris' carried items; so I've made some changes. First, Chris now only uses swords and anima/nature magic. Second, both Lyn and Chris only have the iron versions of each weapon they can use ("fire" being the "iron version" of anima/nature magic). Lastly, both Chris and Lyn are carrying 2 vulnaries each. If I get time, I will make the changes to the prologue as well (no promises). Oh, by the way, I will use italics to show thoughts and quotation marks ("/") to show dialogue and bold to show things that are related but not actually in the story (like _'s POV or "later that day…", etc.), but I might use something else on accident or forget to italicize something, so bear with me please. I would also like to acknowledge my beta reader, Tiger002, for helping to edit my story before I posted it. Thanks, and enjoy!
Chapter 1
Chris' POV
…Sword…Check.
…Fire tome…Check.
…Vulnaries…Check.
…Water…Check.
…Food…Check.
…Clothes…Check.
…Traveling Gear…Check.
"Looks like I'm all set!" I said to no one in particular. I glanced to the side and saw Lyn walk in the hut, so I asked her, "Ready to go?" She nods. I grab the small pouch of the little gold we actually had and said, "Okay, let's go!" With that, Lyn practically warped outside; as excited as she was. She had always wanted to explore the world since she was a child, but had never gotten the chance.
Lyn's POV
As soon as he said to go, I was burst out the door, running as fast as I could. I raced ahead saying, "Catch me if you can!" Our first destination was Bulgar, the largest "city" in Sacae (if anything in Sacae can even be called a "city"). A day of traveling later, we reached Bulgar. We were planning on stocking up on any supplies we didn't already have while we were there.
...Later that day at the city of Bulgar…
I picked up an iron blade from a rack inside of the city armory. Then, I walked over to Chris and asked, "What do you think of this?" Chris then told me that an iron blade would have much more power then the iron sword I had, but that it would be hard to handle and very heavy; both of which would make it harder to hit enemies and harder to attack with speed. Maybe I should just stick with my iron sword for faster attacks, better accuracy, and to minimize injuries. "Oh my heart! What a dazzling vision of loveliness!" Startled, I turned around to see a teal armored cavalier walking up to me. I don't have time for this… I started to walk away, but persistence was one of the cavalier's strong suits. "Wait, O beauteous one!" What a weirdo… The cavalier kept talking, saying, "Would you not favor me with your name? Or better yet, your company?" Damn… why won't he just leave me alone? Maybe I should make it clear to him that I'm NOT interested. I looked at him haughtily and asked, "Where are you from, sir knight, that you speak so freely to a stranger?" "Ha!" he says in reply, "I thought you'd never ask! I am from Lycia. I hail from the Caelin canton, home to the men of passion and fire!" Man, he is an idiot! In response I say, "Shouldn't that be home to callow oafs with loose tongues?" The knight says, "Ooooh… You're even lovely when you're cruel." Is it just me, or is he smoking something? "Let's go Chris, I've nothing more to say." With that, I turned around and went the other way, with the cavalier calling, "Wait! Please…" after me. I noticed a cavalier in red armor walking towards the cavalier who hit on me as I left…
Kent's POV
I can't believe him! It's bad enough that he hits on women while he's off-duty, but we are in the middle of an important mission! "Sain! Hold your tongue!" I ordered. "Ah, Kent! My boon companion! Why so severe an expression?" "If you were more serious, I wouldn't have to be so severe! We still have a mission to complete!" "I know that" he replied, "But how could I remain silent in the presence of such beauty? I would have been discourteous!" I can't believe this! I thought Sain was a knight! "What do you know about courtesy?" I asked in return.
Lyn's POV
Oh no… not him again… and this time he's brought a friend… just my luck… Chris and I had finished buying supplies, so we were on our way to leave the city, but the 2 cavaliers were in the middle of the path, blocking the way. Here we go… I walked up to them and said, "Excuse me! You're blocking the road. If you would be so kind as to move your horses…" The red armored cavalier, apparently named Kent, replies saying, "Of course. My apologies…" Huh… Apparently they aren't ALL bad... "Thank you. You, at least, seem honorable enough." I say. His eyes then seemed to widen, as if he just remembered something of utmost importance "Hm? Pardon me, but… I feel we've met before." Kent said. WHAT? "I beg your pardon?" I managed to say while trying to keep composed. I've never met any Lycian knights before… Suddenly, the teal armored cavalier, apparently named Sain, bursted out and said, "Hey! No fair, Kent! I saw her first!" I stand corrected, they ARE all the same! "Tsk! It seems there are no decent men among Lycian knights! Let's go, Chris! I've run out of patience!" I say as I storm off, pulling a very angry Chris behind me. Woah… Chris looks mad… I bet the only thing keeping him from throttling Sain where he stood was the fact that Kent was around. For Chris' own safety, it's probably a good thing we got out of that situation as fast as we did. Fighting professional knights isn't necessarily the easiest thing to do in the world…
Kent's POV
Why does Sain always have to be such an idiot! I call Lyn saying, "Wait, please! It's not like that!" She kept walking away, so I spun around and yelled at my partner, "Sain, you lout!" To which he predictably replied, "Huh? Not like that? I thought you were…"
Figures… of course he thinks that everyone else thinks the way he does… I say, "I am NOT you! Come, we must follow her. I suspect she might be…" Sain cuts me off saying, "Be what? She's our mission? You're joking!" I was already starting to ride after Lyn, so he shouts, "Wait!" I'm not going to wait for him… he's never ready when I need him.
Chris' POV
Suddenly Lyn puts on a burst of speed, racing ahead. "Run! We're being pursued! Could it be those knights from town? Then, realizing the danger she shouted, "These men are out for blood!" Bandit…This is great, just great… They caught up to us quickly, and the leader approached Lyn and said, "Heh heh hehhh… Aren't you the pretty one! Your name is Lyndis, is it not?" Wait a minute… how does he know that? No one outside of our tribe, the Lorca, should have known that, and all of them were massacred by the Tavalier bandits! Lyn replies, "What did you call me?... Who are you?" He replied, "Such a waste. An absolute waste. The things I'll do for gold. Ah, well. Time to die, darlin'! C'mon out, boys!" Some bandits come out of their hiding spots behind trees wielding their large axes. I heard Lyn say, "Oh no! There are more then we can handle… But I'll not give up!" She draws her sword while I draw my own and make sure my fire tome is within easy reach. What have we gotten ourselves into now Lyn… Well, whatever it is, as long as I'm still breathing, they will NOT hurt my sister! Then, from a short ways away, I hear a familiar voice shout, "Hey! There they are!" Turning to look toward the source, I saw that the speaker was Sain, accompanied by Kent. As Sain approaches us, he says, "Whew… finally caught up…" Why is he tired, he was riding a horse?… he continued, saying to the bandit leader, "Hold! You there! What is your business? Such numbers against two travelers, one of them a girl? Cowards, every one of you!" Lyn says, "You! Your from…" but then is interrupted by Kent, who says, "We can discuss that later. It appears these ruffians mean to do you harm. If it is a fight they want, let them look to me! Stand back! I'll take care of this!" He obviously doesn't know my sister if he thinks she's going to stand for that… "No! This is my fight! Stay out of my way!" Lyn insists. "Well, I can't just stand here and do nothing…" Sain muses. Kent thinks for a second then looks at me saying, "I have a solution. You can lead, we will help when we are needed." He turned back to Lyn and continued on, saying, "Is this acceptable, milady?" "Yes, it is, Chris and I will lead! Let's go!" Great… just what I need, more responsibility I then looked around, examining the battlefield. There were small copses of trees dotting the area, almost covering half of the field. "All I need to say is to use the cover of forests to your advantage in battle, and use your swords against their axes!" I instructed. A cloud crosses over Sain's face, and he says, "Truth be told, I… forgot to buy a sword." Kent chastised him and gave him his spare.
Then the bandits, who were closing in as this was going on, initiate the battle. Sain rode toward the first bandit, wielding the sword given to him by Kent. He swung his blade down toward the bandit, but the bandit blocked the attack with his axe. Meanwhile, Kent rode toward the second bandit with a similar attack, but unlike his companion, was able to score a hit into his foe's shoulder. The bandit cried out in pain, but then attempted to strike back at Kent, but was blocked by a deft stroke of Kent's sword. Sain rode a little ways away from his foe, then turned right back around with sword leading, and by taking advantage of the added speed of a horse, he plunged it into the bandit's heart with a squelch.
I ran up behind Kent and casted a spell of fire, sending a small ball of fire colliding into the wounded bandit, the ball exploded on impact, burning the bandit to a crisp. Lyn, with her amazing agility and speed, runs right by us, heading toward another bandit. I call out, "Wait for us!" I hope she doesn't get hurt… My fears flew out of mind and turned into wonder as I saw her enter into battle. As she approached the bandit, she jumped into the air, spinning like a top. She came down with a powerful backhand slash, throwing the bandit's blocking axe out wide with its surprising strength. She then flipped her grip on her sword, spun around the bandit, thrust her blade backward into his chest, hitting his heart with surprising accuracy, and raced off. All in one fluid motion. Since when could she do that?...
Sain and Kent rode past me as we all headed for the leader, the only bandit left. That bastard was going to die slow and painful for what he would have done to my sister. Kent and Sain got to him first, flanking him and attacking with their blades. The leader fought well, keeping most of their attacks at bay, but he was hit several times. Lyn sheathed her sword, pulled out her bow, and knocked an arrow to the string. She pulled back as I ran by, and the arrow whizzed right past me and hit the leader's thigh, causing him to yell out in pain. I drew my blade as I ran up to him. Once I was nearly upon him, I mirrored his previous words, saying, "Such a waste. An absolute waste. The things I'll do for family. Ah well, time to die bastard." I feinted a thrust, and he took the bait, swinging his axe down for a parry. I hit his axe down father, putting him off balance, then I thrust straight forward. He had no way to block, no way to escape. "No one threatens my sister and gets away with it" I said, and spat on his dying face. I bent down to wipe my blade clean, then sheathed it. "Accursed knights, always tampering in others affairs. There was only supposed to be a lone… girl and her brother…" the bandit said as the last traces of his worthless life left his body forever. Figures... very bandit-like last words… he was a bandit leader, through and through.
Lyn's POV
After the fight, I turned to the Lycian knights, and asked them their story. As I was listening I began to realize that Chris' life, and my life, would never be the same. I learned that our mother, Madelyn; was a noble of the province of Lycia these cavaliers were from, Caelin. Hence, we were nobles of that province. Also, our grandfather had at first rejected our mom for marrying a Sacaean, but eventually his heart warmed, and now he just wanted to see Chris and me. I also learned that someone by the name of Lundgren was trying to have me and my grandfather killed so he could take my grandfather's throne as Marquess of Caelin. Kent and Sain had been sent on a mission to find Chris and I, and bring me back to Caelin.
Chris' POV
After hearing the knight's stories, Lyn and I had a private discussion. We decided to go with the knights and head for Caelin. But if Kent weren't there and it were just Sain, I wouldn't go; just for the war he treated my sister…
A/N: Thanks for reading! I apologize for how long it took me to update. I'm just going to say now, that I will most likely only update once a week. I might do more on some weeks or I might skip a week, but I'll try my best. No promises. As usual, I would appreciate it if you would take the time to review, but there's no pressure. Praise and constructive criticism is welcome, no flames please.