Year 697, March 30th, 00.00 PM
Meeting Hall, Grand Castle of Prontera
"What is the situation of Geffen?"
A man suddenly said that. He sat in a chair higher than the other in his surroundings.
"Our combined army and their mages are trying their best to defend the city, but it's seems this battle is at our disadvantage." said the man sitting next to him.
"And why is that?"
"The reports state that the invasion is different from the usual, the Orcs are now aligning themselves with Glast Heim cavalier." said the other man.
"Glast Heim? It's unnatural for them to leave their lair." The leader claim in disbelief.
"Shouldn't we send more troops?" Ask the man across the table from him, look concerned.
"No, we've send all of the troops we can. We're only having few of them now, which is barely enough to protect the city. Surely we cannot leave our city, Prontera unguarded." he said firmly.
"But we cannot let Geffen fall to the monsters, if that happens, Prontera sure is their next target!"
"First those Orcs, now these monsters." said one of the man in the room, gripping his hand into a fist.
The leader sighs. He seems really tired by the recent event.
"…What about Payon? Have their army on the way here, yet?" the leader ask his councils.
"Their response are negative. They said that they can't spare any of their soldiers because of the war." one of the man said.
"…That's strange. Payon wasn't on the line of the attack. They surely could spare at least two battalions of their army."
"W-well, that's the response our messenger got from Payon's elders. Now that I think about it, the messenger also said that the Payon's elders are consisted of different peoples."
"…"
The leader was deep in thought. He was thinking about the matter silently. Seeing that, the other peoples couldn't do anything but await his response.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
Sudden knock on the door break the silence in that room. A knight who guard in front of the door entered the room and kneeled before them.
"What is it? Have you forgotten that I ordered you to not disturb our meeting?"
"I'm very sorry, Sir! But, It's Lord Captain Balzac!" the guard said.
Just a second later a man approached from behind the knight, and saluted the councils. A middle aged man, a Rune Knight, and also one of the Four Lord Captain of Prontera.
"I'm terribly sorry for the interruptions, my lord. But I'm afraid that I had to inform some grave matter."
"What matter does bring you to intrude our meeting, Balzac?" Ask the spokesman.
"…Geffen has fallen, honored member of the Council. Lord Vincent has passed away, my men were barely escaped with their lives." He pronounced.
"""…!"""
Hearing that, the member of the council became restless.
"What?! What about the rest of Geffen and two other battalion?" the leader said, shocked.
"The Crusaders and Monks battalions have succeeded with the evacuation and retreated, along with my men and the citizen of Geffen. Lord Gyno, Lord Vincent's son was also able to escape." Balzac states with flat tone.
"To think that a great Warlock such as Vincent Elua would lose to some feeble monsters...!" one of the councils said in astonished tone.
"Alas, but this is ordinary monsters no more, my lord. Lord Vincent put his life on the line to protect all of us. But the monsters were just too strong. No, perhaps I should say, fatal? I've seen the injury they've made to my soldier. Whether it's fatal or not, most of my men ended die anyway, it seems these monsters use some kind of poison or another black magic, I don't know, but it's definitely beyond our capabilities. Though, using his remaining life, Lord Vincent sealed most of the monsters together with him in Geffen Tower."
"I see. So that's what happened. May Odin bless him, then, for his heroic act has saved some of our army."
At the council's member comment, all of them are becoming silent, as if giving their prayer to the departed. And then, the leader of the council breaks the silence…
"Balzac, if most of the monsters were already sealed, can't we take back Geffen, then?"
"Impossible, my lord. Even though I've said 'most', but it was actually less than two third of their numbers. There's still so much of them in Geffen. Retaking it would be impossible with our current condition."
"Then for now we need to defend ourselves. But I believe that you've done the things necessary in this situation, yes?"
"Of course. Guldar and Shion are currently preparing the city's defense. These monsters are restless, they can attack our city anyday, now." the Rune Knight said.
"Splendid…About the poison, can't our priests cure them?"
"They've tried, my lord. Even our Alchemists have tried analyzing, but to no avail, they still can't cure our soldiers."
"What about Lucrida?"
"…she too couldn't able to cure them."
Hearing that are making the members of the councils are losing their spirits more.
"...The only one with the expertise with poisons are the assassins in Morroc." one of the council responded.
"No, we cannot rely too much on those desert-dweller rebels. They're cunning and full of trickery." the other member replied.
"Also, I've heard that Morroc was currently undergoing almost the same fate with Geffen, though it seems that they manage to push back the enemy, yesterday. They're not in the condition to help." the other different member added.
"…then we're going to rely to Al De Baran alchemists." the leader of the council said.
The council members are giving their agreement by nodding their heads. Seeing that, the council leader then speaks...
"Balzac, one of the Lord Captain, with the authority of the council, we ordered you to fulfill our command."
It was the words of decree, a tradition of the council for declaring their order. Hearing these words, Balzac is kneeling towards the council.
"I'm ready." he said.
"Very well, Balzac, we would like for you to go to Al De Baran with the sample of the poison. You're in good relation with the Guildmaster of the Alchemist Guild, right? Let them try to examine it."
"Understood."
"I also want you issue a command to the three commanders that defended Geffen before. I want them to request personally to the higher-ups in Payon that their aid are gravely needed."
"Yes, my lord." Balzac saluted and stepped outside.
He steps back, leaving the council members in a restless situation.
Year 697, April 2nd, 09.00 PM
Clay's room, Prontera Inn
Make those monsters stronger and controllable? Someone? It can't be...
Zeke words keep haunting Clay's mind. His minds gets foggy every time he tries to remember his memories. He definitely remember, that he ever heard that kind of madness. But where?
He is sitting in the inn's bed, he can feel his back and his knee is sweating, he can't sleep cause his minds keep thinking of his sister. Her sister's body was already buried in the Church's cemetery today, and now Clay returned to the lodges in Prontera where he usually stays with his sister.
The maid was kindly enough to prepare the room for Clay with such a short notice. The fireplace was lit to warm the place cause of the cold night. He remembers that Lyre is so picky in deciding a place to stay, she wanted a place that views directly to Prontera Castle so she can see them at night shining cause of the moon's ray and sparkling stars as the background, "Fantastic!" she said. Right now, Prontera has become so silent at night, thanks to the monsters of Glast Heim and Orcs Invasion, making even the moon didn't look so beautiful anymore.
Clay reaches for his locket that hidden in his priest coat and open the lock. Inside he sees a pale skinned woman sitting on a wooden chair, holding gently a little baby girl, her beautiful hair resembles her mother, a dark bluish color. The mother smiles happily to her baby, that the baby girl hands trying to reach her mother earrings from her ear.
"Forgive me. I disappointed you, Mother." Clay talked to himself.
Suddenly…
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!
Someone knocked on the door of clay's room. He quickly puts back his locket. He shocked, thinking who is visiting him in this late night. He walked towards the door, asking "Who is it?"
"It's me, Clay. We've met briefly at Geffen before. Can I talk to you for a minute?"
Clay remember that voice. It's the voice of that young Lord Knight that rescued him, he opens the door for him.
"Sorry for disturbing your sleep, Clay."
"It's okay, I'm not sleeping anyway. Sit anywhere you like." he told the young Knight as he sits in the edge of his bed.
"Thanks." Zeke said as he sits to the chair next to the table with a candle lit up on top of it.
"...How do you know where I am?" asked Clay.
"Oh... it's easy, I ask my subordinate. She was a spy other than a knight."
"Ummhh, oh that Knightress.." Clay said as the female knight crossed his mind. "So, uhh..what is that you want to talk to me about?"
"...listen, I'm very sorry about your sister."
"...It's okay, I'll try not to think to much about it. Anyway, surely you don't come at this time of night just to say that?" He asked suspiciously.
"No no, of course not. I want to ask you something. What do you want to do after all of this?"
Clay was shocked. He himself doesn't know what to do, being confused with all the events that just happened to him.
"I...I don't know.."
"Then why don't you join us? With the Prontera army, of course. It would be a great help if you could help Prontera in this war."
"I doubt I'll be of use." Clay smiled faintly.
"You'll be a GREAT help. What's a priest such as yourself and your sister wandering around doing nothing anyway?"
"Well.. I... uhh.. I ran with my sister from our hometown. She wants to find the cause of our parents so-called 'accident'." he answered.
"Hmmm..Where are you from, you say?"
"I'm from Juno. I became a priest from our Arch Bishop blessing. Since my sister want to travel out of Juno, I can't let her go by herself."
"Juno? That's interesting. Both of you didn't look like Schwartzvald native."
"...? What do you mean?"
"Schwartzvald people normally have a paler skin, right? They live in the mountain region, after all. Well, for Juno, it was in the sky, though."
"Oh, I see. That's true...but I look like this because I'm a half."
"Interesting. A half? That was rare around here."
"I guess so. Our father was a wizard that came from Rune Midgard. He met with our mother when he journeyed to Juno. Mother was a famous magic researcher in Juno, so they get to know each other fast."
"Come to think of it, you are a Priest, while your sister was a Crusader, huh. Both of that job do connected with magic."
"Well, but compared to me, she inherited most of our parent's magical talent. She should have become a wizard like our father, or a priest instead of a crusader."
"..."
"I don't know why, but she always prefer to use physical method to solve matter. Every time the monsters attacked, she would always fight in the frontline. She would defend her comrade with all her might. I tried to help her by becoming a priest. But it seems that it was to no avail."
Seeing Clay who was started to wailing again, Zeke just sit silently, and then he said...
"You seem to care about your sister so much. What kind of person is she?"
"...she was a tomboy. She's kind of stubborn, and sometimes, we also argue with each other. But she loves everyone around her, and she would do anything to help those she acknowledges as her friend."
"...no wonder she become like that."
"...?"
Clay looks confused with his response, but Zeke just stand up, and he asks again...
"Well, do you want to continue your journey even your sister is not with you anymore?"
"I have to, otherwise my sister would disappointed."
"Sigh..well, it's worth to try..." Zeke grinned.
He looks disappointed, but at that time, Clay believes that there's nothing he could do about it.
"Oh yeah, if you change your mind you could come to the Cathedral and ask the Priest there. Tell them it's my recommendation." As he stands and walk to the door.
"Thanks, I'll think about it."
CREAK...
Zeke opened the door and about to leave, but...
"...Hey, may I ask something?"
Clay stopped Zeke with his question.
"What is it?"
"You're a Transcendent, right. So you have experienced death before, right?"
Zeke stand silently when he heard that. He knew what Clay meant. It couldn't be helped for Clay, since he just lost his only remaining family. He then said...
"So you do think about that. Well, yeah. There's a chance for your sister to be chosen as a Transcendent and be reborn."
"...! Then...!"
"But I wouldn't hold my hopes like that. The reason for one to be chosen was like the whims of the goddess, Valkyrie. Even I don't know for what reason am I chosen even now."
Clay was seemingly become sadder as he heard that. But Zeke then said again...
"For now, you should decide what you should do for your sister."
"Huh?"
"I may not know your sister. But from your story, I don't think she's the type who leaves this situation unhandled. Please think about my offer more."
"..."
CLACK!
As the door was closed, the Lord Knight then left, leaving the priest alone in the room again.
"Am I in the right way?" Clay murmurs, doubting himself.
But even if he said that, he already knows that what Zeke said was correct. If her sister was still alive, he sure that her sister would rushes to the battlefield and fighting to protect her comrade right now, without any question asked.
"…Why am I so powerless?" Clay said again to himself as he drifting away from reality.
Year 697, April 2nd, 07.00 AM
Prontera City
The next morning is filled with more casualties from the border of Geffen-Prontera, making the priests even busier than the other company. Prontera is completely changed from what Clay remembered. The city is in alert. Many Knights patrolling in and outside of the city. Houses barred with wooden or steel board. The shops doesn't sell anymore, because all the items and equipment is taken for Pronteran army, even the grocery were closed to supply the army. Mages and wizards who survived and escape Geffen is helping for the defence of Prontera. They're posted at the upper wall and some Guard tower. As far as Clay can see, The Pronteran army are dying. The Priests looks very exhausted, the Knights need more soldiers. He can even see many young squadrons of swordsman heading towards the castle. How can be young swordsmans are there to help? he thought. As for monks he doesn't spot many of them.
Clay wandering in the streets of Prontera, struggling inside his mind on whether to help or not.
By the time he reaches the western Gate of Prontera, he sees a giant Gryphon mounted by a middle aged Royal Guard carrying a very heavy looking spear and shield. The Royal Guard commands the Crusaders to defend the border.
"Forward, soldiers! We have to defend the border till reinforcement arrives!" shouts the Royal Guard. It seems that he was the commander of the squad.
"Huh?" The Royal Guard notices Clay staring at him. He then said to him...
"What are you doing in here, young man? Shouldn't you be with the other priests at the barracks, treating the wounded?" he questioned Clay.
"Huh? Oh! Uh..I'm not.."
"What? I can't hear ya! This is a war, son! Every seconds count for your comrade's life depends on it!"
"But, but I'm not in the army sir!" Clay explained.
"Are you sure? If you're lying, I'm gonna report this to sister Lucrida, and have you grounded, you know."
"I'm not lying sir, I'm from Juno. I'm just a traveler."
"Well, it can't be helped if you're truly is... such a wasted talent you have in there. Say, if you doesn't have anything to do, why not help my soldier in the barracks? We really need all the help we can get."
First a young Lord Knight wants him to join, now a big, brawny middle-aged Royal Guard expect him to join too. Why in the world does everyone want his help? This sure is puzzled Clay's mind.
But in the end, Clay can't refuse such an intimidating man like he is, and so he goes towards the barracks dispiritedly. He thought that it might help him as a distraction from remembering his sister.
Meanwhile, south of Prontera, the desert before Payon forest...
Year 697, April 2nd, 08.00 AM
Sograt Desert
"First we got to defend Geffen, now we got to get an audience in Payon! Man, rather than calling us the Commanders, they should start calling us the handyman."
"Don't complain Vilya, this is order from our Lord Captain." The hooded man in front him replied.
"Yes, Vilya. You know the councils choose us The Commanders of each respective Batallion to become ambassadors from Prontera. You should be honored, instead. Look at Snowe. He travels on foot, and yet he still looks zealous enough to do his job. For a side note, lucky us for still having our mounts." a smirk appeared on Zeke's face.
"Shut up, Zeke. That's because you and Vilya bring so many useless things on your mounts that I couldn't even hitch a ride." The hooded man said. Zeke just laugh a little at that response.
"Yea yea..but do we have to go all the way to Payon, just the three of us? Shouldn't we bring a couple of our knights?"
"Prontera's army is in the verge of annihilation. They need more men than we do." The hooded man which they called Snowe said.
"Yeah, you right, Snowe. And besides you do know that Morroc is in chaos after the war yesterday, don't you Vilya? They must be really wary to outsiders, right now, even though our city was supposedly an ally. So we have to travel lightly to not causing any disturbance." Zeke continued.
"Yeahh yeahh.." Vilya muttered, as she leaning to her Mount, the Grand Peco.
"Come on. Let's hurry. The desert sun at day wasn't as forgiving as now, so we should take our chance now." Snowe said.
Zeke, Vilya, and Snowe is the Three Commander that commands Three Army of Prontera. Zeke was a Lord Knight who have tasted "death" in the war, and was given another chance of life from the Valkyrie. He also the one who commands the Knights. Vilya, who was a prodigy among the crusaders, was a girl born between two Transcendents. Although a bit hot-headed, she was renowned so much for her skill and power, and becomes the first Transcendent in Midgard as a Paladin, who hasn't experienced death yet. She now holds the commands for all of the Crusaders. And lastly Snowe, with unique circumstances, becomes a Champion among all the monks, and he now also holds the commands of all the Monks. Beyond these three, there are the Lord Captains, who commands all of the Pronteran army, and the three commanders direct superiors. They are Balzac the Rune Knight, Guldar the Royal Guard, Shion the Shura, and Lucrida the Arch Bishop. Four of them act as the Four Protector of Prontera.
However, only Lucrida that the one who doesn't have a Commander under her command. It looks like there's no one worthy of becoming her right hand in Prontera.
"If it's not for Lord Shion's order, I'd rather stand and protect her, instead of going on a journey like this." Snowe nagging.
"Like she's need a protection! She's THE Shura you know." Vilya interrupts.
"You really respects your master huh, are you Snowe?" Zeke grins.
But Snowe just stand silently. Suddenly, his eyes are staring at the dessert. But there's nothing in there. Zeke and Vilya, curious on what happened, followed his lead.
"What is it, Snowe?" Zeke asked.
"Shhh... I sense something strange."
Hearing that, Zeke and Vilya heightened their guard. But there wasn't anything in there.
Suddenly, something was moving fast from the distance towards the group!
"...!"
"What is that?!" Zeke and Vilya shout as they form battle stance.
"I don't know, but it's sure comin' fast!" Snowe shouts as he readies his Spirit Ball.
The sands whirls as they approaches the trio. The sand whirl circling, and creating barrier as if they not want to the trio to escape. They lean back to back to each other to form defensive formation. Their peco-pecos were panicking due to the sand whirling so fast. As they watch the sand whirls, each whirl have a purplish colored shadow.
"Assassins! On your guard, guys!" Snowe shouts.
"Damn, is this the doing of Morrocians? What are they thinking, attacking their own allies like this?!" Vilya groaned in anger.
"They must be hiding in the sands!" Zeke shouts.
"Sands, right?! Alright, show yourselves, coward mongrels!" Snowe shouts as he activates his Ruwach.
Just as he cast Ruwach, a couples of assassins groaned in pain causes by the Ruwach. Just as they appeared, Snowe launched his Finger Offensive to each of them.
"Way to go, Snowe!" The Paladin charges the assassins an do a Shield Boomerang to the remaining assassins.
"Just exactly what you expect from the apprentice of Lord Shion!" Zeke grinned as he charges the other assassins, his sword is glowing with layers of aura.
Together, the three of them were defeating all of the assassins.
But the assassins were tougher than they thought. As they were almost defeated, they all successfully retreated. Until there's no one but the three commanders in the desert.
"…just what is that all about?" Zeke said.
"Beats me. From their uniforms and way of fighting, they're seems to be members of Sograt Assassins, which means they're Morroc's peoples." Snowe said.
"Then the problem is their motive of doing this." Vilya added.
They continue to be in thought, unknown of a presence of someone far away from them.
...
...
...
It was a man with a red hair. He watches over the three commanders with great interest.
"Hooo...so that is Shion's beloved student." The sound said as he laughed viciously from far away.
Yes! Finally finished the second chapter. Phew! Yeah I know it's an awkward ending. But I ended deciding it just the way it is anyway. The sake for next chapter of course! Sorry for the long update, and short chapter. XD
Review please! And if you have any suggestions just spill it out! I very very appreciate it!
Till next chapter!