Chapter Two
Waterways
The night of the Fete
Vossler hated being in this place but he had little choice. It was the night of the Fete to welcome in Vayne Solidor as the new Consul of the city and this was the night the Resistance had been waiting for. They had set everything in motion the moment Vayne entered the palace a few hours ago. The planned attack had been set up for months and this would be their chance to finally strike a blow against the Empire. Vayne was after all the son of the Emperor. Vossler had sent his men out to make sure the path was clear into the palace while another troop took care of the beasts roaming this area of the Waterways.
It hadn't been easy getting the princess into the system but they had pulled it off and now Vossler was waiting for the signal to attack. It had taken him hours but he had convinced the princess to remain behind while they launched the attack on the palace and the Consul. She had been furious but Vossler had made her see that if there was the slightest chance the attack failed then they couldn't risk the princess' identity being exposed to the Empire. For two years the people of Dalmasca believed that their princess had committed suicide after the deaths of her husband and father.
It was hard to believe that only two small years had passed and yet it felt like two decades to the wary members of the Resistance. After the traitor Basch assassinated the king Vossler had taken the men and women who were utterly loyal to their dead king and formed a Resistance along with the secret princess. Vossler still found it hard to believe that Basch had murdered his king. The man was fiercely loyal to his kingdom and to even think of Basch as a traitor was beyond insane.
But the boy Reks gave was the only witness to the slaying. The young soldier had claimed that Basch had murdered the king then stabbed him, leaving him to bleed out in the throne room. Reks had been recovered by the survivors of the battle and brought back to Vossler's camp. Even now the boy remains in a coma thanks to the wound he sustained from Basch. Vossler didn't want to give up hope on the Rabanastre born soldier and if Reks ever did wake up then they could gather more information. There had to have been something else there that night...Basch couldn't have killed the king.
"The Fete is beginning sir." A scout reported back sharply.
"Good, everything is going according to plan." Vossler sighed with relief. "Begin the attack."
"Yes sir." The scout took off back through the Waterways.
"So far so good princess." Vossler murmured when he heard footsteps behind him.
"I should be with them." she muttered. She hated not being able to fight against the Imperials. Those bastards had taken everything from her.
"You shall get your chance my princess but not this day." Vossler was well aware of her temper when it came to the Empire.
"And what of you Vossler?" her eyes fell upon her guard.
"I shall accompany the men. This is our only chance to strike a severe blow against the Empire." The soldier replied.
"But I shall spill Vayne's blood myself." Ashe's eyes flashed with passionate anger.
"You than most deserve that." Vossler nodded to his charge.
"Even if we succeed tonight shall we ever be free of the Empire?" Ashe rubbed her face. "Part of me is so sick and tired of this constant fighting."
"You are taking back Dalmasca. That is a cause you cannot give up on." Vossler reasoned with her.
"I know..." Ashe looked away. "I just want this nightmare to end quickly."
"Yes you are right Vossler." The princess gave him a small smile, her first in days actually. "Vayne shall be our key to victory this night."
"Please remember to stay here your Majesty. We shall bring Vayne to you once we have secured him." Vossler promised.
"Just come back alive." Ashe turned to the knight. "Promise me you shall return here."
"You have my word as a knight." He bowed to her then left towards the palace.
"Rassler...Father..." Ashe closed her eyes. "Please let us win this night. I'll make sure the Empire pays for its crimes."
She had been waiting for this day since she lost her father during the attack on the Nalbina Fortress. Slain by his most loyal knight and left to rot on his throne. Ashe would never forgive Basch for this, she would never forgive the Empire for taking away her home and family...her whole life ripped apart by them. Her rage had kept he going for these past two years and her victory was finally within he grasp. She would reclaim her throne and restore Dalmasca once those Imperial scum had been driven out of her city.
She could trust Vossler and his men to win the day. For now she would wait for them to bring her Vayne. Ashe unsheathed her sword when she heard the growl of a creature lurking within the Waterways. She could pass the time easily down here. Smiling coldly she raced towards the beast.
Garamsythe Waterways
Personally Balthier had never made a habit out of traversing through the sewer system beneath Rabanastre but then again he had never stolen a person before. Fran was scouting ahead and picking off the various large rodents that had made the Waterways their home. Honey brown eyes were drawn to the strange blond treasure he had found in the palace vault. He walked with an air of utter confidence without a trace of doubt or fear in his steps. Balthier noticed a bizarre black symbol tattooed onto his lower back but it was unlike anything the pirate had ever seen in his travels.
From what he saw it was designed to look like a sword penetrating a sphere. Balthier wondered exactly what it meant. He decided to keep his nose clean for the rest of this excursion. Once he took Vaan to the Skycity of Bhujerba then he could go back to stealing pretty gems and other valuables.
Fran took down a few more dire rats while Vaan walked on ahead heedless or ignorant of the danger around him. Balthier had offered to let Vaan carry a dagger he kept on him in case of close combat battles but the blond refused to even look at it. Balthier had to wonder if he was as innocent as he looked or plain stupid.
After going through the first section of the Waterways the trio made it up to the next level which was home to some bats and rodents. Vaan walked on ahead and looked around, his eyes eventually falling on a place to the east.
Fran had already told her partner that the exit of the Waterways lay somewhere to the east and from there they could enter Lowtown. In the past Balthier and Fran had to hide out down here when a job went wrong or when the Imperials were sniffing around. This whole place resembled a fortress instead of a sewer system which also made it an effective hiding place.
Then again a person could get eaten by anything down here. Even the fish attacked a hume should it serve their purpose. From her mental map Fran was able to navigate them through the various walkways and staircases that littered the Waterways. Balthier, concerned for the well being of his prize, got to demonstrate his own fighting ability when they encountered a large creature that resembled a large mutant toad. Approaching the beast Vaan raised his right fist and slammed it directly into the creature's head.
Balthier watched with a mixture of awe and disgust as blood and brain matte splattered across the wall and turned the water murky. Vaan cocked his head at the toad before moving on, his hand dripping with blood and gore. Fran moved back a little to talk to her partner. She too was affected by what she saw.
When Vaan had killed the toad she had seen the look in his eyes. He seemed almost pleased with what he did. For his part the blond walked on while examining the Magicite he had taken from the statue. He caressed the red stone gently with his blood soaked hand, a small smile on his face.
Balthier took a breath before approaching the blond boy. He was already beginning to wonder if bringing him along was a good idea and then he had to wonder why that red head would even want this guy in his collection. The trio had reached another sluice gate where a large blue crystal fragment lay glowing on the water. Balthier had seen many of these across Ivalice. Once you touched the surface the crystal would heal all ailments and restore your health and magic affinity. He and Fran touched the crystal to get a quick rejuvenation.
"So where did you learn to fight like that? Killing a beast that large with a single punch must have been quite taxing." Balthier quipped.
"Life is fickle. I simply erase what I see." Vaan answered with sincerity.
"You enjoyed it?" Balthier frowned.
"Not really...it was nothing to me." The blond looked distant for a moment.
"Where are you from anyway?" the pirate glanced at the boy.
"I'm not sure." Blue eyes turned to him. "Why did you set me free?" he looked ready for an answer.
"A certain gentleman knew where you were located. I simply went to retrieve." The pirate decided to sugar coat the whole thing.
"We'd best leave this place." Fran had spotted some ghosts roaming along the lower part of the walkway.
"Very well..." Balthier glanced at Vaan again before following Fran down the steps. "You are a strange treasure."
"Treasure?" Vaan frowned at the brunet.
"Never mind." The pirate sighed heavily. This boy couldn't even pass for a normal hume. A rock had more humanity compared to this kid. "Listen, if you want to make it out of here listen to what I say understand?"
"You did free me...I owe you." The blond replied after a moment.
"Good, we're beginning to reach an understanding." Balthier motioned for Fran to continue ahead.
The trio moved past the crystal and down a flight of steps and into a small chamber near a waterfall. They were passing by the gate when the sound of a swordfight reached them causing the trio to glance at the source of the fight. Up on another walkway four Imperials were fighting against a woman brandishing a sword and shield as she fended off her attackers.
She could hold her own and managed to kill two of them but more soldiers came to attack her. If she didn't get help soon she would be getting either a trip to the dungeons or a very nice coffin. The woman yelled with rage as she drove her sword into another man.
"Who is next to taste my sword?" she demanded in outrage.
"Take her alive!" a soldier commanded.
"She is outnumbered." Fran observed. She turned to her partner. "Should we intervene?"
"You know I could never resist helping a lady in distress." Balthier smirked. The pirate aimed his gun when he noticed Vaan approaching the stone platform.
"You!" he called to the woman. She glanced down to the blond with a surprised look. "Jump."
"What are you doing?" Balthier asked.
"You said to follow your rules. I wish to leave here so I'm listening to you." Vaan replied with a shrug.
"Indeed he is a strange hume." Fran shook her head.
"Jump now." Vaan called to the female warrior.
"What?" she muttered but when the men advanced she didn't question the boy and jumped off the ledge. She flew through the air then fell straight into Vaan's arms. He let her go then turned back to the Imperials who were descending the nearby staircase.
"Get ready to fight." The woman drew up her blade once more.
Before she could make a move however Vaan had reached the three Imperials. He punched one in the head hard enough to crack open his skull even through the helmet. Pivoting on his heel he drove his foot into the stomach of the second soldier knocking him off his feet and across the chamber. Vaan didn't even flinch when the third one cast a fire spell against the blond. The fire seemed to just melt into his body. Without a word he stalked up to the man and slammed his closed fist into his stomach.
"What in the name of the Gods is he?" the woman murmured in shocked awe.
"That is something I would love to find out." Balthier admitted. The kid didn't even break a sweat defeating those three Imperials.
"Who are you?" the woman asked Vaan when he approached them. He passed her by, not bothering to even look in her direction.
"Can we move on now?" he asked the Sky Pirate.
"How dare you!" the woman scowled. "Answer me when I speak to you."
"His name is Vaan." Balthier really didn't want another fight breaking out. "I'm Balthier and this is Fran."
"What are you doing down here?" Fran examined the hume female.
"I gather she's a member of the Insurgence." Balthier stroked his chin.
"Resistance." The woman barked angrily.
"Then I take it you know about the attack on the palace." Balthier questioned. The female sighed but she nodded in response.
"What are you doing down here?" the woman crossed her arms expectantly.
"They stole me." Vaan answered causing Balthier to wince.
"Stole…you kidnapped him?!" the woman said in outrage.
"They wanted this." Vaan brought out the red stone. "It was with me in the vault."
"Kidnapping and stealing from the palace!" the woman looked beyond raged.
"Do you want to leave here or not?" Balthier could feel a headache coming on.
"Very well. I am Amalia. Thank you for saving me." She frowned at the blond boy. "I shall accompany you until I rejoin my men. No further."
"Well looks like we've picked up another passenger." Balthier glanced back at Vaan. "And brush up on your manners."
"Is that an order?" Vaan waited for an answer.
"You really are a handful." The pirate rubbed his temples. "The sooner I drop you off the better."
"Even I the company of thieves we have a better chance of getting out of here." Amalia contemplated. "There's a gate leading up into Lowtown not far from here. I was on my way there when I was attacked."
"Then that's out destination." Balthier nodded. "Lead the way."
"Keep up with me." Amalia unsheathed her sword. "I do not have time to spare."
"The gods do not smile on us." Fran muttered.
"Since when has that ever stopped me?" Balthier replied with a grin.
With their quest the trio left the chamber behind and entered into a much larger one with waterfalls at the west end of the chamber. The roar of the water was deafening but there was another tunnel at the far end of the area. Amalia took the lead across the stone chamber and when they got halfway through when another resident of the Waterways made itself known.
Large yellow bodies of jelly collapsed from the ceiling above to surround the group. An open wound that was probably a mouth opened and black eyes glittered against the jelly-like body they were attached to. Balthier had heard rumors of Flans taking up residence in the Waterways but he never assumed it was true.
Knowing that her arrows wouldn't do much damage Fran powered up a fire spell and hit the nearest Flan in the mouth. Bullets could do better damage than arrows so Balthier remained back at a safe distance to target the creatures. Amalia attacked the nearest Flan driving her sword into the thick body. Vaan glanced between the Flans then attacked one coming up behind Fran, his fist driving forcibly into the jelly that made up its body.
He drew back his hand which was now covered in slime and another viscous fluid bur he now had the Flan's attention. Balthier managed to help Fran kill the creature she had attacked first while Amalia went after the leader. Growing bored with the fight Vaan put all his strength into his legs then vaulted into the air.
Bringing back his right fist he fell back against the Flan, driving the blow hard into what should be the head of the beast. The top of the Flan exploded into a mass of slime, fluids and water that coated the surrounding area. Balthier, Fran and Amalia had just finished off the last one while Vaan wiped off his hand.
His eyes took in what was left of the Flan when he was through with it. He had little time to mess around with creatures of such low power and strength. All that mattered was tracking down the other Shards. He already possessed one so that left just the other three.
"Killing a Flan that large with a single punch…this boy is just full of surprises." Balthier broke the eerie silence that followed.
"What manner of strength can you possibly possess?" Amalia glanced at the blond with a flicker of fear in her eyes.
"They were too weak." Vaan waved his now clean hand. "We need to leave here now."
"Where did you say you were from?" Amalia caught up to the blond. "The Resistance could sue someone with your power."
"Why should I help you?" Vaan asked her.
"How can you say that? I am fighting to help rid Dalmasca of the Empire." The woman became impassioned again at the mere mention of the Imperials.
"But I don't care about the Empire of your Dalmasca." Vaan answered with brutal honesty. "I don't feel anything for them."
Amalia was struck speechless by the attitude of this bizarre hume. She was fighting with all she had to fend off the Empire and reclaim her homeland and this was how he treated her efforts? She felt white hot rage spike through her heart as he hands gripped her sword and shield. How dare this boy be so callous towards her and the Resistance?
"And what would you do if Dalmasca will never have her freedom?" she snarled through gritted teeth.
"The Empire can have her. It makes no difference to me." Vaan shrugged indifferently.
"How dare you!" she grabbed his arm with brute force. She cried out when he grabbed her arm and twisted the wrist. Bringing up his other hand that he tore away from her feeble grasp he closed it around her neck.
"Vaan stop!" Balthier yelled. Blue eyes examined him closely. "Put her down now."
"She attacked me." Was the cold reply.
"You asked for it." The pirate said. "Can you try to be a bit tactful around her? We're almost out so let her go."
"As you wish." Vaan dropped her like a sack.
"You will pay for this." She swore in rage when she stopped coughing.
Fran helped the hume female to her feet while Balthier pulled Vaan into the next chamber where the sluice gates were sealed and a blue crystal lay glowing on the stone walkway. There was a large steel door leading into the next area then a flight of steps would take them into Lowtown.
Balthier couldn't want for this headache to leave him but he did have to wonder just why that red head would want someone with Vaan's abilities. During his time as a pirate Balthier had seen a lot of wondrous and terrible things but he had never seen anyone with Vaan's strength or attitude before. It was like he was detached from the world around him. Amalia kept away from the blond as Balthier pushed open the gate. Once they were inside Fran stopped walking and looked upwards.
"Something is coming this way." She intoned.
"Now what?" Amalia muttered. A ball of fire flew cross the air weaving through pillars of stone before stopping in front of the group.
"Well now that's interesting." Balthier observed as the fireball transformed into a horse. The beast was made entirely of fire, its mane whipping about its head as feet trampled into the ground turning the rock to ash.
"I can't stay here any longer." Vaan examined the stone then took a deep breath.
Bringing the stone up to his chest he closed his eyes and pressed it into his body. Balthier watched fascinated as the stone dissolved into light and was absorbed into the boy. Once the stone was completely gone Vaan approached the horse and cocked his head to the side. The horse reared back for an attack but it never connected. Vaan reached up and grabbed a fiery tendril of the mane. The beats tired to pull back in desperation but Vaan tightened his grip.
Black smoke traveled up from his arm and into the horse. The creature began to buck and howl but Vaan wouldn't let go. When the smoke was all the way inside the horse it screamed and then stopped moving completely. For a few seconds nothing happened and then it began to dissolve into dust. The fire died out, the legs crackled and broke and the body collapsed in on itself. When Vaan let go only dust remained behind. He reached up to his chest and removed the stone.
"What…what was that?" Amalia could barely speak the words. "He…he just killed it with a touch."
"Vaan…what are you?" Balthier whispered as he shot a look at Fran. "Who would ant this kind of power?"
"You there!" a voice yelled from above. On the upper floor a patrol of Imperials aimed their crossbows at the group. "If you try to escape you shall die."
"Oh, the welcoming committee." Balthier jibed. He approached Vaan warily. "Don't try anything here."
"But we need to escape now!" Amalia went to grab her sword.
"They will kill you." Balthier held her arm. "I wouldn't test your luck."
"Hide the stone." Fran suggested to Vaan. He looked like he wanted to use it again but the look on Balthier's face made him reconsider it. He still had to learn things about this world after his imprisonment.
"Fine…" the boy relented.
The group waited for the Imperials to come down to their level while Balthier tried to remember which god he pissed off to be dragged into this mess.
thank you guys so much for your reviews :)
I know Vaan is really out of character for the moment but it is essential to the story. The more humanity he gains the more he'll become like the Vaan we all know and want to molest...*did I think that out loud?*
Anyway I was going to have a boss battle scene with Firemane but I wanted to show what Vaan was really capable of. I hope you guys like it so far. Yes, Reks is still alive in my story although he and Vaan are not related. Reks will play a part too but that will happen later.
Coming up next the Nalbina Dungeons. Stay tuned and reivew.