Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Quest. This is the story of Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies told in the point of view of a warrior named Iniko, who is going to follow 'The Hero' through her journey. Iniko, Katunei, Machi and Keikazu are mine.
"Alright. I believe you. You're hired."
"I can't believe this is really it." I murmured to myself.
I stopped walking and looked behind me, gazing at the shallow lake and the soft clump of grass that lay underneath the branches of a wide tree. The water rippled and glimmered as the leaves from the trees surrounding it fell and glided on its surface. It seemed as if autumn was to start soon, I thought vaguely.
For a while, this was the place I called home. It was where I spent most of my time; practicing, training or anything else I could think of to keep myself from getting bored.
And now I was leaving.
As I faced back towards my path and continued walking, I thought about my new job. I was being hired to travel with Katunei where ever she went and be a companion and teammate in battle. Of course, thinking of that got me wondering about the other two who was also going to be joining us in our travels. I remember Katunei explaining to me.
I stared dumbly at her for a second before I finally took in the words I never thought I would hear.
"R-Really?" I was in shock. She had actually hired me! I couldn't help the goofy smile that made its way onto my face.
Katunei smiled at me, looking amused at my behaviour once again, while Patty ruffled my hair. "Yes really. Now that that's settled, do you know what the job is Iniko?" I shook my head and she turned towards Patty. "Do you mind excusing us Patty? I'd like to talk to her in private."
Patty gave a brightening smile and waved her hand. "Course not! You two get cosy, and if you need anything, just holler, k?" She turned and walked towards the bar, where she began talking with the new bar girl.
"Why don't we take a seat, hmm?" I nodded and we both sat at the table, which was decorated with some cloth and a dimly lit candle. I sat up straight in my seat, giving effort to try not to fidget. Katunei once again had her head held in her hands, although now she was looking at me rather then thinking about something deeply. I had a feeling she was waiting for me to say something first.
"I…I haven't actually had a job before…so…" I kept my head down, and felt the shame rise up for being such a coward.
"That's not a worry at all. I just had an audience with the king" my head snapped up "and there seems to be a problem with a man known as 'The Wight Knight'. Would you know anything about this?" I shook my head. "Alright then, I've been requested by the king to deal with the problem. This is my first reason for hiring you. Because I don't know the strength of the opponent." I processed the information, wondering who on earth she was, to be having audiences with the king. "Secondly, I have a…feeling that requests such as this one will come often to me. That is why I am seeking help from you, a warrior, a priest, and a mage. To sum it up, you will have to leave your home behind in order to come travelling with me while we face many dangers and have little comforts. I understand-"
"I'll do it!" I wasn't shy anymore. I lifted my head up, stared her right in the eyes. This was the perfect job for me! Katunei stared at me, looking slightly baffled at my behaviour. I suppose she expected my reluctance in leaving any home I might have. I wouldn't. That made the job all the more perfect.
"Alright then. I'm glad you agreed. You were the last one I needed, so now we can leave." Katunei was smiling now, no longer confused with my behaviour, accepting it instead. No one after my parents accepted me.
"As in, right now?" While I was eager to start, this was a bit sudden, wasn't it? Or was this how every warrior did their work?
Katunei chuckled. "Of course not. You still haven't gathered any supplies you may want to bring; you are completely unprepared for what you might encounter." I flushed, feeling rather stupid. "Also we have to wait for our companions to arrive as well."
Companions? "Who will they be?" I was curious as to see who else would be coming with Katunei and I.
"A priest and a mage. Machi and Keikazu seem reliable, like you, and will be meeting back here in an hour so we can leave. I'd also like you to be ready, prepared and here within an hour. Can you do that?"
And that's how I ended up here, finally leaving this rural, yet still somehow beautiful place.
I found myself feeling not sad, rather I was…reluctant to finally leave my past behind. But life moves forward and I must do the same.
I could see that Stornway was on the horizon now, the towering castle leaving the rest of the city in a looming shadow. The gate was still open, as it always was and as I walked under it, I saw people returning to their homes and closing their shops for the day; no longer was the young boy playing with his dog, or the guards of the castle simply strolling around. I wondered briefly when I had become so observant of this town which I thought I had no attachment to. I realised I was going to miss it.
There wasn't any time to think of that now! I must head to the Inn to begin my journey, my step forward to finally following my father's footsteps and proving myself a warrior.
I stepped forward and suddenly found myself in front of the Inn doors. I took a deep breath, braced myself for whatever may happen, and walked through the doors.
The atmosphere was welcoming, with gently lit candles placed on each table. There was hearty laughter and cheers filling the room, as both men and women alike drank for their sorrows and drank for their dreams. I looked past them all and saw the tell-tale blue waves of Katunei's hair sitting at a table near the front of the bar. Around her were two new faces – the priest and the mage. I strode towards them, confidence in my steps. The girl – Machi I guess – saw me and said something to Katunei. She turned and smiled upon seeing me, before turning back to give a brief nod toward the girl.
"I'm sorry Katunei, am I late?" I spoke louder then I would usually so that my voice would be heard over all the noise. She shook her head before answering.
"Not at all Iniko. Now let's get going." How on earth could someone's voice be so soft yet so clear in all this noise?
As all three stood, I realised they were all wearing dark cloaks with a hood that hid their entire body from view. We walked out of the Inn together, Katunei leading the way while I, Keikazu and Machi followed behind, a low tension in the air. The sky was a shaded orange now, mixed with a pink that seemed to glow in the evening light.
Once we were a fair distance from Stornway, so that it was becoming a small speck, Katunei stopped and declared camp for the night. We all brought out our supplies we needed and set about getting to sleep early. We needed as much sleep as we could get. However, I soon realised that, apparently, Keikazu snores. Loudly.
I very almost screamed into my pillow. This was going to be a long night.