Disclaimer: I can't own a storyline that is as complex and grand as Final Fantasy Tactics'. I'm not half good enough for that. But I do have plenty of headcanons for it.
Notes: Head hurts.This took painfully long and was a tortuous work to do. I apologize profusely for taking so long, if anyone is still interested in this. Tactics' storyline is very difficult to deal with. I wanted to have the entire Tactics part in a single chapter, but this morning I found a canon information that wrecked my whole ending for the Tactics part, and I'll have to rewrite it. I am currently too distressed to do so efficiently and quickly, so have the first part for now. I'm sorry.
It is also important to note that Tactics' storyline is very different from Tactics Advance 2's.
!Warnings: The usual ones expected from the Tactics storyline. It's a War, after all. Subtle mention of rape, an itty bit of incest, demonic possessions, corrupt Church...
Loneliness. Loneliness. That is what the land provoked in his feelings.
After all none seemed too friendly, too satisfied, too trusting to even near him and give him clues about what was going on. From distant conversations he heard of things his brain did not recall- Fovoham, Lesalia, Queen Louveria, Glabados Church, Marquis Messam Elmdore, Zeltennia, Gallionne, Thunder God Cid... well, that Cid couldn't be his Cid, of that he was sure. It all led to the same question.
Where was he?
Luso had treaded through all of his memories, and no place in Jylland was like this. He saw creatures he'd never seen before. He saw humes who glanced at him with the corners of their eyes as if he was some very weird being. Only humes. Where were the moogles, bangaas, seeq, vieras, grias? These Ivaliceans wore different, less colorful clothing, and the buildings and their styles were very distinct as well. Thick accents flowed out of people's lips alongside far too formal words, even for those who seemed of the lowest castes. Castle towns, churches- there were none in the era he remembered of. Was he on another area? Another timeline maybe?
To survive these confusing days he hunted animals of many kinds, selling off their hides and meat and horns. With the gil (at least the currency had not changed too much) he got from this tactic, he had enough to eat properly and sleep at inns. In these days no one felt too hyped to converse about supposedly obvious matters with the oddly-clothed boy.
He was saved from the streak of loneliness, ironically, by an event that would have originally killed him. In a scorching desert, searching for rarer monsters, Luso came to meet with creatures that were rather rare and much feared in Jylland: behemoths. These ones walked in a pack and gladly preferred the walking over four legs instead of two.
And the entire pack was pretty inclined on turning him into their meal. So he ran for his life.
The behemoths came to corner him against a tall wall of the canyon, but Luso was not about to lose his hope just yet. Panting, he turned to confront the approaching beasts, and with the slightest of grins, he drawled, "If it's dinner you are after... I'll feed you a length of iron!" In return he got a mighty, windy roar, but that was not enough to disencourage him. "Have it your way then."
To read a beast's movements wasn't so difficult; he jumped a high height onto the creature's back before he could be crushed against the rock by its horned head. Leaping onto the ground again, he made to run towards where he'd come from, barely evading a swishing purple tail as he did so. But behemoths were quick. One blocked his path all too soon.
"Let's see how you swallow this!" he yelled almost feistily, leaping high onto the air and bringing his sword down onto the beast's head.
And was he surprised when the blade cracked, almost breaking apart.
The behemoth threw him off, hume back colliding hard against the rock wall of the canyon. His mind blanched for a moment as his rear fell onto the ground, and there he sad dazedly until he noticed the large creature's jaw open and reach for him, and instinctively Luso covered his head with an arm-
Zoom. Sharp teeth and long tongue never got to him. The brunette glanced over to see who'd thrown the dagger that distracted the behemoth, and found there standing a blonde young man with arm in throwing stance, eyes narrowed in concentration.
Luso stood a little shakily and ran towards the man, thanking him hastily and telling him to run. That is, until he felt a gloved hand yank his arm and he almost tripped with that alone.
"No, you must be tired from running. We are able to handle them."
"You and who else?" Luso asked in slight panic, knowing the behemoths hadn't given up. Right after the questions, he saw two men, also young, bare their lance and rod to the feral beings. Right beside the supposed leader, another blonde young man wielding a gun and a woman with a knightsword also prepared to fight. Luso swallowed heavily. "Are you sure?"
The ensuing battle ensured Luso that he had underestimated the five warriors. They knew to keep a somewhat safe distance from the behemoths that weren't their target; the man that saved him had a thin sword that dealt quick slashes which tore the purple skin of their legs, the lancer's weapon possessed a heavy head for devastation, the woman's sword thick and big for good attack and defense. The mage sent fire spells strenghtened by sunlight scorching down on the creatures's spines, the gunner shooting cannon blows not unlike those of a bangaa cannoneer straight onto horned heads. Enraged, the behemoths dealt plenty of painful blows as well, farming worry inside Luso who could hardly do anything (he felt so ridiculously hot, a roasting mess under the sun); he was only kept from rushing to help because they did such an incredible teamwork. If one fell or was strongly hit, the mage would promptly cure, another would keep the behemoths from attacking the fallen one. It reminded him of the clan he used to be part of, and he would notice the ache in his heart if his veins weren't aflame and his eyes weren't burning.
The behemoths were taken out after a while, either dead or fainted or disabled due to leg damages. Luso thanked the five profusely (going from to such hostile eras, alone, that is how he almost got killed twice if not for the help of clans), getting to know the name of his saviour: Ramza Beoulve.
"You are not as everyone else is. I said my House's name, and yet you react not to it."
"You know what, Ramza? I don't even know where or when I am."
Ramza was a kind young man, light blond hair cut short and a small ahoge protuding out of it that reminded him of Marche, except Marche's was much longer. The ponytailed gunner was called Mustadio Bunansa, the female, Agrias Oaks, and the other two men, Ganelon the dragoon and Gauwyn the mage. The last two looked pretty much like brothers. If only, they seemed to resemble a clan.
The five allowed him to travel with them, and he felt delightfully secure to finally have some people to trust in this land. Their intriguing and poetic way of speaking, present even more often than in the Ivalice he had known, was going to take some more time getting used to.
They were heading north, as confirmed by Ramza, towards a province called Fovoham and to the stronghold of its duke, the castle of Riovanes. He said that was where they were told to head towards, if they wanted to save the only sister of House Beoulve. Most questions about the locations were being settled along the way, but one wondering still needed to be answered.
"What year are we in?"
As expected, the man shot him a confused look, but replied nonetheless. "I believe we are around two-thousand Valendian."
Two. Fucking. Thousand.
Of course all this time had been enough to kill off all of his friends and acquaintances, even Salma and Jaoreen, who were vieras and as such lived longer than them. And what happened to the world during over a thousand years? Were the other species killed off? What he knew was that this current time period held intense political tension.
A civil war has commenced, hasn't it.
Oddly weird was what he felt from Ramza- it was the very same energy that he'd felt from Vaan, from Marche. What could this energy be? Not a way to be sure.
Even with a determination that comforted Luso, Ramza seemed to often space out in thoughts his own, as if briefly forgetting the present. Surely the blonde must have gone through much before he happened to find the game hunter.
"Aren't you feeling okay?" the brunette asked him once, when the Beoulve was thinking deeply again.
"I do, it's just that... there is so much to question... so much to think... Mayhaps there is no way out of this war. I keep wondering what of my brothers, of my sister, of us, of Ivalice..." A heavy sigh. "I wonder if Delita is faring as well as I..." he thought aloud.
Luso came to know much through the five companions. A war that lasted for Fifty Years had marred the land not long ago, and though it was stopped by a treaty of peace between Ordallia and Ivalice (now a kingdom, and not an entire world, it seemed), Ivalice felt it equal to a loss.
There was an enormous rift between commoners, nobles and church clerigs. It seemed they had developed much distrust, in some cases even disgust, towards each other. Luso frowned at this. The Ivalice he knew wasn't so socially unstable. Al-Cid Margrace was a noble of Rozarria, and still he chilled out with others as equals, even if a little more flirty. He'd even ruffle Vaan's and Penelo's hairs. Vaan also told of a thirteen year-old boy who had become the Emperor of Archadia at that time, and he spoke of him as if they were good friends. There was also the princess of Dalmasca traveling with him, apparently not bothered to team up with pirates, lowborns and a man devoid of the grace he once had.
"Are you sure it is still Ivalice you come from? For street rats to befriend royalty like this... I cannot believe it." Ramza shook his head.
"The nobles think very highly of themselves here. It's been like that for quite a long time, so Luso, you can only be from the legendary age of techknology many years past. For everything you say..." Mustadio shrugged.
"Tietra and Delita, for being commoners in akademies reserved for the aristocracy, tended to suffer mockery and harassment from the highborn students." Luso well noticed the tinge of sadness that tainted Ramza's reddish golden eyes as he said it. "And yet they acted as if naught of displeasing had occurred, hid their pain. Even from each other at times. I was foolish, not a too observer one when I should have comforted them."
"Do they fare well now?" the sea-eyed boy asked out of sincere worry. The silence that befell the group afterwards told him the answer would not be what he wanted to hear.
"Tietra was murdered, thrown aside as if she had no value. Even before the war commenced. Her brother, Delita... among the waves of war he lives, but his goals, I do not know."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
As he had done twice in his life, Luso was learning the setting of the timeline he found himself in. Now there were no more high techknologies such as airships or robot-like machinery. Mustadio's gun must be one of the only ones functioning in Ivalice now, whereas before there were cannoneers, fusiliers, snipers, flintlocks, all commonplace. The Church of Glabados is the major commanding religion, and Luso had to frown at how much power it had over the people. They weren't this much religious nor in the past and nor in the future.
On the way to Fovoham they met a group of men with expressions marred with fatigue. Desertors of war, they were. They attacked Ramza with the hopeful prospect of being free of war's responsibilities once they killed a wanted heretic. The desertors died quickly.
According to Ramza, as Luso asked of it, heretic is one to execute a crime against either Church or god, and he'd really done neither, as he and his group had done no more than kill a Lucavi demon. Luso wondered what a Lucavi was.
As they ended the life of the last desertor, a tiny troupe arrived with a man riding a chocobo at its front. His hairstyle was intriguing, brown hair shaved at the sides and tied into a short, flowy ponytail.
"I never though an heretic would lend us his help."
"Orran?"
Orran showed to be a merciful young man, not interested in turning Ramza over to the church. Ramza insisted they needed help of one called Cidolfus Orlandeau, the powerful Thunder God as he was known. They needed the legendary swordsman's aid to stop the plot of Glabados' High Priest. Luso was understanding little of it.
This Ivalice felt so odd. The high-seated ones held so much more power than anyone else. It felt almost depressing to pace through Riovanes, with so many displeased by the war, so many frowns. The Mist in its air felt less lively than a thousand and three hundred years before, as well.
They were almost at the castle's doors, when a loud male scream voicing "RAPHA!" echoed, and a young tanned woman ran towards their group.
"Please protect me," she whispered.
A man much too alike her in appeareance, just few meters away, seemed slightly broken at heart as he eyed her, before quickly recomposing himself. Said man's allies rushed towards the woman, and Ramza, Mustadio, Agrias and the twins were quick to defend and counterattack. Luso only broke out of his brief daze when there were already two swords travessed through a knight and Mustadio was hastily kicking off a boot engulfed in flames. The Riovanean peasants at the scene were running in fear.
Not much time later, the tanned man found his small group helplessly dead. Entire face glaring, he spoke, "You know you need to go inside the castle for your sister... But now, if you do not bring her as well," he pointed towards the woman alike him, "Your precious sister will nonetheless have to face death."
"Give us time." Ramza growled.
"There is not so much of it." the man smeared away some of the dry blood on his skin. "Think wisely about the time you wish to use."
One more worry hung over their shoulders after the Riovanes guardian left, they scurried to prepare themselves. Rapha, the woman they rescued, quickly apologized for the burden she caused, telling Ramza of how her and her brother Marach, that man they had seen, were taken in when orphans and homeless by Duke Barrington of Riovanes. And so they wound up as servants because of that favor, but what Marach did not know was that who caused the death of their parents by burning their village was Barrington himself. The Duke seeked to obtain the special magickal skills of the family Galthena, the Nether and Sky Mantra, and by taking in the young siblings, he obtained them. Puppet-servants-to-be.
That day, you were so young, so young, brother. He cut your memory apart, deformed it and your body, made you forget. And none but I noticed the awkward pace of your legs, the blood that once dripped to the floor as you stood. You did not think of your own after that day, Marach. Not even traumatized. You were like a blank slate. He brainwashed you, but at least not I, no matter how much he hurt me, no matter how much he tried to break us apart, and so I shall use it to bring justice to our cause.
Riovanes Castle was well-guarded when they stepped closer and closer to the magnificent building. Luso had never truly seen a castle, but no town in Jylland was as highly defended as this. To take Goug as example, they didn't even have a stable guard until Zipp decided to take matters into the moogles' hands, and ten of them was enough defense. He smiled at the thought of them, but there were no more moogles in Ivalice, and so the corners of his lips were neutralized once again.
Marach stood at the gate, serious and not as patient. "First do hand us the Scriptures of Germonique, and then Rapha. You may see your sister well and alive after that."
"Do not!" Rapha hissed at Ramza. "He will await you do to just that, and then kill your sister!"
Giving a small nod, the Beoulve began to unsheath his sword. Marach's eyes narrowed.
"If you will insist..." he needn't give a command for the troops guarding the castle to amass their forces towards Ramza's group (clan, it should be called a clan, Luso thought) which was again quick to react.
In the past, throughout Ivalice, clans could choose the protection of a Judge, if only to be able to be kept alive even when knocked out, for a long time. Not here. Taking too much time to revive meant certain death. So Luso was more than grateful when, after he felt a sharp pain course through his neck with the slash of a cold blade, endless unconsciousness did not take him. Gauwyn had been quick to cast a reviving spell just as Agrias was quick to shut down the knight attacker with her own blade.
It was this caution that allowed a group as small as they to kill so many. Luso felt rather sickened for having to murder so many of a more intelligent (if they were more intelligent, wars such as these wouldn't even occur) species, but it was such a serious case of life and death he said nothing and just slashed on. How many of them will travel the world as ghosts? Do they really think they will go to this place called heaven, to these men they call Ajora and Faram?
The battle was paused briefly at the loud sound of screams coming from inside the castle.
"What's killing them?", "Why are they screaming?", "What's happening?"
With the agility he'd sharpened while kid and ninja, Luso leapt and clung to the castle's window, forcing equilibrium unto himself as he peeked inside.
His stomach curled.
An oversized ram was cruelly smashing soldiers against floor and wall, successfully breaking their bones and skulls, some getting slashed open violently, other having their limbs ripped apart. Agonized screams were the icing to the horror. The boy thought he had seen enough to barely vomit, letting go of the window and falling back to the stone ground.
"What have you seen?" a knight of Riovanes asked him, wrist holed by a bullet, hand unable to hold onto any sword.
"Monster," Luso breathed out. The screams were becoming less and harder to be heard, and it compelled the few remaining guards of the castle and Ramza's group to storm inside the building.
"Nuh-uh."
Ramza had been the only one to pass through the opened doors when it shut abruptly and very strongly, with almost breaking force. They tried opening it again, but it would not budge; pushes, kicks, slams, they did nothing to it. A shot from Mustadio's gun bounced off it.
"It must have been a terribly powerful magickal sealing," Gauwyn spoke in a preoccupied tone.
"We cannot allow Ramza to struggle inside against those monsters!"
"You are pitiful, Wiegraf," Ramza almost spat. "Going so far to avenge Miluda."
"Revenge is a thing of the past. As if this power would be wasted with something so... unworthy, as vengeance. I want to hear screams."
Outside they heard the clash of swords, quick and deadly. They tensed up immediately.
"We are of the Riovanes guard! Please allow us in!" shouted the two remaining soldiers of the castle. They were not heeded.
"Ramza!" shouted the members of his group. Instant, intense worry overcame Luso when the sound of swords ceased, and he thought of the worst. Had the Beoulve been already stricken down? Feeling a surge of energy he had long not felt, Luso stepped back, ordering the others to move away from the door. Expressions scrunched with doubt, they obeyed, and the next second the sea-eyed boy sent a heightened punch towards the sealed passage.
Gravity slammed it open forcefully, barely breaking it apart.
None asked how, though they wished it. The situation did not call for questions, but for actions. They saw with a rapid glance that Ramza was still alive, climbing up the stairs with a wounded swordsman pulling at his leg, trying to impede him. The Riovanes guards scurried towards the many bodies of their companions splayed across the floor, trying to search for any alive they could save, while the group of "hunted heretics" ran towards the stairs in Ramza's aid.
"Would you let go of me?!"
"I know who you are after! Do not make a fool of me!"
The dragging and the dragged arrived at the next floor at the same time, Ramza struggling not to fall. He glanced about, once again finding only corpses, and willed forward still, keen on finding his sister.
Behind them were the others, Agrias shouting towards Gauwyn so they could keep on as he was worriedly looking for some sign of life in the unmoving bodies, Mustadio taking the time to finish reloading his gun, Ganelon catching up to Ramza, and Luso trying not to focus on how ridiculously creepy the castle was, what if he got stuck in this place with these corpses at night where would his sanity go.
Ramza got inside what could be called a meeting room, seeing once again more corpses- and no trace of his sister. But there was something that surprised him; amongst the bodies of knights of the castle, there was a different one- a Knight Templar.
Wiegraf, too, was surprised. Heartwrenchingly so. His hands freed Ramza, trembling legs standing to walk over a brunette Templar who donned green, and lay, as the others, unresponsive in the floor. Wiegraf dropped to his knees, lip quivering slightly. "I-Isilud?..."
That's Folmarv's son, Ramza thought quietly as Gauwyn shot a cure spell upon his group's leader, Ganelon searching frantically for the enemy and pointing his lance at Wiegraf as he was the only one alive he could find. The blonde man did not tear his gaze away from the young knight, eyes scanning the youthful face marred by rivulets of blood, unable to see any rising or descending of his covered chest.
"Is he still aliv-" Gauwyn began, but his twin slammed a hand over his mouth.
Wiegraf shook, shook violently, his mouth opening to let out an inhuman roar as his back arched towards the sky. His skin darkened in color, hair growing and whitening, a new pair of arms unhealthily growing their way out of his body. His eyes blackened and two thick horns sprouted from his head, muscles expanding in size considerably, popping the arm and leg armor typical of a Templar and sending its pieces flying away at dangerously high speeds. The horrid transformation into Lucavi.
The monster slowly stood, hooves clattering against the floor. His dark eyes gazed over the ones ahead of him. "I am Velius." he worded out, shaking his head in apparent disappointment. "Humes are too shaded by emotions. They could be such lethal weapons themselves, yet happiness, sadness, any of these feelings... these untameable feelings... it keeps their potential at bay."
"And do you not have these feelings?" Luso spouted, adrenaline rendering him unable to calculate just how dangerous the situation was.
Velius opened a sharp-teethed smile. "Sadness, helplessness, fear of death... we have none of it. Wiegraf was a too heartfelt one, just when I was trusting him so well. Bonds of lust and friendship also make a hume weaker. They just do not realize it."
It was the moment Mustadio shot him on the very middle of his chest, and the battle started.
Velius had the exact same fiery presence felt when Belias was near, except Belias' aura was much less wicked than this. And much more powerful.
The Lucavi demon was rendered useless rather quickly with the disabling of his short legs; the previous mass murdering and Wiegraf's own end surely must have had a certain wreck on his body. The many knights he killed had swords on them, after all. And Ramza's seemed much more skilled when it came to slaying demons.
With death came a burst of bright red lights, blinding them momentarily before being swallowed whole inside the Zodiac Stone of Aries. Their muscles ached for some rest, hearts still beating in a frenzy.
"We have two stones here." Ramza quickly pointed out, applying healing chants on his allies as he ordered, "Pick them up before anyone else shows up."
Agrias fiddled with a blue stone she took from the side of a dead Isilud, commenting, "It has Pisces engraved on it."
"This one is Aries." Ganelon picked up the redden rock from the middle of a burnt carpet.
Alma is not here... Ramza sighed heavily, eyes drooping upon again laying over Isilud. "Comrades, we need to find Rapha now. Hopefully she and her brother have stopped arguing."
This castle is all tattered on the inside. I wonder what they're gonna do to repair the armies, the furniture... Luso pondered. It was funny, how those ridiculous thoughts came to him whenever he was awfully tired.
"You stay here, in this castle! I don't want you winding up killed!"
"I won't! We shan't be slaves, no more!"
"And betray Barrington as we do?!"
"You don't remember! Stop trying to argue, you don't remember, but I do!"
The duke shook in fear as the siblings' voices rose; even in the high roof of his castle he wasn't safe. It just made the hand holding onto the gun tingle more.
"What is there to remember? Barrington told me everything-"
"He didn't!"
Crash.
"A-Aaahh! Aaarrhh..."
Fist throbbing, Rapha clutched the sword as she walked up the roof, eyeing the duke with intense rage. "Killing you will solve so much."
"It will also distangle many knots that keep Riovanes together and well." he spat back.
"Don't you say anything other than lies? As if you were the only hope of these people." she pointed the short sword at him, shivers running through her body.
Barrington only grinned. "Your body remembers it, does it not?"
Rapha wished she could say that was the true reason she hesitated. On reality, her body shook with anger, not fear, and were the fucker not holding a gun, she would have already slashed and stabbed that grotesque frame of his. For what he did to her and her brother.
"The new feelings, the strange pain? The lingering hurt?"
... So it was all true...?
"Rapha!" Marach called, head throbbing still from the collision against the wall, leaping higher onto the roof. Barrington grimaced at the intrusion; No, no, he shouldn't allow his life to be ruined by these siblings.
So he shot.
The boy did not wait a single heartbeat before lunging forward.
"Marach!" Rapha exclaimed in utter shock as his body fell limply right by her feet, a hole with dripping blood carved into his torso.
"Such a good brother." Barrington groaned.
And at the same time, there were two arrivals: Ramza's and Marquis Elmdore's. The Marquis didn't wait for anything to happen, his fingers snapping.
One of the two women by his side took Riovanes' duke by the neck and threw him carelessly out of the roof with a single arm. Where he landed mattered little.
"Hand over the stones if you are willing to cooperate with us." Elmdore spoke calmly.
"We do not happen to be willing to cooperate." Ramza growled, "None of you need this much power."
Elmdore's lips bent down. "I hope your blood is not as foul as your mind."
Luso wasn't even allowed time to think properly since he got inside the accursed castle. He wished he could, because there were so many elements and abnormalities he needed to piece together.
Such as the inhume strength of the Marquis' bodyguards.
He wondered if they would have (since the battle with Velius) died, were there any less members on their team. Their hearts beat so quick it seemed they were on the verge of having strokes, but it was almost needed to dodge and fight back the strong lunges and strikes from the demon-eyed women. Elmdore was no defenseless feather himself.
Yet the trio called retreat before any could end up killed.
"We still have your precious sister, heretic," the silver-haired man breathed, "Make your decisions well."
"Folmarv must have taken her already." Mustadio glared at the point in which Elmdore had just disappeared. "We are playing the chasing cougar-and-rat game, except they are trickster demons, not rats."
"Worry not, Ramza. We still have the stones and the Scriptures that they need." Gauwyn smiled, or tried to.
Rapha sat down by her brother's side, eyes watering while her fingers traced the veins of his neck, feeling not a single pulse or warmth. The same fingers hovered over his lips and below his nostrils, feeling no breaths. Touching a hand to his cheek, she buried her face on his chest, hiccuping silently.
My Lucavi kin has much destroyed, and so here I make up for the irreversible... dirty doing. Evil happenings. Demoniac deterioration. Everything of bad that Queklain decided as I could do nothing against him.
Marach Galthena, hear me. I know you can. I can undo if only this injustice, as my freedom is enough to do so. Zalera may not appreciate it so much as death is his to command, as is your Zodiac, but thy love and sacrifice make your ressurrection worth the tresspassing.
Also... I owe Ramza. He freed me by killing my "evil twin", so this is countering favors.
"Rapha! The stone! Do not allow-"
Oh! The poison of life.
The first warmth.
"the stone to-"
With love,
The first breath.
"talk with-"
your true Cú-
The first stir.
"him!"
chu-
Rapha's eyes began to widen.
lainn.
Marach's heart jolted alive, the sun-kissed boy's eyes snapping open as he gasped in need of air, almost convulsing with the force of it and the pain, the searing pain. And when he choked due to his position Rapha did not hesitate in the least to grasp him in her arms and join their mouths, forcing oxygen into his system.
Tired and confused to the brim, the others didn't even know what to do anymore.
She had barely allowed him to release the air when she took his mouth again, forcing her brother onto her lap. He made no protests, though when his lips were released, he sobbed out, "I am sorry...", unsure of the reason why his eyes were blurred by tears.
"Don't be." Rapha soothed, caressing his head.
Their total Zodiac Stones were now Pisces, Taurus, Aries and Scorpio. Though it was a third of the twelve they knew, it still did not feel like enough.
Even though Ivalice's overall climate was of tension, it was alleviated sometimes inside their own group. It was comforting to see the Galthena siblings friendly making up for past mistakes, besides being powerful additions.
Ramza wasn't as worried anymore, the reality of having Zodiac stones and Germonique's Scriptures on his possession bringing a wave of calm to their turmoiled situation. As long as he had these, Alma was completely safe.
Much to Luso's happiness, the heavy atmosphere was not always weighting upon them, and he felt more than glad to be able to write down the diverse differences and happenings of this Ivalice. The lack of other species that matched humes' in intelligence made his heart ache so, but the fact that he could frolick around and about with a legendary grimoire, pages unscratched by sword, undamaged by rain and intact even with use, without having to give a single worry about others craving it, was really a happy thing.
And the more he knew, the curiouser he felt.
Once a lightning storm cried over the usually dry Ivalicean lands, and Ramza's group (No no no no, I'm sincerely tired of writing down 'Ramza's group' on this Grimoire every time; I will call us Clan Galiony in homage the province he came from, and it'll stay like this. I never wrote down something like 'Cid's group' or 'team' or whatever when I was in Jylland!) was left to curse at the merciless rain while in search of somewhere safe on the uninhabited terrain. The Beoulve was many feet ahead of the others, trying to look for someplace better and pointing toward the rightful directions as they went. Nothing uncommon; until it happened.
A bolt hit the blonde straight on his head.
"Ramza!" A cold rush descended Luso's spine, fear overtaking every party member until they heard a soft 'What?'
... The Beoulve was unfazed. He stood there as if lightning had never stricken. But how...?
Ramza approached the stuttering youths with a small nervous sigh. "Well, it happened once before. I believe I may be thunderproof... heh..."
Mustadio took his shoulders and shook him violently. "You sure you're alright? No brain damage, roasted toes or anything?" he asked in panic.
"It tickled a little, but I'm alright."
"You electric magnet..." the machinist heaved a sigh of relief, slapping his back. "Beoulves never cease to amaze me, it seems..."
That event had been weird enough – Ramza was wearing metal which was an excellent conductor for electricity, after all – so Luso found himself obliged to ask, "What is your Zodiac Sign?"
"Capricorn. Why so?"
Adrammelech. Lightning. It seemed to make sense now, if only a little. Maybe if Ramza was like him, and-
... No, maybe no. Because, where were the Scions of Darkness, after all? All Luso had heard of in this Ivalice were the Lucavi, whose name, element and appeareance was alike that of the Scions, as he had witnessed with Velius; but it was not the same.
Then something he swore he had forever lost in his memory kicked in. A shield made of gravity, which had protected them from Khamja. Zeromus, what did you do? -That distinctive voice chuckling. I did nothing. It is your doing, Luso.
For all this time he never knew what this could point to. Could that mean the Scions had no true saying on-
He was forcefully broken from his trance by a punch he had felt as much as the grass scratching at his face. All the sea-eyed boy heard while shaking off the dizziness was Mustadio scolding Agrias on how she could at least try to differentiate friend and foe before using strength and we won't ask for your aid anymore if there's a risk of this happening again and Agrias not responding because sincerely none of them knew how to argue with Mustadio and win.
Ramza's plan was reaching Zeltennia. There he could meet up with Delita and receive some answers he sought. Delita was a very interesting individual, or so it seemed whenever the Beoulve spoke of him. He was the kind Luso would gladly drain information from to write down in his Grimoire, if only things would fix themselves. They never do, though.
And Delita, Luso found through uncalled-for means, was much more important to Ramza than what he thought he was.
But he didn't mind it, nor could bring himself to mind.
Bervenia, the free city, was supposed to give them a well-deserved break, but resting proved a distant dream when a woman by the name of Meliadoul Tengille appeared with guards of her own to confront Ramza about the incident on Riovanes.
"I am here to avenge my brother! There is no other that would put an end to him if not you."
"Isilud's sister... We have no fault in this. He was already dead when me and my troupe found him! We could do naught to heal him. Reviving did not work. Please believe us."
"Would you say that was Wiegraf's work, then?"
"No. He arrived at our time, and mourned his death. Wiegraf could not have been responsible. Your father had been there, too. Could have saved him, but instead he-"
The ensuing battle was ended soon, Ganelon and Luso having had previous experience with fighting atop roofs. Meliadoul's concentration had been messed by the emotion she felt, and so she chose surrender lest she end up like her allies. There were too many questions left unanswered to face death now.
Still at Bervenia, where they could not stay so long because of the ruckus they had caused, Ramza asked Luso if the younger boy could go to Gollund to check up on a quest about a caravan that needed escorting. They would meet back on the mining town once he was finished, and once the 'clan' had returned from Zeltennia.
Luso accepted it, trusting himself on the matter- though he had wanted to see Delita...
It was almost evening, and he had already been traveling alone. Luso was distractedly pacing through a more unused passage, still wary of being recognized as a heretic if he risked around people too much; and then he saw a small monastery-like building. In a time and place like this, it almost begged travelers to run off and away, but curiosity attracted Luso as if it was gravity, and so he approached it carefully and nudged the doors slightly open.
So, it was no wonder why they tended to say curiosity could kill.
There was a priest sitting on the floor, head bowed low towards a circle of light. He spoke in a hushed tone, with a heavy Valendian accent (or so the boy thought; he only heard this accent through Valendians), making the wording almost inintelligible. But creepy as fuck.
From the wide circle of light emanated a dark mist, smelling of ashes and blood. The mist had a ghastly, if not demoniac shape, that almost made the hunter's legs buckle among their shivers. The mist's shaping was becoming more physical, and fuck, it was emitting sounds. Choking, growling sounds. Luso had to make a ridiculously strong effort for his body not to give in right then, biting his lip to keep the teeth from clattering. He had to get out of there, run away like the building had seemed to warn him to do and simply not-
... get... caught.
It was laughable really, how his wobbly legs caused him to trip forward with a plus of causing the doors to slam loudly against the opposite walls. He visibly winced at both the pain and the accusing yell of "What are you doing here?!"
Luso had seen something he shouldn't have, that much he knew. And revolted though his entire body might be, its fear and instinct made him stand up and scurry away like a scared chicken.
"Knight!" the lower priest shouted towards a sword-wielding brunette that had appeared upon the calling, who turned towards the commanding voice almost indifferently. "Chase that heretic down and slay him!"
So he did. Luso cursed under his breath as he felt the young knight give chase too unconveniently skillfully, even as he shot himself into the woods.
Neither said a thing. Only the crack of dried leaves and sticks below echoed along with erratic breaths. Luso was not one to get tired easily, but maybe two years on Ivalice hadn't been enough to have him outlast a knight such as this man, and he felt death was getting closer. The boy concentrated on a strong water sphere from his mind, and he glanced back to quickly shoot it, lips curling to see it would hit straight on his fa-
The man simply slashed through it. What?! This guy is not fucking norm-
Shit.
Dirt and dried leaves welcomed his skin as he fell against them rather ungracefully, rolling few meters on the ground before stopping in a panting mess.
An armoured hand grasped at Luso's arm, lifting him painfully from the ground and as the panic of possible death rushed through his veins again he clutched at his sword and stabbed the man with it. Hearing a surprised groan of pain, the next thing the sea-eyed boy felt was a hand closing in tightly on his neck, and as he tried to breathe afterwards he choked, it only worsening things. Luso had already been lacking in oxygen from the run, and now, unconciousness seemed to be looming over him...
Except it never came. he felt his neck released all too soon, legs giving out for another clumsy fall. His sword had been thrown away somewhere. Why hadn't death come?
"I do not mean to kill you."
Only then did Luso notice that the knight was almost bended over, sitting and panting close to him. He was clutching at his side, apparently where the boy's sword had damaged.
"That's... nice... why, though?" Luso tilted his head towards him, taking in the young man's appeareance hazily.
"I see the Church... with no right to condemn an innocent man... because of a small mistake. It is saddening to imagine a future... in which the Church's true side is unknown... so witnesses are best left alive, even if you may not have understood what you saw." Phrases interrupted by deep inhales and exhales, Luso characterized in the other features of shoulder-length brown hair, eyes of a dark green and almost invisible scars in the few skin that could be seen of the young man.
As his mind acquired further consciousness, he realized sharply; it fit Ramza's description of his childhood friend Delita far too well.
He needed ask it. "What is your name?"
"It is none of your concern." Blood's scent coated the air.
Luso felt it. The weird energy he had only been able to feel on Vaan and Marche and Ramza, he was feeling it coming from the man. Who could not be anyone else.
"Delita?"
The young knight seems to flinch slightly, a small sound of pain leaving him as he let go of his wounded side to stand up. "How do you know it?"
"I'm a friend of Ramza's, and he knows you." was the simple answer. "He worries about you."
As ever, he remains quick on trusting. "You do are quite direct with your words. If he worries so, I suggest you tell him I fare well, but that conversation of ours should not hold on longer."
"You're going to just leave? Really? I was so hyped about meeting you! Why keep up this air of mystery? Why not come back with me so we can find Ramza and you can be both reunited?" Luso asked, almost bewildered. The older had his back to him, so he could not see Delita's expression, but his neutral voice betrayed naught of the emotion he may have been feeling.
"I have a long-term mission to accomplish, and it is not through an old friend's help that I pretend to achieve it." his cold, gauntleted hand seemed to do little to ail his still drooling wound. "I cannot join Ramza, not now. With Ivalice tainted with such irresponsible war, we can but walk different paths." the dark-eyed man made to pace down the way they had used to get where they were now.
"I'm Luso if you will it!" the boy shouted.
"Luso." A small interval of silence. "Do not speak much of what you have seen the priest do, will you? If there is much spreading of the word you might have to watch yourself, else your head may be decapitated to feed the Church's hunger for power and your blood spilled to quench their thirst for control."
And as the wounded male walks off, Luso feels he knows so little. Guess I have a lot to learn yet. Siiiigh. He tries to locate himself, wishing to get on his way before the sun hid completely and he got lost.
Clak. Clak. Clak. Clak.
"Ah, I see you come back with a bloodied blade! I am glad you were successful. Such a brave knight."
That blood is my own, but 'tis not something you should know.
"I will see to it that you receive your gil for the task. Can you wait but a moment?... Hey, I promise that, but I have no money on me!"
I never said I wanted your money.
"Do not dare cast a spell on me! Such an offense against a priest will have you punis- aa-"
Delita stood still as the man fell, soulless, to the floor. As the commoner lowered his arm, feeling soul power being absorbed inside him, he closed his eyes to contain the slight pink glow they had acquired.
Without witnesses, an event can be distorted, or maybe, had as if it never happened at all.
They shan't chase Luso now. Less a weight upon Ramza's shoulders.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Gollund was calm as it normally was when Luso arrived there before midday. The information on the quest was simple; they worried about sabotage of a caravan that would be transported to Dorter. He had done these kinds of protecting and escorting before, so there should be nothing to worry about.
Just...
Where the heck was the caravan.
The sky was dark with clouds and the slums were oddly quiet. The sea-eyed boy missed the presence of a second blade, left hand gripping the belt so it would not feel so empty whilst the right held a light sword. Where were the people? Suspicion was held thick in the air. So thick it could be slashed with-
Thhnk!
Talking about blades...
"He's not the one we're looking for," the thief warned, blade parried by Luso's own.
"But hey, is he not a wanted heretic? We could still fetch some gil in for that."
Trouble had found him amongst a brigade of bandits, maybe the ones he was to protect the caravan from- but now they wanted his head off, not whatever the caravan held. Luso took in a deep breath as he realized the thieves were many and he was alone to fend off for himself.
There was no way he could-
Boom.
"Ack!"
All of them turned around to search for where the shot had come from, displeased to find among the streets a way-too-fashionable-looking man wielding a rifle.
"The thief!" one of the men shouted, gritting his teeth.
"I plan to steal nothing. It is the Cache of Glabados that I seek." the rifle-wielding man explained. "And you sold me short. I'm no thief. I'm a Sky Pirate."
Sky Pirate. Sky Pirate.
"We can now turn in two heretics instead of one. Even if not a thief, it remains golden tidings for us!" the wounded bandit grinned.
"Oh, surely you will earn your metal prizes." the sky pirate spoke, aiming his rifle. "My shot is faster, or my name's not Balthier."
Balthier. Sky Pirate Balthier.
Luso leapt to Balthier's side all too suddenly, heart racing, sword prepared. "Mind it if we team up?"
"I suppose not."
It was almost surprising for the both of them, how they had been underestimated. Death was not always pleasant to deliver- this case being one of the unpleasant ones. Balthier shot at them much too calmly, always in strategic areas, and the hunter was able to down them with heightened dodging ability and quick hits. The slums were quiet still as the bloodshed occurred, except for the noises of the battle and pained cries.
One of them had run away. Luso shrugged it off with a heated huff, glancing at the mediocre rag he used to clean his sword- it was so small and entirely red that he may as well thrash it. Only when the haze of battle was lifted from his mind that he sputtered out, "Y-you're Balthier?" There couldn't be another Sky Pirate called Balthier, could there?
"Yes, I said it was my name."
"V-Vaan told me about you!" Luso panted out, mind fuming.
"Vaan?" the sky pirate quirked an eyebrow. "I'm afraid he lives not in this time."
"And indeed he doesn't," the boy wrapped an arm around the man's shoulders, leading him out of the slums. "But I was in his timeline as well."
"I do not know where I start believing you," Balthier stated.
Luso was unsure as how to explain, but there was such a strong feeling of hopeful happiness as he stood near Balthier. Balthier of the time he held so dear.
"You are here too, aren't you? Why not believe me?"
The older man shook his head briefly; maybe it would do him good if he believed the boy, crazy or not. Vaan did say he had met an energetic boy of unmistakably bright sea-colored eyes, apparently come from the future, and by the end of that discussion Balthier commented playfully on how the blonde Dalmascan was such a magnet for trouble. He wasn't expecting to believe the boy did come from another timeline.
"I believe it was the Cache of Glabados that led me here. Which is why I search for it... Where are you planning to lead me to?"
"I have friends that'll not try to kill you and will protect you. We are all heretics under religious gazes for dealing with matters of the Church, so we are on even ground. What's the Cache of Glabados though?"
They kept up friendly conversation for a while. Balthier told him that the one treasure, not even truly known as 'Cache of Glabados' before, was a set of magickal stones of odd, non-measurable power, but still incredibly different to nethicite. Those, he said, had more of a feel of auracites.
And were not the Zodiac Stones auracites?
Balthier was shocked to know Ramza, Luso's friend in this era, held several of the said auracite. If that was the case, mayhaps he would come back to the Golden Era in no time. Still he was suspicious, thus not thanking the boy yet.
They were headed for Gollund, as Ramza had requested, but when they arrived there after almost a day, no clan could be seen around. Maybe they were still in Zeltennia? Luso went to inquire information from the pubmaster, lest Balthier get more suspicious about him.
"Ah, no, no clan's been around here today. But if ye want to know some thing, I can tell you about a battle that's being rumored both left and right, if you know what I mean. They say Fort Besselat is going to be stormed, a lotta soldiers of both Orders there, even the grand dukes Larg and Goltanna and the Beoulve and the Thunder God Cid..."
Beoulve and Thunder God Cid were key names, so Ramza has headed there, he's pretty sure of it. They could either go two safer, longer roads or go directly southeast along a dangerous pass through the mountain range. Balthier did not mind accepting to go the fastest way, and after a moment's rest and obtainment of more supplies, they were off to the lesser known road.
It was as they traversed through the rather rough path that the air started to reek of death and blood and decay, driving their caution sense to the edge as they doubted the silence. The wind which carried the sick smell was the same that brought faint agonized screams to their ears, and so they quickened their pace.
The screams had eventually ceased. They couldn't see where the reeking area was yet, stomachs curling while the heretics strove through the rocks with difficulty.
Ah, how they wished the howls and moans had not stopped.
It was not that terrible a scenario, but it was far from pretty, as at least thirty five bodies lay sprawled in a rather narrow passage between two mountaintops, covered in blood and poison. Knights of the Orders of Northern and Southern Sky, Luso barely recognized.
"What happened here...?" Balthier whispered incredulously, thinking back on his Ivalice that had just started its amends of peace.
"There's a Civil War going on between two military orders." Luso explained flatly while his horrified eyes ran through the fallen humes, disbelieving that they would walk to such high heights to do battle. It just made everything more difficult.
Was there no one to be saved?
A small groan and the lifting of a weak arm answered him.
"Balthier? Could you please go to Ramza for me? I want to save this guy." Luso almost pleaded, running towards the wounded man. "You'll know Ramza when you see him. You know how you always knew when Vaan was close? Like that." the boy wasn't sure if others could sense the odd energy, but he had to risk something.
The Sky Pirate procured to object as the man would probably die in minutes, but then he remembered of his risky attempt to save Fran in the Sky Fortress Bahamut, and how he had allowed himself and Vaan to try helping the aegyl, whom were not as much willing to help themselves, and merely asked,"He will be of neither Orders, right?"
"Right. He's got his own weird troupe along."
Nodding, Balthier left running east. Luso could not be so quick, the man he carried being too heavy for that. So he paced slowly, trying to chant healing magicks in the way.
After some convincing, the dying man told his story. Of how he had only become a summoner to help others through collecting phoenix feathers from his main summon and selling them as phoenix downs. Of how his wife had abandoned him with their child, of how the child died poisoned not two years later, of how spectacular he and his white mage friends were on saving lives.
"If you bear a Phoenix as summon," Luso began softly, heartbroken to see the man cry, "Can it not save you?"
With a sad smile, the summoner shook his head weakly. "The summoners of Phoenix have a pact in which they cannot... save themselves with it... else we would probably never die."
"Hey, you alright?" Luso asked as the man closed his eyes.
"Just a bit too... tired..."
It had been barely noticeable when his breathing and heartbeats stopped altogether. Trying though he might, Luso was unable to reawaken him, and so he sat him by a rock, as comfortably as he could manage, taking the limp hands and placing them on a cold lap. Silently mourning the brave man, the boy shot back towards Besselat with speed he did not know he had.
The mountaineous terrain was giving place to plains and short trees, which had Luso swear he was getting closer and closer.
Until now, no sign of troops, or of his friends. Not all trees were short, and several blocked his view of what could be well-ahead. But from afar he could see, between the tree trunks, a wide plain that seemed far below of where he was. Luso approached the cliffside, where it indeed was a long fall ere he to jump, glancing around the vast plain expanse; to his right side, still well-below and far, were many troops donning blue, heading towards-
'Fort Besselat. Heh, thing was important back then, in the last war. Wa' just a boy when I heard of the marvelous deeds of defense done in there.
Ah, but now... Now 'ts just another double-edged knife. And they also locked the wretched queen there.
The place of heroes will turn into the place of demons...'
Fort Besselat is astoundingly grand, well-hidden among cliffsides. It doesn't seem very practical, compared to other fort-like structures he has seen. Given his distance from it, he could not sight anyone in said building.
Maybe Ramza hasn't arrived. Maybe Balthier is safe, like he is, away from the fort and the troops. At far, he could see, on the other end of the plains, a mass of red soldiers, also seeming to head towards the fort. The clash will not be pretty to watch.
Luso heads towards the fortress, uneasy. There is nothing that can inform him of his friends' whereabouts, and if they are safe or not. What keeps him from panicking is that, since they aren't of any Order, they don't need to do war.
It's too quiet. Far too quiet.
That is when Luso hears it; a rumble echoing from afar, the soil starting to vibrate underneath his feet. He looks around instinctively, and in a moment, the rumble becomes a thunderous roar. Sounds like a... waterfall?...
Rushing to the cliffside again, careful not to trip over to his death, the brunette catches the unsettling sight of a mighty and large rush of water coming out of the lower part of the fort, rapidly spreading, faster than crashing waves.
What about everyone-? Swallowing his heart (he was pretty sure it had leapt up to his throat for a moment), Luso started racing towards the fortress, mind buzzing- nobody was expecting that, what was going on, why would they open whatever let that damn water explode out-
He wants to scream out his friends' names, but it would do nothing. Nothing beat the raging storm cacophony of the water flooding the plains so violently.
Near Besselat, the water seems to flow calmer. Luso has to stop, because his muscles are already burning with overexertion, throat dry, breathing ragged. A pair of war deserters run past his tired form, and it reminds him to check the plains' situation; relieved to find that most of the troops were in a safe, higher location and away from the flooded area. Whoever did that insane act at least stopped the incoming battle.
It is only a while before the water seems to cease flowing completely from the fort. Strength renewed, Luso retakes his walk towards Besselat, picking up speed, because he still worries.
On the Fort bridge, its highest point, which connected two cliffsides and bordered a large river on its side, there was nobody. Luso paced down a staircase, seeing different ways to go, nervous about which of them to take; it did was the Southern Sky stronghold, and soldiers and commanders could be here.
He goes further down the staircase, thinking of trying to call for anyone he knows, agh I hope they are alright, if Balthier gets killed he won't be able to come back to his time, to everything he had, it'll be my fault-
His arm is suddenly yanked to the side, and before he can draw his sword or shout, a gloved hand covers his mouth.
"Sshhh," a voice lowly reprimands, and Luso sharply glances upwards to see the offender, frown quickly turning into a look of surprise.
"Bhhffhirr!" the boy beams with joy, muffled by the hand. There is an almost unnoticeable smile on Balthier's face as he pushes Luso inside a large room, separated from the main fort.
It's downright delightful to see that clan Galiony is safe.
The room seems to be a storage for grains, with nobody but the titled "heretics" inside. On truth, there do are others; an older, bearded and hooded man, talking pacificly with Ramza; Orran, the man that did not turn them over to the Church when he had the chance, and a serious-looking blonde woman with a blue cape.
"Are you sure of your decision, Orlandeau?" Ramza inquires the grown swordsman.
"Of course. Not only will it be an honour to lend my aid to your cause, how there is no other way for me, betrayed and believed dead as I am."
Where to start? What to ask first? Mustadio seems the first to notice him, few moments before Luso hugs him tightly, nevermind that physical contact was not as common in past ages as it was in his time.
They were glad to see Luso alive as well, and inquired him about Balthier, to which he replied to be a trustworthy man, also searching for the Stones, but not to align with the Lucavi. Balthier was currently outside, being a sentinel for the group.
The older, hooded man was revealed to be Cidolfus Orlandeau, the legendary Thunder God. He was an important member of the Order of the Southern Sky, but given the current circumstances (believed to have been Goltanna's murderer and to be now dead), he will be Ramza's ally.
The serious ponytailed woman told them that both Southern and Northern Sky troops were retiring from the plains. Since their leaders, Goltanna and Larg, were now dead, Delita and Dycedarg would take their stead. She left without another word.
Orran turned towards Orlandeau, eyes firm. "Father, I shall return to Zeltennia and fulfill my duty in protecting princess Ovelia."
With a slow nod, the older man encouraged him. "Make me proud, Orran."
When the young man left, the grain storage acquired unusual silence. It was as if the atmosphere had been wearing a festive mask, and only now did the mask drop to reveal a common sentiment of fatigue and hopelessness.
Luso scanned the whole room in search of someone who did not seem partially broken, and when he did, a thought occurred to him. "Where are Ganelon and Gauwyn?"
This only seemed to make them more distraught, and Luso felt like biting his own tongue.
"Ganelon has gone to search for Gauwyn." Meliadoul replied curtly, eyes fixed on a spot on the floor.
A clanking sound fills the empty air, its source being a painfully troubled Ramza purposefully allowing his body to fall into a sitting position. If none of them are on good spirits, then Ramza's eyes seem to show the most turmoil. "I should go find Ganelon and bring him back."
In two seconds, Mustadio and Agrias are by him, and Luso almost expects them to hug the Beoulve and soothe him when they kneel by his sides. The brunette swears that, among Ramza's whispers, he hears a guilty murmur of 'it was my fault'.
There is something important he doesn't know, something that is not at all good news, and the sensation of dread that has barged into his heart an unhealthy amount of times in this timeline is there again.
The mood is so heavy.
Eventually, Ramza, alongside his trusted machinist and knight, left to search for their lost companion. Balthier got inside the grain storage with plenty of twigs and branches in case they stayed in until the sun set.
In an attempt to lighten the atmosphere, Rapha nudged her brother. "Hey. What about you demonstrate us the bellydancing from our tribe you tried to learn?"
"A-as you pointed out, I merely tried to learn it." Marach sputtered, looking at her in disbelief.
"We can both try to learn it fully now, can we not? Better than sulking on the spot." she stood up and took his hand, pulling him into a standing position. "We mustn't forget our true parents' teachings. One of them is that dancing is reinvigorating to the body and soul."
Marach does not protest, but nor does he move. How are they to dance without rhythm or music?
Luso vaguely remembers what bellydancing is, but he doesn't know how to set a music for it. But it would be worth a try; Hurdy would be so proud of him.
He started by knocking and slapping two different parts of a wooden crate, creating distinct sounds. It wasn't a music, but it was a rhythm, repetitive and simple. The Galthena siblings glanced at him, to which he responded with an encouraging nod.
Rhythm settled, it was easy to get used to. The siblings' first steps were slow and hesitant, unused to any crowd, but Luso kept the rhythm steady and they did not stop. As further encouragement, Cidolfus took a small pan filled with grains and shook it, offering more background noise.
Rapha and Marach were swift to come in synch with each other, the passion of the dance causing their eyes to close in confidence and their sways to become more violent. As the movements kept on, Balthier's clapping and Meliadoul's wall-knocking joined in their odd music, and they cherished the moment of peace and happiness that proportioned a break from the warring and doubting.
Night had already shooed most of the light from Ivalicean lands when Ramza came back, he and Agrias holding Ganelon by the arms while Mustadio paced in front of them with a precarious torch. The music fell silent with their arrival.
As Mustadio lit some candles on the walls with his torch, Ganelon furiously tore himself from the duo's grip, snarling, "Get the fuck away from me!"
Not a word was spoken while the lancer stormed towards a distant corner, eyes redden and expression angered. "I don't- I don't want to fight anymore. This madness is too much."
Luso wanted to speak, to ask what had happened, where was Gauwyn, can someone explain things- but he knew it was not a good idea at the time.
Cid was the first to dare say something, since everyone was sat and quiet. "Given there are plenty of grains here, we could maybe try to make some bread. I know how to."
Not much later, they were making enough bread for all of them, still very silent. Ganelon hadn't budged from his position and Cid was lending help every once in a while, though he didn't beat any grains.
They were silent as they ate, as well. Cidolfus approached the upset lancer on the corner, offering some of the bread, though Ganelon refused it. The older man insisted and insisted, until his patience faltered and he said, in a commanding tone, "Your brother would never want to see you like this."
Ganelon ceded, with much distaste and a quivering hand.
The night was quiet, tense. Luso felt he already knew what had happened, and tried not to dwell on it.
When morning arrives, they don't dwell much inside the grain storage room, parting as soon as they were ready. Ramza still seems rather distant, and the dark mood thus has not faded from the party. Ganelon's anger is toned down completely, and surprisingly, he does not separate from the group as it heads north- Cidolfus is at the back of their march along with him, reassuring and soothing the boy.
They manage to cross the entire province of Zeltennia before evening, and thankfully a more content mood had settled over the group by then. Mustadio absolutely despised seeing everyone so gloom, so to revert this he told them riddles and guessing games, which distracted everybody for a while. Mundane activities such as doing laundry and Cid's tales of the Fifty Years' War were what lifted the heavy atmosphere most effectively.
At Mount Germinas, almost at the border with the Limberry province, they were able to evade a group of heretic-chasing thieves through having half of the enemies struck by the Mantra of the Galthena siblings, and running away fast enough to leave the non-struck ones to care for the injured comrades.
"Where are we stopping for the night Ramza?" Agrias asked the Beoulve while the pre-evening sun descended in the sky.
"Wherever we are tired and in someplace safe enough. Past Lake Poescas, mayhaps."
"We could get the salt there for cooking, so I can finally prepare us a proper meal." Meliadoul suggested, "Nobody here cooks well, not even I, however I have at least some skill in that."
"One day I'll learn to cook tasty meals, so I can do both me and my father a favor." Mustadio proudly commented.
Lake Poescas is within Limberrian territory, somewhat near the province's castle town. It was a completely dried out lakebed, but was still a well-known location.
It was empty when they arrived, devoid of monsters and people alike. The salt covering the lakebed reflected the light still present in the air. A moment's rest was had, the clan appreciating the view of the golden twilight upon Limberry. Meliadoul cut a circle-shaped rag from an old robe and made it into a sack, approaching the lakebed to gather some of the salt.
As soon as she touched the white substance, however, a cracking ominous sound echoed from Poescas' other edge.
"Give us the Zodiac Stones you hold!" a chorus of inhuman voices demanded. "We shan't bear this undeath's burden no longer!"
In a moment, all were up and ready to combat the foes whose voices seemed to come from everywhere. Luso's eyes darted back and forth until they stopped on-
It felt like a slap to the face-
Four ghosts, not pearly white in color, not the monster-like formes he oft saw in Jylland; they were very human and dark purple, floating ominously and releasing a very hostile aura.
Luso swallowed dryly. You're among your friends. You're safe. You're safe.
"We will give you no stone! They were hard earned and not to be lent to untrustworthy hands." Ramza told the undead, teeth in sight.
"If that is your choice..." the dead mystic growled, ghouls suddenly appearing at the lakebed's edges. "We will take them by force." The ghosts lunged towards them with unnaturally high speed.
Oh, no.
No.
A memory struck painfully inside him.
"I bet those ghosts just like your body, Luso, if they want their hands all over you." she grinned that cat grin.
"Adelle, would you please stop that." Cid scolded. "It's unhealthy for him. We've just fought those wretched things."
As if Luso wasn't shivering already.
"I know it isn't healthy though."
The sea-eyed boy felt something misty enter his mouth, get caught up dangerously in his throat. He started coughing, at first normally, then more violently, but whatever was messing up his breathing wouldn't leave.
He felt no comforting arms around him when he fainted into unconsciousness.
"Luso! Pull yourself together!"
He was convulsing. Hadn't noticed. And the ghosts were aiming for that easy prey. So much for a body made for survival...
The game hunter almost felt the spectres get inside him and wreck him up. Almost. Not before he saw the blinding light.
"We just wanted..."
Darkness at the edge of his eyes.
We just wanted to be at peace.
...
.. It felt like he was with Clan Gully... all over again...
Half an hour had passed, without it feeling like it.
"Were you not practicing white magick, Ramza?" Mustadio asked, tone tinged serious.
"I am." the mercenary is well aware why he asks.
"Then how can you muster up and discharge so much lightning? Not even Sir Orlandeau can manage such." Agrias made a demonstrating gesture at the 'thunder god'.
"Trust me, I know as much as any of you." Ramza sighed, pressing the tip of the potion bottle against Luso's lips, beckoning him to drink more.
"You killed all of them in the blink of an eye. And..." Mustadio pinched at his temples, "Well, that's a good thing I guess, but it kinda worries me."
"No demon has possessed me, comrades. That much I am sure about." Ramza assured them.
Luso listened to their conversation with only half a mind.
Those ghosts were willing to kill. But they wanted peace. For themselves, at least.
Limberry's Castle Town was lively, but not feisty, when they arrrived there. Women and children were commonplace, so were some men whose wives went to war and left their sons and daughters with them. But the castle itself... it was oddly quiet.
"The Marquis may be alone inside.. but that cannot be... after his capture, he would not allow his defenses to fall so low. Even if the Lucavi are on his side."
Still surpsisingly so, when they got inside, only Elmdore and his two bodyguards were there. Waiting, why wouldn't they?
"Ramza, this is reaching a peculiar point of ridiculous, this coeurl-rat game we play. Wiegraf was a novice in the subject of demons, but you do are aware of which high risks you run by toying with us so." the silver-haired noble hissed softly.
"Still you cannot fathom it that I am willing to take these risks for my sister? For Ivalice?" Ramza gestured at his loyal friends. Ganelon's expression was twisted almost unrecognizeable with anger.
"We beat you once," Rapha pumped her fists, "So we can do it again."
Elmdore seemed to frown at Marach's sight, aware the boy had been dead before, wondering how he stood here now. "That you brought down Queklain, Velius and Rofocale is no much reason so feel at such peace."
We never heard of this Rofocale, nor killed three Lucavi... what does he talk of?
They were interrupted as a burst of purple shadows exploded onto the marquis, making him groan with the pain, the burst having also expanded to damage his inhume bodyguards.
"Confident, huh?" Marach slid a tongue across his lips, delighted at the easy prey for his Nether Mantra. He was thankful Elmdore had killed Barrington, but it did not mean he wasn't going to fight with full force.
"Celia. Lettie." the silver-haired man whispered, and not a second later said bodyguards were attacking back.
Inhume strength was met with equally merciless swipes, shots and slashes. Of experience in battles to the death, they were full of.
"I see the mage is no longer with you," Elmdore teased, swinging his sword; Ramza was quick enough to make it meet his shoulder pad, thus avoiding harmful damage.
"He died honorably," the mercenary tried to deal out a hit of his own, teeth gritting. "unlike you accursed plotters."
Tough as the curse-doers might be, there were more on the Beoulve's side, and they feared another shot from Mustadio or Balthier could end any of the three.
Elmdore laughed a bit, wiping the blood that slid down the corner of his mouth. "You insist too much. It is highly... unwise..."
They knew well where this was going when the marquis pulled out a dark stone from his garments, feeling it vibrate in anticipation. This time Ramza attempted to avoid the transformation, throwing a dagger at the man's rising hand, but the Zodiac Stone's power shielded him.
Purple light flashed and shone across the room, enveloping the silver-haired man whole. Unlike with Wiegraf, there was complete harmony in it; even as they easily saw how Elmdore's hands grew and became clawed and purple, how his hair disappeared, how wings sprouted rather bloodily from his increasingly hunching back.
The sight was quickly becoming more horrifying than Velius had been.
Luso cringed as the atmosphere grew dreadful. Elmdore's teeth became sharp and crooked, his eyes blackened whole, his legs bent at an odd angle, ripped clothes piling on the floor.
The bodyguards turned demons in the blink of an eye; differently from the marquis and the Lucavi, the women and the demons were one and the same.
As soon as the transformation was complete, the ambient's light dimmed, darkening as if night had befallen them.
"I am Zarilaa." It felt like terror had suddenly risen.
Ooh. I sense... delicious fear. The same wicked voice cackled.
Why couldn't this Lucavi be more normal? Velius was a rugged ram with many muscles and height to talk of, but this bony, skeletic horror seemed to arise from Luso's nightmares.
"Worry not yourselves... for death is my affinity." Zarelaa's thin and elonged arms rose high in the air, fingers tapping, curling and uncurling in a manner so creepy it should be unlawful.
The Game Hunter felt the skeletic being's dreary gaze upon him, barely knocking the breath from his lungs with that alone. He aims for me. Why wouldn't he? His legs felt the familiar shivers, unconsciously pressing themselves closer together, body tingling confusedly with whether to remain frozen or run off immediately.
Offering an ugly grin with undesirable teeth, the Lucavi was more than satisfied to see he would get his first kill without even truly trying.
"Luso! Run! NOW!" Ramza screamed atop his lungs, pleading, commanding- he did not want to lose another friend.