Tales of Vesperia: Courting Hardships
Chapter 4: Deep In Thieves Territory - Part 1
Yuri and the others sat together at the inn, speaking with the man Rita and Karol said would help find the hideout of the Purple Lightning thieves. He was a simple young man with gray colored hair tied back in a small ponytail behind his head.
"I understand you were once a member of the gang of thieves known as Purple Lightning. Is that correct?" Flynn asked. The man nodded, sadly wishing it wasn't true.
"So...why aren't you with them anymore? Did something happen?" Yuri asked. The man looked on at Yuri.
"Let's just say...my brother and I had some different views on what to do with the group. And...actually, we WEREN'T really a gang of thieves when I was in it. We were more like a guild trying to make a living. But with the kind of recruits we kept getting, my brother tried to use them more as a way to make riches." he said. Yuri and Flynn sighed.
"Sounds like a penny pinching grub worm managed to become the big cheese. Let me guess. He's their boss now, right?" Raven asked. The man nodded, saying that he really caused a big deal in Dahngrest too, getting their guild banned from ever stepping foot there again.
"Do you know where they are now? A friend of ours really needs our help. She's been kidnapped by them and we have to find her as soon as possible." Judith asked. The man sighed.
"I heard from your friends. She's Princess Estellise of Zaphias, correct? I was afraid my brother would try something stupid sooner or later." he said. Yuri thought back, imagining the hooded thief he met in the palace.
"What does your brother really want with Estelle? Is he just in it for a quick buck?" Yuri asked.
"Possibly. He might be planning to sell her off to Zaphias as a hostage...OR he could very well turn her over to another guild that still holds lingering feelings against the capital. My brother will do ANYTHING." he said. Yuri groaned, wishing again that he was with Estelle.
"We're going to the hideout to save Estelle. If you can help, all we're asking you to do is to show us the way. Can you do that?" Karol asked. The man looked on at Yuri and his friends, pausing for a moment to ask what Estelle means to them.
"What does Estelle mean to us? That's gotta be the crappiest question we ever got asked." Rita said.
"Estelle's a dear friend to all of us...not to mention my wife. She's going to have a baby soon and I promised to be at her side. I have to get her back...no matter what. And we all are in this together. Because Estelle's one of us." Yuri explained. The others quietly nodded as the man looked on. He sighed with a grin and faced Yuri.
"All right. I'll show you where Purple Lightning is hiding out." he said. Yuri and the others smiled, glad to see they got the help they wanted. But just then, there was a knock nearby and they turned around, seeing Clint, Nan and Tyson.
"Huh? The Hunting Blades?" Yuri asked. Clint huffed as Tyson approached them.
"Hey there. We couldn't help overhearing you twerps saying that you were gonna go take on the Purple Lightning gang. Heh. We want IN!" Tyson sneered. Karol seemed really surprised, asking what had happened with them. Nan walked over and glared down at Karol, sitting in his seat.
"A couple of days ago, those underhanded little crooks had the NERVE to raid our hideout and make off with half of our treasures! The boss was not too happy about it. So hearing that you guys are going after them sounds like the perfect chance for US to get some payback." Nan explained. Yuri glanced at Clint, seeing the large man giving a nod. Yuri grinned.
"Well, at this point, we could use the help. You guys can have your little "vengeance"...but WE are getting Estelle back." Yuri said. The Hunting Blades nodded, offering their assistance this one time.
~ Tales of Vesperia ~
Back in her cell, Estelle was still seen talking to the little girl. They had talked for what seemed like hours, getting to know one another as they did.
"Wow Giselle. So that's why..." Estelle said. Giselle nodded.
"Yeah. I mean...I appreciate the boss for taking me in after my home was torn up from that monster raid. But...I'm not really into all the stuff this group is into. I guess its hard to have a choice when you lose your parents." Giselle said. Estelle slowly reached out from behind her cell bars, lightly touching Giselle.
"You CAN have a choice. Please. If you'll help me escape, I...I'll find you a wonderful new home in Zaphias. I PROMISE." Estelle said. Giselle lightly gasped.
"Wh-Wh-What? You can? B-B-B-But...what about my boss? Its a definite law that no one, and I mean NO ONE, is allowed to leave the gang once joining. If he finds out I'm helping his prized catch escape, he..." Giselle said. But she looked into Estelle's eyes, seeing a firm gaze in them.
"My friends and I will help you. Surely you've heard of Brave Vesperia, the guild that helped save the world from the Adephagos? We can help you. Once we meet up with them again, your boss won't be able to do a THING to you." she said. Giselle lightly gasped.
"Your friends...are Brave Vesperia?" Giselle asked, remembering the fight she had with Karol at the castle. Meanwhile, outside of a large cave in a rocky hillside, Yuri and the others were stationed behind a group of boulders, spotting two robed wearing figures at the gate.
"Okay. That must be the place. Estelle's got to be in there." Yuri said. Sodia peeked her head out from around the boulder, trying to figure out a way past the guards.
"Now...the question is how do we get in?" Flynn asked. Rita glanced at Sodia.
"I have a BIGGER question. Why is SHE helping us? Didn't she not like Yuri or something?" Rita asked. Sodia turned to Rita and huffed.
"Yuri is now Princess Estellise's husband. And...as much as I wish I could still keep him and my captain apart...I fear I must help him this time." Sodia said. Unfortunately, her words caught Flynn's ears as she looked at him and gawked. But suddenly, Clint rose up from the back and drew his sword.
"Boss?" Nan asked. Clint huffed.
"We don't need some PLAN to get in. Let's just trash the place. That ought to make things EVEN with those goons." Clint said. Tyson sneered, cracking his knuckles as he took his place at Clint's side.
"Heh. Just what I was thinking." Tyson said. The two boys stormed out in front of the hiding place, quickly making themselves known to the guards out front. But one look at Clint made them gasp from fright.
"Holy cow! Its that king sized guy from the Hunting Blades! But...But how'd he find us?" one exclaimed. Tyson and Clint came charging at them, letting out a loud roar before smashing them down and charging through the doorway. Yuri and the others emerged and tailed after them.
"Well, THEY sure know how to make an entrance!" Raven shouted. Flynn and Sodia watched the guards laying unconscious on the ground as they came charging inside. Once in, they found the cave lined with lit torches.
"This is it guys! We're not leaving without Estelle! Now let's move out!" Yuri shouted. Everyone nodded as they ventured deeper and deeper into the thieves hideout. Up ahead of them, they saw the tunnel let out into another section of the lair. But once they arrived, they gasped in shock to see their hideout was really a underground set of ruins deep under the ground of Hyponia.
"In...Incredible! There's a whole set of ruins down here!" Rita exclaimed, hearing her voice echo. Nan looked around them, finding themselves on a ledge with only a long flight of stone stairs leading them to the ground level.
"Wonder how in the world these guys managed to unearth an entire underground place like THIS." Raven said. Karol assumed they had some sort of help from Ruins' Gate when Yeager was calling the shots. Rita suddenly started racing down the stairs, wanting to get a better look at the ruins. But as her friends hurried to chase after her, once they reached the ground floor, they found themselves detected by a whole horde of the thieves.
"Oh crap." Yuri muttered.
~ Tales of Vesperia ~
"HEY! Who let those guys in here?" one shouted.
"Its those punks from Zaphias! Get 'em!" another exclaimed. Yuri groaned and drew his sword as the thieves came on the charge. Everyone drew their weapons and came charging into battle as Rita was seen rushing off on her own, examining the ruins up close and personal.
"Interesting. These ruins look like they date as far back as the Geriaos civilization! I wonder if there might be any of their ancient technology laying around. But no doubt those rats got to it first." Rita said. Behind her, Yuri was struggling against an armed thief before kicking him away.
"Uhh...Rita! How about some help?" Yuri shouted. Another was seen drawing an axe, coming on the charge for Rita. But without a word, her magic circle surrounded her feet as Rita turned and fired a fireball directly at him. The blast sent the thief flying backwards and crashing into several others. Nan was on the charge with Karol at her side.
"Hey Karol! Feel like a little tag team work?" Nan asked "We haven't been like this since you were in the guild!" Karol chuckled, welcoming the chance. The thieves yelled as they charged for the two. But Nan quickly spun around in a twisting tornado fashion, slashing at each one with her boomerang. Karol then followed up with a clockwise blow to their heads.
"Give Estelle back!" Karol cried. Flynn was shielding himself from a thief pounding away at him with twin swords. He groaned with each hit, slowly feeling like his legs were gonna give out. But Sodia came charging in and slashed the thief down her sword.
"No one lays a hand on my captain!" Sodia cried, charging off again. Judith was seen wrangling four thieves together with her spear as Raven was firing off arrows against all charging opponents.
"Wee! Ha ha! This is the most fun I've had in a long time!" Raven laughed. Yuri groaned and shoved away another one of the thieves before turning and slashing down another. Once he was thrown to the floor, he stomped down on his chest and pointed his sword to his face.
"Talk! Where are you guys keeping Estelle?" Yuri shouted. The thief cowered for a moment at the sight of Yuri's blade before pointing off in another direction. Yuri looked to see another set of stairs, this time made from poorly constructed wood, leading to another chamber.
"Over there. Just...t-t-take that route and you'll be at the cells." he said. Yuri huffed and suddenly went darting off with Repede close behind. Patty watched as Yuri raced off, stomping down on a defeated thief.
"Yuri...be careful." Patty thought. Meanwhile, down a different hallway, Giselle and Estelle were seen rushing together, holding onto each other's hands as Estelle held her other on her stomach.
"Oh man. I cannot believe I am DOING this. But...this lady...something just felt...right about helping her. Why?" Giselle thought, looking back at Estelle.
TO BE CONTINUED...