The walk from Gariland to Mandalia Plains wasn't long. It didn't take much longer than an hour. They'd waited a day before they headed out. The plains were in sight now.
"So, what do you think your brothers will say to you? You haven't seen them in a long time…not since…well for a long time." Delita casually asked Ramza. Delita had always evaded talking about Balbanes's death. He knew it had tore Ramza in two. Ramza, even though it was only months before, was surprisingly okay.
"I have no idea. I have feeling that they won't be as happy to see me as I am they. Alma will be there though." Ramza replied.
"Yeah, how old is she now?"
"She's fifteen now, same as Teta. You know, Teta will probably be there too." Ramza said. He knew that Delita loved his sister's company. He treasured it too. His parents had died from the Black Plague and Teta was all that Delita had for family. He was very protective of her.
"I hope so. I haven't seen her in…a month. It really has been a month. That's too long. I should have made more visits and…" Delita started in on himself.
"Don't beat yourself up. She'll be so happy to see you she will forget what a jerk you are." Ramza said, kidding with him. They both laughed at this. It seemed that it would be a pleasant walk to Igros. They would enjoy each other's conversation and company. Ramza never noticed that he'd taken for granted what he and Delita had. It was special. Never in his life would he have a friend that was as close to him as Delita.
The pleasant scene ended quickly. They'd begun to walk the plains when the came across some thieves. It was quite easy to tell that they were with the Death Corps. Sworn enemy to nobles and respected knights alike. They were the people left jobless from the king's inability to rule his kingdom correctly. The nobles, most of them anyway, supported the crown during that time.
"What the hell, is that guy dead?" Ramza said. There was a shorthaired blonde boy, about Ramza's age, lying on the ground beat up pretty badly. The thieves surrounded him. Although they hadn't been detected yet, Ramza, Delita and the other cadets were close enough to hear the thieves talking.
"Still breathing. What'll we do?" Asked one of them, taunting his victim.
"Don't be stupid. We just need to get the Marquis." Said another, warning that they need not waste time with a kid.
"Right." He said. Then to the boy, "Don't blame us. Blame fate." He said drawing the dagger.
"What? Damn! The Hokuten Knights!" The other thief shouted in warning. The other thieves reacted and drew their weapons. Ramza and his team did the same.
"Death Corps? Are they attacking someone?" Delita thought aloud to himself.
"Our duty is to destroy the Death Corps. Get them!" Ramza shouted.
"Are you mad, Ramza? Leaving him stranded!?" Delita looked shocked.
"Is this how you fight?" Ramza taunted.
"…Fine, I'll save him." Delita huffed and drew his sword.
"Reinforcements? Thank God!" Shouted the boy picked up his sword from the thieves' feet. He immediately began to attack.
Ramza went for his crossbow. He held his sword in his right hand the crossbow in the left. Running for the carnage to destroy the Death Corps Ramza took aim and fired the bolt. It pierced a thief's arm. He shuddered in pain. Ramza realized that by rushing he was now in the same position as the other boy. He knew if he weren't careful, he'd soon be dead. There were two of them attacking at once. Ramza couldn't react in time. The countered one and the others dagger slashed his side. He gritted his teeth and struck the thief holding the dagger. The other stabbed at him with near success. Ramza tripped over a root and looked at the two standing over him.
Kyle, one of the Archers on his team, fired an arrow that plunged one's heart. He fell to the ground. The other one seemed shocked. He stood motionless. This gave Ramza time to get to his feet. He jolted up and brought his sword to the thief's shoulder. In pain and fear he cried out. He dropped his weapon and ran. The rest of the thieves followed his example and turned to run.
Delita rushed to the side of the wounded boy.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"Yeah, thanks to you guys." He said. Using a chemist's magical potion he drank it and all of his wounds were healed. He stood to his feet.
"I'm Algus of the Limberry Aegis Knights…" He said pointing to himself.
"A knight…?" Asked Delita in disbelief.
"…I mean, a cadet…like you all." He responded.
"I'm Ramza Beoulve. This is Delita, a good friend." Ramza said introducing the two.
"Beoulve? Of the Hokuten? Excellent! How lucky I am!" Algus was excited. Ramza was puzzled. Were the Beoulves really that famous?
"I beg you, please help me save the Marquis!" Algus pleaded.
"What are you talking about?" Delita frowned.
"The Marquis is still alive! They've kidnapped him! He will be killed, if we don't act fast! I don't know what I would do if…so please! Help me! Please!" He grabbed Ramza's arms and pleaded.
"Relax. We don't know for sure if he'll be killed. There must be some reason for the Death Corps to take him. They might have some demands." Delita said.
"Besides, there's nothing we can do. The Marquis was kidnapped, and I'm sure by now everyone at Igros Castle is up in arms." Ramza added.
"First we should go to Igros and report." Delita said.
"Alright. Let's do that." Algus said. They began to walk immediately after that. Algus cleaned himself up a bit in a nearby stream. He was quite a bit blood stained. He was a skinny, scrawny boy now that Ramza had a closer look at him. He especially looked it with no shirt on. He was skinny except for his arms. His biceps were large. He looked as if he'd worked at it too.
"Are you ready yet?" Ramza asked him.
"Yeah, sure." He responded as he put his shirt back on.
"So, what do you do. What kind of weapon do you use?" Ramza asked him.
"Well, I am an Archer. I have practiced archery for quite some time. I only studied swordplay because it is required. I'm a mean shot with a crossbow though. How bout you?" Algus asked.
"Me, oh I'm majoring in swordplay. I take archer and magic skills on the side though." Ramza responded.
"What about you…Delita right?" Algus asked.
"Well, I'm majoring in sword play, took a bit of archery, lots of magic, but I want to be a Holy Knight." Delita responded.
"Well, that's nice. I took chemistry too. Chemistry is a lot of fun. And, the potions that I can whip up will be really helpful I tell you. I'm the best chemist in the land!" Algus boasted. Ramza didn't like boastful people but Algus didn't seem to be serious.
As they came to a small inn they stopped and rested for a while in the bar.
"Do you want something to drink?" The bar-master asked Ramza.
"Milk please." Ramza said removing his wallet.
"Milk? Never had anyone in my life order milk! I like your kind. You remind me an awful lot of Balbanes Beoulve with that pony-tail of yours." The bartender said. Ramza smiled stroking his hair.
"Balbanes was my father." Said Ramza proudly.
"Well I'll be damned! Which one are you, certainly not Lord Dycedarg. Are you Zalbag Beoulve, the great Arc Knight?" Ramza smiled again.
"No, I'm his youngest son, Ramza." He responded.
"Oh…yeah you are a little too young to be Zalbag." After that the bar-master lost interest and handed Ramza his milk. It appears his name could gain him only limited attention. You had to be some sort of war hero to be remembered.
They stayed for maybe an hour, then Ramza rounded everyone up.
"Okay, gang! Let's go!" He said. And they all left the inn and again pursued Igros Castle. There weren't but four miles away now, it wasn't so far. Ramza almost couldn't wait to get there. It was everything he could do to keep from running.
"What's your hurry, Ramza?" Algus asked.
"It's been a month since I've been home. I'm just excited." Ramza responded.
"Oh I know what that is like." Algus said patting him on the shoulder. Ramza could see Igros Castle's high tower already. He was too excited to keep going at such a steady pace.
"What do you say we run the rest of the way!?" Ramza asked. They all seemed to be enthused to get to Igros. Many of his group was from Igros originally. They would want to see their families. So they ran most of the way, it was just a bit too far to run the rest of the way. But, they were very close.
After letting his group go on a visitation leave, Ramza, Algus and Delita were all that remained in his group. Ramza ran past them, flew in to the doors.
"Brother! Alma! I'm home!" He shouted and his voice echoed through the halls.