WARNING: You must be a REAL fan of T.O.L or nothing will mean shit!
Kerines: Rise of Salvation
by: bloodysword99
The Talk After Dinner
Panic swept through the team when they read the letters at their door steps. A letter from Moses. And despite his eligible barbaric writing, they understood it well when it came to these kinds of messages; message of goodbye. Even though Moses wrote he would be back as soon he could, they doubted his journey would be safe or even survive it without their help.
"That stupid stupid stupid bandit!" Jay threw a tantrum at the Raynard household where everyone had gathered including Csaba and The Bantam Bouncers.
"I can't believe Red would just leave like that." Norma said while holding onto the letter Moses gave.
"But even so, Moses must have a good reason for doing this." Chloe pondered on her words.
"Good reason or not, he just can't run up and leave without giving a proper goodbye. He's not that type of person." Will spoke as he read the letter once more.
"Does Moses usually leave notes when he leaves?" Curtis asked in a smooth macho manner to Csaba.
"No. He tells us when he's leaving. This hasn't happened before." The green haired bandit replied.
All of them were lost, confused and beyond pissed, why would Moses leave so suddenly without even giving them a valid reason?
"Aren't you guys over-thinking this?" Senel asked.
All of them turned to the alliance marine like he was a dead man.
"W-Well, he said he'll be back, right? And Moses is capable of taking care of himself. You have to trust him just a little." The Marine did have a point. The bandit chief was no weakling despite his stupidity. And besides, Moses has been alone before.
"If that idiot wants to be alone, then, fine! I have better things to do." As Jay was about exit, Pippo entered the room with his harp and bubbly personality.
"Ready to go Jay?" The otter asked and Jay merely grumbled before crumpling the letter.
Pippo looked at the frustrated ninja and the team's upset faces. Maybe, some information would lighten the mood.
"Moses will be back soon! I know it. He and little companion looked really in hurry to leave though."
Their faces lightened up, alright. They all looked curious and a little hint fright especially Jay who showed more fear then confusion.
"Did this 'little companion' wore red clothes, had tanned skin, red hair and auburn eyes?" Jay described and Pippo nodded.
"Yes. I think Moses called him Blaze."
A cold shivering feeling crawled up their skin. They recalled the deadly assassin child who appeared the other day. It was like meeting death and the team had their fair share of deathly experiences.
"Now, that's something to be worried about." Senel muttered.
"Hello, Moses, I have heard great things from my daughter."
The chieftain smiled down to the bandit from her black metallic throne. And Moses doesn't even know how to react! She was so enchanting and had such a superior aura about her. So, the bandit got on one knee and bowed his head as a sign of respect.
"T-Thank you Chieftain!"
The chief laughed softy.
"Your courtesy is greatly appreciated. Please rise. No formality."
Moses rose awkwardly and faces the smiling Chieftess.
"I am Sehrita Veslyes, Lightning Tail, Kerines leader of the Fallen Lands."
"I'm Moses Sandor…um Bandit Chief."
She smiled at him once more.
"Chieftess Sehrita…" Moses spoke.
"Please, call me 'Rita'" She corrected.
"Chieftess Rita, I…wanna learn your ways, the Kerines ways. I-I don't really know where I'm going here. I just wanna give it shot and…"
But Rita already raised her hand gracefully to stop him.
"Say no more, a kerines is always welcome to learn their roots."
She rose from her seat and walked towards them. Rita was smaller than Moses had originally thought. Rita was a few inches shorter than him.
"We shall discuss this further at dinner." Rita explained.
And with a nod to the hunters, they escorted Moses to his room. Blaze went with him but Sprite stayed with Chief Rita to discuss about Moses' arrival.
"Your room, brother." The huntress pointed at a wooden door at the end of the mineral embedded hall.
"Thanks." Moses grinned before he went in with Blaze.
And the room was luxurious! Fit for a bandit king! Fur pelt on a 4 pillared bed. Kerines antics and old weapon displays. Strange yet delicious fruits and wine on a low table. Chests and closets filled with fine attires and hunters garbs. Papers, quill and ink on a study table at a corner. Pure gold utensils and goblets. This was heaven!
"Dang, Blaze! Do ya see this? It's awesome!" Moses sounded like a child for a second and Blaze curved a small comical smile.
When Moses was flopping on the soft pelts of his bed, the little assassin went to the closets and pulled out a red and white outfit that looked like Ferines fashion.
"Is that for me?" Moses asked seeing the clothes.
Blaze nodded.
As he got finished getting dressed, the little assassin presented him with a comb and pointed at the bandit's hair. Moses had to admit his hair wasn't fit for a dinner with the lovely chieftess. But before he could, Blaze pointed at his eye patch and gave a gesture to remove it.
"This? I can't remove it. I have a…scar." He muttered weakly.
"Scars don't matter in the Chieftess' eyes." Blaze spoke.
It shocked Moses how he spoke. He almost forgot the boy could actually speak.
"Alright. Alright." Moses gave up and untied his eye patch.
Letting his hair fall on his face, he felt strange. Most of his life, he kept his hair up with the eye patch and covered the scar with it. But he did look more presentable.
"Moses, are you ready?" Sprite popped his head through the opened door and gasped.
"You look so handsome! Fit for a Kerines!" She said.
Soon, after doing finishing touches, Sprite, Blaze, and Moses walked to the dining area.
But they stopped at the hallway when a Huntress was waiting for them. This huntress was no common guard at all. Her red hair was pulled back into a pony and red eyes were cold and hard. Her tanned skin decorated in war paint and her clothes were like nothing but a leather bikini with some metal equipment straps, arrow quivers and a black bow. She was beautiful Moses admits but her hard stare and thick exterior made it hard to see past it.
"Welcome to the village, brother. You shall be a great addition to the hunters." Her voice was feminine and deep. Stern and hard like a whip. She sounded too commanding.
"Sister please, don't force him. He is still learning our culture." Sprite said with her eyebrows meeting.
"He's a Kerines, is he not? Then as a Kerines, he most abides by our ways." The huntress replied to the little child as if Sprite wasn't the chief's daughter at all.
"Now, wait just a minute, ya don't talk to her like that. And I make my own decisions." Moses raised his voice yet the huntress was not fazed.
"Be sure you make the right one…Moses Sandor." She said in a dangerous tone before walking past them.
"What was that about? Who does she think she is!?" The bandit burst when she was out sight.
Sprite looked sad at the moment and Blaze stood their emotionless. Was there something he doesn't know?
"That's Ember Senpel, Ruler of Violence. Head Huntress of the Kerines."
Moses' eye widens. So that was the Head Huntress? So she was like captain of the guards? It was no surprise she did look scary and authoritative.
"And…my older sister."
Oh her sister?
Sister…?
"Yer sister?" The bandit gawked.
So that meant…
"She is the eldest daughter of the Chieftain and next in line for the throne." Sprite replied.
Was there any more surprises?
"You sure they went in here?" Jay asked Pippo once more time in front of the Lighthouse.
The team were ready to rescue or find Moses and maybe, possibly, beat the shit out of him for leaving all of sudden. Csaba decided to stay with the boys until they return with Moses but he instructed them to leave him some of him so he can beat the crap out of the bandit chief as well.
"I'm certain!" Pippo said.
"Let's go get Red!" Norma cheered and they all went into the Lighthouse.
They dinned in a long, REALLY long table fit for at least 20 people. It turns out the Chief would host dinners for the whole Village every once in a while. The people would get to have fun and eat with Chief and her daughters. It's like a family tradition, the chief explains. If the seats were not enough, they would put out more tables and chairs. It sounded like fun. And it happened more often not like the Mainland snobby nobles parties. In this hall, there was no rich or poor, High class or low class, it's a family. And Rita was a humble leader to the Kerines and not a high and mighty dictator.
"Moses, tell me about yourself." Chieftess Rita asked kindly as she was seated at the end of the table. Her youngest offspring, Sprite, was on her left. The Head Huntress and stuck-up daughter, Ember, sat on her right. Blaze sat next to Sprite and Moses was next to Blaze.
Another huntress sat next to Ember, her second in command and best friend, Amazon Uresyen, meaning Life Holder. She looked a lot kinder than Ember. She wore a sexier wild bikini and had green war paint on her slender neck. Her hair was braided, dark red, almost black. And her eyes were blood red. She constantly spreads grins and laughter.
"Well, I was born on the Mainland, raised in a beast tamer tribe and when I got older I left the tribe with a Grand Galf."
Their eyes were on the bandit, impressed. Even Ember seemed interested in Moses' life despite her foul attitude towards him.
"Me and my boys had a heap of adventure. And I got into trouble most of them. But what really takes the cake when I came to the Legacy! Battles Vaclav's goons and battle Nerifes and all that crap."
"You fought General Vaclav of the Crusand Empire and battled Nerifes!? The group who defeated the Will of the Sea? That was you?" Amazon looked astounded.
"Hell yeah! Me and the team kicked its blue ass back into the ocean!"
The chieftess laughed at his enthusiasm and Moses felt embarrassed using that kind of language in front of the Kerines leader.
"Uh, sorry for the language." He said.
"Oh no, no, Moses, it's actually very interesting. I haven't heard a good cuss in a while."
Laughter filled the hall as dinner went on. The food was freshly hunted by Ember and her hunters. As they feasted, Moses shared stories about his life and the Legacy. Sprite was at the edge of her seat. And Blaze actually showed some emotion on the dinner table. Moses was even on good terms with Ember sharing spear techniques and fighting patterns. Chief Rita gave her side of fighting as well. Amazon and Moses got along like brother and sister.
"Thank you for this, Moses, you are a joy." The chief complemented.
"I should be thankin' ya. Ya feed me and welcomed me so warmly." Moses replied shyly.
"His lessons, mom, don't forget!" Sprite reminded the mother.
"Lessons?" The bandit asked.
"Ah yes, I forgot." Rita cleared her throat and continued.
"Moses, please, walk with me." She offered and the bandit accepted.
The castle wasn't rock, ore and ebony as it is from the outside. It actually had a sensual garden within the compound. Despite the hot climate of the place, it still had flowers growing. Wild plants sprout in all shapes and colors. Flowers were lush and full of life. A paradise.
"Moses, what do you hope to gain from this?" The chieftess started.
"Um, what?" He reacted and felt a bit offended.
"From what I hear from my daughter, your stay is…subjective, correct?"
Well, Moses couldn't deny that. He doesn't have clear reason to be here. It happened so fast. He was Orerines living a happy life on the Legacy, the next thing he knew he's been having nightmares about Kerines folk being slaughtered and a little girl telling about his secret heritage. It was all so sudden.
"Don't get me wrong, Moses. You are a Kerines and you have every right to be here and learn. But my only concern is; are you doing this for the right reasons?" The chief's words were wise.
And Moses ran through his hair, thinking of what reasons does he possibly have being here. In honesty, he doesn't have one.
"What drives you to pursue your heritage? Many others, many Kerines, just like you, who were born and raised on the surface world as an Orerines, had known or discovered their bloodline, the Kerines blood. Most of them have turned their back on their past. Abandoned their heritage. Be ignorant to their blood and continue on with their lives as if they never knew. But you, Moses…Have not done this. In fact, you sought us out and want to learn about your roots. Why?"
She didn't mean to sound offensive. But given her perspective as a leader, she had every right to ask. Moses doesn't what he getting himself into. The chieftess is just reassuring him of his decision.
"Ya might not see it, chieftess, but I…want to be a part of this."
Her eyes were soft yet determined when Moses continued.
"Being a Kerines might be a blur to me, but, I feel like…I have to be here. I owe this much, don't I? I…I've…"
Images of crying Kerines being slaughtered flashed through his eyes. His nightmares…
"I'm all about family, Chieftess. Now, I've discovered a new one. The least I could do is understand them…"
His answer might not be exact but it was enough to make the Rita smile.
"I understand, Moses. Family is very important to me as well." She drifted off to the rose garden, picked up a rose and handed it to the bandit.
"I see myself as mother to my people. I am no queen, not above the rest. I am simply a person that cares for her kin. And I shall see to it that all Kerines, born of mixed blood or raised on the surface world, will get a chance."
Moses smiled at the approval of the chieftess. As he stared at the lush dessert rose, the leader spoke.
"You shall start your lessons as Kerines tomorrow but for now rest."
CHARACTER PROFILE!
(Princess) Maiden Sprite IrelKes- White Fire
-A little bundle of joy, Sprite. She is like any other child. Eager. Full of life. Flamboyant. Rambunctious. And acts like a spoiled funny little princess at times. But despite her young age, she acts beyond her years when it comes to the Kerines teachings and Gerises, golden goddess. She acts as a patron of the temple of the goddess and preaches about the ancient kind ways. She is the lingering spiritual hope of the Kerines until the great savior returns, the Ureskel.
Youngest of the royal family. She is the energetic one of the bunch. And eager to serve her people. Since she is the teacher of the spiritual ways, she is not ignorant of the cruelty of the Orerines and Ferines in the past. So, she fears other races rather than hate.
She teaches Moses the religion and prayers of the goddess. And for Moses to learn, Kerines are not just savages. Kerines are spiritual free lancers.
(Guardian) Blaze JelNes- Sharp one
-Blaze is young little tyke just a year older than Sprite. He is a strange, smart and clever boy. Train in the art of stealth and protection. He serves the royal family as a quiet guardian of the palace and princesses. Usually found the shadows skulking. With a knife in his hand, he can slit a man's throat before they can notice. Blaze is a lot like Jay in his way of skills. But he does not speak so often. And does not hesitate to kill. Usually sleeps in rafters or high places in the palace. He claimed he likes being near danger. Keeps him on his feet.
No past could explain how he became an assassin of the royal family. He was an orphan of the mainland. Found by Amazon UresYen while travelling to the Legacy in search of Kerines sanctuary. She caught the boy killing thieves who stole his favorite flan cake. No one left alive. No mercy. Just swift soundless throat cutting. Amazon then adopts him as a little brother and both searched for the Kerines Sanctuary. She named him 'Jelnes', because of his Sharp killings and wit.
Has this huge crush on Maiden Sprite. He does not like to talk about it.