Chapter Nine: Unification Day
Everyone was already at their duty stations by ten forty-five that morning. Biggs and Fei were seated in one of tents on the tournament grounds with several other competitors. There was a variety of people in the tent. Some were growing increasingly nervous, others were praying as if they were about to go to war, and others seemed perfectly confident about the whole thing. The strangest of the competitors had seemed to be staring at Fei ever since he had arrived.
A white mask with a fixed smile and the hood of his long blue cloak shrouded the man's face. "Happy Unification Day, lad," said the man coolly. Fei looked at him confused. That mask resembled a fish's head. Where did he hear about these features before?
"Who are you?
"That's a rude thing to ask someone," the cloaked man stated, yet the smile on his mask seeming amused. "However, I am called Wiseman. I'm a wandering warrior… a martial artist like yourself."
"I am too, I guess."
"You are no warrior." Wiseman's blunt declaration surprised Fei. He also took note of how the smile on Wiseman's mask always matched his mood, or so it appeared. "You may have fought battles and won, but winning fights has nothing to do with being a true warrior. If you do indeed face me today, you will find that strength and skill alone will not be enough to defeat me."
The tent opened at exactly eleven and a guardsman announced, "The ceremonies are about to begin. All competitors report to the ring immediately." The competitors in the tent followed the guardsman in single file to the ring where five hundred cheering spectators were seated. News reporters were each giving their commentary on the events. A pudgy man in a tuxedo stood in the center of the ring. Standing outside it was a no-nonsense looking referee.
Once all the fighters were in the ring, the announcer began to address the crowd. Fei noticed that one of the competitors was a man with a star tattoo on his face who got a standing ovation from some of the spectators. Standing out amongst the competitors was Brad, the man who gave Citan and Fei a ride to Dazil. The demi-human smiled good-naturedly when he caught sight of Fei. "Welcome to the Unification Day dedication of Ninety-nine Ninety-nine! I'm your host, Charlie Veek. Please welcome the Supreme Commander of the Royal Armed Services; Field Marshal Daniel R. Aarons, and His Excellency the Honorable Prime Minister Hafez al-Shakhan!" Fei raised his eyes to the veranda overlooking the courtyard and two men and one woman made their way through the door. One was clad in a medal-decorated black uniform; this had to have been the Field Marshal. The red-clad man had to have been Shakhan, and Fei could see why much of Aveh held the Prime Minister in contempt. There was an arrogant and intimidating air about him, as if he was the embodiment of his autocratic puppet regime.
The woman wore a Gebler Gear pilot uniform very much like Elly's. She was young, but clearly important if she was taking a seat next to Shakhan on that balcony. She was very beautiful with short purple hair and matching eyes. Though unlike Elly or Alice who were beautiful in a way that was to be admired for its unsullied purity, this woman's beauty was cold and intimidating. Even from where Fei stood, everything about her seemed -there was no other word for it - artificial. It was like looking at a living, breathing life-sized doll and her approving smile as their eyes met did little to assuage Fei's feelings.
"We have prepared an incredible show for you today," said the host. "Some of the best performances this country has seen these many years. We will begin with the flag bearers' march under the direction of drill master Master Chief Jeremiah Khan, Royal Navy."
On cue, five squads of troops, each in full dress uniform marched upon the rooftop; one squad for each branch, Fei noted. Ground and Gear forces in black, Navy in white, Air Force in light blue, and Marines in dark blue. Each had one man carrying their branch's banner. The rest were executing drill techniques with ancient ceremonial rifles ."Order arms!" commanded the drill master, and the troops held their rifles at their sides. After everyone was at attention, one man from each branch helped carry a large folded flag to the pole on the roof. Around the pole were seven unlit torches representing the seven provinces. The flag featured a handsome crimson dragon flying east and a majestic blue dragon flying west over the ocean under the red and golden sunset with snow-capped mountains in the background. Once the flag was set to be raised, the host spoke again.
"Musical accompaniment and background for our performers today will be provided by the Bledavik Symphony Orchestra under the direction of their conductor, Robert Javadi." A stage had been constructed overnight large enough to hold a full orchestra of every category of instrument. The players made their way to the stage, each carrying their instruments except for those that were too heavy to be lifted by hand. The men were clad in tuxedos and the women in evening gowns. Once they were seated at their stands, the conductor climbed up the stage to a round of applause, making his way to his own stand on a raised platform facing the orchestra.
Once the applause died down, the host said, "Everyone please rise for the singing of the national anthem."
The spectators arose from their seats. The civilians stood up, placing their right hands over their hearts and the soldiers saluted as everybody turned their gazes to the flag flying over the palace like a flame. The orchestra began playing an introduction as the flag ascended the pole. The seven torches surrounding the flagpole erupted in a myriad of colors that Fei had never thought it possible for fire to possess. Shades of yellows, reds, oranges, and blues that gave the already beautiful banner a lifelike illumination as it completed its ascent. With their gazes fixed on their nation's flag, everyone sang:
"Land of freedom, land of glory;
Aveh, our glorious Fatherland!
Let us do thy good will truly,
To thee we pledge our hearts and hands!
Triumph over want and sorrow,
Can in brotherhood be won;
For we shall attain a 'morrow
When over Aveh blazes God's sun!
When over Aveh blazes God's sun!
The seven flames arose to the skies above, nearly to the height of the flag, sending a multitude of multi-colored sparks flying above the palace and spectators just as everyone sang the next verse.
May both love and peace inspire
Aveh, our glorious Fatherland!
Peace is all the world's desire,
Sons of Aveh, lend thy hand!
In brotherhood, united,
We shall crush the people's foe,
That no mother shall again
Mourn her child in woe!
Mourn her child in woe!
As the people Fei and everyone else moved on to the third and final verse, he took notice of how Shakhan was not even standing up, let alone singing with everyone else. The martial artist caught sight of Biggs from the side of his eye. The anthem was customarily sung with passion and pride, but this wasn't pride, this was barely suppressed rage directed towards the dictator. Wiseman also had his gaze on Shakhan, and for the first time that day, the smile on his mask was as blank as it was meant to be. He was clearly not amused by what he was seeing.
Let us vow to protect our nation,
To realize the dreams of Roni the King!
Of a strong and sovereign people,
A land of such glory did he bring!
From the peaks of the White Mountains,
To the shores of the South Sea;
Aveh, our glorious Fatherland,
The flames in our hearts shall ever burn for thee!
The flames in our hearts shall ever burn for thee!
The seven flames returned to their normal height, and the sparks disappeared as the anthem ended. Once everyone was seated, Shakhan arose from his throne to address the crowd."Greetings, people of Aveh!" he exclaimed, spreading out his arms. "Today we celebrate the five hundredth anniversary of the uniting of our glorious Motherland! But alas my fellow Avehans…" Biggs's eyes flashed at being called a "fellow Avehan" by the dictator. "Our courageous brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, and dear friends now risk their lives on the frontline to defend our beloved Fatherland. Our army is the best in the world, for our troops bear the might of the mountains, the seas, and deserts of our nation, and the might of the flames of perseverance and love of their friends, family, God, and country in their hearts!
"To protect Aveh's tradition and to preserve peace in the Fatherland, we all must have an unshaken resolve. Aveh is a precious treasure united by our forefathers, and on this day, we all must, as is stated in our national anthem, become one in brotherhood... only then shall peace reign in our land! We gather here today under the same sun that blazes over our fellow citizens on the front. The same wind which blows here, whisks our hopes and prayers over to the valiant men and women who answered their country's call and now serve on the front to protect us from the Kislevian swine whose only value is more land and more resourrces with no concern for human life.
"This tournament is held each year to raise our spirits and renew God's blessing that is Aveh; so, you warriors gathered here to compete: give it your all and do not shame our brethren on the front! Let the three hundred and thirty-eighth Unification Day tournament begin!"
There was a booming applause from the spectator area and the ring. Fei had to hand it to Shakhan, it was a pretty motivating speech. The competitors filed out of the ring to await their match announcements. "The first match," the announcer exclaimed, "Wiseman versus Samson!"
"Good luck," Fei whispered and the cloaked man nodded in gratitude.
"You too, Fei," he replied catching the younger man off guard. How did he know his name? He deliberately did not enter his real name! However, Wiseman was already in the ring with his opponent before Fei could inquire further. Then, a small figure with red hair caught his eye, making him gasp with shock. Standing in front of the ring, giving Fei a murderous glare was Dan, the younger brother of Alice.
Getting through the waterway was easy enough. Now it was time for the difficult task of infiltrating the palace and rescuing Margie without being detected. Fatima Castle had its own water treatment plant underground. The man supervising it was one Bart remembered from his youth. He was an elderly recluse with a temper as bad as his memory. As the rebel predicted, the old man was furious.
"Hey!" he shrieked as he hobbled to the spring. "What the hell are you doing in there? Get out! People drink from that, ya know?" Bart rolled his eye and climbed out of the water from a small ladder. The elderly man looked at him confused. "Hey, it's been years since you swam through here, kiddo. You young 'uns age so quickly."
"What are you blabbing about, gramps?" replied Bart, smirking. The prince had never done that in his life. "Even when I was a kid you'd ramble on about nothing." The caretaker recoiled indignantly at the younger man's remark.
"Why you insolent…" he snapped. "The only people I allowed to call me a rambler were the young prince and the late King!" A sad frown worked its way onto his ancient face. "Ah, what a fine leader the King was. Damn you, Shakhan! I will defend this city's water with my life, you bastard!"
"Thanks, gramps," replied Bart grinning. "Dad would be proud if he could hear you now." With that, the pirate leader climbed up the ladder to one of the gardens, leaving the confused old man behind.
Fei's first opponent was a man named Gonzalez. This man was twice his height and outweighed him vastly. The bell rang and the two competitors bowed to each other.
Gonzalez raised a fist and launched a clumsy right hook, which Fei easily deflected. The younger martial artist then countered with a swift jab to his opponent's unprotected forehead, staggering him. Fei then buried his knee into Gonzalez's solar plexus.
Fei's hulking opponent clutched his injured stomach but recovered in time to evade a clothesline from the younger man. The two men's gazes lingered for a moment and then the two competitors charged at one another. Gonzalez launched a jab at Fei who deftly caught his opponent's wrist in his hand. Then, in a swift movement, he knocked Gonzalez out cold with a spinning kick to the temple.
The bell rang as soon as Gonzalez slumped onto the canvas with a dull thud. The pudgy host reentered the ring and raised Fei's hand in the air. "Your winner, the Dragon Slaying Youth!" The audience cheered and whistled for Fei as paramedics hauled Gonzalez out of the ring. The guardsmen present were focused entirely on the fights. Fei wondered if Bart had gotten into the palace yet, and how many guards were still in there.
"That concludes the first round of the tournament," said the announcer. Raising a fist in the air, he said, "Let's have a round of applause for the victors and an equal amount of applause for the defeated." He then turned to Fei and the other forty-some remaining competitors, who were now outside the ring. Among them were Wiseman (who defeated his first opponent in a matter of seconds), Biggs, Dan, and the man with the start tattoo.
"Competitors, please wait outside your tents until further instructed," said Veek and they heeded his instructions.
"You fought well," Wiseman complimented approvingly. "You used your opponent's strength against him… an effective tactic I must say."
Fei chuckled shortly. "Yeah, but it was nothing compared to how you won. You'll be the toughest opponent I'll face if we do face each other."
Wiseman shook his head in disagreement. "No," he said bluntly. "The toughest opponent you'll ever face is yourself. If you know your weaknesses, then you'll know what your enemy will try to use against you. If you let him play to your weaknesses, then your enemy will have a very easy time controlling you." Fei said nothing in response. This Wiseman seemed like he knew everything there was to know about fighting. Fei also noted how he had said 'controlling' rather than 'defeating' and seemed to use the word 'enemy' to refer to a specific person rather than the enemy as a whole. How much did this man know?
The event that followed was a presentation of children from several primary and secondary schools singing and also performing group stunts, forming the number five hundred, and the Avehan crest among many other things. The orchestra played patriotic music throughout the duration of the event. "Look at that fat fuck," Biggs hissed disgustedly in Fei's ear, nodding towards Shakhan and he glanced up at the dictator who was sitting on the throne with a smug expression on his face. Biggs then muttered, "It's enough that he didn't stand up during the anthem and dared to refer to Aveh as the Fatherland when he doesn't even consider himself Avehan, but I can't believe he had the balls to even think of mentioning our soldiers as if he had served as one of them!"
"You would do well," interjected Wiseman, turning towards the communist rebel. "To keep your opinions to yourself while you're here, Biggs. You never know who is listening." Biggs's fists trembled in anger, but he said nothing in response to the cloaked warrior. He just stalked off muttering something where the words 'tyrant' and 'hang' were distinguishable.
At length, the children's performance ended and Veek the host said into the microphone. "The second round of the tournament is about to begin. Competitors; take your positions!" Once they were positioned around the ring, Veek proclaimed, "Big Joe versus the Dragon-Slaying Youth!" Big Joe was the man with the star tattoo.
Despite the enthusiasm Big Joe got from the crowd, he possessed no real skill in martial arts. It seemed as though he was just there to enhance his public image. He was apparently an actor some years ago who now just wanted to stay in the spotlight as long as possible. However, he was not knocked out like Gonzalez; another way to have won these matches was managing to throw the opponent out of the ring, or to make them submit, or if he or she was on the floor for ten seconds. In this match, Fei achieved the first of the three.
"Wiseman versus Highwind!" Veek announced enthusiastically as soon as Fei was back in line with the remaining competitors.
Having been away from the palace for twelve years, Bart had forgotten how big the place was. It was divided into three wings: the administrative wing, which housed the offices of the King (or Shakhan nowadays), the top advisors, the council of ministers, and many conference rooms. This was where all the running of the country took place. There was the state wing for hosting foreign guests and holding special ceremonies. This was the only wing where tourists were allowed to enter (though they could see certain areas of the administrative wing if granted permission). Then there was the residential wing, which of course housed the private quarters of those who lived in the palace.
If one wanted to get to the residential wing, they would have to pass through the heavily guarded administrative wing, which was under constant surveillance. Bart managed to pass the state wing undetected due to him donning the uniform of a guardsman he incapacitated in the courtyard. The guard in question was hidden behind a bush. He also took the guardsman's rifle, truncheon, and sidearm so as to not attract attention with his whips. The uniform of the palace guards consisted of a green shirt with body armor, and a face-covering helmet. Bart could only guess that Fei had everyone's attention, because it had already been almost two hours since the former got out of the waterway.
The administrative wing had the feel of an office building, as opposed to the luxurious state wing, save for the marble walls and floors and the huge crystal chandeliers. Walking through these corridors brought back many memories for the young rebel. He spent most of his time in the residential wing, but he would occasionally visit this area to see his dad or Maison - who was the chief political advisor to the King at the time - while they were working.
"Guardsman," said a voice from behind him. Bart gritted his teeth, feeling a combination of frustration and nervousness. He then turned to the source of the voice. The rebel had to keep his jaw from dropping at the sight of the man. It was a high-ranking General; the Supreme Commander of the military, and a man whom Bart had known from his childhood. His heart leapt at the sight of his middle-aged bespectacled godfather who had been like a brother to Bart's father.
"D - Sir," replied Bart, saluting and stopping himself from saying 'Danny'. Field Marshal Aarons looked at him sternly.
"Guardsman Christianson, what are you doing wandering around in here? Why aren't you at your duty station?"
"I was relieved of my post, sir," said Bart hoping that his act would fool the older man.
"By whom?" Aarons demanded. When Bart did not give an immediate answer, the Field Marshal scowled at him. "Anyway, instead of running around the palace like a tourist, you should be going home and enjoying Unification Day. If you see your CO, then tell him that I'd like a word with him."
"Yes, sir," answered Bart, saluting the Field Marshal once again, however he mistakenly executed the Ground Forces' version of the salute which was different from that of the State Guard's. Aarons spotted this immediately.
"Hold it!" he hissed, drawing his pistol, while Bart reached for his. He did not want to harm his godfather, but he would do so if forced to. "You're not a State Guard! That salute was way off! I wouldn't have believed a burglar to be stupid enough to sneak into Fatima Castle." Bart glanced around and was relieved to find that there was no one else present. "Remove your helmet and reveal yourself now."
Sighing, Bart raised the visor of his helmet, hoping that he would recognize him. The rebel knew of Aarons' true loyalties and could hope that he would help if he saw a familiar face. He paled at the sight of Bart's face.
"Y - You," he stammered lowering his firearm. Before Bart could say anything, Aarons and said in a quiet voice, "Follow me to my office. Don't want to be overheard." Seeing no way out of this, Bart reluctantly followed Aarons through the maze of corridors.
They arrived at a simple office with a desk facing away from the window. Placed on the desk were a computer, several photographs, and two desk flags. Bart removed his helmet after Aarons shut the door. Nothing was said for a moment as the older man paced the floor. "You look so much like Eddy, uh, I mean the King, it's astounding, Your Royal Highness," said Aarons sadly. "I knew it couldn't be true when they said you died."
"Look, Danny," replied Bart. "I'm glad to see you too, but I really don't have time to reminisce right now. I'm here on… business."
Aarons arched his eyebrows. "Going to rescue Mother Marguerite?" Bart nodded in affirmation. "She's in a guarded room on top of the east tower. They have her under surveillance, so getting out will not be as easy as getting in. I'd help you, but I'd be putting the lives of my family in jeopardy. You remember your way around?"
"Yeah, I do," said Bart as he put the helmet back on. "Is the tournament over?" If it were, then there would be more enemies to deal with once he would rescue Margie. To Bart's relief, Aarons shook his head.
"No, sir, there are three competitors really putting on a good show; sucks that I had to leave, 'cause this kid who calls himself the 'Dragon-Slaying Youth'. " Bart smirked at this news. He knew he could rely on Fei. "I take it that that guy is associated with you. Well then, I won't be taking anymore of your time. Just be careful, there's a new hotshot from Gebler that arrived yesterday. He seems like real trouble."
Bart snorted at this statement. "When has Gebler ever not been trouble, Danny?"
"I mean it, Your Royal Highness," said Aarons looking at him seriously. "This guy looks like serious trouble."
"Alright, I'll keep my eyes peeled," replied Bart as he got up from his chair. He then left the office, bidding farewell to his godfather. He could only hope that the guards would keep their attention focused on the tournament.
It was now the quarterfinals of the tournament. Biggs fought against Dan and failed miserably to the little boy's skills. It was a rather embarrassing sight, having lost to a child half his height and being in his own words, 'made a fool of by a kid on national television in front of two hundred and ninety million people'.
Fei's opponent for the third round was an attractive and athletic young woman who called herself 'The Scud'. She had long brown hair that fell past her waist, and brown eyes. She wore a tight sleeveless white shirt, short black pants, and boots. "I'll make it fast for you, Mr. Dragon Slayer," the woman taunted coldly, earning gasps from some of the spectators.
"You're on," responded Fei with a grin and several of the spectators laughed at the man's retort. The two martial artists bowed to each other and the bell rang. Fei launched a spinning kick, which was narrowly evaded by the Scud. The female brawler responded by launching a punch to her opponent's jaw but Fei caught her wrist. He then pulled himself behind her, holding her arm in a lock, twisting it.
Wincing from the pain of Fei's hold on her arm, the Scud kicked at her opponent's legs repeatedly. She hit hard, but not hard enough to break Fei's hold. In a desperate move, the female martial artist swayed her body so that she could throw Fei off of her, and she succeeded, taking him by surprise.
Fei had been thrown onto the floor of the ring, landing on his stomach. Before he had any time to think, the Scud grabbed his leg and put him in an ankle lock. Being highly proficient in several forms of martial arts, and being in top physical shape allowed Fei to take the pain from the hold his opponent had him in. However, the woman he was fighting seemed to specialize in joint locks more so than she did in brawling.
Fei twisted his body around, releasing himself from the ankle lock. He then countered by swiftly grabbing the Scud's wrist, pulling himself to the floor and wrapping his legs tightly around his opponent's right arm. She tried to break the hold, but Fei only strengthened it. After several long moments, the Scud whimpered and then tapped hard on the floor of the ring with her free arm.
The ball rang, and Fei released his opponent as the crowd cheered. He then looked at the Scud with concern, as she was still in pain. The martial artist held out his hand to help her stand up, but the Scud declined and rose to her feet on her own. The two fighters bowed to one another again and exited the ring.
"Now please welcome," announced Veek, "The Royal Armed Services Chorus!" An ensemble of men and women from every branch of the Army except the guard made their way to a set of risers as the crowd greeted them with an ovation. They sang five patriotic songs, some of which had soloists performing. Once their performance was over, Veek took the mic again.
"The semi-finals of the tournament are about to begin. Our first match, Wiseman versus Brad!"
"Good luck guys," called out Fei and the two nodded in gratitude at the younger man. As they fought, Fei turned to Dan who was still glaring at him. "What are you doing here?" inquired the martial artist bluntly.
"It - It's all your fault that Alice…" snarled Dan through gritted teeth, too furious to even spit out a complete sentence. "I'll never forgive you! You are the enemy of everyone in Lahan! I'll kick your ass in front of the whole country, and don't you try running away neither!" With that, the child turned his back on his former friend. Fei just sighed desperately and turned his attention to the match.
It was a fierce contest. Both Wiseman and Brad were masters in many forms of martial arts, even some that Fei was unfamiliar with. This one was one of the longest fights in the tournament. At long last, Wiseman prevailed against his taller opponent. Despite the defeat, Brad walked off with pride and dignity, as if he'd won the match rather than lost.
"The Dragon-Slaying Youth versus Dan!" announced Veek enthusiastically and the child eagerly entered the ring, while the older competitor did so reluctantly. The bell rang and Dan cracked his knuckles threateningly, and eyed his opponent with utmost loathing.
"What are you doing here, Dan?" demanded the martial artist.
"Hmph! I entered the tournament to bring home the cash prize for my aunt," Dan replied. "But now that you're here, I'm gonna have my revenge!" With a savage roar, he charged at his opponent.
Fei was well past his suicidal and even his depressive phase, but despite that, he could not bring himself to hurt Dan. Instead, he just moved aside as the small redheaded figure leapt at him. Failing to reach Fei caused Dan to fall flat on his face, earning laughs from the spectators. This, of course, infuriated him even more.
"For Alice!" shrieked Dan as he dashed at Fei, and repeated punched him in the stomach. Fei just stood there and shook his head. "Come on," Dan screeched, stomping his foot on the ring floor. "Fight back, damn you!"
"I'm not going to hurt you," said Fei in a final tone. This caused an enraged Dan to stretch his arm out in front of him. An orb of Ether energy formed in the palm of his hand. Fei dived out of the way as Dan fired off the Ether. Outraged, the referee gave a hand signal and the bell rang immediately.
"The referee has ordered that the competitor Dan be disqualified," announced the host. "Therefore, victory will automatically be awarded to the Dragon-Slaying Youth!" Dan's face was now red with anger and he was now screaming and cursing unintelligibly. Fei felt a rush guilt.
"Dan, I-" he began quietly.
"Shut up!" screeched Dan. "I don't want to hear your stupid excuses! You are nothing but a bastard, Fei!" He then stormed out of the ring and off the palace grounds, but not before he collided with a tall, brutal-faced guardsman with folded arms.
Wiseman edged closer to Fei. "Did something happen in Lahan?" The martial artist turned to him slowly at this random question. "That boy seemed livid."
"That's none of your business!" said Fei indignantly. The fixed smile on the mask seemed to grow wider. It also looked like an I-know-exactly-what's-going-on type of grin. Before either man could say anything, the host was on the mike again.
"The tournament finals will commence shortly. Let us have another round of applause for our victors!" Once the ovation died down, the host said, "Now, please welcome, the Dark Mages!" On cue, four men and two women made their way to an area by the bandstand where three electric guitars, a drum set, an electric bass, and a microphone were placed. The band received a standing ovation from the younger people in the crowd.
"Who?" Fei muttered to himself, glancing at the band. They turned out to be a heavy metal band. The band began playing a song. They were actually quite good, the martial artist thought, and that thought came from someone who really did not have much love for heavy metal. They played three songs before returning to their seats.
"And now the moment you've all been waiting for; the tournament's final bout! Let me just take this moment to say that I've been hosting the Unification Day dedication for fifteen years now, and I have never seen such great performances in both the martial arts tournament and the other great events. Don't go away after this, there's still much more to come! Anyway, I'm digressing here, so, for the championship we have Wiseman versus the Dragon-Slaying Youth!" The courtyard erupted in cheers as the competitors entered the ring.
Wiseman just stood there calmly, in fact it seemed as though he was bored if anything. "If you land a blow on me," he stated, "I will bow down to you and call you a master." The two men just stood there for a moment, but the cloaked man did not even go into a fighting stance. Blinking in confusion, Fei executed a backhand punch at his opponent's head, but Wiseman dodged it just in time. "Too slow," said the older man sympathetically.
Fei raised his eyebrows, and then launched a spinning kick, which was also evaded by his opponent. "How predictable," Wiseman taunted. The younger martial artist threw an unsuccessful jab at the cloaked figure's face then followed up with a roundhouse kick, which was evaded as well. Why wasn't he fighting back?
The spectators were starting to get annoyed, which was a bad thing. If the guards would go back into the palace, then it would be harder for Bart to escape. "What the hell are you doing?" shrieked a child from the audience exasperatedly.
"Come on," said an annoyed man's voice. "Fight properly!"
"You suck!"
The spectators and guardsmen in the crowd started booing the competitors, and Fei himself was getting irritated. "What is this, a martial arts class?" demanded Fei sarcastically. "Fight back!" Wiseman did not answer directly.
"Just as I thought," he said. "Where did you learn that technique?"
"Who cares where I learned it?" Fei shouted, slapping his forehead in annoyance. "Come on now, put up a serious fight!" However, his opponent made no move. He just brought his left hand to his chin in thought.
"Well then… why do you fight?" inquired Wiseman taking Fei by surprise. "Do you fight for yourself or for the sake of others?"
"Why are you asking me this?" This Wiseman was starting to sound like a martial arts master out of a film, Fei thought. He did not have any time for this philosophical nonsense.
"Does there not have to be a reason for one to fight?" Wiseman inquired, and the smile on the mask was patronizing.
A frown worked its way on Fei's face as he replied coldly, "My reasons are my own business."
"So, you fight for no reasons or goals?"
"Will you shut up?" snapped Fei. What did this stranger know about his reasons? "This is a tournament! The purpose of fighting in a tournament is to win, now come on!" To his ire, Wiseman laughed dryly.
"Forget it… there is no way you could find truth if you fight blindly."
"What!" said Fei confused. Once again he had the suspicion that Wiseman knew something about him.
"You may believe that you're looking forward," explained Wiseman with the smile on his mask resembling one of sympathy. "But in reality, you are only looking downward. If you do that, then you'll never find answers."
"How do you know?"
"By exchanging blows with you, I can tell a great deal. Fei felt a flash of anger coursing through him, and he launched a flying kick, which Wiseman calmly evaded. "How ridiculously weak," he said as Fei righted himself, glaring. "You won't even graze me with those kinds of attacks. However, you seemed to have matured physically at least." Fei blinked in confusion again. "You have done well recovering from your wounds, Fei."
"How do you know my name? I deliberately did not enter my real name when I entered the tournament! Also, what is this about me recovering from my wounds?" Then it all started to click together for Fei. It had been a man in a blue cloak and fish head mask that had brought him to Lahan! "Are you the one who…"
Before Fei could continue the question, Wiseman slumped to his knees breathing heavily. "It's that time already?" he muttered to himself. "I guess it cannot be helped." With a faint pop, he vanished into thin air making Fei jump and earning some screams from the crowd.
The referee whispered something to Veek, who then picked up the microphone. "Uh, it seems the competitor Wiseman has forfeited. Therefore the championship will automatically be awarded to the Dragon-Slaying Youth!" There was a mixed reaction from the crowd. Some were disappointed, and others were happy. Then the host entered the ring, shook Fei's hand and handed him a check. The martial artist looked at it and grinned. The prize was five hundred thousand gil.
Now he needed a way to get into the palace. Fei looked around, but found no way he could get in at all, let alone undetected. "The Prime Minister would like to meet you," said Veek. "So don't go anywhere just yet." Fei then looked up and noticed the balcony was unoccupied. A moment later, the front door opened and the red-clad dictator strode arrogantly towards the ring while the spectators applauded. Seizing the opportunity, Fei pushed past Shakhan roughly, and charged into the palace.
Bart had managed to infiltrate the rest of the palace without any further interruption. He did occasionally meet a guardsman, but they did not stop him to talk to him. Now he just had to start making plans of how to escape once he rescued Margie.
The residential wing of the palace was the one that Bart was most familiar with. Though it was very luxurious, it had a homey feeling to it. It was appalling to see that the very furniture the Fatima family used, the rooms that they slept, ate, and lounged in… the home that had been in the Fatima Dynasty's possession for five hundred years was being sullied by Shakhan and his cronies.
Finally, Bart arrived at the east tower. He made his way through a corridor with several rooms and then spotted one where a guard was standing by the door. "What is it, Christianson?" he asked.
"Uh, I was ordered to stand guard here, Corporal," Bart lied.
"About time," the corporal spat. "How was the tournament?"
"I didn't see it," replied Bart. "I just heard that the Dragon-Slaying Youth was doing pretty good."
"Damn," whispered the corporal sighing. "I had to miss the tournament just to watch over some little girl? I'm gonna ask Varsk for a transfer... somewhere outside where I can see some action. You should too, ya know?" The corporal then stalked off without another word as Bart grinned behind his back. The rebel then opened the door and entered the chamber.
Sitting on the bed, looking disdainfully at Bart, was Margie. Her brown hair was pulled behind her in a loose bun and her blue eyes held a defiance that Bart had seen many times in his cousin. She was dressed in her usual orange and white dress and bonnet. "Wow, I was hoping I'd get some company today," she said sarcastically. "So, Mr. Guardsman, if you want to talk to me, you should show some manners and take off your helmet when speaking to a girl."
Bart all too obligingly first removed the shirt, trousers and overly large boots of his disguise, revealing his normal clothes, taking Margie aback. Then he removed the helmet and smirked. "Bart!" she gasped.
"Damn that uniform reeked," he muttered. Margie then arose from the bed and threw herself in her cousin's arms.
"I knew you'd come for me," said Margie quietly, burying her head on Bart's shoulder. He said nothing, only holding his cousin closer, relieved beyond words that she was safe. They then broke the embrace.
"Come on Margie," said Bart, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Let's go home."
"Alright," Margie went back to the bed to put on her orange hat. "Let's get out of here."
Bart gave a short fake laugh. "That's gonna be pretty difficult." Bart then bent down and picked up the pistol he had when he donned the State Guard uniform and handed it to his cousin. "Here, use this. You'll need it." Margie nodded reluctantly and followed Bart out of the chamber.
The two Fatimas made their way to the exit of the east tower, and Bart was very pleased with himself. He successfully rescued his cousin without spilling any blood, and Fei was doing well in the tournament; what could possibly go wrong now?
The answer to that question came through the door Bart took to get into the tower. Two Gebler officers, both clad in Gear pilot uniforms, had entered through the door. One was a tall, burly man in his late twenties with short wavy blond hair, green eyes, and a stern face. A broadsword was hanging from his belt.
Behind him was a petite woman around the same age with short indigo blue hair and eyes of the same color. Bart thought she was beautiful, but it was a very cold beauty. Her eyes held no emotion in them. It was like staring into empty blue voids. The Fatimas and the Gebler officers locked eyes for a moment before the male officer finally spoke.
"It seems a rat has managed to crawl in here," he stated as he grasped the handle of his sword. His voice was deep and he spoke with a strong Solarian accent. "Just where do you plan on taking that girl, boy?" Bart snarled at the enemy's taunt.
"Boy?" he repeated contemptuously. "Boy?" He then grasped the handles of his whips, ready to draw them the moment the Gebler officer made a move to brandish his weapon. "Let's just see you try and call me that again! Who the hell are you anyway?"
The officer scowled darkly. "You have a lot of spunk, but I don't need to give my name to vermin like you."
"V-Vermin?" Bart spluttered, outraged. "You're calling me vermin? Look at you! You Gebler pigs are the vermin – invading other countries and murdering innocent people for the benefit of your so-called master race – you have a lot of balls calling anyone vermin, when the biggest vermin is you!"
"That's enough!" snapped the officer. "Hand over the girl at once! She is a very important guest! Until she tells us the location of the other half of the Fatima Jasper, we cannot allow her to leave!"
"Oh sure, I just spent all this time getting into Fatima Castle to rescue her, and now I'll just leave her here because the hotshot Gebler officer told me too. You'd better get your head out of your ass, pal."
The officer recoiled, utterly affronted by Bart's remark. He opened and closed his mouth for a moment before finding his voice. "How dare you cheek the Commander in Chief of Gebler?" he shouted. "I will teach you some manners, you filthy brat!" The commander swiftly unsheathed his sword, just as Bart brandished his whips, snapping them threateningly.
"Margie," said Bart. "Go and hide. I'll take care of this scum!"
"No," answered Margie defiantly. "I'm fighting too!"
"If you truly want to protect the child," said the female officer. Her voice was smooth, seductive, and to Bart's amazement, she had no trace of an accent. Bart was inexplicably reminded him of a snake, hearing her voice. "Surrender at once… Prince Bartholomew."
"Oh," drawled Bart. "So you know about me? Hey, I guess it's alright if it's someone as beautiful as you." The woman gave him a revolted look.
"Bart," Margie whined.
"You may have problems with Shakhan," continued the female officer. "But we won't treat you badly. You surrender the girl, and I'll promise you safe passage out of here."
Bart pretended to consider for a moment. "Interesting deal… but I got a better one. How about you let us both go, and I'll let you both live?"
The commander held his sword in a fighting position, and Bart too was ready to strike. Then, the door burst opened from behind the officers to reveal a certain brown haired figure running toward the male officer. Fei turned him roughly around and immediately got the enemy soldier with a deft right hook to the jaw. He then followed up with a jab to his solar plexus, and then sent the Gebler commander crashing into a wall with a palm strike to the chest.
"Are you okay, Bart?" asked Fei.
"Glad you're here, Fei," said Bart relieved. "These Gebler bastards are interfering with the operation."
Ramsus rose slowly to his feet, eyeing Fei uneasily. "F-Fei?" he whispered. This was a name he remembered from his past… a name, which held a lot of grief behind it. There was also something familiar about this newcomer's technique. It reminded the commander of someone he knew from the past… a face and memory he would never forget as long as he would live.
The flames blazed in the city ruins. The enemy had been utterly eradicated, but the Solarian troops who should have been celebrating their victory were either fleeing in terror or fighting off this new foe. This was an enemy unlike any of them have ever faced before in their lives.
He stood in the center of the circle of Solarian Gears like the embodiment of destruction. The lone enemy was a tall man with long unkempt blood-red hair, a skull-white, ageless demonic face, and pitiless eyes gleaming with utter pleasure at the destruction he caused. The demon's black armor was stained with blood.
He spoke no words, or made no sound. All he did was destroy. One of the Gears hovered forward, but the enemy, though only in flesh, was quicker. He crouched down, and then flipped in the air, kicking the Gebler Gear backwards, causing it to fall flat on its back. This, however, was not the extent of this demon's powers.
After the Gebler Gear fell, the red haired enemy just stood there unblinking. The war machine he grounded and another one, which tried to charge him suddenly, exploded. A furious pilot urged his Gear towards the enemy, and soon realized his mistake. The demon hovered in air, facing his foe with a murderous rage. The armored fiend unleashed a flurry of attacks upon the powerful Gear and then finished it with a jab to its middle. The humanoid machine shook for a moment, and then burst into flames.
A shadow fell upon the male officer's face. The look he was giving Fei was beyond hatred and even loathing. It was almost frightening. "Y-You," he growled, grasping his sword tighter. "We must fight right now! Battling will reveal the truth about you!"
Fei backed away, bewildered. Was this man insane? This was the first time he ever even met the officer. He did not even know his name! "Look, man, I don't want any trouble." The Gebler officer did not seem to listen.
Before anyone could say another word, an elevator door opened and a Gebler soldier walked out of it casually. "Schrüte Kendeínuhr," he said, executing was Fei believed to be a salute. The lower ranking soldier extended his right arm in an upward slant with his palm flat. "Hanzub dra vuystra licht sungei, hirit?" Taking advantage of the confusion, Fei, Bart, and Margie dashed into the elevator and immediately shut the door.
Ramsus stood in the corridor fuming. The intruder had escaped with the prisoner, and that Fei had fled before he even had the chance to fight him. If that man was the same Fei he thought he was, then Ramsus was… worthless… a reject.
"Spasky," said Ramsus curtly in Solarian. "Put the base on red alert. Do not let them leave alive. I want the city under martial law as well. If those rats do escape, I don't want them coming in again."
"I'm on it, sir," replied Spasky and then left to carry out his duties.
Ramsus felt Miang's slender arms wrap around his torso, and her head resting on his back. In return, the commander gently grasped her hand in his; feeling slightly comforted after what had just occurred. Ramsus closed his eyes and bent his head. "You cannot hide forever, Fei," he muttered. "I will find you."
Miang broke the embrace and stood by her superior's side, facing him with concern. "Come, Kahr," she said, caressing his arm. "You need rest." Ramsus turned to the woman he loved. She was the only one who could truly make him happy ever since they abandoned him. Even before that time, Miang's presence seemed to make a happy day happier by a tenfold. Seeing the compassion in Miang's eyes, Ramsus pulled her close to him and pressed his lips against hers.
A/N: No, I did not forget Chu-Chu, I'm cutting her out of the story as she was completely irrelevant to the plot, I was trying to come up with a way to make her relevant, but found nothing, so out she goes. The national anthem of Aveh is sung to the tune of the anthem of the former East Germany, Risen from the Ruins. As much as I enjoyed kicking Dan's ass in the game, Fei would never do that. So instead, I embarrass him in front of the 290 million people of the glorious Motherland. The Scud was based on Tifa from FFVII (in looks only). The Dark Mages band is a play on Uematsu's band, the Black Mages. Just an FYI, I see Solaris as an obvious allegory to Nazi Germany. So to any German readers: I'm only taking a stab at the party and system that ruled your country almost 68 years ago, not at Germans themselves. I nixed the Ramsus battle, as I found it totally unnecessary. I really wanted to set the foundation for the enmity between him and Fei. It killed me to describe Miang in a positive light, but it was from Ramsus' POV after all, and he did love her.
Solarian translation: Lord Commander, what is going here, sir?
Until next time: Lionheart out.
