Falchion1984: In case anybody's wondering, 'Brain Fever' is the Victorian era term for what we now called Meningitis/Encephalitis. And, the various herbs that Ranulf mentions are derived from items from an herbal treatment regimen for these conditions. They are as follows: Emerald Dream (Green Tea), Sparrowhawk Nail (Cat's Claw), Stomach Turner (Garlic), White Crest (Astragalus) and Summer's Snow (Elderberry). There's also a WarCraft III reference in here, see if you can find it.
EmblemQueen: Thanks to Falchion1984 for all of the great ideas he mentioned above!
Part 3: Clues and Trouble Abound
After Jerec had lapsed back into a feverish slumber, the group dispersed to busy themselves as best they could. Soren, Titania and Rhys began pouring over both the old hunter's notes and Rhys's material on the jungle and its myriad plagues, searching for some clue as to what might be afflicting Jerec. Boyd and Mia, as always, were keen for some sparring but Rhys talked them out of it since open wounds could swiftly become infected, and thus the two just sat and sulked. Oscar and Mist passed out some rations while Rolf and Elincia tended the horses. Ike, meanwhile, sat alone by the fire in deep contemplation. Many questions were whirling about in his head, not the least of which being whether or not Jerec would survive. Beyond that, however, Ike was bewildered as to why Jerec was in Gallia in the first place and what had happened to him. All Jerec had managed to say was 'don't fall victim, don't let them get it,' which wasn't much to go on. Still, Ike had a strong feeling that the 'it' referred to none other than Ettard.
How he knew, he could not say. In fact, he couldn't even be sure that Jerec was thinking clearly when he spoke, as the heat or an illness, or both, could have left him delirious. And yet, the more Ike tried to tell himself that there was no connection between Ettard and Jerec's reemergence, the less he was convinced. If thieves or bandits had discovered the blade's existence, then, they would surely seek it out. As far as anyone knew, after all, it was a powerful, one of a kind blade and would probably be priceless to the right buyer.
Perhaps Jerec had reached that same conclusion?
Ike did not want to even consider that possibility, but he knew that he had to. It would certainly explain why Jerec had the letter. And, as much as Ike hated to admit it, he could discern a very likely motive for Jerec to want to steal Ettard. With his self-imposed exile from Daein, Jerec was likely looking to begin anew and was in need of money. Perhaps Jerec was too proud to ask Elincia for charity but was not above thievery? If Ettard was even half as valuable as Jerec had implied, one could sell it for enough to finance a very comfortable retirement. Ike very much wanted to believe that Jerec was innocent, but that opened up the question of how he came to be in possession of the letter and who else might be after Ettard. And, on top of all this, Ike still had no idea who had attacked Jerec in the first place.
My head hurts! Ike inwardly complained, aggravated by this latest enigma.
It seemed as though, for every clue or possibility that Ike came up with, more questions arose to take their places. So many things seemed possible, while so many others made absolutely no sense. As the day wore on, and the prospect of sitting around and waiting for news became less and less appealing, several of the mercenaries backtracked to where Jerec had been found to see if any clues might be discovered. As night fell, they returned and reported that they had found nothing. This was disappointing, but hardly surprising. Even if Jerec's assailant hadn't covered his tracks, the confusing and hazardous jungle and the mercenaries' scant knowledge of the terrain likely hid the trail better than any person could. To make matters worse, Jerec had still not awoken. Though Rhys's hourly checkups proved that the Halberdier still had a heartbeat, Jerec showed no signs of stirring since his earlier, feverish episode. Rhys was clearly growing more and more worried and he eventually voiced the possibility of Jerec having contracted Brain Fever. As the named implied, it caused a severe inflammation in the brain…which could prove fatal.
"But how is that possible?" Titania wondered. "Jerec had no open wounds in his head, so that rules out the infection getting through a cut."
"Well, Brain Fever can also be caused by massive trauma to the head. And, the bruises and bumps that were on his face and scalp could indicate a severe enough injury," Rhys countered. "These blows combined could possibly have been enough to cause inflammation of brain. Brain Fever can also cause the victim to go into a coma, which appears to be the case here."
"Go on," Ike urged, already suspected what the prognosis would be.
"Assuming my diagnosis is correct," Rhys began somberly, "which, I hope it isn't, then Jerec will either remain as he is now or he will wake up and display the symptoms of Brain Fever. These would include overpowering headaches, extreme sensitivity to light, pain in the neck, poor appetite, vomiting, disorientation, convulsions, personality changes, confusion, hallucinations, exhaustion, uncontrollable bouts of crying—"
"Okay, we get the idea!" Boyd cut in impatiently. "So, what can we do if he does have Brain Fever?"
"Well, that's just it. There is no remedy. I wish to emphasize that I don't know if Jerec has Brain Fever, but if this is the case, it'll only be a short time before he is gone."
"Oh…" Elincia uttered, her fears growing.
Ike merely grimaced, trying vainly to shrug off the thought that Jerec might be beyond help. Ike had seen death before, more times than he wanted to remember, during the Mad King's War…but standing over the body of an enemy was one thing.
Standing over the body of a friend was quite another.
His still buzzing thoughts roiled anew, and seemed to demand motion. He rose, pacing in a vain effort to calm himself, but then turned towards the edge of the camp.
"Ike, where are you going?" Mist wondered.
"Just for a walk," Ike replied. "I…need to clear my head."
"In the jungle at night?" Boyd interjected. "Are you nuts?"
"It's so dark out now," Elincia concurred. "Will you at least let me go with you?"
Ike simply sighed.
"I don't know…"
Whatever else Ike was about to say was cut off when a low moaning sounded from within the infirmary tent. Oscar, who was closest, vaulted to his feet and ran through the dangling flaps.
"Ike, wait! I think Jerec is waking up again!" he blurted.
"Huh?" Ike replied, moving to follow. Sure enough, as Ike entered the makeshift infirmary Jerec's eyes slowly fluttered open once more. The former Daein captain groaned, took several energetic swipes at something unseen in front of his face and then rose to a sitting position. Hopefully this time, the Halberdier would remain awake…and Rhys' dire prognosis would be disproven. Ike knelt to Jerec's level as the lancer brought a hand to his head, rubbing at his temples and grimacing all the while.
"Jerec!" Ike started. However, Jerec interrupted before he could continue.
"Nnnh… Huh? Ugh, why do I smell so bad?" he uttered, though his voice was rather weak. "And why do you smell even worse, Ike?"
"Nice to see you too," Ike replied, glaring at the wall. "Anyway, it's a powder made from a plant called stinkweed. It's supposed to be the most powerful known bug repellent in the world. Don't worry, you'll get used to it. Eventually. Maybe."
"Psh, I hope so," Jerec replied, trying to ignore the stench and still massaging his temples.
Ike tried to dismiss this action, but without much success.
Rhys did say that acute headaches were a symptom of Brain Fever.
As if the thought had been a summoning, the healer burst into the room with a lantern in hand…and his appearance gave Ike still more cause for concern. As Jerec's eyes reluctantly opened, and his gaze spied the brightly glowing lantern, he let out a howl and threw his arms in front of his face.
"What, what's wrong?" Rhys blurted in alarm, racing over to Jerec's side with the lantern still in hand, causing it to dangle no more than an inch in front of Jerec's nose.
"Get that goddess-damned light out of my face!" Jerec snapped, his arms flailing wildly.
Rhys doused the light, but the darkness did little to hide the priest's look of worry. Ike could tell, because he felt it as well. Jerec had shown at least two symptoms in as many minutes. Ike was no physician, but he could tell that this was a bad sign.
"Anyway, how did I get here?" Jerec inquired after he had calmed himself. "And why are you guys here? And why the hell am I half-naked?"
"Boyd found you unconscious in the jungle," Ike explained. "Rhys had to remove some of your clothes to treat your wounds. And we're trying to find my father's sword. You told me about it, remember?"
"Uh… Oh, right!"
There was a hesitation in Jerec's voice, as if his recollection of that discussion was clouded. But, was it lingering disorientation from his close call or was it because his brain was frying itself like an overcooked steak? Ike shook off the thought and continued.
"Yeah. Now, mind telling me why you're in Gallia of all places?"
"And how did you get Commander Greil's letter?" Titania demanded.
"And who hurt you so badly?" Rhys inquired. "You were lying in the middle of a game trail bleeding all over the place!"
"Guys, come on, he's still weak! Don't pressure him!" Elincia interrupted.
"Yeah, Ike! I'd think even you should know better than that!" Mist reprimanded.
"What they said," Jerec added. "I don't mind explaining myself, but damn, let me pull myself together first! My head, my eyes and my neck are all killing me."
"Alright, I apologize, but you're aware that we have a lot of questions for you, right?" Ike replied, still fighting down that insistent inner voice that told him that Jerec was showing still another symptom.
"Of course. Can I have my cloak back though? I'm freezing."
"Sure thing," Ike agreed, handing the garment over to Jerec, who seemed to be shivering despite a sheen of sweat on his brow.
"We have some water if that will make you feel better," Rhys suggested. "And feel free to put your clothes back on as well."
"There's also food if you need it," Elincia added.
"You're most gracious, your majesty," Jerec replied, more amused than surprised that the queen had joined in on this escapade. "I'm really not hungry though."
"When was the last time you ate?" Rhys inquired, his ever sickly face turning pale.
"Now that you mention it that was a while ago. Maybe around noon yesterday?"
"That's quite a while, you should eat something," Elincia insisted.
"True. But, like I said, I just don't feel hungry."
That's five symptoms and he hasn't even been awake for ten minutes! Ike realized, suddenly afraid.
Elincia seemed to catch Ike's look of concern, but nonetheless passed Jerec several pieces of dried meat and a canteen of water. He ate some of it, though it looked as if he was practically choking the morsels down.
"Jerec!" Ike cut in frustrated.
"Alright, I'll talk. This stuff isn't going down well anyway."
"Jerec, Ike, hold on," Elincia insisted, shooting a glare at Ike. "Whatever you have to say can wait. Jerec's just recovering from some serious injuries!"
"No, it's fine, your majesty. They're within their rights to know why I'm here."
Here, Jerec paused and let his gaze drift between Ike and Elincia as a wry smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"Well Ike, no one ever accused you of being a boring man. Still, this is an odd place to gallivant off to with your girlfriend."
"Jerec, just explain yourself," Ike growled in aggravation.
"And you can't tell anyone about that! Understand?" Elincia added.
"Okay, okay, sheesh. Anyway, it's a long story, so listen carefully."
"Of course. First though, do you remember what you said when you awoke earlier?" Ike inquired. "You were, well, kinda out of it. But do you remember anything?"
Jerec's brow furrowed and several minutes of silence passed before he snapped his fingers.
"Yeah, kind of. Some of it's a little fuzzy, but what I do remember is important."
"Alright. Start from the beginning and tell us what happened."
"Of course. Sometime after I visited Queen Elincia, I heard about a few villages in the south. They were having problems with bandits and were looking to hire some mercenaries," Jerec began. "I'd already made my decision to leave Daein behind, but I also knew I'd have to find some way to make a living. So, I figured I'd try my hand at mercenary work for awhile. I began my journey to…what was the name of that village anyway? I remember it was right about where the Crimea-Gallia border meets the coastline, but I'm drawing a blank on the name."
"Never mind that, go on," Ike insisted, trying vainly to dismiss Jerec's lapse of memory.
"I still had my armor with me, but I'd removed it and was carrying it in a saddle bag. I didn't have the heart to get rid of it, as it was the armor my father gave me when I officially became a Daein soldier. At first, I wanted to keep it as memento of…past times, but sentimentality doesn't count for much against a sore back and an aching shoulder from lugging it around everywhere. Plus, I knew that if I accidentally let someone see it, they'd know I came from Daein. And you can guess what would happen after that. I left the road and found a stretch of coastline. There were these two palm trees that curved towards each other, and I buried the saddlebag with the armor there, hoping no one would find it."
"And what does this have to do with who attacked you?"
"Be patient, I'm getting to that. Anyway, as I finished burying my armor, I heard voices in the distance. When I followed the sounds, I saw a group of men who appeared to be bandits. After I finished burying the armor, I crept closer to listen to what they were saying. One of them was holding a sheet of parchment in his hand."
"The letter!" Oscar realized.
"Exactly. I didn't know it at first, though. I heard them talking about the note and how it told of an "extraordinary treasure" hidden somewhere by Greil and that the first clue to its whereabouts was in Gallia. One of the bandits was gloating about how easy it was to steal the letter right out of your mercenary fort while he was poking around for something valuable. I had a suspicion about what the treasure was, so I secretly followed the bandits to the border. They rendezvoused with their boss and more bandits along the way."
"Let me guess, you stole the letter back from them?" Mist wondered.
"Yeah, but it's not that simple," Jerec countered. "When we crossed the border into Gallia, keeping up with them got tricky. I swear, I don't know how the laguz make sense of all these winding trails. Anyhow, after a very unpleasant time, I struck upon the bandits' trail and followed them deeper into the jungle. Then, I saw them come upon another person in a nearby clearing. At first glance, I thought it might be another bandit but then I saw that it was a laguz. It was one of the strangest laguz I'd ever seen though. She was clearly a cat laguz woman, and an elderly one at that. She was wearing what looked like the head of a stag, and there was clusters of feathers and seashells and bones and goddess only knows what else dangling from leather cords tied to the antlers."
"A shaman, no doubt," Titania spoke up. "I saw several during my time here many years ago. The shaman you saw, if her headdress was that elaborate, then she must be high ranking."
"Okay," Ike said, wondering if the bandits or the shaman, or both, might have been Jerec's assailant. "These bandits came upon the shaman. Then what?"
"Well, at the time, she was gathering meat from the carcass of a small bird. Though, whether it was dinner or to add to whatever the hell she was wearing, I don't even want to think about it. Anyhow, the boss of the group of bandits then shouted at her 'hey sub-human! Tell us what you know about the mercenary who was known as Greil!' And then, well…"
"All hell broke loose?" Ike inquired with wicked humor.
"Yup. The woman, naturally, didn't like their choice of words, but insisted that she knew nothing about Greil and that her…ritual, I guess? Well, she said she had important things to do and no time for interloping idiots. However, the bandits wouldn't take no for an answer."
Jerec went on to explain that the bandits, deciding to make their case more forcefully, tried to grab the shaman but she had proven far stronger than her elderly appearance would have suggested. She managed to claw one bandit about the face and use her headdress's antlers to gore a second before Jerec made himself known and joined the fight. Jerec had never been afraid of combat, a trait which, he mentioned, had gotten him into no small amount of trouble, but he'd never forgotten that his father had taught him that a true warrior always protects the defenseless. Since meeting Ike, Jerec had decided that the same held true for the laguz. As he fought, Jerec had tried to stay near the shaman but the enemy had managed to divide them and the shaman was cut down. Jerec, meanwhile, had noticed that the thief that shaman had gored was clutching the letter. Jerec had managed to grab it but, despite having taken wounds, the remaining bandits overwhelmed him and demanded that he give the note back to them. Jerec, who had by then been on his knees and bleeding badly, handed them a folded sheet of parchment. The bandits then raced off, not bothering to unfold the sheet and examine it. Had they done so, they might have discovered that the only thing written on the parchment was an insult directed at the bandits for their lack of common sense.
Once they were gone, Jerec clambered over to the wounded shaman. She had been cut up badly and was bleeding heavily but, to Jerec's astonishment, she was still alive.
"It turned out that the woman was playing dead so the bandits would leave," Jerec went on. "I asked if there was anything I could do for her, but she insisted that her time was growing very short. What she said next, however, really surprised me. She asked me if I knew a young beorc man named Ike."
"Me?" Ike wondered, raising an eyebrow.
"Yep. I told her that I did meet you once. She then asked me to tell you something if I ever saw you again. The woman said that she was a member of a small group of laguz shamans and that she had helped your mother give birth to both you and Mist. The woman hadn't known Greil too well, but she never forgot the image of you as an adorable tiny baby in your mother's arms and then a little boy when your mother came back to have Mist. She wanted you to know that she adored you both."
"Wow… Really?" Ike replied, struck by wonderment and sadness alike in this tale.
"Indeed. I wished there was something I could have done to help her, but after those bandits had disarmed me, they picked me clean. They took my lance, my coin purse, and the rucksack which contained my food, water and medicines. So, there wasn't much I could do. Then, I realized that you might have seen the letter before those thugs stole it. And if so, there was a chance I'd find you nearby. Unfortunately, I didn't get far. Everything started spinning and then, when I woke up, I was here."
"I see."
"It looks like it's been at least a few hours since then," Jerec remarked somberly.
"Nearly half a day," Rhys corrected.
"…I'm sorry Ike, but there's little chance that shaman survived this long."
Ike took this news with a grim nod, wishing to dispute Jerec's dire prediction and yet unable to see what he could do. Mist's eyes brimmed with tears and she buried her face in Elincia's tunic while the queen stroked her friend's back and sniffled. There was some sobbing from the two ladies and some quiet discussion over whether or not trying to find the wounded shaman would be possible, but Titania silenced everyone with her next words.
"I'm not buying it."
As the words left her lips, a curious expression came over Jerec's face. After a moment of gaping in shock, his lips peeled away from his teeth and he vaulted to his feet.
"You've got a lot of gall, calling me a liar!" Jerec snarled, startling everyone in the tent with the sudden outburst.
"You have nothing to support your claims! So if we find out you're lying and you did steal that letter—!"
"I did not drag my bleeding carcass through a mile of mud to be insulted by you, bitch!"
"Why you—!"
Before Ike could intervene, the Halberdier drew back a fist and, with more force than Ike would've guess Jerec could muster, punched Titania in the jaw. The paladin staggered back, nearly falling over backwards, and crimson began to leak from her jaw.
"Oh, nowyou're in for it!" Titania growled.
Jerec swung again, though this time Titania ducked under the blow. She was about to scythe Jerec's legs out from under him when, to her surprise, he suddenly fell to the ground. Ike raced over, turning the Halberdier over, and feeling his alarm growing all the more. Jerec stared back at him, his eyes glazed over, but then he seemed to shake himself back to attention. His anger was gone and, on his face instead, was a look of confusion.
"Where was I?" he asked no one in particular.
"I was about to—" Titania began hotly, but Ike interrupted.
"Titania, control yourself!" Ike cut in. "Jerec, you were talking about the laguz shaman that was wounded by the bandits. Are you sure there's little chance that that woman survived?"
"I don't know, but I doubt she did. She was hurt almost as badly as I was," Jerec reported. "If someone else found her, then she might have made it. Like I said though, I wouldn't get my hopes up."
"Hey, I practically make a living chasing lost causes…and catching them," Ike replied humorously. "Anyhow, we'll search around in the morning."
"Suits me fine. I feel so exhausted."
"You lost a lot of blood out there, but you should feel better after you've rested. I felt this way after Arius pulverized me, and I agree, it's not pleasant. You'll feel tired more easily and might get dizzy spells and such during recovery as well, so watch out."
"Thanks for the tip," Jerec replied, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "I think I'll take it now."
With that, Jerec set himself upon the sleeping bag and seemed to doze off almost immediately. Once some rather raunchy snores confirmed that Jerec was asleep, Ike gestured for Rhys to follow him. The priest did so, with Elincia and a very disgruntled Titania hot on his heels. Ike led the small group towards the far side of the camp and then, with a sober air, he turned to face Rhys.
"It's bad, isn't it?"
"He just clocked me in the jaw for no good reason!" Titania cut in, using the back of her hand to wipe away trickles of blood. "It'll be bad for him when he wakes up, especially if he did steal the letter."
"Titania, calm down," Ike ordered. "Rhys, you were right about him having Brain Fever, weren't you?"
"I'm afraid so, Commander," Rhys replied sadly. "It looks like he displayed eight, maybe nine symptoms since we found him."
"But, how could he show that many symptoms if he was only just infected?" Elincia wondered, more afraid than confused.
"I've been wondering the same thing," Rhys replied. "Either he became infected earlier than we thought, perhaps from trauma to the head or an infected cut or insect bite, or he has an advanced case. Either way, his prospects are grim."
"How long does he have?" Ike inquired, rather doubting he'd like the answer.
"No more than a few days. In fact, I'd be surprised if he makes it through the night."
"Oh no," Elincia uttered in little more than a whisper, hugging Ike's arm.
"I see," Ike answered grimly, drawing Elincia closer to him. "I think we should keep this to ourselves for now. If we can't do anything to help Jerec, let's at least try to keep him comfortable."
The mercenaries were not hesitant to agree, though Titania still seemed aggravated as they returned to their tents for the night. Elincia joined Ike in his own tent across from Rhys's. The healer had recommended that since Ike share his tent since he had not quite made a full recovery himself. When Elincia volunteered, however, Rhys seemed to be blushing at the idea…especially when Titania reminded the couple to "behave themselves." When the priest found his voice again, he recommended that Ike pitch his tent near the healer's to be on the safe side. Ike had no objection, so long as Elincia was with him. Besides, despite a hint of discomfiture at the idea an unmarried couple sharing a tent, Rhys was likely too busy with Jerec to offer any objections. Although Ike was usually more than happy to have Elincia was cuddled right next to him in her sleeping bag, Rhys's earlier words still bothered him. If the priest was right, Jerec was dying. This revelation pained him, for though the two had met on decidedly bad terms, they had become good friends after the battle against Arius. And, despite his surly manner, Jerec had proven himself to be a brave and honorable warrior. Now, he might only have a few hours left to live and there was nothing that could be done to help him.
"Ike, please stop worrying," Elincia interjected, her head rested on Ike's broad shoulder. "It's not going to help anything."
"I know, but I can't help it," Ike replied in a whisper, and gesturing for Elincia to keep her voice down as well. "I mean, I've seen a lot of people die, but it's been a long time since it was someone I…cared for."
Elincia's hand found his chin and she turned his head to look him in the eye.
"I know, and I understand. I lost my parents to Ashnard, remember? It happened right in front of me and there was nothing I could do about it. I just…cowered in the back while they died."
"I did worse," Ike countered. "If it hadn't been for Caineghis, the Black Knight probably would've killed me along with my father. It's just…finding Ettard doesn't seem as important now; not measured against what it's going to cost us. Maybe it would be best if we turned back now, so we can find somewhere decent to bury Jerec."
"No. Ike, listen to me. Jerec chased those bandits and stole back your father's letter because he wants you to find Ettard. If we can't cure him, then we should at least do what he wanted us to do. Maybe, just maybe, that would give him some comfort."
"Maybe you're right. It's just…Jerec doesn't deserve to go out like this. I'd like to meet the people responsible for this and give them a piece of my mind…and acquaint them with Ettard's edge."
"Now, that's more like the Ike I know and love. Sound thrashings for all!"
"We still have our work cut out for us though. Even if we do manage to get to my father's sword before these bandits do, we'll likely run into them sooner or later. We don't know how many of them there are or what weapons they use or anything else about them."
"That's true, but you have to have more confidence. Ike, I think you're one of the best swordsmen Crimea's ever seen."
"Eh, I don't know about that. I know I'm not inexperienced anymore, but…"
"'But?' Ike, you personally defeated all of Daein's finest warriors! Petrine, Bryce, Bertram, Ashnard, even the Black Knight! And that last one is saying something. No bandits could possibly be a match for you."
"Yeah, but what if they all ganged up on me at once? However tough I may be, I'm just one guy. We're all going to have to work together if we want to beat these creeps; after all, that is how we won the war. One wrong move could always mean the end of us."
"Then it's a good thing we've got Soren. You often told me that as far as tacticians go, there is none better."
"Yeah, but Soren can only learn so much about these guys. And even he gets taken by surprise once in a while. Remember when we first arrived in the Gallian jungles while we were escorting you? Even he was shocked to see all those Daeins guarding the river crossing."
"True, but everything still worked out in the end. Ike, you just need to have more confidence and faith, like I said. I know that if Jerec was well, he'd gladly fight alongside you again, and that he'd want you to succeed."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. We would have never won the war if we hadn't believed in ourselves and in you."
"Oh, I hardly did anything… I just hired you."
"And built an entire army!"
"But that army did the fighting. I might have put on some armor and hopped on Gwydion, but I never had the heart to kill a single person, and I still don't."
"But your healing skills helped a lot. And they still can if you brought a staff with you."
"Oh, um… The thing about that is… I forgot to bring one. Eh heh…"
Ike merely slapped his face.
"I'm sorry…" Elincia apologized.
"Well, it's not that big of a deal. We still have Rhys and Mist," Ike pointed out.
"True."
"And anyway, we all contributed to that victory, no matter how little anyone did."
"Heh, I can't argue with that."
Elincia smiled lovingly, allowing her hand to roam Ike's bare chest. As he stared at the ceiling of his tent, Ike couldn't help but smile himself. Somehow, his talk with Elincia had bolstered his confidence after all. If the group believed in one another and themselves and worked as a team, they could accomplish anything, no matter how difficult the task. Before pressing his lips into Elincia's hair, Ike spared another glance at the wall of the tent between him and Jerec, and remembered another reason not to give up.
There might not be anything Ike could do to save Jerec, but the blue-haired mercenary was not going to let a friend die in vain.
At first light the next morning, the camp awoke to begin their search. After a moment of hesitation, Ike disentangled himself from the still slumbering Elincia's arms and, after a second, longer moment of hesitation, entered the infirmary tent. The site of Jerec awake, and alive, caused Ike to let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. A relieved smile painted Ike's face but, when Jerec grumbled and rubbed at his head, it vanished.
"Oh, good morning," Jerec greeted as he spied Ike. "My head still feels like it's on fire, but I'm raring to go!"
"Glad to hear it," Ike said, trying not to let his worry show. "One thing I was wondering, do you remember anything more about those bandits?"
"I was wondering when you'd get around to asking that. But then again, a girlfriend is probably pretty demanding on your time, huh?" Jerec inquired, snickering at Ike's displeasure. "Anyway, those bandits are no laughing matter. They're a cut above the rest; their boss is very strong and the entire group is well practiced. When I fought against them, they battled as if they'd done it a hundred times. They knew what the others were doing and their attacks and defense were well coordinated. If I didn't know better, I'd have thought I was fighting you and your men."
"People think our techniques are good enough to steal? I'm not sure if I should feel flattered or insulted."
"I hear that. From what I could gather, they apparently have a very good thief among them as well. Most of their group are fighters rather than thieves, probably for what people back in Daein call snatch-and-trap. The fast one steals the loot, but makes sure to be seen. The others get into position to attack whoever's chasing the thief and when the quarry is in the trap, they pounce. I do think these guys are pretty cocky though, they didn't even bother to make sure that what they got from me was the letter they wanted. My guess is that they've probably discovered by now that the letter I gave them was a fake though."
"When you told us about how you first spotted them, you said they were talking about my father's "treasure." So, you think they know what the letter says?"
"Not a doubt in my mind. Odds are they'll be looking for me too. If they find us, we're in trouble. I don't much like the idea of Ettard being in their hands, not to mention they could hurt other beast laguz in the process."
There was the sound of a scoff coming from behind the two men, they turned and spied Titania standing in the doorway with her arms folded.
"Well, I've never seen you so concerned about the laguz before. Are you sure you're not just saying this to get us to believe you?"
Ike had half expected Jerec to fly off the handle as he had when Titania accused him last night but, to his astonishment, Jerec didn't seem to rise to the bait. Though, what he did instead wasn't much better.
"Ike, how doyou manage to keep any customers with her around?" he asked with pointed sarcasm.
There was a taunting edge in his tone, one that Ike remembered from their decidedly unpleasant first meeting, and, despite the Halberdier's rudeness, Ike was relieved that the Brain Fever had spurred him to violence a second time. Titania, however, did not look as though she would back down so easily and Ike decided he ought to intervene.
"Titania, stop. We have no proof that Jerec did anything wrong."
"There's no proof that he didn't either," Titania pointed out.
"That's why we're going to see about this group of shamans that he mentioned. If they can tell us anything about the situation, not only could we find out if Jerec's story checks out, but we might also get clues to Ettard's whereabouts."
Titania's lips parted as if she was about to argue further, but then she seemed to calm down and nodded.
"True."
"And now, finding Ranulf is essential. I'd bet anything he'll at least know if these shamans exist."
"Commander!" Oscar called from beyond the tent. "The wagon's all set."
"Okay," Ike called back. "Let's get moving."
Ike then suggested that Jerec ride in the wagon. Aside from concerns about the Halberdier's condition, Ike also agreed with Jerec that the bandits would be looking for him and having their quarry in plain sight would be a bad idea. Jerec wasn't thrilled with the notion but ultimately agreed.
"What choice do I have? I can't go far by myself, feeling like crap and with my head spinning," Jerec replied, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You know…I guess what goes around, comes around. I helped rescue you a few weeks ago, Ike. Looks like you've returned the favor."
"Heh, yeah," Ike agreed with a smile. "Well, we have a busy day ahead of us. Let's get started."
By this time, the rest of the group was suited up and Rhys helped Jerec into the wagon. It didn't take long, however, for Jerec to show signs that his condition was worsening. As Ike had warned he would, Jerec ended up having a dizzy spell on the way to the wagon as well, forcing Oscar to give Rhys a hand. Then, just inside the wagon, Jerec claimed to have heard a sound coming from down the trail. No one else had heard anything and, when Boyd and Mia were ordered to check, they found nothing. Ike was worried that Jerec's symptoms were getting worse. After a moment of silent deliberation, Ike reaffirmed that Jerec would not want the mercenaries to abandon the search and Rhys promised he would continuously monitor the lancer's condition. Mist was unaware that Jerec's condition was terminal and, with her usual bright smile, insisted that she help in any way she could as well. Ike was a little surprised at this since Mist had initially seemed to dislike Jerec. But then again, the mercenary knew his sister was a forgiving person as well. He remembered how Mist had forgiven Nasir after he had stolen Lehran's Medallion from her to use as a bargaining chip to free his granddaughter, Ena. Mist had treasured the medallion more than anything else she owned, and yet she forgave the white dragon laguz so easily. Ike half wanted to deny her request, unwilling to risk letting her see Jerec's inevitable death, but he reconsidered. Mist had shown herself to be made of sterner stuff than her kindly demeanor would suggest. Besides, some brotherly instinct told him that Mist already knew that Jerec was dying and that she wanted to comfort him for that exact reason.
When the mercenaries departed their camp once more, Ike and Soren decided that the group would stay together this time in case they ran into the bandits Jerec warned them about. Despite his illness, Jerec still insisted that he point out where he'd met the elderly laguz shaman. Ike was dubious about this, given Jerec's earlier displays of hearing things and experiencing lapses in memory, but the Halberdier guided them to a clearing where combat had obviously occurred. There was quite a bit of blood on the turf, several trees around the edge had broken branches and there were clear boot prints in the exposed dirt. Curiously, there was no sign of the laguz shaman.
"Well, maybe someone did find that woman," Ike spoke up when the group arrived at the spot Jerec had directed them to. "She's nowhere to be seen. Are you sure this is the right place, Jerec? A lot of this jungle looks the same to me."
"I'm positive. I'll never forget what happened here," Jerec insisted, his voice weak from fatigue and shallow gasps beginning to punctuate his words. "I guess someone did find her after all… I wouldn't have bet on it but…then again… We're talking about…the laguz here…"
"True. But Jerec, tell me, how come you want to help us so badly? I mean, I get that you'd rather I had Ettard than those bandits, but I think there's more to it than that. And what made you start to care about the laguz? I'm pretty sure you didn't the last time we met."
"Well…" Jerec began, only to be cut off by a bout of coughing. "After I returned to Daein following the battle against Arius…well, I guess you've heard what they're saying about you these days. Times are hard in Daein and, sure enough, they decided to make you a scapegoat; somebody they could blame for problems they couldn't, or wouldn't, do anything about themselves. I could understand their frustration, especially with what Begnion was doing to them, but I was still disgusted with them. As I was leaving Daein, I thought, why should I believe anything those dirtbags are saying? Or have said, for that matter? They were wrong about you, they might be wrong about the laguz too. After all, Kiel and Sara proved that. While I was in Crimea, working with Queen Elincia to get supplies for Daein, I also saw the laguz working to rebuild the capital and the surrounding cities. And…I realized just how much better things would be…if more beorc and laguz worked together…"
"Yeah, I can definitely agree with that."
"But…what I always wondered…is why you went so far to help Daein after…what they did."
"That's simple. Only Ashnard and his followers were our enemies. We had no quarrel with the citizenry or any soldiers who didn't wish to fight us. And we still don't."
"…That makes sense."
Jerec let out a groan and rubbed at his temples, squeezing his eyes shut against the pain. Ike's heart skipped a beat, as he half expected Jerec's final moments to be at hand. Ike sagged with relief when Jerec simply stopped rubbing and claimed that the pain had subsided.
"Ike, I think he should go back and rest now," Oscar spoke up from the wagon's driver seat.
"I agree. Jerec, go lay down. You look terrible. And standing around out here will probably only make you feel worse."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right. I'm cold and I feel like my skull is about ready to burst."
"That's not good. But don't worry, Rhys and Mist will take care of you."
"Thanks…"
"I think I should be there too," Elincia spoke up, joining the two men.
Ike turned to face Elincia, keeping his expression neutral until his back was facing Jerec. Then, his stoic mask slipped to expose just how worried he was.
"I don't think that's a good idea," he said, as quietly as he could.
"You let Mist tend to him," Elincia pointed out, her voice so soft that Ike barely heard it at all.
"And I might regret it."
"Ike, I've seen death before. I am not afraid."
"Nobody is truly unafraid of death, we both know that."
Elincia's gaze drifted away and her eyes held a distant, sad look, no doubt reminded of seeing her own parents slain by Ashnard. Ike, regretting his words, was about to apologize for reminding her of that grief but then Elincia looked him full in the eye.
"You're right," she admitted. "But, you already mastered that fear a hundred times over. It's time I did the same. Besides, Jerec is a good man and he's a friend. I am not going to let him die alone."
Ike felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth at Elincia's unfailing kindness.
"I never could say no to you, could I?"
"Unless of course I was trying to talk you out of a meal."
"Very funny."
Despite the barb, Ike leaned in and captured Elincia's lips in a long kiss.
"I say again, you pick the strangest places to go out on a date," Jerec remarked, chuckling despite being in obvious pain.
"Oh, shut up," Ike shot back good naturedly.
With that, Jerec chuckled and retreated inside the wagon while Ike joined Titania and Soren near the head of the group.
"Well, now what do we do?" Titania wondered. "Just keep exploring?"
"Pretty much, I guess," Ike replied. "We'll at least look for Ranulf or someone else who can give us some insight on these shamans."
"Or directions to their retreat," Soren added.
"That too. Let's get going."
With that, the group carried on through the jungle. Not having any real clues as to whether or not the laguz shaman might have survived, the mercenaries could do little more than discern which signs indicated someone moving away from the battle, but in a different direction than Jerec had traveled. One such path soon presented itself, but the group had no idea if they'd struck upon the shaman's trail of that of the bandits. Several hours of wary hiking passed, but the tense silence was shattered, however, when a loud cracking noise echoed from above. Before anyone could say anything, a streak of blue lightning plunged from a tree above and landed right on Ike's back, sending him to the ground. The blue form was revealed to be Ranulf in his cat form. He reverted to his human form just after landing.
"DAAH!" Ike yelped, grimacing and seeing stars soon after. "What…just happened?"
"A certain blue cat laguz literally dropped in on you," Titania replied, folding her arms in annoyance. Elincia, who had jumped from the wagon to intervene, had jerked to a halt and cupped her mouth with her hands in mingled shock and amusement.
"Ugh…" Ranulf uttered, having been as dazed as Ike was from the impact against the mercenary's burly form. "Dang it…"
"Ranulf?" Ike replied, still grimacing with the weight on top of him. "I was hoping you'd drop in on us, but this isn't exactly what I had in mind."
"…Huh? Ike! What in the world?" Ranulf blurted, suddenly springing up. "I'm so sorry! Let me help you!"
"Thanks…"
"Holy goddesses! Ike, you reek, man! Where have you been?" Ranulf exclaimed, holding his nose and grimacing after helping Ike to his feet.
"It's the stinkweed substance around my neck," Ike replied. "We're using it as a bug repellent."
"Must be powerful stuff. Yeesh…"
"Oh my! Are you two alright?" Elincia inquired, rushing over from nearby.
"Ah, hello, Queen Elincia. Seeing as Ike conveniently broke my fall, I'm not hurt," Ranulf replied.
"Well, my back will probably be killing me for a few hours, but other than that, just peachy," Ike added, rather testily.
"Sorry about that…"
"What were you doing up there anyway?" Ike wondered.
"Oh, I was trying to catch a bird. When I lunged for it, I slipped off the tree branch, fell onto another one, broke it, then landed on you," Ranulf replied, chuckling with embarrassment.
"I see…"
"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Ranulf inquired.
"Ah, right. A few weeks ago, I learned that my father owned a unique sword called Ettard. Back before he robbed himself of his ability to wield a sword, it was his personal blade. Just after my mother died, he hid it and we're trying to find out where. A few days ago, we found a letter that my father left me, explaining that this sword was hidden somewhere and that the first clue to its whereabouts was somewhere in Gallia. We came here to find that clue, but we don't have much to go on. I thought you might be able to give us a hand."
"Hmm, I'm not sure. All I know of Sir Greil came from his majesty King Caineghis. And as you know, that's not much. Still, if you'd like my help, I'll do whatever I can. I'd never back down from helping a friend in need."
"I understand. Thanks, Ranulf," Ike replied with a smile.
"One thing though," Ranulf said with a quick sniff of the air. "Who's the new guy?"
Ike's gaze strayed downward at the mention of his dying friend, but he tried to keep his voice steady, though without much success.
"Ah...yes...that's Jerec. I met him a few weeks ago on a mission for Queen Elincia."
At the mention of the queen, Ranulf's eyebrows rose a moment and then a snicker escaped his lips.
"Oh, now don't bother with the honorifics. I'm on to you."
"Wait, what are you talking about?"
"I keep forgetting you beorc have a, to put it mildly, unimpressive sense of smell. Her scent is all over you."
At this, Ike colored with embarrassment and, although his back was to her, he didn't doubt that Elincia was blushing as well.
"Don't worry," Ranulf reassured. "Your secret's safe with me. So, how come this Jerec guy isn't introducing himself yet?"
"Well, that's a long story. We found him unconscious and bleeding in the jungle the other day, and now he's really ill. His injuries have already been healed, but he hasn't shown any improvement. We're afraid Jerec might have Brain Fever."
At this, Ranulf's expression became uncharacteristically serious.
"Mind if I take a look at him?"
"Go ahead, but try not to disturb him. I…I don't think he has much time left."
Ranulf nodded his understanding and lopped over to the wagon. Ike was idly wondering if Jerec was coherent enough to notice that a laguz, one of the people he'd once hated, was sharing his final moments. He pondered whether or not Jerec would appreciate the irony or if Ranulf could recognize Jerec as being from Daein. What Ike was not expecting was for Ranulf to groan irritably and utter the word "Figures."
That word, and the seeming callousness underlying it, shook Ike back to reality like a pail of cold water dumped over his head. He turned and, sure enough, Ranulf was lopping back towards Ike and seemingly oblivious to the blue haired mercenary's umbrage.
"I swear, some beorc can be real dumb sometimes," he opined sourly. "You'd think they'd know you don't come here without some Emerald Dream on hand."
"Have you no respect?" Ike howled. "The man is dying, he's getting worse by the hour and you just…wait, what did you just say?"
"Emerald Dream," Ranulf repeated, rolling his eyes. "It also helps to keep some Sparrowhawk Nail, Stomach Turner, White Crest and Summer's Snow on hand."
"I've…never heard of any of this stuff," Ike admitted, though he felt a twinge of hope at what Ranulf seemed to be implying.
"Nor have I," Rhys spoke up, vainly flipping through one of his tomes on medicines. "Not one of the bunch."
"Seriously? Wow, you beorc are behind the times."
"Will you just shut up and listen?" Ike thundered. "Are you telling me you can treat him?"
"How am I supposed to answer you if you want me to shut up? Anyway, I probably couldn't cure a case like this, but if we get him to the shamans' retreat, they can probably help him."
Ranulf had barely finished the sentence when Ike shouted for the other mercenaries to march faster and told Ranulf to take the lead.
"Don't everybody thank me at once," Ranulf grumbled, but he decided to let the matter slide since a life was at stake.
With Ranulf guiding the way, the group headed toward the shamans' retreat as fast as they could manage. Along the way, Ike quickly explained to Ranulf how they had found Jerec nearly bleeding to death after a clash with a group of bandits and how Jerec had mentioned that a shaman had also been attacked.
"Ohhh, I see now. I'll definitely do what I can. Nobody attacks our people and gets away with it, especially our shamans. They do a lot to help out the laguz communities, such as warning us of impending floods or fires and treating the sick. Unfortunately, I can't tell you if the shaman you spoke of survived or not. When they're practicing their craft, they always wear their ceremonial robes and headdresses, so I don't know what some of them look like underneath. There are lots of elderly cat laguz who become shamans, some of which work together in groups within isolated retreats. They say it's better for their work, but it also means that if they get in trouble, we might not hear about it until it's too late."
"Jerec said this woman was part of a group and that she wore a stag's head over her face, but that's all."
"Well, is he well enough to give at least a few more details?"
"I'm not sure. Rhys is with him in the back of the wagon, though. He'll let us know if it's alright to talk to Jerec again."
"Sounds good to me."
With that, Ike ordered his men to halt and then led Ranulf inside the wagon, where Rhys was tending to Jerec. Jerec himself was wrapped up in a sleeping bag on the floor, shivering with fever and his eyes darting in all directions. He coughed a few times as Ike and Ranulf approached.
"Ike!" Rhys greeted. "Whatever it is, make it quick. His hallucinations are getting worse."
"I will," Ike replied. "How is he doing?"
"He's not looking too good…" Rhys somberly reported. "His body is cold one minute and then burning up the next, he's coughing frequently, and he still says his head is killing him. I tried to give him some herbal medicines for the pain, but he only puked them up. He also keeps hearing or seeing things that aren't there and, well, like I said, he's not looking too good."
"Damn it…" Ike opined angrily. "We have to find those shamans then. Jerec, can you give us a few details about what that laguz shaman looked like?"
Jerec turned his feverish gaze towards the blue haired mercenary, but rather than answer the question, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Who's that guy with the sickle? Why is he beckoning? Why is my grandfather with him?"
"No, no, no!" Ike cut in, trying not to think about whether or not that particular delusion might be prophetic. "Don't pay attention to the sickle guy, focus on me! Ranulf just needs a few details, then we can get you help. I promise!"
"Alright… Bear skin over green dress…grayish green tail…tattoos of purple ivy on her arms…walked with a limp…"
Jerec coughed again before he could continue.
"Ah, that sounds like the elder shaman Rose Thorn," Ranulf identified. "She's one of the more famous Gallian shamans, but she keeps her real name a secret. She's known for her herbal teas and her…rather eccentric fashion sense. Sweet old cat she is, though sometimes she can be a bit too grandmotherly. I really hope she's alright."
"So do I. But we won't find out standing around here. Where is this retreat of hers, Ranulf?"
"It's large hut not too far from here, actually. Even beorc would be able to get there in about half an hour. And, trust me on this, you can't miss it."
"Great, let's go. What I'm wondering though, is why she even tried to fight bandits in the first place…"
"Ah, well, Rose Thorn might not look like it, but she's a tough old girl when she wants to be."
"I see."
The two then hurriedly left the wagon and returned to the head of the group. Ike ordered his men to continue moving and pick up the pace. Ranulf retook the lead and began directing the group towards the hut where Rose Thorn and her disciples could be found. As he had stated, the hut was not far, and came into view roughly half an hour later. It stood alone amidst a sheltered clearing amidst several large garden plots, possibly where the shamans grew their food as well as herbs and certain plants that were used for medicine. Not every type of small plant could grow in a jungle, after all. In fact, many probably couldn't due to the trees shading so much of the jungle floor. The hut itself rose upward like an enormous, budded flower and was seemingly overgrown with vines and a multitude of exotic plants. Arranged in intricate patterns around the hut were stakes topped with ceremonial totems, predominantly skulls. Oscar jerked the wagon to a halt once the group entered the small clearing. Ike invited Mist to accompany him and Ranulf to the central hut while the remainder of the group waited outside. Ranulf approached the door but, before he could knock, a tiger laguz emerged. This laguz had the look of a shaman, wearing what looked like the head of a crocodile, but this was clearly not Rose Thorn. Nor, for that matter, was the shaman happy to see visitors.
"You intrude on our meditations, and you bring outsiders," the crocodile headed shaman pointed out with displeasure. "This offense will not be tolerated. Leave at once!"
Ranulf was about to retort when a second, female voice rang out from within the hut.
"Brother Crocodile, you are a disciple, and it is not your place to choose who is and is not welcome here. Let them in."
It was hard to tell with the disciple having a crocodile head over his face, but Ike had a feeling that Brother Crocodile was blushing at the reprimand. Still, he moved aside to let the small group enter. Revealed within was an elderly cat laguz woman. As was apparently typical of the laguz shamans, she wore a peculiar mask that looked like the head of an eagle, as well as a red tunic festooned with patterns of feathers. A pair of pink ears rose from beneath her mask and wisps of white hair, very nearly indistinguishable from the white feathers of her mask, brushed her shoulders.
"Oh! Ranulf! How nice of you to come visit us again!" the woman greeted. "You're such a good young man! And, a warrior of the tribe is always welcome at our retreat."
Ranulf was about to bow to the shaman when she instead pulled him into a hug, which Mist couldn't help but giggle at.
"Yes, yes, it's nice to see you too, Indigo Talon," Ranulf replied. "But—"
"And…oh my goodness! Is that you, Ike?" Indigo Talon exclaimed after she let go of Ranulf. "And Mist too! Oh, Rose Thorn will be so happy to see the both of you after all these years! And I see you're using that stinkweed bug repellent. That is a wise precaution…though, don't expect others in Gallia to be as understanding."
"Heh, yeah, I'm Ike," Ike replied. "And Rose Thorn's alive?"
"She is, and was very lucky. She left the retreat yesterday to hunt and when she never came back, Silver Fang and I went looking for her. We found her wounded in the middle of a clearing not far from here."
"That's good to hear!" Mist commented happily. "And I barely remember all of you. I was real little…"
"'Real little?' You were just born," Indigo Talon pointed out. "I remember you though. It was the first time I'd observed a beorc being born. At first, I thought something had gone wrong when you had no…fur."
Ike couldn't help but chuckle, and Mist couldn't help but drive her heel into his foot.
"Aaaaugh!" Ike yelped.
"Now, now, no need for that," Indigo Talon chastised. "Tell me, Ike, do you remember us?"
"Unfortunately, I don't," Ike admitted. "I'm not sure why I have no recollection of living in Gallia. I only know Rose Thorn's name because of Ranulf."
"Aw, that's a shame. I'm sure it isn't your fault though. Now, all of you come inside. I very much wish to know what brings you here. From what I've learned, you're quite famous these days, General Ike."
"Actually, I'm not a general anymore," Ike pointed out.
"A general is always a general, General. Generally speaking, of course," Ranulf piped up, sounding almost respectful and prompting a long silence followed by a burst of laughter.
After the hilarity had died down, Ranulf explained that while Indigo Talon wasn't his blood grandmother, she had been like one to him ever since his parents and real grandparents had been killed by beorc bandits. Back then, Ranulf had been too young to understand the conflict between the two races and grew up learning from Indigo Talon that all living things must respect one another, for none can survive alone. She and the other shamans also believed that the beorc and laguz simply misunderstood each other and that, inevitably, a lasting peace would be realized.
"Man, if only she had taught Lethe," Ike replied, half joking.
"Haha, yeah," Ranulf agreed.
At Indigo Talon's insistence, Ranulf also relayed that her real name was Lillian and that, upon reaching the rank of Elder Shaman, a laguz adopts a name to befit their rank. He also warned that an Elder Shaman's real name was not shared lightly and that, if Rose Thorn or Silver Fang revealed theirs, Ike and Mist had best keep it to themselves.
"Are you boys hungry or thirsty? I can get you some refreshments, if you'd like," Lillian offered kindly. "Silver Fang is out gathering some herbs. She should be back soon. Rose Thorn is resting in one of the halls of healing."
"I'm fine, thank you," Ike declined.
"Same here," Ranulf seconded.
"How about you, Mist?" Lillian inquired.
"Oh, I'm okay," the cleric replied with a smile, her tone then turning coy. "I'm surprised Ike isn't jumping up and down at your suggestion though."
"Mist, shut it," Ike demanded.
"Hee hee, you two are definitely siblings," Lillian teased.
"Anyway, a friend of mine has gotten really ill. He has…I'm not sure what you laguz call it, but we call it Brain Fever," Ike explained. "My mercenary company's main healer was unable to help him, because we beorc never found a cure. When we met Ranulf though, he said you could help us. I also need to ask Rose Thorn something. It's…a bit of a personal matter."
"Ah, I see. Bring the patient in here and we'll do whatever we can. Meanwhile, you and Mist must definitely visit Rose Thorn! Just a reminder though, if she shares her true name, keep it in confidence."
Ike nodded while Ranulf offered to go get Jerec. After the blue cat laguz departed the hut, the two siblings followed Lillian to one of the rooms adjoining the hut's meditation chamber. Inside, another elderly cat laguz lay on the bed. As Jerec had described, she was clothed in a bear skin and what looked like the head of a stag was resting on a bedside table with all manner of oddments suspended from the antlers on leather cords. Without the mask, the pair could also see that she had white hair and greenish gray ears and that the ivy tattoos also went up her shoulders all the way to her cheeks. She looked as if she might've been sleeping, but as the siblings approached, she stirred. She turned drowsily towards the door and, when she saw who her visitors were, she snapped awake and gasped in amazement.
"Goodness gracious, is that Ike? And Mist?" she exclaimed, vaulting to her feet.
"It certainly is them, Rose Thorn! All flesh and blood!" Lillian confirmed.
"Wow, after all these years!" Rose Thorn gushed joyfully. "Come over here, you two! Come on!"
Mist smiled excitedly and with surprising strength, yanked the slightly embarrassed Ike along with her. Rose Thorn met the pair in midstride and pulled Ike into a tight hug first.
"Yeah, good to see you too, Rose Thorn…" Ike greeted, wondering how the old woman could have such a strong grip. Then he remembered that laguz recovered faster from injuries and illnesses than beorc did.
"No need for honorifics, Rosie will do nicely," Rose Thorn – Rosie – continued. "Oh, you've grown so tall and handsome since I last saw you. Just like your father. And Mist, you're growing to be as beautiful as your mother."
"Oh, I don't know about that, but thanks!" Mist replied bashfully as Rosie let go of Ike and hugged her, nearly taking Mist off the floor. "This place and those masks though, they're incredible! I wish I could remember the last time I was here."
"I don't think I'll ever forget," Rosie said, ruffling Mist's hair. "In fact, it was only a few days before your father… Oh my gosh, we were all so devastated when we heard. All those people, beorc and laguz, dead… Including your poor mother. I mean, when someone told me Greil went berserk, I snapped at him saying 'what kind of sick joke is this? Whatever would cause a good man like him to go into such a rage?' I felt terrible when I found out it was true."
"I bet," Mist agreed, a little somberly. "I didn't even know what had happened for years until a man my father hired a long time ago told Ike and then Ike told me. My brother doesn't remember you for some reason though, so that's why he had no idea either."
"Ah, that's so unfortunate. Ike, you and your sister were like grandchildren to me. I was so sad to see you two and your father leave after what happened to your mother. I missed the times she would bring you and Mist here to visit. I grieved even more when I heard about your father's death… But you were such an adorable little boy. And your sister is just as lovable now as she was when she was born. I delivered both of you, you know!"
"I see…" Ike replied, dubiously eyeing the Elder Shaman's antlered mask.
"Oh, now don't be silly," Rosie snickered. "I wouldn't wear that when dealing with newborns. You did like that mask though. Once, I set it down to wash my face and, when I came back, there you were gumming on the stag's skin."
"Well, I guess that explains why I like meat so much," Ike replied, turning red at the image.
Before anyone could say anything else, Ranulf entered the room and reported that Silver Fang arrived just as he, Oscar, and Rhys were bringing Jerec into the hut. The third Elder Shaman had already moved the ailing lancer to the ritual circle and had assigned him a room for him to rest in after the healing was completed.
"Oh, that's wonderful," Lillian commented. "I'll go join them."
"Thank you for helping out, Ranulf," Ike added with a smile.
"No problem!" Ranulf replied happily.
"You have a sick friend, Ike?" Rosie wondered.
"Yeah. He has Brain Fever."
"Oh dear. The poor fellow. Hereabouts, we refer to it as Flaming Skull. We know how to treat it, but the illness is a cruel thing nonetheless. I'll go to him at once. Indigo Talon, I want you, Silver Fang, and any disciples that are here in the retreat to sound the drums and signal the disciples to gather the herbs we'll need. Time is of the essence, so get started."
Lillian nodded and raced out of the room. Moments later, the sound of drumming thundered from the next room in a series of ever shifting beats and rhythms.
"These drums are how we communicate with others in this isolation," Rosie spoke up, noting Ike's perplexity. "Certain successions of beats can translate into names, tasks and destinations. Right now, the disciples out in the jungle are being instructed to gather the herbs and to bring them back here."
"Thank you. Anyway, I wanted to ask you about something, Rosie," Ike continued.
"Go ahead. I'll help with anything you'd like," Rosie offered with a smile.
Ike then explained his quest to find Ettard, the clue that Greil had left him, and Jerec's situation, including the information the lancer had given about Rosie.
"Ah, of course. Your father did want to leave something here for you, and we were more than happy to help him out," Rosie replied. "You'll find it in a little red box on a shelf in our supply room. Ranulf knows where it is. I feel so sorry for your friend, though. I'd had a feeling that he was the same kind beorc man who tried to help me back when those thugs attacked us. I was surprised to be helped by a beorc rather than a fellow beast laguz, but I knew there must have been a good reason he was there. And then he wandered off with those terrible wounds…"
"I don't blame you. But thanks. Mist, you can stick around here if you want," Ike decided. "Ranulf, let's go."
"Got it!" Ranulf agreed.
With that, the two left the room, Ike's heart racing with anticipation. Ranulf led him to another room towards the back of the building, filled with shelves piled high with all manner of oddments including numerous herbs that Ike had never even heard of. This was clearly the supply room, just as Rosie had said, and Ike suspected that Rhys and Soren would have to be pried away from all the research opportunities within. Ike and Ranulf quickly began searching each shelf of herbs and other oddities for the box the elderly laguz had mentioned. Ranulf soon spotted it behind a small pile of vulneraries.
"Ike, over here," he alerted, pulling the box out from its hiding place.
"Good work," Ike complimented and took the box. He then opened the lid to find another piece of folded parchment inside. He snatched it and immediately began to read.
Ike, here is your next clue.
Gifted with massive heaps of stone it is.
Erected with the might of many men.
But building such a structure is no simple task.
After labor, those men do rest and then…
Large endeavors begin and end with small steps.
"I don't understand this at all," Ranulf admitted, scratching the top of his head as Ike finished reading.
"Neither do I," Ike replied, arching one eyebrow. "But something tells me there's more to these sentences than meets the eye. It's describing something, possibly a place, but what?"
"Hmm…"
"…Wait a second. Look at the left edge. You see how the first sentence is at the top center of the passage and how the other sentences are lined up? I think that might important."
The two men then reread the sentences once more. Within seconds, they noticed that one detail which confirmed Ike's suspicion. The answer wasn't in the sentences, but in five letters that spelled out a concealed word. Their eyes widened, their gazes met, and both shouted out in realization.
"Gebal Castle!"