Here it is. The final installment of "The Journey Begins". I would like thank everyone who has kept up with this story until the last. I would like to thank Hyralc ( for the review that got me to finally write this. It's been a decent run. I would have liked more critics or reviewers but oh well. Enjoy the finale.
Disclaimer- Not mine
Chapter 9- A New Threat
"Perhaps we should move to somewhere less open. My room?" Chase suggests.
The three are suspicious however. Events are moving far too fast for their liking. In the span of one week, they have fought a bandit attack, joined the Black Fang, found out Chase is alive, and now this. These events almost seem too convenient. No one moves.
"I- we mean you no harm. We just wish to inform you of a new threat. People of your standings must be curious about what may happen," Leanne adds.
"Let's go you two. Worse comes to worse, we can run," Mark mutters.
"Doesn't seem like much of a choice since the three of us are tired and hurt," Carter scowls at his brother.
"I'm hurt too," Leanne puts in.
"Not much though. I'm not either but, Carter is exhausted from the fight with Linus and Mark, well, he almost died. Odds are in your favor in case you try something," Sierra trails off.
"We can hold the conversation out here but this is serious information I would prefer to not be overheard," Chase says gruffly.
"Can we just go? I'm tired and hungry and if I don't change my clothes soon, I' going to catch a cold," Mark whines.
"You're such a baby," Carter grumbles.
"A baby that can kick your ass so what does that make you?" Mark sneers.
"Come on you guys. You can tear each other's' throats out later but for now, let's go with them. They seem serious," Sierra intervenes.
"That's what we've been trying to say," Chase groans but leads the way to his room.
Chase's room is small and unfurnished. The walls are originally white in color but time and bad care has the room in a yellowish glow. There is a bed that is basically a mattress in the furthest corner of the room. The bed is placed right by the only window in the room. The window is boarded up so that only a little light can be let through. There is also a small dresser near the bed but it is covered in dust. All in all, the room is depressing and unkempt.
"Great place bro. The ladies must get really turned on by the décor," Carter whistles jokingly.
"Fang members don't stay too long at base. We usually have long missions away from base. Normally, we have a housekeeper that cleans all the rooms but I guess she quit or something," Chase dismisses.
When everyone is in the room, Chase closes the door. Mark and Carter however quickly hold their weapons by Leanne and Sierra's throats.
"Carter! Mark! What is wrong with you two?" Sierra shouts.
"Shut up Sierra! Go to Leia-Lean-whatever, the girl and get rid of every weapon on her. Carter, you do the same to Chase when she is done," Mark orders, forgetting the girl's name, "Carter, close your eyes."
"You really don't trust people do you?" Chase sighs but lifts his arms up anyways, "Well, can't say I blame you. Only a fool would believe a man thought dead and a spy."
Sierra grumbles to herself about how Mark and Carter should take the stick out of their asses but searches Leanne for weapons. She finds quite a lot and raises an eyebrow at Leanne when she finds a small heavy silver cylinder in Leanne's undergarments. That is the last of the weapons so the men are allowed to open their eyes.
"What? It is a good last resort weapon," Leanne blushes.
"Uh huh," Sierra looks away.
"It is!" Leanne barks.
"The more you deny something the worse it looks," Mark remarks.
"Women," Carter sighs.
"Yeah," Chase agrees.
Leanne has by now turned a lovely shade of red and mutters to herself. She doesn't get that everyone is just joking with her. Carter releases her and starts the search of Chase. Sierra stands by Leanne and makes sure she is nowhere near the weapons.
"You know. This is not the highlight of my day," Carter grumbles as he removes two long knives, a small hand axe, and the large battle axe on his back.
"Don't stop there. Pull his pants down," Mark says.
Carter stops and everyone gives him a weird stare.
"He has a tattoo remember? If he has it then he is Chase, if not, then well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Mark explains.
Everyone continues staring at him, "Carter told me a long time ago and said he wanted one as well. I'm not gay like some other nobles in society so can you guys quit staring? It is rather uncomfortable."
"Why would you remember something like that?" Leanne asks curiously.
"The tattoo is one of a dragon and not that many people I know have tattoos and even less have them on their ass," Mark explains through gritted teeth. Maybe he should have worded his command better.
"Yeah, it's here," Carter says.
Chase for his part has a red blush on his face and says, "If you are all quite done feeling us up, we do have information to share."
"I wasn't feeling you up," Carter protests.
"It's okay. Your secret is safe with me," Mark puts a comforting hand on Carter's shoulders that made Carter want to kill him.
"Can't you stop antagonizing him? I would rather not one day find Mark stew over the fire," Sierra sighs.
"Jokes aside. What do you two know?" Mark says seriously. There is a fire in his eyes that spook Leanne and Chase. He seems like such a mild mannered guy but those eyes seem a bit well insane.
"Well, obviously we know Carter is my brother and now heir to Tuscana. Mark and Sierra's past Leanne dug up. Mark is the third in line for the rule of Tania but he is the best prospect in many eyes and the target of many assassination attempts. Sierra is the daughter of one of Bern's nobility, the House of the Roses. (I don't know Bernese royalty or all that. (If anyone is really bothered, private message me or something.) We even know about Talon," Chase explains.
"What makes you think we are us or them? There are a lot of Carters, Sierras, and Marks. Heck, there are even a fair amount of Talons in this land," Mark questions.
"Well, besides Carter ruining your identities by calling me out immediately," Chase gives Carter a disapproving glance to which Carter shrugs, "You have the runesword Alucard in your possession. It is a treasure that is guarded by twenty knights at all times. Not even a thief can sneak past them. You are also wearing the twin snake medallion of Elimine, another treasure of Tania.
Carter has the Tuscana house's jade ring on his left ring finger. It is a symbol of royalty and power. Again, no thief could ever obtain it since there is an enchanted spell on it that would shatter the ring if one other than you wears it.
The little lady has the ruby earrings of the legendary berserker Durban. It was taken away from the Western Isles due to an assault by the Bernese Royal House of Roses that allowed the once lower nobility to rise to great heights. I don't understand why they would entrust those earrings to you since it is a national treasure but there must be some reason."
"Are they really that special? I thought they were pretty and asked my parents for them. They just gave me them and said to never lose them," Sierra says much to Chase's surprise.
"You can't be serious. Those earrings are priceless. They were worn by one of the eight heroes. The inhabitants of the Western Isles would kill to have them back," Chase roars.
"Moving on," Mark dismisses Chase, "Good work on finding all this but I assume there must be some reason you asked us to come here? I knew we would be found out just not by an Ostian spy."
"Well, yes of course. You see, there is this possible threat by-," Leanne begins but Mark cuts her off.
"Not so fast. I have some questions that have been nagging at me. Chase, if you were alive, whose body did Carter bury? Or better yet, whose ashes did Carter bury?" Mark asks.
"I don't know," Chase answers clearly a bit confused.
"This could be problematic if people found out you were alive. At the very least, the funeral would cause some strife. Others may use this as a way to evict the old rulers- that would be you guys- and replace them with themselves or puppets," Mark says disdainfully.
"Oh well," Carter says.
"'Oh well?' Do you understand what this will do? A battle for inheritance and power would result and weaken Tuscana. Other lords like the idiot Marquess of Araphen or Bern or Etruria even may participate and then, there will be a war spanning the entire continent," Mark says gravely.
"I see what you are getting at. Best case scenario, no one finds out. Worst case scenario, everyone dies," Chase says.
"Well, we'll deal with that later," Mark changes the subject.
"Wait, didn't you just say this is a grave matter? How can you just dismiss it when you brought it up?" Chase asks angrily.
"Nothing we can do. When we try to do something is when we screw it up the most. If we don't let on that you are alive, we are good," Mark shrugs.
Chase didn't look satisfied with that answer but lets it go. Mark turns to Leanne and prepares three questions.
"I have three things to ask. Answer them in this order. Why is an Ostian spy in the Black Fang camp? Did you reveal Chase's identities r ours as of yet? What is this threat the two of you speak of?" Mark asks.
"First of all, Ostia is suspicious of Black Fang activities as of yet. You have heard that the Fang used to be a fairly well-minded group that only targeted bigots and criminals correct?" Leanne asks t which the three nod, "Well lately, there have been a spike in jobs that hurt the innocent and orderly. Ostia wonders what has happened and if it would be necessary to petition Bern to authorize a military assault on the Fang."
"Makes sense to me but Ostia would be taking a grave risk in doing so. They may enrage Bern and there is no guarantee Bern will actually even accept," Sierra points out.
"That is true. That is why I need evidence," Leanne supplies.
"But why the Fang? There are a lot of mercenary and blacklist groups that are even more dangerous," Carter ponders.
"The Fang has the most members and some of the previously dangerous groups have assimilated into the Fang. Right now, it is the gravest possible threat in Elibe," Chase puts in.
Mark motions for Leanne to answer the other two questions.
"As of yet, I have not informed anyone of the identities of your four. I reached the same conclusion as the four of you earlier on. As for you three, I am not entirely sure. I am duty-bound to report any suspicious activities in the Fang to my lord. Even keeping Chase's identity a secret is a breach of that oath," Leanne frowns.
"Fair enough. Inform Ostia if you want of us. It makes little difference. I can easily say we are spying on a suspicious group and that is why we are incognito," Mark pushes that aside.
"For now, I will keep quiet until I believe the situation becomes too dangerous," Leanne informs.
"Fine," Mark replies.
"Now as for the possible threat," Leanne begins.
"I'll say it. There is a man called Nergal and he seems to play some kind of role in the Fang. For now, he has done little but I don't like him. He reeks of power and the dark arts. He may the cause of the corruption in the Fang," Chase frowns.
"That is dire indeed. A practitioner of elder magic secretly controlling one of the largest mercenary organizations in Elibe is very unsettling," Mark frowns as well.
"Well until we get more information, try to keep a low profile," Chase says.
"Yeah."
"Sure."
"We promise."
"These brats have no intention to keep their noses out of this," Chase thinks sadly.
"Anyways, you will probably get a mission tomorrow. Try to rest up," Chase sighs.
"Fine. Hm. By the way, how old are you guys? I'm nineteen. Carter's twenty. Sierra's twenty," Mark asks.
"Oh. I'm thirty now. Leanne's twenty one, I think," Chase says.
"Wow, what an age difference. I'm still the youngest I guess," Mark sighs.
"Do you two know how rude it is to tell someone else a lady's age?" Sierra snaps.
"I don't see a lady here do you two?" Chase asks jokingly.
"There are women here?" Carter smirks.
"Wow, I thought you were all five year old girls. My bad," Mark sneers.
It seems like a joke but Mark sounds like he is serious. The guys are insulted for an obvious reason. The girls unconsciously look down at their chests and fold their arms over it. They are a little insecure about their breasts.
"Let me hit you one time," Chase cracks his knuckles.
"It won't hurt too badly," Sierra picks up a staff.
"Just a small tap," Leanne smiles and picks up the small silver cylinder.
"Let's see if you can talk with a broken jaw," Carter picks up his spear, not even trying to hide his intent.
"Hell no," Mark grins as he bolts out the door with the others at his heels.
Oh yeah. I'm probably going to write a sequel to this since this is really just a prologue. What a long prologue though eh? Review alright. The more reviews the faster I work.