Falchion1984: In case anybody's wondering, the plant Fire Leaf is supposed to be the laguz name for Tellius's equivalent of Camphor, a cinnamon scented herb that was used as a bug repellent in the medieval world… Too bad Ike and company only hear about it after buying the aptly named Stinkweed. =D Keep in mind also that Brain Fever/Flaming Skull means Meningitis/Encephalitis. Also, in case the shamans' dual names seem confusing, here's a convenient reference.
Rose Thorn - Rosie
Indigo Talon - Lillian
Silver Fang - Bonnie
Part 4: The Search Continues
Having discovered the next clue to Ettard's whereabouts, Ike was keen to set out at once on the next leg of his journey. With the parchment in hand and Ranulf half a step behind, he hastened to find the other mercenaries. The pair had just entered the rest area, where Ike and Mist had spoken to Rosie, when they were greeted by a none-too-friendly Brother Crocodile. Despite Lillian's earlier chastisement, the disciple with the crocodile mask didn't seem any more welcoming now than he had earlier. With what sounded very much like an angry grumble, he gestured for the pair to follow him. Within moments, the pair had been led to what looked like the retreat's communal dining area. Large, round tables dotted the room with rough benches encircling them and, at one such table, Elincia and the mercenaries were seated and enjoying a simple meal, no doubt having been invited in and awaiting news of Jerec's wellbeing. Not wasting any time, Ike bolted over to join them and, with much reluctance, firmly decided that a meal could wait for the time being.
"Ike! Ranulf!" Titania greeted, waving them over. "What's the rush? You two look like you've been running the length of the jungle."
"Is there any news about Jerec?" Oscar inquired.
"Yeah, I'm wondering myself," Rhys added. "The last time I saw him, his symptoms were terrible."
"Oh, don't worry, Jerec's in good hands," Ike assured. "He'll be fine."
"Yeah, though he may have to rest here for awhile," Ranulf added. "People don't recover from Flaming Skull overnight, you know. Not even the laguz."
"True. But anyway, check this out. It's my father's next clue!" Ike replied, handing Titania the newly discovered note. She, Oscar, and Rhys immediately read it over and then allowed Mist to take a peek. "Rosi-Rose Thorn, the shaman that Jerec met, told me that my father left it here when he last visited this place."
Both Ranulf and Mist gave Ike reproachful looks for nearly blurting out Rosie's real name but everyone quickly turned their attention to the note, passing it around the table until they'd all read it. Boyd and Gatrie looked thoroughly baffled while Shinon seemed, predictably, disinterested.
"So there really was a laguz shaman?" Titania realized, more than a bit surprised.
"Yeah," Ike confirmed. "She's here, and she's fine. I'd say this confirms Jerec's story, and that means there really are bandits after Ettard. We have to move fast."
"What does this mean, though?" Rhys wondered, gesturing at the note.
"Yeah, I can see that it's describing something, but other than that, it doesn't really seem to be telling us anything," Titania added.
"Actually, the answer is simple. It's hidden right here in these sentences," Oscar countered. "See the first letter of the first words in each line? They spell out "Gebal." As in Gebal Castle."
"…Oh! I see it now! Oscar, you're a genius," Titania complimented.
"Aw, shucks…"
"I have to agree!" Rhys added. "It would've taken me a long time to spot that!"
"Me too," Mist put in. "Father was really good at this!"
"It makes perfect sense too," Ike replied. "Remember when we first met Ranulf and he suggested that we stay at an old abandoned castle? It was my father who suggested that we go to Gebal Caslte. And, he acted as if he'd been there before, or at least knew a lot about it."
"Oh yeah, he did, didn't he?" Ranulf remembered.
"He might have even hidden Ettard there!" Ike realized, his excitement getting the better of him. "That must be why he suggested going to Gebal, so he could retrieve it!"
"I'm not so sure about that," Titania cut in. "When we arrived at the castle, we searched it pretty thoroughly. Since the place was abandoned, we expected that the place would be falling apart and we needed to make sure we could defend it, remember?"
"Oh yeah," Oscar piped up. "I remember that Commander Greil had me looking for places where the stones in the walls had given way or were weak enough that they could be pried apart. He wanted me to use the rubble that was, well, everywhere, to block any such places up. He also told Gatrie to look for any rooms where the roof looked ready to cave in and to block them off so nobody went in them by accident."
"And, again, those were just about everywhere," Gatrie recalled, rubbing absently at the crown of his head and wincing.
"Exactly," Titania confirmed. "The rubble and some old furnishings was practically all that was left in that place, and we used nearly all of it to block off the places where the enemy could break in. If Ettard was in Gebal, we would've found it right then."
"You're...probably right," Ike admitted, more than a hint of frustration in his tone. "Still, my father left this note for a reason, and my guess is that there is something hidden at Gebal Castle that he wanted me to find."
"I'm sure of it," Titania agreed. "The castle is abandoned, after all, so no one would think to look there for anything valuable."
"My point exactly," Ike agreed. "Even if Ettard isn't there, the next clue probably is."
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Mia piped up, leaping atop her seat and with her sword halfway out of its sheath.
"Whoa, easy there!" Boyd shouted, half under the table. "Save that for the bad guys."
"Yeah, seriously," Ike agreed. "Now, listen guys; I don't know how much these bandits know about Ettard or how they found out in the first place, but they're sure to still be looking for it. Jerec managed to steal back the letter that we found in the fort, so it's a safe bet that they're either trying to find Jerec to get the note back or that they're looking for Ettard on their own. Either way, they might stumble upon this retreat. Since it's so far off the beaten path, we should probably protect it ourselves for the time being. Now, Ranulf and I will head to the castle. The rest of you need to remain at the retreat and guard Jerec and the others here in case the bandits find this place."
"Sounds good to me," Ranulf replied.
The others, however, seemed to disagree.
"Ike, I don't like this idea. You're still not fully recovered from your injuries," Elincia protested.
"Injuries?" Ranulf wondered, serious for a split second before the inevitable smirk came. "What, ingestion strike at last?"
"This is getting old fast," Ike groused, turning to face Ranulf. "I had a rough fight with Arius, the self-proclaimed wolf king who tried to take over Daein a few weeks back."
"'A rough time?'" Rhys blurted, sounding incredulous. "You got your neck cut open, were buried under a boulder, nearly bled to death and were in a coma for hours. Not to mention that afterward, the blood loss left you too exhausted to lift your sword and you couldn't take more than five steps without your head spinning!"
That wiped the smirk off of Ranulf's face, and the blue cat laguz suddenly looked as though he was ready to reconsider Ike's proposal. Of those at the table, he knew best that the jungle was unforgiving territory even at the best of times.
"Ike, I'm afraid I must agree with Rhys," Soren commented. "Mounting a solid defense here would be a simple matter, since the bandits would have to leave the cover of the jungle to reach us, and would have to pick their way through those totems in the field while we can fire arrows and spells at them with ease. But, it would be foolish of you to go to Gebal Castle alone in your current state."
"I'm not going alone, I have Ranulf with me," Ike countered. "He knows the jungle better than any of us. Besides, I haven't had a dizzy spell since we found the letter in the fort nearly five days ago and I haven't felt any sudden exhaustion in nearly a week. I'm sure I'm well enough for the trip."
The others at the table looked unconvinced, and Elincia, Mist and Titania looked quite worried, but Soren gave a resigned sigh and nodded.
"This is not a good idea," Soren reiterated. "But, I'll make sure the retreat is well defended when you leave. Good luck."
"Thanks, Soren," Ike replied with a smile. "We'll be back as soon as we can."
"Wait, what?" Mist blurted, looking ready to throttle Soren. "Are you guys nuts? Ike, you should take the rest of us with you!"
"I agree," Elincia added. "Please Ike, you know how it worries me when you do this sort of thing."
"I know, but I have to get to my dad's sword before those bandits do," Ike reasoned. "And, they're more likely to come here than go after Ranulf and I, considering what Jerec told us. So, it's better if most of us remain here to protect the area. Besides that, I've a feeling I'm going to eventually meet these thugs anyway. So, I'd rather we find Ettard before that happens."
"Well…I suppose you're right. Just be careful out there, you hear me? Don't try anything stupid."
"Of course. To be honest, I'd rather go alone, but I know you, Mist, and Rhys would never allow it."
"That's right, oh Ike the Impetuous."
"You're darn right I would't!" Mist agreed, folding her arms. "I'm worried enough with only Ranulf going with you. No big brother of mine is gallivanting off into the jungle by himself when there's bandits around, especially when he's not in tip top shape yet."
"I agree," Rhys added. "Ike, if something happens over there—"
"Relax already! Geez!" Ike retorted. "Ranulf is very reliable and he'd know what to do if anything bad happens. He can literally sniff out trouble and he knows the jungle better than any of us, so don't worry."
"Yeah, what he said. No one's getting past my nose," Ranulf put in. "Besides, these bandits can't know their way around here half as well as I do."
"Alright then, I'll see you soon," Elincia replied and wrapped her arms around Ike's neck. After exchanging a farewell kiss with his love, Ike led Ranulf out of the retreat. They head to the wagon, retrieved a rucksack of supplies and a machete for each of them and headed into the jungle.
"Ranulf, you remember the way to the castle from here, right?" Ike inquired.
"Yeah, just follow me," Ranulf assured.
With that, the blue cat laguz led Ike through the jungle trails, hacking away at any overgrowth that blocked their path. As they did so, Ike couldn't help but contemplate the search he and Ranulf would conduct in Gebal Castle. From what Ike remembered of it, the place was not that big, but it was in terrible disrepair, so poking around carelessly could prove dangerous. The mercenaries had only used the castle as a temporary shelter. That is, until it was suddenly surrounded by a Daein army. As Ike recalled, many of the walls looked ready to topple over at any moment and the roof was in no better condition. When the mercenaries had arrived there, much of their time was spent finding rooms that wouldn't cave in on them and using the rubble to plug holes the enemy might use to sneak in. No secret compartments or panels had been discovered during all this but, then again, nobody had ever really looked for any. Ike was worried that the clue Greil had hidden at Gebal might have been used in a barricade or was in a room that was ready to cave in, or had already done so. But, he doubted this was the case. Greil had, as Titania pointed out, always been very foresighted. Thus, Ike doubted it would take long for him and Ranulf to locate Greil's next clue. And, this was quite a relief. The longer the pair spent away from the rest of the group, the greater the chance that they might run afoul of the bandits. And, powerful though both warriors were, they knew that, alone, they wouldn't stand a chance against them.
About an hour later, Gebal Castle finally came into view. Impossible though it seemed, the abandoned castle looked in even greater disrepair than Ike remembered. Portions of the walls had given way, creating numerous passages one could squeeze through, while some of the towers' walls had crumbled away, leaving empty rooms exposed to the elements. The whole place looked ready to topple over, and Ike could only hope that it wouldn't do so with him and Ranulf inside. The castle, however, was eerily quiet. It was as silent as…
Here Ike had to snort derisively.
It was as silent as the grave.
And, indeed, it was a grave. After Greil had been slain by the Black Knight, he had been buried near this ruin. And, Ike and the others had very nearly joined him when the Daeins attacked the following morning. With Shinon and Gatrie having had deserted the company, less-than-reassured at the idea of Ike becoming the new commander, the mercenaries had been at a disadvantage. Though Ike and his friends were able to hold the Daein army back, the enemy just kept on coming, and the mercenaries' defenses were eventually worn down and overrun. Even Titania had succumbed to exhaustion and, soon enough, the Daeins were practically swarming over the mercenaries. Even so, Ike continued to fight and, miraculously, Lethe and Mordecai had come to their rescue. Seemingly in the blink of an eye, their claws tore through the Daeins. If not for those laguz, the mercenaries would have probably perished that day.
That was, Ike reflected, his first real brush with death; though it would not be his last. It was also his first true mission as the commander of the Greil Mercenaries, and Ike could only hope he'd done credit to his father with how he'd led them. As had often happened since his father's death, Ike found his thoughts on Greil. At first, it just didn't seem real that his father, one of the most powerful warriors he had ever seen, could be killed with such seeming ease. Disbelief had given way to despair and then rage and Ike tried, futilely, to attack the Black Knight then and there and, after that, Ike tried, with no greater success, to save his father. With the Black Knight defeated and entombed in the ruins of Nados Castle, Ike felt some of his inner wounds healing, but many questions remained for which, he knew, he would receive no answers.
Had he led the mercenaries wisely and well? Ike felt he'd done as well as he could, but he still found himself wondering if his father would've done something differently.
What had Greil been like when he was Gawain? And, for that matter, did Ike even want to know?
Would Greil have found a way to cement the ties between Crimea and its newfound laguz allies? Or, for that matter, would he have found a way to deal with the crisis in Daein?
One question which Ike found particularly vexing was whether or not his father would have approved of his relationship with Elincia. And, for that matter, whether Greil would've discovered some solution to the couple's dilemma.
Ike did not ask himself whether he could've done something differently that night, for time had taught him that he was lucky to have escaped with his own life, but that was a cold comfort when weighed against the memory of hauling his father's body to the castle and feeling the life drain out of him with every step.
More than losing someone he loved and admired, Ike missed all that he would never have with his father. He would never know, never truly know, if he'd done credit to his father's memory. He would never rediscover the strangely absent memories of his mother and Gallia and goddess knows what else. And, even if he and Elincia did find some way to overcome the obstacles between them, some part of Ike would always regret that Greil would not be there to see it and that his and Elincia's child, or children, would never meet their grandfather.
Some of Ike's distress must've shown, for Ranulf clapped a hand over his friend's shoulder.
"It hurts being back here, doesn't it?" he guessed, though his tone suggested he already knew the answer.
"Not in the way it used to," Ike replied. "I just…it bothers me how little I knew him, and I still can't help but wonder if he'd approve of the way I'm handling things."
"Well, everybody else seems to approve. That's gotta count for something."
"Yeah, but…that doesn't stop me from missing him. Besides, with what's been going on lately, with me and Elincia and over in Daein, I wish he was here to tell me what to do. Frankly, I'm at a loss."
"I understand. More than you might think, in fact. I was too young to know my parents when I lost them, and I was really lucky to have Lillian to raise me. And, I was even luckier that I had her to teach me about the beorc and the laguz and how things could, and should, be between them. She always believed that a lasting peace could be reached between the races but, at times, I had a hard time picturing it as a reality."
Here, Ranulf paused to roll his shoulder and crick his neck.
"That smack-down at Port Toha didn't help much," the blue cat laguz admitted, then favoring Ike with a look of brotherly affection. "But, you trying to help me did. It wasn't the smartest move on your part."
"Hey!" Ike blurted angrily.
"Still, up until then, I hadn't really believed that what Lillian said could become real. But, after Port Toha, I think that was when things changed. She told me the beorc and laguz could be friends, and you made me believe it."
As was often the case, Ike found himself rather confounded by the praise.
"Ah…well…er…I…" he stammered, thunderstruck by Ranulf's confession.
"'Take compliments the way a baby takes medicine?'" Ranulf suggested with a snicker.
"Next time I visit you, I'm bringing a dog," Ike warned. "Still…wow, I didn't see that coming."
"Yeah, I guessed that from all the stammering. When I told Lillian, she called it 'an epiphany.' A sudden realization about myself or the world, or both. What was your epiphany? You led a lot of missions, which one of them got you thinking 'hey, I can do this'?"
"I…hadn't really thought about it. I mean, there were plenty of times it looked as if we weren't going to make it."
"But, you kept going. Why? Aside from your girlfriend, of course?"
"Ha, ha. Very funny. Well, I kept going because there were people I cared about who needed my help, and because there was no one besides us to help them."
"So, not having Greil around to tell you what to do and how to do it didn't stop you?"
"No. If anything, it gave even more reason to do what I did."
"And, you knew it could be done?"
"Well, I didn't know. I…believed, I suppose."
"Exactly! Lillian believed that the beorc and laguz could find a way to coexist, but she could not have known if it would ever truly happen. That didn't stop her from believing it could happen and, heck, she might even be around to see it. And, you didn't know you were doing what your father would've wanted or that you'd succeed, but you tried anyway because you believed it had to be done. If you still believe that, then you must be doing something right."
"Maybe. I guess I never thought of it that way. I mean, I hear people talking about what a "great warrior" I am, but I never really believed it. A lot of the people who served with me in the war were better warriors than I am."
"Aren't they the same ones who told you that you're a great warrior? And, I'm sure your girlfriend mentions it pretty often."
"Well, yeah. They did."
"Even Lethe said she was impressed with you. It's not easy to get that kind of praise out of her. Believe me, I know."
Ike gave Ranulf a sly, sidelong glance, to which Ranulf replied by playfully swatting at the blue haired mercenary.
"Watch it," Ranulf warned. "Still, I understand where you're coming from. There's so little any of us can truly know, so we have faith in what we believe to be true. And, that faith can help us do incredible things. Take Rhys, for instance. Always sickly, very weak, maybe even living on borrowed time as it is, but he's one of the best healers I've ever even heard of. A lot of people in his place, even the laguz, wouldn't be able to deal with his problems, but he does. His faith is in Ashera, and it must be strong to keep him going. And, again, he doesn't know that Ashera exists. In fact, even though there are countless beorc and laguz who worship her, not one has seen her face-to-face."
"That would be something."
"Yeah, but the point is that that faith keeps him going, even though he's always so sick. Faith like that, in the Goddess, or our friends, or even ourselves, can drive us to dare the impossible. I'm sure you know that, and in more ways than one."
And, Ike had to concede the point. He had vowed to find a way to overcome the obstacles between him and Elincia, so that they could have a future together and love each other freely and openly, but he had no idea how or even if that would happen. Yet, this didn't stop him; nor, he suspected, did it stop Elincia from believing that they'd succeed.
Elincia believed in him.
The mercenaries believed in him as well.
And, he realized, his father believed in him by having him take command during the retreat from the Mercenary fort and the journey into Gallia.
Now, Ike realized, he needed to believe in himself as well.
For the first time in a long time, Ike looked very nearly at ease. He clapped a hand over Ranulf's shoulder and smiled.
"Thanks," he replied simply. "I needed that."
"Anytime," Ranulf answered.
With newfound resolution, Ike strode towards Gebal Castle and the next leg of his quest.
"Alright, let's get started. Do you mind splitting up? We'll get done faster that way; and the quicker, the better," Ike suggested when the pair approached the gate.
"Good idea," Ranulf agreed as they entered. "Also, we'd probably have better luck searching the more intact areas. Greil surely wanted to keep his hidden clues well-preserved, and I kinda doubt he would've wanted it ruined by the rain or the mud, or buried when some wall came tumbling in."
"Agreed, we'll start in the rooms that were never blocked off. Just look for anything out of the ordinary or suspicious."
"Right."
With that, the two continued towards the main doors of the castle…such as they were. The doors were still standing, but they showed clear signs of damage from the hot, moist jungle air. The hinges also looked corroded, and as if they were coming loose from the walls. The overgrown courtyard, however, which had once been littered with Daein corpses, had been cleared of the dead. The laguz probably didn't like having dead beorc in their territory. That musing too harkened Ike's thoughts back to his father, but in a different, darker way. Was his father's grave still undisturbed? The laguz here, he knew, were not fond of beorc. And, if they happened upon Greil's burial place…Ike couldn't finish the thought. He had wanted to re-bury Greil in Crimea, but the war and keeping the company afloat had taken precedence. The notion that Greil's body was no longer there to be retrieved chilled him, but he shook it off. Caineghis, he suspected, already knew where his old friend was buried, as the King of Lions had been very near the site of Greil's death, and had likely ensured that the grave would remain unharmed. And, as Soren had pointed out, Caineghis was unfailing at enforcing his decrees. Shaking himself back to attention, Ike followed Ranulf towards the castle doors.
"Ike, wait…" Ranulf spoke up, suddenly coming to a halt as his friend was about to open one of the crumbling, mold ridden doors.
"What's wrong?" Ike wondered.
"…Get inside, quick!"
"Huh?"
"Just do it! I'll explain once we bar the doors!"
With that, the pair rushed inside and slammed the doors shut. Ranulf quickly lowered what was left of the crossbar into place to seal the doors shut behind them.
"Ranulf, what's the matter?" Ike inquired, certain that something was wrong.
"I just caught scent of a lot of beorc nearby!" Ranulf reported. "They have weapons too!"
"What? But how? I hope it isn't any of the guys. I told them to stay at the retreat and it's not like them to disobey a direct order, especially at a time like this."
"I don't know, but I can tell you that it isn't them. I know the scents of all our friends, any beast tribe laguz worth his claws never forgets a smell, and I remember you all have that stinkweed stuff as well. The beorc headed our way smell terrible, like they haven't bathed in weeks, but I'm also getting whiffs of a different aroma. It smells like Fire Leaf."
"Fire Leaf?"
"It's another plant that can be used as a bug repellent, but it has a spicy aroma, kinda like pine or cinnamon. It's definitely not the mercenaries. It must be the bandits Jerec warned us about!"
"Damn it! How did they find us? They shouldn't know we're here! In fact, I'm surprised they even know about this place! Ranulf, didn't you ever smell anyone on our way here, or while we were at the retreat?"
"Well, I did pick up one similar scent back at the retreat, but I thought it was Jerec. He clearly hadn't washed up in awhile either, and I figured he might've had Fire Leaf on him. Smelled like rotten fish. Kinda like these guys, only with a dash of cinnamon."
"Erggg. Blast! If they see us, we're dead! We can't take them all on by ourselves! Ranulf, we're going to have to find that clue and then leave as fast as possible! We should also make sure that the barricades we set up earlier are still holding together, so the bandits can't break in and hit us from behind!"
"You don't have to tell me twice."
With that, the two split up and frantically began to search the castle from top to bottom. The pair found the old barricades the mercenaries had erected during their previous visits and, luckily, all appeared solid. Then, the pair raced into any rooms that looked stable, rummaging through anything they could get their hands on. Old cabinets, closets, wardrobes, trunks, desks, cots, shelves, crates, and anything else Ike and Ranulf could find were searched. As Ike frantically tossed junk aside, he contemplated about how the bandits could have eluded the keen noses of the laguz, assuming that odd scent Ranulf caught wind of really had been Jerec's. Were they really such skilled trackers? If so, then Ike feared that their combat skills would be equally impressive. Time was clearly against the two adventurers but, neither Ike nor Ranulf could find anything that appeared to be what they were looking for. The shelves yielded nothing but old, broken down boxes and rusted tools, the crates were empty, and the furniture was too flimsy to be hiding anything. When Ike attempted to move a chair aside in what had once probably been the dining hall, the legs snapped right off.
"Yeesh. I'm glad I never tried to sit on that," Ike muttered to himself and then continued searching.
But geez! I get that you didn't want the clues to end up in the wrong hands, but why couldn't you have just told me the exact location, Dad?
Meanwhile, Ranulf was growing no less frustrated, as his search had yielded nothing. Either the next clue was extremely well hidden, or there was more to the previous one than Ike and Ranulf had initially deciphered. And, in either case, the bandits were surely getting closer by the minute. Deciding to rejoin Ike and suggest that they very quickly look over the note from the retreat once again, Ranulf departed the room he had searched. As he passed by the front doors, however, a sudden banging noise rang out from the other side. The rotting doors and crossbar shuddered under the blow and the rusty hinges shrieked in protest, but the door held.
"What in tarnation? Why are these doors barred?" an angry, gruff voice blurted from outside.
"Someone must already be 'ere, boss!" a second, masculine voice replied. "I'll bet it be Greil's son!"
"Argh! That pesky mercenary is faster than I thought! C'mon mates, this door's moldier than me granny, we'll smash it down and give 'im what's comin' to 'im!"
"Aye, boss!"
There was a massive banging and the doors shuddered again, this time more violently.
"Blast it! Not now!" Ranulf seethed as he rushed off to find Ike as quickly as his legs could carry him. "IKE!"
"Ranulf? What's going on?" Ike's voice rang out from the next room.
"The bandits are trying to break in! We have to hurry!"
"Damn it! No! And we've searched all these rooms from top to bottom!"
"Not quite, there's one place left. That clue has to be in the basement! Follow me, quickly!"
"Huh? I don't remember there being a basement."
"You mean you never noticed it when you stayed here? Now I'm positive Greil stashed whatever he hid down there."
"No kidding."
"There's just one problem, though," Ranulf continued as he led Ike to a large trap door toward the rear of the castle and began to pull it open. "Even if we find it, how are we going to get out of here afterwards? I smell bandits at the back entrance too, and it would take too long for us to dismantle one of the barricades and squeeze out of here!"
"Curses! But don't worry, I'll think of something. Just hurry up with that door!"
"I'm trying! But it's as heavy as a wyvern!"
"Oh, for crying out loud! Get out of my way, you flimsy feline!"
"Shut up!"
Instead of replying, Ike grabbed hold one of the iron rings of the trap door and aided Ranulf in lifting it open. Or rather, Ike lifted it open himself, as Ranulf could barely budge the heavy door. Anyone watching would be able to tell too, as Ike's domed biceps bulged until they threatened to tear through the mid-length sleeves of his tunic. Ranulf stared, openmouthed, at the spectacle of strength, but shook himself back to reality and raced down the newly revealed stairs, leading Ike to a large room that looked even worse than the chambers above. Cobwebs the size of fish nets had been spun just about everywhere and fluttered eerily at the sudden rush of air while choking clouds of dust were churned to life and left Ike coughing as soon as he set foot inside.
"By the goddess' left boob! I can barely breathe in here!" he opined.
"Me neither! Yeesh! Must be why Greil hid his clue down here," Ranulf replied.
"Yeah. Let's start looking before those bandits find us."
Ranulf nodded and the two got to work. Once again, they rummaged through every shelf, piece of furniture, and anything else that they could find. With all of the dust, however, it wasn't easy to search, as any sudden motion sent a cloud of choking, blinding grit billowing into their faces. What's more, the basement was much larger than any of the rooms above, which meant there were many more places where the clue might be hidden. Unfortunately, as with the other chambers, the basement yielded nothing. Only old, tattered books, broken chairs, sagging shelves, trunks full of dust, and other such refuse was found amongst the filth. Damn it, come on! Where did you hide it, Dad? Ike thought to himself in frustration.
"Man, where could it be?" Ranulf wondered as he opened an old cupboard.
"This is infuriating!" Ike opined loudly and slammed his fist into the stone wall nearby…which seemed to shift under the blow. "…Huh?"
"What's the matter?"
"I think the piece of stone I just hit moved a little."
"What? Really?"
Ike then grabbed the stone and jimmied it left and then right. As he had suspected, it was not mortared into the wall. In fact, now that he took a closer look, this particular stone also seemed mismatched with the rest of the wall. It was too smooth and, compared to the rest of the basement, too clean. Well, clean in comparison to the rest of the basement, anyway.
"Yeah, it did move! This section of the wall is loose!" he realized.
"Whoa. Then see if you can pull it out!" Ranulf suggested.
"No problem."
With that, Ike took hold of the stone once more and pulled and jimmied it until it finally slid out of the wall, revealing a large hole.
"So, who's going to stick his hand in there?" Ranulf wondered, immediately noticing the cobwebs inside with obvious displeasure.
"Well, seeing as we're on the verge of being overrun by bandits, I'd better just get it over with instead of arguing with a scaredy cat."
"Hey, I didn't say I was afraid! I just find the idea unappealing!"
"Whatever."
Ike then reached inside the hole, hoping that he'd find whatever his father had left instead of a horde of spiders. His fingers touched something that was smooth to the touch and felt like metal. What's more, the object was huge; Ike couldn't even reach all of it through the chink in the wall. He could, however, tell that it was very long and wide and tapered to a point. For an instant, Ike was certain and he'd found Ettard itself. Grinning from ear to ear, he pulled his hand out again. His smile almost turned upside down when he discovered that the object he'd retrieved was not a sword but a long, steel sheath wrapped in toughened leather and embroidered with silvery lining and a bandoleer attached for securing the weapon over ones shoulder. His grin almost turned upside down because the sheath was enormous. As Ike wiped away the dust and cobwebs, his jaw dropped as he tried to envision how large the sword itself must be.
"I-Is that a sword's sheath?" Ranulf stammered. "It's huge!"
"You're telling me! This has to be the sheath Ettard was kept in!" Ike replied. "But how is this supposed to help us find the sword itself?"
"…You've got me on that one."
"Hmm…"
Ike then turned the sheath over, thinking perhaps there was an inscription on it somewhere, as there had been on the shield Jerec gave him. When he turned it upside down, however, a sparkling, silver object clattered out from within and fell to the ground.
"Huh?" Ike uttered, bending over to pick it up. "What's this?"
It was a silver pendant on a bronze chain, and the pendant was in the shape of a large, gold lined sword with a triangular blade. The sword itself was all too familiar.
"Hey! This looks like the image of Ettard that's on the shield I told you about!" Ike realized. "And there's words written on it too!"
"Whoa, now we're finally getting somewhere!" Ranulf added. "What does it say?"
"The first line says "For my son, Ike." That's a dead giveaway right there that we've found what we're looking for."
"Definitely. Go on."
"Right. I can't make sense of the rest though. It says "MRL, A12, 848."
"So, a bunch of letters and numbers? Well, I'm clueless again."
"Yeah, same here. Looks like we'll need Soren or Oscar for this one. They're great at figuring this stuff out. We just need to find a way to get past the thugs outside."
"Oh yeah, I forgot about them. But listen to this! While we were searching earlier, I found a door behind one of the shelves. I'll bet it's a way out!"
"Seriously? Good work! We can sneak out without them seeing us!"
"Exactly. You'd better hide that pendant though, just in case."
"Right."
With that, Ike slipped the piece of jewelry around his neck and tucked it underneath the collar of his tunic. Ranulf then led Ike to the back of the room where a tall shelf stood against the wall, nearly touching the ceiling. As Ranulf had reported, Ike could glimpse the outline of a door through the crack separating the shelf from the wall. Once the two friends shoved it aside, Ranulf took hold of the door's handle and pulled it open. Revealed was a staircase leading upwards, at the top of which was another trap door. Now Ike and Ranulf were certain that it was an exit and, thrilled by the discovery, rushed up the stairs. However, when they pushed the door open, the sight that greeted them caused their excitement to turn into shock and dismay. Standing at the threshold were five grinning bandits, each carrying an axe or a sword, all of which were angled for the kill. Ike and Ranulf could only freeze where they stood as the bandits snatched them by their arms and flung them to the turf.
"Crud," Ike spat angrily as he picked himself up.
"Well! Look what we 'ave here! If it ain't Greil's boy an' his pet cat!" the bandit nearest to the pair gloated. Ranulf grumbled.
"Yeah, they're even dumber than we thought!" a second bandit added. "Did you clods really think you were gonna escape from us? No castle be complete wit'out a secret exit, 'n we spotted dis here door 'fore we even knocked!"
"Enough! How did you creeps find this place?" Ike demanded.
"Haha, that's easy," the third bandit replied. "With so many people at that sub-human menagerie, it was easy fer one of us to blend in and spy on ya! We just happened upon some lone sub-humans and helped our humble selves to their fur…not that that was all we took, o'course. Hahaha!"
It was during the stretching second the bandits spent laughing that Ike and Ranulf noticed that the axes and swords pointed at them were stained with old blood…not all of which, they suspected, came from Jerec and Rosie.
"Curse you!" Ranulf retorted angrily. "You'll pay dearly for this!"
"Ha, that's what you think!" the first bandit replied and then whistled loudly. There were rustling sounds, the tramping of heavy boots and, in moments, at least a dozen more bandits joined their comrades in leering menacingly at the trapped adventurers.
"Damn!" Ike fumed. "Ranulf, this doesn't look good!"
"Well…crap. But don't worry, leave this to me. You get out of here!"
"What? But you can't beat all of them by yourself!"
"Wahaha! You two ain't nothin' without yer friends, now are ya?" the second bandit taunted.
"Let's see if you're still laughing when I go get them!" Ike shot back and then turned to Ranulf. "Looks like I have no choice but to let you do your thing. But be careful!"
"Of course!" Ranulf replied and then transformed. The bandits ahead of him readied their weapons and braced themselves, but they sorely underestimated Ranulf's speed and strength. He leaped into the bandit in front of him, knocking the villain clean off his feet, and then dashed away. He stopped in midstride to flick his tail tauntingly, as if to say "Catch me if you can, suckers!"
"After 'im!" the first bandit ordered his cohorts as he picked himself up off the turf.
The same dozen bandits who had appeared earlier now scrambled after Ranulf, giving Ike and opportunity to escape. With the sheath in hand, he lunged forward, smashing his shoulder against the side of one bandit's head, sending him sprawling to the dirt. Ike leapt over the bandit's prone form and made a dash for the woods. However, his escape had not gone unnoticed.
"Oh no ya don't! Hand over that sheath if ya know what's good fer ya, churl!" one bandit demanded as he pursued and came within arm's length of Ike.
Ike merely turned around and smiled.
"You want it? Think fast!"
With that, he shoved the sheath into the bandit's face at blinding speed. Ike swore he could hear the bandit's nose being crunched under the blow. As his pursuer toppled to the ground, Ike ran for the jungle as fast as his legs would carry him. Thankfully, though the bandits had followed him, they had fallen too far behind. Ike was far from relieved, however, and prayed that Ranulf would be alright. If those bandits caught him, they would surely kill him. As strong as he was, the blue cat laguz would never be able to take on all of those bandits alone. Ike had to alert the others, and fast. After all, he was the one that had dragged Ranulf into this situation in the first place and Caineghis would not be pleased if one of the finest officers in his army was hacked to pieces by lowly bandits. Nor, for that matter, would Ike ever forgive himself if Ranulf was killed. The blue cat laguz had never hesitated to come to Ike's aid, even back when they'd barely known each other.
"I'd hate myself for the rest of my goddess-damned life…" Ike uttered as he picked up the pace. "You can do this, Ranulf. I believe it. Please be safe when I get back…"
With that, Ike shook off these fearful thoughts and, after barely a half hour of frantic running, finally approached the retreat once again. As he had previously ordered, the mercenaries had taken up defense positions at the retreat, guarding the main building and the perimeter. However, Ike had become so exhausted from his run that he dropped to his knees in the clearing before he could approach any of his allies. Elincia, Soren, Rhys, and Titania, however, spotted him and instantly raced over, followed by Mist and Oscar.
"Ike! What's wrong? Are you alright?" Elincia frantically inquired.
"Yeah, what the heck happened? And where's Ranulf?" Oscar wondered.
"You better not have tried anything stupid!" Mist warned.
"No… Don't worry about me…" Ike panted. "I'll be fine."
"Then what's going on?" Titania demanded.
"Ranulf's in trouble. The bandits attacked us at the castle," Ike reported.
"What?"Soren exclaimed. "But how did they know to go there?"
"Simple. They spied on our meeting here. They killed some laguz and used the fur to make their their scents blend in with the other laguz here. Ranulf lured them away so I could come back here to get help."
"Blast! Then we have to go rescue him!" Oscar insisted.
"You'll get no argument from me," Ike assured. "Titania, Soren, and Rhys are with me. The rest of you will stay here until we get back, in case the bandits come back here again. Oscar, you're in charge of the defenses."
"Understood," Oscar replied.
"By the way, where'd that sheath come from?" Titania wondered.
"I'll explain on the way," Ike replied hurriedly. "Let's get moving!"
Ike turned back towards the jungle but, before he took even one step, an unfamiliar voice rang out from within the main hut of the retreat.
"That will not be necessary," a woman's voice informed him, though the speaker remained unseen. "I much appreciate your concern for young Ranulf, but he is well and nearby."
Ike was startled, and unconvinced, by the strange voice. Before he could reply, however, the unseen woman spoke again.
"Do not worry, young hero, for I speak true. Also, Jerec wishes to speak with you."
The blue haired mercenary was left quite muddled by this. A glance toward Soren revealed that his staff officer was uncharacteristically baffled. Not sure what else to do, Ike decided to find out who the speaker was and see after Jerec's wellbeing.
"I don't know what this is about, but keep ready to move," Ike commanded. "I'll make this quick."
With that, Ike rushed back into the retreat. He was soon greeted, however, by yet another elderly cat laguz shaman. This one, however, was neither Lillian nor Rosie, as she wore the head of a gray wolf as her ceremonial headdress, as well as a wolf's pelt festooned with canine teeth over a white tunic. Grayish blue cat ears poked out from beneath her headdress while a cat's tail of the same color extended behind her. Ike found it interesting that she was a cat wearing a wolf's garb and idly wondered what Kiel and Sara, two wolf tribe warriors he had befriended not long ago, would've made of it.
"Oh, pardon me," he spoke up. "You must be Silver Fang."
"Ah, that I am," Silver Fang replied with a smile. "You're Sir Ike, I presume. I sensed your presence, and your anxiety. Rose Thorn and Indigo Talon have told me all about you and your sister. Speaking of which, since they've revealed their true names to you, I shall do the same."
Silver Fang then lowered her voice to a whisper.
"Call me Bonnie," she requested.
"Oh, okay then," Ike replied. "But, you said you could tell that Ranulf was okay. How?"
Here, Bonnie chuckled good naturedly, though Ike felt a bit put out that she seemed so unconcerned about Ranulf.
"Well, that's quite a story, but I'll be succinct," Bonnie answered. "You are aware that, amongst the laguz, our ability to read the minds of others is the least potent? Well, we may not be able to read minds, but we can read nature. Beast tribe shamans can commune with the animals and the plants, and even the earth itself, to learn what we seek. I sensed your flight from Gebal Castle, and that you managed to evade one of your pursuers by ramming that sheath you carry into his face."
Ike's expression turned to one of slack jawed shock.
"Oh, your presence here is unmistakable," Bonnie went on. "Small birds and other tiny woodland creatures have mistaken your footfalls for an approaching thunderstorm. Via this communion, a shaman can read your movements, or another's, much the same way Ranulf's sense of smell could. Via that same method, I have determined that he is safe. In fact, he should be here at any moment."
"Ooookay," Ike murmured, still confused but somewhat reassured. "Well, is it alright if I talk to Jerec for a little bit? I won't be long."
"Of course. But don't forget that he needs his rest. We've also started giving him hourly checkups. It turned out that your group brought him here just in time. His case was quite severe. He wouldn't have lasted more than a couple hours in that state. And I must say, your friend is lucky that there was no lasting harm to his brain. Others suffering Flaming Skull come away blind or deaf or as cretins, and that's if they come away alive at all. Not even we would have been able to save him had it come to that."
"Whoa. That's quite a relief. I'll be sure to keep this in mind."
Ike turned toward what must've been Jerec's room. Before he could enter, however, the sound of stomping feet echoed throughout the hall. Soon enough, Jerec himself had appeared. He looked alive, well and, unfortunately, quite furious.
"IKE!" he thundered, approaching the startled mercenary. "Why the hell didn't anyone tell me I was goddess-damn dying?"
"Oh! Goodness! You should be in bed!" Bonnie protested.
"Yeah, Jerec, just calm down," Ike added, raising his hands defensively. "We didn't tell you because we didn't want to freak you out or anything."
"Well, you should've said something, damn it!"
"Why?"
"Because regardless of when, how, or where I die, I have to know if my time might be near. That way, I'll know to tell someone that I want to be buried next to my father."
"I see. Bryce was buried in Daein, though. Are you sure you'd really want that for yourself as well? You did say you weren't fond of that country anymore."
"Where Dad's grave is doesn't matter to me. I'd just want to be near him to show him how much I looked up to and respected him. When my mom died giving birth to me, it nearly broke him. The only people who gave my dad comfort were Ashnard's father, who was the previous Daein king, and myself. And despite that, he recriminated himself for years because he had sworn he would care for and protect my mother for as long as he lived, and felt that he'd failed. You might say she was a lot like Rhys. Everyone who knew her adored her, but she was so frail. Dad loved her with all his heart and did everything he could to restore her health, but it just wasn't enough. As sad as I was to see him so depressed, I'll never forget the day I said to him "Daddy, don't cry… Mommy still loves us in spirit."
"…Wow. That's…such a touching story, Jerec. And now I can see why Bryce was so loyal to Ashnard's father."
"Yeah, Dad vowed never to betray him or Daein, even if it meant serving a dastard like Ashnard. When I was trapped under the rubble at Nados Castle, he likely assumed I was dead. Then, he simply followed Ashnard because that dastard was all my father had left."
"So I could tell. If I had known all this, Jerec, I would've told you that you were dying. I considered abandoning the search for Ettard to find someplace where you could spend your final days in peace, but we figured that you would've wanted us to find Ettard before those bandits did."
"You're damn straight!"
"I'm terribly sorry."
"I agree. I'm so sorry about your poor mother," Bonnie added.
"It's alright. And I know, it's not your fault, Ike," Jerec replied. "Now, you must have a reason for being back here, right?"
"Oh, yeah. I had nearly forgotten," Ike realized. "Those bandits you told us about attacked Ranulf and I while we were searching for the next clue. Ranulf wanted me to run back here with the clue while he distracted the bandits. I was about to take a few of my men with me to help him out, but then Silver Fang here told me that Ranulf was okay. I…wasn't convinced, so I came in here to find out more, but I think she's right. Also, this should mean that the bandits are no longer after you, so you can rest easy."
"Well, that's good to know. But is that fool of a cat crazy?"
"Ranulf? Yeah, he's pretty crazy sometimes. But don't tell him I said that. By the way, how did you know I was out here?"
"Oh, I was hungry. I was looking for Silver Fang to find out where I could get some food, I haven't eaten in over a day, you know. And, I heard your voice out here."
"Oh, yeah. Rhys did say that Brain Fever, or Flaming Skull, as the Laguz call it, causes a loss of appetite."
"Ah, it is time that you put some food into that empty belly, isn't it?" Bonnie replied. "Don't worry, I'll get a meal prepared for you soon."
"Much obliged. And Ike, don't you dare get yourself killed out there. Or, I'll drag your carcass back here and give you what-for!"
"But of course," Ike promised, chuckling at the mock threat. "I'll see you later."
With that, the mercenary commander headed back outside to rejoin his comrades. Despite Bonnie's assurances, he wanted more concrete proof that Ranulf was alright. Once he was outside, Ike rejoined Titania, Soren, and Rhys.
"Well, Jerec's doing fine and the shaman Silver Fang seems certain that Ranulf is okay," he informed them. "But, I want to make sure for myself."
"You won't have long to wait," the voice of Bonnie rang out once more.
The mercenaries turned to see the wolf-masked shaman approaching them. When she had reached the group, she knelt and laid a hand upon the earth. As she did so, a sigh escaped her and she nodded.
"You will hear him momentarily as he approaches from that direction," she declared, pointing vaguely towards the jungle.
Needless to say, the mercenaries were skeptical.
"Where?" Mist inquired, looking quite confused.
"There," Bonnie reiterated.
"When?" Soren asked, sounding agitated.
Bonnie's lips pulled back in a smug grin and, after a moment, she replied "Now."
"IKE! WHERE ARE YOU?" a familiar masculine voice shouted in the distance in that same instant.
"Ranulf? RANULF! OVER HERE!" Ike replied, realizing who it belonged to and that, astonishingly, Bonnie had been right.
"Ike!" Ranulf called again, this time emerging from another trail in his human form. "I'm so glad you made it back to the others!"
"I'm glad you're alive!" Ike countered as the blue cat laguz approached him. "What about the bandits?"
"Them? Don't worry, I was able to lose them all the way back—"
"At the grove with the toucans and the warthogs," Bonnie finished. "Those warthogs were raising quite a ruckus there, weren't they?"
Ranulf's features only betrayed mild surprise. Clearly, he was no stranger to the shamans' ability to predicate the movements of others…and other, seemingly unknowable details.
"How does she bloody do that?" he asked no one in particular.
"Trust me, I'm confused about it too," Ike admitted. "You managed to lose them though? Wow, good job. We were on our way to help you fight them, but I guess that's not necessary now."
"Yeah, but we're not safe yet. They've probably split up and are searching for us as we speak. We've got to get away from here quickly."
"What? But we can't leave without Jerec or the camping gear!"
"Ike, I'm sorry, but the longer we stay, the more we risk them finding and destroying us all. And, if we're still here, they might attack the retreat while they've got the chance. They know we have the clue and they don't want us escaping with it. If we run though, they'll follow us and the retreat will be safe."
"Actually, there might be another way," Soren countered and then lowered his voice so the bandits' spying wouldn't work this time around. "Ike, what did you find in Gebal Castle, exactly?"
"Ranulf and I found this sheath in the basement of Gebal Castle," Ike answered, lowering his voice as well and holding the sheath out for Soren to examine. "And, we believe it's the sheath for Ettard because of how big it is."
"Yeah, that's got to be the biggest sword sheath I've ever seen," Rhys replied. "It must be taller than Mist, and it looks heavier than I am."
"But how is it supposed to tell us where to find Ettard?" Titania wondered.
"Did you find anything else?" Soren inquired.
"This pendant was inside of it," Ike continued, revealing the gold Ettard pendant around his neck. "And there's an inscription on it. But, I don't know what it means."
"I see," Soren replied. "And, the bandits only know about the sheath, I'm guessing. Correct?"
"Yeah," Ike confirmed. "I was able to hide the pendant. I could've let them have the sheath when they tried to steal it, but I decided that tricking them into thinking I needed it was a better plan, since they have no way of knowing there was more back in Gebal."
"Good show. If they know nothing about where we're headed next, then for all they know, we could be returning to Crimea right now. What we have to do is make it look like we've already left so they'll pursue us elsewhere."
"Soren, you're brilliant. Once we've packed up the camp and thrown them off our trail, we'll circle back to pick up Jerec and then hide until we figure out where to go next."
With that, the group returned to the retreat once more to rejoin their comrades. Once Ike explained Soren's plan to everyone, the mercenaries headed back towards their camp in hopes that they could dismantle it and leave before any bandits spotted them. They also had to hope that, by the time they were ready to leave, that Jerec would have recovered enough to travel with them. That is, if their next destination didn't also turn out to be in Gallia. Ike didn't much like the idea of having to re-pitch the camp if this were the case, particularly since the bandits seemed to know the jungle better then the mercenaries did. But, on the other hand, it would also mean that Jerec could continue to recover at the retreat. This was obviously a more appealing alternative than putting him back in the wagon. Though, of course, that still left the question of where the next clue might be. Ike had no idea how long Greil had lived in Gallia or where he had traveled in the nation. Ike knew that the retreat and Gebal Castle were important to Greil, but that was all. For all Ike knew, the location of the next clue could be practically anywhere, and might even be a place in Gallia he did know, but could not recall due to the strange gap in his memories. And, to top it all off, the clue was damnably cryptic. Ike had no idea what "MRL, A12, 848" might mean. Whatever it meant, it was well-thought out.
Once the group had finished breaking camp and packing their tents and bedrolls into the wagon, they cautiously headed back towards the retreat, keeping a close eye out for the bandits. Ike had been lucky enough to prevent them from seeing the pendant once already. He certainly didn't want to run the risk that he wouldn't succeed a second time. Worse was the chance of the bandits seeing the inscription. Ike rather doubted that the bandits could divine the meaning of the cryptic inscription, but he wasn't going to take that chance. The mercenaries also had to hope that the shamans would allow Jerec to leave. Even Shinon didn't like the idea of leaving him behind, as he'd admitted that the lancer had guts. When the group arrived, Ike was pleased to see both Lillian and Bonnie outside awaiting them. Though the two shamans were reluctant to allow Jerec to leave so soon, they agreed to the idea, much to Ike and everyone else's relief.
"Just make sure he gets plenty of rest," Bonnie advised after Jerec had returned to the wagon. "And he shouldn't engage in any combat for at least a day."
"If he does happen to get hurt or anything, though, clean the wounds as quickly and thoroughly as possible," Lillian added. "His illness is in remission, but might worsen if you aren't careful."
"Got it. And don't worry, my healer will take care of everything. He's an expert at this stuff," Ike assured.
"That's good to know," Bonnie replied with a smile. "We wish you and Mist could bid Rose Thorn a proper good bye, but we understand that you're in a hurry."
"Yeah. Tell her we said good bye and good luck anyhow," Ike insisted, returning the gesture.
"But of course!" Bonnie agreed. "We wish you good luck too!"
"She did ask us to give you this though," Lillian spoke up, handing Ike a satchel filled with roasted chicken wings and ribs. "She mentioned that, when you were old enough to eat this sort of food, you were especially fond of this spice."
"You ladies sure know the way to a guy's heart," Ike replied cheerfully. "My thanks to you, and to Rose Thorn. Farewell!"
With that, the mercenaries departed once more. They traveled as fast as they dared, given the dangerous undergrowth and the still-recovering Jerec. Once they'd put several hours between themselves and the retreat, they slowed down to figure out where would they hide until they'd figured out the meaning of the pendant's inscription. As if he had read Ike's mind, Ranulf soon approached the blue-haired mercenary with an answer.
"Hey Ike, I know the perfect place for us to go," he spoke up. "It's a location that only us beast laguz know about. I'll allow your group to hide there, at least temporarily, but everyone must promise to keep it a secret. We often use it to store extra supplies in case, say, a harsh winter or a flood rolls in. I can't stress enough that King Caineghis doesn't want to risk it being discovered by the wrong people."
"I see. Don't worry, everyone will stay quiet about it," Ike promised and then turned to his comrades. "Is this clear?"
The mercenaries nodded, except for Shinon.
"Pff, whatever…" he scoffed.
"Shinon, I swear, if you say a word about this to anyone, you're not getting paid for a year," Titania threatened.
"…Alright, fine."
"Then it's settled," Ike replied. "Ranulf, lead the way."
"With pleasure," Ranulf complied.
With that, the blue cat laguz motioned the group to follow him through the jungles once more. As usual, they proceeded cautiously in case any of the bandits were nearby. Ranulf had not reported smelling any beorc except for Ike and company, but it didn't mean that the enemy could not be close by. The bandits had outfoxed Ranulf by using the Fire Leaf repellent and using the fur from the slain laguz to disguise their scents. After all, just about anyone knew of the laguz's keen sense of smell and that they could sniff out enemies easily. What's more, laguz also had a heightened sense of hearing, raising their skill at detecting the presence of others even further. Even so, Ranulf made sure to let the group know if he smelled or heard anything unusual; beorc, laguz, Fire Leaf or anything at all. Along the way, Ike periodically checked on Jerec and Rhys, and was glad to see that Jerec was feeling much better. He reported that his headaches and neck pain had greatly diminished and that he hadn't been hearing of seeing things, though Jerec seemed unconvinced that he had been hallucinating in the first place.
"Ike, I've been thinking lately," Jerec said during the mercenary's third visit. "I want to help you out some more."
"Really? I appreciate it, but you're still recovering. Not just from the Brain Fever, but those injuries you had as well," Ike pointed out.
"True, but you saved my life. There must be some way I can thank you properly."
"Funny, I thought I was repaying you for helping to save my life."
"Seriously? But, I didn't do much… I just made a stretcher out of your cape and a couple lances for the guys to carry you on."
"It was a safer way to move me than the guys lugging my body down the side of a rain soaked cliff with their bare hands."
"Yeah, but… If your mercenary company hadn't found me and helped me, I would have either bled to death or died of the Brain Fever. That's why I feel I should help find that sword. I already said I'd rather not see it in the dirty hands of those bandits anyway."
"Jerec, I don't know…"
"Oh, come on! I feel well enough to do something, damn it!"
"Hmm… Tell you what. There isn't anything you can do right now, but if I think of something, I'll let you know."
"Fair enough."
With that, Ike left the wagon. During the trip, Ranulf had led the group towards the mountains that served as the border between Gallia and Begnion. Ike knew the mountains could not be crossed or scaled, but perhaps the cat laguz was bringing them to some sort of cave or a plateau. It made sense, as caves were some of the best places to hide. They could easily be sealed off as well and, if the bandits did find them, the mercenaries could use the entrance as a bottleneck and pick the bandits apart one by one as they came in. And, a plateau was almost as good, as the trails leading up to it could be easily defended and the approaching enemies would be exposed to ranged attacks all the way up. Either way, Ike was certain this detour would pay off if the bandits came knocking.
"Ike, we've only got a little more ways to go," Ranulf reported sometime later.
"Good. And we didn't find a single bandit. Let's hope it stays that way," Ike replied.
"Yeah," Ranulf agreed, then suddenly came to a halt. "…Wait. This is odd."
"What's wrong? Don't tell me you smell one now."
"Actually, no. I smell one of my subordinates."
"Huh? How is that unusual?"
"Because this one was supposed to be in Crimea, helping with the reconstruction. This better not mean somebody has screwed something up!"
Before Ike could reply, a yellow cat laguz in cat form burst into view. He reverted to human form when he approached Ranulf.
"Captain Ranulf! Thank goodness! I was just about to go looking for you," the subordinate greeted, then noting the beorc with surprise. "Hey, what brings Sir Ike and the Greil Mercenaries here? Or Queen Elincia, for that matter?"
"That's none of your concern. And besides that, it's a long story. Anyway, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be helping the Crimeans."
"I apologize. I can explain. I was on my way to the border when I heard that beorc bandits had been seen in this area. I thought I'd best check up on the supplies we stashed away in the secret cave, since it's originally my duty. But, when I got there, it was empty! Our supply cave's been looted!"
"What?" Ranulf exclaimed. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah. The whole place has been picked clean. There's absolutely nothing left!"
"Blast it! Those accursed bandits! They must have somehow found it! Go let his majesty know, but tell him that we're dealing with the problem right away."
"Aye, sir," the subordinate replied with a quick salute and then starting down the trail.
"Wait," Ike called out, and the subordinate skidded to a halt. "While you're speaking with Caineghis, tell him Ike is wondering if the…memorial is unharmed."
Ike knew that Caineghis would understand that the 'memorial' was his father's grave, but decided to keep his words cryptic. The bandits had prevented him from seeing if his father's grave was undisturbed, and he still wanted to ensure it stayed that way. And, as much as he trusted the laguz, he didn't want to run the risk that they'd learn about a dead beorc buried in their territory and plunder the grave out of anger.
"Yeah, do that, and deliver the King's reply to the Greil Mercenaries' fort. Get moving!" Ranulf commanded the subordinate, then turning to the mercenaries. "Come on, everybody!"
With that, Ike's group picked up the pace as Ranulf quickly led them to the cave he and the subordinate had been referring to. It was situated in a small valley within the foothills of the rugged, impassable mountain range. Ike could see why the Beast Tribe had chosen this place to store emergency supplies. It was difficult for him and his fellow beorc to climb over the steep hills and it was not easily seen from many angles, even by a laguz. But still, someone had reportedly found and emptied it anyway. Puzzled, and alarmed, Ike and the others approached the cave. When Ranulf and Ike entered, however, they immediately saw that the subordinate had not been lying. The entire cave was filled with crates and trunks, but all of them were overturned and empty.
"Damn! This place was looted…!" Ranulf realized. "The theft wasn't recent either. I can smell the bandits' scents and their Fire Leaf here, but both scents are real faint."
"And that means we can't follow and overtake them to get the supplies back. Damn it…" Ike seethed.
"Well, all we can do now is figure out that clue," Ranulf replied.
"Yeah, seems so."
Ike then motioned the group to enter while the wagon was left on the mountain trail outside. He produced the pendant he had hidden beneath his clothes and approached Soren and Oscar.
"Hey Soren, Oscar, you two are good at figuring these sorts of things out," he entreated. "Can either of you decipher the inscription on this?"
Ike then handed the jewelry to Soren while both men scrutinized it closely.
"Hmm…" Oscar contemplated. "MRL, A12, 848…? I apologize, Ike, but as much as I hate to admit it, I'm clueless this time."
"Dang. Well, how about you, Soren?"
When Soren spied the inscription, his eyes bulged and his jaw dropped.
"…Ike, why didn't you mention this to me sooner?" Soren demanded incredulously.
"What do you mean?" Ike wondered, startled by the outburst.
"I know exactly what this means. If you'd brought it up earlier, we wouldn't have needed to go through the trouble of coming all the way here."
Ike then slapped his face in aggravation, but consoled himself that, had he done differently, the looting of the supply cave would've gone undiscovered…likely until it was too late.
"…Well, never mind about that. Just tell us."
"Very well. MRL stands for Melior Royal Library. I would know this easily. I went there not long before Daein declared war on Crimea, remember?"
"Oh yeah…" Ike recalled.
"Wait, then that means…" Oscar replied. "Archive 12, book number 848! The clue is a book from the royal library!"
"What? You mean we have to go from here all the way to bloody Melior now?" Shinon complained.
"Yeah, it is pretty far," Ike agreed. "But we have no choice. Let's move out!"
"Damn it. The things I do for money…" Shinon grumbled as the group headed back outside.
Once the group exited the cave and began descending back towards the jungle again, Ike could only contemplate Soren's discovery. This could only mean that Greil had also been to the Melior Royal Library at least once in his lifetime. This wasn't too surprising, as he seemed to have a lot of knowledge on Crimea as well as Gallia. Ike could only hope that his group could get there before the bandits found them. Or, worse, before the bandits beat them to the next piece of the puzzle, which might very well be Ettard itself.