Chapter 12
Eris Sire
"With great power there must also come great responsibility!"
…
Spiderman is my favorite.
A/N
Double update! Because I literally have no life since Drama got over with, and I'm a loser who strives only for minimal achievements(If you couldn't tell already) Happy early Christmas! (Just in case I don't update again beforehand)
Also, just to get a sense of perspective… This is a little over a day and a half after the group left. And who knows what they are doing?
As soon as the words came out of his mouth, I was getting my gear together and leaving out the door before anyone could say anything to stop me.
I remembered, both from experience and in the game, that the captives at the entrance were taken separately. If I went after Kaiden alone, he would wind up just like Tia, a memory. Magnius was with them this time, from what Giles said, it would be the first time in a long while. It would be the second time seeing him in person, for most of the people of the city. So this was definitely(Hopefully, if I didn't screw up) the time the chosens group rushed back to make sure Palmacosta didn't wind up like Iselia, not that it ever could.
I wasn't going to just watch everything unfold anymore. I gathered my bearings, after getting all the crazy insanity of my life off my chest, I was ready. I would do what others couldn't. I would act on my knowledge of the future. I would stumble, I would forget my resolve(As per usual), but I would never let go of it. I would find a way to stick with Lloyd and Kratos. I wouldn't think of a way to lessen the burden. Instead, I would stop anything unnecessary.
What was unnecessary though?
I don't know. I hadn't stopped to think about it yet.
But for that moment- Kaiden. I'd get him. Alive, preferably. Even if the Chosens group had it taken care of the ranch just fine on their lonesome, I had to go. Kaiden was there.
Lucky for me, I was familiar with a certain group of people who were most definitely heading to the Desian nest. It may have been a trap if I remembered right, but the fact was they succeeded either way. Even with multiple options, all of them available in the game were success.
Thats what I kept trying to tell myself, anyways.
Kratos was with them, and they would end up freeing the captives without a doubt… Well, sort of. But nothing really changed, I avoided contact with them so far, the plot should go according to plan. They could do this with only them, but I wasn't about to sit back and let them do the work without me. I was conquering my fear, I was going to succeed where I failed with Tia, I was going to Luin right afterwards and I was at least scratching the surface of what it took to make up for my mistakes.
Of course, the cold hard truth was that I was scared, of course. But who wouldn't be? Losing their loved one to the ranch, it was… Hard. The same could happen to me, and I was going straight into the enemies base. But losing one more person seemed just a bit scarier, and although I felt just a bit cornered and extremely irritated with the situation, I simply tried to think of it as a adventure to block out the realistic fear- It was easy, when at first invading the ranch was just that, before hand- Another adventure, one more boss, one more step to beating the game. So for that moment, I would pretend that's all it was. I knew it wasn't, but treating it as if the outcome was absolute, like no fatalities would come out of it because the game said so, it was easy enough.
I ran across the bridge and into the town square, the rushing flowing water seeming overly tranquil for the situation at hand. I tried to be taller, to see where I knew they would be. I saw a old woman standing on a large wooden platform, neck tied in rope. Not pixelized. Completely real. I ran into the center, as the Desian on top of the executioners table next to Magnius announced the women's execution charges; For defying them.
I was close enough to watch a brunette girl run to the center and protest rather loudly, but the tangible panic made it hard to focus on the voices. I saw Magnius close in on a small boy I was familiar with him, he was one of the poor boys in the orphanage. He came in just as I left, his name was Henry.), and I knew that although it would expose me too much for my liking, I didn't want to wait for the group to save him and hope for the best.
Adrenaline. That would be my excuse for doing something remotely useful with my pathetic life.
I didn't remember exactly what happened here from my memories of the game itself, and I knew just how much the pixilized story washed down the pure chaos of literally everything in this world.
I took out three of my cheapest throwing knives laced with mana(Of the same nature I was training with when Ann came- It was sparky), knowing that even my best dosage try wouldn't hurt him too bad, and threw it.
It whizzed through the air, and hit him in the arm, the electric current letting out a high pitched scream, much like a fly would around trash. Magnius was momentarily distracted, searching for the person responsible(Me. Yikes). I used that opening to shove the kid back into the crowed and stand in front of him defensively, my eyes turning to a powerful stare.
It might have even looked cool, if I didn't have to blow a strand of wild red hair out of my face(Cross eyed, of course).
Magnius took notice of me, and was about to shout something, when a foreign, yet familiar, voice screamed "Stop right there!"
I watched by the corner of my eye as a sharp looking… air thing… Chakram! That was the name, Chakram moved across the sky, almost scratching the ground for a second, and hit Magnius. A strange wall of manna came up as I heard a distinct cry of 'Demon Fang!', as it cut harshly into the ground torward its victim. It left a shallow wound, and at that point the half elf was once again, looking for the assailant, and I was immensely grateful because I was trained to fight. Not defend powerless orphans.
I scooted back a bit more, further away from Magnius and making sure Henry joined me. We both spotted Lloyd and Colette, who was standing defensively as Raine was speaking to them.
"...You! You're wanted criminal #0074… Lloyd Irving!"
For the record, the worlds definition of 'criminal' was completely backwards, to everyone. Even some of the people of Palmacosta gave Lloyd some wary looks, despite him doing a good deed, and regarding him as if he was a true criminal. No wonder Tethe'alla was so dominant, Sylvarants rules was defined by the laws of the Desians rather than a political stance of the people. And Dorr of course.
Magnius, now standing up straighter as he seemed to brush off the fact he had been impaled in four different places(I was too busy running to Lloyd to see how he got them, but from Lloyds stance I assumed his Demon Fang again?), turned to the wanted 'criminal' fully. "Well, now! So you're the boy with the exphere!"
Magnius cackled as Raine moved closer to Lloyd in a subconscious gesture of protection. "Hahahahaha! This is perfect! After I take that exphere from you, they'll make me leader of the Five Grand Cardinals!"
He sobered up a bit, settling for a lopsided, demonic grin. He pointed lazily at the group I stopped several feet away from. "Get them!" He ordered loudly, not moving at all from his cocky posture or looking at any of his goons.
The Desians went into formation, and one quickly cast a fire spell. I watched as Genis ran in front of the group and cast his own defensive spell, and when it went out upon contact with the barrier, Genis smirked and swaggered away, proudly said "Amateurs…" And disappeared from my sight. I almost laughed. That was... Very Genis.
Very Genius.
When the Desians kind of stood there dumbly for a few moments, as if they expected it to be over so easily, Magnius rolled his eyes and screamed, "Dammit, you worthless idiots! Enough of this!"
He smirked deviously and turned to the elder lady on the wooden platform. "I'll take care of this woman first!"
The sadistic half elf signaled for the execution, and one of the lower rank desians walked over to pull the lever.
I heard Colette cry out, and just before the woman could be hanged, a chakram flew out and cut the rope in a flash, allowing the elder woman to fall to the ground with no harm done. The angel had acted just in time to save her.
"What the?" Magnius growled, stomping his foot like a stubborn child.
He's not very bright is he? I thought, as I watched Kratos jump into action swiftly and slice at the Grand Cardinal through without effort, and naturally Magnius cried out in pain being slashed.
"Let us respect the wishes of the chosen." The auburn haired mercenary said, sounding as if he was ordering the man to stand down. Which he most definitely was.
Upon hearing the chosen was present, the citizens of Palmacosta began to gasp and murmur among themselves excitedly, but none dared to move in the presence of one of the Five Desian Grand Cardinals.
So of course, no one moved or does anything to help. I thought, scowling. They know Colettes going to die, too.
The angel herself walked out into the middle of the chaos, and everyone went silent as she said, "Yup! I'm going to fight for everyone's sake!"
But none for hers. Came the low, almost sleepy voice in the back of my mind, and I tried to ignore it. It wasn't like a audible voice, more like impressions of thoughts made from another mentality.I ignored it, on the account I. was. Not. Insane.
Deep down, I knew exactly what it was though.
Everyone seemed to go crazy at the declaration, everyone commenting on her perfection, how kind hearted she was, etc, etc… But I knew they didn't love the chosen, but instead they loved the fact that they would receive a flourishing world at the cost of her life.
At her suicide.
I chose that point to run over to the group, Taking only one dagger out quickly. Magnius was down, so I managed without any real trouble to make it.
"I want to help." I said simply, and Lloyd and Genis looked to me in surprise.
"You can fight with a weapon?" Genis asked.
"Yeah, people can't really seem to get over that." I said, unzipping my jacket slightly so I could get easier access to all of my gear and weaponry.
Zippers actually existed in Sylvarant(Probably Tethe'alla too), they were just really hard to find in the more rundown places in Sylvarant, and they weren't as 'fashionable' as buttons. Lloyd eyed my weaponry questioningly, but decided not to comment as we all felt a upcoming fight.
"Damned little… Enough of this crap!" Magnius called out, and I lowered in a battle stance- Ready to dodge and strike. I knew I wasn't as fast as Lloyd, but I was definitely more flexible, and could maneuver more. "I'm leaving them to you! Get rid of them!" The large half elf slowly began to disappear, and I resisted the urge to freak out. They can do that?! I want to do that!
But alas, we had to fight people. Approximately nine of them. "How dare you lay a hand on lord Magnius! You're all dead!" One of them called out, and they rushed toward us as we ran toward them.
I reached the loud one, and cut him down fairly fast, not really eager for a all out brawl with more enemies than necessary, as I mumbled, "Trust me, if we had any other option we would take it..." Easy banter was a way for me to focus, and to not hesitate in killing. Because if you treat them like unfeeling monsters, you won't treat them like people. Sacred people who deserved to live. I, at least, knew I didn't have trouble killing monsters. So if I applied that thinking to the Desians, I could fight them and regret later rather than freeze in the middle of a fight.
I was whipped from behind, the sudden and sharp sting making me cringe just a bit before I jumped as far away from its reach as possible, and slid to a stop as I noticed Lloyd take the opportunity to bring the assailant down.
I ran over to the Desian the twin swordsman was going after next, allowing him to be the bait that time and me being the one who finished them off. It was a odd thing to get used to, working in a team made things a lot more… Easy. Although we weren't perfect, because I was new to the group, I still remembered what it was like to fight along somebody. More specifically, Tia.
Focus.
There was a smack as I was whipped one more time, and I jumped back out of reach again, but shot forward right before slitting his throat just a moment later. Thay was the last one, and he fell to the ground. I stepped over his mess, trying not to look. I didn't enjoy carnage, after all. But... I could deal with it. As long as I didn't step in it.
"You guys are whipping people." I said seconds before he died, impaling him once more when I thought I saw him breathing, to keep him from getting back up somehow, if not to put him out of his misery. "Doesn't that embarrass you at all? I know it makes me kind of bothered."
I had to say, fighting in town with a bunch of people watching felt odd. Instead of the lonely silence that followed after a victory, there was chatter. And in the childrens cases, some horror. But... Only some. Because it was Sylvarant. So of course, the slaying of the big bad Desians was no different from slaying an evil dragon. So for the most part, the Desians weren't human to the people of Palmacosta- They were monsters that were destined to disappear anyways. With the Chosens 'help' of course.
I felt the urge to walk away and go back to being unnoticed, but Lloyd came over to me before I could and said, "Wow, you're as good with a blade as you are in ninja!"
The rest of the group followed him, and I began to get nervous at the attention. I sighed at him bringing up the dumb game from the boat. "T-thanks."
"Thank you for your help." Raine said as she walked over. "You didn't have to."
I shook my head. "No, I did. It was you guys who didn't have to. So thanks. I couldn't have made that as... Smooth as it was without you."
I actually wouldn't have made it at all without you.
The brunette girl from earlier walked over to us, supporting the woman on the execution platter. She thanked Lloyd, very specifically, and invited all of us to her house. I didn't get the option to say no, so I ended up at her house along with the rest of their group.
.
I found out her name was Chocolat, and the older woman, Cacao was her mother… and I joked to myself that their father was named Hershey and their last name was Kisses.
Bad joke, but least I figured out what all the rumours about some 'kind hearted chocolate' was coming from.
"Thank you so much for saving my mom!" She exclaimed, sitting on a bed with her older relative. "I don't know what I would have done if they murdered her as well."
"'As well'?" Genis repeated in a questioning tone. Lloyd tilted his head.
"My husband volunteered in Governor General Dorr's army…"There was a moments pause. Chocolat looked off to the side,frowning sadly. "...And was killed in a battle against the Desians." Cacao said gravely, and I jerked remembering Kaiden.
"K-killed? He wasn't taken to the ranch?" I stuttered. Was there a chance I misheard Giles? Did my blond friend suffer the same fate? He probably fought his hardest, he wasn't dead was he?
No. I heard right.
Calm down.
"No, he wasn't." She smiled sadly. "… But my mother was." She continued her story, shaking her head.
"It was grandma that originally founded our shop." Chocolat added, her annoying voice added. "We have to protect it. Not just for ourselves, but also for grandma's sake. For when she returns."
There was a moment of silence. I understood that, after Tia was taken, the majority of the reason I kept up training and not killing myself again was for Tia's sake, in honoring her memory.
"I'm sorry, but I need to get going soon." Chocolat murmured, crossing the room to pick something off a shelf. "It's almost time for the next asgard pilgrimage."
I tilted my head, as she walked past me. "I don't remember there being a martel church in Asgard… I thought they worshiped ancient deities?"
"Thats why they pilgrim there." Raine answered. "To teach and help the people who do worship Martel, rather than the deities that are believed to reside there. One of the teachings of the church is salvation comes from pilgrimage, a journey."
I let out a wordless 'oh', and Chocolat continued. "I work at the Church of Martel travel agency. But it's not like I believe in Martel or anything."
I resisted the urge to high five the annoying girl, and Chocolat's mother gasped and admonished her for her insensitivity.
"I know, I know!" Chocolat said haughtily. "I'm grateful for the chosen. But Martel didn't protect Dad or Grandma. Even this time it wasn't Martel, but the Chosen that saved mom. How can anyone believe in a Goddess that sleeps while we suffer?"
For me, it was less of the Goddess sleeping problem, and more of the whole 'Lets be nice to the chosen for now, but throw stones at her when she puts her life on the line and fails' deal. Marta was human, but gosh was she annoying. I remembered her from the second game, and she got on my nerves for the first half of the game.
Almost as much as Chocolat.
Chocolat the Kiss up. Haha…
"I understand…" Colette said sadly. "But I still think Martel exists."
"You think?" Chocolat repeated, almost daring the Chosen to rephrase it.
"I'm sure of it!" Colette said, sounding sure of herself. "She exists inside you and me!"
Talk about foreshadowing…
I mean at the end Martel literally lives inside Colette.
"Well if the Chosen says so…" Chocolat started, and I flinched at how stupid and fake she sounded. "Then I'll at least try to believe."
Way to stick to your guns, I thought sarcastically. Kiss up.
I knew I was being unfair. And usually I was a very understanding person. But people who simply compromised their beliefs for anyone else for whatever reason really pissed me off, even if it was to switch to what I believed. 'Change your mind for yourself, not for others' was how I thought. You're only fake if you aren't true to yourself.
Not to sound like a typical teenage female, but Chocolat was fake to me. But... Then again... Did I even care?
No. Not really.
"Are there people who really want to go on this trip after everything that happened here?" Lloyd asked, sounding incredulous. I knew he was pretty neutral in his beliefs in that he accepted Martel, but it didn't seem to dictate his life in any way. But that was a game, so who knew? Maybe he was just too young to care.
"Its after events like these," Kratos pitched in, "That people both with or without faith feel the need to go on a journey in search of salvation." It sounded like he was saying that from experience. Either that, or it was rehearsed. From what in his three thousand years of life, I had no way of knowing unless he told me himself.
Seize an opening when you have it, I guess. Or something like that, I was never truly an opportunist.
"That pretty much sums it up." Chocolat supplied, smiling. "Thank you all very much!"
With that we were gone. I decided to follow the group casually, knowing that I did not want to miss the boat to the ranch. If I missed that, there was no way I could find anyone else to go with me, since it would be exploded. I needed to make sure that Kaiden was alive and safe personally.
"Those fakes are totally copying us." Lloyd suddenly brought up, and I eyed the group curiously. Fakes? I would laugh if he was talking about Chocolat.
"I suppose that would make their ignoble leader Lloyd…" Raine supplied, and I suddenly remembered what they were talking about. The people who stole the thing from Dorr… Er, well. Not stole. I wasn't sure what they stole exactly… I didn't remember every single detail of the game, okay?
Genis laughed mockingly, "Yeah, and he was just like him!"
The victim of the conversation glared at the younger half elf, embarrassed at his own expense.
"And the girl must have been Colette." Raine said thoughtfully, fueling the conversation. "And the magic-user would be me."
"Oh then… the one that looks like a big ape then is…" Genis started, in a deadpan tone as he trailed off, but Colette finished for him.
"Genis?"
"No! Its gotta be Kratos!" The boy protested, and angry blush on his face.
Kratos simply tilted his head, and didn't say a word. But his expression said it all.
"They must have got it all wrong. Kratos is obviously not an ape." I added quietly with conviction, and everyone turned to me, Lloyd grinning at my input and most of the others giving differentiating looks of mild bewilderment at me defending the man.
What? I talked. Sometimes. Well, I played ninja with them, wasn't that 'social' enough?
"He's obviously a lion." I managed to say silently, but conveying my enthusiasm over deciding what Kratos was through my tone of voice, as I took to looking to the man in question. "I mean, look at his hair! And color too! I bet he roars in battle!"
Genis and Lloyd laughed, and the two adults simply sighed.
"You're right! But…" Colette tilted her head. "Come to think of it, he always yells… Umm…" She paused, thinking hard to remember. "Oh yeah! He yells 'Give them no quarter!' , and then starts fighting. Its very fun!"
I stared at Colette. Fun? Its very fun when Kratos fights? Oh boy. Bet she can't wait until the Tower of-
I almost cringed, and didn't think about it anymore. Too soon. Not funny, not in the least.
"Is it a red head thing?" Lloyd asked curiously, before grinning at the thought. "Eris, you have messy- er... red hair too. Couldn't you be a lion too?"
"I've never seen one in real life... " Raine murmured, looking at Kratos thoughtfully. As if him looking like a lion would give her answers. I sighed, beginning to answer. I was cut off, lucky for me.
"Also... How is that 'fun' Colette?" Genis asked, ignoring Raine and Lloyd, regarding Colette statement instead. crossing his eyes exasperatedly, voicing my thought exactly.
"Yeah! Its not fun! I almost died!" That was Lloyd, and he came to stand next to me coming to the topic Colette and Genis were on. "You saw him fight, right? Thats how he trains me! Every morning too...!" I looked downward, getting nervous at the excitement my words seemed to cause.
"I wonder what it'd be like, to have a lion as a pet?" Colette asked, the subject derailing again.
"You'd probably get eaten." I answered, sighing. "... I wouldn't know. Ask Kratos." I figured I'd go with it, it was kinda in Colettes nature to make every conversation... Different, if I could judge. What was even happening?
Everyone paused.
Lloyd tilted his head, trying to discretely look at Kratos, much like he did in Izoold. He didn't say anything for a minute, but then whispered to me with a goofy look on his face. "... Sounds about right."
"Wait, Kratos is a pet?" That of course, was Colette.
I sighed, finding the conversation hard to even follow. Looked like that was... going to be an ongoing thing.
"Why would you get eaten?" Raine asked truning to me as we walked, and I noticed Genis was laughing. I shrugged.
"I-I dunno." I stuttered. I didn't want them to think anything strange. Cultures are weird like that. Like, if you make fish lips at someone here, its supposed to be insulting. strange, but when I figured that out I thought I remembered Genis always doing it in the game during skits."Because they're ferocious? And eat meat. I think."
The three teens laughed for some reason(What? That wasnt even funny...), and I looked away. "Fine, I'm not talking anymore!"
At that point, I was blushing furiously. I used to have no problem being laughed at, but now that I was supposed to be tough and strong, having something made fun of was embarrassing. It wasn't like I felt as if I had anything to prove, but being a traveling arm for hire, you couldn't be viewed as a child. So reacting to teasing couldn't work.
Not that I was good at resisting it.
After that, they started talking about the animals they did have, and Lloyd told me about his dog Noishe... Again, I think. I couldn't remember if I was supposed to know about it yet, so I simply nodded and listened.
We stopped at my house, and they began to discuss a course of action. They were invited to stay at my place of course. And for once, I was glad.
I panicked. I needed to be able to go with them, I didn't know if I was going to get another chance.
Just ask. I told myself, taking a deep breath as I stood in the kitchen. Say at least until they stop at Luin. That happens after the ranch, right?
I walked into the other room where they were, as they were discussing who was going to go with who to gather what in the morning, and I cleared my throat.
"What is it?" Lloyd asked, tilting his head.
"I-I wanted to ask you guys something… A favor, I guess."
Raine sighed, and crossed her arms. "I'm sorry, but… we have our hands full. But ask away, I suppose. Don't be surprised if we say no."
I sighed, and I tried to keep a poker face, knowing they were watching me. I looked at Raine, and spoke. "Please, let me accompany you guys on your journey."
Raine actually looked surprised, as she opened her mouth and I cut her off, wincing when I realized how rude it was to do so, but continuing anyway. "At least until Luin… Theres something I need to do there, and it's really important I don't wimp out."
I was being honest. It was one thing to run away from something when no one was watching, but another to know someone was watching. Then they knew you failed.
"Is it a job?" Lloyd asked and I shook my head.
"N-no…"
Raine looked around, and when everyone but Kratos nodded(He didn't agree with newcomers if I remembered right), she turned to me.
"Its fine if you tag along, but in order to trust you… I want you to tell me why you're going there."
I took a deep breath. I knew I could trust these people… So what if they thought I was soft? I would prove to them I wasn't as whiny as I looked. Not that I usually looked like that.
"I got a letter the other day…" I started, jumping down on the chair. "It said there was something… I mean… It was confirmed someone very close to me died in the ranch, and it turns out she left behind a couple of things she wanted me to have… But I've been avoiding the place for years. So it's my first time having to handle going back there since…" I shrugged. I knew the teens knew about Tia, and I assumed the adults did as well.
"Your teacher, correct?" Raine said, and I nodded.
"Well I suppose its fine if you come with us… It would actually be helpful if someone with your skillset came with us."
I tilted my head in question, and she elaborated. "Infiltration. Its essentially the same thing when dealing with seals… and from what Ms. Katherine told us and what we've seen, you at least have some experience."
I nodded, smiling and said "I'll do my best."
.
When everything was said and done, Kratos deemed it ready to change the subject. "We head out at seven a.m. Sharp. No one be late."
With that, everyone went to bed, but that time at the same time. I made sure Colette didn't take the floor again, and when she argued that Raine hadn't had a bed yet, I sighed and let Colette take the couch, but not the floor.
I walked back downstairs and wrote a note to Katherine. She had taken off on a request, she was staying the night at someones place and healing one of the people injured by the Desians earlier that day.
Katherine,
I decided to follow your advice. Yes, I will go to Luin and get Tia's stuff. But in return, I beg of you, please, please, pleeeeaaaaaassse stay safe! Honestly, do not go anywhere alone as long as the Desians are around, don't poison your food, be careful with sharp objects and do not kill yourself. I will burn your bobblehead collection. And put it in the ocean. It wont be hard,
From, Eris
Ps, If you touch any of my books or trinkets I've collected, I will hunt you down and gut you like a fish.
With that, I stood up and stretched and placed the letter of the kitchen counter. I walked out, and bumped into a familiar auburn man.
I jumped back about five feet in surprise, and he raised an eyebrow. He simply walked in the kitchen, and grabbed his sword that was on the counter for some reason. Luckily, Katherine wasn't here. Handsome men be damned, no one leaves weaponry on her counter! I sometimes laughed that weapons on the counter was an actual problem. I was yelled at constantly for leaving my knives out in the open.
He watched me for a moment, and as I was growing increasingly uncomfortable. He finally said, "You should probably change up your weapon arsenal… You're dagger looks pretty old. Even if its well taken care of."
I blinked. After Tia died, I switched out the dagger she gave me for a new one. Her's was especially nice, I didn't want to waste it until the time came. But as for my used one… Well, metal could only last so long after being constantly used. The handle was extremely loose, so I could understand where he was coming from.
"You can come with Lloyd and I tomorrow." He conceded, walking out of the room. "We're in charge of the battle supplies."
"Okay…" With that, I was alone again, and left wondering just why lion man was so uptight that night.
Probably because we told him he was a pet, but I haven't known him long enough to discern feelings.
.
