A/N: I have no regrets in placing M on my story... no... none at all... none at all... after all, i support morality... good kiddies should not read my horrible crap... yes, for the sake of their pure minds... heh heh heh... i'm going insane.
Havol ??
Class: Barkeeper/ member of ??
Level: N/A
Weapons: A lot of drinks, one mean steak
Notes: A barkeeper and innkeeper. A member of a certain organization that Feyrin and Kaine recognized. A large man with a hearty laugh. Makes one of the best steaks in the area. Heavy drinker. Loud speaker.
Important notes to party: Not a party member, but a possible information broker. Still, his size looks large enough to bulldoze through ten walls after he has enough drinks to eliminate his sanity.
Midnight Tango
He clawed at the fire. Anger coursing through his veins. He hated being made fun off, and every single day that that girl lives, his plans would seem less plausible.
"She is the main factor in this. I must get rid of her."
He muttered, pacing round room. His patience was wearing thin. He wanted to do something, but he couldn't make it seem like it was his work.
"... Servant."
He called. From the shadows, a figured appeared, but did not stray too far from it.
"You called?"
"Yes. I want assassins to hunt this girl down. Make it look like an accident."
"At your will."
The servant bowed, about to take leave.
"Wait."
The servant turned back to him.
"Yes, my lord?"
"... Never mind Just go."
"... As you command."
The servant bowed, and melted back into the shadows, his presence no longer felt.
"... No, it is still too early to bring 'them' out."
"And so it begins..."
The dark one chuckled. He waved a hand over the orb, and the image faded away, replaced by another, of a young girl with long raven hair, sleeping soundly in a room he was not familiar with. He rubbed his chin in thought.
"... You will face obstacles to reach me, but nevertheless, you will. It was pre-ordained by the Norns. The pieces will gather, in time. Now, let me see what you are made of, girl."
Kaine's eyes snapped open. He wasn't really sleeping, but rather, merely closing his eyes. If there was one thing he had learnt through his life, it was that you could never really sleep completely at any given time. Your life was far too vulnerable. In this case, he was right. He sensed presences moving outside the inn. Far too silent to be customers, and far too late in the night to be merely people passing by. He swung his legs off the bed, and walked over to the window, silently pushing it open. His eyes adjusted well in the dark, and he could see figures. Not one, but seven.
Grabbing his equipment and bag, Kaine rushed towards the door, and carefully placed his ear against it. He listened carefully. They were not on this floor yet. Relieved of that fact, Kaine pushed his door open slightly, observing the hallway. Making sure that no one was around, he slowly crept out, and as silently as he could, made his way to the adjacent room. He knocked it softly, before entering. He closed the door behind him, and looked back into the room. Feyrin was already awake, putting on her oversized gloves. Meili was still snoring, while Tharin had just gotten up, and was trying her best not to yawn.
"How many?"
Feyrin asked.
"Seven in front. I do not know about the rest."
"Alright. Let us find another way out."
Feyrin nodded, turning to Meili, who obviously was oblivious to the world around her. With an eye glinting, Feyrin walked up to the sleeping girl. Her right hand was crackling with electrical power. Kaine turned around to avoid watching what would happen, while Tharin simply cowered behind her shield.
"Do you have a silencing magic?"
Kaine asked, his back still turned towards Feyrin.
"No, but i do have this."
Feyrin sniggered, pulling out a large circular object. Forcing the object into Meili's mouth, Feyrin started her waking routine. She gripped her electrically charged hand around Meili's ankle, and sent a hundred volt electrical surge through the young girl. That didn't wake her, it fried her. While the now fried crispy Meili was having a wrestling match with Feyrin, Kaine peered outside the door once more. Movement. He signalled Tharin to come closer.
"Five on the right. They could be different from the ones out front. A possible of twelve in total."
Kaine muttered.
"Or more. There may be some still downstairs. Any suggestions?"
"... We make a break for it. You need to push for it with your shield. We will cover from behind."
"What if it is not an enemy?"
"Unlikely. They wouldn't be trying so hard to conceal their presence. Get ready to move."
Kaine looked over to where Feyrin was stomping Meili hard into the ground.
"... Just how old are you?"
"Shut up."
Feyrin grumbled, jumping off Meili. As soon as Meili was ready, the four of them readied at the door. The creaking sound of the wood outside was easily heard in this silence.
"... Three... two... one... GO!"
Kaine shouted, and Tharin slammed her shield hard against the door, breaking it off its hinges. She took an immediate right turn, and charged blindly. Shouts came from the intruders, but Tharin ran faster than they could draw their weapons, and she bowled them over by ramming through. As soon as they reached the stairs, Kaine and Feyrin took over, leaping from the top of the stairs to the bottom. Kaine drew his long sword, and cleared a way towards the door, while Feyrin conjured floor to ceiling fire walls on either sides of the path that Kaine had cut for them. Meili and Tharin hurried to follow Kaine and Feyrin out of the building, the other intruders unable to do anything due to the wall of fire that separated them from their target. Tharin managed to catch a glimpse of one of the fallen. An emblem that she knew very well.
"Prontera?"
She wondered, before bolting out the front door, joining the rest. However, Kaine was wrong. There were more than seven outside. Caught completely surrounded by fourteen cloaked assailants, Tharin drew her sword. Kaine, Tharin and Meili formed a protective ring around Feyrin, who had already started casting. The attackers charged forward, swords drawn. Tharin deflected the first one with her shield, before twisting her body, cutting her opponent down with a swift horizontal slash. Kaine had his giant sword readied, and was blowing opponents off him at an amazing rate. Meili, though still young, was fast and agile, skilfully dodging attacks with relative ease, brandishing her twin swords, and cutting down any who stood before her. But even though they stood well against their current opponents, they were caught unprepared for reinforcements. More cloaked men appeared from the corners, from the shadows, and charged.
"This is not ending!"
Tharin shouted, ramming into another foe.
"Just a little longer!"
Feyrin replied, focusing her last bit of energy into her spell.
"I thought you could instant cast!"
Kaine said, kicking an opponent into an on-coming group of reinforcements.
"Some spells need to take some time to prepare!"
Feyrin shot back, her eyes revealing that she wasn't too sure on something. That usually meant trouble. A sudden turn of events occurred A soft melody sounded in the streets, causing all to stop. Turning to the source of the music, Kaine and Feyrin were surprised to see someone they knew. The bard from the inn, walked up the group, with calmness and a soft-spoken smile. He strummed his instrument softly.
"As soft as the wind blows, as smooth as the river flows."
He sang, his steps paced slowly. He held no fear, no hesitation. Yet, he was fragile. He simply, smiled.
"What... huh?"
Kaine turned and noticed, that their attackers all slumped to the ground, unconscious or asleep, he couldn't tell. The bard stopped his playing, and bowed to them.
"I couldn't help it when you people were in a pinch, so let us say that my motivation was moved an inch."
The bard said, slinging his instrument on his back.
"Who... are you?"
Tharin wondered.
"Me? I am a simple bard, travelling the world beyond my own backyard. Seeing the world as it should be, i have found myself indebted to thee."
"Indebted? What did we do?"
"Your companions saved me from a certain death, in truth though she really should have left. To do you dishonour would only stain my name, even though what i am not looking for is fame. Your group looks like a jolly one, i certainly hope that you do not mind if i join the fun."
The bard smiled broadly. Tharin did not really know anything he was talking about, so she turned to Kaine and Feyrin, who simple shrugged.
"It is up to you whether you want this clown to follow us."
Feyrin said, walking towards Meili, who was busy looting from the fallen opponents. Tharin sighed. She hated to be in charge of things. The only thing she'd like was to take orders, rather than give them.
"Clown? I beg your pardon, my dear. I am a bard, not a clown, or if you didn't listen, you should have cleaned your ear."
"Then stop rhyming you idiot! It gets on my nerves, and that last one didn't rhyme at all!"
"I cannot stop this musical rhyme of mine. I will play, rhyme, joke, even as i dine."
"... Die now."
Feyrin tempted to chuck a fireball in his direction, but stopped when Kaine stepped in between
"Look, you two can settle your differences later. We do not know how long this bard's magic will work. Let us get out of this town first."
"Yes, let's go."
Tharin agreed, feeling slightly relieved from Kaine's interference. The group, with the bard immediately headed west, and out of the town.
He threw the golden goblet across the room.
"FAILURE! HOW COULD THEY FAIL?!"
He thundered. His servants all retreated back from his anger. All knew what he was truly capable of.
"If that is the case... Send in the assassin cross. Tell them I'm going to pay them well for a quick job."
The dark one smiled. It was interesting to see how things progressed.
"Pitiful mortal. No matter how much you struggle, you cannot even hope to rid her of her existence. It is too bad that i cannot interfere with your plans myself, but then again... it is interesting."
The group had managed to escape any further searches done by their midnight intruders, which left the situation back to the bard. While Feyrin had clearly shown her dislike for rhymes, Tharin had found the bard's company rather, enjoyable, to the say the least. At least, there were times when he did not rhyme, and saying things with a straight face and tone. But those times were rare and hard to come by. The group pushed onwards, heading further west towards their first destination, and it has already been a week since they left Geffen. Tharin sat down around the fire, as the group settled down by the path for the night. It was a large open flat land, with not much vegetation growing about. Meat was even more scarce, which garnered complaints from the small ones.
"Don't complain, unless you want to hunt one yourself."
Tharin warned, which shut Meili right up. Feyrin, however, was not that easily deterred.
"Fine! I will go out and hunt for one!"
Feyrin declared, and stood up, ready march out, when she stopped. Well, for one, it was already dark, and two... well, let's just say she has regained a few more child-like things together with her child body, like fears. In the end, she too ended up seated and eating. Tharin simply smiled, and turned to her own bowl. Kaine watched from the other side of the fire, as Tharin wiped Meili's mouth clean. Sometimes, she acted like a naggy mother, and at other times, like a beast who can rip things into shreds. Kaine really did not know what to think of her. She was an enigma to him. He couldn't fully trust her, that much he knew. The cross did not push that bar of his decision to either sides, it only increased his questions and thoughts.
"My dear sir, what troubles you this fine night?"
Berilious asked, oblivious to Kaine's rather dark dislike for the bard. Kaine was tempted to just kill him right here and now, but stopped. While he and Feyrin did share a common dislike for the bard, and that they are the two most powerful fighters in the party, Tharin was the person in charge. It was clear that both Tharin and Meili expressed a rather pleasant attitude towards the bard's jokes and songs.
"Nothing. Just eat up."
Kaine replied the bard's initial question, before stirring his stew around in his bowl.
"... Do you take a fancy to that girl, Tharin, was it?"
"No. And i don't even think i did so much as to have hinted so."
"Ah, but the way you stare at that young lady is somewhat suspicious. Well, can't blame you, she is a prize gem in the rocks. Her grace and elegance certainly can best out the Queen, and i dare to say as such."
"... You certainly are brave, or stupid, for a bard."
"Either way is the truth for me. Truth, is something i seek in this world."
Berilious admitted, which garnered a surprise look from Kaine. The bard never talked about his reasons for his journey, nor why his past. So why now?
"I can tell from your looks that you think of me as someone who seems the type to dwell in the past, and you are right. I certainly detest my own past, but it was my life. Care to listen to a bard's old tale?"
"...Not that i have choice. You'll most likely tell me either way. Just make it short."
"How rude, but with a hint of truth. My life as a bard started when my brother died. Our parents were killed when bandits came to our village. My brother and i managed to escape, and together, we made to a city, Al De Baran. There, we settled down, and my brother worked hard to earn a living. He was the bard, and very well talented one at that too. They say that his songs can motivate men to fight harder, and can even make fierce beast turn into calm creatures."
Berilious stared solemnly into the fire, his eyes reflecting the dancing flames as he reminisced about his past. It was as if he could see it once more.
"My brother earned us a good living, and we were happy. But soon, his talents caught the attention of the army. He was taken away, and forced to perform to boost the army's capabilities. I never saw him again, but he did leave two things for me. This instrument, and this."
Berilious reached into his tunic, and took out a small black crystal that dangled from his chain. The moment Kaine saw it, his hand instinctively reached for his sword, but he managed to stop himself. Berilious noticed his actions, though not surprised.
"Yes, you felt it too. Though its powers are weak, it is still a stone of evil. Still, it is powerless to harm anyone, or anything. No one can sense it till they see it."
Berilious smiled, putting the stone back in his shirt. Kaine felt more at ease, but still, that tiny stone made his body react so quickly. It was no ordinary evil.
"That... what is it from?"
"I never really knew, actually. All i know, is that my brother's instrument resonates with the stone. It can amplify the effects of the songs to some extent, but its origins puzzle me. This is why i am on a journey, to find out where my brother got this stone, and how does it link to my brother's instrument."
"And that gypsy girl?"
"Who? Oh, Malesio... she is... was, a rather unfortunate thing. A simple misunderstanding can lead many of noble men astray. Let's leave it at that."
Berilious smiled, which left Kaine completely dumbfounded.
From the shadows, the figure silently moved in closely. Staying concealed was an easy task, and taking out these people would be no problem at all. How careless can these people be? No... not careless. Looking carefully, there was a barrier. A magic barrier. Strong, and quite large. But not large enough to prevent an archer from firing an arrow. A small dagger could prove to be very effective against them. But... not for now.
"... What do you want, Vinlett?"
The man asked, pulling his face mask down. A young man, with hardened facial features, like he had faced many hardships in his life. A scar running down his right eye. His snow white hair was the most outstanding feature of his, besides his dark emerald eyes. Another figure, dressed in the similar dark cloth type clothings as he wore, materialized before his eyes, but he wasn't surprised. The newcomer had long dark brown hair tied into a tail. Removing the face mask, the newcomer revealed herself. A girl who looked very much younger than the man is, but she too had the looks that she faced the same amount of harshness that he faced.
"The order has received a new contract. Do you accept?"
"... I need to know what it is, first."
He replied.
"Your objective has been changed from protection, to assassination The order's elders do not force you to deter from your current mission, but you must know that they will not go easy on you."
Vinlett answered, crossing her arms. The man closed his eyes for a moment, before looking back to the group in the clearing, that was too far away for normal people to notice, besides people of his calibre, or skilled archers. He knew the risks, but... he made a promise. And he fully intends to honour it.
"Tell the elders, i will not change my mind. They may banish me from the order if need be, but i never go back after i accept a contract."
"... That is so like you, Ferex. The council knows of your deeds, and is not willing to let such a talent go to waste, besides, if we receive payment from both contracts, wouldn't it be better for all of us?"
"Such thinking is dishonourable."
"And such thinking as yours is old and rare in the assassin's order. Let us not forget who is paying us for the job. Anyway, were you about to assault your own target?"
Vinlett raised an eye. Ferex said nothing, and simply stared to the camp-site
"I was about to test their defences, but it seems i won't have to. Report back to the order. Tell them, i won't change my mission objectives, and i will protect that girl with my life. I won't go easy on anyone who tries to harm her, and i mean anyone. Not even the order's elders are an exception."
"... Hmph, well, suits yourself."
With that, Vinlett disappeared in a blink of an eye, and without a trace. Ferex stayed silent. Nothing can change his determination. Nothing.
A/N: I think i made Feyrin a little too childish... well, it was suppose to be a side-effect from her current form, but i think i over did it... again.