This is the last chapter...of the story...ever...yeah right. No it's just the next chapter. I get weird feeling writing this chapter, I don't know why. It's like I'm here, but not and my senses don't go into the story and it just goes on...
..oh well.
Well I'm off to Matsuricon, but the time you read this, I'll probably be down in Columbus.
Review Below, Let me know! ^^
In Tarjan, just at the edge of town, two Rune knights were guarding the road out of town. The flow of traffic due to recent events has made it an easy, but boring, job.
"So you hear about this Wyvern's Rise guild?" One of the guards said to get a conversation going.
"Isn't that the guild near the Mountains in Falion Town?"
"Yeah, I heard Four dark guilds tried to attack them but they beat them all senseless."
"Geez. And The guild here can't even beat one? Maybe the Magic Council will force them to go after Black Fang."
"Nah. I think they're going to ask White Rose. They've been a top 5 guild for 30 years now."
"Or Lamia Scale. Can you imagine Wizard Saint Jura putting those bastards in there place?"
"Hey anything's better than an upstart guild that just roll over and play dead."
"I can't wait till they shut down. That building they live in is an eye sore."
While those guards talked, they did not realize that Ceceline had used her Portal Magic to move herself and Rhysander, from behind their post to within the forest, just out of their sight behind a tree.
"There we go." Ceceline said in a hushed tone. "We just need to get you to Tarjan and sneak you on board the Raldan ship."
"Thank you." Rhysander said. "I can handle it from here."
"What? But I can still help you."
"You did enough. Every second you're with me you risk getting caught."
"Listen. They're going to be inspecting that boat every second it's on the dock. The only hope we have to get you on there is when it leaves and is out to sea, I use my Portal Magic to sneak you on board."
"If you get caught and imprisoned with me, who's going to take care of those children?"
Ceceline stopped and looked down at the ground. Rhysander just patted her on the head.
"Thank you." Rhysander said. "You've done more for than anyone should. I appreciate it, but those kids need you."
Ceceline made a pouty face. "Fine... I was hoping on going on an adventure."
"This is not an adventure." Rhysander said. "People want me dead and I can't live with myself if one more person gets hurt or killed because of me."
"I understand. But know that you're always welcome with me and the children." Ceceline opened up a portal, jumped through it and closed it.
Rhysander sighed and began to move silently through the forest.
*She still trusts me so easily.* He thought to himself. *After what she went through...how can trust anyone after that...*
(Flashback)
Rhysander entered the guild hall to a bunch of drunkards yelling up a storm. The second he stepped inside, the noise disappeared into silence and all eyes were fixated on him. Rhysander ignored them and approached the back of the hall where a man was standing under the guilds insignia. Half of an animals skull.
"You looking for a fight kid."
"No." Rhysander replied. "Just looking for work."
"You think you can handle the work here?"
"Better than any of you can."
The man smiled. "Ok, I'll give you something. See if you're cut out for Skull's Rest."
(End Flashback)
Rhysander held his head as he began to move slowly down a hill. "She shouldn't trust me at all..."
Asharu was walking through the forests walking over knocked down trees with Clawdaw sitting on his head. Clawdaw looked around hoping to see anything through the trees.
"I think we're lost." Clawdaw said.
"We're not lost." Asharu replied.
"Do you know where we are?" Clawdaw asked.
"The forest."
"We're lost."
"We're not lost! We're going in the same direction of Tarjan! Northwest!"
Clawdaw's eyes narrowed. "That's Tjuin. Tarjan's in the southwest."
Asharu stopped for a moment, turned southwest and kept moving. "Yeah, I knew that. I was testing you."
"I knew we were lost."
Snap!
Asharu turned his head and turned around. He looked around to see where the sound of breaking wood came from. The forest became silent, no sounds anywhere.
"What's wrong?" Clawdaw asked.
"We're being followed." Asharu replied.
Asharu turned around and kept walking.
"Aren't you going to do anything about it?" Clawdaw asked.
"As long as they don't attack me from behind, I've got no problem with it." Asharu said. "They can follow me all the way to Esteval for all I care."
Asharu kept walking as he felt the presence sneaking behind him.
*I don't sense any harmful intent from the one who's following me.* Asharu thought. *Let's see if it stays that way.*
Rhysander had been walking for 15 minutes when he came across the freshwater river. He looked down at the flow of the river and began walking alongside it.
*This river goes right through Tarjan.* He thought. *Should lead me all the way there.*
Rhysander followed the river down, but moved his head back as a sword nearly slashed his neck. There were two swords being swung at him quickly and repeatedly, him stepping back to avoid them each time. Rhysander created a blast of white energy at his attacker, who simply jumped back and landed on a tree standing upside down. The attacker was Ina Averina.
"Sanford, I've got visual contact!" Ina said. "I'm engaging now."
"Excellent, babe!" Sanford said to Ina using telepathy. "Stay close so I can get a lock on him. The others are en route to you."
"Can't promise he's not dead by the time they get here." Ina said. "Requip!"
Ina's arms began to glow and arm blades in the shape of a scythe appeared on both of her arms, the tips attached to the wrists. She jumped down directly at Rhysander only to have him try to blast her away with his magic. Ina's blades cut through the magic like butter edging close to him. Rhysander created a Shadow shield to block her forward progression, but Ina manged to moved around the shield and slash Rhysander in the back.
"GAAH!"
Rhysander made shadows rise up from the ground and expand out, knocking Ina back against a tree but landed against the tree on her feet and stood there.
Rhysander was breathing heavily and thought to himself. *I still haven't recovered from the other day.*
While Rhysander took the moment to think, Ina jumped off the tree and like a bullet flew directly toward him. Rhysander ducked and she flew over him, but she cut him at his shoulders as she passed by. She landed on another tree, but before she could jump off it a hand pushed her ankle, making her fall and face-plant into the ground.
"Be careful jumping around like that. People tend to slip up." Asharu said, leaning against the tree.
Ina stood up, her face covered in scratches and dirt, and pointed right at Asharu. "Don't interfere! This is official Rune Knight business!"
Asharu looked at her...well...down at her. Asharu was a full 3 feet taller than her. He then patted her on the head. "Aw, you're so cute wanting to be an adult! You should be playing soccer like the rest of the little kids!"
"I AM NO A CUTE, LITTLE KID!" Ina screamed. "I AM A RUNE KNIGHT ELITE!"
"Sure you are." Asharu said. "Just go back to the playground and let the adults handle this."
"I'll handle you!" Ina swung her blades at Asharu.
Asharu quickly requipped his Disruptor Sword and blocked it.
"Hey, don't say stuff like that." Asharu said. "People might get the wrong idea, you pervert."
"I'm not a pervert!" Ina shouted. "You're a pervert!"
"That makes absolutely no sense." Asharu said, rolling his eyes back.
"I'll show you!"
She jumped back, bullets up, kicked off a tree to the right and then bullets back down at Asharu. Asharu held his Disruptor Sword up and Ina felt herself decelerate right at the end of her attack, then he used his sword to cut the blades off her arm, stepped to the side and watched her as she hit the ground and slid across the grass. Ina looked up at Asharu and he was just leaning against a tree, rubbing an apple against his shirt and then taking a bite out of bit all the while swinging his sword in his other hand.
"How... What the hell did he do?" Ina asked.
"Oh, you see this sword here..." Asharu said, his mouth full from the apple. "Yeah, it disrupts your magic so it screws up your strategies and stuff. Mm, this is a good apple."
Ina just wanted to punch this smug asshole in the face, but realized that Rhysander was gone. "Damn it! Sanford, I lost him!"
Asharu looked at her. "You talking to someone?"
"Don't worry, babe." Sanford said to Ina through telepathy. "I got him tracked. He's not that far and he's gonna run into the others soon enough. Just take care of that asshole."
"Oh, I'll be glad to." Ina replied to Sanford.
"You know, I know it's normal for kids to have imaginary friends, but it's a phase you just have to grow out of, kid." Asharu said.
The irritated vein appeared on the back of Ina's head.
"I'll show you little!" She growled.
Ina then requipped a large, double-sided battle hammer.
"Oh, you're serious now." Asharu said. "Okay then."
Asharu requipped into his Sun Armor, but it hadn't been fully repaired from his battle with Petra. Only the gauntlets and the greaves had remained over his normal clothes. The Disruptor Sword, which normally would be engulfed in flames, only had a few, small embers around the blade.
"Is that the best you got?" Ina asked. "That's not even complete armor."
"Well, hey, it's better than nothing."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. But it's funny you should mention that." She then held out her bare palm and Asharu's armor and sword both disappeared.
"What the hell?" Asharu looked at his hands.
"Now you got nothing at all. Hyyaaaaaah!" Ina shouted as she charged at Asharu.
"Ooooh, shiiiiiit!" Asharu exclaimed as he fell backward, avoiding the hammer smashing his head.
Asharu was sitting on his butt and crawling backwards and Ina flipped her hammer with the end still embedded in the ground and the other end slamming down at Asharu. Asharu spread his legs open and the hammer barely missed his groin.
"Hey, not cool!"
Rhysander was near the banks of the river where it formed into small rapids continuing to travel downhill. He was using the water to wash the wounds in his shoulders as the cuts were pretty deep.
"She was a Rune Knight elite." He muttered to himself. "Of course they would come here. I have to hurry."
He took one step out of the river and immediately stepped on top of a magic seal. Immediately a box began to rise up around him, but he used his Darkness Magic to slide out although his arm was caught in the box. He tried to pull his arm out, but it was stuck in the magical vortex.
"You gotta be kidding..." Rhysander groaned.
Henrick, Roman, Raul and Ivo came running out of the bushes and surrounded Rhysander.
"Okay, we caught something this time." Ivo said.
Roman then stared Rhysander directly in the face. "I'm only gonna ask you this once and you better tell the truth."
"... 'Kay." Rhysander replied.
"... Are you Rhysander Deleon?" Roman asked.
"No." Rhysander answered casually.
Roman glared at him. "... I don't know if he's telling the truth or not."
"Well, have him use some of that Twilight Magic." Raul said.
"I don't do magic." Rhysander lied. "Now please let me go. My sister is sick and I need to be by her side."
"Bullshit." Henrick said. "Explain why you're all cut up."
"Because your mom is to rough in bed!" Rhysander snapped.
"THERE HE IS!"
Across the River, The Rest of the Rune Elite appeared. Kallie Formant, Gloria Palburn and Shay Tide.
"Dammit..." Rhysander said, turning his head away.
"You are a dead man, Rhysander Deleon!" Kallie proclaimed.
"Are you Rune Knights?" Henrick asked. "If you want him, you got to hand over the reward!"
"What reward?" Kallie asked.
"The 3 million Jewel we were promised." Henrick responded.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but we're not here to assist in any capture." Kallie said. "Our orders were to kill that traitor."
"Sorry, if he's worth more alive then he's ours." Henrick said.
"Over your dead bodies!" Kallie said. "Gloria!"
Gloria stepped forward and casted a Magic seal. "Wild Fire Streak!" A blast of dark red fire was released from the seal in a narrow direct strike at the wizards. A geyser of water erupted out of the middle of the river in the path of the fire. On contact the both attacks fazed out and turned to steam creating a thin over the area. Mist was standing on the Rune Knight side of the river, with her feet just in the river.
"Water Dragon Current!" She punched down into the water and the entire flow of the river changed and the forceful rapids turned toward the rune knights.
Kallie held out a white shield that began to glow light blue. The water flowed around the knights as soon as it approached the shield. Mist rode the current all the way to the shield and punched it head on, pushing Kallie back a bit.
"You think you can screw us out of our reward?!" Mist snapped. "You're as corrupt as any other Knight!"
"How dare you bitch!" Kallie snapped.
While the wizards we're engaging in a fight, Rhysander struggled to pull his arm out of Henrick's trap. "Damn it." he muttered. "I don't want to get caught in their crossfire."
He pulled and pulled, but the trap wouldn't budge at all...until his arm came out with ease. "What the hell?" he looked at where his arm had been and saw a magic portal there that freed his arm. "Portal magic?"
"Down here."
Rhysander looked down and saw another portal just at his feet, and through showed Ceceline at a tilted angle waving at him.
"Quick jump through." She said.
Rhysander looked up at the wizards, all of whom were distracted by Mist's attack, quickly slipped through the portal and it closed as soon as he was through. He stumbled at the change of direction but was able regain his footing. They were further down the riverbanks, but still close enough to hear the magic attacks of the wizards he just fled.
"I told you to go bac-"
"You're welcome." Ceceline replied in a non condescending way. "We should hurry to Tjiun. We don't we can't stick around here."
"Hey no!" Rhysander said. "You going back without-" While talking Ceceline just started walking away. "HEY! Are you listening?! Don't walk away from me!"
Rhysander had no choice but to follow the iron willed Ceceline.
Meanwhile at the Central fortress, Lt. Skyler was in a files room looking over some old reports related to the Rhysander incident.
"Ok...So Rhysander tricked the Rune Knights into Skull's Rest trap. Among those killed were Victor Deleon, Rhysanders father. Surviving witness' claimed Rhysander slaughtered him personally. Then when Skull's Rest on the payment he turned on them and wiped the guild out."
He flipped over some of the papers and found a file relating to the Rune Elites.
"Kallie Formant. Daughter Dlyan Formant, one of the other Rune Knight causalities that day. Shay Tide, Son of Lin Tide. Ina Averina, daughter of Nolan Averina. And Sanford Harces, brother to Julia Harces. All of whom died that day as well."
"Did you know them?" Leaning against the Wall was Raza.
"I knew Victor and Dlyan." Lt. Skyler replied. "Interesting that everyone in the Rune Elites against Rhysander." he then looked at a File of Gloria Palburn. "And her."
"Yeah we know about her." Raza said. "Can we get to the point already? Why am I here?"
"You're here because things don't add up." Lt. Skyler said putting the fires down. "Rhysander is a prodigy in magic, signs into he Rune Knights, drops out, joins a dark guild, kills his father, slaughters dark guild, then runs away."
"I've heard stories like that so many times, they're actually blending together. This guy is just a cold killer."
"Then How come in the 14 times we've encountered him since then he hasn't killed one person?"
Raza lifted his hat up, no curious.
"The reason I hired you was to find information." Lt. Skyler continued. "1) What was the real motivation for Rhysander to kill his father and those Other Rune Knights. 2) What was Skull Rest's true part in the event and 3) Everything you can on Lt. Scills."
"Lt. Scills?" Raza asked "Why him?"
"He want's Rhysander dead more than anyone here for some reason." Lt. Skyler explained. "Enough so to go to the Rune Elites who wouldn't question his orders because of their hated for him."
Raza smirked. "Ok I see." he said. "But it'll cost ya. Since I can't leave the island I'm going to have to charge you extra, BUT since you are first time costumer you get a 30% discount. Pleasure doing business with you."
(To be continued...)