Chapter 1: The Mani Katti
As the small band of Lyn, now named Lyndis, venture on to the outskirts of the towns of the Lycian borders, The group, except Lucas who made Ren ride his horse for good measure, was riding down the road towards Lycia with Lucas riding behind Lyn's horse. After a while of Awkward silence Lucas asks her a question.
"Hey Lyn, remember the time when we were in your hut back in Sacae?"
"Lucas, please hold, let us take a short detour in this area," Lyndis asks. Lucas nods accepting this fact.
"Lady Lyndis, may I ask as to why are we making our stop here?" Kent asks curiously.
"A temple near the mountains, it seems very sacred with the ancient appearance it gives away," Ren comments.
"There is a sacred sword enshrined in an altar east of here. The people of Sacae come here to pray for safety in their travels," Lyndis answers.
"Oh! How quaint!" Sain interjects, confusing Lyndis.
"Intriguing, the teachings of Elimine have the most followers in Elibe, but it is nice to see that the ancient customs are still observed," Kent adds.
"Agreed," Lucas interrupts hearing something in the distance "Wait, I hear something,". He pulls out a spyglass that he just bought and notices a group of bandits, invading the temple before announcing: "Tch, bandits again. I'm spotting around 10 of them, they have stormed into the temple!"
"What?!" Lyndis responded with worry before noticing a village woman coming their way.
"I beg your pardon, milady, but are you here to pray for your travels?" the villager asks.
"Yes! We are, but we have noticed that bandits have come to rob it!"Lyndis answers.
"Please save the priest! He is still in the temple and held captive by those bandits, you must stop them!" the villager asks.
"We will, but our main issue would be the mountains surrounding the path to the temple entrance," Kent mentions after checking the way to the temple.
"Don't worry, I found another way," Ren replied with a village elder in tow.
"Ren, where have you been all this time," Lucas asks. "And who's this?"
"This is the village elder," Ren says, introducing him bluntly. "He kindly told me that a portion of the temple wall is too ancient and brittle that might collapse with a couple of strikes to it,"
"Yes, it won't take very long to tear the wall down, although it may damage your weapon if used excessively." The elder says informatively,
"We can handle that, thank you sir," Lucas replied with respect before thinking a little bit and letting strategies enter his head.
"Lucas, I apologize for this event to happen, but we must eliminate these bandits and prevent further disgrace to this sacred place while saving the priest," Lyndis begs.
"No. Lyn, It is not your fault." Lucas replies to Lyndis."Now, shall we start?" Lucas declares, getting her nod in agreement.
Soon Lucas heads off and grabs his spear and javelin from his satchel and walks back to the group.
"Kent, Ren, I want you to cause a distraction, Lure some of the bandits away." He immediately says strategizing. "Sain, me and Lyn will be slowly breaking the wall."
"I think I can handle that on my own. Kent can stay and assist you guys. I will see you on the other side shortly," Ren assures brandishing his shamshir, but before he could head for the mountains near the temple entrance, Lucas stops him by holding his shoulders.
"I am not sending him to help you kill them. I sent him with you to make it more convincing that they are being attacked. Plus, 4 people on the side of the temple is strange. Who's to say that other people would assume that a lady, a stranger, and a couple of riders hacking against a wall trying to rob the items inside?" Lucas says eyes hardening while gripping the iron spear.
"Um, you could've just said "don't kill them" beforehand. Plus, I am faster than their swinging axes. I'll be fine, brother," Ren deadpans.
"Just don't get too reckless," Lucas groans while pinching his eyes with infuriation in his tone before seeing Ren off to the mountains and saying: "alright guys, let's hurry while Ren does his work."
(Timeskip few minutes later)
Later, Lucas and the rest of the band finally blasted through the wall of the temple, to see three bandits fighting one Ren with the other three unconscious with huge swollen migraines on their foreheads.
"Are you kidding me!? It's just one dude!" said a broadsword-wielding bandit on the altar.
"Took you guys long enough," Ren comments while dodging axes near his face and feet.
"Pride cometh before one's fall," Lucas comments.
"Says the smart one back in the academy," Ren rebutted while dodging.
"Grrgh, imbeciles, you're all imbeciles, weaklings to the mighty Glass, the peerless swordsman of Sacae! Even the gods fear my name, and you all will too," Glass gloated while standing by the altar.
"Lucas, please tell me you are planning on taking him out," Ren asks with concern and annoyance in his tone before knocking out one bandit unconscious as he fell head first from a leg sweep.
"Yes I do," Lucas says with anger and satisfaction in his tone as he pulls out his javelin and twirls it swiftly for momentum before throwing it to Glass, dealing a deadly blow to his chest and impaling him to the temple wall. "That was the plan." He says casually much to everyone's horror.
"Gurgh! H-how…," Glass blurted while choking from the blood. Then Lucas rushes forward and impales him in the skull before he could react.
"Lucas…," Lyndis whispered to herself.
"Hmmm, wait, didn't the lady back there say the priest was held captive, where is he?" Ren thought out loud while tying up the bandits with ropes, consequently worrying Lyndis.
"Hey, that wall seems unusual," Kent points to a wall that has a handle.
Lucas opens and sees an elderly man with ancient priestly robes as his sign of occupation being the resident priest in the temple. "Found the priest."
"Who goes there?" the man asks.
"Sir priest, the battle is won, you are safe now," Ren interjects.
"Ahh, thank the spirits, you have saved us all. We are eternally grateful for hearing our cries. I believe you come here to ask for safe travels. If that is so, then here," the old man motions and takes a sword wrapped in a scabbard engraved with intricate designs.
"Is that?!" Lyndis stupefied upon seeing the sword.
"Yes, my child, it is the Sword of the Spirits, the Mani Katti. Touch it and pray for the journey ahead of you," the man permits Lyndis to touch the scabbard, only to notice it glow brighter.
"Hm? What is this? Could it be?!" the old priest reacts as the sword glows as Lyndis continues to hold her touch on its scabbard.
"W-what's happening?!" Lyndis reacts and gets startled by the glowing sword.
"Alas, I never thought that I would see the sword's chosen wielder in my day," the old priest gleefully rejoices.
"What!? Me!? How can I? I'm just ordinary!?" Lyndis admits.
"If that is so, try to pull the sword from its scabbard," the priest challenges.
Meanwhile Lucas just watches closely while intrigued by the fact of Lyndis being the sword's chosen wielder. In the split of a second, Lyndis was able to pull out the sword from its scabbard effortlessly, with the blade emanating an aura like none other in magic.
"It came out effortlessly!" Lyndis comments.
"As it stands, this is your sword, milady. Use it to your will as its master. May Father Sky be with you all," the old priest bids.
After bidding farewell to the priest, the band of Lyndis and Lucas march down back to continue their journey, only to be stopped halfway by a group of villagers halting their path.
"Wait, good sir, we truly appreciate all that you have done for our village. This lance once belonged to a military officer from our village before he transferred to a position in Bern. It will greatly help you in your travels," says the village elder, giving the Emblem Lance to Lucas.
"Thank you for this gift, I shall carry it with pride," Lucas comments as he receives the lance and slings it on his back admiring its weight. Soon afterwards the group leaves in order to give the village some space.
Later as dusk comes close, the group decides to set up camp near the forest groves in order to plan an escape for emergencies from bandits. While Kent, Sain and Ren cook their meat under the starry night, Lucas, making an excuse to scout the area, slowly walks away from the camp, planning to sort out his feelings out slight remorse for slaying a man in front of Lyndis and to think on what is their plans for the future after everything has been done. As he stares at his blood-drenched gloves, which had dried a while back, he realizes his internal remorse is not even affecting him at this point. He just shakes his head, shaking off his bad memories.
Out of nowhere, he feels a presence nearby. Thinking it was a bandit, he quickly turns to see Lyndis with a concerned look.
"Oh, It's you Lyn. What brings you here " Lucas says going back to staring at the moon and stars above.
"Lucas, is there something you would care to share with me?" Lyn asks while staying near Lucas.
"Lyn, I…" Lucas says, the answer choking on his throat. "I know why you are here…." He says looking at her, his forest green eyes meeting her emerald ones.
"Lucas, I want to open what I felt after seeing what you did to that bandit. It made me feel insecure as to how you seemed like you... delighted in disfiguring him to death. Lucas... I just want to know why," Lyn says, driving Lucas to a mental corner.
Lucas sighs in defeat, listening to Lyn with absolute attention. "I feel that you see me as a monster, killing those bandits without remorse." Lucas says, opening up "You know, I have lived in Bern, in a world that was not merciful to orphans like me. Heck, I have never even met or known my own parents, so I had to fend for myself almost everyday, using any household item, most often a broom." Lucas shook his head before continuing: "I had to earn part time, working part time in taverns and as a blacksmith's apprentice for months to feed myself and to attend the school I speak of frequently."
Lyn looks in sadness, realizing why he joined her when she mentioned her parents. "Is that your mission perhaps? Your reason for wandering around Elibe?" she asks.
Lucas meets her eyes. "Hmph! They are not the reason as to why I do as I do. Besides, they are dead in my eyes, no exceptions. If they could leave a young boy on the streets to die then I do not see why they need me. But if I could save anyone else from a fate like mine, then so be it." After he said that, Lucas says to Lyn,"I guess you are going to stay with Caelin after meeting your grandfather."
Lyn nods at this response.
"I understand and support your decision, Lyn." Lucas says, sadness dancing around his eyes. "Does that mean you are technically a princess, Lyn? Do I have to call you Your Highness now?" He jokes.
Lyn blushes in embarrassment and playfully punches him in the shoulder. "Do not joke about such trivial things. After all, it is unbecoming of the master tactician to not address His Highness as such." She jokes back.
Lucas ends up looking away blushing a little bit in embarrassment. "Oh shush you." Which both of them laugh at the embarrassing exchange that they just had. After a while, Lucas smiles sadly afterwards.
"Lucas, what is wrong then? Is it perhaps concerning me?" Lyn asks dreadfully with her face downcast.
"N-no! Well, on the contrary, it is because you have seen one of my unsightly images. I fear to let you know what I am capable of at times. They aren't really pleasant…." Lucas answered with his face downcast, only to feel a small palm touching his chest softly.
"I don't believe you are dreadful. Everyone has a side they hesitantly reveal, but it won't change the fact that that is who they are," Lyn replies with a comforting smile. Lucas looks back in happiness before focusing more on his eyes.
"...I also just noticed...that your eyes are….beautiful…" He mumbles that last part out.
"Huh?" Lyn notices a small blush appears on her face.
"It's nothing!" Lucas says partly panicking. "I think we should head back to camp, the others will worry." He says rushing quickly back towards the camp before Lyn could notice his face becoming even more red, redder than before.
As they return to the camp, with the guys just enjoying barbecued bear meat, they notice the blushing Lucas return from the woods with Lyn a few steps back.
"Well, that seemed like a long talk back there. Sure took your time "wisely" I must say," Ren smirks while using a rosemary stem to pick on his teeth.
"Ren, I advise that you shut your mouth. I'm going to retire early for the day. I shall see you all tomorrow," Lucas replies before heading to their shared tent, still flustered from earlier.
"Well then, I guess I should kick the bucket as well," Ren says before yawning and wearing his hood before resting his head on a flat stone.
"Sleep tight everyone, we have another long journey ahead of us!" Lyn announces before heading into her own tent. Sain looks at Kent in confusion before he shrugs and goes back to their tent while Kent takes first watch.
(Timeskip to the next day with everyone finished packing and disassembling their tents)
"Alright everyone, onward to Caelin!" Lucas rallies the group alongside Lyn, but not making any eye contact towards Lyn from the events of the previous night.
Lucas slowly sneaks beside Ren, partially thankful for the bandits distraction so that he may not think of the events of what happened the other day as he slowly crept up to tap Ren's shoulder before saying: "This might be a tad late, but, thanks for offering your assistance to repel those bandits back then at the temple."
"I am alright with that, but I feel pretty sorry for Lyn to be close with an awkward guy like you. Don't worry, I won't bother disturbing your "time together alone,""Ren teases and whispers the last part, getting a punch to the gut for a moment before pressing on with the group.
The band, slightly confused at their tactician's behavior, continues to make their way through the Lycian borders to reach Caelin in order for Lyn to reach her grandfather, but unbeknownst to them is the near future that lies in front of them at any moment.
Chapter END