Chapter 24: The Man Behind the Plan
Skovik Lavias, the leader of the terrible trio was a simple shrewd man. No if, and, or but.
He is proud of himself for not being a good person, and even being proud as the most genius evil man despite being self-proclaimed. He dreams to one day build his own evil empire. One that would rival the Zeref Cult and became a rich influential man throughout Ishgar. His ambition and narcissism gave him a rocky start since at the time he didn't know when to shut his mouth, but he quickly learned how to be more cunning, more acceptable, more likable. Yet he knew that wasn't enough. For him to grow his empire, he first need to create the core of it, so the first thing he searched for was muscle man. A man capable to do his bidding without question and capable to do it without problem so as to match his smart mind.
When he first met Zeffik, he thought he had scored the goldmine. His close relationship with the Ring Master help him procured him with a discount. His simple naive mind helps to rein the giant man, but as strong as he is he's not a master of fighting, and strength could only get him so far. Another search around the slavery market led him to Spade Kreuz, a remarkable swordsman that got subjected into slavery for pissing off the wrong person and needed about a hundred man to finally get the drop on him and turned into slave. The bidding drain almost his whole available money but he was worth every penny. Together, they began working for Skovik's ambition and their name began to spread wide and far.
His current job involving kidnapping the Princess was easier than expected and was glad that he decided to take it in the end. Though the risk was high because kidnapping a royalty could result in a great backlash that would set his already fine plan back to zero. It was also his first contract job with a noble, and it will surely would be the turning point of opening new doors to a far more string of people and successes that awaits him.
Which is why Skovik will not, cannot let this one plan fail.
Which is also why it's jarring to say, he was not prepared to hear that his follower was Roy Jurenelle. The knife on his hostage's throat involuntarily deepened from his surprise and made the Eagle King Spirit that had cooly watch over them to step forward in clear warning, but Skovik was too in shock to even notice that.
"Are you saying...that the one that's been following us was the Second Son of the Jurenelle Family?"
The Princess, The Kidnapper, and The Spirit was locked into a standoff. With The Eagle King Spirit, Aquila ready to ensnare his arm to his throat at any opening he got before Skovik could put his knife down through Hisui's throat and cut her lifeline while the carriage the horses carried was still running on the bumpy road.
Skovik decided to pursue small talk then, to shift their focus to his mouth instead of his hand and to draw information of the person that had follow him so quickly. He doubted that he was a better fighter than Spade, but that doesn't mean there isn't a number of ways to elude him if he's smart.
However, he was caught off guard when after he ask for a name. He got the one name he wished he hadn't got.
Roy Jurenelle.
Roy-Freaking-Jurenelle.
And take note that he didn't actually say freaking.
Hisui furrowed her eyebrow, her confusion cloaked her fear, "Why are you so surprised? Although his name may be familiar because of his great accomplishment, it shouldn't warrants you such a reaction."
Skovik didn't pay much heed to her words, drown in the midst of his own mind and the horrible blunder he had made. For this whole plan of kidnapping princess was to lure him, and it would ruin everything if he died before he could save the princess!
Yes, this whole plan was so Roy could save her himself. Confusing? Don't worry, it would all be clear by the end of this arc...partially.
Skovik would have run his hand through his hair if he had any. Instead he pinched the bridge of his nose at the upcoming wave of migraine. His employer should have warn him he could have followed him, now the ransom letter was useless. He could have double the profit that way, but alas his whole plan in his shambles.
He could only hope that Spade and his stupid moral would come in handy and left him alive, or else the worse possible outcome will descend on the trio.
In a way, one must applaud despite the clear turmoil in his face and how wrong the scene had looked. Skovik had not once ease the tension on the knife he held, and both Aquila and Hisui were worried he might accidentally dig the knife deeper with the slightest agitation they gave him, so they waited and watched as the gears began to turn inside his brain.
"Okay, alright. I'll just have to improvise." With his left hand still holding the rein, he waved it so the horses would go faster. It didn't matter if the giant half-bird was with him, Roy Jurenelle has to be the one who saved the princess or everything will be all for naught. An impromptu idea finally formed in his head as he gaze back to the spirit. Momentarily letting go of the rein and dug out a letter from his pocket that he intended to send.
"You." He pointed to the Spirit before shoving a paper, "take this letter back to the rich brat and make sure he gets it!"
Aquila raised his eyebrow, his arm crossed, and his beak made an almost scoffing sound, a silent question was evident if the kidnapper was truly expecting him to fly away and leaving The Princess alone with him. In response, he dig the knife deeper and letting a small blood trickle down her neck and Hisui gave a small high pitched yelp. Aquila's sharp glare hardened though he didn't move a muscle, giving him a silence death threat should he injure her further.
"Yes, you can easily take me out as I am neither a fighter or a mage," Skovik said, "but if I took the princess life - since I have no need for her living if things don't go my way - then I evidently be forfeiting my life to you, but that won't change the fact that The Princess died so neither of us wouldn't get what we want in the end. However, take this to him and we can settle this without having anyone losing a life."
Aquila scrutinized him with his golden eyes and he somehow got to send his message.
"You must wonder if the plan is worth risking my life, hence how you'd know I'd keep my word to you. Then you must know I never get by one single mission without risking my life, or word will spread about my incompetency, resulting my clients to diminished and that would do no good for my life goal. So until I meet with Roy Jurenelle, Princess Hisui's life is safe with me."
Aquila was silent (when is he never?) and took a long hard while to complement his words. Surprisingly, it was not him that let him decide.
"Do it."
Both the Spirit and Skovik turned in surprise to Princess Hisui, her words were said with a determined hard look on her face.
"This is my life you are wagering, it's only fair I get to have the final say to this. So go Aquila, find Roy and let him settle this farce."
Aquila frown, as he did not like how this was going while Skovik smiled in satisfaction. Again, he shoved the paper to him and Aquila begrudgingly accepted it. The flew away, back to where Roy was possibly waiting.
He didn't have to fly far before he spotted him appearing and disappearing from one point to another across the pathway. Aquila landed abruptly in front of him. Making Roy jumped before he had the chance to teleport away.
"Son of Washington! Do you plan to give me a heart attack? Your silence arrival is really starting to unnerve me...and why the hell are you doing here? You're suppose to save The Princess!"
Aquila ignored him and gave him the letter he was said to deliver. Roy frowned at the letter, knowing how much Aquila detest being made into a Delivery Bird. He unfolded the paper, and read the letter that said thus;
To the Second Son of the Jurenelle Family
I have the princess in my hand. If you wish to free her, come to the Ravine of Nazuna and we shall commence the battle of wits for the Princess life. Come if you dare to stand in wits with the genius and remarkable mind of mine, but you must come alone or there'll be consequences.
I'll be waiting near the train tracks that crossed the Ravine before the sun starts to set.
Skovik Lavias
Roy was silent, in his head was turning to discern the motive of the man behind the letter. Hundreds of scenarios and plans formed to out maneuver but none showed definite win because of the lack of information he needed. He wished aloud that he could have go back and asked more about their 'Master', how he operates, and the motive behind the kidnapping if not for political bargaining or money.
Pushing the motive aside for a moment and focused back to saving Princess Hisui into a priority. Decisions made, he turned to Aquila and told him to show this letter to the Knights so they could encircle the designate place for the trap. He nodded despite the curl of distaste at his job and flew away, back to Lucy's side.
Nick looked worried when Roy made a huge tired sigh, "Aniki, is there a problem?"
"There's going to be a trap."
"We established that five seconds ago. Do you know what the trap is? Is that why you're worried?"
"No, I don't. What worries me is that I don't know what kind of trap this is."
"Kind? What do you mean?"
"It's...hard to explain. Basically, a trap meant to physically hurt or stop me is not the only trap that exist Nick, and this is more vague than any usual trap I've encountered."
"But you'll get through it right?" asked Nick in hopeful note.
Roy gave him a kind of rueful smile, "I would hope so Nick, I hope so. The Princess is also counting on me after all, you wait here and direct the knights when they come." with that said he rushed alone toward the promised place where he would meet Hisui and Skovik.
. . .
When I went to the Ravine of Nazuna, insight was the train track where trains went from or to Margarett Station. The place famous for being the most mysterious ravine in all of Ishgar that they even made an observatory in this place. Light purple mist obscure the depths of the steep green ravine. The place is called the most mysterious because of the number of disappearance cases to those who had ventured inside since no one ever came out. There were few rumors of those who did, but only to be struck insane and kept locked so they would not hurt anyone or themselves.
Worst part of this place is that unless you have a lacrima on you, your magic is basically useless as the place is famous for sucking up your magic so no sage mage ever goes here.
Think of this place as the Bermuda Triangle of Earthland.
It was at this place that I finally got to meet Skovik Lavias. The man proclaimed to be the smartest mastermind to ever walk on Fiore (Narcissism much?) and I didn't know it then but despite the win I had over him, and the unfortunate outcome that befallen him, he achieved what many had not.
The moment I had to face him, he stood by his words and became my downfall so I will forever remember him, his life was forever etched within part of mine.
When I met him for the first time, he was oddly cool. Sitting on a boulder I'm sure he deliberately choose one so he could look down on me. He was sharpening his hand knife in a casual pose, not at all wary that I might knock him out in the first few second face to face and gave him brain damage.
I looked around and not spotted the princess and my stomach lurch in dread, "Where is she?"
"Hmm, who? Oh, yes, The Princess. Sorry, she slip my mind since I waited so long for you."
"Cut the crap and answer the question, I don't have time playing your games."
"Ah, time. Indeed everyone's greatest enemy. Be it from age, fate, or simply...a train waiting to come and crushed your princess to gory pieces."
I was didn't hide my confusion and Skovik elaborated by pointing his sharpened knife to the train tracks across the ravine. Turning me stunned.
Because I kid you not, I'm 100% serious and sober when I say that The Princess was tied up in chains to a train track, mouth covered to muffled her scream, her teary eyes were looking at me pleadingly to save her. In short, she looked exactly like the damsel in distress you see in a classical plot of an outdated silent movie.
I mean, I was so dumbstruck at the situation that it was hard for me at first to take the scene seriously. I was expecting a lot of things from a self-proclaimed genius, but in his own way, he certainly went past that.
I'm calling it now, the Universe is playing with me, I just know it.
Keeping a facade my face calm and cool, I merely glared at him, "What's your game?"
"My game? Thanks for asking because as a matter of fact, I do have one and it's called 20 Questions."
"You're kidding me?"
As response he threw his knife, and from his angle help the trajectory to hit exactly above her head. Hisui would have screamed in surprise if her mouth wasn't muffled.
"You see, as I said to your spirit, I'm not much of a fighter or a talented mage. I do however, have dexterous hand to give a precise throw with a knife," he offered his remark casually before continuing on like nothing happens, "So here are the rules. We each ask questions about ourselves and if I caught you lying, answer wrong or refuse to answer, I'll throw one of these knives and hope it doesn't put a hole in The Princess, simple ain't it?"
"Then what happens if I caught you lying?"
Skovik shrugged and threw one of his knives at me, which I smoothly caught it on my own. He didn't expect me to caught it and was briefly surprised, but schooled his emotion in an instant. He then patted the boulder and gave me a welcoming gesture to sit beside him.
Pursing my lips in thought, I accepted and sat there with him. He beamed in eagerness from my choice, "Good, then if you caught me lying or say something wrong then feel free for you to stab me with that knife wherever you please, but be warned if you're wrong then Princess Hisui will have to pay the price. I still have some hidden in my sleeve enough for the Princess, I would hope she would not need to place a scar in her pretty little skin and I would not need to buy more supply for myself."
"You seem confident that I would not stab you at first chance I got."
"That's because I put a lock on her chains with a passcode only I know so unfortunately, you need me alive. Partially maimed, but alive all the same. The ravine also hinders you from your magic so you cannot teleport her with your magic."
It was an unnerving move that he counted every action I could think of. It turns out, he wasn't all talk when he said he was a genius. While I have wits because of my long experience in life, he has wits from experiencing the life, with the expert use of his cunningness and logic to handle and outdo his enemy.
With one last flash of his white teeth he asked me, "So...are you game?"