p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"span style="font-size: large;"Chapter 23/span/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"1/spansupspan style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"st/span/supspan style="font-family: Constantia, serif;" person (Bereit)/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I can't believe we killed our first Ancient Erpel. To be real, I thought at least one of us would die. It's a scary thought, but we were fighting a damn dragon! But, we managed to get out of it alive. Though, US at least. I doubt we'll get any hero's recognition for our failure. If anything, we're probably gonna be hated for what we failed to do.../span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"3/spansupspan style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"rd/span/supspan style="font-family: Constantia, serif;" person (Bereit)/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"The party was resting at an inn, and with what tremendous battle they just had, they were going to stay here for a while. At least long enough until they were refreshed./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"During this time, everyone else was walking around town, exploring for a little, and spreading a few words around about the Erpels. Subtle or blatant, they were going to spread the word./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"As for Bereit, he was still inside the inn. He was lying in bed, his hands behind his head, and legs crossed. He had a lot to ponder after all that had happened. And with how he had controlled his form the way he did, he really felt like he had nothing to worry about all this time. Or, it was the adrenaline of the moment that helped him control it. But really, he had Shiva to thank. For, literally, cooling him down./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"But then, he started to think about his mother. How their meeting was put on hold. All because of these Erpels. He sighed, running his hands over his eyes. "Mom... I won't let you down. I'll... no. WE'LL put an end to this. One day. But until then..." He recalled a trick his mother did when he was a child. He brought his hands together and shaped his fingers into a heart, and made lightning come between them. He then separated his hands, the heart still floating. "I'll remember what keeps me going."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit then sat up, poking the lightning heart, watching as it slowly disappeared. He then got out of bed, guessing he might as well see the others. He was already bored of sitting around and doing nothing anyway./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"He went down the stairs of the inn, leaving the building, to see the setting sun in the distance. "Sunset already?" He whispered to himself. He shrugged, guessing he was in the inn longer than he thought./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Ah, you're awake." Zelkova's voice spoke behind him./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit turned to see Zelkova, both smiling. "Well, I didn't really get any sleep."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"The previous battle was that traumatic?" Zelkova asked slightly worried./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Nah, body's just really sore." Bereit answered./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I see." Zelkova said, in a relieved tone. "And, we have good news. People are growing aware of the Erpel threat, and they're taking up action."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Hopefully it isn't causing panic." Bereit pointed out./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"So far, I hadn't heard of any sort of panic, but let's be real. People will panic. It's a higher form dragons we're talking about." Zelkova said, crossing his arms. "But, with armies, and us on the case, people should have nothing to worry about. I'm sure mercenaries or sellswords will take on the job too."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I doubt anyone would even recognize us." Bereit said. "And after The Casino... I'm not exactly thrilled to see what people think of us..."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"We tried our best, Bereit." Zelkova clarified./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I get that... I feel guilty. So many people died." He really was bothered over the fact he couldn't save all of them./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit, at least it wasn't the whole city. Imagine how worse it could have gotten had we not arrived when we did." Zelkova said, placing a hand on his shoulder./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I guess you're right..." Bereit sighed. "Sorry for being such a downer, it just sucks knowing we couldn't save them."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Then let's take this as a lesson. /spanspan style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"emstrongWhen people need saving, we never waste a second/strong/em/spanspan style="font-family: Constantia, serif;". We take mistakes, and make them into lessons." Zelkova said, giving Bereit an assuring smile./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Never waste a second..." Bereit whispered to himself. For some reason, those words stuck to him. He looked at Zelkova. "Yeah... I suppose we could." He then smiled. "Thanks, Zelkova. You can heal wounds, but looks like you can heal moods too."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Zelkova blushed a bit. "Well, I guess there's healing in my voice too."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Guys." Imbir's voice spoke up, as he approached the two./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit turned his head to Imbir. Right behind Imbir, he could see Fallen, Vanessa and Scharf. Though, the soldiers they were talking to didn't exactly excite him. If anything, their body language didn't show anything... good. "Let me guess, Wuste's army wishes to speak with us?"/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Hit the nail right on the head. Though, nothing bad. If anything, they want to speak to us about what we had just done." Imbir explained./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I wouldn't doubt a sudden change in the subject." Bereit had grown more suspicious of things as their journey went on, but he wouldn't suspect a betrayal either. Especially at a time like this./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"But shouldn't we go after the other Erpels while we can?" Zelkova asked./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"We've got to prepare for those places. And the brown Erpel, something tells me that's Titan. So I'd assume he'd go there. And with Holhen aware of what's happening, I'd we're well prepared for that place." Imbir explained. "But it never hurts to prepare for the worst."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"So he'll be the next one we'll target?" Bereit asked./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Yes. But first, we'll see with this King and what he wants to say." Imbir said, as he then motioned his head, telling the two to follow./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit and Zelkova did so, listening in to what the soldiers dressed in a deep blue armour were saying./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"3/spansupspan style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"rd/span/supspan style="font-family: Constantia, serif;" person (Fallen)/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"We didn't release those Erpels on purpose. We didn't know that would happen." Fallen explained to the soldier./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"And yet here you are, relaxing, letting those things invade and destroy homes." One of the knights scolded./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Then why aren't you going after them? You're just wasting your time with us then." Vanessa countered, "You accuse us of doing nothing, yet instead of dealing with the pro-"/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Vanessa." Imbir spoke. "That's enough."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Vanessa huffed and looked away, crossing her arms./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Now, explain yourself." Imbir said, crossing his arms./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"WE explain ourselves? You're the one who should be explaining yourselves!" The same knight pointed out. "What did you do that caused Reichtum to burn?"/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"WE didn't do anything, Ifrit did. The Ancient Erpel." Imbir answered. "But I doubt you even know what an Erpel is."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"We know what it is, we just don't believe you."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Then why come for us?" Bereit asked./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Because our king believes that it isn't your fault." One of the other knights answered. "While I personally believe it is your fault, but our king's judgement is what really matters. We have no word in what's to be his proposition for you lot."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"He wants to propose something for us?" Zelkova asked./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Correct." He answered. "Now, let's not waste anymore time. His majesty is waiting for you."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit nodded, placing his hands behind his head. "Alright." He was cool with it all, as long as it didn't involve any sort of punishment./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"The others followed Bereit, or more so followed the knights, since they were escorting them to wherever their king was./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit turned his head to Fallen, seeing she had something of a nervous expression. He got closer to her. "You okay?"/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Fallen shook her head. "I get the feeling we're not gonna make a lot of friends wherever we're going."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"It's only these guys that hate us. I doubt anyone else knows we're the ones that killed Ifrit." Bereit explained. "And if their king doesn't hate us, than we have to be in the clear, right?"/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"You're not helping." Fallen commented. "Forget it. It's kind of complicated."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Family history?" Bereit asked./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Fallen sighed. "Maybe I should stop telling you guys everything..."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"We'll be fine./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"We've got your back. ====/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit patted her back. "Don't worry. If he starts talking smack, we've got your back." Bereit said, with a grin./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Fallen couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, back talk a king. See where you end up." She then huffed. "But, I know what you're saying. At least you're willing to go that far to protect someone like me." She added, turning her head to Bereit, giving him a smile./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"WE'RE willing to go that far." Bereit said, pointing to everyone /br /Fallen looked at everyone else for a moment, her smile growing back. "Yeah... I really am..."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Huh?" Bereit asked./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I'm lucky to have you guys. There are some Summoners that only get mercenaries for Guardians, or even worse. The fact I have friends is nice." Fallen explained. "Sorry. I'm just rambling."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Well, no need to say sorry for a compliment." Vanessa spoke up, bumping Fallen's shoulder./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Fallen turned her head to Vanessa, laughing a little more. "I guess not." She then looked forward. "Well, I feel a little better now."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Good." Vanessa simply said. "You should stay that way. It'd make us all happy too."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Alright. When you're lying dead on the ground, I'll smile." Fallen joked./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Okay, smile when we're having good times, or in need our spirits up." Vanessa corrected herself./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit and Fallen laughed, Vanessa doing so after./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Going on with their journey, the party, along with the knights, made their way through the deserts. And the only thing they saw were monsters, and sand. Nothing more. Wuste was known for that, which made it hard to live in a place like that./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Though, there was something the party had noticed. The monsters they came across were all... more alert. More hostile./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"It certainly made everyone worry. But, they all had a fair idea on what was causing it. It just made them worry on how far it could go./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"After a while of walking, they would see where they were being taken to. In the distance, they could see a large, but not as big as Reichtum, city with tall walls that had a the matching colour of the sands. And it looked like they were made stone block by stone block./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"But the castle inside towered over the walls. It had eight towers, circling a singular, smaller but wider tower./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Wow." Bereit said, seeming to be amazed by what he saw./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Everyone was fairly amazed by what they saw too, but not as enthusiastic as Bereit was./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"You're pretty excited for someone who just might meet their doom." One of the knights commented./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"You said yourself your king doesn't think we're to blame." Bereit said, turning his head to him. "So what's to worry?"/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"The knight hummed, finding his positivity a bit foolish considering the circumstances./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"They made their way to the entrance of the city, that was a large stone bridge, that carried everyone over a deep pit of spikes and, from what seemed, the remains of victims that had fell before. But they all resembled animal bones, so the party knew what the pits were made for./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"The party arrived to the entrance, as the large gate rose for them./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Do not cause any trouble." One of the knights told them./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Sheesh. You've got a funny way of welcoming guest." Scharf commented./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"There wasn't another word that came from the knights, as they made their way into the city./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"The party was introduced to the inside of the city, seeing all sorts of tents, sandy stone houses, and all sorts of people who had a darker shade of skin. More than Bereit's tanned complexion./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"They're clothing consisted of thin fabrics, and mostly showed arms or ankles, along with everyone having different array of colours./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I'd probably like this place... were it not so hot." Vanessa commented./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Same here. I'm getting sweaty in my suit, and it doesn't smell pleasant." Scharf added. He then looked at Bereit. "How are you not sweating bullets?"/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit shrugged. "I'm just used to it."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Scharf scoffed. "Then teach me how to be."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Depends. How much is it worth to you?" Bereit taunted./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"You're the one who should be paying me. I'm just a hired gun." Scharf said, crossing his arms./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"That's... oh yeah. Fallen, you never did make him a Guardian, did you?" Bereit pointed out, turning to Fallen./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Oh, right, umm... maybe after we speak to this king." Fallen said./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Works with me." Scharf said, looking to the side, seeing people socializing./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"The party walked over a smaller bridge inside the town, that had running water underneath it. There were also two guards standing on said bridge. Their armour matched the knights that were escorting them, but only by colour. The knights had bigger and more armour pieces that covered more parts of their body./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"As they crossed the bridge, they saw there was another section of the city, but everyone was wearing more designed and fashioned clothing. Some had a print to it, while some had a glimmer or shine to it./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I take they have a middle and high class section here." Imbir said./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Indeed. Though, everyone is treated as fairly." Zelkova explained./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Imbir looked back at him, as did Bereit. "You seem to know a bit about this place."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I lived here as a child." Zelkova explained again. "And I must say... not much has changed."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Huh." Bereit said, looking over to a group of men hauling a bunch of logs over a place that was under construction, along with some other parts of buildings that were being repaired./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Did something happen over there?" Bereit asked, pointing to where the construction happening./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Zelkova looked over to where Bereit was pointing, and had a sudden change of expression. From happy to sad. "That was where the shrine I was raised in was. Until it was attacked."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"By who? ====/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Sorry to hear that./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Who attacked the shrine?" Bereit asked, hoping to get an answered./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Our rival religion. We worshipped a forgotten Divine named 'Bahamut.' However, they say that Bahamut caused great destruction in this world long ago. But in my religion, he prevented it. So... it eventually lead to the destruction of my home..."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Damn... all because of different views and opinions." Bereit said, looking back at the construction./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"It is more than that." Zelkova said. "They had always had problems with each other. And a married couple chose their sides, and caused this. So really, we were fine, until they showed up."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"It still isn't right. Lives were lost because of them." Fallen spoke up./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"It very well isn't. But it's history." Zelkova commented. "But, to be honest, what they're making over the church is far better."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"You know what they're making?" Fallen asked./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"They're building a hospital over what remains. And I'm glad they are. It's better that way for the people." Zelkova explained, having a smile on his face./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Well, you'll be disappointed to hear that the hospital is only accessible to the higher class." One of the knights pointed out./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Zelkova looked at the knight, shocked. "I see..." His tone showing he was disappointed to hear what he had just heard./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit felt bad for Zelkova. He guessed he really did love the people in his home city. Just like Bereit did with the kids at Ozean./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Soon, they crossed one last bridge, that lead to the oddly formed castle. Walking past the tall wood doors, guarded by two knights, but they had a white colour to their armour rather than blue. They were escorted through the doors, to see the breathtaking inside. The pillars of sandstone that held everything up, the stained glass windows, the shiny knights, and the long, black, bright yellow and brown patterned carpet that made it's way up to the throne to who they were waiting for./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"A black haired, heavily scarred, wearing his own black suit of armour, slightly similar to Scharf's armour./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"So you're the new band of heroes that saved... most of the people in Reichtum." He spoke. He then stood up, showing his metallic, thin legs, supporting himself with a cane. "Please, follow me."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Save your game up to this point?/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Yes/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"No/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"1/spansupspan style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"st/span/supspan style="font-family: Constantia, serif;" person (Bereit)/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I can't believe we killed our first Ancient Erpel. To be real, I thought at least one of us would die. It's a scary thought, but we were fighting a damn dragon! But, we managed to get out of it alive. Though, US at least. I doubt we'll get any hero's recognition for our failure. If anything, we're probably gonna be hated for what we failed to do.../span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"3/spansupspan style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"rd/span/supspan style="font-family: Constantia, serif;" person (Bereit)/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"The party was resting at an inn, and with what tremendous battle they just had, they were going to stay here for a while. At least long enough until they were refreshed./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"During this time, everyone else was walking around town, exploring for a little, and spreading a few words around about the Erpels. Subtle or blatant, they were going to spread the word./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"As for Bereit, he was still inside the inn. He was lying in bed, his hands behind his head, and legs crossed. He had a lot to ponder after all that had happened. And with how he had controlled his form the way he did, he really felt like he had nothing to worry about all this time. Or, it was the adrenaline of the moment that helped him control it. But really, he had Shiva to thank. For, literally, cooling him down./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"But then, he started to think about his mother. How their meeting was put on hold. All because of these Erpels. He sighed, running his hands over his eyes. "Mom... I won't let you down. I'll... no. WE'LL put an end to this. One day. But until then..." He recalled a trick his mother did when he was a child. He brought his hands together and shaped his fingers into a heart, and made lightning come between them. He then separated his hands, the heart still floating. "I'll remember what keeps me going."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit then sat up, poking the lightning heart, watching as it slowly disappeared. He then got out of bed, guessing he might as well see the others. He was already bored of sitting around and doing nothing anyway./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"He went down the stairs of the inn, leaving the building, to see the setting sun in the distance. "Sunset already?" He whispered to himself. He shrugged, guessing he was in the inn longer than he thought./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Ah, you're awake." Zelkova's voice spoke behind him./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit turned to see Zelkova, both smiling. "Well, I didn't really get any sleep."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"The previous battle was that traumatic?" Zelkova asked slightly worried./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Nah, body's just really sore." Bereit answered./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I see." Zelkova said, in a relieved tone. "And, we have good news. People are growing aware of the Erpel threat, and they're taking up action."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Hopefully it isn't causing panic." Bereit pointed out./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"So far, I hadn't heard of any sort of panic, but let's be real. People will panic. It's a higher form dragons we're talking about." Zelkova said, crossing his arms. "But, with armies, and us on the case, people should have nothing to worry about. I'm sure mercenaries or sellswords will take on the job too."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I doubt anyone would even recognize us." Bereit said. "And after The Casino... I'm not exactly thrilled to see what people think of us..."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"We tried our best, Bereit." Zelkova clarified./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I get that... I feel guilty. So many people died." He really was bothered over the fact he couldn't save all of them./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit, at least it wasn't the whole city. Imagine how worse it could have gotten had we not arrived when we did." Zelkova said, placing a hand on his shoulder./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I guess you're right..." Bereit sighed. "Sorry for being such a downer, it just sucks knowing we couldn't save them."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Then let's take this as a lesson. /spanspan style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"emstrongWhen people need saving, we never waste a second/strong/em/spanspan style="font-family: Constantia, serif;". We take mistakes, and make them into lessons." Zelkova said, giving Bereit an assuring smile./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Never waste a second..." Bereit whispered to himself. For some reason, those words stuck to him. He looked at Zelkova. "Yeah... I suppose we could." He then smiled. "Thanks, Zelkova. You can heal wounds, but looks like you can heal moods too."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Zelkova blushed a bit. "Well, I guess there's healing in my voice too."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Guys." Imbir's voice spoke up, as he approached the two./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit turned his head to Imbir. Right behind Imbir, he could see Fallen, Vanessa and Scharf. Though, the soldiers they were talking to didn't exactly excite him. If anything, their body language didn't show anything... good. "Let me guess, Wuste's army wishes to speak with us?"/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Hit the nail right on the head. Though, nothing bad. If anything, they want to speak to us about what we had just done." Imbir explained./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I wouldn't doubt a sudden change in the subject." Bereit had grown more suspicious of things as their journey went on, but he wouldn't suspect a betrayal either. Especially at a time like this./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"But shouldn't we go after the other Erpels while we can?" Zelkova asked./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"We've got to prepare for those places. And the brown Erpel, something tells me that's Titan. So I'd assume he'd go there. And with Holhen aware of what's happening, I'd we're well prepared for that place." Imbir explained. "But it never hurts to prepare for the worst."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"So he'll be the next one we'll target?" Bereit asked./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Yes. But first, we'll see with this King and what he wants to say." Imbir said, as he then motioned his head, telling the two to follow./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit and Zelkova did so, listening in to what the soldiers dressed in a deep blue armour were saying./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"3/spansupspan style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"rd/span/supspan style="font-family: Constantia, serif;" person (Fallen)/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"We didn't release those Erpels on purpose. We didn't know that would happen." Fallen explained to the soldier./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"And yet here you are, relaxing, letting those things invade and destroy homes." One of the knights scolded./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Then why aren't you going after them? You're just wasting your time with us then." Vanessa countered, "You accuse us of doing nothing, yet instead of dealing with the pro-"/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Vanessa." Imbir spoke. "That's enough."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Vanessa huffed and looked away, crossing her arms./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Now, explain yourself." Imbir said, crossing his arms./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"WE explain ourselves? You're the one who should be explaining yourselves!" The same knight pointed out. "What did you do that caused Reichtum to burn?"/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"WE didn't do anything, Ifrit did. The Ancient Erpel." Imbir answered. "But I doubt you even know what an Erpel is."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"We know what it is, we just don't believe you."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Then why come for us?" Bereit asked./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Because our king believes that it isn't your fault." One of the other knights answered. "While I personally believe it is your fault, but our king's judgement is what really matters. We have no word in what's to be his proposition for you lot."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"He wants to propose something for us?" Zelkova asked./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Correct." He answered. "Now, let's not waste anymore time. His majesty is waiting for you."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit nodded, placing his hands behind his head. "Alright." He was cool with it all, as long as it didn't involve any sort of punishment./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"The others followed Bereit, or more so followed the knights, since they were escorting them to wherever their king was./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit turned his head to Fallen, seeing she had something of a nervous expression. He got closer to her. "You okay?"/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Fallen shook her head. "I get the feeling we're not gonna make a lot of friends wherever we're going."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"It's only these guys that hate us. I doubt anyone else knows we're the ones that killed Ifrit." Bereit explained. "And if their king doesn't hate us, than we have to be in the clear, right?"/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"You're not helping." Fallen commented. "Forget it. It's kind of complicated."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Family history?" Bereit asked./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Fallen sighed. "Maybe I should stop telling you guys everything..."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"We'll be fine./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"We've got your back. ====/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit patted her back. "Don't worry. If he starts talking smack, we've got your back." Bereit said, with a grin./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Fallen couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, back talk a king. See where you end up." She then huffed. "But, I know what you're saying. At least you're willing to go that far to protect someone like me." She added, turning her head to Bereit, giving him a smile./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"WE'RE willing to go that far." Bereit said, pointing to everyone /br /Fallen looked at everyone else for a moment, her smile growing back. "Yeah... I really am..."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Huh?" Bereit asked./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I'm lucky to have you guys. There are some Summoners that only get mercenaries for Guardians, or even worse. The fact I have friends is nice." Fallen explained. "Sorry. I'm just rambling."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Well, no need to say sorry for a compliment." Vanessa spoke up, bumping Fallen's shoulder./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Fallen turned her head to Vanessa, laughing a little more. "I guess not." She then looked forward. "Well, I feel a little better now."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Good." Vanessa simply said. "You should stay that way. It'd make us all happy too."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Alright. When you're lying dead on the ground, I'll smile." Fallen joked./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Okay, smile when we're having good times, or in need our spirits up." Vanessa corrected herself./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit and Fallen laughed, Vanessa doing so after./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Going on with their journey, the party, along with the knights, made their way through the deserts. And the only thing they saw were monsters, and sand. Nothing more. Wuste was known for that, which made it hard to live in a place like that./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Though, there was something the party had noticed. The monsters they came across were all... more alert. More hostile./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"It certainly made everyone worry. But, they all had a fair idea on what was causing it. It just made them worry on how far it could go./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"After a while of walking, they would see where they were being taken to. In the distance, they could see a large, but not as big as Reichtum, city with tall walls that had a the matching colour of the sands. And it looked like they were made stone block by stone block./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"But the castle inside towered over the walls. It had eight towers, circling a singular, smaller but wider tower./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Wow." Bereit said, seeming to be amazed by what he saw./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Everyone was fairly amazed by what they saw too, but not as enthusiastic as Bereit was./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"You're pretty excited for someone who just might meet their doom." One of the knights commented./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"You said yourself your king doesn't think we're to blame." Bereit said, turning his head to him. "So what's to worry?"/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"The knight hummed, finding his positivity a bit foolish considering the circumstances./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"They made their way to the entrance of the city, that was a large stone bridge, that carried everyone over a deep pit of spikes and, from what seemed, the remains of victims that had fell before. But they all resembled animal bones, so the party knew what the pits were made for./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"The party arrived to the entrance, as the large gate rose for them./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Do not cause any trouble." One of the knights told them./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Sheesh. You've got a funny way of welcoming guest." Scharf commented./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"There wasn't another word that came from the knights, as they made their way into the city./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"The party was introduced to the inside of the city, seeing all sorts of tents, sandy stone houses, and all sorts of people who had a darker shade of skin. More than Bereit's tanned complexion./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"They're clothing consisted of thin fabrics, and mostly showed arms or ankles, along with everyone having different array of colours./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I'd probably like this place... were it not so hot." Vanessa commented./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Same here. I'm getting sweaty in my suit, and it doesn't smell pleasant." Scharf added. He then looked at Bereit. "How are you not sweating bullets?"/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit shrugged. "I'm just used to it."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Scharf scoffed. "Then teach me how to be."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Depends. How much is it worth to you?" Bereit taunted./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"You're the one who should be paying me. I'm just a hired gun." Scharf said, crossing his arms./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"That's... oh yeah. Fallen, you never did make him a Guardian, did you?" Bereit pointed out, turning to Fallen./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Oh, right, umm... maybe after we speak to this king." Fallen said./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Works with me." Scharf said, looking to the side, seeing people socializing./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"The party walked over a smaller bridge inside the town, that had running water underneath it. There were also two guards standing on said bridge. Their armour matched the knights that were escorting them, but only by colour. The knights had bigger and more armour pieces that covered more parts of their body./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"As they crossed the bridge, they saw there was another section of the city, but everyone was wearing more designed and fashioned clothing. Some had a print to it, while some had a glimmer or shine to it./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I take they have a middle and high class section here." Imbir said./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Indeed. Though, everyone is treated as fairly." Zelkova explained./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Imbir looked back at him, as did Bereit. "You seem to know a bit about this place."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"I lived here as a child." Zelkova explained again. "And I must say... not much has changed."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Huh." Bereit said, looking over to a group of men hauling a bunch of logs over a place that was under construction, along with some other parts of buildings that were being repaired./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Did something happen over there?" Bereit asked, pointing to where the construction happening./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Zelkova looked over to where Bereit was pointing, and had a sudden change of expression. From happy to sad. "That was where the shrine I was raised in was. Until it was attacked."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"By who? ====/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Sorry to hear that./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Who attacked the shrine?" Bereit asked, hoping to get an answered./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Our rival religion. We worshipped a forgotten Divine named 'Bahamut.' However, they say that Bahamut caused great destruction in this world long ago. But in my religion, he prevented it. So... it eventually lead to the destruction of my home..."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Damn... all because of different views and opinions." Bereit said, looking back at the construction./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"It is more than that." Zelkova said. "They had always had problems with each other. And a married couple chose their sides, and caused this. So really, we were fine, until they showed up."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"It still isn't right. Lives were lost because of them." Fallen spoke up./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"It very well isn't. But it's history." Zelkova commented. "But, to be honest, what they're making over the church is far better."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"You know what they're making?" Fallen asked./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"They're building a hospital over what remains. And I'm glad they are. It's better that way for the people." Zelkova explained, having a smile on his face./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Well, you'll be disappointed to hear that the hospital is only accessible to the higher class." One of the knights pointed out./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Zelkova looked at the knight, shocked. "I see..." His tone showing he was disappointed to hear what he had just heard./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Bereit felt bad for Zelkova. He guessed he really did love the people in his home city. Just like Bereit did with the kids at Ozean./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Soon, they crossed one last bridge, that lead to the oddly formed castle. Walking past the tall wood doors, guarded by two knights, but they had a white colour to their armour rather than blue. They were escorted through the doors, to see the breathtaking inside. The pillars of sandstone that held everything up, the stained glass windows, the shiny knights, and the long, black, bright yellow and brown patterned carpet that made it's way up to the throne to who they were waiting for./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"A black haired, heavily scarred, wearing his own black suit of armour, slightly similar to Scharf's armour./span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;""span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"So you're the new band of heroes that saved... most of the people in Reichtum." He spoke. He then stood up, showing his metallic, thin legs, supporting himself with a cane. "Please, follow me."/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Save your game up to this point?/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"Yes/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;"span style="font-family: Constantia, serif;"No/span/p