Piastol roamed Sailor's isle aimlessly as she considered the task before her - she needed to defeat Vyse to avenge her family. No, more than that - she needed to kill him. She reminded herself of that over and over again, and wondered why that one detail made her uncomfortable. She'd killed plenty of pirates before. Vyse was nothing special.
But the more she considered it, the more she had to admit that he was special, albeit in ways she didn't fully understand. He lacked the obvious bloodthirstiness of most of her targets, and then there was the matter of his letting her go. Nothing about his attitude made sense to her in the context of his chosen profession. He was an anomaly, and Piastol didn't like it.
She found herself at Lawrence's hangout around the back side of the Sailor's Guild. He spent almost all of his time back there, waiting for interested clients and brooding about… something. Sometimes she suspected he just wanted to look cool. Still, as she approached the dark-haired man leaning against the building's back wall, she had to admit he was imposing.
"Hey, Lawrence." She greeted him as she drew near.
Lawrence glanced up only slightly at the sound of her voice. "Piastol. Do you need something?" He asked her curtly.
She thought about it, but she couldn't really think of a job for him at the moment. "Just some company." She admitted.
Lawrence raised an eyebrow at her. "You've got better options than me."
Piastol smiled a little as she leaned her back on the wall just like he did. "Maybe, but I came to you."
She thought she could see a faint smile on his face, too, but it was hard to tell with the way his hair hung in his face. "If you insist." He said, but he didn't add anything else.
They stayed like that in silence for a few minutes. Piastol still didn't know exactly what she was going to do next. She settled for small talk. "How's Daniel?" She asked.
Lawrence took a moment to reply to her question. "He's fine. I think he works as a fisherman now. I haven't seen him in a few months."
Piastol sighed as she tried to read his facial expression. "I still feel a little bad about the effect I had on him." She said.
"He's fine. Just as long as you don't bump into each other again." Lawrence finally turned his head to look at her. "What's got you reflecting all of a sudden?"
Piastol scowled at some of the ships passing in the distance as she recalled her encounter with Vyse. "I found some of the pirates who burned the Aquila down."
Lawrence's eyes widened, ever so slightly. "Did you kill them?" He asked, a hint of apprehension entering his voice.
Piastol suppressed a shiver as she replied. "No. They captured me. Then they let me go."
She didn't hear a reply from Lawrence right away, and she could guess he was surprised. "Huh. Blue rogues?" He guessed, eventually.
She turned to glare at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"
Lawrence shrugged, evidently over his surprise by now. "Blue rogues don't kill, for the most part. Are you sure you got the right people?"
"I'm certain." Piastol snarled. "I'd recognize them anywhere." She fell silent for a moment as she brooded on her failure, before adding, "I plan to challenge them to a fight eventually. I need to get stronger if I'm going to kill them this time."
Lawrence sighed. "This might not be the best of ideas, Piastol." He chided her.
Piastol looked away from him and crossed her arms, rejecting his advice. "You know mid ocean better than I do. Where can I go to improve myself as a fighter?"
She heard Lawrence push off the wall and pace around beside her. "Well, not many places in mid ocean will challenge you anymore. But if you're really determined to push your limits…" He trailed off expectantly.
Piastol looked back at him with curiosity lighting her eyes. "I am."
Lawrence frowned at her as he nodded. "There's a fighting tournament they hold in the coliseum in Valua. Apparently the best of the best fight there. It's coming up soon, too."
A grin slowly spread over Piastol's lips. "I knew you were good for something. What do I owe you for your help?"
Lawrence stared at her for a second before shaking his head. "Just don't get yourself killed."
Piastol felt some of the wind go out of her sails. Lawrence probably deserved better from her after the years she'd been working with him. "Lawrence…" She said, her voice markedly softer than before. The man raised an eyebrow at her. "Thanks for helping me out all this time. I know you don't approve of my methods, but you always backed me up."
He shrugged at her. "And you always paid me."
Piastol smirked at him. "I'm well aware that you only charge me half of what you do your other clients."
She caught another faint smile from him. "Maybe I'm a little fond of Deathhound." He admitted.
Piastol chuckled as she pushed away from the wall. "Excellent. Then you can take care of him while I'm in Valua."
"I'm not a caretaker." He protested, though there wasn't much conviction behind it.
"Think of him like a guard dog on loan, then." She said with a wink.
"Fine." Lawrence conceded with a sigh, his shoulders falling. "But you better watch your own back. You may've grown up there, but Valua treats outsiders very differently from nobles."
Piastol's smile faded as she turned away from him. She'd learned that well enough when she'd made her first few attempts to return home, only to find her family suddenly unwelcome and disgraced. "I know." She replied.
Lawrence watched her go. Then he settled back against the wall to wait on potential clients again. He had a business to run, after all.
A few days later
A sleek red ship cut through the skies above the Nasr desert, steering clear of the popular trade routes. Few had observed its passage, and none who did would have the gall to confront it. Though it was not the most powerful ship in the Valuan armada, it was nonetheless intimidating to the drifters and merchants it passed by along its way.
Its crimson shadow fell upon the seemingly endless sands of the desert, its destination now clear - the swirling storm that permanently occupied the easternmost reaches of the wastes. The bow touched the whirling sandstorm, and little by little, the grand vessel disappeared into the gale. Within minutes it could no longer be seen.
And yet, despite the storm, it navigated with purpose, its course never wavering. The bridge of the ship clamored with activity, but to an outsider it might almost seem like it was magnetized to its eventual destination.
That destination loomed into view, right on time. The great pyramid of the temple of Pyrynn looked utterly unscathed despite its years of exposure to the howling gales surrounding it. Upon closer inspection, one would see that those swirling sands never even touched it, stopping short always at the outskirts of the temple grounds.
The red ship pulled to a stop above the temple. Minutes passed, and then a smaller vessel deployed from one of its flanks, descending quickly through the storm and to the terrace in front of the temple proper. It touched down quietly, and two figures disembarked.
The first passenger was a man, tall, clad in a light set of red armor that matched the hue of the ship. It was accented with golden details, and encompassed within a flowing cloak. He drew down his hood and removed his face mask to reveal a stern visage with the dark skin of a Nasr native. His dark hair was cut short and decidedly unstyled, and it matched his stiff posture and cool expression perfectly.
"It appears the reports were all correct, then. I could believe the location, but to think that the sands do not even reach the temple…" he muttered aloud, the awe in his words not quite reaching his tone.
"It's something, alright. Everything I hoped it would be and more." The voice came from the second passenger - a woman, also clad in a flowing, cloaked hood. Underneath, she wore a close-fitting red uniform. The man turned his attention to her as she stepped up to stand alongside him. "Let's just hope it also presents an interesting challenge, eh?"
The man seemed unperturbed by the woman's tone, and he began heading for the temple at a brisk pace. His companion moved to follow moments later. "Your recklessness will do us little good on this mission." He chided her. She scoffed from under her hood, before starting to remove it. The man moved forward to inspect the small dais at the center of the terrace leading up to the temple. "This is where Recumen would be summoned." He noted.
His gaze flickered to the woman again as she stood alongside him. With her hood down, he could at last see her long, fiery red hair. Her green eyes sparkled as they took in the odd indentation in the dais. "The power to change the world…" she said softly to no one in particular. She turned her head to look in his direction, her eyes filled with renewed purpose. A smile spread across her lips. "Let's move. We've got a lot of ground to cover." With that, she set off.
The man stared at her back as she headed off towards the massive staircase leading into the pyramid. The tiniest of smirks graced his lips. "As you wish, Admiral."
Narissa had been living in Maramba for almost her whole life. It wasn't as large or impressive as Nasrad, but it was the primary center for trade in the western reaches of Nasr, and for better or worse, the vibrant trade town was her home. She knew the streets well, and she wove her way through the loose crowds of people towards her destination with considerable practice.
She didn't look particularly Nasrean, and never had. Her skin was paler than the usual, and her dirty blonde hair made her stand out rather than blend in. Were she not in a trade town accustomed to outsiders, she might've turned heads. But instead, the people around her ignored her as she carried on. She was grateful for that.
A little bell jingled as she pushed open the door to a little shop off the main street. She stepped up to the counter and was greeted with a familiar face. "Nari! Back again so soon?" The young woman manning the storefront smiled at her.
Narissa smiled sheepishly. "Afraid so. We're in need of more gentum…" she admitted, before grabbing a pouch from her hip and withdrawing a few small coins to place upon the countertop.
The shopkeeper laughed. "Six Moons! You and your father go through spices faster than even the Nasultan!" Narissa rubbed awkwardly at the back of her head as the shopkeeper briefly disappeared around a corner, before returning with a bottle full of a brownish powder. "Is this enough? I could fill a barrel if you prefer." She said with a wink.
Narissa shook her head frantically. "No, that's quite alright! That'll be more than enough." She accepted the bottle from the woman across the counter, before sticking it in one of the bags slung around her hips along with the rest of the things she'd bought that day. "Thank you, really." She said as she hurried for the door.
"Do come again." The shopkeeper called as she collected her coins.
Narissa breathed a sigh of relief. She'd never been great with people. Doing errands for her father was always stressful. She stayed to one side of the street as she considered what to do next. She could go straight home, but… she didn't want to, not just yet. Instead, she reached into the bag at her hip yet again, fumbling about until she withdrew a small deck of cards.
She held them close to her chest as she walked for a bit, before lifting them to eye level and concentrating. If she focused hard enough, she could feel the power of the red moon resonating through her, guiding her hands. She spread the little deck out before her and picked two cards, seemingly at random, before turning them over.
"The silver moon and… the rogue?" She muttered in mild confusion. She still wasn't very good at figuring out what the omens actually meant. She was halfway through guessing when she bumped into someone. She let out a startled squeak as she stumbled forward, dropping her cards before she could catch herself on a nearby wall. She vaguely heard a masculine voice grunt, followed by the sounds of someone tumbling through a stack of merchandise.
Her eyes shot open wide, and she spun around to see who she'd hit. A young man in a blue jacket with dark red hair sat on the ground in a pile of disheveled boxes, likely scattered by his fall. "I'm so sorry!" She said frantically as she hurried over to him. "I wasn't looking where I was going, and-"
"It's alright!" The young man reassured her with a slightly shaky smile before hauling himself to his feet. She noticed as she got a better look at him that he wore an odd-looking glass lens over one eye. "I just need to, uh, clean this up…" he muttered, quickly arranging the scattered boxes into a haphazard pile. "There, good as new. You don't think anyone will notice, do you?" He asked her with an amused look.
She stifled a giggle. There was no way anyone wouldn't notice it, but she wasn't about to chastise him after the accident she herself had caused. "Nnno, I don't think they will." She said. "Sorry again…" she muttered, casting her gaze to the floor.
"Don't worry about it! Vyse would've found something to trip over sooner or later." A girl's voice. She turned her head towards the source to find a girl in a yellow outfit with oversized orange pigtails, grinning at her. She glanced at the young man to find him rolling his eyes.
"I believe you dropped these…" Narissa turned around to find yet another girl standing behind her, this one clad all in white with pale blonde hair. She looked alien, even in Maramba, but Nari's eyes were more focused on the deck of cards in her hands.
"My cards! I almost forgot, I…" had she picked them up off the ground for her? "...you shouldn't have." She said with a weak smile as she accepted them.
The white-clad girl gave her a wide-eyed stare."I shouldn't have?" She seemed genuinely concerned that she'd done something wrong.
The redhead chimed in again before Narissa could. "She means she's really grateful, Fina." She explained.
The girl in white seemed to calm down, offering a smile and a nod. Narissa looked between her, the redhead, and the young man in blue. "Are you three traveling together? I'm truly terribly sorry to have inconvenienced you…"
The man shook his head. "Nonsense. We were just wandering around, anyways. Do you live here? What's your name?"
She tilted her head to one side. It was not often that strangers simply wandered around Maramba without purpose. "My name is Narissa. I've lived in Maramba for years." She blinked once as a thought occurred to her. "Do you need a guide around town?"
The young man's smile grew. "Only if it's not too much trouble."
She shook her head. "Of course not. It's the least I can do, especially after…"
The redhead clapped her on the shoulder. "We already told you not to worry about it!"
Narissa gave her an awkward smile and a nod. "Of course."
"Anyways, I'm Vyse, and this is Aika and Fina." The young man explained. "So, where does our tour begin?"
Narissa took a slow breath as she simultaneously took in their names and considered her options. Of all the things she'd considered doing today, playing tour guide was not among them. "Okay. First and foremost, I need to drop some things off at my house. Follow me!"
Valua was as gloomy as it had ever been. The constant storms driven by the yellow moon loomed over lower city like a blanket of pure night, broken only by the occasional flash of lightning.
Piastol preferred mid ocean. Valua may have been her original home, but even when her father had been alive, most of her time had been spent aboard the Aquila, away from the ever-present gloom of the capital.
Upper city had better accommodations, but it also had more guards, not to mention greater expense. She wasn't here for a holiday; she'd settle for the slums of lower city while she waited for the tournament to begin. Entry had been surprisingly easy. They'd readily accepted her fake name and credentials. They were either stupid, or they just didn't care. Maybe they didn't feel they needed to.
Still, she had a day before the tournament would begin. She wandered through lower city, looking for something to do. She'd exchanged her usual battle leathers for her cloak again, and left her scythe on the ship in favor of her knives. She didn't want to arouse suspicion, after all. Eventually, after wandering down a cramped alleyway, she came to a bar. A drink is as good a way to pass the time as any, she mused.
The interior was dirty and cramped. Miserable-looking patrons huddled in corner seats or against the wall. Only one person sat at the bar. She sat next to him. He was the only one there who didn't look like he'd stink. The bartender, a large and gruff-looking man, turned to her with a flat look. "Ain't you a little young to be in here?" She fixed him with an icy glare, and he rolled his eyes. "Fine. What'll you have?"
Piastol leaned back as she considered. She could have her usual mur loqua, but a memory was tickling at the back of her mind. Something father always used to drink. They'd never had it at sailor's isle - maybe they had it here. "Do you have gilmera loqua? You know, the golden-colored stuff?"
The bartender arched an eyebrow at her. "Shit, I might. Let me check." He said, before heading for a cabinet in the back. Piastol watched him go, expectantly. That was a curious reaction.
"You're not from lower city, are you?" The man next to her asked. She turned her head to glare at him.
"None of your business." She snapped. The bartender returned just then, carrying a bottle half-filled with golden liquid.
"You're in luck, kid. I can't remember the last time I stocked this stuff." He explained as he poured some out into a serviceably-clean cup. "That'll be 800 gold."
Piastol grimaced. She hadn't expected it to be quite so pricy. She grabbed 8 large coins from her pouch before sliding them to the bartender. "Thanks." She muttered, before taking her glass and bringing it to her lips. It tasted light, and vaguely sweet. It wasn't like the loqua she was used to. As she set the glass down and swallowed, she noted that it had a decidedly bitter aftertaste. Odd. She stared at the golden liquid for several long moments.
She could feel eyes on her. The man next to her was staring at her. She gave him a sidelong glance, assessing him. He wore a hood, much like hers. Underneath it she could see striking blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a handsome face. It made her wary. "What is it?" She demanded curtly.
He smiled under his hood. "Sorry. You just remind me of someone I used to know. She and I used to meet here."
"Yeah? Well, I'm not her."
He looked away. "I know."
She drummed her fingers on the table, feeling irritable. She took another sip of her drink. This guy was confusing her. Eventually, she had to ask. "How did you know that I wasn't from here?"
He didn't look at her. "Gilmera loqua." He said simply, as if that explained everything.
"Eh?" She prodded his shoulder with a fingertip. "I'm pretty sure you can explain better than that."
She heard him sigh. He turned back to her with a flat expression on his face. "It's made from yellow loquat berries, which are extremely uncommon these days. Thus, it's expensive. That, coupled with the low alcohol content, means folks in lower city have little reason to buy it." He stared at her. "It's a fad of the upper class."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Do I look upper class to you?"
He gave her a searching look. "Not now, at least."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
He laughed. It sounded bitter. "Who am I to judge someone's status from their appearance?" She didn't understand the joke. Maybe she wasn't meant to.
"You're a creep." She said flatly. He didn't reply. That bothered her. She weighed the pros and cons of continuing their conversation. "You're not from around here, either."
"Am I so obvious?" He asked, his voice tinged with amusement.
She nodded. "Yeah. And familiar, too. Who are you?"
She saw his eyes widen, ever so slightly, before he turned away. "Nobody you'd know." He muttered defensively. "Probably a case of mistaken identity."
She stared at him intently, hoping she could somehow figure out who he was. But nothing came to her, and eventually she sighed and turned her attention back to her glass. "Whatever."
She could practically sense his relief as she gave up trying to identify him. He turned back to the counter, and together they shared the silence for a minute or two before he spoke up again. "Why are you here, then?" He asked her.
She didn't look at him as she gently swirled her loqua around in her glass. "To fight in that stupid tournament."
He set an elbow on the counter before resting his cheek against his hand, peering at her over his fingertips. "Yeah? It's quite dangerous, you know. Some of the best members of the Valuan military participate in it."
Piastol scoffed. "I can handle myself. I'm strong. And I need to get stronger still. This is how I do it."
The dimples around his eyes told her he was smiling. "Yeah? And does this would-be champion next to me have a name?"
"Emilia." She said simply.
"Henri." He replied. "I'll be in the stands. Maybe I'll get the chance to cheer you on."
She had not expected a show of solidarity from a stranger in a bar. She wasn't about to turn it down, however. Not like she had anything to lose for it. "Alright. I'll hold you to that."
Henri was definitely smiling now as he left his hand fall away, gesturing to her glass. "Hell - if you win, I'll buy you a drink."
Evening was setting in over Maramba when eventually Vyse and company returned to Narissa's home, having spent most of the day after their first visit wandering around town.
The four of them sat around a low table in the foyer, the remnants of a meal still scattered in front of them. "I don't understand how Nasreans can tolerate such hot food when it's already so hot outside…" Aika complained.
"Aika! You're being rude!" Vyse chastised her, before turning to Narissa. "Is she being rude? I'll bet that was rude."
Narissa smiled, amused, and shook her head. "Visitors to Nasr often struggle with the cuisine at first. It's an acquired taste…" she'd gotten a bit more comfortable with the trio over the course of the day, but still knew precious little about them. She'd been focused on being a good host and guide. "So… I have to ask." Vyse and Aika looked at her expectantly, and suddenly she felt considerably less inclined to voice her question. "If you're not traders… why are you here?" Her voice came out quieter than she'd have liked.
Vyse looked uncomfortable. It was the first time she'd seen that sort of expression on him. It looked out of place. "That's… kinda supposed to be a secret." He replied.
Narissa's face fell. "I see…" she wasn't sure why she was so disappointed to be kept out of the loop. A stranger's business was none of her own. That was how it always was, living here.
Aika's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "I mean… we don't exactly have much to lose here, do we? We're already stranded."
Vyse frowned at her. "Yes, but…"
"But what?" Aika furrowed her brow. "We need help. Maybe she can help!" She leaned closer to Vyse, speaking into his ear. Narissa thought she caught the words, "It's not like she…"
Vyse's expression turned sour. "Yeah, I know." Aika looked a little wounded as she pulled back. Vyse turned his attention to Fina, who'd stayed politely quiet for most of the conversation. "What do you think, Fina? It's your mission."
Fina stared at him with wide eyes, as if she hadn't expected to have her opinion asked. Her gaze swiveled to Narissa, then back to Vyse, before a smile spread over her lips. "I like her. I think we can trust her." Narissa felt a small rush of gratitude at her response.
Vyse sighed. "Alright." He stared at Narissa, and his expression was surprisingly serious. "Have you heard of the moon crystals before?"
Narissa tried to keep the immediate reaction off her face. "Uhm… vaguely. Can you refresh my memory?" She inquired sheepishly.
Vyse gave her a searching look, but Fina spoke up before he could say anything. "They're ancient, powerful stones attuned to the energies of each of the six moons. I'm on a mission to retrieve them… but I don't know exactly where they are."
Aika nodded to her explanation. "Valua is also trying to grab them. We don't want that to happen, so we've been in a bit of a hurry…"
"But… we're without a ship, or a clue as to where to start looking for the crystals. We know the red one is somewhere in the Nasr desert, but beyond that…" Vyse shrugged. "It's a lot of ground to cover."
Narissa looked back and forth between Vyse and Aika, then at Fina, the wheels spinning in her head. Things were starting to make a bit more sense. "You… wouldn't happen to be the pirates that broke out of Valua, would you?"
Vyse's eyes widened. "The news is even all the way out here?" He nodded. "Yeah, that's us."
Narissa suppressed a shiver that threatened to run down her spine. "I… I see." She took a shaky, nervous breath, staring at her lap. "I might be able to help you." She looked up at Vyse with a glimmer of determination in her eyes. "I don't want Valua getting more powerful, either. I have a ship… well, my father's ship, that you can use. I don't know exactly where the crystal is, though…"
"That's already more than we expected the get!" Aika laughed.
"Thank you very much, Narissa." Fina said with a bow of her head.
Narissa smiled awkwardly. "Please, you guys are heroes. It's the least I could do." After a moment's hesitation, she added, "And please, call me Nari."
Vyse nodded, grinning. "Duly noted, Nari. Let's leave tomorrow, yeah?"
"Yes, please. It's getting late." She agreed. "You can stay here tonight, if you like. There's room enough."
"Are you sure? We've got enough coin to stay at the inn." Aika seemed uncertain.
Narissa shook her head. "Really, it's fine."
She caught Fina smiling broadly at her. "You are very kind, Nari."
Narissa smiled despite the burning that instilled in her cheeks. "I'm just doing what I think is right."
Shuffling footsteps echoed through stone halls, disturbing years of dust and silence. The temple of Pyrynn had not changed much at all since the last time it was intruded upon.
The dark-skinned man led the way, with his red-haired, uniformed companion behind him. They carefully wove their way over a narrow walkway above a chasm. "We should be getting close." He called back to her.
"About damn time. 'Labyrinthine' doesn't even begin to describe this place." She muttered darkly.
"Have patience. Our mission will soon be over." He chided. Together they turned a corner and found themselves in a hallway again.
"It's hot and dusty and my feet hurt. I'm better with combat and subterfuge deployments and you know it." She snapped.
He smiled to himself, glad that she couldn't see it from behind him. "That is why I am here. That is why I am always here."
"You're smiling that stupid smile again, aren't you?"
His expression quickly smoothed out into one of perfect neutrality before he looked back at her over his shoulder. "Nonsense. I would never smile at your petulance."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "That's a yes."
He didn't respond to that as he set his hand on a loose section of wall, pushing lightly on it. "We're here." He said calmly as he pushed the hidden door outwards to reveal a large chamber behind it.
The frustration quickly disappeared from her face, and she rushed past him into the chamber. "Watch out for traps…" he muttered in futility as she raced to the end of the room. To her good fortune, nothing untoward happened to her on her way, and he followed her moments later.
"Where is it?" Her voice echoed throughout the chamber. She was speaking loudly, despite how close he was.
"Excuse me?" He arched an eyebrow at her question as he walked around her to get a look at the pedestal at the end of the room.
It was distinctly empty of the crystal they had been promised. "Where is it?!" She asked again. "It's supposed to be be here, isn't it?"
The man nodded. "That's correct." His face wrinkled with concern. "This is… problematic."
The woman rubbed at her forehead with one hand, looking around the room and seeing nothing. "It's not here. Someone got it before we did. What do we do?"
The man shrugged. "We report our findings. It's all we can do."
She crossed her arms, staring at him. "The admiral won't be pleased."
He smirked that little smirk of his. "That's her problem."
Aika couldn't sleep. She'd had bouts of insomnia that came and went ever since the attack on pirate isle. And too often, when she did fall asleep, she'd dream of men in faceless black armor coming to take away everyone she cared about. Either that, or she'd dream that they failed to escape Valua. Captured, they'd end up suffering the same fate they'd saved captain Dyne from.
She hadn't talked about it with anyone yet, instead opting to ignore her exhaustion and keep on smiling for her friends. So many nights she'd considered waking Vyse, venting to him about her worries. But it felt so… childish. It reminded her of her childhood, when she'd always go to him with her problems. It was okay back then… but now he had bigger things to worry about. She turned onto her side to peer at him as he slept, a few feet away from her. Not tonight, she thought.
Still, she wasn't getting any sleep right now. She slowly stood up, casting aside her blanket with a sigh. She needed a walk. Quiet steps took her out of the guest room and into the foyer where they'd had dinner earlier. It was dark and empty now. She stared at the table, remembering the cozy, comfortable conversations they'd had. Why did she stress herself so? Why couldn't she be carefree in the face of danger, like Vyse?
She heard a faint sound from above, on the roof. Footsteps. She glanced up at the ceiling. Was there a way up there? She decided she may as well check - she might even catch a would-be intruder.
A few minutes of fumbling in the dark uncovered a ladder in the back of the house, leading up to a hatch embedded in the ceiling. She climbed it as quietly as she could, opening the hatch and stepping out onto the roof, into the cool night air. She looked around, seeing nothing until she turned around. She felt a small wave of relief as she realized the footsteps had just been Narissa's. Their young host was facing away from her, evidently staring up at the red moon.
She almost considered leaving her to it - but she had a few things she'd wanted to talk about, anyways. Now might be her best chance. She strolled forward quietly before raising a hand in greeting as she called to the girl. "Nari?"
She saw Narissa tense up, and she quickly whirled around with her hands before her. Aika was a little taken aback by the sheer speed of her reaction. "Oh! Aika! I didn't think you'd be up so late…" she smiled weakly.
Aika tilted her head to one side. "I couldn't sleep." She explained. "Are you alright?"
Narissa seemed surprised. "Me? I'm fine." A frown creased her pretty features. "I'm sorry you can't seem to sleep. I hope you're not feeling stressed…"
Aika shrugged as she crossed the rest of the flat stone rooftop to stand next to Nari, near the railing that surrounded them. "No, it's… nothing." Aika lied.
Narissa brushed a stray lock of sandy hair out of her face. "Well, you're welcome to stay out here as long as you like. I ought to head back inside." She turned to leave.
Aika reached out, her fingers brushing the girl's arm. "Wait. Can we talk?"
Narissa froze up for a second before turning around with a nod. "Sure."
Aika returned her smile, going quiet as she considered what she wanted to say. "Why are you so keen on helping us?" She finally asked.
Narissa's smile turned sad. "Is goodwill alone not enough of a reason?"
Aika flinched. "I didn't mean…"
Narissa shook her head. "It's fine. You barely know me… I can understand your caution." She heaved a weary sigh. "I don't think you understand just how much you three are heroes to the people here."
At the confusion in Aika's expression, she continued. "The war with Valua cost everyone in Nasr something. I wasn't even born when it happened, but from the stories my father told me…" she looked grim as her gaze tracked back up to the moon hanging in the sky above them. "My family would be a lot bigger now, had it not happened. Had Valua not aggressed…"
Aika felt a wave of guilt. "Nari… I'm sorry."
Narissa shook her head quickly. "Don't be. It's not your fault at all." She smiled again, and it was more sincere this time. "Even if you weren't heroes, though, I'd help you. You're people in need… and I was raised to help people who need help."
"You're a good person, Nari." Aika couldn't think of anything else to say to that.
Narissa giggled at that. "I'm glad you think so." Her gaze was suddenly intent upon the red-headed pirate. "Think you might be willing to tell me what's on your mind, now?"
Aika stared at her, then hastily looked away. "I don't know…."
Narissa offered her a sympathetic look. "It might help."
Aika suddenly felt very weary of the world. She set her hands on the railing of the roof as she stared out at the city around them. "Okay. I'm scared."
Narissa nodded. "Scared of what?"
Aika pursed her lips in thought. "I'm not sure." She turned around to face Nari before leaning lightly on the railing. "This whole mess started when the Valuans raided my home town. They captured almost everyone there and hauled them off to the capital to be executed." She smiled humorlessly. "The funny thing was, we'd been attacking Valuan ships for years. The only thing that made them come after us was that this time around, we had Fina."
Narissa looked perplexed. "They'll ignore you for ages while you attack their own men, but a single, harmless girl is the tipping point?" She shook her head. "Valuans are strange."
Aika laughed a little at that. "I know, right?" She glanced up at the red moon, looming over them like a silent observer to their conversation. "It's less about what Fina can do, and more about what she knows. For her knowledge, I imagine they'll chase use to the ends of Arcadia." She looked back down and fixed her eyes on Narissa. "That's what scares me."
Narissa met her gaze with one of understanding. "You're afraid the Valuans will catch you."
Aika shivered, then nodded. "Yeah. I suppose it's never been this real to me before. In the past, we could attack them almost with impunity. Now…" she closed her eyes and took a shaky breath. "When we went into Valua, I expected I was going there to die. I told myself I shared Vyse's optimism, but I know now that that was a lie. I was just hoping to die fighting."
Narissa didn't seem to know what to say. At her silence, Aika continued. "But I don't think that's how it'll end, if Valua catches up to us. They'll capture us. And…" she set her face in her hands. "I don't want to think about what they'd do to me. To Vyse… to Fina…" she was getting lost in the nightmares again. Her eyes felt wet.
And then, a pair of arms wrapped around her and hugged her. It was gentle, ready to pull away at a moments' notice. But it was warm, and soft, and Aika felt herself starting to calm down. "It's going to be okay, Aika." Narissa's voice was as gentle as her embrace. She hugged back after a beat of hesitation.
"Thank you." Aika managed, her voice rawer than she'd have liked. She reluctantly pulled away from the hug. Narissa let her go. "I think l needed that."
Narissa smiled at her, but as Aika stared intently at her, she thought it looked a little broken. "I know how it feels to be afraid." Nari said. Aika nodded, feeling a little numb, and Narissa gave her a searching look. "Here. Come downstairs with me. I have something that might help distract you."
They ended up in the foyer again, and Narissa quickly gestured for Aika to take a seat at the table. The redhead did so silently, and a moment later Narissa set a cup down in front of her and filled it with tea from a kettle. "Not going to be hot anymore, but I can't really go brewing another pot at this hour." Aika let out a breath of laughter.
"Thanks."
"Not a problem." Nari said, before sitting next to her with a cup of her own. "Now." She said, as Aika took a sip from her glass, "Have you ever heard of tarot?"
Aika raised an eyebrow. "Can't say that I have." She admitted.
Narissa nodded, before producing the deck of cards she'd been carrying earlier, back at the marketplace. "You remember these?"
Aika squinted at them for a moment before nodding. "Yeah. You dropped them back when we bumped into you."
Narissa smiled. "Good! These are tarot cards. They're used for divination, which is the practice of reading the future."
Aika looked skeptical. "Can you actually tell the future?"
Nari wilted a bit. "Well… not really. Not yet, at least. But there's a woman in town, Khalifa. She's an amazing fortune-teller, well known for the accuracy of her predictions." Her smile turned sheepish. Aika thought it was starting to look very familiar on her. "I've been trying to get her to teach me for a while now."
The redhead offered her a reassuring grin. "Just show me what you can do, then."
That got a more positive reaction from Nari. "Right!" She spread the cards out on the table, face-down. Then she closed her eyes, muttering something under her breath. Aika could vaguely hear her saying something about the moons. Eventually, one of Nari's hands moved, and flipped over one card, then a second. She opened her eyes.
Aika leaned over the table to peer at the cards that had been flipped. "'The Maelstrom', and 'The World'?" She read off the cards.
Nari stared at the cards with a serious expression, her eyes flitting between one card and then the other. She was silent for so long that Aika began to grow concerned. "So… what does that mean?" She finally asked.
Narissa blinked, then turned her attention to Aika. "Oh!" She said, surprise evident in her tone. "I, uhm… I don't know. I'd have to consult the manual." She admitted. "I just like thinking about what it could mean."
Aika rested her chin in her hands as she leaned on the table, grinning. "Then it's not really fortune-telling at all, is it?"
Nari's cheeks grew pink, and she shook her head. "Not yet, at least… I'm getting there, though! One day I'll be able to do it!"
Aika found herself giggling. "Well, I have to give you points for trying." She reached out with one hand to pat one of Narissa's. "You've definitely helped to brighten my mood."
The girl practically beamed with pride, taking Aika's hand in hers and squeezing. "That's all I needed to hear."
They stared at one another for a long moment, neither one quite wanting to look away. Eventually, however, Aika coughed and tore her gaze away, staring at the table. "I'm… starting to feel sleepy."
Nari nodded, deciding stare to at her hands instead. "That's good! You need to get your rest. I should head to bed, too. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow, after all."
Aika nodded absently, before glancing at Nari again. "Thanks again. I really appreciate you taking the time to chat with me." She said as she stood up.
Narissa rose as well in her wake, collecting their cups. "It was my pleasure, Aika. I'll see you in the morning."
Aika smiled and departed for the room she shared with Vyse and Fina. Nari watched her go, then set to work cleaning up. Tomorrow would be a long day, indeed.
Morning came, and with it, the day of the tournament. Piastol waited in a chamber just outside the coliseum, surrounded by other surly-looking contestants. Many of them likely thought they looked intimidating; to her, they mostly looked like the kinds of people she hunted for a living. She didn't doubt that a few of them were pirates. That just made the prospect of winning all the more satisfying.
Her conversation from yesterday was still fresh in her mind, and it still confused her slightly. She'd been pushing it back every time it started to creep into the forefront of her thoughts, but the fact that it kept returning told her she wasn't done processing it yet. Still, it wasn't the time for that. She focused her attention on twirling the knife in her hand. This was her tool. This was how she would achieve her revenge.
Eventually, after a long wait, a man in a Valuan officer's uniform entered the room. "Alright, everyone. Listen up."
Eyes across the room quickly settled on him, and to his credit, he didn't flinch. "This is a no-holds-barred fighting tournament. Every match is one-on-one, and fights end either when one participant dies, or surrenders. You can use any weapon, with the exception of guns or magic. All clear?"
"We already agreed to your damned terms when we signed up." One man called from the corner.
The officer fixed the man with a glare. "Yes, well, I know your type tends to forget certain key details where prizes are involved. Do note that violating the rules will result in an automatic forfeit and potential execution."
He received a dozen glares from around the room as he turned and left. The room went silent as people waited to be called to the field.
"Jimmy the Fox?" Another Valuan attendant called from the double doors at the other end of the room. A young-looking man with an eyepatch stood up and strolled over to him. "You're up." The younger man cast a smirk back over his shoulder at the rest of the crowd, still waiting. The attendant opened the doors for him, and together they departed, letting those doors swing shut with a soft click.
Minutes passed. The attendant returned. Jimmy didn't. Piastol could guess what had happened to him, and she didn't particularly care. Folks like him deserved what they got.
It carried on like that, with people being called out one by one. A few returned, but most didn't. Eventually, it was Piastol's turn. "Emilia?" the attendant called. She rose from her seat, rolling her neck and stretching her legs for a moment before heading over to the doors. They opened, just as they had for everyone before her, and she went through them with the attendant alongside her.
The doors shut behind them, leaving them in a smaller room with another, larger set of doors at the end. "Go stand by the exit and step out when the doors open." The attendant instructed her, moving to stand to one side. Piastol nodded curtly and stood where she was told to. Her fingers squeezed and released impulsively at the hilts of her knives. This was it.
The doors flung open a minute later, giving her a clear view of the coliseum's field stretching out before her. She stepped through them into the roar of the crowd. It was a constant clamoring in her ears as she took in her barren surroundings. The only thing of interest to be seen was her opponent, a tallish man in a Valuan soldier's armor. It looked considerably heavier than the light leather armor she'd decided to outfit herself with. Perfect.
A voice boomed from one end of the arena. She wasn't exactly sure how it was being projected like that, but her eyes went to its source anyways. A raised stand one one side of the coliseum held what looked to be various VIPs, including the announcer, who was in the middle of hyping them up.
"This time around, it looks like we've got Lieutenant Varel of the sixth fleet, facing off against miss Emilia from mid-ocean. A mysterious contender, to be sure!" Piastol rolled her eyes. She almost wish she'd used her "Angel of Death" title, but she was almost as certain that that would've gotten her arrested.
"You know the rules! Fight to the death, or until one of you surrenders!" She heard a bell ring out through the arena. "Begin!"
To her surprise, her opponent didn't simply rush at her right away. Instead, he began circling her, his sword raised as he looked for an opening. Piastol smiled wickedly at him as she took a slow step closer and began to do the same. "You're going to die, you know that?" She teased him.
The lieutenant narrowed his eyes at her, and a moment later charged, swinging his sword in a wide, swift arc. It was much too slow. Piastol ducked under it with ease. There was no point aiming for his legs, especially with the armor he was wearing. She knew where she wanted to aim. She slipped past him and straightened up behind him. His sword whipped out in a backwards arc, trying to retaliate, and she caught it on one of her blades.
"Hmph." She was frustratingly unimpressed so far. She backed off and let him come at her again. And yet again, he was much too slow, swinging at her predictably with a vertical arc. She brushed it aside with a sweep of her knife before driving the other at his chest. It didn't manage to penetrate his armor, but it sent him stumbling back a step. "Come on. One more try." She snapped at him.
He let out a low growl as he rushed her once more, this time feinting out of his initial attack and attempting to lunge at her from the side, the tip of his sword aimed for her flank. It almost surprised her, but not quite. She stepped forward in a flash, moving past him and out of the way of his stab, before whipping her knife around to aim for his throat.
To his credit, he managed to anticipate it, taking a step to the side. He wasn't quite fast enough, however, and her knife dug into the side of his neck, tearing a messy gouge that his hand quickly snapped up to cover. He collapsed to one knee, dropping his sword as Piastol closed the distance, intent on finishing the job. Her work was cut short, however, as he raised a hand in surrender.
She grit her teeth as the bell rang out through the arena once more. Another Valuan wearing a white robe hurried out to help the injured lieutenant off the field, while the announcer seemed to ignore him. "And our winner is the mysterious miss Emilia!" Applause filled the coliseum, deafening her once more, and she glared out at the assembled crowd.
Until she caught sight of a man with striking blonde hair standing in the VIP section, clapping for her and smiling at her. She narrowed her eyes at him, and she almost thought she could see him wink. She shook her head as she stormed off in the direction of the doors she'd come out of to begin with. She didn't have time for more mysteries.
One fight flowed to the next. Fighting pirates, mercenaries and Valuan soldiers was easy. Where were the tough fights she was promised? Slowly, the numbers in the waiting room dwindled until it was just her and one other fighter. She was at least a little impressed with him - he looked like an actual practiced swordsman, with a custom-made weapon and close-fitting, practical armor. She hoped he'd be her opponent in the finals, at least.
He was called to the field, and she was left alone in the waiting room, anticipating her penultimate match. Within minutes the swordsman returned, wiping blood off his weapon with a small cloth before sitting down without a word to either her or the attendant. She was definitely looking forward to that fight.
"Emilia, you're up again." The attendant called to her. She took a deep breath before stepping through the doors once more.
She froze up as she stepped through the outer doors and onto the field. She recognized her opponent right away. She'd recognize him anywhere.
Short silvery-white hair. A long, delicate sword that seemed to be made out of pure silver. Sharp, handsome features and a black uniform. The only thing that was unfamiliar was the cold, distant look on his face. Her legs felt unsteady and her breathing sped up.
"For our second semifinal match, we have the prodigious miss Emilia facing off against our own admiral Ramirez, commander of the sixth fleet!" She didn't hear the rest of what he'd said.
Ramirez. She'd been shaping herself in his image for years, ever since the sinking of the Aquila. He was her role model, and the person outside her own family she'd wanted to see again most of all. She'd heard about his meteoric rise through the ranks of the Valuan military, but this was her first time seeing him in the flesh in seven years. He still looked exactly the same. She wondered if he recognized her.
Her thoughts were cut short by the piercing chime of the bell. "Begin!" Ramirez was almost a blur as he came at her with his silvery sword poised to whip out in a deadly arc, determined to end the battle in a single strike.
But Piastol had seen his speed before. He'd trained her and taught her much of what he knew. She'd been moulding herself to match his skill, and so she was able to anticipate his strike and evade it narrowly. Still, she wasn't superhuman, and she hissed as the tip of his blade bit into her arm.
She slid to a stop as her frantic momentum carried her, and she struggled to get her panicked breathing under control as Ramirez eyed her. He hadn't been expecting her to evade him. Maybe nobody had managed thus far.
Meanwhile, she was still struggling to process the fact that it was him, it was Ramirez, and that their first meeting in seven years might be the one where he killed her. And almost to punctuate her thoughts, he came at her again, this time with more care to anticipate her ability to dodge him. He would strike true this time unless she met him head on.
She grit her teeth as she lifted her knives into a cross pattern to catch his blade. It struck with enough force to send tremors through her arms, which quickly turned into a nagging ache. She could feel him applying pressure, trying to break through. He was so much stronger than her.
Eventually, by some good fortune, she saw a break in his concentration. She broke away as best and as quickly as she could, but still he nicked her shoulder on the way out. He was so damnably fast.
She wasn't sure she could win. But she had to win. She'd come here to get stronger, and Ramirez was the strongest opponent she could possibly hope for. She took a deep breath as she willed herself to tap into every reserve of energy she had - to use every skill she had buried in the back of her memory.
Ramirez was coming at her again, impossibly fast. This time, she took lighting-fast step to the side before brushing his swing aside and lashing out with her other knife. He reacted quickly, taking the cut on his forearm as he pulled away in a hurry. His silvery eyes were wide with surprise, and he froze on the spot, staring at her.
"Come on, then!" She called, beckoning to him around one of her knives. "Is that the best you can do?"
His lips split into a grin, and for a moment Piastol thought he looked positively twisted. The moment passed, and he blurred towards her with sword arm outstretched. She caught one strike on the blade of a knife, then another on the other knife. He was swinging quickly and precisely, looking for any weakness in her defenses.
Piastol began to realize that, as good as she was, as fast as she was, he was still faster and stronger. She could feel the painful tremors starting to run through her arms again, and her grip on her knives began to slacken. Eventually, one particularly forceful blow sent one of her blades spinning off onto the stone flooring, away from her.
She stumbled back, clutching at her remaining blade as she stared at Ramirez in shock. He was staring back at her with a confident smirk, his sword held casually off to one side. "You're very good." He complimented her. His voice sounded almost exactly like she remembered it, only missing… something. She couldn't quite put her finger on it.
She took the brief respite to catch her breath and let the ache subside from her muscles. "I… learnt from the best…" She panted.
"It's a shame that you'll die here, then." He said, before rushing at her again. She managed to catch his sword on her knife, but with a sharp crack she felt the blade shatter. The back of his hand slammed into her chest, and she tumbled back onto the cobblestones with a pained grunt. She could see him looming over her, casually strolling towards her to deliver the finishing blow.
Would Ramirez really kill her? The man she'd idolized for so long? She'd come here to get stronger, having finally found the means to her revenge, and she was going to die at the hands of the one she'd modeled herself after.
Except… she did have a way out. All she'd have to do is surrender. Give up. Part of her felt it would be better to simply let herself die, if she couldn't muster the strength to grow any further. She'd already been denied her revenge once.
But then, inexplicably, she thought of Vyse. His infuriating, confounding behavior, and the stupid smile he'd worn when he sent her off. That anger and… confusion that welled up within her told her she couldn't die yet. "To hell with pride…" She spat as she lifted her open hand. "I surrender!"
Ramirez stopped in his tracks, narrowing his eyes at her. "What a shame." He muttered as he turned his back on her. Piastol felt a tightness in her chest.
"The winner is Ramirez!" The announcer proclaimed.
Piastol staggered to her feet, staring at his back. Was this the same man who'd been so kind to her all those years ago?
As she bit down on the pain that surged through her and made her way back towards the doors to the arena, she reflected that maybe what had gone missing was his soul.
Morning came, and with it, Vyse, Aika, Fina and Narissa headed to the docks on the outskirts of Maramba. They wound their way away from where the larger trading ships sought port, eventually coming to a more distant part of the port where smaller personal ships could dock. It was there that they came upon Narissa's modest vessel.
"It's not much, but it'll get us where we need to go." She explained as she ushered them aboard. Vyse, in particular, seemed fascinated by the details of the little ship.
"I don't think I've ever been aboard a Nasr-made ship before. The design seems completely different from the stuff you see in mid-ocean…" He mused aloud.
Narissa smiled at him. "Do you know a lot about ships?"
Vyse grinned and gave her a wink. "I love everything about ships and sailing. I'd be more surprised if there was something I don't know." Aika rolled her eyes behind him, and Narissa's smile grew a touch wider.
"Would you like to be in charge of flying us to our destination, then?" She asked.
He looked like he'd been waiting for that question. "Absolutely!" He said, hurrying up the steps of the little ship's cabin to man the helm. "Where are we headed?"
"Southeast. We're heading for a town called Oasis, in the great desert." She explained. "There's a man there who I believe can point you in the direction of the crystal. They say his family was tasked with guarding it from ancient times."
"Sounds good to me!" Vyse called from the helm. As he fiddled with it, the little ship began to pull away from the docks and into the skies of Nasr. He let it drift for a bit before turning it roughly southeast and setting off.
Narissa waited until they were away from Maramba's immediate airspace to turn her attention to Fina and Aika. "You can stay in the cabin if you want to get out of the heat. It's cooler in there." She offered.
"I'd like that." Fina said with a polite nod of her head, before heading inside. Aika stared after her for a moment before shrugging and turning around, heading to the deck's railing and peering out at the passing scenery. Below them stretched the seemingly endless Nasr desert, which was almost featureless from up high.
Narissa considered heading inside to keep Fina company. She decided she'd rather take in the view a bit herself, strolling over to stand beside Aika at the railing. They enjoyed the scenery in silence for several minutes.
"It really does seem endless. How does anyone live out here?" Aika muttered at last.
Nari shrugged. "Some people are nomads, moving around so they can make use of resources one spot at a time. The stable settlements are all built around sources of water… like the appropriately-named 'Oasis'."
Aika nodded. "And you think this guy we're going to see knows where we can find the crystal?"
Narissa stared at Aika's face in profile. Now that she'd gotten to know her better, she could tell this was a woman beset with worry for her friends. It made her heart ache. "Absolutely." She said quietly.
Aika nodded again. "Good."
An hour and a half later, Narissa waved to Vyse from the deck. "That's Oasis down there! Start taking us down!" She called to him.
Vyse gave her a smile, and she felt the little craft beginning to descend towards the town below. The formerly featureless dunes gradually took on shape and detail as they grew increasingly near, until eventually the ship quietly touched down just outside the perimeter of the town. Vyse hopped nimbly down from the helm, dusting his hands off. "Is it alright to leave the ship here like this?" He asked.
Narissa looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "We shouldn't be here too long. I doubt anyone will mind." She said, before strolling to the edge of the ship and hopping over the railing. Vyse, Aika, and eventually Fina followed. "Welcome to Oasis." She said as they trudged through the sand.
It was a tiny town centered around a watering hole surrounded by a thin layer of greenery. Most of the homes looked temporary, consisting of elaborate tents with few permanent structures. One could guess by the amount of decoration, at least, that most of the residents had been here for a while. "It's really quiet out here…" Fina observed.
Narissa nodded. "Most of the people here spend their time away from home, foraging or hunting or trading. There's not much to do in the town itself." She said with a hint of amusement in her voice. "The one we're here to see lives this way." She said, hurrying them along. Fina glanced around curiously, trying to catch sight of anyone other than themselves, but found no one.
Eventually they stopped in front of a large red tent lined with silver. "In here." Nari gestured, before stepping inside. Vyse, Aika and Fina followed.
It was empty, inhabited only by decorations and a variety of lush carpets and pillows. "Is he not home?" Vyse asked.
Nari smiled sheepishly. "I'll go get him. Please stay here, okay?" She said before hurrying out of the tent without further explanation.
Vyse watched her go before scratching his head. "Something seems off…" He admitted to the other two.
"This place feels abandoned." Fina said quietly.
Aika furrowed her brow as she stared at the flap in the tent Narissa had disappeared through. What is going on here? She wondered to herself, worried.
Her answer came quickly as four figures stepped through the tent flap, one at a time. The first two were soldiers clad head-to-toe in red armor, each bearing a spear. They levelled their weapons at the trio before any of them could draw their own.
The two that followed wore outfits of a similar red, but eschewed helmets. A man with dark skin and a serious expression on his face stepped in bearing a staff, followed by a slightly younger woman with flowing red hair and a pretty face. Her emerald eyes glimmered with mischief as she took in Vyse and company's predicament. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." She said, thumbing the hilt of the sword at her hip.
Vyse took up a defensive posture, though he couldn't reach for his cutlasses. "What is this?"
The dark-skinned man spoke up. "You are under arrest for crimes against the Valuan empire. Come quietly and we will not have to kill any of you."
Fina's eyes went wide. "Valua…? How?"
Aika felt her heart sink, and her shoulders sagged as things started to click in her head. "Narissa…" Her voice was heavy with frustration and disappointment.
Another voice echoed from outside the tent. "Yes. I'm afraid your new friend has given you up to protect her dear father." A woman stepped inside, looking like the twin of the red-haired woman already occupying the tent. Only on closer inspection could they be told apart - She was a little taller, looked a little older, and had a more serious air about her, standing at attention with a calm and cold expression that contrasted the mischievous expression of her twin.
Narissa followed a moment later, staring at the floor. The newcomer pat her head casually as she spoke. "Didn't you, Narissa? Are you excited to see your papa again?"
Narissa visibly shuddered. "Yes… admiral Belleza…" She spoke in a soft voice, almost not wanting to be heard.
Vyse, Aika and Fina stared at her in disbelief. Belleza gestured to her two unmasked subordinates. "Damian, Thalia. Get these three in chains before they make a fuss like they're wont to do."
They went with little struggle. Narissa watched them as they were taken away. "What'll you do with them?" She asked.
Belleza eyed her. "They'll be taken to Valua as soon as possible, interrogated, and potentially executed."
Narissa froze, her chest aching. She forced herself to take a breath. "But… I'll get my father back? Where is he? I did what you asked of me…"
Belleza set a hand on the girl's shoulder, turning her around to give her a sympathetic look. "I'm afraid it's not quite that simple."
Narissa felt herself starting to choke up. "What? I did everything you asked."
Belleza shook her head. "Our mission isn't complete. My lieutenants checked the temple." She explained. "The crystal is gone."
Late in the evening, Piastol hurried back to her ship. She wanted to be out of Valua as quickly as possible. She wanted to forget what had transpired here, to be back in mid ocean again. At least there she felt like she understood what was happening.
But her quick departure was not to be. Someone was behind her, and she whipped around to find a familiar silver-eyed visage staring back at her. "Hello again." Ramirez said with a smirk.
Piastol felt a lump in her throat. Her chest tightened again. "How did you…?"
Ramirez chuckled. "I'm an admiral of the Armada. It's not hard to get information about who is docked where."
Piastol took a step back. "What do you want from me?"
The silver-haired man gave her a critical look. "You're the angel of death, aren't you? You fit the description." Piastol began to reach for one of the knives at her belt. He caught her wrist with casual swiftness. "Relax. I'm not looking to arrest you."
She jerked her wrist out of his hand. She was horribly conflicted between seeing him as the Ramirez she'd… cared so much about, and seeing him as the man who'd almost killed her, seemed excited to kill her, just a few hours ago. "Then why are you here?" She snapped.
Ramirez smiled again, and this time it was a little less harsh. "Curiosity. I've seen precious few people who can move and fight like you do. I want to know where you learned to fight like that."
Piastol stared at him, wide-eyed, as she considered how to answer him. She didn't know what to say, or how to lie to him, so she simply told him the truth. "You taught me."
Ramirez blinked. She thought she could see a bit of his old self in his expression for just a moment before his features hardened into a mask of anger. "Don't tell jokes. This is a serious question." He loomed over her like a silvery shadow. She noted he hadn't yet patched up the cut she'd left on his arm. Maybe it was a mark of shame to him.
"I'm not lying!" Piastol insisted. "You taught me, seven years ago aboard the Aquila!"
Ramirez froze up, eyes wide. Even his breathing halted as he stared at her. Eventually he seemed to remember himself, taking a slow step back from her. "That's… not possible." He said. "Who are you?"
There was no sense hiding it at this point. He'd figure it out soon enough, anyways. "Piastol. Daughter of admiral Mendosa. You were my best friend back then, Ramirez…" She said, suddenly feeling wistful as she stared at her feet. She didn't care what he did at this point. Her heroes tried to kill her, and the people she hated spared her. Nothing made sense to her anymore.
"Piastol… I…" She slowly lifted her head to look at him. He had his forehead in one palm, and his eyes were dull with shock. Had something broken in him?
She took a few steps closer, reaching out to him. "Ramirez…"
He slapped her hand away. "Don't touch me." He snapped, lifting his eyes to glare at her. "I don't need help." He straightened up and stared at her in disbelief. "Why did you come back?"
She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away from him. Being rejected like that hurt more than she cared to admit. "I finally found the person who killed my father and sunk the Aquila, but they're stronger than even me. I need to get stronger still so I can kill them and have my revenge."
Ramirez stared onwards. It was almost like he was staring through her. "Revenge. For the death of your father."
She nodded. "I need it. I need to make his killers pay for what they did…" She said, her voice a little shaky. She stared back at Ramirez for a long moment before speaking again. "Will you help me, Ramirez? I… I think I need help. I need you…" She said, letting her weakness show for once. He was the only person that she felt could do this to her.
He gawked at her. "I can't." He finally said, turning away.
"Why not?" She demanded, reaching out to him again. "Forget that stupid admiralty. You're not an admiral, you're a swordsman. Come fight for what's right… fight with me."
Ramirez didn't look back at her. His voice was cold and distant, like it had been at the coliseum. "You don't know what you're doing."
Another little sliver of ice slid into her heart. "I'm not a child anymore, Ramirez!" She snapped.
He turned his head slightly, and she could see a faint smirk on his lips. "You fight like one. You act like one. You may as well be one."
Her eyes burned with tears she refused to shed. "To hell with you…" Her fingers curled into fists. She wanted to hit him, but she knew he'd break her arm before she got close.
Ramirez shook his head. "If you want my advice? Give it up, Piastol. You're not cut out for this." He started walking away, towards the city. "It was nice seeing you again."
Piastol could feel a wetness trickling down to stain her cheeks as she took another few steps after him. "Where are you going?! You can't just leave me with that!"
Ramirez's voice carried back to her as he rounded a corner and disappeared out of sight. "To the only place I belong."