Felinis: From here on out there will be a slight change in how the chapters start. Also, pay close attention to dialogue you may notice somethings.
Yuri made his way through the hallways for his exit. The whole castle was built like a giant opulent maze and as he turned the corner he couldn't help but be bitter about how much wealth was be poured in. He stopped when he heard approaching footsteps.
That stench! Whatever thing was giving that off had to be close by.
He could hear the knights talking to a girl telling her to go back. Yuri glanced over and every instinct in him told him to kill. He saw red. That girl… she was… poison. That strange light wisps of color that people gave off were a deep crimson on her and the aer around her was thick. Yuri tried not to think of the scent that made him think of death and sweet decay. This girl was healthy and young, but why was her aer so… corrupted.
Researching got Yuri to figure out a few things. Why it was the people in the Lower Quarter almost always smelled of some form of rot. What that smoke stuff living things gave off was. It was aer. Everything was made of the stuff, so if the body suffered the aer's quality suffered and turned foul. The deeper the color of the smoke the worse the aer in the body. But, this girl looked perfectly healthy.
His teeth itched with the need to tear out her flesh. She's a monster.
"I have to warn Flynn!" The phrase snapped Yuri back into focus. This girl was looking for Flynn, then? Yuri sent out an arte knocking down the two of the four knights trying to restrain her. "Flynn! You came to help me?" She ran towards him and stopped. "W-who are you?"
Yuri headed straight for the knights who demanded his name. Great, he had to mess up when he was trying to be sneaky. The remaining knights charged and Yuri stepped out the way with ease and brought the blunt of his blade down on one the knight's helmets. The struck knight collapsed and the standing one swung a large arc towards his chest. Yuri blocked the blade and then tossed it from his hand. The knight stood flabbergasted for second before Yuri conked him out as well. He looked over the mess and rested his blade over his shoulder. "Man, don't they teach manners in knight school anymore." He jumped back as the noble girl tried to slug him with a vase. "Hey! What are you trying to kill me?"
Her green eyes stared cautiously at him. "Well, you don't belong in the castle, right?"
Yuri held his sword at the ready and gave a sidelong glance. "No, and I'll take it as a compliment that you can tell that by looking at me."
A loud yell echoed through the halls. Shit, Leblanc already knew he escaped. "Well, no point in going back to the prison cell now." He could hear the Tweedles and the captain squabbling from here.
The girl's eyes widened at him and looked at him curiously. "Yuri Lowell? You're one of Flynn's friends, aren't you?"
"Yeah. Why?" Who was the girl? He knew he'd smelled her on Flynn sometimes.
"And, you used to belong to the imperial knights?" she was looking at him strangely and he couldn't grasp why. Flynn didn't talk much about the friends he'd made in the knights, but he knew one thing. Flynn found most of the noble's as insufferable as he did. There must have been something special about her. Ugh, his nose was on fire. Everything about her seemed gross, but to a normal person she must have seemed lovely. Pink hair, sparkling green eyes, an air of regality that didn't fade even while clearly on edge. She's like something from a fairy tale. "Yuri! I need to talk to Flynn." She ran up and pleaded earnestly.
"Hold on just a second. I can tell you know Flynn, but why are you being chased by the knights?" he asked, but the talk was interrupted by the sound of approaching knights. "Listen I wanna hear the whole story, but we can't afford to stand around and chat. First things first, let's get to Flynn's place. Want me to lead the way?" Even if he'd never been in the actual castle Yuri's nose could get them there if kept his distance from her. God, it was like standing next to a field of corpses.
The girl nodded. "Ah, yes." He headed off keeping front and occasionally throwing glance back at her. Unnatural. Something to her was unnatural. She kept glancing around the area on edge and looked to Yuri. "Um, you've never been listed on the visitors' record, which means you've never been here. So, how do you know where Flynn's room is?"
Smart girl. Yuri just smiled. "I come here all the time. You just don't know it." They made their way through the long corridors till they arrived at Flynn's room. Yuri could tell that it was empty before he opened the door. "Looks like Flynn's off galivanting around somewhere."
The girl looked sad and dejected. "Then, that means I'm too late."
"So, what kind of wickedness did you do anyway?" Yuri said looking around the room. Usually, Flynn left a note.
The girl looked surprised. "Me? I haven't done anything wrong."
He looked at the bed. Weird no notes and the window was locked. "And yet, a bunch of knights were
chasing you around the castle... Yeah, that makes sense." Plus, the fact she had every instinct in him screaming to kill this girl. Or to do something to her.
She straightened herself out. "Um… you see, Yuri. I can't be specific, but Flynn is in terrible danger! I have to go warn him."
Yuri sat on the bed. "So, go if you want to go. What's wrong with that?"
She sighed. "I wish I knew."
Yuri tried to think of where Flynn could be. He knew Flynn mentioned he'd be off gone for awhile. That hadn't meant anything to him. Yuri sometimes hanged out in Flynn's room while he was out. Flynn's bed was nicer than his back at the inn. But, the windows were locked and there wasn't a note telling him when Flynn would be back. "Listen, I've got something I've gotta take care of right away, too. As soon as things quiet down outside I want to get back to the Lower Quarter." He needed to make sure everyone was okay.
She ran up and looked at him with large pleading eyes. "In that case, would you take me with you? Please?" She was clutching her hands nervously. This whole thing probably had the girl on edge. "Other than Flynn, there's no one I can depend on. Will you at least help me get out of the castle? Please, I'm begging you."
Yuri sighed. If she was close to Flynn and if he was in danger, there was no harm in helping her. "Okay I can see you're serious, but why don't you tell me your name first."
Crash
The sound of splintering wood and the door collapsing was heard turned to see a man stride in with a wide manic grin. At his sides two daggers sharp and ready to slice flesh. Yuri didn't pay him any mind. The guy was loud enough that he'd thought he'd been a passing knight. Now that he looked closer he could tell this was an assassin.
"Prepare to fall victim to my blade!" the man grinned as he swung one his blades cutting up a vase of Flynn's dresser. Show off.
Yuri stood up and curled his hand on the hilt of his blade. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?"
His eyes widened in amusement. "I am Zagi. The man who will end your life. Now die, Flynn Scifo!" The man leapt at Yuri with astounding speed. Yuri pulled up his sword to block the blade. Great, what did Flynn do to get this guy on his back?
Yuri pushed back Zagi and released an arte to push him back. "You've got the wrong guy!" Zagi launched at him again swiping for his chest. "You really should listen better!" Yuri blocked the attack and pushed the maniac away again.
"My name is Zagi." That's already been established. "Remember it well, Flynn!" Zagi struck for Yuri's head, but he batted off one blades as the other nicked at his arm.
Yuri sighed. This was not his day. "Listen. I'M NOT FLYNN." He grazed at Zagi's chest, but that only riled the man up more.
Zagi ran a hand over the cut and smiled happily. "I'm gonna kill you and carve your name into my blood."
Yuri's face twisted in repulsion. He had horns growing out of his head and even he wasn't that fucked up. "Yeah, that's pretty disgusting." And, how does that even work? Yuri sliced at Zagi's cheek and the man's eyes just got wider. He charged at Yuri once again arching his blades in large swings. Yuri ducked out, but was slammed into the dresser. Shit.
"Yuri!" The girl stepped in swinging her sword at Zagi's back. The man swung at her furiously, now furious. Shit! Yuri stood up and Flanked Zagi's side. "This is just a misunderstanding! Maybe we can talk this out." Yeah, not likely.
"Die Flynn!" Zagi aimed for his vitals again.
Yuri huffed in annoyance as he blocked the attack. "I'm not… forget it you're not even listening." Yuri kicked Zagi knocking him into the hallway. "Do I look like Flynn to you?"
The girl looked slightly amused. "Not in the least."
Zagi got up once more ready to come again when another figure dressed in a hood and red goggles told him to book it. Yuri watched Zagi's grin turn to a scowl as he brought his foot down on the other's head. Zagi kicked the man's stomach repeatedly. "Don't. Interrupt. My. Fun!" The man kept yelling about approaching knights and eventually Zagi calmed. The man stood shakily only to fall as Zagi gouged open his neck effortlessly. Yuri readied his sword for another attack, but Zagi walked off with a grin.
Yuri strode to the door and set his right hand on his hip. "We should be getting a move on, too. ...We'll just go pay a visit to the goddess and be on our way."
"Yuri, um…" The girl started chasing after him.
"Yeah, I know. We'll stick together until we're out of the castle." Yuri huffed.
"Oh right." She deflated. "But I was going to say, my name is Estellise."
Pretty name. A mouthful, but pretty. "Well then, Estellise, let's get moving."
Estellise stopped and pointed at the busted door. "Wait, we can't just leave the door like that..."
Yuri rolled his eyes. "I really don't think this is the time to worry about something like that." An assassin just attacked and she was worried about the damn door? Did she not see the flaw in that logic?
"But…!" Estellise pouted and Yuri sighed and this his best to set the door into the frame. It wasn't functioning, but that was all Yuri could do.
As they ran down the hall he noted how Estellise tripped over her hemline slightly every once in awhile. "We should do something about your clothes. You'll stick out like a sore thumb." And, she'd never make it far in that outfit.
"My room is just up ahead. I have a change of clothes there." Once they'd crossed the wings Estellise ran to a white door. "This is my room. I'll go get changed, just give me a minute." Yuri told her to be quick and waited at the door. The door thrust open and sword was pointed at his feet. "Just in case."
"It's not like I was going to peak."
"Flynn did tell me to be careful if I ever met you." The door shut again and Yuri sighed. Thanks Flynn. When she stepped out again Yuri felt this outfit was problematic for another reason. It didn't seem like the kind of outfit a traveler would wear. "What...? Do...do I look strange?"
Yuri turned away. "...It's nothing, I was just thinking this doesn't suit you either."
"Really?" she asked. Estellise nodded and held out an outstretched hand.
"What's this?" While Yuri knew, this was a handshake he never expected a noblewoman to want to actually touch his hands.
"A handshake. It means, 'nice to meet you.'" Estellise laughed and Yuri took her hand firmly despite the red aer and the smell.
They eventually made their way through the halls to the statue of the goddess. Yuri had a suspicion who Estellise might be. So, that's Flynn's type? He couldn't believe she forced him to fix Flynn's door. Or at least as much as he could. The whole castle was in chaos right now, fixing a door was not on his priority. And, him peek on her? Okay, Yuri wasn't the most pristine guy, but he had literally no reason to want to peek on Estellise. Ugh, that name was a mouthful.
He needed to get away from her before his nose fell off. At least the desire to kill her was fading, but right now his senses felt clogged.
Yuri looked at the statue of the goddess and thought over Olive's lectures. The nun had believed the church worshiping the goddess needed nothing opulent. If a god wants to be worshipped, then they should be happy with prayers alone. The only reason the stained glass was in the church was because Olive thought it was beautiful. She'd always had a weakness for fine art and there was no doubt she would have loved this statue.
It felt a little silly in cliché to reveal a secret passageway underneath, but Yuri wasn't one to be picky right now. He was ready to disembark when Estellise grabbed his arm. He stiffened inside. "What is it? Did you change your mind?" he asked and tried to pull away.
She shook her head. "No. Your hand it's injured let me take a look at it." He watched the aer around her stir and the light gather. Yuri's stomach lurched and he blacked out for a few seconds only to see that he had tightly gripped his claws into her arm. What just happened?
Estellise screamed and pulled away. There were tears in the gloves and Yuri had to focus on staying upright.
"Hey, I'm sorry… I'd never seen a blastia like that. I-I wasn't thinking." He did his best to smooth things over and help assure that everything was fine.
"That's really all it was?" Estellise asked clutching her arm and looking him skeptically.
"That's really all it was." Yuri nodded slowly and headed for the ladder. "My hand feels better thanks."
She stopped him again. "You've gone pale." She placed a soft hand on his head. "You're a little warm too. You aren't sick, are you? I know a recovery spell that might help."
He smiled and tried to pretend his hands weren't starting to feel clammy. His head was also pounding like it had back in Shizontania. Keep it together. "No offense, but I don't like healing artes." He ignored Estellise and went down into what was apparently an underground sewer system.
She followed him below quickly. "Why not?"
"I guess, you could say I'm allergic." Yuri coughed and kept focus. The world was spinning right now and he wasn't sure what to do.
"Allergic?" That's highly unlikely." He kept onward as she followed behind. "In order to have a negative reaction it would mean your body doesn't handle well with reconstruction of aer. It would also mean your body would be prone to illness generally or at the very least slowed recovery."
Yuri looked back Estellise who was smiling innocently. "I take it you know a lot about this stuff." She nodded. "Great, then let's say everything you said is true."
Once outside in the morning sun Yuri finally felt like himself again. He noted the way Estellise marveled at being outside and the pieces finally lined up. So, a caged princess? Cliché as old as time. Meanwhile Flynn was out on a pilgrimage pilling up good deeds for the empire. Yuri walked with her down to the Lower Quarter and made sure to take backstreets and areas less patrolled. Unfortunately, they ran into the Shwann brigade and had to make a quick escape. Shit, Yuri was in way too deep this time. Maybe he should have just stayed the ten days
Hanks quickly made his way to them. "Yuri! Where've you been?!"
"I got an invitation to the castle and had the most marvelous time." Yuri smirked and the old man was not amused.
"Of all the..." He stopped and glanced at Estellise who surely sticked out like a sore thumb. "And who's the young lady?"
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Estellise." She bowed her head formally.
"The pleasure is all mine, Miss." Hanks said stiffly, not used to such a formal greeting. "Er, more importantly, about those Imperial Knights. They've been so busy looking for you, they haven't paid any attention to our fiasco down here. So, you've really managed to tick them off, huh?"
"It looks that way. Has Repede come back yet?" Yuri kept an eye for approaching knights.
Hanks nodded. "Sure did, and he was carrying some bag." Yuri got Hanks up to speed on what had happened with Mordio and the old man was furious. "What? You aren't thinking of following Mordio beyond the barrier, are ya?"
"Don't worry. I'll be back before you know it."
Hanks smiled. "Humph. Who's worried? It's a good opportunity for ya. No need for ya to hurry back here."
Yuri raised a brow. "Huh? What do you mean by that?"
Hanks crossed his arms in a sagely manner. "What I mean is, we can get along just fine without you. We don't need you here constantly going out of your way to deal with our problems. Even Flynn used to say, 'I wonder how long Yuri plans on living this life.'" He grinned.
Yuri huffed in annoyance. Leave it to Flynn lecture him from afar. "Flynn needs to learn to mind his own business." The Tweedles and captain arrived a moment later and the people in the Lower Quarter swarmed at them.
Yuri couldn't believe it. Why would anybody go out of their way to help the 'Abomination of the Lower Quarter'? Yuri had always been able to name a handful of people who genuinely liked him and had a laundry list of the opposite.
The crowd was pushing them down towards the exit and a hand occasionally pulled him to the side. "Don't you make her cry!" A woman said.
"What are you talking about? Hey, quit pushing!" Yuri felt a small kick. "Hey, who just hit me? I'm gonna remember that!"
One of his neighbors handed him a piece of paper. "This might come in handy if you're going to Halure."
"Huh? A map?" He gave a closer look at the paper. "Wait a sec, this only has the roads written on it."
"What did you expect? It's better than nothing considering people don't normally leave the city." The guy sassed. "You'll have to fill in the empty spaces on your own." The young man pointed towards one of the few stops listed. "First off, you should head for Deidon Hold to the north."
A bony hand gripped his arm. "Remember to give your prayers. Olivia would be disappointed if you forget."
The crowd thinned until they were just about at the exit. Estellise laughed. "Wow, Yuri. They're all going to miss you so much."
"Honestly, they're probably thrilled to finally get rid of me." Yuri chuckled half-heartedly. Who would miss a halfer like him? Repede tripped the knights who it through the blockade. They made it out and Yuri held his hand. "I'm not sure how long we'll be together, but here's to the road ahead, Estelle." That felt way more natural.
The girl took the hand. "Yes, I...?" Estelle stopped confused. "Huh? ...Es...telle...? Estelle... Estelle." A small smile crept on her face. What noble's never have nicknames? Yuri picked up the bag in Repede's mouth and looked inside. Well prepared as always.
Whether he liked it or not it looks like he was in this for the long haul.
Felinis: So, as far as plot goes I plan to keep it close to the game, but there will be some changes. Some of these will be subtle others will be more obvious. I'm interested to see how this goes, because I admittedly only have the end and the idea set up.