That took too long. At least this chapter is nice and long, or at least it
felt like that when I wrote it. by hand. Yes, I had to write by hand. I
told you I had a good reason why I couldn't upload stuff! Enjoy!
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"Argh!" Cody yelled. His sword arm was badly cut, and the sharp blades of the grass brushing against the wound made it sting. Needless to say, it hurt like hell. Gathering up rage inside him, he glared at his opponent. The dark haired bandit seemed to be enjoying this greatly.
"So. what would a fellow Biderian, a very young one for that matter, be doing in Gromavia?" the bandit asked, smiling. Cody spat at the bandit's general direction. He would of just got up from the ground and drive his scimitar through his skull, but his arm hurt way too much. He could barely lift the sword with the injury he bore.
"Heh, a stubborn little brat are we?" the bandit mocked. "You may as well be co-operative. I don't know how you've survived your stay in Gromavia, but I can end it all now." He threatened, pointing the scimitar at him. "Wouldn't that be a shame?"
Cody tried to get up and gut him with his sword, but was too weak and tired to even move. He had no rest since the incident with TK, and he was carrying a lot of cargo in his pack. He stayed in the headquarters for many hours, looking desperately to find Mimi's body. He knew that Sir Jyou would have put Yolei and Izzy in jail after they brought TK's dead body back to town. After he left the bandit camp, he lost his way, and caught in a pre- emptive attack by the 'grinning bandit'. The only things Cody could think about at the moment, was if his friends were okay, and how much he wanted to cut off that grin.
"I don't remember my kind being so violent." the bandit said, unknowingly hitting a soft spot within Cody.
". Exile" Cody hissed. Regaining his wits, he continued. "And don't speak to me about violence. You kill Biderians and Gromavians alike for gold."
"I do what I must to survive. But Bideria is a corrupted rat-hole. I just narrowly escaped my own execution"
Cody's interest was slightly caught. He had to ask. "What did you do?"
The bandit looked at Cody curiously and then laughed. "Me? I got in general Daisuke's way. I challenged his authority, and I'll tell you one thing, he didn't enjoy it"
Just then, a horrible howl spread out through the woods and the bandit looked petrified. "What was that!?" Cody asked. The bandit ran up to Cody's lying frame and raised his scimitar to prepare the final strike.
************************************************************************
A feast of chicken with an abundance of garlic, with it was a loaf of bread, which was a little stale with age. Garlic was a very traditional Gromavian food item, and the Biderians noticed. After their first night at the inn, they thought that it was a garlic storehouse. Cloves of garlic were hanged everywhere.
"I'm sorry, but it's the best I could do" Mimi said.
"Don't apologise dear. The only reason why the Biderians wouldn't like it would be if their senses were dulled." Sir Jyou said glaring at them. Needless to say, the glare made them eat instantly and acted like they enjoyed. In truth, Biderian cooking was very different, and Gromavian cuisine did not appeal to them at all. There was much they disliked about Gromavia, and what they disliked the most was the incredibly cold weather.
"I'm glad you like the food, I understand that the Biderian food is much different." TK said.
"Oh no, don't be silly, I LOVE the food up here" Yolei lied.
"TK, how did you live through that wound? We all though you were dead" Izzy asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
"Uh. I was" TK started to say before being interrupted.
"Thankfully, I was able to resurrect him before his soul passed to the afterlife. But the process left him incredibly weak, and he will not recover fully for a while." Sir Jyou said harshly.
"Where did you learn to fight like that? Not even Cody could get a hit in, and he's one of the best swordsman in Bideria" Yolei asked.
"Sir Jyou taught me. Cody probably couldn't get a hit in because of some obvious physical difference him and the brigand leader."
"I'm starting to worry about him. He should've been back by now." Yolei said.
"If he's one of the best swordsman in Bideria, then I'm sure your friend is okay" Mimi reassured her.
"He's younger than TK and he's about the size of a halfling. He's probably dead." Sir Jyou remarked.
"I wouldn't be too sure of that Joe. His discipline and skill with a sword could probably match your own." TK said.
Izzy though back to their first meeting with Sir Jyou. In comparing the two, he realised that Cody wore a suit of chain mail, and Sir Jyou wore fully plated armour, barely exposing any open skin. Cody used the nice, small, but agile Biderian scimitar, while Sir Jyou wielded a huge bastard sword and a kite shield for the extra bit of protection. The odds seem to be in Sir Jyou's favour when he reminded himself that the armour and weapons Sir Jyou used on guard were much more like his personal 'leisure pack'. If he were to go out adventuring like Cody, he'd probably use even better equipment. The odds were definitely in Sir Jyou's favour.
"Even if there was a remote chance of that being true, I'd have magic at my disposal" Sir Jyou replied.
"Magic!? You're a mage as well?" Izzy asked. This changed his original conclusion. There was no way Cody would ever win a fight against Sir Jyou.
"Sir Jyou is a paladin of the Regent's court. He can use divine magic, that's how he revived me" TK stated.
"I though Gromavia was ruled by a King." Yolei said.
"It is, he assigns a regent for each region in Gromavia" TK said.
Sir Jyou seemed a bit shocked. "TK, how do you know so much about the Gromavian government?"
TK seemed a little baffled, and maybe even a little worried. "I thought it was common knowledge."
"Not really, peasants don't normally have that kind of information. Especially not orphans" Mimi said.
"Well, I did use to live in the capitol. people talked more back there." TK explained.
Jyou eyed TK curiously. "Either way, we should talk about it as little as possible in front of enemy spies"
Yolei's fist slammed down on the table, her rage getting the better of her. Everyone flinched in shock, except for Sir Jyou who just had mixed look of anger and annoyance. "Damn it! Even after all this! Even after rescuing your wife from the undead! Why do you always accuse us of being spies!?"
Izzy, looking rather worried whispered to Yolei "Calm down! Please"
Sir Jyou got up and drew his bastard sword and pointed it towards her. "Watch your tongue wench!"
Mimi's hand came up to Joe's sword arm "Joe, stop it. Put the sword away,"
With hesitation, Sir Jyou sheathed the sword while TK and Izzy both made a silent sigh of relief. "Come to think of it Joe, you did promise them 5000 gold pieces for what they've done" TK remarked. It made Jyou growl slightly. It was the last of their savings. Jyou was a lesser noble and Mimi a peasant girl, or at least she used to be. Mimi was touched to know that she meant so much to Sir Jyou, but knew now was not the time for romantic recollecting.
"It's okay, you don't have to pay us" Izzy said, reminding him to punch himself in the gut later. "It's probably what Cody would've wanted anyway"
"Surprisingly noble of you Biderian."
Yolei was twitching at this point. Not only was she insulted an umpteen number of times, nut Izzy just gave up 5000 gold pieces for both of them. "Hmph!" Yolei barely changed at all since the beginning of this voyage, while Izzy was becoming nobler, wiser, more open-minded, braver and a much better fighter. The aspect of close combat didn't scare him nearly half as much as it used to. This entire trip had made him a better person. However, he feared the same may not be true for Cody.
**************************************************************************** ********
Cody woke up very dizzy and disoriented. It was rather dark, and he was definitely indoors. He saw the flickering of many flames from torches. The dim light revealed that he was in a cavern of sorts, and was glad that he could no longer feel the cold wind. He was in a bed. It wasn't a very comfortable one, but it was better than the cold Gromavian grass or the hot Biderian sands. His head was throbbing, and when he touched his forehead, he felt minor bleeding. The previous wound on the sword arm was bandaged up, though it still hurt to move.
"Enjoy your rest?" the voice of the familiar bandit asked.
"What.?"
"Sorry, but I had to knock you out, to make it easier for me to carry you." The bandit interrupted.
"I don't need you sympathy, Ahhh!" Cody yelled in pain as he tried to leave his bed.
"Idiot child! Lay still and don't move" The bandit whispered a few syllables in a tongue Cody couldn't comprehend. The bandit raised his hand over some of Cody's wounds. A faint aura of blue seemed to have emerged, healing a bit of the wound. "That should relieve some of the pain"
"A-are you a mage?" Cody asked. Even though magic was common in his land of Bideria, he couldn't grasp the concept of it.
"I'm a cleric" the bandit responded.
Cody couldn't help but laugh a little. "A priest who turned to banditry?"
"I care not how you judge me, but maybe you should remind yourself that I haven't killed you. Be grateful of that"
"You haven't killed me. yet" Cody said with distrust. "And I'm still wondering why that is"
The bandit simply grinned a wide, haunting grin. "You'll see"
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I got a bit of the next chapter rounded up so it won't take that long to upload again. Please review!
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"Argh!" Cody yelled. His sword arm was badly cut, and the sharp blades of the grass brushing against the wound made it sting. Needless to say, it hurt like hell. Gathering up rage inside him, he glared at his opponent. The dark haired bandit seemed to be enjoying this greatly.
"So. what would a fellow Biderian, a very young one for that matter, be doing in Gromavia?" the bandit asked, smiling. Cody spat at the bandit's general direction. He would of just got up from the ground and drive his scimitar through his skull, but his arm hurt way too much. He could barely lift the sword with the injury he bore.
"Heh, a stubborn little brat are we?" the bandit mocked. "You may as well be co-operative. I don't know how you've survived your stay in Gromavia, but I can end it all now." He threatened, pointing the scimitar at him. "Wouldn't that be a shame?"
Cody tried to get up and gut him with his sword, but was too weak and tired to even move. He had no rest since the incident with TK, and he was carrying a lot of cargo in his pack. He stayed in the headquarters for many hours, looking desperately to find Mimi's body. He knew that Sir Jyou would have put Yolei and Izzy in jail after they brought TK's dead body back to town. After he left the bandit camp, he lost his way, and caught in a pre- emptive attack by the 'grinning bandit'. The only things Cody could think about at the moment, was if his friends were okay, and how much he wanted to cut off that grin.
"I don't remember my kind being so violent." the bandit said, unknowingly hitting a soft spot within Cody.
". Exile" Cody hissed. Regaining his wits, he continued. "And don't speak to me about violence. You kill Biderians and Gromavians alike for gold."
"I do what I must to survive. But Bideria is a corrupted rat-hole. I just narrowly escaped my own execution"
Cody's interest was slightly caught. He had to ask. "What did you do?"
The bandit looked at Cody curiously and then laughed. "Me? I got in general Daisuke's way. I challenged his authority, and I'll tell you one thing, he didn't enjoy it"
Just then, a horrible howl spread out through the woods and the bandit looked petrified. "What was that!?" Cody asked. The bandit ran up to Cody's lying frame and raised his scimitar to prepare the final strike.
************************************************************************
A feast of chicken with an abundance of garlic, with it was a loaf of bread, which was a little stale with age. Garlic was a very traditional Gromavian food item, and the Biderians noticed. After their first night at the inn, they thought that it was a garlic storehouse. Cloves of garlic were hanged everywhere.
"I'm sorry, but it's the best I could do" Mimi said.
"Don't apologise dear. The only reason why the Biderians wouldn't like it would be if their senses were dulled." Sir Jyou said glaring at them. Needless to say, the glare made them eat instantly and acted like they enjoyed. In truth, Biderian cooking was very different, and Gromavian cuisine did not appeal to them at all. There was much they disliked about Gromavia, and what they disliked the most was the incredibly cold weather.
"I'm glad you like the food, I understand that the Biderian food is much different." TK said.
"Oh no, don't be silly, I LOVE the food up here" Yolei lied.
"TK, how did you live through that wound? We all though you were dead" Izzy asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
"Uh. I was" TK started to say before being interrupted.
"Thankfully, I was able to resurrect him before his soul passed to the afterlife. But the process left him incredibly weak, and he will not recover fully for a while." Sir Jyou said harshly.
"Where did you learn to fight like that? Not even Cody could get a hit in, and he's one of the best swordsman in Bideria" Yolei asked.
"Sir Jyou taught me. Cody probably couldn't get a hit in because of some obvious physical difference him and the brigand leader."
"I'm starting to worry about him. He should've been back by now." Yolei said.
"If he's one of the best swordsman in Bideria, then I'm sure your friend is okay" Mimi reassured her.
"He's younger than TK and he's about the size of a halfling. He's probably dead." Sir Jyou remarked.
"I wouldn't be too sure of that Joe. His discipline and skill with a sword could probably match your own." TK said.
Izzy though back to their first meeting with Sir Jyou. In comparing the two, he realised that Cody wore a suit of chain mail, and Sir Jyou wore fully plated armour, barely exposing any open skin. Cody used the nice, small, but agile Biderian scimitar, while Sir Jyou wielded a huge bastard sword and a kite shield for the extra bit of protection. The odds seem to be in Sir Jyou's favour when he reminded himself that the armour and weapons Sir Jyou used on guard were much more like his personal 'leisure pack'. If he were to go out adventuring like Cody, he'd probably use even better equipment. The odds were definitely in Sir Jyou's favour.
"Even if there was a remote chance of that being true, I'd have magic at my disposal" Sir Jyou replied.
"Magic!? You're a mage as well?" Izzy asked. This changed his original conclusion. There was no way Cody would ever win a fight against Sir Jyou.
"Sir Jyou is a paladin of the Regent's court. He can use divine magic, that's how he revived me" TK stated.
"I though Gromavia was ruled by a King." Yolei said.
"It is, he assigns a regent for each region in Gromavia" TK said.
Sir Jyou seemed a bit shocked. "TK, how do you know so much about the Gromavian government?"
TK seemed a little baffled, and maybe even a little worried. "I thought it was common knowledge."
"Not really, peasants don't normally have that kind of information. Especially not orphans" Mimi said.
"Well, I did use to live in the capitol. people talked more back there." TK explained.
Jyou eyed TK curiously. "Either way, we should talk about it as little as possible in front of enemy spies"
Yolei's fist slammed down on the table, her rage getting the better of her. Everyone flinched in shock, except for Sir Jyou who just had mixed look of anger and annoyance. "Damn it! Even after all this! Even after rescuing your wife from the undead! Why do you always accuse us of being spies!?"
Izzy, looking rather worried whispered to Yolei "Calm down! Please"
Sir Jyou got up and drew his bastard sword and pointed it towards her. "Watch your tongue wench!"
Mimi's hand came up to Joe's sword arm "Joe, stop it. Put the sword away,"
With hesitation, Sir Jyou sheathed the sword while TK and Izzy both made a silent sigh of relief. "Come to think of it Joe, you did promise them 5000 gold pieces for what they've done" TK remarked. It made Jyou growl slightly. It was the last of their savings. Jyou was a lesser noble and Mimi a peasant girl, or at least she used to be. Mimi was touched to know that she meant so much to Sir Jyou, but knew now was not the time for romantic recollecting.
"It's okay, you don't have to pay us" Izzy said, reminding him to punch himself in the gut later. "It's probably what Cody would've wanted anyway"
"Surprisingly noble of you Biderian."
Yolei was twitching at this point. Not only was she insulted an umpteen number of times, nut Izzy just gave up 5000 gold pieces for both of them. "Hmph!" Yolei barely changed at all since the beginning of this voyage, while Izzy was becoming nobler, wiser, more open-minded, braver and a much better fighter. The aspect of close combat didn't scare him nearly half as much as it used to. This entire trip had made him a better person. However, he feared the same may not be true for Cody.
**************************************************************************** ********
Cody woke up very dizzy and disoriented. It was rather dark, and he was definitely indoors. He saw the flickering of many flames from torches. The dim light revealed that he was in a cavern of sorts, and was glad that he could no longer feel the cold wind. He was in a bed. It wasn't a very comfortable one, but it was better than the cold Gromavian grass or the hot Biderian sands. His head was throbbing, and when he touched his forehead, he felt minor bleeding. The previous wound on the sword arm was bandaged up, though it still hurt to move.
"Enjoy your rest?" the voice of the familiar bandit asked.
"What.?"
"Sorry, but I had to knock you out, to make it easier for me to carry you." The bandit interrupted.
"I don't need you sympathy, Ahhh!" Cody yelled in pain as he tried to leave his bed.
"Idiot child! Lay still and don't move" The bandit whispered a few syllables in a tongue Cody couldn't comprehend. The bandit raised his hand over some of Cody's wounds. A faint aura of blue seemed to have emerged, healing a bit of the wound. "That should relieve some of the pain"
"A-are you a mage?" Cody asked. Even though magic was common in his land of Bideria, he couldn't grasp the concept of it.
"I'm a cleric" the bandit responded.
Cody couldn't help but laugh a little. "A priest who turned to banditry?"
"I care not how you judge me, but maybe you should remind yourself that I haven't killed you. Be grateful of that"
"You haven't killed me. yet" Cody said with distrust. "And I'm still wondering why that is"
The bandit simply grinned a wide, haunting grin. "You'll see"
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I got a bit of the next chapter rounded up so it won't take that long to upload again. Please review!