1 Heraldic Mage
Authors notes: I don't do romance. So if it becomes whoever/whoever, it is purely accidental.
Disclaimer: I use this in one of my other stories, but oh well. If you think I own Star Ocean, please take a long walk off a short pier. (even if you actually do think I own it, which I don't, please don't actually do that… it is just a figure of speech.)
It is early the next morning when I wake up. Claude is still asleep in his room. If he doesn't' wake up soon, I will have to "convince" him. The well just outside has nice, cold water. That should do it. The elder meets me when I walk down the stairs. I didn't expect to see him up so early.
"Are you ready to go?" he asks. I shake my head.
"Claude is still sleeping." I reply. The Elder looks at me.
"Please, Celine, we must do this quickly."
"Don't worry. I know how to wake him up." I go outside. I take the bucket from the well and fill it as much as possible. When I get back in the door, however, Father stops me.
"I know what you are planning." He says. "It isn't ladylike to enter a man's room when he is in that state."
"Father, we have no time for this." I say. But it is too late. He takes the bucket.
"Under the circumstances, I will do this. But I will not have my daughter go into such an un-ladylike act." He walks up the stairs with the bucket. So much for that seeing the priceless expression. When will he realize I am no ordinary woman?
A few moments later, I hear Claude yelling from upstairs. I haven't heard that many curses in a row since… since… actually, I don't believe I have ever heard that many in a row. This could be an interesting trip. When Claude finally comes down, still a bit wet, we are ready to go. Father is coming down behind him apologizing for the "ungentlemanly thing he had to do". I just groan. Claude checks the supplies and we head outside. As we are walking out the door, Mother and the Heraldy Master walk up to us. Mother looks upset.
"Mother?" I ask, "Is everything all right?" The look on her face says it all, we won't like it.
"Rena and Dias have left already." She says. I keep my expression blank, but inside I am fuming. If they think they will be able to get there first…
"They probably want to get there first than gloat about it." Claude says.
The Elder gives us both a stern look. "This is not a race. Lives are at stake here. If you meet up with them, cooperate." He softens just a bit. "Here, you will both need these." He hands us both a pair of special mud boots. "Be very careful in the Heraldy Forest. Much of its power is untamed." We both nod, then head off into the forest.
**Inside the Heraldy Forest**
"How can anyone find their way in here?" Claude asks. I sigh. We have been here for about a half an hour, and all he does is complain. On top of that, we have all of the bandit's guards to fight off, as well as the natural inhabitants of the forest. I hope we find the children soon, or at least Rena and Dias. I don't really know how much longer we can keep this up. During the fighting, I received another new attack, as well as some defensive spells, but it doesn't seem like enough. Claude was happy when he found a Flame Blade someone left behind. As we walk deeper, I could swear by Tria I heard someone laughing. Claude insists it is my imagination. We walk on, for at least an hour without saying a word to each other. There isn't much to say.
"Ahem." We turn and see the Master of Heraldy coming up behind us. I am shocked, and by the look on his face, so is Claude. We both turn to him.
"What are you doing here? What about the village?" Claude asks. The Master just nods.
"When my business is finished, I will return. For now, I am needed here." He has a smile on his face, one that I really don't trust. Something isn't right here.
"So the children have been found?" I ask. I don't want to say anything yet… not until I am sure.
"Rena and Dias got there first." Claude says. I wonder if he picked up on the same thing I have. "So have the bandits been destroyed?" Claude continues.
"No. They are very much alive." The Master says. I can't control my expression this time. I know that my shock showed, since the Master's smile grew.
"Wha?" I can't bring myself to ask. But I don't need to.
"The one who fell," the Master says, "was your Father."
I have to fight to keep from fainting. "Father…?"
"The Masters may be rich, but they don't give their riches easily. This disguise allowed me to enter. I have no choice but to destroy you now. Right before our eyes, the Master of Heraldy transforms into the Boss of the Bandits. And we are forced to battle.
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Stopping for now. Will update soon.
Authors notes: I don't do romance. So if it becomes whoever/whoever, it is purely accidental.
Disclaimer: I use this in one of my other stories, but oh well. If you think I own Star Ocean, please take a long walk off a short pier. (even if you actually do think I own it, which I don't, please don't actually do that… it is just a figure of speech.)
It is early the next morning when I wake up. Claude is still asleep in his room. If he doesn't' wake up soon, I will have to "convince" him. The well just outside has nice, cold water. That should do it. The elder meets me when I walk down the stairs. I didn't expect to see him up so early.
"Are you ready to go?" he asks. I shake my head.
"Claude is still sleeping." I reply. The Elder looks at me.
"Please, Celine, we must do this quickly."
"Don't worry. I know how to wake him up." I go outside. I take the bucket from the well and fill it as much as possible. When I get back in the door, however, Father stops me.
"I know what you are planning." He says. "It isn't ladylike to enter a man's room when he is in that state."
"Father, we have no time for this." I say. But it is too late. He takes the bucket.
"Under the circumstances, I will do this. But I will not have my daughter go into such an un-ladylike act." He walks up the stairs with the bucket. So much for that seeing the priceless expression. When will he realize I am no ordinary woman?
A few moments later, I hear Claude yelling from upstairs. I haven't heard that many curses in a row since… since… actually, I don't believe I have ever heard that many in a row. This could be an interesting trip. When Claude finally comes down, still a bit wet, we are ready to go. Father is coming down behind him apologizing for the "ungentlemanly thing he had to do". I just groan. Claude checks the supplies and we head outside. As we are walking out the door, Mother and the Heraldy Master walk up to us. Mother looks upset.
"Mother?" I ask, "Is everything all right?" The look on her face says it all, we won't like it.
"Rena and Dias have left already." She says. I keep my expression blank, but inside I am fuming. If they think they will be able to get there first…
"They probably want to get there first than gloat about it." Claude says.
The Elder gives us both a stern look. "This is not a race. Lives are at stake here. If you meet up with them, cooperate." He softens just a bit. "Here, you will both need these." He hands us both a pair of special mud boots. "Be very careful in the Heraldy Forest. Much of its power is untamed." We both nod, then head off into the forest.
**Inside the Heraldy Forest**
"How can anyone find their way in here?" Claude asks. I sigh. We have been here for about a half an hour, and all he does is complain. On top of that, we have all of the bandit's guards to fight off, as well as the natural inhabitants of the forest. I hope we find the children soon, or at least Rena and Dias. I don't really know how much longer we can keep this up. During the fighting, I received another new attack, as well as some defensive spells, but it doesn't seem like enough. Claude was happy when he found a Flame Blade someone left behind. As we walk deeper, I could swear by Tria I heard someone laughing. Claude insists it is my imagination. We walk on, for at least an hour without saying a word to each other. There isn't much to say.
"Ahem." We turn and see the Master of Heraldy coming up behind us. I am shocked, and by the look on his face, so is Claude. We both turn to him.
"What are you doing here? What about the village?" Claude asks. The Master just nods.
"When my business is finished, I will return. For now, I am needed here." He has a smile on his face, one that I really don't trust. Something isn't right here.
"So the children have been found?" I ask. I don't want to say anything yet… not until I am sure.
"Rena and Dias got there first." Claude says. I wonder if he picked up on the same thing I have. "So have the bandits been destroyed?" Claude continues.
"No. They are very much alive." The Master says. I can't control my expression this time. I know that my shock showed, since the Master's smile grew.
"Wha?" I can't bring myself to ask. But I don't need to.
"The one who fell," the Master says, "was your Father."
I have to fight to keep from fainting. "Father…?"
"The Masters may be rich, but they don't give their riches easily. This disguise allowed me to enter. I have no choice but to destroy you now. Right before our eyes, the Master of Heraldy transforms into the Boss of the Bandits. And we are forced to battle.
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Stopping for now. Will update soon.