Heraldic Mage
Disclaimer: I will never own it. **sigh**
Author's Notes: OK, follow me on this: Mr. Eight-Person-Rule is locked in Mr. Safe and has been thrown out of Mr. Window and is sinking to the bottom of Mr. Ocean. Got all that? ^_^
"WELCOME LADIES AND GENTLEMEN TO THE 173rd ANNUAL LACOUR TOURNAMENT OF ARMS!!!" The announcer is extra annoying this time. Ashton and I are in the spectator section of the arena. Claude has to wait in the training room until his match starts. which shouldn't be long since he drew first. Rena ran off after Dias. While I don't approve of what Claude did. I can't help but wonder what is going on. Ashton seems a bit upset he couldn't enter. I have been trying to make him forget about it, but he doesn't want to let go. He finally gives up. We wait while the announcers run through every announcement they can possibly think of. Then finally, they get to what we are waiting for.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LET THE TOURNAMENT BEGIN!!" The crowd goes nuts. I am shaking. I hope Claude is up to this. "UP FIRST, A VETERAN OF MANY TOURNAMENTS ALL OVER EXPEL, DOL ANON!" (A/N: I am making up the names. They may or may not be correct.) This guy is huge. I hope Claude comes out alive. "HIS OPPONENT, A NEWBIE TO THE TOURNAMENT, PLEASE WELCOME, CLAUDE KENNI!" There is Claude. He seems. really calm. I can't understand how he can. I turn to Ashton, and he is smiling.
"That's it Claude." I tap him on the shoulder. "Yeah?"
"How can he be so calm?!" I ask. He smiles at me.
"You've heard of the 'calm before the storm', right?" I nod. "Well, that is pretty much what that is. If you want to enter these tournaments, you have to keep yourself from thinking too much."
"Oh." I turn back to the match, and so does Ashton. Both combatants are ready to go.
"LET THE MATCH BEGIN!" Both fighters jump at it. Claude gets the first hit in. And another, and another. He is not letting up. After about 5 minutes, his opponent goes down. The referee calls the match.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WINNER OF ROUND ONE MATCH ONE, CLAUDE KENNI!!!" Major applause greets this. I sigh and sink back into my seat. Ashton is cheering with everyone else.
"That's how to do it Claude!" Ashton shouts. Claude glances in our direction as he exits the arena. Ashton turns to me. "You OK?" he asks.
"I am going to have a panic attack." I say. He shakes his head.
"Don't worry so much. He'll be fine." I look at him, then decide to drop it. We look out onto the arena as the next match begins. After a few minutes, I feel a tap on my shoulder.
"Ashton, knock it off." I say.
"I'm over here." He says. I look, and he can't ever reach me. I turn around.
"Claude!" I cry. He smiles.
"I did it!" Claude says.
"I'll say." Ashton comments. "You looked like the veteran there." Claude smiles a bit. He looks around a bit, then his smile fades.
"Was Rena here?" he asks. We both shake our heads.
"If she was," I say, "I didn't notice her. Sorry." Claude looks down.
"Where could she."
"CLAUDE!" All three of us turn, and see Rena coming down towards us. She comes down and sits next to Claude. "A guard told me when I got here. Congrats!"
"Rena." Claude starts, but Rena cuts him off.
"Really, if I had known it was the first match, I would have waited." Claude seems confused.
"Rena. you're mad at me, aren't you?" he asks. Rena turns to the match.
"OH!" We all turn.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" I really want to hurt that announcer. "THIS IS ROUND ONE MATCH EIGHT! ELENT VS DIAS FLAC. WE WEREN'T TOO SURE IF DIAS WAS GOING TO MAKE IT, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, HE IS HERE AND READY TO GO! LET THE MATCH BEGIN!!!" Both fighters start, but Dias only needs two hits to finish his opponent. That is a bit scary. I look at Claude. He is a bit pale. I hope he is all right.
"Excuse me. are you entrant Claude Kenni?" We all turn around and a soldier is standing at the top of the steps. Claude steps up.
"Yes." He says. The guard waves him over.
"The next round is starting, so please go back to the waiting room." Claude leaves.
**Claude wins 2nd and 3rd rounds. Final round starts**
My heart is racing. Claude has to face Dias now. Rena is shaking. Ashton is loving this. I am not really sure if I want to know what is going on in his mind. As both combatants enter the arena, I am almost afraid to look.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!" The announcer scared the hell out of me that time. "OUR FINAL MATCH. CLAUDE KENNI VS DIAS FLAC!! WHO WILL BE CROWNED WINNER!? LET THE MATCH BEGIN!" The "match" is over just as it starts. Claude is no match for Dias. Within thirty seconds, it is over. Claude is carried out of the arena.
"Claude." Rena says. Then she runs off. I look at Ashton. He shrugs. We both follow her. When we catch up, she is casting healing spells on Claude like crazy. Claude finally wakes up.
"Ugh. where am I?" he asks.
"It's over." Ashton says. Claude looks at him strangely.
"Over?" He repeats. "I was in the finals."
"You missed by this much." Rena says holding her forefinger and thumb a small space apart. Personally, I think he came nowhere close, but I won't be the one to say it. Ashton throws me a look which tells me that he is thinking the same thing. I look over his shoulders, past Gyoro, and see Dias coming in.
"Dias?!" Claude exclaims. Dias doesn't even flinch.
"I don't remember saying you could call my by my familiar, but no matter." He says.
"What are you doing here?" Claude isn't the only one confused.
"Thought I would express my appreciation." Dias says. Huh?
"What?" Claude asks. Dias turns away.
"Don't let it go to your head. It isn't as if I think highly of you." He turns to Rena. "Don't spoil him." He tells her.
"Huh?" Rena says. Dias turns to the door.
"I'm leaving."
"Dias!" Claude cries. Dias just sighs.
"What." Claude seems to think a moment.
"Will we meet again?" Dias thinks it over a few moments, then nods.
"When the time comes, we probably will." Then he leaves. I just shake my head. Something about him just gives me the chills. Cold shoulder doesn't even come close.
"Let's get ready to go." Claude says. Ashton turns to him.
"You all right?" he asks. Claude nods.
"Yeah. I actually feel kinda light." Rena looks down a bit.
"That is because Rena has been casting her spells like crazy." I tell him. He turns to Rena.
"Is that right?" he asks. Rena gives him a sheepish nod. "Well, then I will have to try that much harder when we begin our investigation again." You gotta admire his spirit sometimes.
"Well, before we go, let's go get the prize for being the runner up." Claude looks at us.
"I get a prize for being runner up?!" he asks. We all facefault.
"Claude." We all say. He looks at all of us, then sweatdrops.
"Oh. right." We head back to the weapons shop.
**two hours later**
We were able to make good use of the armor. We are standing at the entrance to the city figuring out where to go next.
"PLEASE.." Rena wants to go back to Hilton. I just sigh. Ashton doesn't want to get into this. Claude looks like he is trying not to scream. Finally, we all cave in. We head back to Hilton.
**Port of Hilton**
"Happy now Rena?" I ask. She doesn't pay any attention to me but runs into one of the shops. I just shake my head and follow her. The boys head off to the weapons shop. I walk in behind Rena, and am very glad I followed. This place has everything we could ever want. I pick up a few things and go up to pay for them. Rena comes up behind me with 20 Resurrection Bottles. I sign for her to just put them up. When the total comes in, we split it up. We leave with our stuff. The boys are waiting for us outside.
"Hey, there you are!" Claude calls. We go up to them and they put our merchandise with the rest of the supplies. Ashton pulls out a set of razor-sharp knuckles.
"Here Rena, these are for you." Rena takes them. She removes the knuckles she is wearing and puts the new ones on. Ashton is still talking. "They call that a Cestus. You should be able to use it if you need to." Rena smiles.
"Thanks." She says. Claude comes over to me and shows me a Crest Rod. He hands it to me.
"This is for you. I'm not really sure what it does, but the shop owner says it should be perfect for you." I take it, and study it a moment. Not to heavy, but very powerful.
"Thank you, Claude." I say. Ashton is staring at the bar. I just shake my head. "Big baby." I say to him. He looks at me.
"Like I care. I want a drink. You coming?" He asks all of us.
"What the hey." Claude says. I turn to Rena.
"We get to be on drunk patrol." I say. Rena starts laughing. The boys turn to us.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Ashton says.
"That means we make sure you don't get plastered." Rena says. They shake their heads, then we all head in. The moment we walk in, we see a strange sight. Most of the patrons there are away from the bar. The one male who is sitting at the bar is nailed. There is also a tall female there. She seems fine.
"I win." The female says. The guy is plastered. "So answer the question."
"Wha." he says. The female isn't letting up.
"You said if I beat you in a drinking contest, you would answer my question." The guy doesn't even look at her. I feel like I'm going to be sick just looking at him.
"Whash wash the questions?" he slurs.
"Have you seen a man called Ernest. He has three eyes like me." The guy shakes his head.
"Never.hic. seen anyone like that." He falls asleep. Well, that is better than the alternative. The female looks down.
"Another dead end." She turns to the door, which we are still in front of. She comes up to us.
"Have any of you seen a man with three eyes?" she asks. I shake my head, but Claude steps up.
"Yes I have." He says. The female looks down. I look more closely at her. she does have three eyes. I wonder how that happened?
"Oh, I didn't think." she starts, then lights up. "YOU HAVE?!"
"I'm certain I have." He says. I can't help but wonder what he was doing before I met up with him.
The female jumps on it. "WHERE?! WHEN!?" She almost shouts. Claude keeps cool.
"In a town around Cross Castle just a short time ago."
"Cross!" She repeats, then starts to run off. But before she leaves, she turns to us. "I'm terribly sorry, I forgotten my manners. My name is Opera Vectra." She gives us a small bow. "I hope we meet again." Then she leaves. We turn to each other.
"Do we go after her?" Ashton asks. Claude nods.
"Somehow, I think we should." We head back to the pier, but the ship has already left. Claude talks to the harbormaster, then comes back.
"Well?" Rena asks.
"The next boat leaves in 4 hours." He says. Well, it looks like we are going back to Cross.
To be continued.
Disclaimer: I will never own it. **sigh**
Author's Notes: OK, follow me on this: Mr. Eight-Person-Rule is locked in Mr. Safe and has been thrown out of Mr. Window and is sinking to the bottom of Mr. Ocean. Got all that? ^_^
"WELCOME LADIES AND GENTLEMEN TO THE 173rd ANNUAL LACOUR TOURNAMENT OF ARMS!!!" The announcer is extra annoying this time. Ashton and I are in the spectator section of the arena. Claude has to wait in the training room until his match starts. which shouldn't be long since he drew first. Rena ran off after Dias. While I don't approve of what Claude did. I can't help but wonder what is going on. Ashton seems a bit upset he couldn't enter. I have been trying to make him forget about it, but he doesn't want to let go. He finally gives up. We wait while the announcers run through every announcement they can possibly think of. Then finally, they get to what we are waiting for.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LET THE TOURNAMENT BEGIN!!" The crowd goes nuts. I am shaking. I hope Claude is up to this. "UP FIRST, A VETERAN OF MANY TOURNAMENTS ALL OVER EXPEL, DOL ANON!" (A/N: I am making up the names. They may or may not be correct.) This guy is huge. I hope Claude comes out alive. "HIS OPPONENT, A NEWBIE TO THE TOURNAMENT, PLEASE WELCOME, CLAUDE KENNI!" There is Claude. He seems. really calm. I can't understand how he can. I turn to Ashton, and he is smiling.
"That's it Claude." I tap him on the shoulder. "Yeah?"
"How can he be so calm?!" I ask. He smiles at me.
"You've heard of the 'calm before the storm', right?" I nod. "Well, that is pretty much what that is. If you want to enter these tournaments, you have to keep yourself from thinking too much."
"Oh." I turn back to the match, and so does Ashton. Both combatants are ready to go.
"LET THE MATCH BEGIN!" Both fighters jump at it. Claude gets the first hit in. And another, and another. He is not letting up. After about 5 minutes, his opponent goes down. The referee calls the match.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WINNER OF ROUND ONE MATCH ONE, CLAUDE KENNI!!!" Major applause greets this. I sigh and sink back into my seat. Ashton is cheering with everyone else.
"That's how to do it Claude!" Ashton shouts. Claude glances in our direction as he exits the arena. Ashton turns to me. "You OK?" he asks.
"I am going to have a panic attack." I say. He shakes his head.
"Don't worry so much. He'll be fine." I look at him, then decide to drop it. We look out onto the arena as the next match begins. After a few minutes, I feel a tap on my shoulder.
"Ashton, knock it off." I say.
"I'm over here." He says. I look, and he can't ever reach me. I turn around.
"Claude!" I cry. He smiles.
"I did it!" Claude says.
"I'll say." Ashton comments. "You looked like the veteran there." Claude smiles a bit. He looks around a bit, then his smile fades.
"Was Rena here?" he asks. We both shake our heads.
"If she was," I say, "I didn't notice her. Sorry." Claude looks down.
"Where could she."
"CLAUDE!" All three of us turn, and see Rena coming down towards us. She comes down and sits next to Claude. "A guard told me when I got here. Congrats!"
"Rena." Claude starts, but Rena cuts him off.
"Really, if I had known it was the first match, I would have waited." Claude seems confused.
"Rena. you're mad at me, aren't you?" he asks. Rena turns to the match.
"OH!" We all turn.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" I really want to hurt that announcer. "THIS IS ROUND ONE MATCH EIGHT! ELENT VS DIAS FLAC. WE WEREN'T TOO SURE IF DIAS WAS GOING TO MAKE IT, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, HE IS HERE AND READY TO GO! LET THE MATCH BEGIN!!!" Both fighters start, but Dias only needs two hits to finish his opponent. That is a bit scary. I look at Claude. He is a bit pale. I hope he is all right.
"Excuse me. are you entrant Claude Kenni?" We all turn around and a soldier is standing at the top of the steps. Claude steps up.
"Yes." He says. The guard waves him over.
"The next round is starting, so please go back to the waiting room." Claude leaves.
**Claude wins 2nd and 3rd rounds. Final round starts**
My heart is racing. Claude has to face Dias now. Rena is shaking. Ashton is loving this. I am not really sure if I want to know what is going on in his mind. As both combatants enter the arena, I am almost afraid to look.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!" The announcer scared the hell out of me that time. "OUR FINAL MATCH. CLAUDE KENNI VS DIAS FLAC!! WHO WILL BE CROWNED WINNER!? LET THE MATCH BEGIN!" The "match" is over just as it starts. Claude is no match for Dias. Within thirty seconds, it is over. Claude is carried out of the arena.
"Claude." Rena says. Then she runs off. I look at Ashton. He shrugs. We both follow her. When we catch up, she is casting healing spells on Claude like crazy. Claude finally wakes up.
"Ugh. where am I?" he asks.
"It's over." Ashton says. Claude looks at him strangely.
"Over?" He repeats. "I was in the finals."
"You missed by this much." Rena says holding her forefinger and thumb a small space apart. Personally, I think he came nowhere close, but I won't be the one to say it. Ashton throws me a look which tells me that he is thinking the same thing. I look over his shoulders, past Gyoro, and see Dias coming in.
"Dias?!" Claude exclaims. Dias doesn't even flinch.
"I don't remember saying you could call my by my familiar, but no matter." He says.
"What are you doing here?" Claude isn't the only one confused.
"Thought I would express my appreciation." Dias says. Huh?
"What?" Claude asks. Dias turns away.
"Don't let it go to your head. It isn't as if I think highly of you." He turns to Rena. "Don't spoil him." He tells her.
"Huh?" Rena says. Dias turns to the door.
"I'm leaving."
"Dias!" Claude cries. Dias just sighs.
"What." Claude seems to think a moment.
"Will we meet again?" Dias thinks it over a few moments, then nods.
"When the time comes, we probably will." Then he leaves. I just shake my head. Something about him just gives me the chills. Cold shoulder doesn't even come close.
"Let's get ready to go." Claude says. Ashton turns to him.
"You all right?" he asks. Claude nods.
"Yeah. I actually feel kinda light." Rena looks down a bit.
"That is because Rena has been casting her spells like crazy." I tell him. He turns to Rena.
"Is that right?" he asks. Rena gives him a sheepish nod. "Well, then I will have to try that much harder when we begin our investigation again." You gotta admire his spirit sometimes.
"Well, before we go, let's go get the prize for being the runner up." Claude looks at us.
"I get a prize for being runner up?!" he asks. We all facefault.
"Claude." We all say. He looks at all of us, then sweatdrops.
"Oh. right." We head back to the weapons shop.
**two hours later**
We were able to make good use of the armor. We are standing at the entrance to the city figuring out where to go next.
"PLEASE.." Rena wants to go back to Hilton. I just sigh. Ashton doesn't want to get into this. Claude looks like he is trying not to scream. Finally, we all cave in. We head back to Hilton.
**Port of Hilton**
"Happy now Rena?" I ask. She doesn't pay any attention to me but runs into one of the shops. I just shake my head and follow her. The boys head off to the weapons shop. I walk in behind Rena, and am very glad I followed. This place has everything we could ever want. I pick up a few things and go up to pay for them. Rena comes up behind me with 20 Resurrection Bottles. I sign for her to just put them up. When the total comes in, we split it up. We leave with our stuff. The boys are waiting for us outside.
"Hey, there you are!" Claude calls. We go up to them and they put our merchandise with the rest of the supplies. Ashton pulls out a set of razor-sharp knuckles.
"Here Rena, these are for you." Rena takes them. She removes the knuckles she is wearing and puts the new ones on. Ashton is still talking. "They call that a Cestus. You should be able to use it if you need to." Rena smiles.
"Thanks." She says. Claude comes over to me and shows me a Crest Rod. He hands it to me.
"This is for you. I'm not really sure what it does, but the shop owner says it should be perfect for you." I take it, and study it a moment. Not to heavy, but very powerful.
"Thank you, Claude." I say. Ashton is staring at the bar. I just shake my head. "Big baby." I say to him. He looks at me.
"Like I care. I want a drink. You coming?" He asks all of us.
"What the hey." Claude says. I turn to Rena.
"We get to be on drunk patrol." I say. Rena starts laughing. The boys turn to us.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Ashton says.
"That means we make sure you don't get plastered." Rena says. They shake their heads, then we all head in. The moment we walk in, we see a strange sight. Most of the patrons there are away from the bar. The one male who is sitting at the bar is nailed. There is also a tall female there. She seems fine.
"I win." The female says. The guy is plastered. "So answer the question."
"Wha." he says. The female isn't letting up.
"You said if I beat you in a drinking contest, you would answer my question." The guy doesn't even look at her. I feel like I'm going to be sick just looking at him.
"Whash wash the questions?" he slurs.
"Have you seen a man called Ernest. He has three eyes like me." The guy shakes his head.
"Never.hic. seen anyone like that." He falls asleep. Well, that is better than the alternative. The female looks down.
"Another dead end." She turns to the door, which we are still in front of. She comes up to us.
"Have any of you seen a man with three eyes?" she asks. I shake my head, but Claude steps up.
"Yes I have." He says. The female looks down. I look more closely at her. she does have three eyes. I wonder how that happened?
"Oh, I didn't think." she starts, then lights up. "YOU HAVE?!"
"I'm certain I have." He says. I can't help but wonder what he was doing before I met up with him.
The female jumps on it. "WHERE?! WHEN!?" She almost shouts. Claude keeps cool.
"In a town around Cross Castle just a short time ago."
"Cross!" She repeats, then starts to run off. But before she leaves, she turns to us. "I'm terribly sorry, I forgotten my manners. My name is Opera Vectra." She gives us a small bow. "I hope we meet again." Then she leaves. We turn to each other.
"Do we go after her?" Ashton asks. Claude nods.
"Somehow, I think we should." We head back to the pier, but the ship has already left. Claude talks to the harbormaster, then comes back.
"Well?" Rena asks.
"The next boat leaves in 4 hours." He says. Well, it looks like we are going back to Cross.
To be continued.