Star Ocean: The Second Story
The Unknown Threat
By CodenniumRed
Disclaimer: Star Ocean and Star Ocean Ex are the property of their respective companies. The fanfiction I write in no way reflects any desire for profit on my behalf.
Chapter 2: Shadow of Evil:
"Thank you so much, mother." Rena said this with a very pleasant tone in her voice - the meal that they had eaten was scrumptious.
"You're quite welcome," Westa replied. It was a good meal.
Rena enjoyed her life back home. The adventure she had went on with her newfound friends proved to be fulfilling, to say the least, but she really like her life back home as well. The Shingo Forest proved to be a haven for her. The storm outside, however, prevented her from traveling there after dinner like she would have wanted to. Besides, the rumors of the caravan attacks kept most people close to the villages - Rena wouldn't wander as far into the forest as she would have liked to, anyway.
"Perhaps I should go to my room?" Rena wondered, after she had cleared her plate from her table.
"Why, certainly." Westa replied.
Rena's departure was interrupted by a banging on the door. Westa and Rena could only wonder in surprise as to who would be outside at such an hour, in such weather....
Rena choose to answer the door. Cautiously, she opened the door, only to find....
"Ashton!" Rena exclaimed, a combination of worry and surprise in her voice.
There he was, dripping wet, kneeling on the ground just outside Rena's house. He was shaking madly - probably due to a combination of coldness and injury, Rena thought.
"Oh my goodness," Westa worried.
Rena escorted Ashton indoors, and seated him. Quickly, Rena fabricated one of her healing spells. "Heal!"
A sort of greenish layer of light enveloped the two as Rena desperately mended Ashton's wounds. Despite the warmth produced by Rena's unique power, it paled in comparison to the emotional warmth Ashton experienced by just being able to gaze into her eyes once again….
********
"My goodness, Ashton," Rena wondered, "What exactly happened, anyway?" She placed her hand on his shoulder, to give a bit more comfort - after what he had been through, he needed it.
"The Marauders... have begun to strike," Ashton started.
"You mean the guys striking all of the caravans!?" Rena wondered, with a hint of worry in her voice.
"Yes...." Ashton replied, "They're becoming more commonplace. I came here to protect you, Rena."
Rena's heart skipped a beat at this, eyes watery with emotional anticipation. "Really?" was all that she could manage to expel from her trembling lips.
Ashton continued. "It is said that being in town provides safety. But if the rumors are true, and they seek out more than just riches… whatever that might be…" Ashton began to trail off. "Oh, Rena…."
Rena then reached out to hug Ashton. All's they could do was embrace....
********
Nothing could be heard. Nothing but dark, pulsating breathing. All that Ashton could see was blackness. The foul stench of death flared his nostrils. What was this place, Ashton wondered? This nothingness? ... Where could he be?
Sweat... stench... death.... What was this feeling? Ashton felt as if his energy has been sapped....
Suddenly, the darkness began to lift. A reddish, eerie glow began to pulsate from behind heavy wooden beams. The walls enclosing Ashton were made of pure stone - stone which seemed to pulsate with evil unlife....
Suddenly, From a huge, wooden doorway which previously had not been, came a creature unlike anything Ashton has ever seen. An armor - or perhaps scale - clad monstrosity it was, with barbed spikes protruding from it's heavily armored backside. From within it's red, glowing eyes, intentions of destruction seemed to be revealed. It, for the most part, though, was shrouded in darkness - it's intentions unknown to Ashton....
It closed in upon Ashton, every inch of it's writhing, mangled frame emitting unknown fear into his thoughts. Ashton wondered just what the creature would do to him.
It placed one giant claw upon Ashton's head. A dark pain crept fourth - a dark, sinister pain. Ashton could only scream. What was happening? Was he being... drained? ... Of what?
Soon, the pain became too much to bear. The world around him seemed to collapse into nothingness....
********
What was the meaning of that nightmare? Ashton clothed himself as he pondered the meaning of such a dream. Was it a simple nightmare, and nothing more? Or was there, in fact, a deeper meaning to it?
Perhaps it was not unrelated with encountering those Marauders? Whether it was a vision mattered not; there was some sort of connection.
He had slept in the room across from Rena's, being a guest at her house. Ashton approached the window, and opened the blinds. Outside, it was foggy - a testament to last night's storm.
Rena was already downstairs by the time Ashton descended the steps. She had already eaten breakfast, in fact. Westa was nearby, taking care of other housework....
"Good morning, Ashton," Rena said, politely.
Ashton failed to answer. He just took a seat at the table.
"... Is something... wrong?" Rena wondered. "I hope that you had a good sleep last night...."
Ashton replied wearily to Rena's concern. "I... had a bad dream last night. Nothing much...."
"Oh...." Rena could only say. She sincerely continued. "How terrible...."
Ashton could say nothing. He simply ate the meal prepared for him, which waited by his lap. Ashton acknowledged this, though. "Thank you… Rena. Westa."
The situation was turning grim. If things kept up like this, Ashton predicted, this village too would be subject to assault. But what was it that these pillagers really wanted? What could possibly be near Arlia or even Salva? Ashton then remembered his time on Nede, when Narl revealed that the coordinates initialized at old Reema's research facility jettisoned Rena to the Shingo forest. Claude, too, found himself in that locale after his 'accident.' Perhaps these 'Marauders' somehow knew just how special the Shingo forest really was….
"Rena," Ashton began, "I must go back and seek out the Marauder's hideout."
"But it's dangerous," Westa cautioned. "You nearly got killed the night before...."
"This town is in danger," Ashton protested. "Think about it - why would they set up an encampment between here and Salva if plenty more riches are abound elsewhere? There must be something more they're after… some sort of power to accomplish only Tria-knows what…."
"Can I come too?" chimed in Rena. "I'm sure that my powers could be of some assistance...."
"But, Rena...." Ashton began....
"I'm worried about you," Rena started, paying no attention to Ashton's attempted objection. "I honestly feel that I could help you on your quest...."
Ashton could do nothing but ponder what Rena said. Even Gyoro and Ururun were silent. "But I'm worried about you. It's still safer here than where I'm going."
"Like you said," Rena countered, "This town is in danger. I think that we would have better chances if we worked as a team...."
"Rena...." Ashton countered, "I don't want to see you harmed. You'll be safe here. I'm sure of that...."
"I know how to handle myself," Rena responded. "I'll be Ok."
Ashton saw that he was fighting one battle that he could not win. "Very well...."
Rena replied with a mixed voice of both relief and fear. "... Thank you...."
Rena reached over to give Ashton another hug. They embraced for what seemed like an eternity.…
********
Ashton and Rena stood side by side, looking out towards the path ahead. Behind, Westa, Regis, and Marshall greeted the two farewell....
"Rena," Regis started, "Be sure to return safely...."
"I'll be sure to protect her," Ashton added.
"Let the spirit of Tria be with you," Marshall, the local Arlian priest, reckoned.
Ashton and Rena said nothing more. Together, they left Arlia village, disappearing into the fog from the view behind the gates....
********
Ashton and Rena walked along the path cautiously, searching for any signs of a hidden layer. Perhaps a break in the woods - some sort of hidden side-trail, would provide the answer.
"The Marauders," Rena started, under her breath - the fog made the air thin somehow, "What are they?"
Ashton replied wearily. "They seem to be only part-man. Their armor - or perhaps the being underneath the armor - pulsates an unnatural light...."
"... How terrible...." Rena replied. "What could possibly be their motive?"
"Well," Ashton continued, "It certainly appears to be more than gold. These things are certainly more than everyday men; monsters normally wouldn't be after riches."
The two said nothing for a while more. Even Gyoro and Ururun were silent again. The fog was getting thicker now, instead of lifting. The humidity was great, also - Ashton began to sweat under his robes.
Rena bit her lip. "They're after something, I'm sure. But what could be here, in this part of the world?"
Their thoughts were interrupted by a single bristle in a nearby patch of bushes. A single Marauder, glowing red, showed itself upon the path in front of the two....
"Don't worry," Ashton started, "We can take care of him...."
The Marauder charged at Ashton and Rena, metallic mace in it's right hand. With little effort, Ashton parried it's attack, and returned a jab of his own. Rena, too, flipped in the air, wrapping her legs around the Marauder's neck and pulling him to the ground. He was pinned.
Ashton then stepped on the Marauder's wrist, reflexively making him release the metallic club....
"So," Rena said, looking at Ashton, "this is one of those Marauders which you mentioned...."
Unknown to Ashton and Rena, the Marauder's armor and body slowly became brighter, and hotter. The pulsating mist became thicker. Ashton and Rena both looked down again just in time to feel the scolding heat emitted from the plate armor....
The two fell backward, screaming. Quickly, the Marauder stood up on his two feet, and began to make a getaway....
Rena fell into Ashton's lap, sweating from such an encounter.
"Are you alright?" Ashton asked.
"... I'll be fine...." Rena finally spoke, softly. "What about the Marauder?"
The two watched the Marauder run into the woods, trying to clear as much distance from Rena and Ashton as possible....
"Perhaps we should follow it," Ashton began. "If he's running to where I think he's running to, then we'll be onto something...."
With that, the two ran through the path in which the Marauder had just passed through....
********
The forest was thick with the twisted limbs of misshapen trees. Ashton and Rena followed the Marauder nonetheless, in hot pursuit. The despite the thick fog, Ashton and Rena could still see the thin outline of the Marauder in front of them.
"Hurry," Rena implied, under her breath.
"Right," Ashton added. "He might just lead us to their hideout...."
Suddenly, the unexpected happened. The Marauder dropped dead! Its armor, lacking any internal support, cascaded towards the ground. Rena and Ashton approached the figure after the reddish mist dissipated....
"What happened?" Rena wondered. "How did he suddenly perish like that?"
"Maybe it has to do with his earlier attack," Ashton concluded. "...Perhaps he gave off some of his life energy, as a last resort.
"Oh...." Rena accepted.
"Or something like that...." Ashton added, uncertainly.
In any case, the plate armor of the dead Marauder was now cold - cold and dark. It was all that remained - the body had dissipated into the fine red mist, leaving nothing else behind. Ashton still held the Marauder's mace in his left hand, gripping it firmly. After a second of thought, he dropped it and re-armed himself with his Scyther....
"Let's go...." Ashton decided. "The Marauder was heading that way...."
As the two were about to leave, the sound of moving brush filled Ashton's and Rena's ears. The two quickly turned around, only to see themselves surrounded by about a dozen Marauders! Some of the more powerful pillagers glowed an eerie blue, as opposed to the red of some of the others. Was this a trap?
"Rena…." Ashton began, realizing that this battle was nearly unbeatable. At least a dozen and a half of those knaves had surrounded them. They all closed in upon Rena and Ashton rather quickly.
"Fight to the last!-" Ashton began. He parried the attacks of the first one, but several others were already on top of him. The larger of the Marauders, eventually, each took a hold of Ashton and Rena.
"Rena!" Ashton shouted, seeing that they were sapping her energy.
Ashton, too, was at the mercy of the Marauders. Pain exploded in his arms and chest, where he was being held in the air. The pressure was unbearable. Then, suddenly - blackness.…
"Rena…."