Chapter Two: I'm On My Way Back Down The Food Chain
The trek to Great Hollow lasted the remainder of the day; the team camped out on the Yaza plain that night and arrived at the home of the Lizard clan early the next morning. Geddoe told Crys to try her best not to insult the Lizards, causing her to get affronted and mumble something under her breath. As they approached the entrance, Jacques stopped in his tracks. Crys, being the kind, caring person she was, promptly asked him what the hell his problem was. "They're going to get themselves killed," the man responded quietly. "The Lizard clan's been on edge lately, and one insult could mean their lives. I suggest you stay here."
"Really? They're THAT touchy?"
He nodded. "I tried to warn the captain, but he won't listen ..."
She grabbed his arm. "Come on, let's go! I won't cause any trouble!" She dragged him to where the others were standing, facing a group of angry Lizards.
"What business do you have with the Lizard clan?!" a particularly mean-looking warrior demanded.
"None!" Ace yelped. "We're just traveling merchants!"
"Lies!" the Lizard roared. "We're not blind! Merchants don't carry so many weapons!"
Crys rummaged through her backpack, causing Ace, Joker and Queen to wince Ð something told them that she was going to cause a problem. She found a small box and stepped forward, holding it out to the Lizard who'd spoken. "Here! Sometimes when you're on-edge it helps if you eat something sweet. We're not bad guys, you know." He stared at her for a moment; Joker slapped a hand to his forehead. "Go on, take it. It's carrot cake, for God's sake! You can't turn down a pastry."
There was a second of heavy silence before the warrior finally chuckled. As soon as he did, the other Lizards lowered their weapons. "You're an amusing one, child. Thank you for your kind offer, but you may keep your ... 'pastry' ... to yourself."
"Why? Y'all don't eat pastries?" she asked in that sweet, innocent voice of hers.
"We've never heard of such food here before. Anyway, are you the leader of this group?"
"Nah. He is," she replied, waving a hand toward Geddoe.
"I am Geddoe, captain of the Holy Harmonia Kingdom's 12th Southern Frontier Defense Unit. I request an audience with your chief."
"Very well, I'll arrange a meeting. Please, do come in." ***
"That was really great, getting those warriors to lighten up," Ace said cheerfully as he and the other members of the team, save Geddoe, sat around drinking tea (or, in Ace and Joker's case, scotch). "How'd you know they'd react like that?"
"I just figured they'd act like regular folks and take a peace offering. It turned out better than I hoped, too Ð I got to keep my carrot cake."
"And to think everyone was terrified you'd land us in a whole heap of trouble," Queen laughed. "I guess you're pretty worldly for someone your age.."
Crys shrugged. "Eh."
Geddoe returned moments later. "What'd the chief say, Captain?" Ace inquired.
"Not much."
"So, when you say 'not much,' I assume you mean 'a lot more than I'm willing to disclose,' right?" Joker asked snidely.
Geddoe shook his head in reply. "No, it actually means 'not much' this time. Zepon doesn't know much about the Fire Bringer rumors."
Before anyone could say anything else, Shiba, the Lizard to whom Crys had offered her beloved carrot cake, rushed past. "Intruders! There are intruders!" he called out. Several Lizard fighters ran up to him, brandishing their weapons. "Let's go. We can't let them pass!"
Geddoe's entire team, save Jacques, looked at him questioningly. "Yes, we'd better check it out," he sighed a moment later.
Elated, the team grabbed their weapons and headed down the passageway the fighters had taken. Crys smiled; her chance to prove herself in combat was drawing near. As they turned a corner Geddoe found himself facing the business end of a Lizard warrior's spear. "You! You must be the intruders!" he growled, lunging for the unit captain. Geddoe parried the attack and used the handle of his sword to disarm his opponent. Two more Lizards leapt at the team, one at Joker and another at Crys Ð but they stopped dead in their tracks at the sound of Shiba's booming voice.
"Stop where you are! These people are our guests!" After ample explainations and apologies, Geddoe offered his help to the Lizard clan, which Shiba reluctantly accepted. When the tunnel finally ended and the group arrived in the sunlight, Chris Lightfellow of the Zexen knights was waiting for them with a team of her own. "What are you doing here?!" Shiba barked, glancing at the corpses of his clan that littered the area. "We're about to sign a treaty!"
"We just wanted to test the strength of the most powerful of the clans," Chris said, smiling and unsheathing her blade. Several knights that were at her side drew their swords as well; the seasoned yet easily angered Shiba leapt at them, forcing Geddoe and his allies to aid him.
Chris cast a powerful ice spell, knocking Shiba, Geddoe and Joker out of the way. Queen was barely able to repel the knight captain's attack, and Ace and Jacques found themselves face-to-face with a horde of Zexen knights. "Hey, bitch!" Crys taunted. "Bring your fat ironhead ass over here and try that!"
Chris laughed. "So the little girl has a deathwish, eh? So be it. It'll be your funeral."
"Don't do it, kiddo!" Ace shouted over the commotion.
"That fool ..." Jacques hissed.
Chris shot several ice blades at Crys, but the younger girl leapt over them and brought her naginata down with such force it crushed the earth beneath and around it when her opponent rolled out of the way. "I see you have some skill," the knight chuckled as the two paused, their noses almost touching.
"A hell of a lot more than you," the warrior responded politely. The blade of her lance was in the air in half a second, and the silver-haired Zexen barely kept her right arm attached to her body as Crys swept it at her. The knight swung around to put extra strength into her attack, but her sword hit the handle of her enemy's weapon at a perpendicular angle. She tried once again to use the same attack, but with identical results.
"Stop parrying my attacks and make one of your own!" she snarled, thrusting her sword at Crys.
"A good fighter only attacks when their opponents let their guard down," the girl said sweetly, dodging the blade with ease. She swung her naginata around, slapping its handle across the knight's face.
"Wench!" the ironhead shrieked, running toward her without regard to her defense. Crys took that narrow window of opportunity to slam the end of the handle into her opponent's stomach and knock her to the ground. Before Chris Lightfellow could open her eyes she felt the cold steel of Crys' spear against her exposed throat.
An arrow wizzed through the air and embedded itself in Crys' upper right arm. She gritted her teeth and grabbed it, tearing it from her flesh. The Zexen swept her leg across the ground, knocking Crys over. The enemy soldiers made a hasty retreat, leaving a bewildered Crys to obsess over the fact that she'd made such a foolish mistake.
"Are you okay?" Queen asked, noticing the blood staining her shirt. "That's awful!"
"Yeah, I'll take care of it," Crys grumbled as she got to her feet.
"Geez, that's a nasty wound!" Ace exclaimed. "You should get that bandaged."
"I'll take care of it," she said slowly and angrily, grabbing her weapon and turning back toward Great Hollow. A single Lizard fighter dashed toward them, eyes full of fire.
"Shiba! The chief ... we couldn't ... he's ..."
Shiba brushed past him and headed for the chief's room, the others in tow. A gruesome sight awaited them; Zepon had been beheaded and his blood smeared all over the floor. Crys winced at the scene, and Queen and Jacques both looked away. "So they were after the chief all along ..." Bazba remarked in disbelief.
Dupa shook his head. "We failed him."
Shiba clenched a fist. "The ironheads will pay for this!" he roared.
Geddoe instructed the team to leave soon after, believing they'd outlived their stay. Before they left, Crys sat in the inn, gingerly rubbing medicine onto her deep wound. It hurt like hell, and for a moment she felt tears fill her eyes; they weren't from pain, but from the frustration of allowing her enemy to escape and seeing the Lizard clan chief's mangled body. The tears burned and threatened to fall, but she wouldn't let them Ð she never cried. Within moments they'd disappeared, and she proceeded to wrap a bandage around her upper arm. She emerged into the main chamber soon after, her shirt cleared of the blood but her trademark grin missing. "Are you ready?" Geddoe asked her. She nodded solemnly. "Alright then, we should leave."
"Where'd you learn to fight like that?" Joker inquired as they set off toward the Yaza plain again. "That was incredible!"
"My papa taught me everything he knows." She huffed angrily. "And he taught me to never take my eyes off the enemy when I've got 'em cornered. Too bad I couldn't follow instructions," she added bitterly.
"Don't worry about it, kiddo," Ace assured her. "If you'd killed that woman, there'd be a full-scale war."
"Like there won't be now ..." Queen snorted.
"Those soldiers ... their footsteps were too light. It was really strange."
The others turned to face Jacques. "What did you say?" Joker inquired.
"They didn't leave any footprints. Don't you find that odd?"
"You notice things like that?" Crys asked, raising an eyebrow. "You must be a sucker for detail, or whatever the term is."
"I guess so ..."
"Well, where are we going now, Captain?"
"To Karaya," Geddoe replied. "I'd like to speak with Lucia, the clan chief."
"Fair enough," Crys sighed.
The trek to Great Hollow lasted the remainder of the day; the team camped out on the Yaza plain that night and arrived at the home of the Lizard clan early the next morning. Geddoe told Crys to try her best not to insult the Lizards, causing her to get affronted and mumble something under her breath. As they approached the entrance, Jacques stopped in his tracks. Crys, being the kind, caring person she was, promptly asked him what the hell his problem was. "They're going to get themselves killed," the man responded quietly. "The Lizard clan's been on edge lately, and one insult could mean their lives. I suggest you stay here."
"Really? They're THAT touchy?"
He nodded. "I tried to warn the captain, but he won't listen ..."
She grabbed his arm. "Come on, let's go! I won't cause any trouble!" She dragged him to where the others were standing, facing a group of angry Lizards.
"What business do you have with the Lizard clan?!" a particularly mean-looking warrior demanded.
"None!" Ace yelped. "We're just traveling merchants!"
"Lies!" the Lizard roared. "We're not blind! Merchants don't carry so many weapons!"
Crys rummaged through her backpack, causing Ace, Joker and Queen to wince Ð something told them that she was going to cause a problem. She found a small box and stepped forward, holding it out to the Lizard who'd spoken. "Here! Sometimes when you're on-edge it helps if you eat something sweet. We're not bad guys, you know." He stared at her for a moment; Joker slapped a hand to his forehead. "Go on, take it. It's carrot cake, for God's sake! You can't turn down a pastry."
There was a second of heavy silence before the warrior finally chuckled. As soon as he did, the other Lizards lowered their weapons. "You're an amusing one, child. Thank you for your kind offer, but you may keep your ... 'pastry' ... to yourself."
"Why? Y'all don't eat pastries?" she asked in that sweet, innocent voice of hers.
"We've never heard of such food here before. Anyway, are you the leader of this group?"
"Nah. He is," she replied, waving a hand toward Geddoe.
"I am Geddoe, captain of the Holy Harmonia Kingdom's 12th Southern Frontier Defense Unit. I request an audience with your chief."
"Very well, I'll arrange a meeting. Please, do come in." ***
"That was really great, getting those warriors to lighten up," Ace said cheerfully as he and the other members of the team, save Geddoe, sat around drinking tea (or, in Ace and Joker's case, scotch). "How'd you know they'd react like that?"
"I just figured they'd act like regular folks and take a peace offering. It turned out better than I hoped, too Ð I got to keep my carrot cake."
"And to think everyone was terrified you'd land us in a whole heap of trouble," Queen laughed. "I guess you're pretty worldly for someone your age.."
Crys shrugged. "Eh."
Geddoe returned moments later. "What'd the chief say, Captain?" Ace inquired.
"Not much."
"So, when you say 'not much,' I assume you mean 'a lot more than I'm willing to disclose,' right?" Joker asked snidely.
Geddoe shook his head in reply. "No, it actually means 'not much' this time. Zepon doesn't know much about the Fire Bringer rumors."
Before anyone could say anything else, Shiba, the Lizard to whom Crys had offered her beloved carrot cake, rushed past. "Intruders! There are intruders!" he called out. Several Lizard fighters ran up to him, brandishing their weapons. "Let's go. We can't let them pass!"
Geddoe's entire team, save Jacques, looked at him questioningly. "Yes, we'd better check it out," he sighed a moment later.
Elated, the team grabbed their weapons and headed down the passageway the fighters had taken. Crys smiled; her chance to prove herself in combat was drawing near. As they turned a corner Geddoe found himself facing the business end of a Lizard warrior's spear. "You! You must be the intruders!" he growled, lunging for the unit captain. Geddoe parried the attack and used the handle of his sword to disarm his opponent. Two more Lizards leapt at the team, one at Joker and another at Crys Ð but they stopped dead in their tracks at the sound of Shiba's booming voice.
"Stop where you are! These people are our guests!" After ample explainations and apologies, Geddoe offered his help to the Lizard clan, which Shiba reluctantly accepted. When the tunnel finally ended and the group arrived in the sunlight, Chris Lightfellow of the Zexen knights was waiting for them with a team of her own. "What are you doing here?!" Shiba barked, glancing at the corpses of his clan that littered the area. "We're about to sign a treaty!"
"We just wanted to test the strength of the most powerful of the clans," Chris said, smiling and unsheathing her blade. Several knights that were at her side drew their swords as well; the seasoned yet easily angered Shiba leapt at them, forcing Geddoe and his allies to aid him.
Chris cast a powerful ice spell, knocking Shiba, Geddoe and Joker out of the way. Queen was barely able to repel the knight captain's attack, and Ace and Jacques found themselves face-to-face with a horde of Zexen knights. "Hey, bitch!" Crys taunted. "Bring your fat ironhead ass over here and try that!"
Chris laughed. "So the little girl has a deathwish, eh? So be it. It'll be your funeral."
"Don't do it, kiddo!" Ace shouted over the commotion.
"That fool ..." Jacques hissed.
Chris shot several ice blades at Crys, but the younger girl leapt over them and brought her naginata down with such force it crushed the earth beneath and around it when her opponent rolled out of the way. "I see you have some skill," the knight chuckled as the two paused, their noses almost touching.
"A hell of a lot more than you," the warrior responded politely. The blade of her lance was in the air in half a second, and the silver-haired Zexen barely kept her right arm attached to her body as Crys swept it at her. The knight swung around to put extra strength into her attack, but her sword hit the handle of her enemy's weapon at a perpendicular angle. She tried once again to use the same attack, but with identical results.
"Stop parrying my attacks and make one of your own!" she snarled, thrusting her sword at Crys.
"A good fighter only attacks when their opponents let their guard down," the girl said sweetly, dodging the blade with ease. She swung her naginata around, slapping its handle across the knight's face.
"Wench!" the ironhead shrieked, running toward her without regard to her defense. Crys took that narrow window of opportunity to slam the end of the handle into her opponent's stomach and knock her to the ground. Before Chris Lightfellow could open her eyes she felt the cold steel of Crys' spear against her exposed throat.
An arrow wizzed through the air and embedded itself in Crys' upper right arm. She gritted her teeth and grabbed it, tearing it from her flesh. The Zexen swept her leg across the ground, knocking Crys over. The enemy soldiers made a hasty retreat, leaving a bewildered Crys to obsess over the fact that she'd made such a foolish mistake.
"Are you okay?" Queen asked, noticing the blood staining her shirt. "That's awful!"
"Yeah, I'll take care of it," Crys grumbled as she got to her feet.
"Geez, that's a nasty wound!" Ace exclaimed. "You should get that bandaged."
"I'll take care of it," she said slowly and angrily, grabbing her weapon and turning back toward Great Hollow. A single Lizard fighter dashed toward them, eyes full of fire.
"Shiba! The chief ... we couldn't ... he's ..."
Shiba brushed past him and headed for the chief's room, the others in tow. A gruesome sight awaited them; Zepon had been beheaded and his blood smeared all over the floor. Crys winced at the scene, and Queen and Jacques both looked away. "So they were after the chief all along ..." Bazba remarked in disbelief.
Dupa shook his head. "We failed him."
Shiba clenched a fist. "The ironheads will pay for this!" he roared.
Geddoe instructed the team to leave soon after, believing they'd outlived their stay. Before they left, Crys sat in the inn, gingerly rubbing medicine onto her deep wound. It hurt like hell, and for a moment she felt tears fill her eyes; they weren't from pain, but from the frustration of allowing her enemy to escape and seeing the Lizard clan chief's mangled body. The tears burned and threatened to fall, but she wouldn't let them Ð she never cried. Within moments they'd disappeared, and she proceeded to wrap a bandage around her upper arm. She emerged into the main chamber soon after, her shirt cleared of the blood but her trademark grin missing. "Are you ready?" Geddoe asked her. She nodded solemnly. "Alright then, we should leave."
"Where'd you learn to fight like that?" Joker inquired as they set off toward the Yaza plain again. "That was incredible!"
"My papa taught me everything he knows." She huffed angrily. "And he taught me to never take my eyes off the enemy when I've got 'em cornered. Too bad I couldn't follow instructions," she added bitterly.
"Don't worry about it, kiddo," Ace assured her. "If you'd killed that woman, there'd be a full-scale war."
"Like there won't be now ..." Queen snorted.
"Those soldiers ... their footsteps were too light. It was really strange."
The others turned to face Jacques. "What did you say?" Joker inquired.
"They didn't leave any footprints. Don't you find that odd?"
"You notice things like that?" Crys asked, raising an eyebrow. "You must be a sucker for detail, or whatever the term is."
"I guess so ..."
"Well, where are we going now, Captain?"
"To Karaya," Geddoe replied. "I'd like to speak with Lucia, the clan chief."
"Fair enough," Crys sighed.
