Author's Note: Thanks for clarifying the paragraphing format for me, Jack of Spades. I'll try to keep that in mind while I type.
Disclaimer: The usual, I don't own anything from Lufia 1, 2 or 3, though I wish I did. I do, however, own the [city/town/forest/caves/the like] names of Estoland and the Cult of Darkness.
Also, sorry for the delay in between each chapter; Sunday is about the only time I can get to type.
And now, onto…
Estoland: The Quest Continues
Everything around them was still, other than the crunch of the gravel beneath the group's feet, as they walked along a small path through the Silent Forest on their way to Putriken and the fallen Doom Island.
Melphis looked around at the rest of her friends, her silky hair swinging from one side to another, her eyes finally coming to a rest on Wain and Seena who were leading the group. She smiled slightly; she had known from the first few weeks of traveling with Wain and Seena that they had a 'thing' for each other as proven by the constant flirting-slash-fights. The Princess shook her head vaguely; this was not the place to be thinking such thoughts.
The Silent Forest hadn't just gotten its name from the lack of reverberation; this was also the site where mass graves of monsters had been found, ranging from the littlest jellies to the largest dragons. There were also rumors of a group of black robed people attacking the unwary traveler, so that was why they were standing guard.
'It's quiet. Too quiet.' Melphis thought.
She glanced around at Randolph who was, as usual, standing guard for anything that could have been a threat to her, then at Dei and Aima who were behind them, glancing behind the group every few seconds.
Just then, Wain held up a hand, signaling them to stop. Melphis, with the rest of the group, looked at the red-haired man with a look of confusion.
The rest of them had been listening just as hard, and they hadn't heard anything, at least not Melphis.
Wain waved for them to quickly get off the path and into the low bushes and vines that were growing near the side of the small path, himself waiting until the last were well hidden. Then, he silently motioned for them to stay put and stay quiet.
Melphis knelt behind a large growth of thick green vines and sickly purple flowers, listening for any sound that would show her what Wain had heard.
Then, she heard a faint whinny. Then, faint hoof beats, getting louder as they seemed to come towards the group.
Wain signaled for them to wait, as he climbed out of the bushes and stood in the center of the beaten path.
"Wain! What do you think you're doing?!" Seena hissed, kneeling only two bushes away from Melphis. "That's dangerous! Get back here, now!"
Wain only smiled, and shook his head faintly. Seena would have climbed out and given her boyfriend a good whack on the back of the head, if Dei and Aima hadn't been holding her back from revealing their presence.
Just then, around the bend in the path, five hooded figures in black on horseback, each carrying a sword, came into view, stopping just in front of Wain.
"We have orders to accompany you to headquarters, Sir Knight. Master Pachren desires your presence." The figure who seemed like the leader of the group addressed Wain. "Do not attempt to escape. All attempts will cost you your life."
Wain, however, wasn't frightened at all. "Oh, I won't escape. I won't need to because I intend to defeat you here!" And with that, he drew the Alum Blade, the glow of the blade brightening the dark forest around them.
Melphis looked over at Seena. "Do you know what they're talking about?" She hissed.
"No, I've never seen these people before. Neither has Wain, but…" Seena trailed off, with a thoughtful look on her face.
"But what?" Randolph joined in the whispered conversation.
"Wain told me that when he fell unconscious on the way here, he saw a black robed figure, and also there was a 'voice' in his head while he was still unconscious." Seena replied to the rest of the group. "Maybe these guys are of the same group as that figure."
The leader of the group threw back his head and began to laugh.
"aHahahahahahahaha!"
Seena covered her ears at the hideous sound, as did the rest of her companions and even one or two of the riders.
"You think you can defeat the some of the Forest Guard?" The leader threw back his hood, revealing a close-cropped head and a coarse brown beard.
"I am Reginald, leader of the Green Battalion of the Forest Guard. We shall follow our orders and destroy you in the name of the Cult! No one has ever defeated me and my four best knights. We have bested some of the best fighters around! We have killed over-"
Wain just pushed a lock of red hair out of his face and cut in, "Are you done babbling yet? I want to get this over with."
Reginald's face couldn't have turned any redder than it was already, but somehow, it did.
"How dare you insult the best of the Green Battalion's top fighters! Even if you are the Son of the Spirit-whatchamacallit or whatever Master Pachren called you," and when he said 'you', spittle flew everywhere in an expression of hate, "you are still one man and we are five in number! Get him!" The five riders charged in a straight column, swords out stretched, intent on using their mounts' momentum to slash the impetuous youngster's head off.
However, that didn't happen.
As the five charged, Wain leapt into action, rebounding from a tree on one side of the road to another on the other side and landing on a thick branch. Before the riders registered what had just happened in their minds, Wain had leapt off, and took down the last two riders in an arc of blue.
The riders turned their mounts, now regarding the redheaded youngster with grudging respect. He had done what was rumored amongst the growing Estoland population to be an impossibility: he, by himself, had accomplished what several older, wiser fighters and mages had not: he had killed two of the Green Battalion.
Reginald faced the man in the middle of the path with a new look in his dark chocolate eyes. 'He's strong, stronger than anyone I ever knew. Wait. Red hair, Blue blade, black armor, green necklace… No. It couldn't be. But then, why else would he be going to Putriken?' His eyes widened a fraction.
Wain, catching the look, nodded. "I see you have made the connection. Yes, I am Wain. I am the man who laid the final blow against both the combined forces of the Sinistrals and the Sun God Zalbak. Along with my friends, we, mere mortals conquered the Gods themselves." He glanced over to the bushes, his action not being missed by the three remaining figures.
Reginald looked over at the bushes, as several figures stood up. Since it was dark except for their blades, he couldn't make out how many there were, but he knew that they were at least outnumbered, and versus these 'Godslayers', as the public had come to know them with reverence and thanks, the Forest Guard wouldn't stand even a tenth of a chance.
"Retreat!" Wain saw as 'Reginald', as he called himself called to his companions and melted back into the forest. He swept one hand over his forehead, glad that the encounter was over, and there was no danger of Seena… umm, err all his friends- he slapped one hand to his forehead –being hurt in any way.
Seena turned her head towards Wain after they had just began walking again. "Wain?"
Wain turned his head to look at the woman by his side. "What is it?"
Now, all the group's attention was focused soly on the two's conversation.
"What is the Forest Guard?" Seena asked, the confusion now evident on her pale face.
"Honestly, I have no idea. I can probably guess that they work for the Cult, but other than that, I have no idea." Wain spoke, his voice carrying over to the rest of the group members.
It was at that moment that Captain Randoph spoke up.
"We have heard something, though I do not know if we may use the information." His old voice wheezing slightly, causing his (albeit) younger friends to observe him in concern. "No, no it's nothing," he said, motioning to his throat and lungs. "If I may, Princess." He looked over at Melphis, soon followed by the other people in their party.
Melphis swallowed. She had never gotten the hang of keeping a calm head under all the pressure that was present when people were looking at you. It was in times like these when she understood just *why* Deckard had wanted so much to renounce his claim to the throne. She nodded, motioning him to go on.
"Well, Princess Melphis and I had arrived a few days before you all, so we had the luxury of time to ask around. While we were asking around for the way to the Doom Island crash site, we overheard two men talking about some cloaked figures and a strange Cult, which you," he pointed to Wain, "so kindly explained to us when we met a second time.
"We also overheard something about a Forest Guard, but all it was were that they were part of the Cult and guarded the way to Putriken by the order of the Cult. Looks like the Cult wanted you for something, Wain." And after Randoph finished, the rest of the group looked at Wain, expectantly waiting for him to say something to augment what Randoph had just stated.
Wain smiled a small smile. "No, I do not know why they wanted me, and no, I do not know more than what you already know."
For some reason, he hadn't felt like telling them about the second time the voice had come, and he wasn't going to now.
+++~~~***~~~***Flashback***~~~***~~~+++
Wain and his friends had been walking South for a day now, and they had almost reached the Silent Forest, when they had come upon a small group of buildings called the 'City of Eleanos'.
Wain remembered this clearly since Die had made a crack at the name by saying something about the "city's" size.
They had spent only a couple of gold at the inn to get a nice, hot meal and a good bed to sleep on. (One for each of them, not all in one bed, you hentai out there, my apologies to the other readers out there)
Wain had just fallen into a deep sleep, when he had heard the voice again…
You know you shall not succeed.
No, not again… I thought you had left for good!
Ahh, but I haven't. Do not fret, Son of the Spirtual Force, a small test shall soon arise, do not fear.
What test? When? I will defeat you no matter who, or what you are!
Ahh, brave aren't we? You won't be so brave after the next few obstacles…
It takes more than just a few tricks to get me scared! I defeated Zalbak along with my friends! With them, I shall never fall!
Hmm… An interesting thought. Things might get more interesting if…
If what?! If anything happens to them, I'll make you pay!!!
Ahh. A nerve, your friends are. They shall be your downfall one day, Son of Maxim and Son of Nova (Name of Hero in Lufia 1 in this fic).
I'm warning you… Any harm, and I'll take your head off and hang it on the tallest spire of Doom Island…
Ha, a threat worth of one of the Godslayers… Prepare yourself, Son of the Spiritual Force. The Trial awaits you…
"Wake up Wain!" Seena had shaken him awake from his dream. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, Seena. Just go back to sleep."
"I heard you shouting in your sleep, so don't tell me 'nothings wrong'." Seena had regarded him with wide and caring eyes, almost making him spill the tale, but he had led it in, not wanting to burden them with the knowledge of them also becoming a target.
"I just had a bad dream, Seena. It's nothing, though I appreciate you caring." He had forced a smile, though he hated lying to his girlfriend, he felt he had to in this case.
+++~~~***~~~***End Flashback***~~~***~~~+++
"Look! Wain!" Seena's voice rang out a couple of minutes later as they had continued walking, as she pointed to the opening in the trees where Wain could see some sunlight at the end of the path.
After they walked out, they saw Putriken, the town lying spread out in front of them in the plains below the hills.
"Well, it's on to Putriken." And with that, Wain led the party down past the rolling green hills towards the small town.
Author's Note: Sorry for the delay, I had this really bad cold and I wasn't allowed to use the computer while I was at home!!! Oh well, so what'd you think? Should I continue?
Next Time on Estoland: The Quest Continues: What will happen to our heroes as they venture deeper into the heart of Estoland? Also, what did Master Pachren mean by 'they will be your downfall'? (hint hint) Will the others be there?
Next time on Estoland: The Quest Continues: Doom Island, Revisited! Part One of Two!
Please Review!
Thanks!
Blackraven