Those Left Behind
Story #1: Memoirs
A Final Fantasy Tactics fanfic
By Tenshi no Ai
I don't own the characters and locations in the game that are presented in this work, Square-Enix does.
...I wonder if the people we call hypocrites' are really just people trying to find themselves, and they look bad because they just happen to contradict themselves a lot.
-Chapter 20
-0-
The files were everywhere in the small office; on the mahogany desk, in the various marked boxes stacked about, and along the perimeter of the square room. There were even some along the windowsill, resting precariously against the dusty window that often reluctantly let the sunlight trickle in. It was a room many people dared not enter during March through May, for fear of aggravating already sensitive allergies. It was a room of perfectly imbalanced stacks of paper, tomes, and other paper by-products, causing the building that housed it to fear constantly for this severe disregard to the basic don'ts' of fire prevention. Lastly, it was a room of knowledge, filled with the histories of centuries old institutions and the biographies of those long departed.If knowledge truly is power, then Alazlam J. Durai was the most powerful person in Ivalice.
This room was situated in the history building of Gariland Magic Academy. Although the school maintained the strictness befitting one of the premier military academies in Ivalice, it was slowly changing into a place where the creme-de-la-creme of Ivalice's academia gathered to impart their knowledge onto the eager students who poured into the university every April. Professor Durai, who only worked part-time at Gariland, was one of these esteemed people, though he was often so buried in his research and other duties that he barely noticed the admiration from his contemporaries.
He did notice the notoriety, though. He wasn't allowed on Murond land anymore, not since the release of his last book, The Real Image of the Holy Ajora, two years ago.
It was nine in the morning on a beautiful April day and the chatter of the other history and social studies professors was filtered heavily by the thick door of the office. Alazlam could still hear some of the louder professors complaining about problem students. Well, at least they don't have to worry about death threats from some of the more zealous of Glabados' tribe, he thought to himself, idly glancing through a note on one of Ramza Beoulve's Zodiac Braves, a boy by the name of Mustadio Bunanza. The professor had been creating biographies of all the people involved in the Zodiac Brave Story of the Middle Ages, and some of the hardest ones to compile had been about the people aligned with Ramza. Those such as Cidolfas Orlandu, Agrias Oaks, and all of Ramza's friends from his cadet days were easier to verify due to their lack of connection to the Church or other factors. Others like Meliadoul Tingel, Mustadio Bunanza, Beowulf Kadmus, and Reis Dular were more difficult to create biographies for because of their involvement with the Church, or because they had simply lived in Lionel. In fact, Alazlam had nothing more than the names of the latter two braves, and that was because of the barest mention of them in Olan Durai's papers.
So far, all of Alazlam's inquiries regarding those four had gone unanswered by the Church.
There was a hurried knock at his door before it swung open, revealing a young woman struggling to hold the large box in her arms. She managed to take a few steps before valiantly losing the battle of the grip, and all the files in the room shook ominously when the box landed. The woman, with the long black hair and hazel-green eyes characteristic of those whose parentage hailed from both Ivalice and the Eastern Lands, had the grace to look embarrassed. The Lionel shipment, she stated as a way of explanation.
Alazlam nearly smiled. From the Koizumi Foundation, or the Church?
The Church, for once. Besides, the Foundation wouldn't be so cruel as to let one of their heirs carry a box full of heavy files from the admissions office, the young woman sighed. Do you want me to file it away...somewhere? she asked, sending a discriminatory glance around the cluttered room.
No, if it's the Church's files for once, I want to take a thorough look at it. They might've sent materials from the wrong period again. The professor tugged on the end of his out-of-date beard, eyes closed as his mind sorted through all the incidents with getting the Church's files since he began work on the Zodiac Brave Story of the Middle Ages. The woman, used to this, turned to leave, Oh, Rina, could you get me a cup of tea?
Rina Koizumi frowned. I'm a graduate student, not a secretary, she muttered as she left. At that, the professor fully smiled. He had four graduate students helping him with verifying and researching the Durai Report, and she'd been the first assistant for his latest book. A couple months ago he'd asked the Koizumi Foundation, created for immigration and record purposes during the Middle Ages, for their files from the duration of the Lion War. They readily gave him their records as well as an assistant in the form of one of the group's heirs. It seemed the Foundation was very willing to help anyone who could throw off the Church's death hold on Lionel, specifically Zaland Fort City, where the headquarters of the Foundation was located.
Alazlam stretched in his chair before standing up, old bones protesting any sudden movement. If it hadn't been for his age steadily creeping up on him, he would've still been primarily an archeologist. He winced, walking over to the box that had been left by his assistant, and gingerly crouched down beside it. Picking up the first thing that caught his eye, a leather-bound book of medium size, he opened it and flipped to the last used page.
I am very afraid now. Although there is still the wish inside my heart that the Church will rise above the power of the aristocrats and bestow the freedom that the people truly deserve, I know it to be nothing more than a wish. Having used the Lucavi spell years prior, I understand fully that the Zodiac Stones are not as blessed as we would believe them to be. She used it, and the spell's composition changed. This would not be possible unless Lucavi and the Zodiac Stones are compatible, for if the stone had been holy, my spell would have been dispelled. Instead, my beloved Reis still changed, transforming into a beast of extraordinary power.
I did not know there was such a monster within her. Even after all this time, I still cannot believe it.
My only hope now is that Beowulf Kadmus has continued to keep the Aquarius stone far away from the Church. It was certainly a gamble that had paid off. I know it will take at least six of twelve to summon the most unholy evil upon Ivalice again, and I know of at least four stones possessed by the Church, including the Scorpio stone that has the cardinal under its thrall...
Alazlam Durai paled as he read the passage, his heart beating erratically with excitement. This was the very thing he'd been wanting, knowledge of the relationship between the Church and the Zodiac Stones before the Lion War, as well as information on the two braves that had nothing more than names to them. With trembling fingers, he flipped through the brittle pages to the first page. He wanted a name to this long dead helper, and weary eyes found that name on the back of the front cover to the journal.
Property of Verden Buremonda.
-0-
(Yuriel Village, Zeltennia; Pantora 25, November 26th)I hate them. They're all a bunch of murderers and thieves, and yet to speak out against them is treason! Some of the Nanten came by the orphanage again today, asking Priest Tenicilli if there were any young boys available to throw into the military. I'm the only one old enough now, since I'm now ten, and Priest Tenicilli told them to leave and to stop waging war on their fellow humans. They didn't repent, but they did threaten him. He's a brave man. I couldn't say anything like that, not when they came to my house and demanded for my father and Eurick and all our money to support the war effort. My father was brave, but then they killed him so I guess bravery doesn't count for much in this world.
Priest Tenicilli said that bravery does matter in Heaven, because God judges your inner worth, but Father's still dead. Priest Tenicilli showed me the passage where the Holy Saint Ajora told us that God only watches, that humans have free will. I think that if God were walking around like us peasants and saw the evils of the nobles and the knights, He'd be very sad that He gave us freedom. I don't know why we're at war, but I bet it's because of the nobles and the knights. They think that, since God is just watching, they can do whatever they like.
They're all horrible people.
...Professor Durai, what are you doing on the floor?
Alazlam glanced up from the page, looking right into the concerned eyes of one of the full-time professors of the history department. Is there something I can do for you, Professor Parge? This was asked in a kind enough tone, though there was enough of an edge to make the middle-aged woman furrow her brow.
I was worried that your hip may have given out, which would explain why you're on the floor, she sighed, but I suppose everyone has their eccentricities.
I'm fine, he said. She didn't look very reassured at this, so he slowly stood up with the journal in his hands, leaning against his desk as his knees wobbled slightly, I was just engrossed in a journal from the Fifty Year War.
As a fellow historian, the woman could personally relate to any feelings of engrossment. Her eyes lit up with excitement. I see. A new account? From what sort of person?
Alazlam inwardly sighed. Mention something about history and all his associates could literally hold a discussion for days. Yes, from a priest who spent his childhood in Zeltennia.
Hm, surprising he wasn't drafted--or dragged--into the Nanten, then. And where did he go after that?
Durai started good-naturedly, I haven't gotten that far yet. I only received this box from Lionel this morning.
She appeared crestfallen, but then collected herself and nodded. I understand. Once you do finish it, everyone would love to hear about it. That time period...there's something so brutal, and yet so fascinating about it all.
...If I don't get away soon, she'll cajole me into lending it to her. That woman never returns anything. I'd like to talk, but I have a class at one I need to prepare for now, and he was happy when she got the hint and walked out of his office, tittering about how incredible wars were. He supposed he could understand her feelings somewhat; after all, Ivalice had been enjoying nearly one hundred years of peace. It was a rarity. The last lengthy time of peace was during King Hyral I's reign. Ivalice was just a country happily accustomed to warfare.
--They're all horrible people--
Alazlam was sure that the priest whose journal he was reading now would've surely agreed.
-0-
Once a person finds an item of interest, they tend to plan their life around it until it is either finished or until all interest in it has been exhausted. Alazlam J. Durai, having had occupations in the past and present that required an insurmontable amount of patience, tended to favor the former. However, as he also had a life, adjustments were necessary.In the morning he would dutifully catalogue the Lionel shipment by himself, just like he assured his assistants he would. It wasn't much of a surprise when he reached the bottom of the box and realized that there was nothing else of use to his research. However, he did find a ten gil coin. Considering the age of the coin, as well as all the inflation that happened throughout the centuries, he could now buy a round of drinks for everyone who worked and loitered around the history building. His colleagues had been much happier with him after that night, even though word of the priest's journal and how he had been hoarding it had spread through the department.
During the afternoon he would teach a variety of history courses, mostly to those specifically studying archaeology. That course of study had been his favorite, and even though he was content in exposing the truth instead of exposing artifacts, he still longed to one day return to the sites he had explored in his youth. Hands-on work had been his raison d'etere, even in places like Zeklaus and Bed Deserts. Then his age began to creep up upon him, and he began to focus on theology and history. He wrote about the Church, angering the weakened institution.
It took years, but the Glabados Church of Murond finally released the Durai Report a few months ago.
Now, the truth was more important than artifacts. Alazlam honestly believed that Olan had wanted him to reach this point and, as the direct descendant of that great man, he had to find out everything that had happened four hundred years before. So, during the evening, with the help of a dusty lantern occupying a scant space on the crowded desk, the knowledgeable man read the journal of the priest who had witnessed the power of the Zodiac Stone and the plots of the Church.
There was something about this routine that Alazlam rather enjoyed, and so he never skipped a page of the journal, even through the monotonous regurgitations of Ajora's name and of the teachings to become a priest in a Zeltennia increasingly choked off by famine and war. Then there was a summons to Bervenia, then to Lionel.
Then there was a trip to Murond, to receive the blessing of a higher rank from High Priest Funeral himself.
-0-
(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 42 982, March 20th)Although I have been back in Lionel for a week already, I cannot seem to easily slip back into my routine once again. I keep picturing her, lovely Reis Dular, and suddenly my work is secondary to that lone memory. I cannot help it! Those delicate, petal-soft features of her calmly-arranged face, that slender figure...it is as if she had truly descended from Heaven and chosen to work at the main church of our Savior in order to further the Lord's cause. That she is only sixteen and such a prodigy only lends weight to this belief.
Even now, I wish I had chosen a different path. Why did I not approach her? Why could I so easily heed the words of a contemporary? With that royal bearing and steady gaze, no one would dare turn away from her. If only I hadn't regarded that man's words and talked to her...of course, I had nothing to talk to her about, but I would've liked to hear her voice. I am sure it is as beautiful as the rest of her...
These feelings...they're merely admiration. I am certain of it. That is why I should've talked to her...so why did I comply?
If only I could see her again.
Alazlam was bored.
Ever since the priest had traveled to Murond and caught a glimpse of Reis Dular, there was nothing on the pages of his journal but compliments upon glowing compliments about the girl. The historian had a wife and two children back in his native Limberry, so he was no stranger to the idea of romance. It was the rampant hyperbole that was getting to him. The only thing that he didn't mind at this point was that, whatever the priest had learned about Reis, he wrote it in his journal. There were comments on how she was found at Bariaus Hill as an orphan, the studies she had been subjected to at Murond, and her apparent ability to intuitively understand languages. It was all very nice information for the biography Professor Durai had already started on her.
But still, he sighed to himself as one of his assistants left after joking about Priest Buremonda's unrealized skill as a troubadour, that priest's scribbled pinings over a woman who didn't even realize he existed is really starting to get on my nerves.
Finding the truth always hinged upon what one was willing to sacrifice. Olan Durai had suffered numerous agonies before finally dying at the stake. His descendant might've lost his sanity...if not for two interesting entries.
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(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 44/ 984, September 7th)Today I received correspondence from Priest Ceren of Murond regarding the transfer of Reis from Murond to Lionel. As expected, he seemed hesitant on doing this out of good faith. He wants something, I know that much, but he does not want it as much as I want her here. At least, not yet. I have heard that he has some interesting activities on the mainland, in Dorter to be precise, and I will try and confirm if those rumors are true before trying again. It will be worth it in the end.
Examiner Draclau has been in good spirits lately. He is awaiting the arrival of a newly-adorned Temple Knight, one who goes by the name of Kadmus'. I do not understand why, considering that there is already one Shrine Knight in every large town in Lionel, nor do I understand why that name is familiar to me. I suppose it will keep for now. I already dislike the idea of his arrival, considering we have far too many knights who do nothing but eat up the monied resources of this region with nothing to show for it but laziness. It is always the same for knights, whether they are at war or at peace. If only there were no more knights, there would be no more illogical fighting and killing. Until then, even the Church must employ these boors.
I have been thinking of traveling to Zeltennia this year. It has been too long since I last visited my home village. Although my parents and my brother no longer have their corporal bodies, nor do they even have graves, I would still like to go home and remember them. I am sure the examiner will not let me; after all, much of Zeltennia has been taken over by the Ordalians, but it is a wish.
Sooner or later, if the Lord and the Holy Son will it so, I will make all my wishes a reality.
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What a poor man, Rina said sympathetically as she listened to Alazlam's mild voice read the passage, I'm sure that in that time, everyone had wishes they couldn't fulfill. It's such a sad state of affairs, war is. Don't you think so, Professor?It's only natural, he noted as he stroked his beard, turning the page and raising an eyebrow as a name caught his eye. 'Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 44...'
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(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 44 984, September 25th)I am starting to believe that, even if Examiner Draclau is sincere in his belief in the Glabados faith, he will never lose that irritating loyalty to the knights. To make matters worse, this Beowulf Kadmus is of noble blood, a child that the Examiner is placing as the head of all the knights in Lionel! When in private, I expressed my reservations to the Examiner, and he merely laughed them away. That boy', as you persist in calling him, is actually turning twenty-five in a week,' he had stated. Alright, so he is four years my junior, except that he looks as if he were ten years younger. Even if he has experience in the war...well, does that not make things worse? A child who has spent his formative years learning the craft of bloodshed and death is not someone who would fit well in this peaceful haven of supplicants and the devout.
Once I mulled on it for a bit, I now realize where I had remembered this Beowulf from. It was back in Bervenia during the late thirties, shortly before I left for Lionel. Back in those days, there was a troop that was allowed in the town, ostensibly helping to protect the town and disrupt the Ordalian forces, which had already embedded themselves in northern Limberry by then. That troop caused a lot of ruckus in peaceful Bervenia, and young Beowulf was often at the heart of it. I remember seeing him often around town with a few young women, physically closer to a particular short-haired girl than decency proscribes. Once I saw him today, I knew it was him immediately. It was those eyes, the same color as drying blood. How appropriate.
I will make sure to warn the white mages of his attentions. It is all I can do while Examiner Draclau remains deaf to my wisdom.
-0-
The bicultural woman paused in the middle of filing away some records. Someone thinks he's high and mighty, she commented, rolling her hazel eyes in derision.Apparently so, Alazlam said in a noncommittal tone, but you must remember, this priest had a very hard life due to the nobles and the knights. He was a commoner, remember?
We are commoners, but we don't let that define us, Rina retorted.
The elder man sighed. Those times were different.
It is always different, she returned, shaking her head. This priest only saw labels. Funny that he couldn't see that Sir Kadmus was going to become a vaunted Zodiac Brave in a mere ten or so years.
As well as that angel' he always goes on about, the historian thought, so then, what did Priest Buremonda see?
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(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 46/ 986, May 12th)Life is about to become a lot more busy, which is something I always welcome. Examiner Draclau has been chosen by the High Priest to receive his confirmation as a cardinal. This comes a month after Cardinal Rican's death due to illness. Murond is moving faster than usual, which seems slightly odd. Although the ceremony for confirmation is traditionally held in Murond, the examiner wants it held in Bervenia. The High Priest allowed this, which only serves to confuse me even more. So, Examiner Draclau will be leaving in March, because he wants to travel around Ivalice and help those in need before the ceremony in November. Certainly, this makes little sense to me, but I will trust that things will turn out for the best.
Examiner Draclau asked myself and Kadmus to join him for an informal breakfast today, in which he told us that we will share duties in taking care of Lionel while he is away. All decisions will be jointly made when it concerns Lionel expenses. Personally, as long as that boy stays out of my business, things will go much more smoothly.
The library could use a cataloger, but the examiner thinks differently. I shall begin a new correspondence to Priest Ceren, as I hear there have been interesting developments in Dorter lately.
-0-
(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 46/ 986, May 24th)It is interesting the secrets people hold, as well as how some people respond to power. Priest Ceren has agreed to work on his end in regards to transferring Reis, in exchange for a sum of money to be sent to a certain lady's house in Dorter. Once the examiner leaves, it would be easy enough to appropriate the amount from the yearly portion set aside for the upkeep of the knights. Strange how Priest Ceren couldn't think to do the same with Murond's finances, but I appreciate his inability to do so. I will also prepare the paperwork necessary for legitimate transfer in the examiner's name. All I will need to do after all this is to have Kadmus' agreement over Reis' salary--a mere pittance, which I plan on changing--and that will be it. Oh, I nearly forgot that I will need to find a way to prevent anyone from sullying Reis' innocence...I have a few ideas on how to handle that, of course.
Finally...finally I will have the chance to hear her voice.
Professor Durai placed his bookmark--a colorful piece of artwork created by his daughter--inside the journal and leaned back in his chair. It was almost May, and the birds were as melodious this morning as the sun was bright. It would be a nice day to hold a dig in Gallionne, and Alazlam momentarily wished that he was doing that instead of uncovering just how corrupt church officials were even generations before. From writing his previous books he had learned of how corrupt the Church could be, but to read a first-hand account of a priest willing to embezzle money to send to another priest's mistress in order to circumvent the bureaucracy of the Church...
It was all a little too much to absorb at once.
Even if he loved that woman, why didn't he at least consider the moral consequences of his actions? Alazlam couldn't help but ponder this, closing his eyes for optimal thinking. He never even lamented his decisions...at least, not on paper, not yet. All he cares about is what he wants...
It worried the calm-minded historian, it honestly did. The journal was over four hundred years old, written during a time that he constantly researched but never understood. It was a time long passed over. And yet, he couldn't help but worry.
What could happen, what had happened to the priest and the two Zodiac Braves...it worried him deeply.
-0-
(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 47/ 987, April 2nd)Today Reis Dular arrived. It is a wonderful day, and yet there were still events that marred its perfection. First of all, Kadmus could not be bothered to go and wait for her at Bariaus Valley at the appropriate time, which worried me immensely because of all the monsters that roam that area. Secondly, while he did manage to bring her to the church safely, I came upon them while they were holding hands. She was wrapped up in his cape as well. I had warned him that I would not stand for the casual ways he is undoubtedly used to treating women of lesser morals with, but naturally I should not have expected him to listen to me.
Reis is such a kind, polite woman, just like I have always imagined her to be. Her voice is low and soft, mellow without a dreary monotone, her inflection impeccable. Truly, she is the pinnacle of what the Church can offer to the so-called commoners. No noble could ever reach her level, not even the king and queen themselves. I am looking forward to helping her get settled into her new job. Priest Ceren could not make it so that she would be transferred as a cataloger, only as a temporary translator, but this is fine. She will simply take over the tomes that I have been translating.
As long as she stays, it is more than fine.
-0-
(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 47/ 987, April 3rd)Today was Reis' first day of work. She is such a dedicated worker! I actually had to give her a break because she never gave herself one, not even for food. It is difficult to believe that I could respect her even more than I already have through reading her accomplishments, but the woman herself is such a remarkable creature that I am pleased to grant her all the respect she deserves. She is very thoughtful and intelligent, though that worried me slightly when she expressed an interest in the belief systems of other faiths. I had simply never thought about faiths other than the Glabados one, for good reason, so it made me uneasy to think that Reis could potentially become a heathen--which of course she'd never become.
Beauty, intelligence, and such a kind disposition...she is truly the epitome of womanhood!
I want to be the epitome of womanhood, a tall blonde said, smirking as she dug through some files in a corner of Professor Durai's office, is there an application I can fill out for the position? I need to pay for this year's tuition.
Sienne, are you really that bad off? I'll loan you some gil if you want, this new speaker, a young man with dark brown hair, coughed as a giant cloud of dust attacked him when he removed a box to get some files that had fallen between the wall and the boxes. Professor Durai, have you ever considered moving these boxes to a storage closet or something?
The professor smiled behind the journal as he turned the page. Arrick, this office used to be a closet, if I remember correctly. Now, which one of you can answer this: Name three other faiths in Ivalice at the time of this priest's life?
Sienne Rienthal, a native of Fovoham who was majoring in archaeology, shrugged at this. She was an admittedly poor student. I guess one of them would've been whatever the Easterners practiced.
That's a trick question, Arrick Eiel managed to get out before he sneezed. Being a noble from Lesalia who only attended at Gariland for their theology studies, the concept of dust was new to him. All Ni'iejin had to renounce any belief systems and accept the Glabados faith before they were even allowed to enter Ivalice. There was only the Glabados belief officially, and maybe the tiny cult or two that managed to elude the Shrine Knights.
Sienne turned around partially to stare at her fellow assistant.
What Rina looks like, he clarified while digging out a file.
Ah. Right.
Alazlam chuckled. Sienne, after you find the records of the Galthana siblings, you can go study. I need assistants that can still pull their weight in their classes. The woman grumbled something under her breath, but the professor was used to this and ignored her. Arrick, I need you to go to Lesalia this weekend and pick up some files I asked for at the government's records office.
Arrick muttered while fishing out the last file, thought we already had all the known files on Agrias Oaks.
Yes, but according to this journal Beowulf Kadmus is a noble, just like her. If one noble comes from Lesalia, who's to say that another one wouldn't?
-0-
(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 47/ 987, June 8th)Today I nearly compromised my morals. I could not help it, God forgive me. Reis has been tutoring Vormav Tingel's son, Izlude I believe, as well as doing her own job. I admire her diligence, although I cannot see why she bothers with the child. It just must be her innate kindness at work. With all those burdens on her shoulders, it is not a surprise at all that she has been tired as of late. When we were talking today, she seemed so delicate, almost fragile, and I suddenly had the overwhelming urge to touch her. She has remarkably soft skin, and the way she was looking at me, with such an enthralling gaze through half-lidded eyes...
I wanted to kiss her.
This is quite the problem. I admire her greatly. It is only admiration, of course. I cannot possibly have such base feelings like lust. After all, I am a priest. I feel such abnormally strong feelings for her, but I cannot let my feelings warp and darken. They must remain pure, just like she is. I almost wanted to blame her, but that would be the cruelest thing I could ever inflict upon her. She has not done anything I did not want, she has been almost too good, too kind.
She is an immaculate angel. I will do whatever it takes to make sure my base desires do not harm her in any way.
The slightly chubby man shook his head after Alazlam finished the passage. I've never heard a guy beat himself up so badly just because he liked a girl.
That's because you're not a priest, Petel. The professor glanced at his oldest assistant, who was finishing up his graduate studies in Ancient Ivalician. How was Lionel?
Goug's the same as always, loud and always smelling of smoke, Petel Isken said, scratching the back of his black-haired head. You're still hated everywhere else in Lionel, Professor. Thought you'd like to know that.
Yeah, I didn't tell anyone I was your assistant. Rina's getting her great-great-great...you know, her grand-aunt Chieko's journal at Zaland...but you already knew that, right?
The elder of the two men shook his head wearily. When I'm not reading this journal, I'm preparing for classes. I'm getting ready for the summer break so I can see my family again.
That's not until mid-July, though.
It's wishful thinking, my boy. Did Rina tell you why she was doing that?
The heavyset man shrugged easily. There's mentions of the braves in there. She figured there'd be something about those two you're researching about right now.
Ah, thank you, Alazlam leaned back, easing old bones into the not-uncomfortable chair. He looked up to see that Petel was still standing in front of his desk and asked, Something else you needed to tell me?
Er, yeah, Petel smirked, the dean wants you in her office in ten minutes. Something about canceling a lot of classes lately?
The part-time professor mentally noted to find his earplugs before he left his office. Rachelle Daravon was infamous for her marathon lectures.
-0-
(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 47/ 987, July 18th)I should have known. He is nothing more than a scoundrel, I knew that much, but all the same I honestly believed that I had caused him to think twice about corrupting the white mages and Reis. Especially Reis. But he is a noble and a knight, the worst possible combination in his world, so I should have known that he would try to take Reis into his clutches.
There was a ball on Friday night to appease the nobles who have escaped to this town. It is barely of any consequence to me. But when Carmine arrived this morning with a strange collar-like item that she had found outside Reis' door on Saturday morning, I was immediately concerned. I have noticed Reis' odd penchant for wearing clothes that are less than desirable for a church setting, but I did not mind setting that aside. They are...more than fitting on her slender body. But articles of clothing outside her door? Then after the sermon this morning, a few of the more devout nobles approached me to talk about the ball. One of them mentioned a beautiful young woman that appeared with Beowulf Kadmus. He said that she was from Limberry, but I remember that Reis is accomplished at all forms of the language, including dialects.
I was set on confronting her today, but she seemed so scared when she saw the collar in my hands that I knew that it was not her fault. She had been forced into it, I am sure. Just like that mark on her neck, the one that looks like a slight bruise. That knight means to do these wicked things to her, and all she can do is take it because she is so innocent. My poor angel. I have been neglecting her safety lately. I will confront that knight tomorrow and make certain that he does not continue these advances.
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(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 47/ 987, July 19th)If I had ever doubted that knights are the most insufferable, irritating and ignorant kind of human in the world, today would serve to show how truly right I had been in the first place. First, he had been late by over forty minutes. Second, he was very obviously tuning out everything I had said, in such a way that was nothing short of insulting. Third, after I had finished explaining to him why he should leave Reis alone, he responded in a rude tone, Are you done? Great. Here's some advice for you: Stay the hell out of my life. I don't need to hear your self-righteous lectures right now,' and left.
They always run away.
I have been thinking about this. In the face of a threat like him, I should send Reis back to Murond. She will be safe there, away from predators like him. But I have worked so hard at bringing her here in the first place. I need her here with me. I am risking her, and I should not, but I need her.
I will protect her from that knight. This I swear on the love I have for the Lord and the Holy Son.
How sad, Alazlam couldn't help but think as he placed his bookmark in the journal, closing the book and placing it on his desk, how sad indeed.
The historian was a logical person, capable of creating sound explanations from the barest silvers of information. Even from through the priest's own words, he could tell that the two Zodiac Braves had started a relationship. Priest Buremonda hadn't been able to see it, so blinded by both his love and hatred of what the two had represented to him, but even his own words belied his ignorance.
But then, how long do our self-created illusions last?
-0-
(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 47/ 987, August 23rd)It has been a horrible day.
This town was invaded by monsters, of all things. Today is the holiest of holy days, the birthday of the Holy Son, the Blessed Saint Himself, and the town was invaded by monsters and one mediator, if that knight is to be believed. On this holiest of days, he let Reis get injured. He left her to the mercy of dragons, beasts of death and destruction.
I will never forgive him.
What are these knights useful for? There were no casualties because everyone was in church, thank the Heavenly Father. The few injuries that occurred happened to those worthless knights and Reis. Homes are damaged, there are the bodies of slain monsters littering the town...that is all they have to show for this day. Damages and death and the blood streaking through Reis' golden hair.
This should not have ever occurred. There are knights strewn all across Lionel, and the one type of person they are supposed to be looking out for, a terrorist who would attack on a holy day, slips through the large cracks that make up Lionel's defense. If they are going to let a war continue throughout our country, then the least they could do is protect the defenseless, those who never wanted to start a war in the first place.
Wounds heal, but at the rate Ivalice is torn apart again and again by mindless warfare, the sooner there will no longer be a country to wound.
The two occupants of the small office were silent for awhile after the last passage had been read out loud. Finally, Rina Koizumi spoke. What a selfish bastard, she said slowly, brows furrowing as she shook her head, does he honestly think that knights like constantly risking their life for ungrateful jerks like that guy?
The slightly more reasonable Alazlam lowered the book onto the messy desk. Rina, you must understand...this priest had his father killed and his brother dragged into war by the Nanten, his home's own honorable military force, when he wasn't even ten. It's logical to assume that he would have such an...exaggerated mistrust of knights.
'Exaggerated' is right, Professor, the young woman shook her head again, adjusting her hold on a large book, there's a point in everybody's lives when they just have to stop blaming other people for things that just happened. Besides, he's the one who took money from the Lionel Holy Knights to begin with, so he's a hypocrite if he then complains that they're not doing enough.
Human nature calls for people to blame others first, instead of examining themselves. Alazlam glanced at the book in Rina's hands. What's that?
Many-greats grand-aunt Chieko's journal, she smiled when her professor raised an eyebrow at that. She had a keen ear for conversation, and diligently strove to write them in Ni'iego and Ivalician. She had some interesting things about Reis in here, from what I can read. Four hundred years sure can change a language.
Alazlam could relate. Reading Priest Buremonda's journal, particularly with the Zeltennian style of writing prominent throughout the book, was very tiresome. Certainly his own heritage ran from Limberry to Zeltennia, but he still went cross-eyed if he read too many pages of the journal at once. About Reis? What about Beowulf?
She smiled thinly. There are many rumors regarding why Chieko never married. Certainly it was true that she cared less for men than she did for other pursuits.
Her singing career?
Who's to say? She certainly can't now. Rina looked at the nearly overwhelmed desk with a jaundiced eye. I want to let you borrow this, but you must promise me that, if this room ever gets set ablaze, you will save the book before yourself. I was only allowed to take this out on my own honor.
Wonderful. The historian was less than pleased, but he motioned for her to place it to one of the smaller stacks of paper on his desk while simultaneously glancing at the next entry in the priest's journal and seeing more of the same vitriol being spewed onto the pages.
Wonderful.
-0-
(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 47/ 987, September 17th)Today, Reis and I had a nice discussion. I realized something during it. The more I feel compelled to do things to allow us to stay close, the more I find that Reis is quite...different than from when I first saw her all those years ago. She was an unknown entity then, someone far away, someone safe from my base urges. She was an angel, not just a mere woman, but rather someone that I could truly admire.
Bit by bit, she has changed.
I saw it as she changed. There were those clothes, the nearly scandalous ones that I allowed because they appealed to my lust. There have been the slight attitude adjustments, the ease in which she softly murmurs falsehoods and gentle deceptions, but I accept them because they are from a person whose voice seduces me with ease. She can narrow her eyes in anger, throw a bland look on her face when she disapproves of what I say, she can do a million things that are wholly human and should shatter my image of her as a perfect, shining angel.
But then I remember that there was another with her the entire time she has made Lionel her home. I remember her wrapped up in his cape, in his influence, the first time she laid eyes on me. Perhaps they were never really her' eyes to start with. Perhaps she has always been seduced by him.
Perhaps I could've never saved her, protected her in the first place.
I cannot waver in my diligence, though. I can see the glimmer of trueness, that holy presence that drew me to her in the first place. So, while he tries his best to tear down her purity, I will be right beside her to remind her of the proper path, her true path.
I will do anything to make sure she reaches it.
Sienne was the first to speak. Well, that's only slightly creepy. Kinda like my last boyfriend.
There are men that obsessed about purity' in this day and age? Rina wanted to know. Arrick and Petel just looked at each other before deciding not to answer that question.
Alazlam sighed. Do any of you have an opinion with actual merit? Slightly creepy' isn't one, by the way.
The guy's got a twisted view on the relationships between men and women, Petel offered after a moment of silence, it seems that he thinks that men are only out to seduce young women from God's clutches as well as believing that women are completely pure, innocent creatures.
I guess someone always has to be held in the highest standards while someone else has to be dragged through the muck, Arrick commented, true equality's just a dream.
Yeah, true, Sienne nodded slowly, I kinda feel sorry for that guy, though. It's like he thinks he could hurt her cause he's a man, so he tries too hard to adhere to his label instead.
Rina scowled. It's his own fault in the first place. He's just unhappy that some other guy who's all the things he despises has taken the girl of his dreams away from him. He can cover it up with the whole good priest, bad knight' thing as much as he wants, but in reality I bet he knows that he lost out from the very beginning.
Running a hand through her layered blond hair, Sienne looked quizzically at the other female. Because he's a priest, right?
Uh-huh. That was the problem from the very beginning, but he just blames it on that Beowulf person instead. Easier target and all that.
Can you really say that with complete certainty? Arrick asked, crossing his arms. Saying that Priest Buremonda is taking out the hostility he has about his job on Sir Kadmus because of jealousy, while using said job to stay with Miss Dular seems...a little farfetched, he shrugged at the end of this, clearly losing interest in the discussion.
Alazlam held out a hand and all his assistants focused their attention onto him. Very good, all of you. Although we can deduce the cause of Priest Buremonda's emotional reactions due to what he reveals of himself in this book, let us keep in mind that this is a heavily biased account. I'm certain that Reis and Beowulf had a different view of the events presented, but it also seems as if they've never bothered to write out their own accounts.
So then, Petel started, since it's so biased, does that mean you're not going to use it for research purposes?
Well, that would depend on what happens in the end, the professor smiled wanly, and what he says about the Zodiac Stones and the Church's involvement with them.
-0-
(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 47/ 987, November 27th)Not since the day my family was taken away from me have I ever felt so many emotions at once. I feel so betrayed, hurt, angry, sad...I do not know whether to laugh at my own foolishness or cry because he took her away from me.
Lately, I have been suffering from a bout of insomnia. It always happens this time of the year, so I know it will go away soon enough. However, tonight I just felt so restless that I decided to take a walk around the church. It is such a beautiful church, and I am proud of having a hand in transforming it into a place that will always receive God's eternal light. When I walked by Reis' room, I heard noises. After a moment, I could easily ascertain that there were two different voices coming from the room. And after another moment, I heard her sweetly low voice murmur his name.
Even in her deviancy, she still sounded so beautiful.
I simply do not know what to do now. Or rather, I do know, but...I just want this to be a bad dream. If I drink enough, maybe that is all it will be.
But it really is not, is it?
-0-
(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 47/ 987, November 28th)My angel...what happened to her? Today she sounded so coarse, so base that it saddened me how much he managed to drag her down to his level. I merely wanted to apologize for my inability to protect her, I wanted to warn her about his ways, about the kind of low creature he truly is. But she threw my cautions back in my face, actually attacking my good intentions! She never used to be this way, she used to be kind, gentle...my God, what has he done to her? I knew then that I had to send her back to Murond for her own good, and I told her so, but then she revealed that he had proposed to her.
It's a trick. I know it is. He wants to chain her to him for now, just a little plaything for him to ruin. And she, like a true innocent, can only see his pleasant mask. She cannot see the dark intentions he has for her. I am sure he has them, he's the same as the rest of them.
They are all the same.
I have already prepared preliminary plans to send her back to Murond, where she will be safe from his clutches. This much I can do for her.
-0-
(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 47/ 987, November 29th)I now realize that sending Reis back will not be enough. The only way to completely free her is to do away with him. He plans to take her away.
I will not let anyone take her away from me.
If he can be a beast without shame, answering her door in the early morning when I thought to talk to her about her upcoming transfer, then he will die as a monster. He and the disgusting Lucavi are the one and the same, so I will use their magic to bind him into what should have been his true form. And to think, Vormav Tingel was thinking of making him the Zodiac Brave for the Aries stone!
Ordinarily, I would not interfere with the Church's plans. If they can recreate the Zodiac Braves and save Ivalice, then I want to help them with all my power! But to choose someone who is so perverted that he would commit his sins in a place blessed by Saint Ajora...then it is my right to free them from the error of their ignorance. I will save her, I will save the Church, and I will free Ivalice from the wretched clutches of one of those that have hurt us so-called commoners for so long.
Our Holy Father and His Blessed Son, please lend me Your strength in this endeavor.
-0-
(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 47/ 987, November 30th)What I believed in was a lie.
She was the true monster. The stones can bond with the unholy darkness of Lucavi. It is hard to think clearly right now.
I trapped Kadmus in the library, fully intending to use the Lucavi spell on him. I was certain that he would transform...a part of me still believes it. I saw Reis beyond the barrier I had constructed, one that he could not detect as it was a Zodiac-based one. Yet Reis passed through it and blocked the spell's path.
She was smiling. She has such a beautiful smile.
But the spell changed when it hit her. She had a stone in one of her hands, and it converted the spell from a pure Lucavi-type to a Zodiac-type. I do not know where she found the Aquarius stone she held, but that must've been how she was able to bypass the air sign barrier. She was flung back, slamming into Kadmus; somehow my elaborate spell trap was disabled, probably by the stone's power.
She wasn't moving.
He was holding her, trying to revive her while I could not do more than to stand in shock at what had just occurred. There was a flash of light, and suddenly Reis...transformed into a giant purple dragon. She was thrashing about, though I cannot recall if she actually roared. I saw her tail swinging around, and he was thrown back into the wall of the library entrance. Her wings were flapping like a bird's, and she actually rose from the ground, smashing into the skylight and flying into the fog that cluttered the sky.
I did not think she could have the potential inside her to become a monster. She is so kind, she seemed as if she could have been an angel descended from Heaven...
I took the stone before getting Scarlet's assistance in helping Kadmus. I honestly do not believe he will survive the night, not with the grievous injuries to his chest and head.
I don't know...what can I do now? Everything is wrong. Why did the stone not deflect the spell? It is supposed to be a holy relic, so why did it aid Lucavi?
What have I done?
It was dark when Alazlam J. Durai finally looked up from the beaten, yet strangely well-preserved journal. Moonlight weakly filtered through the window of his tiny flat, his home in the bustling little town of Gariland Magic City.
Olan Durai's papers held a fair amount of information about the Zodiac Stones. Cidolfas Orlandu had once possessed the Libra stone, his family's legacy. Olan could intuitively understand something of the stone's true nature, being a very accomplished astrologer, and he knew the stones to be a gateway to power beyond a mere human's control. Later Olan was able to learn more from the accounts his adopted father had secretly sent him, details regarding the sword master's travels with Ramza Beoulve. Men of power, both within the Church and of the aristocracy, turned into the mythological Lucavi. A boy was brought back to life. Millennia-old mechanical constructs used the stones as energy sources.
A dragon regained her humanity.
Alazlam's ancestor had mainly cared about the Lion War and Delita's ability to use everyone, including his adopted father and his dear friend Ovelia, but that meant following Ramza's journey from noble to heretic. That meant understanding the Zodiac Stones, and the Lucavi, and the truth about the vaunted saint Ajora Glabados. All this Olan had learned from the accounts left by many of the braves before they descended into Orbonne Monastery for the last time, hidden in a place known only by he and Sir Orlandu.
Olan knew a lot of the secret things that went on. He wrote them all down, and although the Durai Report had been confiscated by the Church, even they could not bring themselves to destroy it. Alazlam had been simply astonished at all the things his martyred ancestor related in the Durai Papers. The political plots, the Lucavi, and the false saint...it all seemed like a convoluted piece of fiction.
But it was the true history.
Alazlam felt different after reading the priest's account. He felt as if he could understand the role the stones played in history, in the truth. For the first time, everything made sense. The stones were nothing more than a gateway into a human's true nature. It made grand heroes become demons, and fragile victims into saviors.
It showed the truth.
Maybe, he mused to himself in the darkened room, maybe that's why the stone did nothing more than change the type of spell Priest Buremonda used. It wasn't because it was affiliated with the Lucavi. It probably would've changed the holiest of spells into a Zodiac-type as well.
I wonder if she was sad when she finally regained her human form.
-0-
(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 47/ 987, December 17th)Today I informed Cardinal Draclau that I wanted to formally charge Beowulf Kadmus with heresy. When he asked why, I explained that it was a delicate situation between us and Reis' death', and that Kadmus could potentially accuse me of having something to do with the situation. I knew that in the cardinal's mind, the Church needs to look immaculate in order to fully step in after the war and sway the people to seek out the Church for help instead of the nobles. Having any of the clergy be charged with murder would obviously hamper that plan, so he agreed to at least presenting the offer of a trial-less heresy charge to Kadmus.
I am sure he will take it. From what Scarlet says, he does not remember what had happened to Reis. I hope he never does. I am still...somewhat distraught about her bestial roots.
I need to get the Aquarius stone away from Church lands as soon as possible. When Kadmus takes the charge, I'll be sure to send Reis' luggage with him. The stones are the gateway to Hell, to the Lucavi, and I could not, in my right mind, let the Church corrupt themselves with the evil of the stones. The Church needs to save Ivalice, not become the base of its destruction. Even if there is potential in Kadmus to be affected by the stone, it is better in his hands than in Tingel's. I have noticed that the cardinal brought back with him a similar stone with the sigil of Scorpio engraved in it. He said that he received it from Tingel in Bervenia.
For now, I cannot think of a plan to get rid of that stone as well. I will assume, however, that Tingel holds another stone. But I have time to plan; the Church will not act with resurrecting the Zodiac Braves until after the war is over. It would not do for the braves to appear now, while the war is dying down. But if the braves appeared during the climax of another war...no, I cannot write such words. The Church is a good institution. It has taken good care of me and other orphans left wandering in the midst of the war.
They are just misguided as to the true potential of the stones.
I find that I do not wish ill will towards Beowulf Kadmus. I still resent him for the nature of his relationship with Reis, but...I cannot believe I have gone this far.
Even if she was a monster, I will repent for my actions that day for the rest of my life, or until I can no longer see that smile on her angelic face.
I will never atone for my sin, will I?
What a pitiful man, Alazlam couldn't help but speak aloud, his voice unheard by human ears in the emptiness of his office. It was approaching sunset on a typical Gallionne June day, and as his office window faced west, it allowed for the reddish-orange hue of the sinking sun to flood his cramped office.
The door was suddenly thrown open and Sienne's lithe figure slipped through, which was promptly drenched with the colors of the sunset. Professor, everyone's waiting on you. Planning session for research during summer break, remember?
Yes, yes, the scholar smiled lightly, pushing down his feelings of pity and replacing it with his usual calm expression, I'll be there in ten. As the door closed behind his assistant, he felt a bit of weariness seep through his body. He'd read lots and lots of historical accounts, but so few had gotten to him as deeply as this one had. He stopped reading it to his assistants for that reason. He thought of it as sparing them, and after a while they had all forgotten about the journal in favor of their studies and duties.
Old bones tired out by years of hard work creaked a bit as Alazlam stood up, but he paid them no mind as he placed the journal on his desk and walked to the door. There was a lot of planning that needed to be done tonight for his latest book, and he needed to focus on that now.
-0-
(Lionel Castle, Lionel; Pantora 49/ 989, October 23rd)I am very afraid now. Although there is still the wish inside my heart that the Church will rise above the power of the aristocrats and bestow the freedom that the people truly deserve, I know it to be nothing more than a wish. Having used the Lucavi spell years prior, I understand fully that the Zodiac Stones are not as blessed as we would believe them to be. She used it, and the spell's composition changed. This would not be possible unless Lucavi and the Zodiac Stones are compatible, for if the stone had been holy, my spell would have been dispelled. Instead, my beloved Reis still changed, transforming into a beast of extraordinary power.
I did not know there was such a monster within her. Even after all these years, I still cannot believe it.
My only hope now is that Beowulf Kadmus has continued to keep the Aquarius stone far away from the Church. It was certainly a gamble that had paid off. I know it will take at least six of twelve to summon the most unholy evil upon Ivalice again, and I know of at least four stones possessed by the Church, including the Scorpio stone that has the cardinal under its thrall.
Cardinal Draclau had asked me to come by tonight. He knows, he can surely smell the taint of the Aquarius, for that stench still lingers in the library. He will understand my plan involving Kadmus and the charge of heresy, and my life will be forfeit then. Somehow, it is fitting this way. As soon as I had used that Lucavi spell, my life and soul had been bound to them. Now, their pawn has come to collect on their behalf. It is just as well. Her smile still lingers. Will you be content now, Reis?
Our Lord Above and His Blessed Son, I thank You for allowing me to humbly serve You for as long as You wanted.
-End-
Wow. I'm very sorry...I'm at least a week late with this. Don't worry, this little series is bi-weekly, because I'd like to end WHW on its one-year anniversary. It would be weekly, but I have a game backlog to clear out. (Despite 's glitch, next chapter is due 7/20).
So, anyway, Verden. The game states that he cast that spell out of jealousy because he lusted after Reis. Saying that it's lust makes it so...boring to me. The Hero loves, the Villian lusts. Since love at first sight' tends to be typical of many romances, I decided that Priest Buremonda could have that sort of situation instead, because it's slightly better than a really bad case of sexual frustration. Though, there was a bit of that too.
-I realize that Alazlam's book on the Lion War had the subtitle Truth of the 400th Year'. I can't tell if this means that 400 years have passed, or that the time period of Ramza's Ivalice was 400 Some Initials, which just gets even more confusing when you consider that the Yudora Empire was a thousand years before, which was when Ajora lived and Western initials tend to have something to do with religion (thanks for confirming the A.D. thing, anon). Because my head hurts less when I think of the former option, that's what you get.
-Ni'iejin-- Sun Island people' Ni'iego-- Sun Island language'.
-Random Durai stuff: How did Olan (or Orlan, whatever) find out all that stuff with the Lucavi, anyway? Damned if I know. I'm not going to mess with the whole Ramza is dead/alive' confusion that the ending brings about.
-Beowulf, the Aries Zodiac Brave? Think palette swaps and Velius' job class. It seems that a character doesn't have to have a zodiac sign analogous with the stone in order to provoke a reaction...
-Yes, I know that Holy Dragon Reis can't fly. Or, to put it another way, she can't fly now.
Reviewers (like anyone remembers their reviews by now)!
Hello, Raid and Ruins! I like that name, very interesting. I'm very honored that you liked WHW as much as you did. I certainly didn't think anyone would really like it, not in the beginning. Promising stories...hm. I believe I have a few. :)
Yo, Luna! This third-person POV is really odd to write in...anyway, I'm glad you liked the epilogue. Hm...would it be much of a spoiler if I said he did?
Yeah, WHW was like another week, another chapter', except that some weeks I would end up writing 20 pages in a day because I am the master procrastinator. This story is so chubby...
By the way, I got suckered into going to an anime con recently. AX sucked this year. I should've gone to Otakon instead. :/
Sup, The Burning Misery? I think the fact that WHW was a prequel story offered some interesting challenges. I had to make sure that this ran smoothly with the course of the story...not like it matter, considering how important' most of these characters are to the plot. Bah.
Cardinal Draclau becomes the first Lucavi that Ramza's troop fights in the game. He's that fat bloater, Queklain.
You write poetry? I should learn how to do that...I can't stand reading poetry though. I'm going to read one of yours one of these days...
Hey, Mavina! I wanted it to be lies too...though I do love angsty endings. Well, in the end the ending was just...a new beginning, of sorts.
I don't understand what you mean with this sentence: There isn't so much fighting as in FFT to make this think it is an actual fanfic! I'm serious! Take out of FFT names and I wouldn't have second thought the story isn't perfect!' Can you please clarify for confused little me?
I'm planning to make the FFT section my new home. I like small sections, they're cute.
Reis Nailo, hello! I'm glad you like the story so much, and I'm especially honored if you do that Reis thing because of my story. :) Good luck to you as well!
Hi, rufe. I honestly don't mind if you review with an anonymous or signed in name. I'm honestly happy that you liked the story, and especially that you liked Verden Buremonda. He was...interesting to write. Well, I hope you like the Those Left Behind stories as much as I'll like writing them!
MavGunloc, I loved how you had new paragraphs for the random comments, but not when you had the actual review of the two chapters. It's especially great that those were big paragraphs too...heh, just playin' with ya.
Those Left Behind, second story: What Have You Accomplished, Sir Izlude Tingel?'