One by one they fell under the sword wielded by the forgotten knights until
they were left with a lone Konoe knight fiercely fending off the dark
intruders. As rumors foretold, St Konoe Knights proved to be hard fighters,
unafraid of death. But even that did not save them from their grim fate. He
counted the casualties. 4 knights in his company had fallen or too injured
to continue otherwise to be left behind to die. But compared to their loss
their enemies suffered far greater numbers. 7 knights, all lying dead,
defiling the holy yard with their grotesque corpses. The last knight
received a mortal blow to his rib cage followed by 3 blades thrusted into
his abdomen as easily as plunging the sword into still water. "Lord Rakshu,
your orders?" asked the leading knight to his left. "I have the stone in my
possession, we will retreat now." the dark mage replied in his usual stoic
voice. His knights obeyed immediately with their bloodied sword hanging
loosely on their belts. He often wondered how the earl of Lionel managed to
regroup them again. Such resourceful soldiers, perfect soldiers capable of
carrying out orders with no objection and kills with no remorse very
difficult to found in most knights throughout Ivalice. It was as if
observing an undead skeleton warriors at his disposal, only that they were
still considered a living humans judging by their full flesh.
"Bright light, shine down on bloody impurity! Holy!" cried a commanding voice as he approached the intruders with a novice priest trailing behind him. The dark mage felt a skin shredding pain rushing through his body as the holy ray of energy impaled him from toe to head soaring from the earth and through the mage only to be seen leaving his body and into the sky. "Ertai! Brother, surrender the stone or face god's anger!" cried the pagan examiner. It had been long since their last formal encounter, but Egre had no trouble recognizing his corrupt brother. Tall, medium build with a slight tanned yet charming face with his long flowing black hair now hidden beneath his cowl, his brother recovered his breath. Egre remembered his brother's lost nickname. "Prince of Darkness" judging by his interests in black magic and his dark characteristic traits. He'd often hated that name and frowned often during their childhood. It seemed to Egre that judging by his brother now, he wouldn't mind the nickname but rather enjoy it. "What are you scheming brother?!" demanded Egre.
Slowly recovered to his feet, Ertai smiled a wicked smile while glaring deathly at Egre. "Hello brother, scheming? We're fighting for justice! King Hyral is no fit ruler for Ivalice!" Egre knew his great dislike of Delita dating back to his crowning day. He remembered his brother in full fledged anger and frustration that day and the following weeks, how he'd rejected the new king's rule and often run into authority many a times before. But then, he wasn't such a powerful mage back then nor was he a cold killer. "He who stained his hands with so much blood to gain his crown does not deserve it. He betrayed father as well as the rightful ruler. Yet you serve him..."
Swords drawn and ready, the knights wearing the crest of the grey wolf stood facing Egre and the priest. "What? The crest of Touten? But they were disbanded years ago!" Egre played to be surprised to buy more time for Leonard to hopefully arrive in time with his promised reinforcements for their necessary ambush. He counted his enemies. 3 ninjas situated in the frontlines though away from his holy range, a summoner, lancer and a black mage stood with his brother leading them, two less skilled squires were stationed on the stairs to the tower and a lone monk standing closest to him than any other enemies. Total of 10 enemies against a novice priest whom Egre knew not his name and himself, pitifully outmatched.
"Surprised to see the forgotten knights? Most of them joined the Death Corps after disbanding, but some remained secret. It's a shame Delita dismissed their offer of service, because they make such a fine line of warriors." Indeed, there once were rumors back in the great 50 year war that Touten Knights excelled in combat compared to that of Hokuten and Nanten, led by their infamous leader the Dark Knight it was no surprise to see them slaughter through Konoe Knights with bloodlust. Touten knights started to advance slowly towards Egre knowing that any sudden movement will reward them with a Holy spell stronger than any average priest. But one in particular, the monk, charged with menacing speed towards Egre, his fists raised and only 3 feet away from Egre. Caught off guard he hastily tried to brew up a powerful spell but he knew to be too late, thus braced himself for the cruel pain. Fortunate enough for him, an arrow shot into the monk's neck, an instant death blow, causing the monk to drop his sword, lose balance and fall into Egre's chest with a faint embrace before sliding to the ground. Through the shadows of the cold winter night Egre's long awaited reinforcements arrived led by Leonard in the front. 'An ambush, excellent.' Two knights accompanying Leonard appeared on the rear while a knight and an archer emerged behind Egre and the priest. The archer reloaded his crossbow.
Tables had turned with Leonard's arrival, what seemed like an easy victory slipped away from Ertai's grasp. 'No matter...' he thought, gazing at the black orb clutched tightly in his left hand pocket. 'I could destroy them all with one spell!'
NO! cried an echo. From the depths of his mind spoke a familiar voice of a seductive witch and continued speaking yet again. REMEMBER, YOUR MISSION DARK MAGE... Ertai began to protest through his mind. "It won't affect our plans, I'll let these fools have it!" REMEMBER...REMEmber...remember... the resonating voice silenced into his mind, leaving the Dark Mage in the reality of battle.
"Tsk, fine I'll return with the stone. For now." he bitterly glanced at the orb before shifting his glance to his brother. He then returned the stone into his left pocket and faced his brother. "It's a pity brother, I had looked forward to right your wrong." Over the heated battle between the Touten and Konoe knights, swords clashed singing the music of a sharp flowing piece of clanging metals and for the weak hearted the music silenced away leaving death to decay. Egre stood on a higher platform, his eyes closed and breathing still as he silently chanted what seemed like another Holy spell to Ertai's experienced eyes.
A menacing laugh escaped his mouth. "Hahaha! Save some for later. I must retreat...for today." His dark form vanished just as he had done once before in their last encounter, and this time along with him, the sacred stone.
"NO!" he cried. But too late, his brother was gone without a trace yet again. The force of failure almost crushed him yet this was no time for such grief. Battle ensued even with the absence of the Dark Mage. Leonard dashed towards the safety of his charge. "Life is short...Bury! Statis Sword!" With a bright gleam leaving his sword, a shower of sharp shards of ice rained down on the two squires closing in on the Rune Priest. A fatal blow to the unlucky squire while the other suffered severe frozen cut wounds and rapid blood loss from the Holy Knight's wrath. "Egre! You wanna get yourself killed?!" Leonard harshly yelled at his charge, not bothering with the usual formality in order to shake him out of his sudden shock. He was right he thought. It won't be too late for him to retrieve the stone. He suppresed his thoughts and decided it'd be better to think later.
After all, he could attempt his search after the battle though his brother will not be foolish enough to stay for long to let him catch him. By day he would most certainly be out of the estate. During the brief moments, the once quiet monastery had become an all out battlefield, painting the sacred grounds with blood. A red moon would be expected tomorrow on such accounts. With the absence of Ertai, the enemies had lost a powerful ally and both Egre and Leonard were fully aware of this fact, thus by commanding his two knights, Leonard blindly rushed into the enemy lines, putting the fear of God's anger into the hearts of his adversaries with the help of his blessed sword held loftily in his hand. Egre on the other side studied the battlefield more closely before commanding his contingent of knights into battle. 3 ninjas clashed their blades with Leonard and his knights while a summoner and the black mage stayed behind the no man's land brewing up a spell. The young summoner in particular caught his attention. He was young, probably a new member of the disbanded knights. He was drawing the power of a guardian yet to be summoned on the field. A little more than a boy yet a little less than a man, unsure and hesitant, but eager to prove himself. Young and untried he might be, but he was fully capable of weaving enough magic to ice Leonard and his knights fighting off the ninjas. The boy summoner hurriedly fashioned his spell even as Egre observed. Egre silently prayed before weaving his own spell. "God, forgive your sinful children." he then employed the holy powers at his will. Gathering and morphing or rather shaping the raw holy energy into a form of existence.
"Guardian of Light, hear my calls, smite my enemies in holy flames, Trinity Ray!" sparing no time, Egre released his powers onto the boy summoner who almost finished his chantings. The field thundered with ice and snow but only for a brief seconds before the field was momentarily engulfed in bright atmosphere, a beam of holy ray shined down from the bright sky, connecting with the very grounds the boy summoner stood. Blast after blast the white light bashed the summoner through until the holy powers had used up. He lay sprawled on the ground. A black mage finished what the summoner failed to achieve. "Fire 2!" flames arose from the grounds, its blazing blade burning into the bruised skin of the Konoe Knights. A successful use of magic, manipulating a moderate level spell cast on three enemies at once took some skills and Egre doubted that he'd seen the best potentials of the enemy mage. If his prediction were correct, he should be conserving his mp for a greater spell, a Fire 3 perhaps or even Fire 4 if he indeed was a formidable black mage.
With their Dark Mage gone, the lancer who had stood with his brother took the commands and regained order in the frontlines, shouting commands at the ninjas holding off the knights with utmost ferocity they could muster with their blades. Clash of steel rung the silent still air in this midnight with iron songs of battle heard by veterans throughout wars and much bloodshed.
"Life is short...Bury! Stasis Sword!" Sharp cruel ice shards rained on the ninjas who faced Leonard and his knights. What fueled them he wondered as he witnessed the chunks of ice befell his enemies. Could it be their handsome reward? No, these ninjas fought for no rewards but gradually earned money in order to fight and kill. Veteran ninjas of the 50 year war and perhaps they may even have known Gafgarion from past as their commanding knight from looking at their recklessness. Warriors without fear and no remorse to kill, Konoe Knights were known to be brave but valued their lives more than the Toutens who lost the war and had been dismissed to either die off from hunger or resort to petty crimes from day to day in order to fill their empty bellies with ill made nourishments. The better of them turned themselves in the mercenary services like one Gafgarion later became famous for. Two had fallen under the sharp pain enthrusted deep into their body and soul by Leonard's holy assault and with the fast movement of swords, his two knights disarmed the ninja, breaking his spell edge with one long arc of their great sword.
The mage fell to his knees limply, trying to get hold of the ground but standing no less than a second before his legs gave in, revealing too weak to further battle. A bolt of arrow discouraged him to lift his right hand to cast anymore spell, the black mage clutched the arrow protruding out of his right arm like as if now it was a part of his body. Egre could have sworn there was a enemy missing in the battle lines and realized too late when he found his novice priest impaled to the ground by the deadly spear falling on it's intended victim with utmost accuracy. The leading lancer proved himself to be a true veteran if others were but new recruits. Before he dispatched for Egre, he caught a glimpse of his old weary face which perfectly revealed his true age of nearing early 50. But his eyes showed a different man to that of the face that revealed nothing but an aged soldier to the naked eye. Strong flare sparked in the old ancient eyes of the veteran soldier and the glare he gave him was rarely found in the young soldiers Egre had known. The archer next to him crossed his path but his spear ran him through without much effort, lifting the tip as it plunged deep in the archer's belly, Egre's last defence died away as he slid across the spear until the old soldier was within breathing range of the archer. Prepared to make his last stand for the king if required to, the grip on his staff tightened, prepared for whatever it will cost him to stop the lancer before he took his life also. Though never trained fully in the melee combat, Egre knew better than most priests how to handle a staff and his skills compared to any other old priests from the past Lion Wars. Grappling the spearhead with the curved end of his staff, he was successful in disarming the lancer, or so he thought as he clearly saw spear flying off from the gauntlet hands and landing two meters away from the old warrior. If veterans have been famed for their experiences in battle, this one was no stranger to the claims as he drew a sword hidden before by the hems of his draping cloak, he stood over Egre and pushed the blade right into Egre's heart. Luckily enough, the Rune Priest pivoted aside to evade the potential deathblow, but nevertheless sharp blade entered his authorial white robe as if his skin welcomed the plunging pain, it shoved deep into his left arm as if entering still water.
Light silent steps of a woman was heard not long before Egre's fall. "Heaven's wishes to destroy all minds...Holy Explosion!" Cried Agrias, running her blade into full motion as she swung it with god's might supporting her strength. Leaving her sword, the holy energy ran in a single line, burning anything standing on it's route with holy inferno from the skies. The old soldier braced for pain, his cloak burned and his metal armor intensified the heating stabs he received as the inferno faded into his surrounding. Coughing up ale full of blood, he collapsed with a strange smile as if he found peace at last with his honorable, warrior's death. Thud came the noise when Agrias looked to her charge whose blood now soaked into his white attire as if eating away into the fabric like plague let loose on Ivalice. Egre feinted, his last visions remaining fixed on Agrias and Leonard...
-Infirmary- The smell reminded Agrias of the dreaded memories of her father's death in the line of their duty. He was carried off to someplace much similar to this infirmary except there were full of priests and maidens rushing from one patient to next only to find the other one dying while tending another. This smell of chemicals used by chemists and sometimes priests had a nauseating effect on her as it reminded her of her father lying on one of the sickbed, with blood and so much of it dried on his armor and tunic. He watched her as he breathed his last only to leave Agrias with a cold hand for her to cling to as he passed away. How long has it been since that nightmare...? She asked. There hadn't been very many if not almost none at all who knew much about her life as a girl growing up. Separated from her parents from her birth and to live in poverty, under the same roof, with a woman and man who thought of raising her to be a whore or perhaps marry her off to a rich man regardless of his age nor his temper but his lust. She remembered the town very vividly too. Never had there been such terrible frosts as they did at her childhood nightmares while in impoverished shanty- towns on the city's outskirts the blue, frozen bodies of small children were discovered every morning of the cruel winters. She guessed she should be thankful that her foster parents thought hard about keeping her alive till she could pay them back in cash by whatever means when would reach adulthood. Winter's cruel temperature was one danger, but there had been sickness covering almost everywhere during winters. In the streets, men were left gazing like madmen to be eaten alive by their own fever, filling sores, shitting blood, hallucinating scenes of fire and drowning, falling to the grounds with bones like wool, legs like rags, and a taste of bile in their mouths. Their bodies became raw meat, with a red pustule next to a blue one next to a yellow one next to a black one, as they vomited up their own intestines and cried out to St.Ajora for mercy, begging him to let them die for they could not go on, their heads bustling and their souls escaping in a blur of shit and fear...
"Captain!" cried Lavian and Alicia, waking Agrias from momentary trance of her past nightmares. "We don't have any further leads on the Dark Mage's whereabouts and the Touten pikes won't answer our questions." Lavian didn't bother trying to sound more professional than how she normally had been expected to address her captain. After all, they been through many hardship together with the company of Ramza and his friends, it was more natural for her subordinates to share friendly relationship with her rather than that of a professional relationship. Alicia showed concern to their mute captain but as soon as Agrias noticed, she erased any trace of her past trance and pulled an impassive face and talked in her usual stoic tone. "How does are defence and what of the injured men?"
"Most of them are being attended by the church clerics lead by padre Gabrio captain, and we've began burying our losses in the church graveyard after the ceremony." A single tear escaped Alicia's eyes without warning her and she quickly wiped her tears away but too late, Agrias noticed her subordinate's tears and later noticed the cause of it after reading the record of their dead.
Greix Platina – Dead Cause- ... Living relations- none
Rad Gaol – Dead. Cause- Decapitation from left shoulder blades to upper left waist, loss of blood Living relations- Fiancée (Alicia Fidelis)
Farul Jernome – Dead...
Rad.. How long has he been acquainted with her lower knight? She asked herself while combing her now slightly flaxen hair in her comfy quarters. It's been almost 2 years since they first met under the stormy weather, under the roof of Orbonne Monastery. Clashing arguments fired out and had been present as Agrias remembered it all, between herself and a very arrogant ex-commander of Touten knights who by then had became the most feared and efficient mercenary, Gaff Gafgarion the Dark Knight. It must have been the very first the two must have met as it was for Agrias who unwillingly met Gafgarion who she had to put up working with back then for the first time. Rad was too soft hearted to be a mercenary back then and even now before his death, Agrias would've doubted he'd have enjoyed his lifestyle as a mercenary. Had he and he wouldn't have lasted long in Gafgarion's enterprise judging by the level of reckless battle Gafgarion enjoyed as much as his heavy payment in return for it. He, along with Ramza decided to join them in the critical moment and this proved her Rad was never the type to go astray. But engaged to Alicia? She always knew the two had been close friends since but to such extent, she would never have guessed. But as more she thought about it, more loopholes became clearer to her with the new found knowledge of their affairs. Their coincidental absence at Ovelia's bedside giving birth to her firstborn, prince Eurious did somehow gave Agrias certain hints but only today she found out their love affair. Love... She knew not capable of such emotion before and she had great doubts about her chances now that she started to mature into almost 34 in 2~3 years time, an age when they'd consider a woman un-marriageable and no longer fit to produce amazing fertility as young women of 20 years are capable of. Was she still considered beautiful? If her memories didn't fail her yet, she remembered many suitors with different gifts in their hands visiting her manor when she became a presentable young lady, age of 16. Back then, she would never have had dreamt of following her bloodline to fulfill the long line of services to the crown as a Holy Knight. Completing the 300 year long line of bloodline, the Oaks have had at least one from each generation become a Holy Knight and Agrias was no exception in that long tradition. However, there no longer any known relatives of the Oaks family and being the only child, her mother had been very intent to introduce a husband for her. With her father now gone, her mother the baroness Oaks was even more determined for her daughter to carry on the tradition and bring her a grandchild before she departed this world. Nearing 34, her hopes of settling down with a man seemed much far away than reaching stars on one clear evening Agrias thought and felt sorry for her legitimate mother.
"Bright light, shine down on bloody impurity! Holy!" cried a commanding voice as he approached the intruders with a novice priest trailing behind him. The dark mage felt a skin shredding pain rushing through his body as the holy ray of energy impaled him from toe to head soaring from the earth and through the mage only to be seen leaving his body and into the sky. "Ertai! Brother, surrender the stone or face god's anger!" cried the pagan examiner. It had been long since their last formal encounter, but Egre had no trouble recognizing his corrupt brother. Tall, medium build with a slight tanned yet charming face with his long flowing black hair now hidden beneath his cowl, his brother recovered his breath. Egre remembered his brother's lost nickname. "Prince of Darkness" judging by his interests in black magic and his dark characteristic traits. He'd often hated that name and frowned often during their childhood. It seemed to Egre that judging by his brother now, he wouldn't mind the nickname but rather enjoy it. "What are you scheming brother?!" demanded Egre.
Slowly recovered to his feet, Ertai smiled a wicked smile while glaring deathly at Egre. "Hello brother, scheming? We're fighting for justice! King Hyral is no fit ruler for Ivalice!" Egre knew his great dislike of Delita dating back to his crowning day. He remembered his brother in full fledged anger and frustration that day and the following weeks, how he'd rejected the new king's rule and often run into authority many a times before. But then, he wasn't such a powerful mage back then nor was he a cold killer. "He who stained his hands with so much blood to gain his crown does not deserve it. He betrayed father as well as the rightful ruler. Yet you serve him..."
Swords drawn and ready, the knights wearing the crest of the grey wolf stood facing Egre and the priest. "What? The crest of Touten? But they were disbanded years ago!" Egre played to be surprised to buy more time for Leonard to hopefully arrive in time with his promised reinforcements for their necessary ambush. He counted his enemies. 3 ninjas situated in the frontlines though away from his holy range, a summoner, lancer and a black mage stood with his brother leading them, two less skilled squires were stationed on the stairs to the tower and a lone monk standing closest to him than any other enemies. Total of 10 enemies against a novice priest whom Egre knew not his name and himself, pitifully outmatched.
"Surprised to see the forgotten knights? Most of them joined the Death Corps after disbanding, but some remained secret. It's a shame Delita dismissed their offer of service, because they make such a fine line of warriors." Indeed, there once were rumors back in the great 50 year war that Touten Knights excelled in combat compared to that of Hokuten and Nanten, led by their infamous leader the Dark Knight it was no surprise to see them slaughter through Konoe Knights with bloodlust. Touten knights started to advance slowly towards Egre knowing that any sudden movement will reward them with a Holy spell stronger than any average priest. But one in particular, the monk, charged with menacing speed towards Egre, his fists raised and only 3 feet away from Egre. Caught off guard he hastily tried to brew up a powerful spell but he knew to be too late, thus braced himself for the cruel pain. Fortunate enough for him, an arrow shot into the monk's neck, an instant death blow, causing the monk to drop his sword, lose balance and fall into Egre's chest with a faint embrace before sliding to the ground. Through the shadows of the cold winter night Egre's long awaited reinforcements arrived led by Leonard in the front. 'An ambush, excellent.' Two knights accompanying Leonard appeared on the rear while a knight and an archer emerged behind Egre and the priest. The archer reloaded his crossbow.
Tables had turned with Leonard's arrival, what seemed like an easy victory slipped away from Ertai's grasp. 'No matter...' he thought, gazing at the black orb clutched tightly in his left hand pocket. 'I could destroy them all with one spell!'
NO! cried an echo. From the depths of his mind spoke a familiar voice of a seductive witch and continued speaking yet again. REMEMBER, YOUR MISSION DARK MAGE... Ertai began to protest through his mind. "It won't affect our plans, I'll let these fools have it!" REMEMBER...REMEmber...remember... the resonating voice silenced into his mind, leaving the Dark Mage in the reality of battle.
"Tsk, fine I'll return with the stone. For now." he bitterly glanced at the orb before shifting his glance to his brother. He then returned the stone into his left pocket and faced his brother. "It's a pity brother, I had looked forward to right your wrong." Over the heated battle between the Touten and Konoe knights, swords clashed singing the music of a sharp flowing piece of clanging metals and for the weak hearted the music silenced away leaving death to decay. Egre stood on a higher platform, his eyes closed and breathing still as he silently chanted what seemed like another Holy spell to Ertai's experienced eyes.
A menacing laugh escaped his mouth. "Hahaha! Save some for later. I must retreat...for today." His dark form vanished just as he had done once before in their last encounter, and this time along with him, the sacred stone.
"NO!" he cried. But too late, his brother was gone without a trace yet again. The force of failure almost crushed him yet this was no time for such grief. Battle ensued even with the absence of the Dark Mage. Leonard dashed towards the safety of his charge. "Life is short...Bury! Statis Sword!" With a bright gleam leaving his sword, a shower of sharp shards of ice rained down on the two squires closing in on the Rune Priest. A fatal blow to the unlucky squire while the other suffered severe frozen cut wounds and rapid blood loss from the Holy Knight's wrath. "Egre! You wanna get yourself killed?!" Leonard harshly yelled at his charge, not bothering with the usual formality in order to shake him out of his sudden shock. He was right he thought. It won't be too late for him to retrieve the stone. He suppresed his thoughts and decided it'd be better to think later.
After all, he could attempt his search after the battle though his brother will not be foolish enough to stay for long to let him catch him. By day he would most certainly be out of the estate. During the brief moments, the once quiet monastery had become an all out battlefield, painting the sacred grounds with blood. A red moon would be expected tomorrow on such accounts. With the absence of Ertai, the enemies had lost a powerful ally and both Egre and Leonard were fully aware of this fact, thus by commanding his two knights, Leonard blindly rushed into the enemy lines, putting the fear of God's anger into the hearts of his adversaries with the help of his blessed sword held loftily in his hand. Egre on the other side studied the battlefield more closely before commanding his contingent of knights into battle. 3 ninjas clashed their blades with Leonard and his knights while a summoner and the black mage stayed behind the no man's land brewing up a spell. The young summoner in particular caught his attention. He was young, probably a new member of the disbanded knights. He was drawing the power of a guardian yet to be summoned on the field. A little more than a boy yet a little less than a man, unsure and hesitant, but eager to prove himself. Young and untried he might be, but he was fully capable of weaving enough magic to ice Leonard and his knights fighting off the ninjas. The boy summoner hurriedly fashioned his spell even as Egre observed. Egre silently prayed before weaving his own spell. "God, forgive your sinful children." he then employed the holy powers at his will. Gathering and morphing or rather shaping the raw holy energy into a form of existence.
"Guardian of Light, hear my calls, smite my enemies in holy flames, Trinity Ray!" sparing no time, Egre released his powers onto the boy summoner who almost finished his chantings. The field thundered with ice and snow but only for a brief seconds before the field was momentarily engulfed in bright atmosphere, a beam of holy ray shined down from the bright sky, connecting with the very grounds the boy summoner stood. Blast after blast the white light bashed the summoner through until the holy powers had used up. He lay sprawled on the ground. A black mage finished what the summoner failed to achieve. "Fire 2!" flames arose from the grounds, its blazing blade burning into the bruised skin of the Konoe Knights. A successful use of magic, manipulating a moderate level spell cast on three enemies at once took some skills and Egre doubted that he'd seen the best potentials of the enemy mage. If his prediction were correct, he should be conserving his mp for a greater spell, a Fire 3 perhaps or even Fire 4 if he indeed was a formidable black mage.
With their Dark Mage gone, the lancer who had stood with his brother took the commands and regained order in the frontlines, shouting commands at the ninjas holding off the knights with utmost ferocity they could muster with their blades. Clash of steel rung the silent still air in this midnight with iron songs of battle heard by veterans throughout wars and much bloodshed.
"Life is short...Bury! Stasis Sword!" Sharp cruel ice shards rained on the ninjas who faced Leonard and his knights. What fueled them he wondered as he witnessed the chunks of ice befell his enemies. Could it be their handsome reward? No, these ninjas fought for no rewards but gradually earned money in order to fight and kill. Veteran ninjas of the 50 year war and perhaps they may even have known Gafgarion from past as their commanding knight from looking at their recklessness. Warriors without fear and no remorse to kill, Konoe Knights were known to be brave but valued their lives more than the Toutens who lost the war and had been dismissed to either die off from hunger or resort to petty crimes from day to day in order to fill their empty bellies with ill made nourishments. The better of them turned themselves in the mercenary services like one Gafgarion later became famous for. Two had fallen under the sharp pain enthrusted deep into their body and soul by Leonard's holy assault and with the fast movement of swords, his two knights disarmed the ninja, breaking his spell edge with one long arc of their great sword.
The mage fell to his knees limply, trying to get hold of the ground but standing no less than a second before his legs gave in, revealing too weak to further battle. A bolt of arrow discouraged him to lift his right hand to cast anymore spell, the black mage clutched the arrow protruding out of his right arm like as if now it was a part of his body. Egre could have sworn there was a enemy missing in the battle lines and realized too late when he found his novice priest impaled to the ground by the deadly spear falling on it's intended victim with utmost accuracy. The leading lancer proved himself to be a true veteran if others were but new recruits. Before he dispatched for Egre, he caught a glimpse of his old weary face which perfectly revealed his true age of nearing early 50. But his eyes showed a different man to that of the face that revealed nothing but an aged soldier to the naked eye. Strong flare sparked in the old ancient eyes of the veteran soldier and the glare he gave him was rarely found in the young soldiers Egre had known. The archer next to him crossed his path but his spear ran him through without much effort, lifting the tip as it plunged deep in the archer's belly, Egre's last defence died away as he slid across the spear until the old soldier was within breathing range of the archer. Prepared to make his last stand for the king if required to, the grip on his staff tightened, prepared for whatever it will cost him to stop the lancer before he took his life also. Though never trained fully in the melee combat, Egre knew better than most priests how to handle a staff and his skills compared to any other old priests from the past Lion Wars. Grappling the spearhead with the curved end of his staff, he was successful in disarming the lancer, or so he thought as he clearly saw spear flying off from the gauntlet hands and landing two meters away from the old warrior. If veterans have been famed for their experiences in battle, this one was no stranger to the claims as he drew a sword hidden before by the hems of his draping cloak, he stood over Egre and pushed the blade right into Egre's heart. Luckily enough, the Rune Priest pivoted aside to evade the potential deathblow, but nevertheless sharp blade entered his authorial white robe as if his skin welcomed the plunging pain, it shoved deep into his left arm as if entering still water.
Light silent steps of a woman was heard not long before Egre's fall. "Heaven's wishes to destroy all minds...Holy Explosion!" Cried Agrias, running her blade into full motion as she swung it with god's might supporting her strength. Leaving her sword, the holy energy ran in a single line, burning anything standing on it's route with holy inferno from the skies. The old soldier braced for pain, his cloak burned and his metal armor intensified the heating stabs he received as the inferno faded into his surrounding. Coughing up ale full of blood, he collapsed with a strange smile as if he found peace at last with his honorable, warrior's death. Thud came the noise when Agrias looked to her charge whose blood now soaked into his white attire as if eating away into the fabric like plague let loose on Ivalice. Egre feinted, his last visions remaining fixed on Agrias and Leonard...
-Infirmary- The smell reminded Agrias of the dreaded memories of her father's death in the line of their duty. He was carried off to someplace much similar to this infirmary except there were full of priests and maidens rushing from one patient to next only to find the other one dying while tending another. This smell of chemicals used by chemists and sometimes priests had a nauseating effect on her as it reminded her of her father lying on one of the sickbed, with blood and so much of it dried on his armor and tunic. He watched her as he breathed his last only to leave Agrias with a cold hand for her to cling to as he passed away. How long has it been since that nightmare...? She asked. There hadn't been very many if not almost none at all who knew much about her life as a girl growing up. Separated from her parents from her birth and to live in poverty, under the same roof, with a woman and man who thought of raising her to be a whore or perhaps marry her off to a rich man regardless of his age nor his temper but his lust. She remembered the town very vividly too. Never had there been such terrible frosts as they did at her childhood nightmares while in impoverished shanty- towns on the city's outskirts the blue, frozen bodies of small children were discovered every morning of the cruel winters. She guessed she should be thankful that her foster parents thought hard about keeping her alive till she could pay them back in cash by whatever means when would reach adulthood. Winter's cruel temperature was one danger, but there had been sickness covering almost everywhere during winters. In the streets, men were left gazing like madmen to be eaten alive by their own fever, filling sores, shitting blood, hallucinating scenes of fire and drowning, falling to the grounds with bones like wool, legs like rags, and a taste of bile in their mouths. Their bodies became raw meat, with a red pustule next to a blue one next to a yellow one next to a black one, as they vomited up their own intestines and cried out to St.Ajora for mercy, begging him to let them die for they could not go on, their heads bustling and their souls escaping in a blur of shit and fear...
"Captain!" cried Lavian and Alicia, waking Agrias from momentary trance of her past nightmares. "We don't have any further leads on the Dark Mage's whereabouts and the Touten pikes won't answer our questions." Lavian didn't bother trying to sound more professional than how she normally had been expected to address her captain. After all, they been through many hardship together with the company of Ramza and his friends, it was more natural for her subordinates to share friendly relationship with her rather than that of a professional relationship. Alicia showed concern to their mute captain but as soon as Agrias noticed, she erased any trace of her past trance and pulled an impassive face and talked in her usual stoic tone. "How does are defence and what of the injured men?"
"Most of them are being attended by the church clerics lead by padre Gabrio captain, and we've began burying our losses in the church graveyard after the ceremony." A single tear escaped Alicia's eyes without warning her and she quickly wiped her tears away but too late, Agrias noticed her subordinate's tears and later noticed the cause of it after reading the record of their dead.
Greix Platina – Dead Cause- ... Living relations- none
Rad Gaol – Dead. Cause- Decapitation from left shoulder blades to upper left waist, loss of blood Living relations- Fiancée (Alicia Fidelis)
Farul Jernome – Dead...
Rad.. How long has he been acquainted with her lower knight? She asked herself while combing her now slightly flaxen hair in her comfy quarters. It's been almost 2 years since they first met under the stormy weather, under the roof of Orbonne Monastery. Clashing arguments fired out and had been present as Agrias remembered it all, between herself and a very arrogant ex-commander of Touten knights who by then had became the most feared and efficient mercenary, Gaff Gafgarion the Dark Knight. It must have been the very first the two must have met as it was for Agrias who unwillingly met Gafgarion who she had to put up working with back then for the first time. Rad was too soft hearted to be a mercenary back then and even now before his death, Agrias would've doubted he'd have enjoyed his lifestyle as a mercenary. Had he and he wouldn't have lasted long in Gafgarion's enterprise judging by the level of reckless battle Gafgarion enjoyed as much as his heavy payment in return for it. He, along with Ramza decided to join them in the critical moment and this proved her Rad was never the type to go astray. But engaged to Alicia? She always knew the two had been close friends since but to such extent, she would never have guessed. But as more she thought about it, more loopholes became clearer to her with the new found knowledge of their affairs. Their coincidental absence at Ovelia's bedside giving birth to her firstborn, prince Eurious did somehow gave Agrias certain hints but only today she found out their love affair. Love... She knew not capable of such emotion before and she had great doubts about her chances now that she started to mature into almost 34 in 2~3 years time, an age when they'd consider a woman un-marriageable and no longer fit to produce amazing fertility as young women of 20 years are capable of. Was she still considered beautiful? If her memories didn't fail her yet, she remembered many suitors with different gifts in their hands visiting her manor when she became a presentable young lady, age of 16. Back then, she would never have had dreamt of following her bloodline to fulfill the long line of services to the crown as a Holy Knight. Completing the 300 year long line of bloodline, the Oaks have had at least one from each generation become a Holy Knight and Agrias was no exception in that long tradition. However, there no longer any known relatives of the Oaks family and being the only child, her mother had been very intent to introduce a husband for her. With her father now gone, her mother the baroness Oaks was even more determined for her daughter to carry on the tradition and bring her a grandchild before she departed this world. Nearing 34, her hopes of settling down with a man seemed much far away than reaching stars on one clear evening Agrias thought and felt sorry for her legitimate mother.