CHAPTER 2: The Journey

I do not own square-enix or final fantasy 11, all copyrights belong to their respective owners.

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As I walk through the door out of Neptune's Spire I had only one thought in my mind, my new mission

I was happy to once again have a big job but was puzzled by something, why 100,000 gil for a simple theft job, this armor had to be of extreme quality. Perhaps he was after a set of Haubergeon armor like the one I wear, not especially unlikely as a standard piece of Haubergeon can run around 1,700,000 gil even if you know a good smith, still to go to all of the trouble to track me down for a piece of Haubergeon, if this client is spending 100,000 gil on a mercenary he almost certainly can afford a piece of Haubergeon. Well regardless of his motives and of the equipment I have been sent to obtain I must push forward and complete my mission, or I may lose my reputation as a legendary mercenary.

In Lower Jeuno I see a tiny tarutaru paladin begging others to help him earn his special paladin artifact gloves I turn to my right and walk behind a group of elvann to avoid him. However despite my efforts he sees me in my full mercenary equipment and runs towards me as fast as his tiny legs will carry him.

Filled with excitement he asks me "Hello, could you pwease helpy welpy me getty wetty my artifact gloves?" With all of the rage I could muster I forcefully grip his throat with my right hand and lift him high enough so I could look at him eye to eye. Seeing the obvious fear in his eyes I say the only thing I need to, "NO" and with that single syllable uttered I drop him onto the ground.

I walked over his fallen body and continue on towards the Jeuno guard stationed at the lower Jeuno/ Rolanberry field border to acquire one of the things I always try to carry at all times.

The guard is dressed in the standard armor of Jeuno town guards, full Iron Musketeers armor. The sun gleamed brightly off the beautiful pure white armor. I always find it ironic that a nation who proclaims itself as a neutral peacekeeper uses only armor and equipment designed by Bastokan engineers.

"Hello," I enquire in a very professional tone, "I would like to purchase a scroll of instant warp"

The tall elvann looks down at me and in a typical arrogant tone only the elvann have seemed to master replies "What is your name adventurer?"

"My name is Viddion, if you will check your list…"

Cutting me off he replies in a surprised tone "The Viddion?"

"Yes, now I require a scroll of instant warp, in exchange for conquest points."

From within a compartment of his armor the elvann drew a glimmering scroll and began to chant in a low tone causing the scroll to glow, than at the appropriate moment he said two more words "Bastok Viddion"

From where I am standing I can see words and numbers formulating on the scroll but due to my smaller stature could not make out what was written. Arrogant tall elves…

"Ok", he replied in a bewildered tone, "it says here you have 58,000 conquest points."

58,000 I only had 5,000 last week I guess that Iron Musketeer really did have connections high in the Bastokan cabinet. When he said I would receive some conquest points I thought he meant a few thousand.

"Excellent", I replied "As I stated I would like a scroll of instant warp"

Walking over to a large storage container the elvann slides off the top and reaches inside pulling out a small scroll. With scroll in hand he slides the top of the storage bin back into place. Turning on his heals he extends the scroll and says "750 conquest points will be deducted from your total conquest points"

Reaching up and taking the scroll from his hand and sliding into a pouch on my belt

"Thank you, that is all I need right now"

With all of the supplies I should need for such a task as simple as petty robbery I head back in the direction of my mog house towards the guide stone just outside of it. Once I had scurried through the mobs of people at the auction house, and the usual bazaars I finally reach the guide stone.

Throughout the land of Vanadiel there are 6 large mysterious crystals that allow complete transference of anyone who holds a shard of the crystal, to be brought there however you must find someone who knows the incantations of the individual crystal. This magic commonly known as teleporting is a spell white mages often learn in the middle stages of their training. Once this art was discovered white mages realized they could charge adventurers gil to teleport them to their destination. While paying for this service is somewhat new and annoying at times, it guarantees that a white mage trying to earn a living will be around whenever you need one.

With this knowledge in mind I begin to shout loudly "Teleport-Altep, can I have it? 500 gil", almost instantaneously I felt a tiny finger on my leg, turning quickly I saw a tiny tarutaru white mage who offered his services to me for the 500 gil. Reaching inside my satchel I retrieve a 500 gil piece and hand it to the tarutaru at which time he began to chant in an ancient language in a low tone. Seconds later I feel a sharp pain radiate throughout my body, as was the usual sensation when being teleported.

Everything fades into blackness, falling into emptiness, my stomach is filled with a feeling of dread, what if this never ends, what if the ancient crystal fails, what if I don't end up going anywhere, but instead rot away forever into nothingness.

Slowly a pain begins from my inner stomach expanding to my fingertips, I welcome the pain for it shows me that I am alive, and that I survived this ordeal once again. Suddenly my vision goes from nothingness to a bright light, and soon I am able to make out the sand covering the ground throughout the desert and the animals and beastmen on the prowl. I was never too fond of anticans, the desert dwelling creatures that had an insect like appearance.

However this is not my concern I bode farewell to the tarutaru and head off on my way through the desert to my destination to once again claim my bounty. Running at full speed I feel the refreshing desert wind across my face and the desert sun upon my back, the anticans of these parts learned long ago not to challenge me to combat, so it is an easy jog from here to Rabao, a desert town centered around an Oasis.

As I near Rabao I see a mithra on the run from a weak antican, but this is not my concern. However as I look closer I notice that it is that mithra from town, I think she said her name was Kate, odd that I feel compelled to help some1 that cannot likely financially reimburse me, or help me too much in any other way.

I head towards her cautious at first, not knowing what to do. Finally as the antican readies what surely would be a final blow something snaps.

From a compartment on the side of my armor I pull a disc surrounded on the edges by finely honed points, balanced perfectly for throwing, carved into the side are the words "Rising Sun". With my adrenaline pumping time seems to slow, using all of my force I throw the disc at the anticans neck.

The antican now noticing my presence dodges the disc with surprising agility. With a greater threat in its sights it ignores Kate and heads for me.

I pull my Ram-Dao from its sheath and begin to swing wildly at the antican to no avail, however my plan is not to hit the antican, but to keep it busy.

Half a second later disc returns to its owner, I transfer the full bulk of my Ram-Dao to my left hand temporarily and put the disc back in its place before grasping the Ram-Dao firmly with both hands once again and return it to its sheath on my back, and with a satisfying wet noise the anticans head slides off of the base of its neck and onto the ground as the body collapses. Once again I thank Altana for all of the hours I spent with my Rising sun practicing killing giants in Qufim island.

With my task complete I look upon the mithra laying there defenseless and injured, perhaps under different circumstances I would have taken advantage of such a beautiful woman such as her, but there is no time and it did not feel right.

Quickly muttering an easy incantation I see light surround her body as my cure III mends her wounds. Still too weak to walk, but able to see me clearly she mutters lightly "Hey your that beggar"

"I am sorry", I reply, "but you are confusing me with someone else, please be more careful in your travels"

With these words said I flee as fast as I can, bypassing the safety of Rabao to instead run straight to kuftal tunnel in hopes of avoiding this mithra.

I don't know what is going through my mind, but now is not the time nor the place for this, I need to finish this mission before I can worry about my personal life.

Upon reaching the entrance to kuftal tunnel old memories arise, however these things are only memories and I don't have time for them right now, I must carry on.

Upon passing through the tunnel connecting the Altepa desert to Kuftal tunnel I see groups of 6 or so adventurers honing there skills and becoming stronger by killing crabs and spiders.

As I headed deeper into the tunnel, I decide that it would be safer to apply a specially created oil to my skin commonly known as silent oils, this oil as the name implies causes the wearer to become silent and prevents them from emitting noise. With the oil applied I quickly head deeper into the cave without worry of attracting attention of the undead or crab like monsters that dwelled deep in the tunnel.

After what seemed like an eternity of running I begin to see light coming from the end of the tunnel, and knew at once that I had reached the other side. I have made my way to cape terrigan.

Cape terrigan looks strangely similar to valkurm dunes, which was an area that rookie adventurers travel to in order to train and become stronger. However the monsters that inhabit cape terrigan are exponentially stronger.

Looking around I saw rabbits, goblins and once again more freelancing adventurers killing these monsters, Once upon a time this area would have flourished with wild animals, monsters, and beastmen, but the age of adventurers had changed this great land forever…

Running past the rabbits, and dodging in between goblins I come to the ocean side where I see furious looking crabs of unbelievable strength, and battle scarred fish that could tear a man in half.

Past the beach and adventurers all around me I see a hole in a mountain that recessed into a cave. This cave is the final leg of my journey to complete the mission set before me.

As I enter the cave I was finally once again feel fairly safe, for this cave is one of the few places between here and Rabao that for some reason wild monsters nor beastmen seem to inhabit.

In the brief bit of peace and solitude I quickly check my gear once again. My Ram-Dao is battle ready, my dagger is ready at my side, and my throwing disc is also ready for use once I wipe it clean of the little antican blood that lingers.

Confident my gear is battle ready I stand up and begin walking through the cave for upon the other side lay the valley of sorrows, where I can easily make a good bounty for petty theft.

Next Chapter: CHAPTER 3: The Fight

Authors Note: Thank you very much for the reviews Apathetic Piggy, and Magus-sisters2. I will work with any instructions given to me, and am a rookie writer so any input is good input.