(A/N): Damn this new patch! Really sucks! Oh well… take a break from RO for a while then… maybe ill get to finish this fic /heh
Act XVI: Castle Rumble II
"Whe- where're we goin', mast'r?"
It was dawn the next day. Kraveck and Valcan were walking towards Goyindle. Valcan was a little worried; he had that gut feeling, no, a tremendous gut feeling about what's to happen next. Seeing as how his master was wearing his new 'Backblade emblem' on his right chest and heading for Goyindle, Valcan was sweating mercilessly.
'Oh by da'… he's gonna do it again!...'
The two Ultima guards guarding the gate, not knowing anything about the Backblader approaching them, shouted.
"Hey you! You're not supposed to be here!"
When Kraveck neared them.
"Relax, guys! I've got news for you!"
"What?"
"You heard what happened on Lazrigs two days ago?"
"Yeah! Everybody knows that! Get to the point!"
"Well… it's gonna happen here!"
"Huh? Cinder's attaking?"
"No… Backblade is…"
Before the two could react, an elbow followed by a fist impacted on their jaws.
It was still dawn, so a light disturbance such as this one was barely noticeable. So Kraveck wasn't contented. He widened his arms and shouted.
"IS THIS ALL THAT ULTIMA CAN OFFER? I HARDLY MADE A SWEAT!"
With that, after a few moments, swordsmen and guards rushed out of the gate. Most of them were just awakened and none of them really had complete armors on. Kraveck grimaced and charged at the, what he calls 'no challenge at all, dimwits'.
One by one, they were slowly knocked out. Kraveck was just too fast for them. He barely used his dashing ability. Two or three soldiers attacked at the same time, but he was just too skillful for them. It would seem as if he was just toying with them.
With only a few left, more went out the gate, this time; it was the knights and crusaders. This time, they more completely equipped and ready for battle.
'Time to go…' Kraveck smirked.
"Well? Ultima soldiers got knocked out by lone Backblade? Oohh… That has got to be embarrassing!"
The knights got aggravated and started to attack Kraveck. He dodged the first few thrust and slashes from the more experienced knights and crusaders, and suddenly disappeared. Knights and crusaders were better fighters; Kraveck couldn't toy with them this time. He was seen appearing several feet away from them, he shouted again.
"I'M GONNA SPREAD THIS TO PRONTERA! I'VE BEATEN A LOT OF YOU SINGLE HANDEDLY! ULTIMA IS WEAK!"
The sure-fire provoking words surely performed. The Ultimas charged after Kraveck, thus hoping to regain their honor back. As usual, Kraveck's speed enhancing abilities did the job, not to mention he was already a fast runner. His tactic worked as well, attacking at dawn created low chance of them being mounted on their squeaking birds. Kraveck couldn't help but grin…
After several minutes of running, Kraveck arrived at creamhilt.
"Hey! Ultima's attacking!" Kraveck, trying to act out a concerned tone.
The guards did see a bunch of armored, battle-ready Ultimas charging.
"SOUND THE ALARM!"
Instantly assassins and rogues went out the gate. Their faces grinning, as if they were always excited for blood shedding. The knights and crusaders were dumbfounded when they realized that Kraveck had set them up.
"Wait! We were set up!"
"Attackin' our castle huh? We'll destroy you, you Ultima scums!" a rogue said while grimacing.
As usual, Valcan was witnessing it all behind nearby trees. Although brilliantly planned, Valcan considered it morbid of his master to plan such thing that would result to bloodshed. His master knew that Backbladers are a menace by nature. A guild consisting mostly of former thieves, he knew they wouldn't take time to listen for reasons and start slashing with smirks on their faces.
"Fine! You've passed… it was smart of you to come to me… my associate, Cramar, would never have taken you in." Vional replied with grimace.
"I thought he stayed in Payon?"
"Yes… but people come to him for recruitment rather than me these days…"
"No offense… but you're scary!" Kraveck jestingly replied with a smirk on his face.
Vional grinned. If it was any other instance, insulting the great rogue would have resulted to your head being cut off in an instant. But there was something about Kraveck that he liked; there was something in him that he couldn't resist.
"But let's not continue jesting ourselves… you do knowI'm assured of your betrayal, right?" This time, Vional's voice became more serious.
"How do you suppose?"
"This is a guild full of thieves… I'm surrounded by credible traitors all the time. I smell a treacherous proposal before it is even laid out before me!"
"So why are you still accepting me?"
"Silence! You planned this out well… I don't know what's next, but go! Enlighten me!.. Accomplish what's left of your plans… I'm curious…"
Back at Valcan's thoughts, he was slowly beginning to understand his master's actions. Although it may seem that Vional was a thoughtless killing machine, he did have some brains, although it was usually clouded by his rage. Kraveck knew Vional was bored in his cozy castle. Cozy was never a lifestyle of a former thief. He knew Vional's heart was screaming for chaos and excitement. With that assessment, he knew Vional won't be able to resist his joining of Backblade.
Vional knew that Kraveck was up to something, but he doesn't know what, all he was sure of was that Kraveck was going to bring chaos on Backblade somehow. The smart decision was to reject it, but the excitement and months of being aloft on his castle bored him to death, he was screaming for his favorite pastime… he was screaming for blood. He couldn't resist, not to mention curious of what Kraveck was going to do… He couldn't resist his curiosity and anticipation of future chaos within Kraveck's twisted plans… He couldn't resist not inviting him and not bringing chaos on Backblade…
