Chapter Five: Claiming a Stake
I rushed to the Guild with all due speed. My MAG was once again on my shoulder. I got to the Guild and rested before I arranged a mission. When I was done resting I walked up to the lady at the Guild Desk.
"Enrich your life!" she shouted at me for the second time. "This is the Hunter's Guild, welcome! We can assist you in finding a job if you're registered."
I presented my registration on a Photon document.
"These are our recommendations right now," she said, while presenting me with a Photon plate for selecting my missions. I found it amusing how they named the missions. I selected a mission's information.
Claiming a Stake
Find and bring back a greedy landlord!
Client: Racton's son
Quest:
My father, Racton, has gone to claim land on Ragol. Find him
Reward: 700 Meseta.
I wondered why the name of Racton's son wasn't in the description. I decided it was a personal issue and accepted the mission. The lady at the Guild desk nodded and began to contact Racton's son.
"He will be here shortly so you can just wait here," she told me. I agreed to and walked over to a window over looking Ragol. It was beautiful.
I had been staring out the window for only three minutes at least when someone tapped on my shoulder. I turned around and a man stood before me.
"Ah, here you are, Force," said the man, obviously he must have been my client. "My father disgusts me. As soon as we arrived, he ran off saying, 'I'm off to stake out land.' Staking out Ragol? It's too early to do that. We don't know much about Ragol... it's dangerous. Please! Please find my father!"
I nodded. Now my mission had begun. I began to leave the Guild when I say a red android with a horn like appendage protruding from its head.
"I over heard your conversation with your client," he said to me. "Racton is a greedy man. He's so self-absorbed. But ironically, his son is a very good-natured man."
It appeared he had nothing else to say and I left the Guild. I saw a Newearl while proceeding to the gate to Ragol. I asked her if she had seen Racton.
"Racton?" she said, probably thinking of the name. "Oh, yes. I saw him. He was fleeing from some monsters in the forest."
"And you didn't help him?" I said thinking that she left him there.
"Help him?" she said surprised. "No way! Sympathy only gets you into trouble. Why do I have to save him? It's not my job." She walked away. I shrugged and went to the teleporter. I entered my registration, stated my destination as Ragol's forest, and was off.
I landed on Ragol. I was in the forest. There was a small stream next to me and my MAG was floating near my shoulder. There were four boxes nearby. I cracked them open and found some money and some other items. According to my studies, one of the weapons I found I could use when I got stronger. It was called a Saber. I continued down a path and came to a gate. There was a clearing on the other side of the gate of light bars. Several Rag Rappies were over in the clearing, and two doors in the clearing to other areas were locked. I proceeded in and attacked the first Rag Rappy. I tried to hit it and missed. It responded with a jab from it's beak, knocking me to the ground. The other Rag Rappies merely watched. I got up and delivered another strike, only to miss. I jumped out of the way, as it threw it's head forward for another peck. I delivered three blows to the native animal, each of them making contact. The Rag Rappy threw me to the ground with another peck. It was a slow creature but it's attack was dangerous. I was already wounded, and my stamina was half drained from the blows. I launched a Foie at the Rag Rappy, and I felled it. I waited a little bit to catch my breath. The Rag Rappy jumped to it's feet. I struck it once more, but it ran away and into the forest. I looked down. It had dropped something. There was a capsule that was marked 'Photon Drop.' I picked it up and put it in my satchel in my cloths. I was knocked down again from a peck. I looked up and notice the other two Rag Rappies were now fighting me. I retreated to the safety of the gate from wince I came. I took out some Monomate and applied it to my wounds. They seemed to heal very quickly. My wounds closed. It was as efficient as a Mend spell from Serra. I ran back into the clearing. One of the Rag Rappies came at me. I tried to hit it with a charged attack and missed. It pecked me and I fell. I got back up and struck it with three attacks from my cane. It threw me down again with it's attack. I got back up to my feet, stumbling a bit. I backed away. I delivered another charged attack and it fell. I waited a while and it stood up. I hit it again. It ran off into the woods, leaving behind some Meseta. I opened some nearby boxes. I found an item called 'Barrier.' It's description on my wristband said it was a protective screen for the left hand. It would boost the evasion capabilities for any class. I opened the capsule and took out a small metal square. I put the 'chip' in my wrist band. It activated and my left hand began to glow a light bluish color. It was some sort of shield. The technology in this world was amazing. I was going to learn much on my new missions. I ran up to the Rag Rappy on the other side of the clearing and struck it down with Foie. Two Booma's appeared at my left. I stood my ground and began to cast Foie. I threw two fire balls at each Booma, and they fell. I turned to my right. I saw how the Booma's were coming. They came out of the ground. Two more Booma's crawled out of the ground and marched towards me. I was already injured and I was feeling tired from casting the Foie spells. I tried to attack one of the Booma's with my cane, but I missed. It's claw came down and through me to the ground. I crawled away and came to my feet. I retreated. I opened a capsule of Monomate and applied it to my wounds. I sat on the ground to rest.
"This is considerably harder without anybody else," I said to myself. "I hope my nerves can endure this."
I went back into the area, and struck down the Booma's with my Foie spell. I was very tired, and would need to take some Monofluid soon. I proceeded up the path and came to another area. There was a broken tree that broke the path into a fork up ahead and a stream to my right. I had been here the other day with Kireek. This is where he decapitated four Booma's and there blood rained down on me. There was also a man hiding behind some wreckage to my left. I went up to him. I recognized him.
"WHO!!?" I shouted. It was the rude man from that lab.
"Ahhhhh!" I stepped back. He was still frightened.
"Your that person that was being impolite to me when I arrived at that lab. If your a landlord how is it that you would have access to an area in lockdown?"
"I...I don't know what your talking about," he said. He was either not supposed to be at that lab or he is not supposed to be a landlord...or maybe he had a brother?
"Forget what you said!" he continued. "I'm s-s-scared! What are these monsters doing here!? I can't raise the price of this land if these monsters hang around!"
"Your son told me to take you back to home," I said to him.
"My son asked you to take me back to Pioneer 2? Cough! Of course I'll go back with you... If you do me a favor. I've left three capsules on prime land locations. You go and recall all of them. Then I'll go back with you."
I couldn't close my jaw after that comment. It sounded like something Serra once said. We were lost in the woods at the battle against Uhai. We had to be careful, archers were in the woods. Arrows started flying at us. We ran through the fog and woods and out of the area where the archers lied in wait. Serra told me that she left a jewel behind. She was being her normal self and told me to go back in and get it. I fought to get it for a short while, but it was difficult none the less. When I got the jewel, one of the enemies tripped me. I dropped the jewel and it rolled into a stream and was washed off to sea.
"What?" I asked him. "Why?"
"Why? Because capsules aren't cheap," he replied. "Hurry now. The capsules are this way and that way." He just said it, and didn't even point to where I was supposed to go. I could guess though, but decided to linger a bit and then ask him exactly.
"You haven't found all three of them yet," he said rudely. "Are you really a hunter from the Hunter's Guild?"
I was positive that this was the man that was rude to me when I landed on Pioneer 2. I shrugged and got on my way.
I walked up the path and crossed the stream. I walked up to a panel and pushed it, opening the door it was by. I continued down a small path and came to another clearing. I opened some boxes and there was a Booma that I saw out of the corner of my eye. I cast a Foie spell, and took on a defensive stance. It would just take one more Foie to defeat it, but I needed to conserve my Monofluid. I delivered three strikes at the beast, and it clawed me down my torso. I fell to the ground. It prepared to slash me by the neck, and I rolled out of the way. It was truly strange how the native animals were so violent. I got to my feet and tried a charged strike, but it wasn't fast enough to hit. It was about to hit me again, but I snuck around to it's back, and felled it with another charged strike. I was sweating again. Two more Booma's crawled from their burrows. I decided that even though I was low on my magic, I cast four Foie spells, and struck then down. I don't think I could cast more then two more Foie spells after that. Not without passing out. I remember too well...I was casting spells to defeat the enemy Morphs. I was lost consciousness. I woke up and Lord Pent had gave me over half of his magic.
I went into another clearing. It was the one where Kireek and me found Ash. There were two Booma's.
"There is one of those big Booma's," I said to myself. When I was with Kireek, I didn't bother to take much note on the different kinds of Booma's but I noticed three. The small red ones, though are big to me, were the weakest. The tan ones were fairly bigger and stronger. There was also a purple type which was the strongest. Rather then fight the Booma's I decided to rush in and look for a capsule. If I found one I would rush back out without a fight. I ran in. I looked at the ground. I found a capsule near the river and grabbed it. I turned around a ran, feeling a swipe just miss me.
"One," I said to myself catching my breath.
I heard a growl. I looked around me. There was nothing. I heard another growl. It was my stomach. I didn't remember to eat breakfast. Then there came a swipe at my back. I fell to the ground. A Booma stood before me. I performed two Foie spells and felled it, rolling out of the way as it fell. I backed away from the door and watched it close, cutting the remains of the Booma in half... I grimaced. I sat on the ground and took out some Monofluid. I drank it and felt new energy flood into me. I also took out another Monomate and used it. I got up and looked around. There were a few boxes and a item on the ground. I opened the boxes and got the item from the ground. I was lucky to have found some more Monomate, now my satchel was full.
I proceeded back to the clearing where Racton was. He was waving his hands around while little circular objects were in his ears. Music was coming from him, and he was humming. I glared at him behind his back and went through the door near Racton. I came into the clearing where I first fought on this mission, and went right to the door I decided not to take. I went down a path, came to a curve and went up the path do a door. This place was strange to fight in. Back in Elibe there weren't many areas such as this forest. This was a strange forest. There was a solemn energy in the air. I went through the door, and there was another Booma. I pointed my wrist band at it and asked what the name of this type of Booma was. It was identified as a GaBooma. I performed two Foie spells and a charged hit to kill it. I was getting tired of killing them. It was reminding me too much of that time at the Shrine of Seals. That poor girl Nino... She had such a difficult life. Her foster mother was cruel. And then she lost her foster brothers, one of them was at the Shrine when we arrived. There was a significant number of foes on the battle field. There was far too much blood that was spilt. And that is when we enlisted that brutal women...
I looked behind me just in time to dodge a second Booma. This was growing annoying now, so I decided to just attack with Foie now. It resulted in less blood, was quicker, and less likely I would be injured. I defeated the Booma, just as two more came out of the ground to my right. I burned them too with the fire spell and regret.
Proceeding out of the area, and into the next, I came across more items, and found another barrier. I found that one offered more power then the other one. I was reminded of something I researched while on Pioneer 2. Very few items were the same. Some would be more powerful, some would be lighter and easier to use. The new barrier was not as strong as my first one so I just decided I would sell it later. Coming up the path and to another door, the sun blazed through the trees. It was a nice day at least. The door opened and revealed more Boomas. Two of them. Four Foie spells. I could use Zonde, but something told me that Zonde would work better on the largest of Boomas. To my attention that Zonde also used more magic to use, and may not be effective against the Boomas. I rushed in and performed the Foie spells. Two more Boomas appeared, and I struck them down with the last of my magic. I opened another Monofluid and proceeded to drink, once again feeling the new energy surge through me. A Rag Rappy fell out of some branches overhead and pecked at me. I managed to stay up this time, and used Foie to fell it. A Booma came out of the ground and met the same fate. I left the sandy area and into another area. The area had a capsule in a bush, and a Rag Rappy was near it.
"I wish Serra was here," I said to myself. "At least I wouldn't be bored that way." I walked up to the Rag Rappy and knocked it down with my Foie, and grabbed the capsule. I felt teeth sink into my legs, and I collapsed. I had been bitten by a Savage Wolf. It began to circle me, and I knew that my Foie spell wouldn't hit it easily. Foie traveled slowly. Zonde wouldn't miss. I used Zonde, and it knocked it down in two hits. I sat down on the ground, panting. It came to me that there was a buzzing from behind me. I looked up.
"Mothmants!" I shouted, jumping to my feet. "A Monest! The Mothmants are bringing that Monest over here!"
It landed on the ground. I performed as many as eight Foie spells out of desperation. I was out of magic at that point. The Monest fell but it was still producing Mothmants. I ran from the area, with the Mothmants buzzing at my side. When the door to the sand area closed on the Mothmants I fell and sighed. I opened another Monofluid and drank. Now I only had six. Plenty to use. I ran back in, past the Mothmants and to the nest. It caught completely on fire after two more Foie spells. I felt one of the Mothmants needles sink into my flesh. I was about to pass out. I ran from them, and applied Monomate while running. I turned to face them.
"Zonde!" I shouted, and six bolts of lightning flashed from the sky and struck the Mothmants. The stench of burning flesh came more viciously from them then the Boomas...or possibly it was the nest. In the corner of my eye I caught two Boomas. I burned them with four Foie spells. My magic was low again. Foie used more magic then the wind spell Excalibur did! I drank some more Monofluid and left. The door that opened to the next area led me to the clearing where Racton was. He was performing some primitive ritual. He was throwing his fists forward and back while chanting.
"Boom shakalaka boom shakalaka boom shakalaka boom!" he shouted. I decided that I would go the Guild and cancel this mission. I refused to try and get this incompetent capsules because he was a fool.
I proceeded to the first area I was in when I came to Ragol, passing the gate of lines. I noticed that the third capsule was by the telegate back to Pioneer 2. I grabbed it and ran back through the gate of lines, past the clearing, through another gate, and finally up to that pompous Racton. He was moving around with his arms at near 90 degree angles, bending them back and forth.
"Hey its you again prehistoric boy," he said. "I was just about to ask you if you have heard the newest hit by Rogue Rhomboid, but your stone-aged so oh well."
"Here are your capsules Racton," I said as polite as I could to the rude man.
"Hmmm! You have all three capsules! Now, let's get out of this dangerous place! Hurry! Ahhhhhhh!"
He created a telepipe and ran through it. I merely stood there gawking at what just happened. Just a minute ago he was dancing and now he was crying around in terror. He was far worse then Serra, and that was saying a lot. For one thing, she wouldn't like being left behind even if it put her in danger. Further more, she wasn't over weight like Racton appeared to be. I walked up the bright portal and walked through.
My vision came to me again. I was on Pioneer 2 again. I walked to my right to the stores. I walked up to the item department. The lady at the desk greeted me on the fine morning, despite the darkness outside. It was about luncheon-time. I sold the useless items I found, excluding the Saber I found. I had plans for that. I also decided to hang onto the Photon Drop, it may be useful. I asked the lady if she could show me a list of the current merchandise. She agreed and presented me with a list. There was two new spells, Resta and Barta. Barta was an ice spell, and Resta was...
"A healing spell!" I shouted. "I can heal myself and others with that!"
"Don't yell in the Chaotic Bar please," said the clerk.
The Resta spell. I researched it. When I learn the higher volumes of it, I will be able to heal any partners I have. I could also afford it as well as Barta. I bought them immediately, as well as some Monomate. I didn't have enough Meseta to buy the Monofluid I needed, but I was going to be paid soon. I proceeded out of the 'Chaotic Bar.'
While on the way to the Guild I say the Newearl again. She was talking to herself.
"Wow, he returned alive. What a lucky man!" She turned around and saw me.
"Well, lucky for him, but not really for us. Why did you save him?"
"I need the money but now I wished I left him behind," I said. It was the truth. Racton, the rude man from when I first arrived on Pioneer 2, did not deserve my help. Though he shouldn't have died, but I shouldn't have gotten his capsules. I should have forced him here. He wasn't my client, it was his son. I proceeded through the doors of the Guild. While walking in I heard the red android say "Racton never learns from his mistakes..." I walked up to Racton. "I'm going there again once those monsters are exterminated," he said to himself. I shrugged, and walked up to Racton's son.
"I'll make sure he doesn't cause any more trouble like this again," he said. "Please get your reward." I nodded. I walked up to the Guild desk. The lady at the desk once again shouted "Enrich Your life!" when I spoke to her.
"This is the Hunter's Guild, welcome! Very good! You have completed the job! This is your reward! 700 Meseta. Please come again. The Hunter's Guild helps you to enrich your life!" I nodded. I left the Guild. Thoughts of Serra and of master Lord Pent and Lady Louise were in my mind, and of how they care for me...if the truly did. These thoughts drove me home to try and eat luncheon.