Shadow Angel: And now the next chapter. o.o

Lily: ...:watching documentary on flyswatters: OO; Oh gosh NO!

Shadow Angel: O.o :starts up review replies:

REVIEWS REPLIES (Ooh, bold letters :3):

Psycho Sword Lady: Yep finally. It's been long since my last update on Change. ;.; Of course I wouldn't steal it. X3 But that'll be a fic to look forward to. Can't wait for you to write it, if ya do. n.n Awww, that stinks. D: pats his back Thanks for the review. :D

Amethyst Bubble: ...:giggle: Thankies, Ammy. X3 Legault and Heath are gonna come up after Raven and Lucius and Alamar and William, but before Matthew and Karel come in.

END REVIEW REPLIES.

Shadow Angel: Well, I'll list the pairings and the order they will come up. XD

RavenxLucius (Since Karel and Matthew don't come 'til later, but Guy comes first, this is the first pairing)
AlamarxWilliam (OCxOC xDD)
LegaultxHeath
MatthewxGuyxKarel (Bleh, but I'm not too good at pairing triangles, so it might not turn out too good here xP)


Cloud: Read and review p'ease. ...:3

"Hello?"

The shopkeeper turned to the boy and smiled, a rag in hand, indicating that she was polishing one of the many heal staves in stock. "Ahh, the Saint of Swords." She remarked, shaking the boy's hand. "Now, what do you require today, m'boy?"

Guy offered a warm smile and nodded. "I'd like a vulnerary please. I am running out of salve."

The shopkeeper nodded and hand him a small sack filled with the healing liquid. "300 gold please."

Guy nodded in response, and began to search in his satchel for the said currency. "Here you go." He spoke, leaving 300 gold on the counter, and then leaving with the sack.

(o.o;)

The fighter groaned and bent over, his arm dangling over the axe he dropped. "I...I've lost..."

The crowd applauded, the Dark Mage twitching at the unneeded attention. He sighed and ran his fingers down his Shadow spell book. "Thank you all, but this victory was sheer luck." He remarked. He walked past the cheering crowd and sighed once more. "Lucky it wasn't that myrmidon. If the Mistress sent him here," He emphasized him. "I would be dead in a split second. I'm still training, and now I cannot learn from my mentor. He vows to stay working for the Mistress to the death, and I have betrayed them. He would not train a betrayer."

He turned to the vendor, and glared at the Swordmaster walking out. "Frm." He walked by the teen, causing the Swordmaster to stare confusedly at the unusual mage.

"H-Hey, wait!" He ran up to the jet black haired Aibirian, whom turned sharply and shot the Sacaen a venomous glare.

"What do you want with me, swordsman?"

"You just seemed distressed," He blinked and cocked his head to the side. "And I...uhh, thought I'd come and, y'know...Cheer you up a bit? Or help with your problem?"

The Aibirian sighed with exasperation and stared at him. "Hmmm. Perhaps it would be alright, depending if you would be useful in anyway...What do they call you?"

"They call me Guy, the best swordsman in all of Sacae!" He answered proudly. After receiving a stare from the Dark Mage, he sighed and pressed his fingers together. "Well, not exactly the best yet, but...S-Someday!"

The mage rolled his eyes. "Well...They call me William, a Dark Mage of sorts, and an ex-knight of Aibire's Mistress."

The swordmaster blinked. "Umm, Aibire? And...what is a Dark Mage?"

"Well...Aibire is a cloud that floats over one of your landmarks, Etruria. It is not visible to your people, only those invited to the cloud by citizens of Aibire themselves. It was created by our Mistress, her highness Queen Varita. Dark mages are like your everyday, anima wield mages, but they are also able to use Dark magic."

"Interesting," Guy smirked, running his fingers through his hair. "But why are you in such distress? Is it because you have left your homeland?"

"I didn't intend to leave myself, but the Mistress didn't allow me to stay for a reason..." William replied, his eyes halfway closed.

"A reason?" Guy asked.

"Yes. Mistress Varita claims she was lied to and hated by mankind. I don't even think she is human herself... But she's planning on engulfing your world in darkness, and proving she is superior to humans... She plans to revive the dragons of the Scouring to assault mankind and take their homeland."

"B-But Nergal attempted to resurrect the dragons!" The swordsman gasped, his eyes widening slightly. "How could she do that...? She can't be..."

"She is not the Nergal you speak of, surely. But she probably does have something to do with him. Something we do not know of." His eyes shut closed. "I tried to stop her myself. But I knew I probably wouldn't be able to stand up against her yet, for I am still training. But it was worth a try."

"And...You lost...?" Guy asked sullenly.

William snorted softly. "I wouldn't be here if I was successful."

Guy placed a hand on the hilt of his sword, his expression a determined one. "I can't let that happen! She can't destroy mankind...!"

William blinked. "So you are willing to help?" Guy nodded. "Very well then, Guy. But I must tell you, you cannot fight her without the ten dragon stones."

"Dragon stones...?" Guy blinked.

"The ten elemental stones the unheard of--by humans--9th hero used to destroy the Mistress's parents. They were the strongest of the thousands of dragons. Varita has a weakness to them."

Guy nodded. "I get it...To be able to stand up against her, we need to collect the stones?"

William nodded. "That is correct, but we must collect them in a certain order. Some are tougher to get than others. The most unguarded is the Stone of Light, so that will be the first to aim for. It is located in this very city, and is the reason why I've been staying here for about a week to search for it."

Guy nodded. "Where do you suppose we look first?"

William shook his head. "We'll begin our search tomorrow. It is already evening, and we will need to rest. I've already made a reservation in the nearby inn."

Guy smiled. "Alrighty then, if you say so. But I'll be ready!"

William bowed his head, stressed. I do hope you are right, child...

(n.n;)

"Why hello there." The innkeeper greeted. "Do you have a reservation here, sir? Madam?"

The blond-haired bishop twitched slightly and replied politely. "I am afraid you are mistaken, but I am...not a woman." He smiled. "Truthfully, I am a man."

The innkeeper frowned. "Oh, forgive me! You just had those feminine features."

The crimson-haired man beside him coughed, and quite loudly. "It happens a lot, so I am not surprised."

"Your names please?"

The bishop nodded. "Lucius. Beside me is a close friend of mine, Raven."

The innkeeper looked through a nearby notebook and nodded. "Yes, we have a reservation under that name!" She handed the two the key to their room. "Please enjoy your stay. Your room is upstairs, and it's the fourth door for your right."

"Thank you, milady." Lucius spoke.

(x.o)

"The inn is just over there. The wood building." William pointed out.

Guy nodded. "Yeah, now let's get there. I'm starving! Haven't eaten since yesterday!"

William chuckled.

That is one crazy kid.


Shadow Angel: Review please. n.n