Green Paladin: Basically, my evil self, that's how you build a log cabin. (notices you) Oh, hello there! I was just helping Billy here.
Green Blackguard: For the last time, my name's not Billy!
Green Paladin: Quiet, Billy. Anyway, due to demand, and the fact that I was going to do so anyway, I wrote a new chapter! Thanks for your support!
The village was in ruins. 'I haven't seen such devastation since… No. This isn't as bad as that.'
"This place... It's..." stammered Lyn. I couldn't bear to see her like this. I clasped her hand in a firm grip, and saw her tear-filled eyes. 'Elimine, if only I could help her…'
Sain was beyond horrified. "The entire area is in ruins. Why doesn't their marquess do anything to help?"
I solemnly answered, "They can't."
"Taliver Mountain is home to a gang of vicious, ruthless bandits." The poison in her voice then would've rivalled the deadliest of snakes. "No marquess holds power here. My village was near here, on the other side of the mountain. My people were… The Taliver bandits came at night. It took only one night. The survivors numbered less than ten, including me. They are soulless beasts. I will never forgive them. Never." Her face turned to a vicious scowl, and she sounded as though she wanted to rip out their throats with her teeth.
Sain tried to help, but could only say, "Lyndis..." Kent remained silent, like a good little servant.
"Lyn, I know what happened was hard, and you can't run away from it-"
"I am not running away," she sneered at me though clenched teeth. "I will be back... someday. I'll be stronger... I will break their swords beneath me like twigs beneath a stallion's hooves. I will avenge my people. I'll do everything in my power."
"When the time comes, bring me with you." 'Finally, the fool gets the idea.'
She was shocked, and could only whisper, "Sain…"
"Don't forget me, either." Added the ever-sensible Kent.
" Kent..."
"Don't forget your loveable tactician."
"Oh! You, too, Andur? I... You're... thank you." She was overwhelmed, and I had to give her a warm embrace. 'Yes, I'll help you. For you as much as me…' I broke off when I heard a female cry from afar.
"What's this?" queried the pet knight. "Be on your guard, Lyndis. There seems to be some sort of commotion over there."
"That's... That's a pegasus. Could it be? Florina? Is that you, Florina?" Lyn dashed toward the distant pegasus, and I tore after her.
"Lyn! Wait for me!" I arrived with Lyn to a sight of several men who resembled inbred morons, mistreating a woman in a white and blue uniform with long, light purple hair.
"Let her go, you fiends! Treating a woman that way will leave you on the end of my blade!" I raged.
"Ah! Lyn?" cried the woman helplessly.
"Florina! What are you doing in a place such as this?" asked Lyn, surprised.
"Lyn! Is it really you? I... I..." whimpered Florina as she broke down to tears. She escaped the men's grasps and ran into Lyn's arms.
"Come now, no crying!" consoled Lyn. 'How gentle. Not blunt at all.' I thought sarcastically.
"I'm sorry." Florina sadly replied. I despaired, 'Oh Elimine…'
"You are acquaintances?" asked the now present Kent.
"She's my friend. This is Florina, a pegasus knight in training from Ilia. She's a little uncomfortable around men. Tell me, Florina. What happened here?"
Florina explained, "Well... um... When I heard that you had left... I decided to follow you. Then I saw this village... I flew down to ask if they had news of you. I didn't see these two, and... well..."
"Did your pegasus land on them?"
"Well, I... A little..."
"What's a 'little' landing on them?" I questioned, hoping the answer wasn't stupid.
"Aha! You heard her!" shouted one of the muscle-bound twits. "She admits her fault! She stepped on my friend, and now she's got to pay!"
"Did you apologize, Florina?"
"Yes! I told them I was sorry many times over. They just wouldn't listen..." and Florina started weeping again.
Lyn clutched her in her arms and whispered, "Don't cry. It's all right."
"Lyn..." sobbed Florina.
"Listen, she's obviously sorry," negotiated Lyn. "Can't we just let this pass? You don't appear to be injured or anything."
"No chance. The girl goes with us-- by force if need be! Hey! C'mon out now, boys! The men are fair game, but don't put a scratch on the girls!" Dozens of armed men clambered out from their hiding places, and surrounded the area.
"Andur! We've got to fight back!" commanded our fearless leader.
"I have no objections to such a plan!" I said, being far from fearless.
"Lyn! I!-" interrupted Florina.
"You're a pegasus knight, aren't you? You can fight, can't you?" demanded Lyn, desperate for any solution to our current situation, which to be honest, was rather grim.
"...Yes!" 'Finally, a use for the water fountain,' I thought. I immediately began working on airborne strategies in my head.
"Listen carefully, Andur. We're facing bandits. They're underlings, but we can't take them too lightly. Let's clear them out of here. Are you ready? The layout around here might make it difficult to fight. The same holds true for our foe, too. If we use these walls just so, they may ensure our victory."
At that moment the walking ocean noticed me. "Lyn... Who's that?" she asked nervously.
"This is Andur. He's still an apprentice, but he's my tactician," she said proudly. 'I wonder why…'
"Oh, I see... Uh... Andur? I'm pleased to meet you."
"Charmed," I responded as politely as I could. I saw behind her, a small town. "Lyn, that town is unharmed. We should warn them."
"I agree. Kent, Sain, block the way to this area! Florina, avoid the axemen and archers! Take on the swordsmen!"
"Hey, that's my job," I smirked. "Seems I've been a good influence." I darted toward the town, and Lyn ran behind me.
Lyn shouted in the empty town square, "Is anyone there?"
A voice from somewhere answered, "Leave us alone, you thugs! Go away! Go away! We've no more gold for you!"
"Oh come on!" I shouted, astonished. "A female thug! Do we look like bandits to you!"
"Hey, I can be thuggish if I want!" Lyn said as she lightly hit my stomach.
"I'd like to see that…" I replied, but left it at that.
Lyn returned to the townsfolk. "No, wait! Please! We're not bandits! We want to help the village. Please listen!"
I heard another voice in the local vicinity. "Remain inside, everyone. I'll go see what's happening. Not bandits, huh? So, who are you?" Hmm. A rather crudely dressed man with a bow? Ah, a travelling archer!
"My name is Lyn. My colleagues and I are just travelling through here. We saw some bandits about. We're going to deal with them, but... We need you to go and warn the villagers." She turned to leave, but the man stopped her.
"Hey! Wait! The name's Wil. I'm a traveller of sorts, too. Listen, these villagers have been kind to me. Mind if I fight with you?"
"Not at all. We need all the help we can get! Welcome aboard, Wil!" I suddenly started frothing at the mouth with new strategies flying though my overloaded mind.
I was sickened at the bandits treatment of Florina. If Lyn and the others hadn't done it first, I'd slaughtered them all myself. I managed to get in a few kills at least. I was wounded badly when a bandit lodged his axe in my side. The bandit lost his head over it. I hadn't realised I had such a strong sword arm, or such resilience. I refused to remain behind, and I continued to stand by Lyn as the battle progressed. Soon it was just Lyn and I against Migal, the huge brute from earlier, while the others mopped up surviving bandits.
"Hey, listen! There's something I wanted to ask you," persuaded Lyn.
"Begging for you life so soon, wench?"
"Mind your tongue, or I'll make sure you lose it!" I screamed, angered beyond belief.
Lyn however, remained calm. "Are you... Taliver bandits?"
"Taliver? Those greedy monsters? We're nothing like them! Those fiends will even kill women and children! We're from Ganelon, and we know a little something of honour. We don't harm women, for one thing. Heh heh heh. After all, why kill what you can sell?" This man disgusted me. Only Lyn's presence stopped me from ending this conversation by ripping out his voicebox.
"If you're not Taliver, then there's no reason for you to die here today. If you would like to tuck your tails and flee, do so now." Filled with pride in her, I thought, 'Well done, Lyn. Pity he won't care.'
"You... You... No more courtesies! You're going to learn to watch your tongue!" He roared and swung his axe, hoping to cleave her skull in two. I could see she wouldn't make it, and without thought, I dived. Knocking her down, she tumbled away into a fighting stance as the axe buried itself in my thigh, connecting with bone. I felt it crack and splinter under the pressure, and screamed in intense burning agony, as the muscle on legs pushed on his axe harder. I felt the weight relieved as Lyn kicked him in the face, knocking him off his feet and his axe with him. Lyn drew the Mani Katti, and just after she thrust in into his heart, he spluttered, "Ugh... You'll live to regret this... My brothers... The Ganelon bandits will not let this stand..."
The pain was searing, but I didn't show it. I tried just as hard to stop screaming as I did to stop crying, with some degree of success. Lyn sheathed the sacred sword, and relaxed. "Hey, I'm still really hurt," I gasped, almost letting my mask down. She stared at my wound, and shrieked in horror. 'Uh oh. That didn't sound good.'
I did my best to look back at it, and saw a gnarled mess of a leg. The cut went through over half of it, and splinters of bone peaked out from it. No wonder the pain was so intense. Blood pooled at an alarming rate from it, and I saw too much leave my body. Lyn rushed to my side as I began to feel dizzy, and my vision blurred. As she reached me I passed out.
I awoke not in the eternal fields of St. Elimine's haven in the sky, but in a tent. My tent. Why wasn't I dead? I looked around, and then realised what was causing a weight on my chest. Lyn lay draped across it. I took a look down to my leg, and immediately noticed the large number of wooden splints holding it straight. It also didn't hurt anymore. A large number of empty Vulnerary bottles sat next to Lyn's unconscious body. 'She stayed with me…' I put my arm over her back, and tried my best not to wake her. Failed.
"You're… you're awake!" She practically screamed.
"So are you. Big deal," I grinned.
She laughed enormously, and gave me a vigorous hug. Suddenly grabbling my shoulders, she shook me while shouting, "Don't do that again! Don't take risks like that again!"
"Hey, hey, Lyn. Calm down," I soothed. "Thanks."
"What for?" she asked, actually unaware of what I was talking about.
"Why, for staying with me. I assume those empty bottles over there are your work."
"I convinced everyone to give me all they had. None disagreed in the slightest."
"Hmm, clever girl. Go to sleep." She closed her eyes, and resumed her previous position, lying slouched over me. I didn't mind. In fact, it helped me sleep. There were no nightmares.
The bandits were defeated, but now we were being pursued by their friends. Lovely. I noticed that Florina seemed quite nervous around me. She did listen to my advice, but she seemed to avoid being around me. And Sain. And Kent. And Wil.
We listened to Kent's advice to only camp for the barest minimum of time, to keep ahead to those who want us dead. Or sold. When dusk fell, I walked over to Wil, who was busy fletching new arrows. "Wil!" I asked nicely, "Can you hunt animals as well as you do people?"
Confused at the question he replied, "Obviously. How do you think I trained?"
"Well, would you be willing to hunt for the food with me tonight?"
"Can you use a bow?"
"No. But I can use blades. You shoot them to slow them down, I'll slit the throats."
He seemed to consider this for a moment, and asked, "How's the leg?"
"Well enough, thanks to the good lady Lyn. Now let's go."
The light of the setting sun was dim, but enough of us as we treaded softly in the undergrowth, trying to spot any movement. Wil motioned to the left, and I followed, being as silent as possible, dagger ready. I spotted in the corner of my eye a deer lying on the ground, apparently still awake. I patted Wil on the shoulder, and pointed to it. Wil nodded, and aimed his bow. I slowed my breathing, to reduce the noise. I gripped the handle of the blade tightly, as I knew I wouldn't get more than one chance. As Wil was about to fire, I heard a rustling behind us. Apparently so did Wil, as he quickly turned, aiming the bow at the bush the noise came from. I turned as well, just as Wil fired. "Ahh!" I heard. Wait… Sain? I ran up and pulled Sain out of the bush, with the arrow embedded in his breastplate, but only barely. Not enough to hurt him.
"Sain you idiot!" I whispered to him. "What are you doing here!"
"Well, I saw you two leave the camp, and I thought…"
"What?" asked Wil curiously.
"Well, maybe you two might need help…"
"Help? What with?" asked Wil.
"Well, there are bandits after us. And I might need to heroically save you from those ruffians!"
"No need to talk like that," I said jokingly, "The girls aren't here."
Wil added, "You don't need to impress us." He paused from a moment and glanced oddly at him, "Unless that's what you wanted to do…"
"No! Not you too!" Sain shouted in desperation.
I turned quickly, and found the deer was gone. "Dammit Sain! You let tonight's dinner escape!" I stared blankly at him for a moment, realising something. "Sain, who's guarding the camp?"
Sain was gone before I had a chance to add anything else.
When I returned to camp, I cooked a meal of roast boar for 'Lyndis' Legion', as Wil had referred to them earlier. I didn't think much of the name at first, but it had started to grow on me. After I'd finished handing out the food, I noticed two portions left. One was mine, but… I scanned the group round the fire and noticed Lyn was missing. "Hey, where's Lyn?" I asked, concern evident in my voice.
Kent looked around, while Sain opened her tent. "Lady Lyndis is not out here," called Kent from afar. Sain confirmed she wasn't in the tent either.
"Right, we'll search for her," I said as I went into strategy mode. "Kent, Sain, check the roads, both directions. Kent left, Sain right. Go." They left quickly, and I turned to Wil. "Wil, go ninety degrees to the road, this side. I'll go the other side." I sharply tuned on my heel to look to Florina, and ordered, "Take an aerial view and try to spot her. If you see her, tell the nearest of us, then tell the rest. Okay?"
"Um… all right…" she replied meekly.
Noticing my tone previously, I recomposed myself, and softly said, "I'm sorry. I'm just… worried." I turned and murmured, "If only Sain hadn't left the camp…" and I set off onto the forest, fearing of what might have happened.
After what seemed like hours I felt a gust, and I turned to see Florina descend nearby in a clear patch. I ran up to her. She told me, "Kent's found Lyn! They're walking back to the camp!" and with that she rode into the sky once more. Relieved that nothing had happened to her, I ran back to the camp.
Lyn and Kent had already returned, and seemed to be having a heated discussion. Well, at least Kent was. His arms were waving, and making multiple gestures that clearly showed his anger. Lyn however, seemed, I don't know… disconnected. She was just standing there, taking all the fury that Kent was throwing at her. I ran to the pair, and started to make out some of Kent's words. "…no right to…" "…too important…" "risk yourself for a needless…"
"Hold, Kent!" I gasped after all that running. "Guard the camp until the others return."
"As you wish, sir," he replied, but I could sense his irritation.
"Now, why did you leave the camp?" I asked, maybe too scoldingly.
"I just needed some time alone," she distantly replied.
"Okay, I understand that. Just tell us first, and one of us will be nearby, just in case. You are an assassination target, after all. Don't worry us like that. Do you still need to be alone?"
She considered that for a moment, and replied, "No, I think I need to sleep for a while." And with that she went into the tent. I waited for the others to return, than went in myself. Once again she didn't sleep well. What could all this be about? I became determined to find out.
As we join them, Green Blackguard is pointing at a blackboard:
Green Blackguard: …and that's how you murder the innocent.
Green Paladin: Not a useful skill for the embodiment of all goodness. Your lecture was totally pointless.
Green Blackguard: Oh come on! You may just walk down the street one day and think 'Wow, that's an innocent looking person. Burn them!'
Green Paladin: I think the chances of that happening are about the same as the chances of you not spiking the guest's drinks with pure Ethanol. Now, back into the cage. (shoves him with cattle prod) More soon! Please review!