Then I heard about a thief. It was a quick and cheap mission, with a 600 gil info fee for a 6,600 gil return and a nice set of items. I went with Kiera and Marain and we dealt with him. Then the rumors started flying. Someone said he worked for Borzoi, and soon enough, there was proof. Their Capo, "Dread Raven" came after us. We went to the battlefield. By this time, of course, we had about 20 people. She had herself and some dumb Red Mage. We laughed. Me and Rinz defeated her personally with a single combo. Rimney and Kiera took out the mage. That's when we became "Dreadclaw". We stole her name and made it our own.

But, despite the kickass fighting, I've realized that here, I'm a part of something. In fact, 3 things. I'm a member of a Race, human. I'm a member of a Class, soldier, and member of Clan Dreadclaw. Never before had I ever been a part of a group. Nor had I been influential on any group I was in partially. Here, that all has changed. It's like I'm a different person, that this world is changing and taking me with it. I think I like that fact now. I have a girlfriend, I have a huge bunch of friends, and I have… I have a life that's my own.

We're now going on all sorts of missions. But the biggest changes that happened in my life were kind of weird. First, I heard about this Nu Mou, Ezel Berbier, and his "Antilaws". I, like everyone else, disliked the laws. When I heard that there was a way to get out from under their power, I loved it. Hell, I'd been sent to prison once. Can you believe that there was an R5 law against Fighting one day? I literally took one slash with my sword, and BAM! I'm in friggin' prison so quick that my head was spinning. I hated that place, and hated even more when they had to pay bail just to get me out of there. But I wasn't willing to sit 'round in that place any longer than I had to. So when I heard about these cards, I told everyone that we were going to Cadoan.

The Thief, Harol, looked up at me and spoke: "Why the hell would you want to go near that lousy place?"

I grinned: "Well, I think there's something there that will make us more powerful, and make every single one of us happier during engagements."

Sinon, a Blue Mage, looked down his hawklike nose at me: "This wouldn't have anything to do with those confounded 'Antilaws', would it?"

Yuto raised an eyebrow: "Antilaws? I haven't heard anything about that. What are you talking about?"

I started to respond, but of course, Sinon cut me off: "Antilaws are magic cards that can nullify certain laws. There are ones to defeat specific laws as well as much rarer ones that will eliminate all laws, from R1 all the way up to R5. Essentially, they provide a way around the laws, as well as allow you to use cards that put your own laws in place that the judges must enforce at whatever level is inscribed in the card. I, for one, consider it cheating. But, of course…", he sighed exasperatedly, "others may feel differently."

Our Gunner, Meigo, looked up and spoke, quietly and hesitantly: "Hey, uh, if there are no laws, doesn't that make it like, a jagd, kupo?"

A few of the others seemed a little worried at this, and Sinon looked rather pleased with his reaction. I was pissed, but couldn't do anything about the self-important bastard. He was a good ally, and he wouldn't be doing this if he didn't honestly feel something was wrong with it. So I looked over to Marain, who by this time had progressed from a White Mage to a Sage. I raised an eyebrow: "What's a 'jagd'?"

Kiera jumped up and yelled: "Jagds are evil! They're the way the Judges prove that we need them!"

Marain shrugged and nodded: "She's right. A jagd is what is referred to as a "lawless zone". They're places where no judges go and no laws apply."

I was now thoroughly confused: "So, uh…what's the big deal? Why don't all the clans want to fight there?"

Rinz, now a fighter, raised her voice, albeit quietly: "Because people can die there, Endy. Haven't you noticed that we all just get knocked out in combat, not die?"

I nodded, now a little worried myself: "I see what you mean, Rinz. You're right." I looked from her to Meigo: "No. It's not like that. Just because it stops the laws themselves doesn't mean it stops the judges. The Antilaws don't allow death, they just make engagements easier."

Meigo and a few others sighed in relief. Sinon was disappointed.

"So. Is it decided then? We're traveling to Cadoan?"

Everyone nodded, even Sinon and Marain. We broke up a bit after that, talking amonst ourselves. Marain, Sinon, Rinz, Kiera, Yuto, and Rimey came over to me, and I looked at Sinon. I was still annoyed: "Why did you argue with me when you knew the reaction it would provoke, huh?"