Disclaimers apply. I didn't create all the characters I used in this story, and I deserve no recognition whatsoever over them. Suikoden belongs to Konami.

However, if you have been reading my story, some aspects are created by me.

Luca's Redemption – Chapter Six

Maroux's Story – Part I

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Location: The City, Fountain of Spring

I decided to head to the fountain in the middle of the city. The Fountain of Spring, as it was called, was a grand structure. Anyone who was living in this city, perhaps only heard of this island or even someone who was lost would be drawn to this monument because of the sound of flowing water that this monument emitted. It sounded just like a river, and its sound could calm the wildest of souls. Except perhaps, Luca's…

When I got there, I saw around ten people around the fountain. Some were passing by heading to the stores, others just taking a walk with their children, friends or spouses. Most of the people actually staying put around the Fountain of Spring were village people. But some looked like fighters, and these were the particular ones I was looking for. I randomly chose someone. The guy I ended up choosing was tall. He was really buff and he looked, to be honest, a little intimidating… Just a little.

"Ahh… Pardon me…" I stuttered.

"Whaddaya want? Spit it out! I ain't that patient, so don't push it!" The man said.

"I was just wondering, if-" Another buff man interrupted, "Oi, Eikei!! I got a job!! And I got the other stuff, too!"

"Aye!! You ain't gotta yell, Pahn! And an apprentice shouldn't yell at his master, now should he!!"

"Ahh… Gomen, sensei!! (Sorry, teacher!!) I did not mean to yell… Ack! Cut the crap, Eikei! You know as well as anybody I stopped being your student ages ago! I thought becoming your student was a good idea, but as it turns out…"

"Ey, hey!! No need to put down anybody!! I happen to be an excellent teacher! EXCELLENT!! And unless my memory is fallin' apart, which it ain't, it was you who asked ME to take you in for training!! Now idn't that right?"

"Ahh… Well… Quiet. Ack, whatever. More importantly; I got a job! I-"

"Ahh… Excuse me. I just wanted to…" I was able to get in a few words, but not too many.

"We'll talk later! You comin' or not?!" Eikei said. He got up and was about ready to leave, but something told me to go with him.

"Well, alright. But after-" And again, interrupted.

"Quick! We can't do this after dawn. We gotta hurry!" Pahn said. He grabbed my wrist and nearly dragged me along.

"Where are we headed?" I asked.

Well, they said a lot in the time that we took to get horses and the actual ride to the place we were going. And first off, as it turned out, the horse rental had only two horses left to rent. And truth be told, our money combined was only enough for that many. The two men, Pahn and Eikei, were actually bounty hunters and not very popular ones. The jobs they got were always 'somewhat' difficult, but with their strength, one would think they would succeed. One would be wrong. They always managed to flunk the job somehow, and as a result, they were low on money. Yeah I lost my money and the only reason I did go with these guys was because I thought I was being told by something to go with them. And when I think about it, it didn't seem like it was worth it.

Anyway, the job that they managed to squeeze out of the Bounty Hunter Job Supplying Agency (BHJSA) was also a 'somewhat' difficult job. That particular BHJSA branch had been warned by their superiors that they shouldn't recklessly give jobs to these two infamous bounty hunters. Somehow, Pahn got one. Village people had been disappearing in a place called the Valley of The Departed. It really was a giant graveyard. It was where the village people buried their dead. Quite ironic that most of the people that disappeared there were visiting the graves of their lost loved ones. They went their to visit, but ended up staying there…forever. Our job was, of course, to investigate these disappearances and to save the survivors, if any. This job was commissioned by the mayor of the city himself, which was strange since Pahn and Eikei were almost pretty much banned from bounty hunting by the BHJSA. That was what triggered my suspicion…

When we arrived, we really felt why this place was called the Valley of The Departed. The place had 'Spookville' written all over it. The thick mist and fog covering the valley, the clouds in the sky were always dark and there was a shallow rain around the valley and also, it was night fall. The bright moon shown glowing above the horizon. To top it off, it was cold. Not the peak of mountain cold, but… you know… the 'G' word cold… Ghosts. "Sheesh! This place gives me the creeps!!" I said.

"No kiddin… Let's just get this over with," Pahn said.

And thus, the walk down the trail into the Valley of The Departed began…

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Ooh… This place doesn't sound good. Though the situation sounds familiar… See what will become of these three as they venture into the unknown. Chapter 6, Maroux's Story Part II next!