Usual 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. Some other aspects of the story are also borrowed from other stories and I should not be credited for them. However, if you have been reading my story, some aspects are created by me.

Luca's Redemption – Chapter Seven

Maroux's Story – Part II

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Another Face From the Past…

Location: The Valley of the Departed

We had made it down the trail and were currently on flat ground, more or less. It was really bumpy down here. And there were graves all around also. The Trail, however, was more of a slope. Sure a couple of blood-sucking bats got in our way, but a couple of quick Raging Blows from my Lightning rune took care of 'em.

We slowly crept through the mist and just walked forward. We couldn't see where we were going, but we knew 'forward' was the first step there. We tripped over some graves while walking and that made Pahn shiver like a leaf during autumn.

"Brrrrrr… This place is p-probably c-colder than the p-p-peak of the highest mountain!!" Pahn shivered.

"Maybe if you weren't so AFRAID OF GHOSTS!!" Eikei declared.

Perhaps he was exaggerating, but who could blame him?  He is afraid of ghosts…

"Hey Pahn." I said.

"What?"

"There's a ghost behind you… She looks pissed." I don't even know why he looked, I mean I said it so casually and it was soooo obvious I was lying. Anyone would just call me a bad actoror a liar, but Pahn isn't anyone then. As soon as I finished my sentence, Pahn's face turned pale, his eyes widened and sweat nearly poured from his forehead. Slowly, his head turned around…

A little…

By little…

And…

Soon enough…

When he finally turned his head…

He saw…

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!!

"GWAAAHAAAHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!" Both Eikei and I laughed our stomachs out. We literally were on the ground, pounding the ground, rolling on our backs and the usual stuff you do when you laugh REALLY HARD!! We even laughed so hard, we shed tears.

"…Hey!! Th-that's not f-f-f-funny!! You…… I'll get you…" Pahn murmured. Eikei and I were too busy laughing to notice what Pahn said, but not too busy to see him blush like a school girl!

"Aww… Is wittew Pahny-wanny scawed of wittew ghosties?? GWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!" Eikei continually teased.

"I… I… What a teacher YOU are, Eikei!" Pahn was feebly trying to get back at us, but no avail. He really couldn't do anything but blush, and so he did.

After a couple minutes of mindless, seemingly endless laughing, Eikei finally got the guilt settling in on him. "Aye… I think we should cut it out. We've been laughing to hard, I think." Eikei tried to stop giggling, but it took a while to gain a straight face for the both of us.

"Alright… Alright. Sorry Pahn. We'll shut up now." I managed to say seriously.

Pahn just turned his head and kept walking. He didn't look too happy, but I figured it'd blow over soon.

On our way 'forward,' we ran into some two-headed dogs we cleverly nicknamed, Hellhounds. Pahn got his fists ready, as did Eikei. I drew out my Chakram, 'Questor,' and threw it at a Hellhound. The thing about my chakram is that it can split into two.  As it smacked against its head, it split and hit two other Hellhounds and they went down.  I looked around and Pahn, along with Eikei, had taken care of the other Hellhounds.

Soon after, we reached some kind of shack. Actually, my forehead smacked against the side of one, but hey; details.

Pahn looked around for any signs of life. "Shall we go inside? This looks like the place to look."

We nodded and followed his lead. The door wasn't even closed and so I pushed it and it creaked open. We lightly tiptoed inside the small shack. The place was a mess. Sure there was a bed, a desk, a small room presumed to be the restroom, some drawers, but the place was a mess.

"Aye… This guy's worse than me!" Eikei announced.

"… I don't know about that, Eikei." Pahn said.

"Were you really that sloppy?" Someone said behind us.

We were all caught by surprise and looked behind us. Standing at the door was a man in a yellow cape. He wore a casual light blue shirt underneath and some dark brown pants. He had brownish-blonde hair and looked like a nice person, but also looked… cruel. Before I could ask who he was, Pahn and Eikei said almost in unison, "You're… Kirke?"

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Bet you didn't see that coming, did ya?! So, what's Kirke doing here anyway? The ending said he threw away his scythe and became a farmer, right? Well, Chapter 8/ Maroux's Story Part III on its way!