Started: January 10, 2004
Finished: January 17, 2004
Revised: July 18, 2005
Chapter 2: Unbidden
"Under normal circumstances, I would have nothing to say to you… I would not deal with you, I would not look at you."
Nash Latkje raised his hands in a show of submission, nodding grimly at the older blonde as they met in front of the Tower, home of the Howling Voice Guild. "Notice my lack of disagreement. I wouldn't be standing here if I wasn't ordered to."
The other grunted in response, turning on his heel and striding away with his black cloak billowing behind him. Nash followed after the older man, the tight frown on his face as they climbed a flight of stairs. The black-cloaked blonde maintained a quick and aggressive pace as he led the way, anger apparent in every step he took. Nash kept a fair distance away, sighing to himself as they entered a conference room.
A familiar, brown-haired bishop sat at the head of the table, accompanied only by a man with an aquiline nose and bushy eyebrows. The youthful-appearing bishop smiled faintly for the two blondes, gesturing to them. "Please, sit down, gentlemen. We have important matters to discuss."
"Lord Sasarai, if you don't mind, I'd like to know why I would have to sit down with someone like him…"
"When His Holiness says important matters, it would be best if you listened, Sir Clive," Dios said blandly from his place to Sasarai's right. "Be seated, please."
Nash was the first to move, taking a seat beside Dios and focusing his attention on Sasarai. Clive grudgingly walked forward and took the seat across from Nash, adamantly keeping his gaze from the former Harmonian noble. "Fine," he muttered gruffly. "Now, what exactly is the problem that concerns him?"
"Actually, Sir Clive, the question should be 'what exactly is the problem that concerns you," corrected Sasarai, his tone tranquil despite the seriousness in his ageless eyes. "We are trying to keep this quiet, but the Beast Rune has managed to get out of Crystal Valley." Both blondes reacted similarly, frowning gravely and narrowing their eyes simultaneously. "I have called both of you here because of your levels of expertise." Sasarai's gaze fell on the older of the two. "Sir Clive, you have had to deal with the Beast Rune in the past. You were actually in the company of Riou Genkaku when he stormed L'Renouille, were you not?"
The veteran Gunner nodded curtly. "I saw that Silverberg fellow slice his arm and feed the rune, and I fought alongside the boy against it, yes."
"The Beast Rune has escaped Crystal Valley, and I fear alerting everyone will raise an uproar … especially with the last war so fresh in everyone's minds."
"Trying to keep it within a secret circle then?" Clive snorted cynically, his crow's feet becoming more pronounced as his eyes narrowed further. "If the Beast has gotten out, we'll be hearing about it soon, undoubtedly."
Sasarai nodded in agreement, sighing. "I am hoping we can find it before that happens."
"Unlikely," Nash interjected, having kept his silence as he allowed the information to sink in. "I hate to say it, Bishop Sasarai, but the chances of finding that thing before it causes havoc…" He paused, cupping his chin with one hand as he shook his head. "And is it safe to assume someone carried it out of the capital, since it was safely sealed in the One Temple for over a decade?"
Again, a nod from the youthful-faced bishop. "I fear that, with every passing hour, the chances that the Beast Rune has left our borders become more likely. Nash, Sir Clive, I would like to request that you put aside your differences to aid me in finding that rune before other countries realize this disturbance."
Clive looked tersely at the younger man across the table, meeting those blue eyes with a degree of hostility. However, Sasarai rising again from his seat drew his attention away from the fallen Harmonian noble. "… To aid this quest, I have something for you, Nash."
Nash's eyes followed the bishop silently, not betraying anything until Dios stepped away and knelt to pull something from underneath the table. Sasarai took the long box from the man, sliding it across the table to rest in front of the blonde spy. Raising a brow in confusion, Nash opened the box to find two horribly familiar swords sitting upon red satin.
Grosser Fluss looked anything but innocent upon the cushions, a crimson sheen to the deadly weapons even as they sat in silence.
"… Impossible…" Nash swallowed hard, settling back heavily in his chair and averting his gaze back to the bishop. "H- how did you…?" I buried Grosser Fluss when I killed Zaj. It can't be here…
"Fifteen years is a long time, Nash," Sasarai said simply in reply, his expression very serious as he looked at the three Harmonians around him. "Because of my wishes to keep this matter quiet, we require enough strength in the four of us to take down the Beast Rune alone. Thus the need for Grosser Fluss."
Nash returned his eyes to the cursed heirloom of his family, sighing raggedly. He did not doubt that the Grosser Fluss' recovery was only one of many secrets Sasarai withheld from the general public. "And you're willing to take the risk of me killing you, bishop?"
Sasarai smiled wanly at the question. "I'm no friend of death, but I'll do what is necessary for the sake and safety of Harmonia." His gaze traveled evenly over the three men, and nodded. "We leave discreetly. Be prepared to go in an hour."
The plains went on forever.
He had no idea how many times he had stopped and stared dazedly at the never-ending expanse of land. There were no landmarks around for him to make sure he was not traveling in circles. Something insistently told him to keep moving, to keep going onward, and he obeyed it without any other direction to go. But no matter how much this sense prodded him forward, he always found himself hesitating and looking back.
He felt as if he was leaving something behind.
There was no escaping the fact that there was an large, uncomfortable blank in his memory. He knew his senses, the colors, and even recognized a few animals by their most simplistic of names, but there was no history to this known knowledge. He tugged at his black gloves and hugged himself as lightning tore through sky, followed only a second later by a loud rumble.
Lightning and thunder.
It was another thing to recognize without truly knowing where the thought came from. He looked skyward, watching the dark clouds churn overhead silently. The few animals around had fallen silent, leaving him to face the storm alone.
Go.
The young man ran a gloved hand through his hair and continued forward, bringing his hand up to inspect a hair that he had combed out. The red hair, under the light allowed by the cloud-covered sky, appeared dark and speckled with … even darker color. He stumbled over rocks during his examination of the hair, wincing as he tore the left knee of his pants and scraped the skin underneath on the ground.
Pain tore through his entire body, and it took several moments for him to find his wits again. He inspected the unbroken skin of his knee with a sigh, brushing himself off and continuing on his way.
What was that…? he wondered, sidestepping holes dug by burrowing animals in the plains. My whole body hurt…
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind was it gone again, and he paused with a blank look on his face.
Go.
The redhead obeyed the pulse in his head, sighing in relief as he found his reward at the bottom of a green slope.
Domesticated animals. A barking dog and a flock of sheep.
And, in the distance, people.
He could not keep the smile off his face as he headed towards civilization.
A yawn escaped Caesar as he leaned against the wall, tapping the tip of one boot against the raft planks that served as flooring for the floating buildings. He and Apple had reached Duck Village safely, and were in need of a room for the night. Although there was plenty of time left in the day, Apple had come to the decision that they would be better off not risking the trek through Kuput Forest, as they would not be able to reach Chisha before nightfall.
Personally, he thought it was the smartest thing she had said all day. Of course, he would never voice that thought, as there was already a fair-sized lump on his head from a comment he had made earlier.
Really now, it's not my fault she takes my jokes so seriously… I only mentioned her hair twice in my comparison of coarse animal furs.
For him, that was a show of real restraint.
"Ah, I was certain I recognized you."
Caesar cracked an eye open to see one of the many residents of the village gazing at him with knowledgeable eyes. He stood a bit straighter and yawned, tilting his head as he tried to get his mind jogging. This particular duck wore a unique helmet of green and red. "You're that … duck…"
"I can see you're still the same as I last remember you, sir strategist," the helmeted duck stated wryly, quacking quietly in amusement. "Well met, Sir Silverberg. I'm Sergeant Jordi."
"Oh, yeah, that's right," Caesar muttered, rubbing at his forehead and feigning nonchalance at the title. "I should've recognized you; you're always with the Flame Champ and his pet griffin." He looked around the room suspiciously, as if expecting the two to appear out of the blue.
"Hugo is helping with the rebuilding of the Karaya Village and, of course, Fubar is with him," Jordi replied, noticing the look on Caesar's face. "I'm surprised to see you here; I would have thought you would be in the company of Miss Apple."
As if to emphasize Jordi's point, Apple's voice floated from the doorway as the woman approached. "All right, Caesar, we're all checked in- Oh my, if it isn't the Sergeant!"
"Hello, Miss Apple," Jordi greeted, bobbing slightly at the sight of the woman. "It's good to see you again." He looked between the two strategists. "To what pleasure do we owe this visit?"
"We're just spending the night, Sergeant; we'll be gone by tomorrow," Apple said with a kind smile. "There's going to be a feast in Caesar's honor in Chisha."
Jordi quacked in his version of a chuckle, looking at the redhead as an audible grumble escaped him. "Enjoy your stay, then. Will you be needing a guide through Kuput Forest?"
"I'm sure we'll be fine," declined the bespectacled woman. "Thank you for the offer, though."
Caesar merely grunted, stretching and heading into the inn without a proper farewell.
This isn't what I wanted!
The screaming would not die, much like howling wind.
I want to be free!
Frustration. Distress. Anger.
Stop this!
The vice seemed to a firmer grip, aggravating the soul.
LET ME GO!
The captured soul's cries went unanswered.
Sana looked upon the young man the shepherds had brought to her. He looked down at his gloved hands clenched in his lap from time to time, nervous under the scrutiny of the woman that was apparently the village elder. She looked at his posture and his hunched shoulders, at the pale tone of his unmarred skin… He was definitely not of the Grassland clans, and it was doubtful that he was from Caleria without the wind-burnt skin and hard features of a mercenary.
"… You have no recollection of anything except waking up this morning?" she inquired, leaning forward in her seat to look at the man. He raised his gaze shyly, shaking his head quietly. "A name? Images? We can't help you without knowing anything…"
"Images?" he repeated, clearing his throat once he discovered he sounded a bit hoarse. He shook his head negatively, pausing as something flickered through his mind unbidden.
Fire. Swords. Screaming, sobbing, laughing…
He saw well-dressed men kneel, men in armor salute…
And, above it all, he saw a man…
"A name…" He shut his eyes, attempting to focus on the man. There seemed to be some significance in the man that stood apart from the rest…
Astride a horse. Wearing white and blue and gold.
Guarded by silver-armored men.
Wild eyes. Wild hair.
A matching leer.
"A name? Do you have a name?" Sana asked, her voice encouraging as she watched the young man.
Green eyes opened, slowly taking in their surroundings. "I remember a name…" He spoke slowly, unsure of the sudden knowledge but keeping the woman's question in mind.
His shoulders seemed to relax, and the Chisha elder nodded slightly in approval as the redhead sat up in his seat. She remained silent, waiting for him to speak and answer her questions. The nameless redhead parted his lips, taking a deep breath before expelling the suspense building up in the old woman.
"Luca. Luca Blight."