Five years pass. Vana'diel is in turmoil. The four great nations, Jeuno, Windurst, Bastok, and San d'Oria, clash at each other's throat in a race for survival. It began with the abduction of a precious jewel in its passage to its mother county from Bastok, where it had been found 2 days before. Apparently a master thief had stolen the Eye of Promathia, as it had been named, by infiltrating the enormous Chateau d'Oraguille and robbing it from its natural home deep within the edifice. The King of San d'Oria was furious with rage, after it had been reported that the thief turned out not only to belong to Bastok, but also to be working for the Bastokian government. Without a moment of hesitation, Bastok denied the charges, although, the King did not agree.
San d'Oria declared war by way of a sneak attack on Bastok. Before Bastok could send out their troops in this moment of great turmoil, thousands of innocent citizens had been declared dead or missing. After Bastok had retaliated in the only way that they could, little was left. Bastok had been scarred to the point that the only salvaged portion of the city left standing was the infamous Metalworks. The Black Musketeers were successful in defending their nation's headquarters and its leader, but their morale was crushed. Their pride had been destroyed in one clean sweep of soldiers. Left bitter and angry, Lieutenant Hicks immediately begins requesting that the Black Musketeer's duties lead them to the frontline in San d'Oria, where the war had began to rage almost instantly after the surprise attack . . .
----
Kraig leaned up against the stone walls surrounding the central room atop the roof of Metalworks, clasping his hands behind his back with a sigh of stress. "He's taking this really hard." He said to the silver-haired TaruTaru before him.
He huffed. "Tell me about it. I've made him mad plenty of times, but I've never seen him . . . Oh, what's the word? . . . Enraged, like he is now."
"Well, I can't really blame him. You know how patriotic he is. To him, this whole thing about Bastok being behind this whole abduction of the Eye of Promathia is nothing but a big insult." The blue-eyed White Mage opened his eyes. "That, on top of the sneak attack that nearly wiped out this entire city sort of added up on him."
"We're all angry about that, Kraig . . ." Maccabee said, aggravation at Kraig's obvious lack of understanding taking over his voice. "He is furious about something. He gets this way every time he has a meeting with the President, which since we've brought it up, is happening more and more frequently."
Sudden thought encircled Kraig's mind. "You know, you're right . . . He's been having a lot of meetings with President Marrulus . . ." He suddenly pushed his weight off the wall as his eyes sprang wide. "You don't think that the President won't-"
"Don't you have anything better to do?" Said the disturbingly deep voice from the tiny man walking down the stone stairs leading to the President's Office, which Kraig and Maccabee were suddenly aware they were slacking off in front of. "It's one thing to gossip about me, but it's a completely different story when you do it right in front of the office in which I am currently working." He never stopped, never looked at either of them. His hands were clenched, his eyebrows arched and his face red. "Get out of here! Do something useful before I have you both lifting scrap metal from that pile of trash encircling this building!" The two soldiers swiftly saluted their leader, turned around, and ran from sight. He raced to his quarters, slamming the door behind him, and seating himself upon his small bed. He removed his katana and its sheath from the belt it was fastened to, and laid it at the foot of his bed. Sighing, he ducked his head and calmed himself.
His door opened with a low creek. "Hicks, what is the matter with you?" Lady Rini stood before him. "You rush out of the Presidents office, scold two of your own soldiers for being concerned for you, and lock yourself in your room. Why don't you tell me anything any more? Why are you acting this way?"
Hicks was silent for a moment, and then said, "He won't grant us passage." in a low, bitter tone. "For the last week, I have begged, pleaded, and even argued with the President to give us passage to the front line. He simply won't allow it." The room grew silent. Rini was at a loss of words. She wanted it, too. She knew they could be doing their part in the war, so she could say nothing. "Windurst and Jeuno have joined San d'Oria. They believe we have stolen that jewel, which we have not, and are showing so by joining the Elvaans. We are outnumbered by hundreds of thousands." He slid off of his bed, grabbing his katana. "I have to do something. I cannot stand here and watch this country die." He turned to face her. "I'm leaving for the frontline, regardless of what the President commands. Now."
"Hicks, don't do this . . . He'll have you removed from your post when you return!" Her voice was stricken with disbelief not at Hicks's decision, but at everything. The fact that Bastok had been betrayed by all three of her sister nations and that she could actually fall was too much to bear. "I know you want to help, but for us . . . For me . . . please stay!"
"Give the President my regards. I'm leaving you in charge of the Black Musketeers while I'm gone. I doubt you'll get him to change his mind, but there's always that chance. Even if he continues to say, "No", if you feel you can give all of this up to save Bastok, then by all means, join me later. Bring the others if they're willing." He began to walk to the door. "All I know is that I cannot stand here and watch this nation fall. You know what she's done for me . . . For us both . . . How can I turn my back on her? The President is wrong."
He left the doorway, and began to make his way to the elevators. Rini raced after him. "Hicks!" She yelled. He turned to face her with determined eyes. She stood there for a moment, staring at those eyes that she had watched for over 30 years. She understood him. She understood his cause. Finally, she said, "Please be careful."
"I will."
----
The King of San d'Oria sat in his throne room, staring at a map that had been made of the battlefield. Wrinkled lines formed on the aged Elvaan's balding forehead as he sat there, frustrated as he thought of a perfect strategy. Reinforcements had not came from neither Jeuno or Windurst as of late, so he had to be careful for his own men until they arrived. Those Bastokers were quite gifted when it came to strategy. The silence was broken by the soft clanking of armor from the vast darkness of his gigantic throne room. He reached for the blade at his side. "Who goes there?" He stated loudly, standing from his throne. The clanking of armor, in perfect rhythm, failed to cease. "I say, who goes there?"
"Do not worry, my dear, dear King . . ." Came the mature, intimidating, and even seductive voice of a woman from the darkness, the clanking of armor growing louder and louder. "It is only I . . . One of your own." From the darkness stood a tall Elvaan female, her silver hair protruding in two long strands from the sides of the horned iron helmet she wore. She was dressed in a full set of dark iron armor, intimidating spikes protruding from her shoulder guards. A scythe of enormous size was tied to her back. This warrior was none other than a Dark Knight, and a very attractive one at that.
"You do not have permission to be beyond that door!" He said, pointing to the entrance of his quarters. "I should have you beheaded for this insolence."
She laughed with an almost childish tone. "Yes, that's all very true, my King . . ." She walked towards the hostile King, inches away from him, and stroked his chin. "But what a shame it would be to destroy such valuable knowledge as what I hold. I could be extremely valuable to you, my King . . ." She smiled, the first expression readable from her half-hidden face because of the visor on her helmet. "In fact, I could be so valuable that I could make you more powerful than you already are." She leaned forward as she spoke, sending the man back into his chair, her face inches from his own. Black feathered wings suddenly sprang from behind her, transparent feathers drifting in the air.
----
"This is an outrage!" Said the Bastokian President, slamming both fists down upon his desk. "I specifically gave him orders to remain here, with me. He will be punished for this severely when he returns." He ranted, leaping from his chair as he paced the room. A startled Silver Tear stood behind Rini, silent.
"Mister President, please do not be angry with him. He only wishes to serve this country to the best of his-"
"Save it." He hissed. "He thinks he can get away with these things just because he holds such a high position . . ." He began, speaking mostly to himself than to Rini or the boy behind him, followed by a chuckle under his breath. "I'd love to see the look on his face when he came back, stripped of his honors."
Rini hid the growing anger behind her face. "Lieutenant Hicks is a great and powerful soldier, Mister President. He has served this country well in more than one way during his time here. I can assure you that any action that he has ever taken against his judgment has been an act of love for his country. It pains me to hear you say such things of Lieutenant Hicks knowing of so many things that he has brought to this nation." Her voice grew suddenly cold, though still polite and orderly. The President was mad; he was not thinking with his head. "And also, if you decide to eradicate Lieutenant Hicks of his duties, then consider myself eradicated all the same. I will follow him. He is a good man with good morals, and I would never turn my back on his wishes." Her words were out of line, but she didn't care. She meant every one of them.
The president laughed at her attempt to move him. "You have quite a bit of gall speaking out of line like that, Lady Rini." He looked to her with a sarcastic smile. "You there. Silver Tear, is it?"
"Yes, sir." Silver Tear said, his eyes wide with fear. The President was a powerful man, and he was very aware of that.
"From this point on, I am granting you the special privilege of Leader of the Black Musketeers until Lieutenant Hicks returns." Silver Tear was dumbfounded.
"Sir, he is far too young! He has only recently completed his training! Please, sir, I urge you to recon-"
"Not another word!" The President yelled, slamming his fist down on his desk for a second time. He turned to face Silver Tear. "Now, Leader, do you see any need in going to the frontline?" His voice was dripping with sarcasm.
Silver Tear knew of the President's view of the present situation, and he had only recently found how angry he could become. Having the President's anger and disappointment hurled at him was not something he was ready to receive. He took a deep gulp, and said, "No, sir." He turned to look at Rini.
Her expression was horrible in her sight. She looked to him as if he had just struck her across the face, and her eyes were filled with a mixture of disappointment and disbelief. "How could you . . ." She said under her breath. He began to speak, but she stormed from the office before he could say anything. He turned back to the President. He had no clue what to say; everything had come upon him so swiftly.
"My boy, you're trained enough to know the difference in right and wrong." He smiled for the first time in sincerity. "I believe you'll do a fine job. As you can see, Lady Rini is much like your predecessor. She fails to see the importance of following my rules." While the President said all of this, he knew that he was wrong for agreeing with him. Rini was probably in her room, feeling helpless and defeated for doing what she felt was right, while he stood here being praised by an over-confident fool. He had gotten what he had desired, but he was losing the respect of the one he had grown to respect the most. "I leave everything in your hands." He had to do something.
"Yes, sir."