The lights were dim in the small San d'Orian home and allowed only enough light to allow sight to one's immediate surroundings. The midnight air was cold and bitter, and the crickets could be heard chirping outside the castle walls. The great nation was at rest, and in peace. All, aside from this one dim-lighted home.
He stood in the doorway, dressed in heavy, yet slightly tainted and worn armor that had seen its fair share of battle through its life. His medium length blond hair was pulled away from his face and was tied in a ponytail to his back. His deep green eyes stared blankly into the midnight sky from the open doorway he leaned against. This Elvaan was a heavy thinker, yes, although he only acted this way when he was overwhelmed with stress.
"I'm leaving." Said a female's voice from behind the tall man, causing him to turn around in surprise. Her determined eyes stared up at his, her long silver hair coming down in two strands in the front, and the rest lying neatly behind her shoulders. She shared the same green eyes as the man before her. "Don't try to stop me; I've made up my mind."
"Ephraim, no." He said in return, sternly, as he walked closer to her. "The only thing we have now is each other. Do you really want to take that away from me? From yourself?" His face was overwhelmed with confusion. "I know you want to avenge father, but you have to understand. He was-"
"Understand?" Asked Ephraim, her voice angry and bitter. "You ask me to understand our father's execution? What are you? I don't even know you any more!" She pounded at his chest as she said these things.
He grabbed her arms as she furiously fought back. "He attempted to assassinate this nation's leader, Ephraim! Listen to yourself . . . you're not even using logic! Yes, he was our father, but-"
"He stood for what he believed in!" She yelled, tearing herself from his grip, stumbling backward. "He sacrificed it all because he knew the King was wrong!" Tears began to fall from her eyes. Her voice trembled. "And all you can do is sit back, like everyone else in that castle, and say, "He deserved what he got"." She walked to the side and picked up the traveling bag she had packed. "Well, I will have none of that, Dakan. I will not stand aside and watch my father's sacrifice go unnoticed."
Dakan remained silent for a while. He had to meditate on his words before he spoke. "As I said before, you think on hysterics, not reason. Just out of curiosity, where would you go?"
Without missing a beat, she said, "Straight to the mines of Bastok. There, I will train to become a powerful Dark Knight, and then I will practice the Dark Arts. After that, I'll-"
"Dark Knight..." Dakan said, huffing under his breath with just enough volume to interrupt her speech. "You've gone insane. Have you forgotten everything that father taught us? He taught us to protect and to build, not to destroy!"
"What would you care what father has taught us!" She yelled, shoving him back. "You turned you back on him! When he needed you the most, you stood aside and allowed the King to order him to be executed! You didn't even so much as defend his honor as a soldier!"
He stared down at her emotionlessly. Although he showed no emotion, he had been crushed. "I suppose you're right." He said calmly, walking away from the doorframe, turning his back to both the door and to his sister. "I won't stop you. However, I want you to realize that if you walk out of that door, and turn your back on San d'Oria, you are no longer a member of this family, and you become my enemy."
For a brief second, Dakan turned to face her. Tears, more than ever, rolled down her face. Her chin became to tremble, but her voice rang solid. "I became your enemy when you chose to turn your back on your own flesh and blood. That wasn't my choice; that was yours." With that, she left. Her final words rang in Dakan's ears several times.
"That wasn't my choice; that was yours."
----
She walked swiftly through the stone corridors of Chateu d'Oraguille, her armor clanking with every swift step, whilst two of her assistants followed shortly after her. She gave them a long list of orders, preparing for the 'trip' to Windurst that would go underway immediately after she gave the word. She shooed her assistants away as she approached her inner chambers, and when 'The Dark Knight', as she had been called, gave an order, you listened. She opened the door to her inner sanctum, walked in, then closed and locked the door immediately after. She had been given a residence of the highest class, with servants bowing at her feet. Her living quarters were furnished with tables of cherry wood, expensive foreign rugs, and all other necessities for one of high class. All of this she had acquired in one night. Though she always knew she was capable, she was quite proud of her work thus far.
Her signature scythe was sheathed in a protective case made especially for weapons of the class, and beside that, a one handed sword with a dark steel blade. Although she normally always used her scythe in combat, close-range combat sometimes required a lighter weapon. She was always prepared. Deftly, she strapped the scythe to her back, and then the sword to her waist, then twisted her sword belt so that the blade hung behind her. Then, something caught her off guard.
"It's been a long time." Said a deep, and uncomfortably familiar voice from behind her. She immediately turned, scythe drawn in an odd stance with the top end to the floor so that the blade turned in the direction she faced. At first glance, she did not recognize him. She had seen so many Paladins in that same white armor through her days that any real distinctiveness was driven off. However, aside from this fact, something happened.
Her eyes met his.
She wanted to feint; she knew that she would probably see him again; she had told herself that more than once, but she wasn't expecting to see the same green eyes that she had ran away from so many years ago. There was just something about those eyes that crushed every plan, every thought in her head, and filled her with a feeling of confusion that she hated more than anything else. "Yes, it has." She said, coldly, having nothing better to say. "Dakan."
----
A gust of wind brought a chill to the red headed Thief. He shivered, and then began to exit the ruins of the Mines District. A voice caught him off guard.
"Why leave so sudden, stranger?" A raspy voice said from what seemed like behind Silver Tear. He immediately turned around, only to find nothing. "I mean you no harm; calm yourself!" The voice said from behind him again, laughing. This time, Silver drew his knife, and turned around in a wide swing. He heard the ripping of cloth, but nothing was there when he looked. "Now, that was just uncalled for!" He wasn't getting anywhere.
With his knife still in hand, Silver took a deep breath. "Who are you, and why are you bothering me?"
"Well, you see, I have some information that you might want to hear about, but if I'm such a problem, then-"
"I don't have time for this. Leave here immediately." Said Silver tear, brushing off dandruff that had fallen on his black aketon while walking off in the process.
"Oh? You don't have time to hear about the Eye of Promathia?" The Black Musketeer stopped in his tracks. "Yes, yes . . . that's what I thought."
Silver turned around immediately. "You could be arrested if you're holding something back that could benefit our investigations, you know." His eyes wandered the empty area. He was using some sort of magic to hide himself, obviously.
"Oh, it would be much harder to catch me than you think, Mister Musketeer." He laughed. "Now, I'll be glad to tell you everything I know, but you'll have to earn it." Out of thin air, the man made himself visible. He was a man of normal height for that of a Hume, although his features were hidden by a very worn hooded robe that was draped over his head. He immediately unsheathed a rather intimidating looking knife from under his cloak. "Match me in combat!" The man's slash at Silver Tear's throat was immediately met with his own blade, which he brought up instinctively. The locked blades fought against one another as the lock began to fall to Silver's left. He was losing the strength contest, but he gained the upper hand as he brought up his right hand, now holding the knife with his left, and struck the stranger across the face with the back of his hand. His opponent stumbled backwards, and caught his balance. "Oh, yes . . . this will be most interesting." Without a moment to spare, Silver rushed forward at him, and the knife fight commenced. The clanging of blades was loud, the small-bladed weapons dancing furiously, every once in a while flashing with the reflection of the sun above. They slashed and parried, each giving their absolute all to survive. Silver Tear had not had a match this challenging in a very long time, and he was somewhat thrilled by this stranger's challenge. Sweat began to form on his brow. As he parried and blocked the man's slashes, he looked for an opening. His eyes became slits as he concentrated on the challenger's lightning fast moves, and then he found it. Just as he began to turn his blade downward to perform a fatal stab, Silver tear made his move. Dropping his own knife, Silver grabbed his opponent's right arm, knocking his weapon from his hand. His moves were as smooth as silk. He then leaned forward, resting his shoulder under the stranger's right arm, and then shoved all of his weight over it. The throw was successful, but this man was not going down without a fight.
Just as Silver threw him, he grabbed hold of the Black Musketeer's arm and used it for support. His feet hit the ground, given the balance due to Silver Tear's support, though his upper body was bent backward. Before Silver could retaliate, he clenched his fist and reared it behind him, delivering a hard blow to his face. Silver immediately leapt back, allowing the stranger to go free. Turning around, he looked at the fellow Thief. They both found themselves out of breath. "Better than I expected." He said, his voice suddenly changing. It was now much more deep and masculine than before. "It seems that the Bastokian Government has been good for you."
Silver was taken off guard. How did this person know so much about his involvement with the service? Rini had told him that the history records of every member of the Black Musketeers had been staged to seem as if they were deceased. If this were so, then obviously this person had done some pilfering. "I think I've proven that." He said, sheathing his knife.
"Don't get cocky on me, kid." He said with a smirk, removing his hood to display his short red hair. "Because dad hasn't slacked off one bit."
Silver Tear's heart sank.
----
With a quick sweep, the Dark Knight strapped the scythe to her back. Her helmet hid her confused emotions. "Just how did you get in here?"
Dakan's cold expression never changed. "Well, when you become a General of the San d'Orian army, it's quite easy to pull a few strings to get your way." His armor clanked as he pulled himself from his leaning position against the cold stone wall. The battle outside could be heard for miles.
"Understandable." She said, seating herself in one of the many leather chairs surrounding the huge cherry wood table in the center of the den. She offered a seat on the opposite side to Dakan, which was accepted. "Tell me, what brings you here?" Her words, to her, seemed idiotic. This entire conversation was so odd that she could barely find the will to speak. However, she kept her calm.
"That was exactly my question, my sister."
She laughed. "Why, to serve San d'Oria, of course."
"Don't take me for a fool. I remember that night like the back of my right hand."
"People change."
"Not very often." The conversation took a violent shove into hostility. Dakan arose from his seat, and slid it back to the table. "Keep in mind that I have my eye on you, Ephraim." His cold eyes never left the woman before him. "If you even so much as whisper of the ill being of this country, I will strike you down with the first opportunity that is given. You may have been able to deceive the King, but I see through your lies. I know what you're after, and I assure you that as long as I am an active General of this great nation, I will never allow you to bring her harm."
Ephraim laughed, and begin to laugh. "Marvelous speech, my brother, simply marvelous." She said, crossing her legs. "I would expect no less from a person of your stature, oh great and noble knight." Her laughter took a sudden cease. "However, the King couldn't afford to lose his most brilliant tactician. Tell him what you will; it will be in vain. Now, gallant knight, is there anything else before I leave to conquer Windurst?"
"W-what did you say?" Dakan said, thrown into confusion. "The king would never allow such an idiotic order. You lie."
Her laughter returned. "Oh, he wouldn't?" She said, rising from the table. "Well, if you do not believe me, then ask your King." She said, looking down at her finger gauntlets and adjusting them to her comfort. "It truly is amazing what the lust of a woman's body can do to a man." She laughed under her breath, and rose from the table. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I-"
"Master!" The door to the Dark Knight's room flew open. Both siblings were taken by surprise, but only Dakan spoke.
"This had better be good, Jacques." Dakan hissed, giving him a scolding expression as he turned around to face his pupil.
The boy took a moment to catch his breath. "There's . . . there's a . . . a Taru . . ." He began, breathing heavily.
"What about the Taru? Calm down and speak."
"He's . . . slaughtering our soldiers like animals . . . he's . . . incredible, Master . . ."
----
Black Musketeer Maccabee, here! I've been given the order to give you an update from here on out to give you a little hint on what's to come in the next chapter. You see, things have been going quite peacefully here on the homelands of Bastok, but it looks like things are about to heat up! Can this new stranger really be Silver Tear's father? And aside from that, what about this business in Windurst? Dark Knight Ephraim definitely has something up her sleeve if she plans on overthrowing an entire nation! Stick around to find the answers to these questions, plus much more in Chapter 5 of Final Fantasy XI: Illusions of Loyalty! All right, I said it . . . can I go eat now?