AUTHOR NOTE - I am SO, SO, SOOOOOO SORRY for the long delay on getting this chapter out. Work has been a giant pain in the butt and now school is starting. I'm still trying to keep this thing going, ideas pour in like you wouldn't believe...maybe I should start writing those down. . Hmm, well, enjoy.
CHARACTER NOTICE ! -- The Mithra, introduced in the other chapter is in this chapter. . TY SMED! (again)
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Chapter Eight
Inside the palace of San'd Oria called Chateau d'Oraquille, Plureague and Giraenis wait impatiently for King Destin to approach them. Ayame, the spirited samurai that joined the group for an unknown reason, has somehow vanished from sight, which led more uncomfortable feelings to reside in Plureague's stomach. Giraenis decided to sit on the floor, since the chairs that were inside the Chateau were only suitable for an Elvaan or Hume, perhaps a Mithra. Plureague stood, his arms crossed over his chest, staring at the doors at the back of the Great Hall.
"Plureague," Giraenis spoke suddenly, his deep voice echoing quite loudly even though he spoke softly, "what do you believe is taking the king so long?"
"It's San'd Oria. We're adventurers so who cares how long we wait. Since we have no real jobs, we apparently can't be late for anything and we must have all the time in the world to spend." Plureague muttered in annoyance.
Giraenis chuckled. "Never change, do they?"
"What is this 'change' you speak of?" Plureague stated with a smirk.
"About Ayame," Giraenis began.
"Yes, she does seem a bit too proper for a standard adventurer. Especially, an adventurer from Norg."
"You noticed that, too, eh?"
"Ahem." A voice rose from the top of the stairs.
Plureague and Giraenis looked to see a young Elvaan in ornate attire standing at the top of the steps gazing down upon them. Giraenis rose to his feet, grunting as he pushed himself to his feet. Plureague approaced the man, his steps bold and quick.
"We were summoned to speak with King Destin about the situation regarding the rouge White Mage, my pupil, Aonir." Plureague stated.
"I'm afraid you are forbidden to see the king. You see, the breakout has put the Chateau guards on full alert and the palace is now in a state of lock down. No one is permitted to enter or exit the Chateau under any circumstance. I am sorry for this."
"Heh, still trying to be a ruler, eh? Look, I need to see your father. I don't care about lock down or whatever the powers proclaim it. I was called all the way from Windurst to come here and speak with him and I demand to see him immediately."
"I'm afraid that I cannot allow that. Guards!"
"Yes, your highness?" An Elvaan Guard spoke.
"Please deal with these two. I have to go see Father."
"Deal with them how, Prince Pieuje?" The Guard spoke.
"Take them to the inn. No place for them here."
"Hey, Pieuje!" Plureague shouted.
"What do you want, old Elvaan." Pieuje said softly.
"What happened to him?"
Pieuje looked at Plureague. "What do you mean?"
"You know what I'm talking about. I can tell by your voice that I've hit a nerve. So, where is your father and what happened to him?"
The guard tensed up but Pieuje's hand stopped him from charging. Giraenis watched with a smile across his lips.
"He is just a little ill. Minor cold if even that." Pieuje said as he turned his back to Plureague.
"Let me see him. I may be able to cure him."
"You cannot."
"Look, I'll say this again, I don't care about this lock down thing of yours."
"That is not it." Pieuje said sadly, turning to face Plureague and Giraenis.
Meanwhile, outside in Ronfaure, Kitaku and Aonir speed around the mountains as fast as Chira could take them. The rain was falling lightly but the sound of distant thunder was not heart warming. The slick ground made sharp turns difficult, mud flew up from the ground with every bounding stride. Suddenly, a high pitched whistle and a loud pop erupted just to the right of the chocobo. Bright sparks flew up from the ground. Chira panicked, throwing Kitaku and Aonir wildly about upon her back until finally managing to knock them off before fleeing.
"What in the hell!" Kitaku shouted as the sparks lowered.
"Fireworks!" Aonir declared as she pushed herself up from the ground.
"But how did they,"
"Hold it, you two." A female voice commanded.
Aonir and Kitaku looked up to see a woman, wearing red armor, gazing down at them from the hill and pointing an arrow at them. Kitaku slowly moved to his feet, his backside coated in mud.
"Ayame?" Aonir said in a questioning tone.
"Keep quiet. Looks like I'm taking you back to San'd Oria before Plureague get's into more trouble."
"Hey, why didn't you just shoot Chira? You used fireworks, but you have that weapon." Kitaku asked.
"Because the animal didn't do anything wrong. I just had to get you two."
"So you knew we were coming." Kitaku said shaking his head.
"No, I was talking with someone when I heard the chocobo coming. I just guessed it was you."
"Damn it. That took more than just guessing." Kitaku argued.
"Reach for your daggers and I'll slice your throat. Don't underestimate my speed just by looking at the size of my blade." Ayame instructed as she put away her bow.
"Heh, heh. You're quick to judge a humble ranger." Kitaku said with a sly grin.
"Humble is a lie. You wield twin daggers. You're from Norg."
"What!" Aonir said in shock, backing away from Kitaku.
Kitaku gritted his teeth as he said, "How did you?"
"Simple. I was trained in Norg. I'm not an idiot." Ayame said as she glanced to Aonir to make sure she did not run.
"Norg. Isn't that place full of assassins and pirates?" Aonir asked, her voice shaky.
"Somewhat," Kitaku said solemnly as he lowered his head.
"Then, that means that you're,"
"Originally a ninja." Kitaku said as he pulled out a pair of black boots from his bag. They were old, worn, and showed definite signs that they were once used regularly.
"You were a contracted ninja?" Ayame said with surprise.
"Yes. There, are you happy?" Kitaku said angrily as he threw the boots down on the ground.
Ayame drew her blade and pointed it toward Kitaku. "Tell me your name."
"Kitaku." He said bluntly.
"Is that your real name? Most ninja have an alias." Ayame said as she directed the blade to Kitaku's throat.
"Jeeze, who trained you? Kinumitaka." He said with annoyance.
"Good, now, put on your gear."
"What? I am in my gear!" Kitaku argued.
"No." Ayame said quickly, "You can change your status at an instant. I've seen the works of half-melee and half-mage."
Aonir backed up into a tree, her eyes wide with shock. Kitaku, the man who had saved her life and been a friend to her for all this time was an assassin and had the gear to prove it. He was a half-melee, a person with the capabilities of two jobs. Kitaku sighed with annoyance and put his hand to his forehead, his index finger and his middle finger up while the rest of his fingers were bent. Strange symbols rose from the ground around him until a dark light engulfed him. Aonir slid to the ground, suddenly, the incident in Valkurm Dunes played across her eyes. Toku's mysterious change was the same as what Kitaku had just performed. Toku was hiding the truth that he was a half-mage.
Kitaku stood before Aonir and Ayame, his clothes completely black. Kitaku glared at Ayame as if she had made him kill someone dear to him. Ayame stood with her eyes wide, she apparently did not think she were right.
"Happy?" Kitaku said angrily.
"Come. We have to get you to San'd Oria again." Ayame said as she turned around.
"Heh, heh. Did you learn nothing in Norg?" Kitaku asked slyly, his voice cold. "Never turn your back on your opponent."
"Fighting in your current status would be unwise." Ayame said as she proceeded toward San'd Oria. "The change is sudden and your body has yet to recover from the sudden burst of strength. One strike from my sword would kill you instantly."
Kitaku gritted his teeth and began to follow Ayame only to stop and look back to Aonir. He took off his headgear and smiled at her.
"I'm sorry." Kitaku said sadly.
"When were you going to tell me?" Aonir asked as she stood up.
"I," Kitaku began.
"You weren't." Aonir said as she walked passed him.
"DAMN IT! Do girls ALL have psychic ability!" Kitaku shouted with annoyance.
Back in the Chateau d'Oraguille in San'd Oria, Prince Pieuje led Plureague and Giraenis deep inside the castle. The group walked silently through until reaching a room with a large door near the back of the Chateau. When Prince Pieuje opened the door revealing a large, blue crystal lying upon a table and several others around the room, Plureague nearly fell over.
"I thought we were going to see the king, not the family treasure." Giraenis said with a chuckle.
"You fool! This is my father. He is within this crystal." Pieuje shouted.
"What are in the other crystals?" Plureague asked.
"Our best knights. My brother and I were away when this happened several months ago. No one knows exactly what happened. All they say is that a group of Tarutaru had a rebellion inside the Great Hall."
"Hmm," Giraenis said as he examined the facial features of the soldiers, "Tarutaru could never do this."
"So, Galka, you claim that San'd Oria's finest scouts are incorrect?"
"No, I'm just saying that it is not in their nature to attack in such a fashion, young Elvaan." Giraenis said in an annoyed tone.
Plureague rested his hand on the crystal holding the king and gasped suddenly. Images flashed across before him, the king shouting and ordering the guards forward. The guards hesitating to attack the small, Tarutaru-like creatures wearing strange masks. Plureague pulled his hand away and fell backwards onto the floor. Giraenis and Pieuje rushed over, Giraenis was faster since he cared for Plureague's health.
"He's speaking the truth, Giraenis." Plureague said as he tried hard to catch his breath.
"How can you tell?" Giraenis said quickly, passing an unpleasant glare toward Pieuje.
"I saw the king's memories." Plureague lowered his head as he spoke. "His final memories. Those crystals are sucking the life energy from their bodies and the king, I'm afraid, has passed away quite some time ago…that was not the Destin I knew."
"What? Was it some chump they had played in their place or something?" Giraenis asked.
"No. Looked like a guard was in charge. I will not believe that the body that lay in ruins within that crystal is King Destin. I heard rumors of his death during the Shadow Lord scare."
Giraenis looked to Pieuje then looked back to Plureague. "We'll get you to a bed. Whatever it is, you look like you're energy was swiped."
"So this is where you are. I go outside for a moment and the next thing I know, I can't get back in without bashing a few heads in." Ayame's voice blurted out from the door.
Giraenis spun around to see Ayame, Aonir, and a ninja standing in the door. He looked to Plureague only to see that the old Elvaan had risen to his feet and was dusting off his robes.
"This is a closed area. If you fail to leave now I will have to," Pieuje started.
"Ah, shut it." Giraenis blurted out. "Who's the ninja?"
"This is the ranger we saw with Aonir. Kitaku as he claims he is called." Ayame said with some pride in her voice. "I think he will be a good addition to our entourage
Kitaku flinched, wanting to say something but he stopped himself upon realizing her hand was on the hilt of her sword. Aonir kept quiet, her hands having been tied at the front gate since she was the original prisoner. Pieuje gave a meek smile upon seeing that the escapee had been brought back into custody. Plureague looked at Aonir and shook his head.
"Ok. Fine with me. Just remember, I'm the one taking the big hits, Kitaku." Giraenis said boldly.
Kitaku just stood in silence. Ayame pulled Aonir to the front before Pieuje.
"What is her punnishment?" Ayame said quickly.
Pieuje looked her over, then looked at the people surrounding him. "Throw her into Gusgen. I understand that Bastok needs a few good miners to build back up to meet San'd Oria's standards." He said in a mocking tone.
Everyone except for Kitaku flinched after hearing Pieuje's disrespect towards Bastok, even Aonir. Kitaku closed his eyes, he could do nothing to assist anyone while weakened. Ayame bowed and yanked the rope tying Aonir's hands, pulling Aonir behind her. Ayame led Aonir out of the Chateau and then looked her over in the rain.
"I can't believe you saw through me. You've hardly gained any rank and yet you can recognize me. You have a strong memory." Ayame said with a small smile.
"Huh?"
Ayame pulled out a small stone and held it close to her mouth. "Naji, are you there?"
There was a pause, then a voice came over the stone. "Yes, is that you, ma'am?"
"Yes, it's me. I've got the prisoner from San'd Oria here in front of me. She's ready for transport to Gusgen Mines."
"GUSGEN MINES! Are you sure that is where they are taking her!" He exclaimed.
"Yes. Go ahead and transport, Naji. Quit hesitating." Ayame ordered.
Silence fell over the stone for a moment until, "All right. Take her to the Consulate of Bastok. She can be transported from there. I'll get someone," Naji said.
"No, I want you to meet her with the equipment outside of Gusgen." Ayame instructed as she made her way southeast from the Chateau toward the consulate.
"Oh, all right, ma'am. I'll be there right away." Naji said with a sigh.
"Well, Aonir, this is your last stop. I'm sorry things worked out this way. You seem like a nice girl." Ayame said sternly as they entered the building.
"Tell me, before you transport me." Aonir asked.
"Why not, go ahead."
"Why such a punnishment for a person of age to travel?"
"Because," Ayame began.
"Ready for transport, ma'am." A guard said.
"I'm not sure, Aonir."
"Funny," Aonir stated as the guard began to cast, "you don't look much older than me."
The guard cast the spell upon her and she vanished before Ayame's eyes. Ayame walked out of the consulate building then made her way back toward the Chateau. The rain had not let up since it began pouring again only moments before she had reached the town gates with Aonir and Kitaku.
"Hey! Wait up!" A voice rang out from behind Ayame.
Ayame spun around to see a Mithra running with a Tarutaru close behind.
"I'm telling you, the people you want have got to be inside the Chateau d'Oraguille talking with one of the prrrinces." The Mithra shouted back to the Tarutaru.
"Well, wait up! You're running too fastaru!" The Tarutaru exclaimed.
"Hey!" Ayame shouted to them. "What is it you need?"
The Tarutaru stopped to see Ayame and smiled. "It's you! I've gotaru the message!"
Ayame's eyes shot wide open and she dashed to the Tarutaru. The Mithra stood behind the Tarutaru and began examining Ayame.
"Who is the Mithra?" Ayame asked.
"My name is Smedile. I'm the one that found this little guy rrroaming the streets." Smedile said with a grin.
"Little guy?" The Tarutaru whispered in annoyance.
"I see. Good work. I'll take things from here." Ayame said as she redirected her attention to the Tarutaru.
Smedile smiled and turned her back to them. "Ok then, I'll be off." She took a few steps away then hid behind a pole near the fountain.
"Whoever gave you that paper must have not known but it has a message written on it already. The message written in ink is nothing at all, but the paper speaks of someone taking ovaru Vana'diel by causing another world war."
"I see. Did it speak of anyone to be the leader?" Ayame asked.
"Noparu. Just said that the black power was the key to the recreation of life itself through the increase of strenth in monsters. Bunch of formulas on the paper that were written in a strange slang couldn't be broken down."
"I see. I'll instruct my associates immediately." Ayame said as she handed the Tarutaru one-thousand gil.
The Tarutaru bowed and rushed off and Ayame did the same. Smedile, on the other hand, came out from her hiding place.
"Hmm, looks like I get to investigate some myself. This sounds like fun."