Brilliance A Legend of Mana Story

Two ~A Strange Sort of Person~

Elleira watched Riven eating for as long as she could stand before jumping to her feet, gesturing frantically. "Come on! Deathbringer?! Irwin missing from the Underworld?! Lucemia spotted in the skies?! You HAVE to be interested!"

Riven continued dabbing at his egg yoke with his toast, motioning at Rachel (or was it the blue wiggly? Green jiggly? Hazel Wobbly?) for more juice. Elleira dropped her arms, disbelieving. He wiped at his mouth with the corner of his handkerchief before looking up at her.

"Have you found Sandra?" he asked.

Elleira flushed, looking down at the ground and shifting her feet. "Well . . ."

"If you think somehow all our enemies are being resurrected, we should warn the Jumi."

Elleira flushed even deeper, and Riven's eyes narrowed. "What is it?"

"About that . . . The Jumi have locked off their city."

"WHAT?!"

"They closed the gates for some reason, and now no one can get in." She frowned. "I haven't had word from them for weeks."

Riven turned back to his meal, and frowned, pushing it away. (Pearl . . .) he thought. He stood, adjusting Kiijin's scabbard at his hip. "Well, let's go."

"Where? The Underworld?" she shook her head. "I've already checked. Olbohn's having a fit trying to figure out what happened, and the Shadoles are in a panic too."

"We're going to the Bejeweled City," Riven said, starting for the door.

"What? But they're locked off! We can't get in!"

"Then we'll bust in. Something tells me the Jumi know more then we do about what's going down, and I intend to find out what."

He paused in the doorway, blocking Elleira's path. She frowned, opening her mouth to complain.

"Elleira, when was the last time you saw a Sproutling?" he asked, his voice oddly strained.

"Just before fighting the Mana Goddess. They all went to the Mana Tree, and I haven't seen any since."

Riven stepped to one side, revealing a tiny Sproutling.

It grinned up at her. "We don't have souls, you know."

"B-but that's not . . . possible . . ." she said.

"I know," he said.

The both left quickly, hands on their weapons. "Do you think the Mana Goddess is back?" Elleira asked.

"She left?"

"No, I meant incarnated evil again."

"I don't know. I hope not."

They made their way quickly to the Highway, as they could quickly take it most of the way to the Bejeweled City. They had only made it halfway down the road when they started seeing bodies.

"What is this?" Riven growled.

Elleira shook her head. "Mercenaries."

"What? For who?"

"They're attacking the Jumi city," a voice said nearby. Riven and Elleira skidded to a halt, drawing their swords. Escad held up a hand. Elleira took a step back, sheathing her sword. Riven did so as well, but slower. The last time he'd seen Escad, Elleira had fought him while trying to rescue Matilda from Irwin. Escad had lost his sword arm in that battle, but Riven knew he was still deadly.

The warrior looked over the two cautiously. "How do I know you aren't going to attack them as well?"

Riven scowled. "Think we saved them from extinction to kill them?"

"You fight for Demons!" Escad snarled.

"That old hat?" Riven turned away. "You never learn."

"Don't turn your back on me, warrior," Escad said, his voice cold. "I don't trust you," Escad finished, as if it needed to be said.

"The feeling is more then mutual, Escad," Elleira said, shifting her stance. Escad looked at her and winced, probably remembering the exact moment she took his arm.

Escad scowled, turned his head a spit at the ground. "Fine. As you probably know, the Jumi have closed off their city."

Elleira nodded, but Riven just kept watching Escad. The one-armed knight continued, "For some reason, mercenaries have begun attacking the city in force, trying to take as many cores as possible. From what I've heard, they haven't gotten any yet, but if the city remains under siege, the Jumi will have to leave for food soon."

Riven scowled, looking ahead at the road. (Damn . . .) Elleira shifted about nervously, and Riven wondered what she was thinking.

"I don't know of any way into the city," Escad said. "It's completely surrounded by mercenaries, lead by a group calling themselves the Nanten."

"Nanten? What the hell are those?" Riven asked.

Escad shrugged. "There are only seven, but they are rumored to be exceptionally powerful. They defeated every Knight the Jumi threw at them. Duelle had gathered the Onion Knights, but what remains of them are trapped in the city as well."

Riven tightened his grip in his hilt. "No choice then, I suppose. We have to come up with a plan."

Elleira cleared her throat. "I have an idea . . ." Escad and Riven both snapped their heads towards her.

"I can ride my Sephiroth into the city. Black Chocobos can fly."

Escad shivered, and Riven looked at him. "What?"

Escad shook his head. "That name gives me the creeps."

Riven smiled. "It should, considering it belonged to the baddest bad ass of all time."

Elleira blinked innocently. "What are you talking about? I picked that name from a baby names book."

Riven brushed away the big anime sweat drop that fell from his forehead. "Anyway, your plan needs some modification. You can fly in, but I'm going to attack those mercenaries and cause a distraction."

Escad frowned. "By yourself? Are you mad?"

"I'm no pushover," Riven said. "Escad, I'd like you to go with Elleira."

Both of the jumped backwards. "WHAT?!"

"She'll need a good sword at her side if she gets into trouble, and the Jumi could probably use another blade. I'm going to call in a favor or two and I'll meet you guys at the end of the road in an hour. How's that sound?"

Escad and Elleira peered uneasily at each other, and Riven nodded. "Good. Too late to back out now!" and then he started sprinting off towards Domina. Escad and Elleira watched him go, before looking at each other apprehensively again.

"I suppose . . ." she said slowly.

" . . . We should get going . . ." Escad said just as slowly. They both started down the highway at opposite sides of the road, watching each other constantly.

*************

Riven gasped, leaning against a tombstone, panting for breath. He sank to a sitting position, too tired to even move. Someone chuckled behind him, and moved to stand at his side. "Need some help? You look like you've had a hard run."

"Larc . . . got trouble . . ." Riven wheezed. "Gimme a . . . hand . . . will ya?"

The wolf knight pulled him to his feet, shaking his head. "What have you gotten yourself into?"

"Ran from the . . . Luon Highway," Riven said, finally catching his breath.

"You ran here? That's a really long way away. Almost three days journey!"

"The rules are less strict for heroes," Riven said. "Besides . . . I don't have that much time."

Larc straightened. "What's going on?"

"Some mercenaries have got the Jumi under siege, and I'm gonna bust 'em out."

"Oh? And I suppose you want my help?" Larc asked.

"Have you ever heard of the Nanten?" Riven asked.

Larc growled deep in his throat. "Perhaps."

"They're leading the whole thing. I figure if we take them down, we'll have a good shot at breaking the siege."

Larc frowned. "The Nanten Seven . . . I don't like our odds."

Riven shrugged. "Call Sierra. I've gotta get home fast, and pull out my secret weapon. You two meet me at the end of Luon Highway, all right?"

Larc nodded slowly, but Riven hadn't waited for it. He was already running. Larc bared his teeth in a snarl. "You can come out now."

Sierra came out of the dark, leaning against the tombstone Riven had leaned against moments before. "The Nanten, Larc? You're going to fight them? Seriously?"

"I don't suppose your great lord Dragon would concede to help us?" he asked. Sierra said nothing, and Larc laughed. "I thought not."

*************

Riven crawled onto his property, his breathing a faint rasp. With effort, he pulled himself over the fence to land in his pasture. He coughed, trying to get his breath back. Laying on his back with his eyes closed, he didn't see the creature emerge from his stable, wicked bone sword gleaming.

The large skeleton stalked towards him, its evil death's head grinning.