Brilliance: A Legend of Mana Story
Seven ~A Change of Pace~
"And so . . . the Jumi are fleeing again . . ."
Emeralda nodded. "I've been speaking to Mephianse, and he's said that some of the younger ones can pose as students at the school, but . . ."
"But the rest have nowhere to go," Riven finished, shifting his bandaged arm carefully so that it rested on the table. A crab ran past his feet, escaping from the library. Emeralda sat uncomfortably across the table from him.
"I was wondering if perhaps, I could, maybe . . . stay here, with you." She looked up through her green lashes hopefully.
"You don't have a Knight yet?" he asked.
She blushed. "Well, I turned them down."
"Why?"
"Because," she said quietly. "You agreed to be my Knight."
Riven frowned, looking down at his hands. "As I recall, I failed you. Sandra stole your core, practically in front of me."
"That was only because I ran off!" she protested. "I swear, I won't leave your sight! I can cook, and clean, heal you when you're injured -"
"You can cry?" Riven asked.
She blushed again. "Yes, though I still have to work at it. Florina has been teaching me how." She blushed even redder. "That sounds kind of weird, doesn't it? Learning how to cry . . ."
Riven scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I suppose . . . I did agree to be your Knight."
"Yay!" she shouted, leaping from her seat. "I swear, I won't be a pest."
The door opened, and Elleira came in, beaming. "Guess what?"
"The barkeep kicked you out when he realized you left your Lucre in your other dress?" Riven asked.
She stared at him for a moment before scowling. "The kids are back."
Bud and Lisa came in behind her, looking tousled and sleepy.
". . . What'd you do to them?" Riven asked.
"What's your problem?!" Elleira demanded. "We just went to Polpota Harbor for drinks, is all."
"You took the kids drinking?" Emeralda asked.
"They needed a pick me up," Elleira said defensively. "They got E-X-P-E-L-L-E-D again."
"Um, we can spell," Lisa said before hiccuping loudly.
Bud just grinned, and fell on his face. Riven started getting to his feet, but Emeralda was one step ahead of him. "I'll take them upstairs," she said.
"Elleira . . ." Riven began.
"I know what you're gonna say," she said. "Its not what you think. I gave 'em coffee. They look like that because they ran themselves exhausted."
Riven frowned. "And the hiccupping? And goofball expressions?"
"Side effect from their spell." She grinned. "It was a doozy. Took a lot out of them. Read this letter." Elleira handed him the letter, decorated with Geo's emblem, and read through it.
". . . 'For the sake and welfare of our beautiful city, I pray Bud and Lisa never visit Geo again?' What did they do?!"
Elleira swung a chair around so that she was sitting in it backwards. "You see, Bud wanted to get to the bottom of Kathinja's ability to blow things up by looking at them."
"I already don't like the way this is going," Riven sighed, rubbing his eyes.
"So he made a potion, and put it in the school lunches that day, to test the formula. It gave everyone that ate it head-explody. All they had to do was glare, and the person's head would pop, then regrow."
"Sounds bizarre, but relatively harmless . . ."
She grinned even wider. "You didn't hear the best part. Apparently, when the teacher's went after him to stop him, he sent his pumpkin army to take over Geo! Lisa helped him, after she got caught on her own charges."
". . . so what did Lisa get suspended for?"
"Oh she was caught ditching school to kiss a boy," Elleira waved dismissively. "Against school policy, you know. Out of the two, Bud's was much more impressive! Lisa didn't throw one pumpkin when they found her."
Riven carefully made his face expressionless. "Maybe you should get some sleep."
"Yeah, maybe," she agreed, getting to her feet. She staggered into the back room, and he winced at the sound of her flopping onto the floor.
A knock came at the door, and he sighed loudly, getting to his feet. Emeralda was done the stairs in a flash, across the room and standing in the doorway speaking with the guest before he could take a step. As he sat down slowly, he began to wonder how long her enthusiasm would last.
"Master Riven, I presume?" the man in the doorway said as Emeralda let him pass. "No, please, don't stand. Your young friend here has explained your injuries, and I have no want to aggravate them further."
The man swept the back of his long dark coat back, a subconscious motion as he sat in the chair in the same fashion Elleira had just moments before.
"You can turn that around, if you like," Riven said, and the man smiled.
"No, no, quite unnecessary. I don't expect I'll be here very long." He removed his wide-brimmed hat, revealing graying hair. "I have but a few questions."
"I'll help if I can," Riven said.
"My name is Cervantes. I am currently on a search, looking for a boy I have trained in the art of swordsmanship. It . . . shames me to admit," he said, his eyes downcast, "I believe he may be working for those who caused such trouble for you recently.
"The Nanten?"
Cervantes nodded apologetically. "You see, he tends to think more with his wallet then his head. I've made something of a hobby of taking in and teaching young, troubled children, but this one, well . . ."
He reached into his coat, and slid a picture across the table. It was a rough sketch, done in coal, but the work was obviously that of a skilled artist.
"He goes by the name of Law. He's fairly tall, blonde, carries an evil looking sword and has a foul-mouth."
Riven studied the picture, and finally shrugged. "I'm sorry. I did not see much of the Nanten themselves, only the leader. If your student is with them, I haven't met him."
"Hmm. I see . . ." Cervantes took the picture back, and slipped it back into an inner pocket. "Then I should continue my search."
"You said you had 'a few questions', friend," Riven prompted. "Emeralda, would you maybe get our guest something to drink?"
"Yes of course," she exclaimed, "I'll rush out to the garden, and get some fruit to make some juice. I won't be but a second." She ran from the house.
"Now you can speak freely, sir," Riven said.
Cervantes smiled. "You're perceptive, boy. Very perceptive. I like that." He reached into the other side of his coat, and produced a small snow globe. "Perhaps you can tell me what this is."
Riven's eyes widened. "An Artifact . . . where did you get it?"
The other man waved dismissively. "A rabbit merchant. When I showed interest, he had a change of heart about selling it, but soon enough he gave me a very reasonable price."
"I see," Riven said, suppressing a grin. He always knew Niccolo would get his, but he did hope Cervantes hadn't been too rough. Then again, Cervantes didn't seem to be a man who took violence very lightly.
"I have a few more people to ask questions of, and then I shall return." Cervantes stood, placing his hat on his head, and tipping it towards Riven and Emeralda.
"Wait," Emeralda said.
Cervantes and Riven turned to look at her. She blushed, and looked down. "Well, um, Cervantes . . . what if you just went to ask Gaeus?"
"Gaeus?" Cervantes asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Of course!" Riven exclaimed, jumping to his feet. Emeralda yelped, and went to his side, but he shook her off. "Gaeus would know if who you're looking for is here or not."
"Gaeus?" Cervantes asked again, raising his eyebrow higher.
Riven took a step towards the door, tripping over Emeralda's concerned feet, and fell onto his bad arm. The ensuing shout woke everyone in the house, and Elleira came rushing out, half-dressed, a bed table's leg held in both hands. Riven and Cervantes gawked, and Emeralda yelped again, rushing from Riven to cover Elleira and push her into the back room.
"I see . . . you have a very interesting home," Cervantes commented, pulling his hat down further.
Riven covered his face with his hands.
*************
"All right, this is what will happen," Emeralda said. "Riven, you will stay in bed!" She pointed at him, and he nodded sheepishly. "Master Cervantes -"
"Just Cervantes, please," the man protested modestly.
"- Cervantes will be escorted to Gaeus by Miss Elleira."
"My sword is still missing . . ." Elleira grumbled, rubbing her temples. Lil' Cactus poked gently at her shoulder, and she turned slightly, and he handed her some coffee. Elleira grinned toothily, tossing back the drink quickly.
Emeralda grabbed Cervantes and Elleira by the arms, and started pushing them towards the stairs, carefully stepping over the bed mats the kids had thrown down to sleep on. "Now, out! Out with you! Riven needs his rest!" She dug around behind the hat rack next to the door (one of quite a few) and pulled out a hidden spear, which she lobbed out the door, before shutting it firmly.
Outside, Cervantes and Elleira watched as Emeralda shut all the curtains and locked the door with what sounded like a half dozen locks. "Rather . . . efficient nursemaid, isn't she?" Cervantes pondered, scratching his chin.
"Only when it comes to Riven," Elleira said with a grimace. "Ugh . . . my head. I think the girl has a bit of a crush on her Knight."
Cervantes arched a bushy eyebrow at her. "But Riven . . . he's not a . . ."
"No, he's not a Jumi. But he is her Knight." She shrugged. "It's a long story. I can tell you on the way if you like."
". . . No. As much as I'd like to hear it," Cervantes sighed. "I'd best be concentrating on the task at hand."
She shrugged again, and both of them started out for the Luon Highway.
*************
Godhand sat alone in the darkness of his tent, staring at his hand. It was glittering gold, even in the small amount of light shining in from the moon and stars. One with the hands of a god . . . bested by children with toy swords.
He clenched his fist, harder and harder until it shook, until blood started dripping from where his nails cut into his palm. Who were they? Those dragons . . . if Vandal hadn't been such a fool, we could've had the Jumi weeks ago. His constant games cost the Bejeweled City, and likely cost us the Jumi. He sighed, leaning back and closing his eyes. Even now the Jumi are fleeing. Kana is useless in this state of grieving. Ganz is dead, Agony and Ecstasy aren't ready. That leaves Sable, Vandal, and myself.
Angrily, he remembered the hero, playing his Aqua Flute; he remembered being trapped that fool's little bubble of water. The look of terror on his face as he took his little toy away and crushed it. So ridiculously close to death, and he'd left him to tend to Kana. (Maybe I'm growing soft,) he thought.
With a sigh, he walked to his cot, carefully removing a sword from underneath the mattress. It'd been reportedly dropped by the girl hero, and she hadn't tried searching for it before she fled. Aside from being a double-gripped sword, it was precisely the same as the one wielded by the boy. Kiijin was inscribed on its side. None among his troops had been able to decipher it. He set the sword down cautiously, and stared at it, willing it to reveal its secrets.
The tent flap came open, distracting him, and Vandal entered. He was leading Agony and Ecstasy, who walked hand in hand. "I've brought the twins, like you asked."
"You've taken a long time, Vandal. You didn't take any detours, did you?" Godhand said, his voice cold.
Vandal shook his head. "Just one. But you'll like what I found." He tugged hard on a rope that Godhand hadn't seen in his hand, and the leader of the Nanten got to his feet in one fluid motion.
A girl stumbled into the tent, landing hard on her knees in front of Godhand. She looked up, dirt-smudged face streaked from tears, and her green dress torn, muddy and broken. "May I present the jewel thief, Sandra." Vandal bowed gracefully, and backed out of the tent, throwing Godhand the makeshift leash before letting the flap fall.
Sandra stared up, eyes filled with hate and water, and Godhand wondered just what Vandal had done to catch her. Surely he wouldn't dare violate a woman, now that he was back? Vandal knew full well the punishment Godhand inflicted on those types of criminals. At one time, it had been the Nanten Eight . . .
"So," she coughed, wiping her mouth with her hand. "So what do you have planned for me?"
"Sandra the jewel thief." Godhand frowned, looking at the rope in his hands. He dropped it, dusting off his hands. Before she could react, his hand snapped out and caught her by the scruff of her neck, wrenching her closer. He snapped the rope around her neck effortlessly, before pushing her back down. She gasped as she landed hard on her backside. "I'm surprised you let yourself be caught."
"Your friend back there was very persuasive," she said with a scowl.
"I can imagine." Godhand ran both hands through his mane, before sitting back down on his cot. She stared at him in shock and suspicion.
"I have a proposition for you. You know more of this part of the world then I, and you have experience hunting Jumi." Her stare grew harder, and Godhand laughed. "You did much better at hunting the Jumi to extinction then any mercenary group that ever chased them."
"What do you want?" Sandra asked, her voice strained.
Godhand smiled, cracking his knuckles. "The Jumi are going to die, regardless of what happens. Whether its by my hand, or someone else's. Humanity will not allow it to exist. One of the less pleasant aspects of our species. I am offering you a chance, Sandra, to avoid their fate. You, and perhaps one other. Hmm . . . now what was it? I'm so terrible with names."
"Florina . . ." Sandra whispered.
"Yes," he said. "You and Florina run away, far, far away, after you get me all the rest of the Jumi cores. And some names."
"Names?" she asked, her voice barely audible.
"I don't know. A boy, with a lot of hair and a silly looking hat. And a girl, with sticks in her hair."
Her eyes widened. Sandra opened her mouth, but shut it again, without speaking, eyes downcast. Godhand got to his feet, taking her chin in one of his hands and forcing her to look at him. She hissed at the cold feel of his gold fingers against her skin.
"The heroes and your people will die, with or without your help. But you and the Florite do not have to die with them." He let her go, walking past her and throwing open the tent flap. "I expect an answer by dawn. If you have not succeeded in obtaining at least one core, then I will assume you have forfeited the possibility of an agreement between us. Happy hunting, Alexanderite."