Brillance, A Legend of Mana Story

Interlude ~Advice~

All eyes turned to the three who entered; two children and an old man. With a great deal of grumbling, everyone went back to their meals and drinks (mostly drinks) and ignored them. The old man patted each child on the back, sending them towards the counter, where they both sat, politely quiet, and waited. The bartender looked at them, then at the old man, who was circulating the room, observing card games and dart throwers, carefully leaning on his cane, and sighed.


"What'll it be, kids?" he asked. Both immediately relaxed, the boy slouching, the girl putting both elbows on the table and kicking her feet wildly. Neither looked to be older then seven. Probably younger.

The boy yawned, wiped at his eyes and said "Milk."

The girl glanced at the wall behind him, and smiled. "Knyjatekkan, a lot of ice, with some orange juice in a separate cup."

The innkeeper gawked at her, his mouth working, but nothing came out. The old man finally had made his way to the counter, and he tapped her on the shoulder. She straightened up instantly. "Elleira," the old man scolded.

"I'll have some milk," she said, her voice sullen.

The old man sat down, and tapped the countertop. "Knyjatekkan."

"Hey!" the girl cried. When the old man looked at her, she hushed, turning away with a scowl. The bartender poured all the drinks, and wandered off to help his serving girl carry trays.

"Saiga, you old dog, you should just let her have her way. She'll only cry again," a familiar voice said, as he closed the door behind him. Everyone in the building turned, and watched him, none looking away after a moment this time. The man with the giant mane of white hair shook himself, but the paltry effort wasn't enough to rid himself of the soaking his hair and dark red robe had taken. The old man said nothing, drinking quietly, no bothering to look back.

"What's the matter?' the man asked. "You act as though we're strangers, father."

"You're no son of mine, Seven." Saiga swirled his glass, and tapped it lightly. The bartender came and refilled it.

Seven laughed. "Listen, we'd better start getting along. Alyse would never forgive us if we fought just a week after her wedding."

Several chairs slid back, accompanied by the hard sound of wood scraping wood. The burly men in those seats all drew weapons; chains, clubs, knives. Saiga rolled his eyes. Elleira looked back at the crowd, and all the men approaching Seven. "What's happening?" she asked.

"Mercenaries," Saiga answered.

Seven raised his hands. "Please, gentlemen, I've sworn not to fight. "You see, a wedding vow you know, you're not supposed to break them."

"Then don't fight it," one of the men snarled, lunging forward with his dagger.

Saiga pushed away from the counter. "Or maybe assassins," he said, as he lifted his cane.

Within seconds, he'd crossed the room, cane a blur, stopping before Seven. He slid the hidden blade back into the cane, and slammed the end onto the ground. "Now you see why I didn't want you marrying her?!"

Seven scowled. "I could've protected her from this, if you hadn't made me take that vow."

"I made you take the vow because I know it will show you the truth about yourself." Saiga turned, leaning hard on his cane, heading back for the counter. "And so that she could see the truth about her choice."

Seven turned, ripped open the door with such force that the top hinge broke, and it tilted to one side. "I'll tell you one thing, father. She chose me. And wedding vow or not, if harm comes to her, I'll destroy it. I don't care about myself, but nothing in this world, not men, flammies, the Moon Gods or even the Mana Goddess herself will hurt her."

He stalked out into the rain, thunder crashing savagely somewhere nearby. Saiga collapsed against the counter, covering his face with both hands. After several seconds, Elleira tugged at his sleeve. He looked down at her, and she smiled. "I don't need a Knyjatekkan, Master Saiga."

He smiled at first, then laughed, sweeping her into his arms and hugging her, forgetting his troubles for the moment.

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

"Master Saiga!" Riven yelled from the doorway. "I've got them on the run! They won't escape me!" He charged away, not waiting for a response. He already knew what it would be. The children were teenagers now, fourteen years old. Saiga thought back, remembering how he'd found them. Two orphans, five years old. Passed over by every person that came to their orphanage. The big floppy hat looked silly on Rven, though it'd looked quite sad back then covering half his face, dirty and gray. (Elleira's sticks were a new fad, but she clung to the as though she'd cherish them forever.) Saiga had adopted them, because both children had looked grim enough to make him wonder what was wrong with the world. It had been a long time since anything had made him think about the world at large.

He lifted Alyse's head, and set it in his lap. She was cold, his beautiful young girl was cold, and all he could do was sit and wait while his students went out and hunted down her murderers. He hadn't the heart to check her body and see if they had done more then kill her. It was all he could do not to grab his sword and take his own life.

The door creaked, and he looked up, bleary-eyed. Seven stood there, Elleira under one arm, Riven over another. Saiga said nothing as Seven set them down on a couch, and walked over to him. He knelt down, and bowed before Alyse's dead body. And before Saiga.

"Not even the Mana Goddess herself, Seven?" Saiga asked.

"I killed him," Seven said. "It took everything within him, but I finished him off."

"I don't care," Saiga said. "Hold her, for a while, and I'll go start digging."

Seven stood up abruptly. "I can't," he said, his voice strained.

Saiga narrowed his eyes. "Why? Nothing else matters now, she's gone. She'd forgive you killing to avenge her."

"Its not that," Seven said. He pushed aside his robe, and lifted his hands. They shone bright and gold, a metallic sheen that human skin was not capable of. "He cursed me. He cursed me with his hands." Seven fell to his knees. "Silver blood, and golden hands."

The old swordsman looked at his son in law, unable to speak. He folded Alyse's arms across her chest, and gently laid her on her back. He stood, and slapped Seven hard. "Idiot!" He struck him again. "You never let me, the one person who had any say so, stop you from holding your wife! Well, this is your last chance, you bastard! Pick her up! Hold her! Hold her, you bastard!" He went to slap him again, but one of those golden hands rose up, and caught his arm. He flung Saiga to the ground. He got to his feet, staring at them.

"I won't. These are not my hands. They're his. I will not sully her with that thing's touch again." Seven turned, marching towards the doorway. "When I make these things mine, I'll return. Not before." He left, and Saiga was left alone to bury his daughter.