VANA'DIEL TRAGEDY
Chapter Four: The Home of the Beastmen
"Hello Auricant!" Baramore the Temple Knight greeted his friend.
"Hi Baramore, today is a nice day no?" Auricant said.
"Yes, I love when the sun is out. I am guessing you are here to do another mission for San d'Oria?" Baramore asked.
Both of them stood at Ranperre's Gate. It was soon to be afternoon and the sun started to pick up an orange shade. A group of Royal Knights was entering the city just back from a battle in the Norvallen region. No casualties so the hunt was perfect. The Orcs fell like flies and they retreated back to Davoi, the headquarters of the Orcish Overlord.
"Yes, of course" Auricant answered, slightly distracted by the returning squad of Royal Knights, passing by them both. Mostly serious, but the rookies cracked a smile at their success.
"Well I wish more were as eager as you are to help this state. I am going to give you something big and somewhat dangerous. If you can get this done I will increase your rank" Baramore told the proud Auricant.
"Thank you. What is the task, Baramore?" Auricant asked, listening with interest. This was his chance.
"Well you see... recently a young boy who was under the church has gone missing. His name is Tedimout..." Baramore said to Auricant very seriously. Auricant was saddened at the news. "It gets worse... all the evidence points to Orcs" Baramunk told Auricant.
"Damn them..." Auricant said very angrily, looking down to his crunched fist. It was no lie that Auricant hated the Orcs.
"Usually we have you talk to the task giver but, no time to look more into it. We want you go to a hut that a spy thinks he saw Fodderchief Vokdek has been active around. Vokdek is the most active chief at the moment, even more than the Vilebloods leader Vatgit. He is known to attack people in the shadows from behind. Please, my friend, be very careful" Baramore finished.
"I promise you with my life and families' name, I will bring back the child safe from injury or death. Now, I am off. Goodbye Baramore!" Auricant said and ran out the gate into the woodland of Ronfarue.
"Wait Auricant! You can't go by yourself! Ghelsba is far too dangerous!" Baramore warned the foolish Elvaan loudly, but he was gone. "Damn it... he is going to get himself killed!" Baramore worriedly said to himself. The Temple Knight quickly left his post and ran towards the Chateau d'Oraguille, the great castle at the focus of San d'Oria.
The determined Elvaan paladin rushed through west Ronfarue, passing trees in waves. He headed towards the most dangerous place for miles and miles: Ghelsba, home to the Orcish camps that fought with San d'Orian daily. Many clans and chiefs reside there. Their will was the law, even fighting each other. The Vilebloods was the strongest clan in all of Ghelsba, but more than half the recent attacks were by them or a certain Fodderchief. Auricant thought of all of this, heading to the camp itself.
After he ran far from unwavering San d'Oria's gates, he noticed he was entering Orcish territory. Orc flags and barricades became common sight. He spat at the dread emblem of the beastmen: a blood-drawn ring. Not long into the enemy's territory, he started to hear grunts and growls. He was sure they came from an Orc, possibly two.
"Elvaan!" a monster shouted at Auricant. Auricant smiled and drew his sword. Within a quick turn, he faced two Orcs not to far away. One was giant, large, and green, truly a disgusting beast. The other one was the same but wore white cloth with Orc magic ruins on it covering its face.
"Ready to die... you two grotesque beasts?" Auricant said racing to the duo. He slashed at the grunt while it tried to pull out a spear. Before Auricant could damage it again, he was hit by a small wave of rocks.
"Agh!" he screamed in pain. The combating Orc was able to pull out its spear and it dashed at his Elvaan foe. Auricant simply blocked it with his metallic shield. He gave it another cut and the Orc seemed hurt, but it was not bleeding badly. The mage Orc started casting.
Just before the Orc was about to finish its spell, a large curved blade ripped into it diagonally. It was sliced like butter with blood spilling out. Who, or what, that had just finished off the spell-casting beastman was unknown to Auricant.
"What the hell?" Auricant flabbergasted as he saw the caster's body hit the ground while blocking the spear-using Orc's attack.
The caster's killer was gone. In a flash of seconds, the grunt was within inches from being sliced in half with a fatal blow. The attacker was so fast: able to kill the beastmen and disappear before Auricant's eyes could catch more than a black blur. Two large feathers quietly, slowly hit the ground. Both Orcs have been exterminated.
'What have I just seen?' Auricant thought to himself. 'I am forgetting about the kid! There is no time!' Auricant quickly remembered. He picked up the feathers and ran towards a small rock tunnel, hastily stuffing them in his pocket. He sprinted through the darkness to find its other end. Ghelsba was split into four parts: Ghelsba Outpost, outer front of the fort; Fort Ghelsba; the main camping area filled with Orcish soldiers and such; Yughott Grotto, the caves of the mountain that the camps were based on; and Horlaris Peak, the very top of the mountain.
All of Ghelsba was rocky, with a few bunches of trees and grass. Rope bridges and even stone bridges were used to crossed large valleys and rivers. Many Orcish tents and huts were easily spotted deeper into the Outpost and Fort. Lizards and bats, along with some minor vermin, lived with the Orcs... as food sometimes.
'Deeper in the outpost was where Vatgit rules his clan. If I want to leave alive I got avoid detection' Auricant said as he ran against the mountain wall. Above his head were rope bridges. They were trees all around the entrance, which the Elvaan planned to use to his advantage. He was careful and spotted many Orcs. Doing his best to avoid them, he got high enough to gain access to some rope bridges by hugging his back against the hill walls.
Now Auricant would have to be careful from being spotted from the several of the watch-out towers. Looking towards another hill he saw a group of Orcs, thirty strong. "The Vilebloods" he said to himself in a near silent voice of hatred. 'Best I find the hut and get out of this hellhole' the thought echoed in his mind.
After traveling for a little longer he came upon a scene where a battle once was. He noticed five dead Orcs killed the same way as the ones before. Their blood stained the hut walls and dirt floor, but a certain spot that had a different shade of blood. 'A battle was fought here, but I cannot stop now! But could it be...' Auricant noted as he ran by the bloodstains and bodies.
After some more sneaking around, he spotted a large special hut. It was a chief's home for sure. He looked about. No visible foes were near. He slowly walked to the door of the brick and hay hut with red Orcish imperial symbols baring the walls. He pressed against it. Before he could burst through it, a zooming sound was heard and an arrow was placed next to his head only hitting two of his silver hairs. Auricant's pupils expanded in shock. He spun around to see three Orcs standing on open hut-like shrines.
"What are you doing here? I will make you dead!" the lead one said jumping down. Two other ones, both wielding bows jumped down as well. All three of them looked like normal, ugly Orcs, none of them casters, expect for Vokdek who was wearing a leather mask and armor.
"Vokdek! I will slay you for your crimes against the San d'Orian people!" Auricant swung his sword up into the air then slowly lowering it in the position of it being pointed at the Fodderchief.
"Sureshot Snagat and Strongarm Zodvad! Get ready to kill this Elvaan..." Vokdek grinned at his foe while he commanded his troops and pulled out his great sword with both hands.
Auricant and Vokdak charged at each other. Auricant was able to block off the first blade attack with his shield, but doing so made his following thrust off target. He gave it another try. His hacking blow hurt Vokdak critically. Two arrows flew pass Auricant, barely missing him. 'Damn it, I have to deal with this front liner fast!' he panicked in his mind.
Vokdak swung at Auricant creating a large gash on his chest which blood spilled from rapidly. The Elvaan cried out in horrific pain and fell to his right knee, holding his wound. Without a moment stall from his scream, Auricant chanted some words and the feeling of warmth and light came to his body. Auricant wounds closed together and the blood faded.
With his bloody sword from the attack before, Auricant stabbed Vokdak, nearly impelling him. Vokdak gasped and fell back, sitting on the ground. Knowing Vokdak have been defeated, Auricant then headed for the nearest archer. He quickly did his best to finish him, vertically cutting him. The archer jumped back retreating.
"This battle is over!" Auricant cheered after falling the Orcs. 'Two down and one more to go' Auricant deemed the battle victorious.
The second archer, last of the Orcs to be standing, aimed for Auricant's head. Before it could make the sharp shot, a large steel shield graced with the San d'Orian Temple Knights' emblem was bashed against his back. The archer was knocked unconscious hitting the ground without any reflex movements face first. Baramore was holding the shield.
Baramore, a Royal Knight, and Price Trion entered Auricant's sight. "Thank you Baramore" Auricant sighed with relief. Auricant imagined the scum's arrow would have pierced his skull.
Once he spotted Trion, spiky silver haired and royal silver armor, Auricant's upper body quickly arched down. "Haha, no need for you to stoop" Trion said and Auricant got up.
"I am overjoyed to be in your presence Prince Trion" Auricant said, still somewhat bowing.
Vokdak and the other archer picked up their knocked-out friend. "This is not the last you heard of us!" Vokdak roared as they ran away. The Royal Knight was about to run after them hand on sword, but Trion stopped him placing his right arm in front of him.
"Don't bother, he is only a Fodderchief. I am sure his barbaric 'allies' will kill him for his failure. Now let us check this hut" the prince said. Auricant lead them toward the door.
With his mighty shoulder, Auricant broke down the wooden door. Inside the dark room a pointy-eared child in commoner clothes rested against the wall. He looked starved and tired.
"Yes! This is he, the boy!" Baramore yelled with happiness.
Trion went to the boy and checked him. "Are you okay, Tedimout?" Trion said.
The boy awoken and answered weakly "Yes... where am I?".
"Don't worry about it now; we will bring you home in an instant..." Trion said and picked him up.
They walked out of the hut. "Baramore... give this hero his reward. I will be heading back with Hujento and Tedimout. Join us soon..." Trion took his leave while Temple Knight nodded. Baramore turned to Auricant.
"Young knight of San d'Oria... I can't express gratitude for your heroism. You are now considered rank two" said Baramore, handing Auricant a bag of gil and a scroll of instant warp.
"Thank you very much..." Auricant said as he placed the bag with his other belongings.
"See me soon for another task. The next one will be extremely hard... I suggest you train a bit. Use that scroll to get out of here alive" Baramore said walking and waving with his back turned away while he disappeared under the setting sun.
Auricant glazed the magic scroll, full of runes, only for a moment. "Damn my forgetful self" Auricant said under his breath. 'I forgot to mention the very powerful person that helped me...' Auricant remembered as he reached into his sack and pulled out the two long, black feathers of the Orc slayer. A sudden realization hit Auricant like a chilling gust of wind.
'Wait a second. These feathers... are ones of a... Yagudo!' the thought blew his mind away.
Shinato fiercely glared down the three charging Quadavs. The mines' rusty steel ground Shinato, Bleeding Wolf and the Quadavs all stood upon. It was foggy like it always was at night in the Quadav territory. Shinato firmly gripped his scythe. All three of the beastmen slashed down their great swords at him at once. Shinato without an instant of hesitation parried the three assaults.
Bleeding Wolf, only yards away, was faced with two Quadavs armed with staves and magic. "If you stop now and settle in peace, we will be on our way. We have the map we seek, now let us go. To attack me, is to die" he warned calmly.
The Quadavs heard the words and understood them. The group of Quadavs didn't truly desire to kill them, they didn't even want the scroll, but the pride and vanity within them wouldn't let themselves give up. They hurtled towards the Galka.
Shinato, toying with them, simply parried all their attacks. With a sudden slash actually targeted at the weapon, Shinato's scythe was knocked away... far from reach. The Quadavs approached in for the kill. Shinato simply grinned, shrugging his hands. "You dumb turtles... you may not know I will kill you... but you should have learned that I am the greatest swordsman ever to hold a blade!" Shinato gave the war cry when he pulled out the 'Deathbringer'. He raised the black blade high in the air.
"I've killed hundreds of your kind with the 'Painbringer' many years ago. Let this blade consume more of your spirits of sorrow and hatred. Let it evolve farther!" Shinato roared as he stopped toying with the beastmen.
He slashed right, killing the foe in one well-aimed attack. The two others tried to flank him, but he circled his body, sword out, and both of the dead bodies hit the ground at the same time.
Bleeding Wolf towered a pair of dead bodies. "You choose your deaths. Let both of you be reincarnated as greater spirits for showing such bravery and strength in battle" he prayed over the deceased.
"Wow, these suckers were weak as hell. They most have treated this map like it was trash... hmm..." Shinato said as he pulled out the article out of his pack and looked over it, "Bah! This is crap... someone burned out a piece on the upper area" Shinato said, poking his finger through the hole.
"Well that is the only map of Palborough Mines known to Bastok. Mission complete" Bleeding Wolf said, politely taking possession over it from Shinato.
It was tranquil in the breezy Battillia Downs. The green land was filled with hills, somewhat barren with most the trees cut down years ago to support Altana Alliance's need of wood in the war. A white cement spine came out of the ground and into the mountain wall, looking like the earth's bones: the Crystal Line. Within some of the hollow hills were passageways to the holy underground graveyard that was once used by the San d'Orian church of Altana. Near the white cement line was a Yagudo. It was late into the night, and darkness ruled over clear sight.
"Jii Hoko..." the birdman, with a slightly wounded left claw, said above an unmarked grave, which was simply a stack of rocks with a flower still sprouting from its roots. The Yagudo was about six-feet tall and a red handle katana strapped to his side. On his arms was a pair of red kotes. His eyes were wise and had seen years of battle. His body bared many scars from claws, swords, axes, and many other objects of war.
"I finally avenged your death today... the barbarian fools of the west, I have ended the lives of the murderers among them... at least the ones who attacked the Yagudo, two years ago"
The wind brushed his feathers gently. "I am not sure what my people want right now. Some rumor war and some rumor peace. I seek peace with all people, but the Avatar seems to want to control everything in an empire... but that makes us no difference from the goals of the Orcs. Not only are they and we blind. The Quadav are fearful of everyone and thing. The Gigas are mindless only caring about valuables and animal hides. The Yagudo have no friends in this world, but the Windurstians. I hope we will not betray them" the Yagudo ranted and then placed another stone on top of the grave, carefully avoiding the flower. He gave a "Kawk" with a bow and was on his way.
A soul somewhere in Vana'Diel stated these words in the darkness, alone:
"I hope... my destiny and the fate of Vana'Diel shall be one..."
"I know... my fate and the destiny of Vana'Diel will be one"