Chapter 7: And so she searched
People cheering, people drinking, people laughing. That's what was going on all around her. The mood inside the restaurant on the lower level of the inn was great. Sure, there were a few too many drunks, but at least they were happy drunks. Yet, she couldn't feel the same way. She sat at the bar, looking at the people around her. Some of the faces she'd come to recognize as regulars. They would always come as if it was second nature to them. They were not like her. They went to the bar to rest. She went there to gather more information.
"What's with the long face, lass?" The barman asked as he cleaned yet another glass behind the bar. He was nice. Many days she found herself talking to the man about whatever it was that was on her mind. She needed venting and he was a good listener. Perhaps it was something that came to him with age. "Didn't you just come back from a contract? Most people here would be celebrating."
A long sigh escaped her lips. She used her right hand to support her head from simply hitting the bar while she held on to her drink with the other. "I feel like I've lost so much time here," she confessed. "It's been, what? Four months? And I don't have anything to show for it except for some gold."
The man chuckled. "That's more than most people here can say. Having gold is good for you. More so if you get it from fighting. Even more so if you spend it on drinking."
"That's the Feroxi way, no?"
"You know it," he said. With a bottle in hand, he came closer to where she was sitting. He filled up her cup with some local mead and then filled up the cup he'd been cleaning for himself. "This one's on me. Drink. You look like you could use it."
She looked up at him for a second. A small smile formed at the corner of her lips. Straightening herself up, she motioned towards him to drink. The drink went down her throat easily. The alcohol in the drink would warm her up some, but she wouldn't let it cloud her mind. "You know I'm not from Regna Ferox," she reminded him, putting down the now half-empty cup on the bar. "I've searched around all through this country and found nothing about the man I'm looking for. I think it's about time I go look elsewhere."
"Aye, perhaps that would be for the best," the barman said. "If I were you, I would wait until after the big tourney at Arena Ferox."
This wasn't the first time she'd heard about the tournament. Everyone talked about it, wherever she went. Even at that moment, most of the other customers were talking about it. She hadn't paid it any attention until that point. Her curiosity got the best of her, so she asked, "Why is that?"
"Oh? You can't tell me you don't know anything about the tourney," he said, stupefied about the notion that someone wouldn't know what he was referring to. "'supposed it makes sense an outsider wouldn't know. The tournament of Khans, they call it. It only happens every few years. The khans from the east and west face off with their champions to see who becomes ruling khan. I've heard that old khan Basilio even got himself a new champion to lead his others! If he replaced that Lon'qu lad he had then things will be exciting."
She frowned a little. "You still haven't told me anything that would make me want to stay longer."
"Hold your horses, I was getting to that!" He coughed into his fist. "As I was sayin', this is an event that happens only once every few years and takes place in Arena Ferox. You know how many people go to this thing?" She shook her head, not even trying once to guess. "Tens of thousands of people! They come from all over the place too. I heard a rumor that some lordy from the south came up here with his company to watch. That's how important of an event this is!"
A lord from the south? That caught her attention. If what he said was true, then this thing was the real deal. "Is that why there have been so many people around lately?"
"Aye, they all come to watch the tourney. What I'm getting at is, if you want to find that lad you speak of, this is your chance to do so! If he isn't there then you'll know for sure that he is nowhere in Ferox."
"You make a fair point…" He truly did. Perhaps this really was a big opportunity for her. Worst case scenario, she would confirm that she should leave Ferox. Best case scenario… She took another swig of her mead. "Okay then. How do you suppose I can get into the arena then? It doesn't sound like I can just walk in there and grab a seat. Besides, with so many people, sitting with the crow will make it impossible for me to look around."
"I didn't say you should go into the crowd." She raised an eyebrow at him. "Ha ha! No, I think you should fight!"
She rolled her eyes. "Easier said than done. You said it yourself. Only the champions fight. I doubt I can convince either khan to let me fight for them when my name isn't even known."
"You won't fight for a khan, no. There are other fights you can join. Before the champions face off, there are a number of fighters that go in first to show off their skills and get the crowd going. If the only fight that happened was the one of the champions, most people wouldn't bother to come."
"So I should sign up as a fighter then?"
"It's the easiest way to get in." He hesitated for a second before continuing, "well, I say easiest, but you're still gonna have to prove yourself to the people taking the applications. Think of it as an elimination process. They want only the best. And because you aren't well known around just yet, they'll want to test you first. If you go to the arena right now, you'll be able to make it in time. Applications close at sundown. The tourney is tomorrow."
"I should get going then," she said, standing up after finishing her drink. She took out a few coins from her pouch and tossed them at the barman, who snatched them off the air. "Thanks for the information." She turned around and started walking off. "And thanks for the drink too."
The weather outside was horrible. It was snowing and windy too. Her boots, gloves and coat kept her body warm, but her face could already feel the hit from the cold. The streets were as packed as she'd ever seen. Men, women, and children all walked around merrily, ignoring the cold that they grown accustomed to. She wondered how many of those people she was seeing would go to the arena the next day. Surely, some of them were just merchants trying to make a few coins by buying and selling their wares on an area that was brimming with people.
None of the face she looked at were that of the man she was looking for. Expecting it to be any different was stupid. The chances of such a chance encounter on the street were slim to none, she knew that. That didn't stop her from doing it. She still had hope that she would find him like that. How happy she would be... But it has been too long, she thought. What if he doesn't recognize me? What if he doesn't even remember me? Those thoughts haunted her. He'd left her with a promise of meeting up again, but then he vanished into thin air, never to be seen again.
She had to slap both her cheeks to pull herself together. There was no time to think about that now. She'd come that far with a certain goal in mind. She had to reach that goal. No other option was left for her.
The monumental arena stood before her. It was huge. From the outside, it did look like a place that could house tens of thousands of people at one time. She didn't have the time to admire the structure as she had to get herself a spot in a fight. She headed right in. Near the entrance, there was a man and a woman sitting on a table. A sign hung over them. "Fighter Registration Here" it said. She walked over to them and said she was interested in taking part in a fight.
Turns out, signing up was easy. According to the man, they didn't have enough fighters yet, meaning that she wouldn't have to go through any examination. All they told her, once the paperwork was done, was to show up the next morning before noon. She would be taking part on a melee with seven other fighters. It was a free-for-all. There was no other price but glory for the winner.
She left the building with happily. She'd done it! Now she would be able to be in the arena. She would have to fight (and make sure she won, of course,) but at least she was in. I'll have to thank the bartender for the tip, she thought. That would be easy as she was heading back to the inn to rest for the day.
She woke up early the next morning, with plenty of time to get herself ready. She dressed herself in her clothes. Their warmth was very welcoming. Her swords were laid out on the bed. They were fine swords. They'd seen her through so much in the past. Once more, she would take them into battle. She took them both and secured them to her belt. With these, there was no way she would lose, even if that wasn't her main objective.
By the time she reached the arena, hundreds of people were lining up outside trying to get a seat. As a participant, she was able to get in through a different door. The two people she'd met the day before met her and assigned her to a room that had all the participants for her match.
They all were warming up. Some were stretching, others were swinging their weapons around, and there were others that were looking over their equipment. Every single one of them had the same look she did. They wanted to win. None of them talked-not to each other, not to themselves. To pass the time, she too would prepare herself both mentally and physically.
When the time finally came to make their way to the arena, she was calm. This wouldn't be her first time fighting in front of others. There was nothing that could distract her. They walked through an underground tunnel. It was pitch black except near both ends of it. The sound of cheering was traveling from the other air, slowly making her heartbeat race.
The outside of the arena was nothing compared to the center of it. A big, circular area covered in sand was going to be their battlefield. A tall wall prevented them from trying to leave the area. On top those walls was the audience. Thousands upon thousands of people looking down at them, waiting for the fight to begin. Her heart beat rose up even more, but her face was calm.
There are so many people… She thought. The faces of many were too far away for her to distinguish any features. Even if the idea had made sense when she first thought about it, she understood then that the task would only get her so far.
She was snapped back to reality when the man that had brought her and the others to the middle of the arena spoke. "For this match, we have eight fighters from different parts of the world," he said. "Please, when you hear you name, raise your weapon in the air."
One by one, the names were called. The last one was her own. She took out her sword from its wooden scabbard and raised it in the air after her name had been called. They all spread out to keep an equilateral distance from one another. She spied the weapons carried by her enemies. One spear, three swords, two axes, and one fire tome.
None of them dared to move until they were given the signal. They were ordered to begin the match. Some sprung into an attack, others readied themselves for incoming hits. She dashed forward towards the very center.
One of the axemen had the same idea. She met his axe with her sword. The man was strong, but she had the advantage with her weapon of choice. His gut met her foot, as she kicked him to create some distance. The man stumbled a few feet back before going on the offensive again. She easily parried the incoming attack. She turned her body with the weight of the axe, making for fluid movement that would take her behind him. Her long hair swirled with her, leaving a trail of where she'd been. Her sword cut into the man's leg. It wasn't a deep wound. He wore some sort of boiled leather boots that took most of the damage for him. She was ready to attack again when a fire ball came their way.
She was able to jump out of the way, but the axeman wasn't fast enough. He got hit and fell to the floor. Already, the number of fighters left had gone down by three. She'd forgotten that this was a melee and not a fight with only two sides.
One of the other swordsman came at her. This time, she went on the attack. She stopped his incoming sword and then swung against him. The mage was taking advantage of the situation. The woman was throwing fireballs at them both as fast as she could cast them.
The swordsman and her did their best to ignore the interference from the caster. Their swords clashed against one another multiple times. She could hear the screams from the crowd. They wanted one of them to go down. All she knew was that it wouldn't be her. She wouldn't let herself be beat like that.
Her mind went blank. Any distractions disappeared from her mind. She was focused on her opponents. The mage in the swordsman. I need to take down that mage first, she thought. But unless I can do it in one go, I won't make it. She took a deep breath deciding on her course of action. Like before, she dashed forward, towards the swordsman. But before he could move, she jumped. She went up in the air high enough to jump up and over the man. That got her a few extra seconds she needed to deal with the female caster.
She closed the distance between them, moving out of the way of the fireballs as best she could. When she was close enough, she attacked. The mage's book was cut in half. There was no reason to go for a direct hit. Without a weapon, the mage had no option but to accept defeat.
Before she knew it, it was just her and the swordsman that she'd jumped over left. They fought for what felt like an eternity. Neither of them planned on losing. They swords clashed and clashed. Not a single drop of blood from their bodies had hit the floor. The fight was exhausting. She could feel some sweat drop forming on her forehead. The man was in the same condition, taking deep breaths. With one last push, she was able to slash the man's chest. He'd tried to defend himself, but his sword broke in half with her attack. She'd won.
Her mind was still blank when she was announced as the winner of the melee. Her eyes darted to the audience, taking the short time she had left down there to look through the faces.
After she left the combat area, she was waved over by one of the guards. As the winner of the melee, she was going to get the chance to sit near the khans, at the very front. It was a good chance for her to take a better look at the other fighters. Plus, it put her in a position where looking around at the crowd would be easy. She nodded at the guard, who walked her over to some stairs and finally to her seat.
Next to her were some of the other winners of the day. They exchanged simple greetings, but it was obvious they wanted to keep watching the fights. Many more fighters took to the stage. The fights were exciting, from the screams the crowd was putting out. She only looked at the new fighters when they came out. When she was sure none of them were him, she would go back to looking through the crowds.
And so, one by one, the seats next to her were being filled by winners. Some of them suffered cuts, bruises, and/or fractures, but they wanted to be there. They wanted the glory to sit there, unlike her.
After the last seat of winners had been taken, it was time for the main event. The khans themselves walked into the arena. Behind each one were five other people. Their champions. The crowd was going wild, only settling down when the beast of a man that was Basilio raised his hand. As he was still the ruling khan, everyone obeyed. The noise died down slowly.
"We've seen a great deal of good fights today," Basilio said. "Now it is time to see the best of the best go at it." The crowd roared. "We all know the rules. Ten champions go in, five for each khan. When all champions on one side are defeated the battle is won. Whose ever champion, or champions, still stand become ruling khan.
"Now we present our champions!" Basilio went on to call out each name of his champion. When their name was called, they would raise their weapon in the air to let the crowd know who the name belonged to. He had a strong looking bunch. From all of them, the front man, a slim man wearing a mask, stood out the most.
The words of the barman she'd talked to the day before came back to her. Something about a new champion having defeated the last one in single-combat.
Khan Flavia's turn came. The first name she called out was Vaike. A blonde man with tan skin, much like the khan's, raised a battle axe in the air. The man wore little armor, but had enough muscle on his to make him look though.
The second name was Stahl. A man clad in green armor sitting atop a horse rose his spear in the air. From the ten fighters in the arena, he was the only one that wasn't on foot.
Next came Kellam. She didn't notice the man until she saw a lance go in the air. A lancer wearing heavy armor and a huge shield stood there. She wondered how it was that she'd missed him before. She had seen ten champions, but for some reason she didn't really see him until then.
The fourth name that was called belonged to a man named Robin. A hooded figure that wore a strange coat raised a tome in one hand and a sword in another. That caught the attention from many in the crowd. She could hear people whispering to one another about the man. This would be her first time seeing anyone fight with both magic and a sword at the same time. The hooded man also grabbed her interest in a different way. There was something about him that felt very different from the others.
The last of khan Flavia's champions was a blue haired man named Chrom. He raised an interestingly designed blade up in the air. The man made the crowd even more unsettled. She could hear more and more people speaking about the man. It was hard to hear exactly what it was that was being said because of the strange echo in the amphitheater.
Flavia and Basilio left the arena, leaving behind their champions. Several minutes passed until the khans showed up at the small balcony-like area that was near her. Once more, Basilio rose one of his hands. "Put up a good fight!" he called out to the fighters. "This is a fight that only happens every few years. Fight all out, but don't kill anyone if you don't have to. Ha!" His laughed roared through the space. "Now then…" All the champions took fighting stances. "Begin!"
The very first thing that happened was a light followed by glowing wave that came from the hooded man's tome. It washed all his teammates before vanishing completely. When it touched the others, a similar glow enveloped them briefly before it too vanished. It was something she'd never seen before, yet, felt strangely familiar. She leaned in to get a better look at the action.
Flavia's champions moved in complete synchrony. They were each engaging against one of their enemies. The constant action kept the audience at the edge of their seats. The sounds of battle echoed through the building.
The axeman fought against a swordsman. She thought that was a bad move on the axeman's part, as generally speaking, swordsman's have an advantage towards axe wielders. The fight was very one sided. The swordsman kept slashing at the blonde, getting a few good hits in. Without armor to protect him, some blood spilled on the ground. The swordsman kept it up for a good time. There wasn't enough time for the blonde to make a move. That is, until the swordsman got too cocky. He went in for an upper slash just after the axeman had parried his last attack. His miscalculation left a big opening after the attack was dodged. Because of that, he received a good whack on the head with the side of the axe, knocking him unconscious. The defeat of the swordsman was followed by a cheer from the crowd. Nine champions remained.
On the other end of the arena, the horseman was having an easy time. He too was fighting against a swordsman. This one had a shield, which he was using to protect himself from the incoming spear attacks. The horseman had the advantage in weapon and speed, unlike the axeman. It only took him a couple of minutes to force his opponent into the ground, forcing Basilio's champion to surrender. Another cheer.
The battle was now five against three. It would've been easy for Flavia's champions to get the fight over with. But for some reason, the axeman and the horseman didn't go to the aid of their comrades. They were walking around the outer edge of the battleground, just keeping an eye on the different fights. She thought that this was honorable of them. Going two against one in a tournament would look cheap.
The invisible man-the man with the heavy armor-was fighting against another lancer. They constantly hit each other's shields and armor. They were locked in a stalemate. Both of them were good fighters, she could tell that from their movements, but their skill levels, weapons, and even armor was too similar for either of them to have a clear advantage.
The two blue-haired champions were fighting against one another. Their fighting styles were similar as well. More than that, they both had that interesting looking sword. She thought for a second that maybe it was a more common weapon than she thought in this lands.
The other man still locked in combat was the hooded man. He was fighting against an axeman. His opponent was considerably larger than him. The image of a younger Basilio flashed in her mind. No wonder the khan had gone for that one. The hooded man was trying his best to dodge and parry his opponent's attacks. If the axeman got too close, he would swing his sword to create distance between them. If there was distance between them, he would use dark magic to attack. She saw the familiar looking spell of Flux casted countless times. She knew the spell well enough. Many times she'd been on the receiving end of it. The damage it could cause was considerable. But despite being hit by it again and again, the axeman didn't go down. The hooded man took note of this. He went for a different spell, one she'd never seen before. Circular runes appeared around his enemy, followed by a giant red X forming in front. The attack forced the wind out of the opponent and into the ground, heaving for air. The caster took advantage of this, hitting the man with the side of his blade on the head to finish him off. There was another cheer.
The last one of Basilio's champions still stood. It was the man named Marth. Him and the other bluenette were still fighting one another, displaying great swordsmanship. But just like all the others on his team, Marth soon fell to the ground too, bested by Chrom's superior strength. There was a loud roar, like that of a thousand beasts, when the battle ended.
The winners were announced. Khan Flavia had become the ruling khan. Both khans left the spots they'd taken and headed out of sight. All she could do was take the time she had to look around the audience once more. There were just too many people there to get a good look at anyone. It was impossible. She sighed in defeat. There no longer was any reason for her to stay in Regna Ferox after all. She'd gotten her hopes up for nothing.
She was about to leave when she was stopped by one of the other winners of the fights. He told her that khan Flavia was going to hold a feast. All winners were invited and expected to show up there. She was ready to just ignore the invitation when she realized that perhaps the champions that won could show themselves there. If she was lucky, she would be able to speak with the hooded man, even if it was just for a brief moment. There was nothing else for her to do for the rest of the day. It was too late for her to leave, the sun was already setting on the horizon, painting the sky in red. In the end, she accepted the offer.
Going along with the other winners that had been sitting near her, they were taken to a big hall. Already, tables and chairs had been set. Barrels of mead and wine were being rolled in. Cooks brought food from another room, only to set it down and head right back to the kitchen for more. She was impressed at the speed all this had been set up.
"Is all this really necessary?" she muttered. "How many people are going to be here?"
One of the other winners heard her words. It was the same man that had told her about the feast. He approached her. "Khan Flavia is known for going all out when it comes to celebrations," he explained. "She's not much for planning, she just does things. From past experiences, there are going to be a lot of people coming. It's always been "the more the merrier" for her. Ha!"
She looked at the man for a second. It was good to know all this, but she was discouraged at the fact that there would be so many people around. "Are her champions going to be here as well?" she asked the man.
"The people from Ylisse, you mean?" The man scratched at the stubble that was on his chin. "I think so. You never know with the lordy types. The man with the blue hair was prince Chrom from the Halidom of Ylisse. Wouldn't be too surprised if he skipped with his people." He looked up at the ceiling. "But if there's someone that can have them come, it is khan Flavia."
"Is that so?" She couldn't help but smile a little. The man took notice of this.
"Ah, you wanna meet prince Chrom!" He laughed. "Most women in the crowd were talking about who was better looking, him or than Marth fellow, you know, khan Basilio's champ."
"No, I have no interest in Chrom nor Marth for that matter," she said, frowning at the man for what he was hinting at. "I found the hooded man interesting. I got this feeling when I saw him fighting… I can't explain what it is."
"Hmmm, he was an interesting one. I've never seen someone fight with a tome and a blade. But that's not all. He had this aura to him. Maybe that's what you are talking about too."
"Maybe…"
People started making their way into the room. There had to be at least a couple of hundred. The once deserted room was now full to the brim with people. Not all of them were sitting. Most were chatting in groups, standing to the side. She looked at everyone there. Even if the champions were in there, it would be difficult to spot them. Just standing around wouldn't help her. She started walking around the crowd, weaving through the people, trying not to bump into anyone.
Not there. Not over there either. Is that..? No, it's not the right color.
She searched and searched for over an hour. There was no sign of them anywhere. Maybe they decided not to come, she thought. I should head back soon too befo-
A wave of cheers echoed around the room. The other guests were all turning to look at the same direction. She caught a glimpse of a group of people walking in. She had to stand on the tip of her toes to take a better look. It was khan Flavia…and her champions! There were so many more of them than the five that had fought! Khan Basilio was with them too, but his champions were nowhere to be seen.
The crowd calmed down only when Flavia raised a cup well over her head. "My friends, today, thanks to prince Chrom and his Shepherds, I've taken back the title of ruling khan!" The crowed cheered again until Flavia waved her hand to get them to settle down. "Tonight, let us show our guests how to feast the Feroxi way!" Everyone raised their glasses in agreement and toasted for the good health of the khan and her champions.
This was her chance. All she had to do was go over there and introduce herself. She had the advantage of having participated on one of the melees and come out victorious! It wouldn't be weird for her to try and have a word with them. She got herself ready for whatever could come her way.
The crowd hadn't settled down. Walking around was even more difficult, as more people were standing after the toast. Still, she moved forward. It was then that a man of blue-gray stepped in front of her, impeding her progress.
"Hold, oh beauteous one," the man said. He wore what he probably thought was the most charming of grins. "I saw you fight in the arena. Your moves have entranced me. You've taken my heart. Milady, would you be so kind as to whisper your name to me so that I can know who's name to chant the next time I let an arrow fly?" The man bowed ever so elegantly, extending a hand in her direction.
She gritted her teeth. The man was wasting her time. She knew the best way to get rid of men like him. "It's a common courtesy to give one's name before asking for someone else's," she told the man as she crossed her arms over her chest and furrowed her brow.
"Your words are as true as your beauty, milady," the man said. "Very well, let me present myself. I am the man who puts the "arch" in "archer"! My name, dear lady, is Virion."
"Okay, sir Virion, now that I know your name, I can say this: you are in my way. I have no interest in you. Step aside."
"Oh, you wound me, milady! Let me redeem myself to you-"
Frustrated with the man not listening to her, she had no choice other than to move him out of her way. She pushed past him and kept moving, zig-zagging through the other people as to make sure she would lose the man. I swear, those types of men are everywhere!
She was close to them. She could see the man named Chrom, a girl in a yellow dress, a knight in blue armor, and the hooded man were speaking with khan Flavia. Her heart was racing. Not even during combat did that happen. She'd always been able to keep a cool head, but this encounter made her nervous. Step by step, she got closer to the group. They were having a conversation about troops going to Ylisse. Not that she cared. She just couldn't help but listen in. Just a few meters more and she would be with them. All she had to do was introduce herself. Maybe they would know about him…
She extended her hand forward. She would tap the hooded man on the shoulder to get their attention. Yes, that was the plan. But as her hand was about to reach him, he stepped back into it. By accident, her fingers somehow pulled off the hood off of the man, revealing his brown, messy hair underneath. He turned around to face her.
"..." Her eyes went wide. Her throat dried out. All the color from her skin was gone, leaving her cold and pale. She was trying to get words out, but she couldn't. That man…
He looks confused at her. For a moment they stood in silence. The rest of the group were all now looking in their direction, but she couldn't take her eyes off of him. His eyebrows suddenly shot up. Like her, he slowly opened his mouth, trying to get words out.
"Lady Lyn…?"
The moment she heard him call his name, her eyes start watering and her hand starts shaking. She couldn't hold herself back. She closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around him. She hid her face in his chest. "It's really you!" She cried out in joy, turning her gaze up to look at him again. Tears were now going down her cheeks. "We searched for you. I searched for you… I've been searching for you for so long." She felt his arms slowly returning her embrace. "But I finally found you! I finally found you, Mark!"
Okay, I'll be honest with you all. When I started the story, I hadn't planned for this to happen. It was while I was working on the second chapter that I found this one picture that just made me want to take things in this direction. I didn't include her name on the character list for the story because I wanted it to be a surprise. I'll do it in a day or two so that others can get a chance to see this chapter without knowing what is going on. Of course, this opens a whole different realm of possible plots that I can explore. How she got there in the first place will be explained later on. It was really hard to write everything down without giving too much information about her appearance. Not using her name until the very end was also difficult, haha. It was worth it, though.
Poor Kellam, didn't even get to see his whole fight. That was intentional. You know, because he just blends into the background.
A bit of trivia! On the previous chapter, I based the description of Arena Ferox partially on the Roman Colosseum and other amphitheaters around Italy and Africa. I did add some personal touches to it that I thought would make it look more Feroxi, though.
Muggzy
Thanks for the feedback. I'm happy to know that they are good. I'm still testing out different things to see what I like the most, but it's still good to know. With more and more characters showing up, it makes sense to me to focus the combat just in a few people per battle. And yes, I don't want to make Robin overly OP, so I'm looking for ways to limit his abilities a bit. His mind link does have it's limitations too. That will be more apparent on bigger battles.