Wheels of Fate, BoF II novelization.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, they belong to Capcom, as the game does. I own nothing, hear ye, lawyers. But that doesn't gets you the permission to publish this as a book without the proper written and legally signed consent.
Rewritten version of Chapter 1.
Chapter 01: Piglet...! What the...?
Morning. Beach. Newhaven.
The sun shone warmly upon a green-eyed young man. He sat on a rock, fishing line cast into the deep ocean, hoping that something would bite. It wasn't a problem if nothing came; he had already caught enough for dinner that night. Now he fished to relax and take his mind off things.
The salty sea breeze ruffled his hair, and he brushed the azure strands from his eyes absentmindedly. He had recently turned nineteen, and had only just realized that he had been in Newhaven for nearly ten years now. Life as a member of the Ranger's Guild had been hard, but it was a good life.
Something started thrashing on the end of the line, and he quickly reeled it in. Another mackerel. That made three now. Occasionally, he wondered if the fishing rod was enchanted, but his own magical abilities only went as far as minor healing spells so he didn't know. He had found it a few weeks ago, sitting at the base of the Dragon God's statue when he had gone to pray. It was a nice rod, sturdy but able to collapse into a small baton that could be easily stored in a pouch. The line seemed nigh unbreakable, and he would swear that fish were attracted to the hook, even without bait.
More mysterious had been the other two items. A large feather that shone like obsidian in the sunlight, and a note that read, "For Ryu Bateson." He had asked around town about who it might have been, but he didn't know anyone who would take such a roundabout route to give him something. And why would someone he didn't know want him to have a fishing rod anyway? In the end, he had shrugged and accepted it, leaving a thank-you note in the same place.
Ryu pulled a worm from a tin by his feet and attached it to the hook, casting the line out again. It worried him sometimes, not knowing how he had come to be in Newhaven. All he remembered was awakening in a bed at the inn, with Chief Allen of the local Ranger's Guild watching over him. This was not to say that he couldn't remember his childhood – he did, with full and sometimes unwanted clarity. It was only the journey that eluded him.
Still, it wasn't bad, being a Ranger. There was satisfaction in knowing that people could come to them with almost any job and they would be able to help. Housecleaning, escorting caravans, monster hunting – a Ranger could handle anything. And Ryu had gone one step further, learning everything he could about magic, fighting and tracking from the Guild veterans.
Another tugging. Ryu reeled it in, only to find that a clump of seaweed had been tangled around the line. He sighed, tucked away the rod, and heaved a giant orangey-pink fish from a bucket. The mackerels and the tuna were nothing special. One would be eaten tonight and the others would go in his icebox. But his prize catch, a salmon . . . that was special. He had something important in mind for this particular fish.
Ryu pulled out a knife from his knapsack and began to descale the salmon. Contrary to what most people thought, the meat wasn't the only part of the fish that could be used. 'Daiye's Fishing Compendium,' a book in the guild, spoke of how the pulped entrails could mixed with Woren-made firewater to create an elixir that would cure most lethal poisons and sicknesses. It also had a horrendous smell that would wake even someone who slept like a log.
It's a shame Newhaven isn't closer to Colossea, Ryu thought as he neatly sliced the flesh into fillets. Doctor Kay said that she's researching poison immunization and would pay 2000z to anyone who brought her a salmon that had been caught within the last day. But it's at least two days' travel to get there.
Fortunately, the book also described the exact process of how to create the cure-all vials. He'd prepare some later, and either keep them for himself or sell them to one of the local merchants. Ryu carefully wrapped the entrails and the fillets in separate pieces of damp cloth, placed them inside a metal container and stored it in his pack. As he stood up, he caught sight of a cat peering around another rock at him and he tossed it the fish-head with a smile. It leapt upon this gift, seized it in its jaws, and dragged it back out of sight.
Ryu strapped his armour and gauntlets back into place, slipped his sword into its scabbard across his back, and slowly made his way back to Newhaven. He fought the occasional monster that came too close, but it was mostly green goos, gunheads and giant leeches.
I kind of wish that we'd get a Bilbull report, he thought wistfully. I know they destroy crops, but at least we'd be getting some business.
Ryu knew that he and his partner Bosch were more than capable of taking down a Bilbull. Even though they had only officially become full-fledged Rangers the night before, they had been handling adult missions since they were sixteen. Their last mission had been their hardest yet - guarding a trade caravan from Newhaven all the way around to Capitan through three weeks of monsters and bad weather. The merchants had been astounded by their professional attitudes, and had offered the Guild a substantial bonus on top of the already high fees.
Ryu's smile faded a little as his thoughts turned to his friend. Bosch was currently hunting, although this time the game was four-legged rather than the pretty two-legged kind he normally went for. His canine Grass Runner instincts always seemed to let him down when it came to girls, and it normally fell upon Ryu to sort things out.
Truth be told, Ryu felt a little jealous of Bosch. While Bosch seemed to fall for a different girl every week, Ryu had never found someone that compelled him to try and take their relationship further than friends. Bosch had tried setting him up on a date with Sylvia, the friendly Guild receptionist, but he had felt too shy to do more than nod and smile as she chattered.
As he entered the town gates, Ryu waved to the watchtower sentries and wove through the busy streets until he reached the boarding house in which he and Bosch stayed. He quickly went up the stairs, deposited the bucket of fish in their icebox, and went back outside again, this time going to the residence next door.
Ryu knocked on the door and waited until it opened to reveal a blonde-haired woman who looked to be in her late thirties. He had never asked her exact age – Bosch had discovered the hard way that age and not paying the rent were taboo subjects when it came to their landlady, Ms Zarinna Skydiver.
"How are you today, Ms Zarinna?" Ryu asked.
"Fine, thank you, Ryu. I must say, it is a truly pleasant surprise to see you here in advance. Usually you and Bosch are notoriously late when it comes to rent."
Ryu chuckled. "You're right, of course, but I actually didn't come to talk about money today. I come offering a bargain, Ms Zarinna, a very edible one. May we go to your kitchen and I'll show you?"
"You? Bargaining?" she asked in mild surprise. "Alright, come in, come in. You've got me curious now."
Ryu knew that there was no way that Zarinna, as a cook, would be able to pass up this treat. When they reached the kitchen, he opened his knapsack and placed the container of filleted salmon on the table.
"Fresh salmon," he said proudly. "And ready to cook as the Wyndian recipe says."
"Oh my! I haven't had something like this in ages!" Zarinna exclaimed, picking up a piece and inhaling the scent with an expression of delight. "And it seems like a mature one, by the smell. Must have been a tough bugger to catch, eh Ryu?"
"It took nearly half an hour." His face turned rueful. "And it soaked me. I'm sorry for dripping all over the floor, Ms Zarinna."
She waved off his apology. "Never mind that. I can mop it up later. Ah, but my niece will be so happy to taste this."
"You have a niece?" Ryu asked, grinning. "You never mentioned her before."
Damn it! Me and my big mouth, Zarinna thought ruefully. But it's been ten years since the last time I had this delicacy. That was at the castle, before Nina's wing-day . . .wait. Blue hair . . . what about the pendant? Could it really be him?
Zarinna glanced at Ryu, noting the still-damp shirt that clung to his muscled frame. As she had half-expected, a locket of some kind hung around his neck, normally hidden beneath cloth. This complicated things. Luckily, little Mina was paying a visit, so she could improvise and keep Nina safe.
"Ms Zarinna? Are you okay?" Zarinna realized with a start that Ryu was still waiting patiently for her answer.
"Oh! Yes, I'm fine. I was lost in my thoughts for a minute there. My niece is on a short visit from Wyndia. She's a wonderful girl, comes every four or five months just to make her old aunt happy."
"Old?" Ryu smiled at her merrily. "Not that I would try hitting on you, ma'am, but you're far from an old maid. Were I a little older, I'd be sure to try and score points with an attractive lady like yourself." He gave her a wink.
"My!" Zarinna hid her smile behind her hand. She was sure that her relief at being able to change the topic showed on her face, but it didn't matter. "You're flattering me, Ryu. But thank you." She unhide her face, now grinning as if accepting the compliment.
I hope he's being honest about me still being pretty… else he will have to pay double rent next month, and I'll have a talk with the chief Allen so I get cheap house-cleaners for a couple of months.'
"You're welcome, Ms Zarinna. And no . . . I'm only stating the truth." He smiled again.
Zarinna debated with herself about whether to ask or not, but in the end, her curiosity won out over her practicality. "Is that a necklace beneath your shirt there, Ryu?" she asked. "A gift from a lady friend of yours?"
Ryu pulled the chain over his head, passing the pendant over for his landlady to see. It was a beautiful piece, sculpted from some unknown metal into the shape of a dragon. The dragon's body was curled around a large crystal, with two smaller gems at its paws. As Zarinna watched, the crystals began to glow a rich gold.
"What an exquisite jewel!" Zarinna murmured, trying to hide her surprise. She remembered seeing this very same pendant ten years ago – around the neck of a young blue-haired boy, with a Grass Runner by his side. Both had been wounded near unto death. "Surely it can't be . . . ?"
"Not even the Iron Ogres know what it's made from," Ryu said sadly. His face was oblivious to anything but the pain so clear in his voice. "It's a memento from my mother, who died nearly thirteen years ago. She said it was called a Dragon's Tear."
"I am sorry, Ryu," said Zarinna as she regained her composure. "I didn't intend to bring back bad memories for you."
"Please don't worry yourself about it, Ms Zarinna," he replied, with a grin that looked fake to her experienced eyes. "It happened a long time ago, and I can't live in the past forever. Well, if you will excuse me, I will take my leave and return to my rooms. I have some potions to make."
"Ryu, thank you very much," Zarinna said with genuine warmth. "Together with these salmon fillets, you brought me a lot of happy memories from other times. I'm not usually this kind, as I'm sure you and Bosch can attest," she winked at him, and he chuckled, "but consider your rent for this month paid. And I know that salmon is very expensive and that I may be ripping you off, but . . . if you could catch me one of these every month, both of you would be free from paying rent."
"Thank you very much, Ms Zarinna!" Ryu grinned. "I'll be seeing you! With a fish next time, hopefully!"
"Goodbye!" Zarinna called, as she watched Ryu walk towards his room, his somber mood of earlier now reversed.
Zarinna laughed quietly. I should start preparing this treat, she thought. Nina will love it – after all, it was one of her favourite dishes back then. She smiled, fondly recalling the day that the little blonde pixie had thrown a mud-ball at her mother.
Her laughter grew louder as she remembered the earth-shattering punishment that had greeted the whirlwind of a princess after her prank. Even her nanny could only watch as the girl's mother, who had worn her new mud-mask the entire time, took matters into her own hands and gave her daughter a well-deserved royal spanking.
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Afternoon. Ryu's room. Newhaven.
Ryu entered their room quietly, sighing as he realized that Bosch wasn't back yet. He held his nose as he gingerly grabbed the pungent entrails from their container in his knapsack and began to mash them. After this, he pulled a small flask of firewater from their cupboard and divided it into two tiny glass bottles, spooning an equal amount of the salmon guts into each.
Ryu stoppered the bottles and left them on the shelf, with a sign for Bosch saying, "Do not move or drink yet! Cure-alls brewing." Afterwards, he went into the communal kitchen on the first floor, impaled one of the mackerel over the fire, and heated up a bowl of leftover stew while it cooked. When both were ready, he ate quietly and gulped down a mug of water from the barrel beside the table.
Once Ryu had finished his meal, he went back upstairs and checked nothing had happened to the cure-alls. Satisfied that they hadn't been touched in his brief absence, he quickly bathed and sat on the bed, leaning back against his pillow.
Last night, the veteran Rangers had held a party to celebrate his and Bosch's initiation into the Guild. The bonus from their mission had helped to pay for food and booze, and the others had encouraged them to eat and drink until they could no more. An 'induction rite', they had called it.
Bosch was far from a light-weight drinker, but even his stomach couldn't handle nearly half a keg of beer on top of the six-odd plates of meat he had eaten. Surprisingly, though, Ryu had managed to drink them all under with barely any effort. He generally didn't drink much, as he had no desire to become a drunkard and the good quality alcohol he preferred was too expensive.
Not being affected as strongly hadn't prevented him from getting a hangover headache in the morning, though. Bosch had been even worse, but his had presumably gone away. Ryu's head still ached, a deep throbbing pain that had only got worse as the day had progressed.
Ryu closed his eyes, letting the soothing darkness of sleep close over him.
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I woke, in front of him again, facing him as an adult this time. His three slit-pupil eyes glanced at me in contempt. The pain spread across my body, awakening an answering ache from the scar across my chest. I screamed as the wound tore open once more.
"So, Destined Child," he said with a snort. "When shall be the time that you open the gates and face me like a man? Are you afraid, Destined Child? You should be. I'll plague your dreams, turn them to nightmares and feed on your fear."
Suddenly I saw Bosch, my pal, standing in front of me with a long bow taller than he was.
"You monster!" he said. "I won't let you hurt my friend like you did last time. We've been through too much to be defeated by someone like you. While I'm alive, you won't hurt Ryu!"
"That I can fix . . . if you won't move, then you'll die, you fat mutt. Simple." The demon impaled Bosch with his tail, piercing through flesh and armour alike. Then it split into three, each bladed segment tearing my friend apart until his body was no more than blood and shreds of flesh.
His head rolled towards me, its expression pleading. I stood paralyzed, unable to tell whether his last whispered words had been 'avenge me' or 'flee'.
Another scream broke free of my throat, terror, shock and fury fused in one wordless cry. And everything began to fade, as something coursed through me . . . it was . . . rage . . .
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Evening. Ranger's Guild. Newhaven.
"Can I help you, Miss?" asked a woman with short blonde hair. The lady she was addressing, blue-haired, winged and wearing an elegantly tailored gown, looked over at her.
"Yes, thank you . . . ?" Her guards, both of them female and heavily-armoured, looked on suspiciously as one of the Wyndian Guild associates escorting her whispered something in her ear. "Ah! Miss Sylvia. I'm sorry. My name is Mina."
"No, it's fine. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mina." She extended her hand, and Mina shook it softly. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"I'd like to hire a few Rangers specialized in tracking."
"Okay. If you could wait a few moments, I'll let Chief Allen know your request and he'll be able to help you better."
Sylvia stepped out from behind her desk and opened the nearby door. The Chief was looking through some of the archives, presumably for something about the Guild funding. Recently, he'd been talking about little else. But he looked quite pleased, so maybe he'd found something useful.
"Chief, we've got work!" she called. "A Lady Mina wants to hire a couple of trackers. I think it's a job for the two new guys."
"Oh?" The Chief smiled, closing the book he was holding and placing it back on the shelf. "In that case, please come in, Lady Mina. Your guards are also welcome." They entered, and Sylvia went back to her desk after closing the door behind them.
"Thank you very much, Chief Allen," said Mina, curtsying gracefully before taking a seat.
"What would be the problem, Lady Mina?"
"Well, in short, I lost my pet Suzie; she ran away when we were taking a walk around town." Tears began to slide down Mina's cheeks. "I thought that she would be back soon, but she hasn't returned. And I'm not sure where she might have gone, only that she ran towards the town gates. I did ask the watch-tower guards if they had seen her, but they were watching for monsters that might come in and didn't see her."
"Hmm, I see. Don't worry, I'll make sure to get people on the case immediately." The Chief patted her hand comfortingly. "But I think that you should ask Sylvia to take you to our guest room. Our workers may need a little convincing, and a lady like you shouldn't have to hear the sort of language they might use."
"Oh." Mina sniffed a little, and dabbed at her eyes with her handkerchief. "Suzie is quite special to me, so I'd appreciate it if you could find her as quickly as possible. I'm willing to pay 500z for her return. If it helps, I have her leash here."
"That's a strong sum," said the Chief, his eyebrows raising slightly as he took the thin leather leash. "She must have been very special to you indeed. Fear not, our Rangers are top-notch and I'm sure they'll have Suzie back in no time."
"Thank you, sir." With that, Mina turned and followed Sylvia, who had 'mysteriously' known when their conversation had finished and was waiting by the door.
'May need a little convincing,' the Chief had said? Mina smiled to herself. Damsel in distress acts were her specialty.
Just because I'm a princess, doesn't necessarily mean that I'm helpless, she thought. I know more healing magic than Nina does, and no one can resist me when I put on the puppy-dog eyes.
She scowled slightly as she thought of her older sister. Nina was better at magic, yes, but she was such a bookworm! Mina doubted that she had ever been on a date before. Sometimes she wondered if Nina was just waiting for a prince to sweep her off her feet, or if there was something she wasn't telling people. For her part, Mina couldn't get rid of the boys, and she bragged about it to Nina at every chance she got.
What she didn't tell her sister, though, was that she could barely stand any of them for more than five minutes. They were all spoiled and stuck-up, and always went on and on about stupid things that she couldn't care less about. It wasn't that big of a problem at the moment, but she lived in mortal fear that her parents would decide to marry her off to one of those brainless jerks.
I'd prefer a Clanless commoner with some common sense over some bratty winged noble, Mina thought derisively. At least then I'd be able to have some fun with them!
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Bosch came in just as the door was closing behind Mina, so he didn't see their newest client.
"Look who just turned up!" Sylvia teased. "It's dog-boy!"
"Hey!" Bosch mock-glared at her. He hated being called that, but he knew that she was only kidding. "And I was even going to invite you out to a roast dinner tonight!"
"Did you even catch anything this time?" she asked with a smile.
"Of course I did! After all, I'm the famous Bosch, tamer of savage beasts!"
"Sure, whatever, dog-boy. Anyway, the Chief has work for you and Ryu. You've got five minutes to go fetch your partner and get yourselves into the Chief's office."
"Yes ma'am!" Bosch tossed her a salute, grinned and started climbing up the stairs to the street. "Oh, and thanks for telling me, cutie!" he called over his shoulder as he walked out the door.
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Evening. Ryu's room. Newhaven.
Ryu stirred as he felt someone shaking him.
"Hey, Ryu!" he heard someone calling. "Wake up! You're having a nightmare, buddy! You'll wake up even the lazy party animals at this rate."
His eyes snapped open. "Bosch?" he said in confusion. "What . . . ?" His head felt fuzzy, and he wanted to go back to sleep. Sometimes it felt as though he never got enough sleep.
Suddenly, the memory of the nightmare came back to him, and he stared at Bosch in horror. But no, it was okay. Bosch was definitely alive.
"You look like you've seen a ghost!" Bosch laughed. "Don't worry, there's too many pretty girls around for me to drop dead any time soon!"
The comment helped Ryu to realize that no matter how realistic the dream had seemed, that was all it had been. No more than a dream.
Bosch now looked a bit concerned. "Was the dream about that day?" Both knew what they spoke about.
Ryu didn't answer, his eyes looking at him, lost in thought.
"Relax, there were no pretty women that day; and the village chicks were all old and wrinkly." Bosch said with a smirk.
That made Ryu react, laughing loudly at first. "Typical you," he snorted. "You'll never change, Bosch. Thanks for waking me up, though remind me not to sleep in my armour next time." He stood up, groaning as he tried to stretch his cramped muscles.
"We've got our first mission as full Rangers. Hope it's something exciting."
"Don't count on it. It'll probably be, 'We need you to clean out the monsters that are living in the city sewers'. Dirty job, but somebody has to do it." Ryu smirked at the crestfallen expression on his friend's face.
"Party-pooper."
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Evening. Ranger's Guild. Newhaven.
"What?! A pet? You want us to find a PET?!" Every member of the Ranger's Guild could hear the sounds of Bosch's outrage echoing throughout the building.
"That is what the contract says."
"You've gotta be kiddin' us, Chief!"
"I'm not jesting, Bosch." The Chief's patience was nearing its limit. This wasn't the reaction he'd been expecting.
"Calm down, Bosch," said Ryu, ever the voice of reason. "It could be worse."
"I am not doing this! No frickin' way in hell am I going to take this stupid mission! Nothing either of you says will convince me. Do it by yourself if you want, Ryu, but I am not doing this mission." Bosch rolled his eyes. "Besides, you'd have to be fuckin' retarded to lose a pet."
xXx--------------
The Rangers weren't the only ones who could hear Bosch yelling. Outside the office, Mina listened to the all-too-clearly audible conversation with an expression of disgust.
Of all the nerve! Now I see why the Chief told me they may need convincing. But that boy has yet to know me – I'll have him eating out of the palm of my hand like my own tamed dog.
Mina smiled, a happy little smile that stood in stark contrast to the evil look in her eyes. This was fun. At home, she would've been lectured to Highland and back for 'behaving like some cheap two-zenny harlot', as her mother so eloquently put it. But here, she had free rein. None of her guards would stand in her way, and she knew that none of them would report to her parents.
Well, here went her helpless damsel act. Mina mustered all the innocence she could feign and opened the door, walking as softly as possible over to where her would-be workers were standing.
"Sir, are these the men who will find my little Suzie for me?" she asked, pouting slightly as she made her eyes go tearful. Crying last time had been a master touch, and it'd probably work again now.
"Well, Lady Mina, I apologize but it seems they don't want to take the job."
The two turned around, and Mina nearly betrayed herself by smirking. A Grass Runner! How perfect! The man's mouth had fallen open and he'd gone speechless at the sight of her. Finally, after a few minutes, he managed to regain his composure enough to talk.
"Nobody said we wouldn't do it, Chief," he said, as the blue-haired man covered his mouth and turned away to stop himself laughing. "Lady Mina, my name is Bosch and I'm the best tracker in Newhaven, so just leave it to me and Ryu here. We'll definitely find your special pet!"
"Why, thank you, Master Bosch," she replied, giggling a little.
Just as I thought, she said to herself in satisfaction. A skirt-chaser. I bet that even if I asked him to kiss my feet, he wouldn't hesitate to do it. Not that I want to be slobbered on by some dog-tongued boy. But his friend . . . he looks nice. Has a sense of humour, too, by the looks of it. Hmm, blue hair . . . ? Oh well, it was just a dream anyway. Now I just need to find a way to date him while I'm here without my sister turning him to walking charcoal.
"Would you tell us what kind of pet she is so we can narrow our search?" said Ryu.
Mina frowned slightly. Nothing in his eyes seemed to indicate any interest in her. Maybe he already had someone? Well, she'd soon rectify that! But Suzie had to be found as well.
"She's a piglet, about the size of a house-cat." She gave them a watery-eyed smile. "Please find her for me."
The baffled look on Bosch's face was nearly enough to make her burst out laughing. Ryu grabbed his partner's arm and, after apologizing to the Chief and herself, dragged him outside.
I love doing this, Mina thought happily.
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"'Get used to tricks'," Ryu said teasingly as they walked towards the boarding house. "'Expect the unexpected and still be ready for more, because they'll always find a way to surprise you'. Isn't that what you told me years ago?"
"Yeah, but . . . a pig? Come on, that's too much, even for me."
"I guess so." Ryu shrugged. "But it's her choice what she had for a pet. How about we split up and ask about a pet pig around town? We'll meet back at the southern exit in half an hour."
"Sounds good. I need to get supplies from the markets though. I know you've got some in that knapsack of yours, but mine are running low."
Ryu nodded, and turned down a side-street, following the branching network of alleyways until he reached a relatively open area and his destination. Despite what he had told Bosch, he had somewhere more important to go first.
"Oh Dragon Lord," Ryu murmured, kneeling before the statue of the Dragon God. "I have started my first mission as a Ranger. Please guide me in this task of mine."
~There is actually someone who still talks to me?~ Ryu looked around for the mysterious speaker, but couldn't spot anyone. Was there someone who prayed to the Dragon God besides him? The person chuckled. ~Look at what lies before your eyes, young man.~
Surprised, Ryu glanced back at the statue to see that while it had seemed distantly benevolent and solemn before, now it wore a draconic grin.
"What the . . . ?"
~Exactly as I was before, Ryu, except without the black mustache that a certain blue-haired boy drew on another of my statues, fourteen years ago.~
Ryu winced as he recalled the day when his mother had caught him painting the Dragon God's statue in his hometown, the village of Gate. For some reason, his five-year-old self had decided that the Dragon Lord would look better if it weren't clean-shaven.
Valerie had not been amused. Ryu hadn't been able to sit for the rest of the day after the spanking he'd got. Even his father had only been able to calm her down after many long hours of pleading and reasoning.
What made it even more startling was that his mother was normally so soft-spoken, almost to the point of being shy with anyone other than her family. After this, though, even the most zealous of the St. Eva worshippers hadn't dared to touch the statue.
~I have to say that I saw your punishment and I'm thankful that it wasn't me who crossed her.~
"Very funny," said Ryu crossly. "Cut me some slack, why don't you? First a pig, now a bored prankster god – what's next? Fighting for my life with a Woren-turned-weretiger?"
~Forgive me. Those were happy times.~
"I'm sure they were," Ryu replied, smiling a little sadly.
~Well, now. On to business. Since so very few people visit my shrines any more – not that you could really call this a shrine, not like they used to be – I have decided to give my advice freely to those who come. How can I help?~
"I have to find a pet piglet called Suzie. Do you have any ideas on where to start?"
~Hmm . . . no.~
"That was a waste of time, wasn't it?" Ryu sighed, standing up and turning away.
~Can't you tell when people are joking, boy? Listen, as a god, I'm not allowed to directly help mortals, but I can give hints. You might find something if you try looking beyond Mount Futabi.~
"Thank you, my lord. I'll go and see – it's as good a lead as any other." Ryu turned as he felt the god's presence fade away, and made his way back through the streets until he reached the town gates. Now all he had to do was wait for Bosch.
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~Ryu, young Kaiser. Your journey is only just beginning, although you do not realize it. I am sorry for lying to you just now, but the reason why I cannot help you further is that I used up my cards saving you all those years ago. Even gods have to obey the rules.
Be strong, DestinedChild.~
End Chapter 01.
Author's Notes:
- Again, special thanks go to Ryusui (RHDN), Lady Kestre Wynde (ff . net).
- Well, I thought about making Mina a bit less innocent and more of a manipulative temptress-bitch. Does it go well with you? Does it make the story fun? She will still be naïve towards what she should be according to the game.
- Golden Glow in the Dragon Tear: Gold means the wearer's regarded warmly by that person maybe not quite friendship, but a good relationship. Thanks to Miss Kestre Wynde, yet again.
- Review and give a piece of your mind, please.