Tales of Xalthia

by xXGhostStalker

*DISCLAIMER: This holds no relation to Tales of VS or any Tales game* A mysterious lineage. An unimaginative power. Oblivious to Tsuki Himura, he defends his kingdom from evil and learns of a sinister plot. Forced to seek help, he travels the globe for much needed allies. Join him as he learns more about the world and about himself as something awakens inside him.

19. Homebound -1st Revision-

Tales of Xalthia

Chapter 18: Homebound

Two more days have passed since Tsuki regained consciousness. The rebuilding efforts across Basilwell have been going pretty smoothly with all of the volunteer help and assistance from the royal knights. It took a a bit of time but things around the region started to stabilize once again and people were able to pick up the pieces. By now, all of the injured were back up on their feet and moving around once more. Some of the town guards and mercenaries who received the worst injuries were given limited duties until they had fully recovered but the fact that they were able to move around again was a good sign. It was a difficult time for Basilwell but the power of community kept everything together.

In Tsuki's case, he was up and moving around once more but still felt the effects of his injuries and the condition his Mana was in. He didn't feel nearly as much pain to move around before which was enough for him to be able to actually help out a bit around town where it was still needed. Allie, having spent a good chunk of her own Mana to help Tsuki, was relieved of her duties and is currently asleep within the Caliburn to regain her strength. As for Alba, he was still confined to office duty as having a hole through one's body takes more time to heal than a normal injury does.

It was during the late afternoon on the third day when Tsuki and everyone else, including Elle, met up in Alba's office to discuss their plans going forward. Alba was sitting at his desk while the others were sitting on the nearby sofa and chairs. With the threat of Caius believed to have past for the time being. they needed to finalize their plans on transporting the crates of crystal shards,

Alba was sitting back into his chair, leaning his head back and looking back up at the ceiling. "Ugh...if I have to stay in this office for another day, I think I'm going to lose my mind" he said.

Ruko shook his head. "As much as I can understand, I would advise against it. To be honest, you should still be recovering from your injury but I know you're not the type of person to lie in bed all day" he said. He may have a tough and durable body but everyone has their limits

Ramza shrugged his shoulders, sitting back against the sofa with his arms folded in front of him. "He's got a point, you know. People look up to you so you need to take care of yourself" he said.

Lynette was sitting in one of the chairs as she took a sip of some tea that she had made for them. "Honestly, I'm a little surprised about how fast everypme came together. It reminds me of Crescentia a little bit" she said.

Alba nodded, closing his eyes and dropping his head down a bit. "They're good people and mean well" he said. He took a deep breath soon after and then reached into his desk to pull out some documents and laid them out. "You'll also be glad to know that preparations for the transport have been completed and ready to go anytime" he said.

Tsuki thought it was strange that the crates of crystal shards weren't targetted at all. Based on the information from the guards that stood watch over the warehouse and inventory records, the crates were untouched which begs the question of where those entities came from. "Well, that's good news at least. If everything is ready to go, then we should leave tomorrow morning" he said.

Alba tilted his head a bit. The depature time was so soon and he hasn't fully recovered himself yet. However, this didn't surprise him in the slightest. "Honestly, I knew you were going to say that which is why I had already gave the transport driver notice" he said.

Lynette was a little concerned that he wanted to leave so soon. "Are you sure about this? What about your injuries?" she asked.

Tsuki shook his head and tapped his chest lightly with his hand. "I'm positive. I've rested long and besides, my return has been long overdue" he said.

Alba understood where he was coming from but he wasn't about to let him go that easily. "Don't you worry. I won't be sending you off on your own. Ruko has already volunteered to go with you on the carriage" he said.

Ruko put his fists together with an eager expression on his face. His injuries have all healed up and he was feeling better than ever. "An extra hand wouldn't hurt. Since I imagine that Tsuki will be slightly diminished when it comes to any potential fighting along the road, I figured I could help pick up the slack a little bit" he said. He then scratched the back of his head a bit, lowering his head. "Plus, I still owe you guys for coming to save me out there" he said.

Ramza held his hand out as he started to relax. "Technically, my side of the deal that I made with Lucas has been fulfilled. However, I would like to see what jobs Eresseas has to offer for a mercenary like me so I'll stick with you for just a bit longer" he said. When one contract ends, another begins. Such was the life a hardened mercenary like himself.

Lynette felt a bit of relief when Ruko and Ramza said that they would be coming with them on their return trip. "I want to see this to its full end so, if you would allow it, I would like to accompany you to Eresseas as well. I can always hitch a ride with Ruko and have him drop me back off in Crescentia on his way back" she said.

Tsuki looked at the two of them and nodded. He then looked up at the ceiling a bit as he fell into thought. "So, our little adventure together is coming to an end. Feels like we've been going for ages" he said.

Elle was leaning up against the wall near the door as she listened to their conversation in silence. "All things must come to an end. That's just how things work" she said. She's always mainly worked alone so she has never had the luxury of working with others in a group like theirs.

Lynette found herself smiling a bit as she thought back on everything that's happened. "After going through all of this, it's lit a fire in me. This whole adventure as taught me that I need to get better with my abilities" she said. She then looked up at Tsuki, holding her hand up to her chest. "When we first met, I felt like my training as a Healer was becoming stagnant. But now, there's a new motivation that I never had before. I think I'm ready for the next step and I'm hoping Reia can help me with that" she said.

Tsuki couldn't help but think back to the words Reia had used when she first told her about Lynette. About how there wasn't much else for her to teach. At the time, it seemed a bit odd to him when she said that. Reia was a top ranking Healer which meant there had to be so much more for her to teach. After seeing how much Lynette has grown over the last few weeks that they've been together, he could see just how much potential she still had. "I'm sure you will grow to become a great Healer and I look forward to hearing about your progress" he said.

Ramza stretched his arms up over his head and rolled his head across his shoulders with a slight yawn. "Personally, I've never been to Eresseas and I've heard it's a fantastic city with great views so there's more than just mercenary work that makes me want to visit" he said.

Ruko looked at the three of them as they told each other what their plans were for after everything was all said and done. "What are we going to do about Caius? After everything that's happened, I highly doubt it'll end here" he said.

Alba shook his head. Unfortunately, they couldn't do anything else. He was the king of Honegroth and unless they are given some form of order, which would most likely not happen, they are stuck. "Nothing, unfortunately. Unless he shows up again, our hands are tied. King Taichi and Queen Emma have already been informed about what's transpired here and everything that Caius has been doing so I'm afraid it's out of our hands now" he said.

Ramza shrugged a bit. "In the grand scheme of things, it's probably for the best that it's taken out of our hands. We've done as much as we can with the situation as outsiders" he said.

Tsuki didn't like admit it but he was right. His final words did bother him but what could someone like him do? Based on what he's been told, despite putting up a good fight, he was still defeated by Caius not once but for a second time. "You're probably right. We were in a little over our heads, after all" he said.

Elle was already given the rundown of what has all happened while Tsuki was still recovering. "Still, for such a simple mission to turn into something like this...it's like something straight out of a book" she said.

Lynette sighed, scratching the back of her head. "Well, I guess the good thing is that we can finally soon put it all behind us" she said. If she were to be honest with herself, she's had her fill of excitement. The life of an adventurer wasn't suited for her. She was just a normal countryside girl.

Alba looked at them as he leans forward against his desk. "Getting back on topic, the transport will be ready to depart first thing in the morning. If all goes smoothly, you should arrive in Eresseas late afternoon or, at the latest, early evening the following day" he said.

Elle pushed herself off the wall she was leaning against and approached the group. "Sounds like a plan then. If anyone has any unfinished business here, I suggest finishing it all up today. It also might be worth stocking up on supplies and checking your equipment, just in case" she said. She didn't really expect to run into trouble while on the road but since Tsuki will be operating at a limited capacity, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Ramza looked over at Elle and nodded in agreement. For him, he wasn't sure when he will be coming back through Basilwell since mercenary operations will limited for a while. As a mercenary, he needs to keep going where the wind takes him. "If that's the case, I'll probably stop by the Guild. I want to check up on things since it'll probably be a while before I come back through here" he said.

Elle glanced over at Ramza when she mentioned about visiting the Mercenary Guild. "Mind if I tag along? There's someone I've been meaning to see there" she said.

Ramza stretched his arm out in a welcoming gesture. "Feel free. I was going to ask if you could come with me, anyway. The person in charge of this Guild branch wanted to extend their gratitude to the king and queen for their support. Since you serve exclusively under the king and queen, you could pass along their message" he said.

Ruko scratched his cheek a bit with a slightly confused expression. "I thought the Mercenary Guild and the kingdoms stay out of each other's affairs" he said.

Ramza put his right hand on his hip and glanced over to Ruko. "Normally, that's the case. So long as the Mercenary Guild stays out of their affairs, the various kingdoms will do the same and vice versa. However, the Cayhill branch is different than the others. While the main headquarters are located offshore, each indivudal branch operates on its own. Most of the branches are sticklers to the rules but the one here is pretty laid back" he said. He never understood what made the Cayhill branch so different than the rest. They hold the same principles and guidelines as all the others do.

Tsuki looked over towards the fireplace. He was silent for a few moments before speaking further. "That's probably because of the king and queen's influence. As you know, Cayhill isn't exactly united. There's the Northern Regions where we are and then the Southern Regions where the tribes inhabit. It has always been their goal to make all of Cayhill united under a common flag. Unfortunately, due to certain circumstances that happened in the past, that task has only become more difficult as time goes on but are still determined to see it happen one day" he said. He then leaned his head back and looked up towards the ceiling. "It's entirely possible that they reached out to the Guild branch here and made some form of common ground and mutual understanding despite the established rules that are in place" he said. He knew that the king and queen have been making a lot of effort to unite everyone but didn't know just how far their reach extended.

Alba nodded to himself as they talked about the relationship between the Guild and the royal family. "Sounds about right. Much like with the Mercenary Guild, Saiyaka used to be its own group that fell outside of the kingdom's jurisdiction. It had been that way for decades. Then, King Taichi and Queen Emma assumed the throne and after numerous talks and negotiations, Saiyaka have opened their doors to the kingdom while still remaining as its' own group" he said. He then stood up to stretch his legs and walked over to his axe that he had mounted on the wall behind him, holding his arms behind his back. "Before he was killed, me and Azrael were talking about how Queen Emma had reached out to Saiyaka about some magic research topic" he said.

Lynette tilted her head a bit. The mention of this magic research topic piqued her interests. "What kind of topic was it?" she asked.

Alba shrugged, shaking his head with a sigh. "I'm not sure. He didn't really go into details about it. He just randomly brought it up. Sadly, he never got to find out what the topic was about so your guess is as good as mine" he said. He was a little curious about what it was about but not enough for him to actually look into it as he wasn't proficient in the magical side of the Artes spectrum.

Lynette had a look of disappointment. Being deeply attuned to Magical Artes, she would have loved to hear about what topic Queen Emma tried to propose to him. Anything on the magical side of the things interested her even if it didn't even relate to Healing Artes. "I see. That's a shame..." he said.

Ramza soon stood up from his seat as they talked back and forth with each other. "Well then, if you don't mind, I'm gonna step out and see to my unfinished business" he said. He then walked over towards the door where Elle was standing. Before opening the door, he looked back towards Tsuki. "If you need me, you know where you can find me. Otherwise, I'll see you guys tomorrow morning" he said. He then glanced over at Elle and waved his hand, motioning to her. "Ready to go?" he asked.

Elle looked at Ramza and nodded before giving her own glance back at Tsuki. "Likewise, I'll be at the inn after I conclude my business at the Guild. Feel free to stop by later if you need anything" she said.

Ramza and Elle left the office, leaving Tsuki and Lynette behind. After they left, Ruko looked over at Tsuki and Lynette, who were still sitting down in their seats. "What are you two going to do in the meantime?" he asked.

Tsuki shrugged his shoulders. There wasn't much left for him to do or help out with around town. Plus, he didn't want to strain himself and cause any further worry to Allie. "Maybe I'll take a walk or something. I can't stand being holed up in a room anymore. Some fresh air might do me some good" he said.

Lynette looked at Tsuki, tilting her head slightly, Since her healing services aren't necessary anymore, she didn't have much else to do herself. With their adventure soon coming to an end, she wanted to use the remaining time to relax. "Can I come with?" she asked.

Tsuki looked at her and nodded. "Of course. You don't need to ask" he said. He soon stood up and stretched his muscles. Even though he was mostly all healed up, he could still feel his bones creak. There was even an audible crack in some of them.

Alba couldn't help but chuckle a bit after hearing some of his bones making a cracking sound. "A walk? Sounds like you need a good, deep massage or at least a trip to the Grand Sandpearl's open-air onsen. The hot water will surely help your bones and muscles" he said.

Lynette couldn't help but picture the hot spring in her mind. "A hot spring, huh? That sounds lovely" she said.

Tsuki could definitely use a trip to a hot spring right about now. He remembered going to the one in Crescentia and he absolutely loved it. The hot water and atmosphere made him so relaxed that he had almost fell asleep. Such a thing would be perfect for him. "Want to go?" he asked.

Lynette's eyes lit up with excitement as she nodded energetically. "Yeah!" she said.

Alba chuckled a bit more and and quickly wrote something down on a piece of paper. "I thought you would like that. Show this letter to the receptionist and she will accomodate you" he said. He then handed Tsuki the written letter.

Tsuki took the letter and put it away. "Thanks. Me and my bones will surely appreciate it" he said.

Alba shook his head. After everything that they have done, it wished that he could do more for them. "Don't mention it. It's the least I can do. However, we're still in your debt for helping us out so if there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask" he said.

Tsuki nodded. "I'll keep that in mind" he said. While they didn't need to do anything to repay him, it was nice to have people owe him favors. It could prove very useful in the future. He then turned and faced towards the door. "Well then, let's get going. The hot springs await" he said.

Tsuki and Lynette made their way out of the office which just left Ruko and Alba. Meanwhile, it didn't take Ramza and Elle too long to arrive at the Mercenary Guild since it wasn't that far from the headquarters building. Like most of the other structures, the building sustained a bit of damage but it was mostly due to small fires that had broken out during the chaos. There were a few shattered windows and the logo of the Mercenary Guild was destroyed but as far as structure damage, they got off easy.

The Mercenary Guild branch building had three floors to it. The first floor was the reception area where mercenaries gather and group up, take on tasks that are posted on the bulletin board and make their reports of said tasks. The second floor was using as both a meeting area and a place to take a break. There was a long table that could seat multiple people among various other things you would find in a meeting hall such as several bookshelves and bulletin boards. The third floor was used as a place of rest with several beds scatterd around the floor. They didn't have the capacity of an inn but it was enough for the mercenaries. They even had their own little kitchen area.

Ramza soon walked into the Mercenary Guild with Elle right behind him. As soon as he entered, a female voice called out to him. "Welcome back, Ramza" the voice said.

Standing behind the reception counter was a woman with long, light blue hair in a ponytail with a bit of antenna hair and green eyes. Based on her looks, she appeared to be a bit older than Ramza was.

After the receptionist spoke out, the mercenary named Max that was with Ramza when everyone split up several days ago came walking towards the reception counter from the bulletin board nearby. "Yo! Here to check up on how Natasha is doing?" he asked.

Ramza nodded at him before glancing back over towards Elle. "That and to bring her to see Ryou" he said.

Max looked over at Elle and tilted his head. Normally, when people see the armor she was wearing they would recognize her almost immediately. However, since mercenaries don't typically involve themselves with the royal knights, he didn't recognize her. "Who's she? A new client?" he asked.

Ramza shook his head. "She serves directly under King Taichi and Queen Emma. If I recall correctly, Ryou wanted to extend his gratitude to them so I figured that she could pass along his message" he said, He then stepped off to the side so that she could introduce herself to them.

Elle held her arm up with a closed hand over her chest and gave them a slight bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Elle Solize" she said.

The receptionist gave her a small wave and smile. "I'm Sharle Fittir. As you can see, I serve as this branch's receptionist" she said.

Max pointed to himself with a wide grin on his face. "The name's Max Albreiter, an A-rank mercenary at your service. If there's a monster you need killing or something you need gathered, I'm your man" he said. He then looked over at Ramza, dropping his arm to his side after his introduction. "Unfortunately, Ryou stepped out for a bit to meet with a local merchant but he should be back soon. In the meantime, Natasha is up on the third floor so go on up and pay her a visit. I'm sure she's getting tired of seeing my face so someone new might be able to raise her spirits" he said.

Sharle looked over at Max and sighed heavily, shaking her head. "You two never change, do you? I'm positive that she's thrilled to see you each time" she said. Being the receptionist at this branch for as long as she has, she would know a thing or two solely based on the power of observation from all the mercenaries that come through.

Max folded his arms in front of him with a slight tilt of his head and a finger against his chin. "Hmm...I wonder" he said with a nonchalant expression on his face.

Ramza sighed and made his way over to the stairwell leading up to the second floor. "We'll be upstairs then. Let us know when he comes back" he said.

Without saying another word, they both headed upstairs and made their way up to the third floor. The floor was divided into two sections with a central hallway that connected to them and the stairwell. One section was where all the beds were and the other was where the kitchen and a small seating area was. At the far end of the central hallway was the bathroom where people could shower and wash up.

Ramza and Elle walked into the section where the beds were. It was a fairly open section that had 8 beds line across the room with 4 on each side. Some of the beds had no sheets on them while the rest did. On the far side of the room near a window, Natasha was lying in bed. She still had a few bandages on but most of her injuries have all healed except for one.

Ramza approached the side of her bed, waving at her. "Hey, how you holding up?" he asked.

Natasha heard the door open and saw Ramza walk in with Elle right behind him. She tilted her head a bit and sighed. "A new face for once. I was getting tired of seeing Max" she said. She was obviously joking and appreciated that he takes the time to check in on her. The two of them just love giving each other a hard time. It was all playful fun to them. "I'm doing fine. Getting a bit antsy just sitting around though" she said.

Ramza shrugged his shoulders. "Not much can be done about that, unfortunately. There's things that both Healing Artes and medicine can't touch so all you really can do is let it heal. How's the leg doing?" he asked.

Natasha removed the covers over her and revealed a cast on her left leg. "It's itchy but other than that, no problems to report. To be honest, I got off lucky. That could have been really bad" she said.

Ramza gently tapped the cast with his finger. "Well, yeah. You were buried under wood and rock. Be thankful that the only serious injury you got was a broken leg" he said.

Natasha soon glanced over at Elle standing behind him. "Who's she?" she asked.

Elle gave her a slight bow before introducing herself. "My name is Elle Solize. I serve the royal family" she said.

Natasha moved herself so that she was sitting on the side of the bed. "I'm Natasha Grey, a crippled A-rank mercenary" she said. She then took a closer look at the armor she was wearing and recognized it after a while. "You must be that Silver Knight I've heard so much about around Cayhill" she said.

Elle sat down on one of the nearby beds and folder her arms in front of her. "So, you've heard of me. Your friend downstairs thought I was a client. I think his name was Max?" she asked.

Natasha sighed, shaking her head a bit. "I'm sorry. Max can be quite dense sometimes" she said. Even when she doesn't see his face, he still gives her a headache.

Elle shook her head. She didn't particularly care if someone mistook her for someone else. "You two seem pretty close" she said.

Ramza let out a slight nervous laugh as he gave her an awkward look. "They may be at their throats often but they care about each other. They just don't want to admit it" he said.

Natasha pointed at at Ramza, giving him a slight glare. "Just like how a certain someone is with the Maester. Is this what they call self-projecting?" she asked as she seemingly took shots at Ramza with a sneer.

Elle tilted her head a bit and looked at Ramza with a curious look in her eye. "The Maester? You mean the person in charge of the Mercenary Guild?" she asked. She recalled that Ramza had mentioned that he and the Guild had their differences but didn't go into detail about it.

Natasha nodded at her. It seems that he hasn't disclosed what went on between the two of them which caused a rift to form. "The one and only. If you thought me and Max bicker, wait till you see those two" she said.

Ramza shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I think those are two entirely different things. You guys give each other a hard time while me and the Maester have some...creative differences" he said. He wasn't really ready to talk about the whole thing so he kept things as vague as possible.

Natasha tilted her head at his response. She didn't know everything about what went on between him and the Maester but it was well-known among the Guild that the two of them had some sort of falling out. "Honestly, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious about what went down between you two..." she said.

Ramza put his hand out as if to stop her from talking about the topic. "You can keep your curiousity. The more people know about what went on between us, the more complicated it gets" he said, putting his foot down on the matter.

Natasha puffed her cheeks and pouted. Of course, she didn't expect him to talk about it so easily. "Well, you're no fun at all" she said. She sighed and scratched her head a bit. "So, what brings the famed Silver Knight to our fine establishment?" she asked.

Elle shrugged her shoulders. "Apparently, the person in charge wanted to express his gratitude to the royal family and I was to serve as the messenger. That's not the only reason, however. I came here to speak with Shana about something but she doesn't appear to be here" she said.

Natasha raised her brow when she had mentioned a certain name. "Shana, huh? Unfortunately, I don't have much to say. She hasn't been here in a few days. Actually, come to think of it, none of us have seen her since the attack" she said.

Ramza shook his head while shrugging his shoulders, folding his arms in front of him. "If you're worried about Shana, don't be. She's the last person you should worry about. She's more than capable of taking care of herself. After all, she is one of the few S-rank mercenaries out there" he said.

Elle tilted her head a bit with a slight look of confusion on her face. She held her hand up to her chin and fell into thought briefly. "Hasn't been seen...? Hmm..." she mumbled to herself.

Moments later, they heard a knock at the door before it opened up from the central hallway. Coming into the room was a man with long, spikey red hair and gold-colored eyes wearing a bandana and a spear attached to his back. He had a pretty tough-looking physique with some muscles to his bones. He wore a mix of chainmail and light armor that covered his body.

The man walked towards the three of them and gave them a slight wave. "Nice of you to drop by, Ramza. Sharle told me that you'd be up here. I'm sorry that you had to wait for me" he said.

Ramza turned around and looked at the man that walked into the room behind them. "You know, it's rather rude to call on someone and not be here when that person arrives" he said. Of course, he was only mildly joking.

The man shrugged his shoulders, shaking his head. "Well, someone has to manage things around here especially after a crisis" he said. He then looked over at Elle who was sitting on a nearby bed. "Perhaps, I should be sorry though if I kept the Silver Knight herself waiting" he said.

Elle shook her head as she glanced over at the man. "Don't worry about it. Given the circumstances, duty comes first over all. My name is Elle Solize and I serve under the king and queen directly" she said as she introduced herself.

The man tapped his chest gently. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Elle. I'm Ryousuke Fhey but people call me Ryou for short. I'm in charge of the Guild branch here" he said. He had heard from other people around town that she and Tsuki's group had assisted in the town's defense. "First, I would like to thank you and your fellow knight for coming to our defense. I believe his name was Tsuki?" he asked.

Ramza scratched the back of his head a bit. "To be exact, they didn't just come to the town's defense. They were here already on other business and got involved in the attack" he said.

Ryousuke shrugged his shoulders and shook his head before holding his hand out. "Regardless if they had intended to help out or not, their aid is much appreciated. For that, you have my thanks. I've been meaning to stop by and meet this Tsuki myself but never had the opportunity. I did hear that he has been unconscious for the last few days, though. How's he doing?" he asked. People around town have been talking about how Tsuki was able to drive off Caius on his own so it was hard not to hear about his efforts.

Ramza gave him a slight nod to reassure him. "He regained consciousness not too long ago and has been recovering. We were with him and Commander Alba before coming here" he said.

Ryousuke felt relieved to hear that he was conscious and doing better. "That's good to hear. I'll have to stop by and talk to him personally if I get the chance to" he said.

Elle soon stood up from the bed and faced towards Ryousuke. "Anyways, I was told that you had a message that you would like to pass on to the king and queen. I'll be sure to pass it on" she said.

Ryousuke nodded at her with a grin on his face. "Yes, of course. Following mercenary code, we're not suppose to involve ourselves with the royals of each kingdom. However, King Taichi and Queen Emma have been especially good to us here and welcomed us with open arms despite our differences. Their assistance has been greatly appreciated by everyone here and while we can't make an official statement saying we're allies with them or anything, we're in their debt" he said. In more ways than one, the king and queen of Eresseas have provided them aid and assistance on a number of occasions. As such, an unofficial link of sorts was formed between the royal family and the Mercenary Guild branch of Cayhill.

Elle knew about the unique relationship between them. It was more of a mutually beneficial relationship than an actual alliance. "The king and queen chose to open up and support the Guild branch here because they wanted to despite the rules that are in place. Words of gratitude aren't needed but I'll be sure to pass them along when I return to Eresseas" she said, putting her hand up to her heart.

Ryousuke gave out a hearty laugh at her response. It was something he's heard many times from the royals themselves. "I appreciate it. I know they get tired of hearing them but I can't just not say anything. If not as a mercenary, then that of a fellow man" he said.

Elle fell silent for a moment as she held her hand up to her chin, looking down towards the ground in thought. "I am curious about something though. If the Mercenary Guild don't involve themselves with the royal families, then why do you do it?" she asked. She wanted to know the reason behind the unique relationship between the two of them.

Ryousuke had a slight grin on his face and sat down on one of the nearby beds, folding his arms and closing his eyes."You wouldn't know it now but back at the beginning of it all, I was a real hardass. I stuck to the rules that were established and didn't break from them. I even butted heads with King Taichi a few times" he said. He couldn't help but think back to the old times when he was just starting out as the branch lead.

Natasha chuckled a bit to herself as she thought back as well. There were some pretty humorous scenes that he had witnessed that took place between Taichi and Ryousuke. "Those were the days. I seem to recall you challenging His Majesty to several duals and got your ass handed to you every single time" she said.

Ryousuke let out a nervous cough as she brought up some of his less appealing memories. "Must you bring that up? That was years ago when I was pretty young and stupid. I'll admit, I thought I was pretty hot shit at the time" he said. Thinking back to his actions from years past, he felt a little ashamed with how he acted.

Ramza raised an eyebrow when Natasha exposed some of his dark, shamful secrets that contradicts to who he is now. Since he typically didn't stay in one place for too long, he never got to really know people in the different branches spread out across the world. "And here I thought that Ryou was always the cool, calm and collected type of person. I guess people do grow up and mature still" he said.

Ryousuke looked over at Ramza, shrugging his shoulders a bit. "Everyone grows up and matures as they go through life. You say that like it doesn't happen all that often" he said.

Ramza glanced at Ryousuke before turning his gaze on Natasha. "Actually, you'd be surprised at just how little growth people go through especially once they get older and more experienced in a certain field of work. They think that they've achieved all that they can achieve and wind up coming to a complete stop in growth" he said. There was a sense of familiarity in his eyes and tone of voice as he spoke. Almost as if he had personally witnessed related events.

Elle closed her eyes, nodding to herself as she rested her hands down onto the bed. "I can relate to that, personally. Back when I was younger, I thought I accomplished everything that needed to be done. Swordsmanship, magic, life goals, things like that. I thought I had it all but then everything that I had achieved was taken away from me. I became complacent and, as a result, I wasn't able to protect the things I cared about" she said. She grabbed onto her left arm as she stared down towards the ground.

Ryousuke tilted his head. There was something she said that caught his curiousity. "Being an Elf, I'm sure you've seen many things that us humans couldn't possibly imagine" he said. He then examined Elle but since her entire body was encased in armor, he could only use her face as a reference. "You still look pretty young though. Just how old are you, anyway?" he asked.

The room quickly fell silent as an air of awkwardness replaced the sounds of voices. The room stayed like this for a few moments until Natasha broke the silence. "Ryou, don't you think it's very rude to ask a lady her age? Not to mention, a lady who's an Elf..." she said.

Ryousuke looked around the room with a confused look. It's almost as if he didn't realize what he asked. "...Huh?" he said. He could feel the glares coming from Elle without even looking at her that made him develop a nervous sweat.

Ramza and Elle continued to talk with those from the Mercenary Guild to waste time. Meanwhile, on the other side of town near the warehouses, Ruko and Alba were out walking along one of the nearby piers that extended out a little ways out into the bay. At the far end of it was a lighthouse that stretched up into the sky. Ruko and Alba made their way across the pier and into the lighthouse where they climbed up to the top where the light was. Inside the small room, there was a door that opened up to a small balcony that overlooked the ocean. From up top, they could feel a refreshing breeze blow past their faces as they took in the sight. Alba was staring out into the ocean in deep thought as he was still coming to terms with everything that had happened.

Ruko knew that the whole business with Caius ate away at his thoughts. He couldn't blame him. "You're thinking about that again, aren't you?" he asked.

Alba sighed heavily, taking in a deep breath of salt air. "It's both infuriating and mystifying. Even with the combined efforts of me, Tsuki and even little Allie, we still couldn't stop him. Just what kind of monster is he to be able to wield such power? By all accounts of logic and reasoning, there is no way he should have been able to fight as hard as he did and still make it out alive with the injuries he had" he said. He was heavily interested about how he was able to hold his own with the injuries he sustained and not only that, but to still be able to continue fighting with said injuries.

Ruko and the others arrived at the scene a little too late so they didn't know how their fight played out in full exactly but they had some idea of what happened thanks to Elle and Allie filling in some blanks. "Maybe he just has an abnormal amount of defense and stamina?" he asked.

Alba shook his head as he grabbed onto the railing and leaned forward a bit against it. "No...there was something more to it. It wasn't just abnormal defense and stamina. This may seem strange but throughout my fight with him, not once did I feel like I was fighting against natural human strength" he said.

Ruko tilted his head a bit. He didn't quite understand what he was trying to say. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Alba continued to stare out across the open waters as he felt another strong, cool breeze blow across his face. "It felt like I was fighting against a high-level demon than that of a human" he said.

The word demon rang in Ruko's ears. Monsters were practically commonplace all across the world. No matter where you went, you would always run into monsters whether they were friendly or hostile. Beings such as demons and devils, however, were much more rare. It has been decades since demons and devils were last seen in the world and people prefer to keep it that way. Even for a seasoned warrior, a single demon or devil could easily overpower them.

Alba put two fingers up next to his left eye where his scar ran across as sounds of blades clashing and shouting ran through his head. "It was about 23 years ago when it happened. I was a sergeant in the royal knights when we were tasked to bring in a fugitive who had been convicted of murder. Our hunt for him took us deep into the woods where we stumbled upon the fugitive. However, he wasn't alone. By his side was a demon that he supposedly summoned" he said. It was a bloody encounter that was almost the stuff of nightmares.

Ruko was interested in his story. He's heard many stories from Alba throughout the years serving under him but this was the first time he's told him such a story. To be honest, he had always been curious about where he got all of his scars from. "What happened?" he asked.

Alba hesitated a bit before continuing. It was a story he didn't like reliving. "It was a bloody massacre. The demon that he supposedly summoned turned on him and decapitated him. We fought the demon with everything we had. It almost wasn't enough. We were a squad of 7 and by the end of it, only myself and a rookie who got lucky came out of it alive. Four knights were slaughtered before they could even have a chance to properly defend themselves and my captain at time, who was highly esteemed and well-known for his strength and charisma, didn't stand a chance. No matter what he did or how much he injured the demon, it still got right back up. In the end, he ended up getting killed too" he said. He couldn't help but see a couple flashbacks through his mind as he recalled that bloody battle. The sight of arms being torn off, bodies being cleaved and a sea of blood that stained the area.

Ruko didn't even want to picture the scene playing out in his head. Just hearing about it was enough to send chills down his spine and make his hair stand on end. "How did you kill it?" he asked.

Alba shook his head as he put his hand back on the railing. He let out a slight chuckle and looked up towards the sky. "I admired the captain. They were like a role model for me. I wanted to be someone like them. When the captain died in my arms, I just...lost it. I'm not sure what it was exactly so I call it Battlerage. I become hyper-focused on a target and and fight until one is left standing. It doesn't matter how injured I get, adrenaline and the rush of battle makes it so I don't feel them" he said.

Ruko has seen it happen before. He turns into, what some might say, a battle junkie. It particularly happens when he fights against a strong opponent. "So, that's what it is. Battlerage, huh? Seems approrpriate for what it is" he said.

Alba nodded and looked back out at sea, taking in another deep breath. "I engaged the demon while the rookie knight made his escape to inform the king and queen on what has happened. There have only been two instances where I can say I teetered on the brink of death: the fight with Caius and the fight with that demon. If you thought my injuries a few days ago were pretty bad, you should of seen me after I managed to kill the demon. Nearly had my left eye taken out with my arm mauled. If it weren't for the Healers, I would have definitely lost both of them" he said. It was the first time he ever felt true fear on the battlefield. He was convinced that he was going to die. By some miracle, however, he was victorious but it had lasting effects on both his body and psyche. Because of his efforts, he rose up pretty high in rank where he eventually wound up as the commander of Basilwell.

Ruko took in his story with great interest. He was pretty satisfied with what he had heard since he had wanted to know the story behind his scars but never really wanted to bring it up. "And you're saying that your fight with Caius was on a similar level to that?" he asked.

Alba didn't know what to make of it. What he did know, however, was that he wasn't fighting against normal human strength. "I can't say that with absolute certainty but it did feel similar. Whatever power he has, it's definitely not natural from a human's perspective" he said.

Ruko felt a bit anxious hearing about all of this. It made him question just who they were up against. "With power like that, it's terrifying to think about what's to come" he said. He then leaned up against the wall behind him and folded his arms in front of him. "That happened during the former king and queen's rule, wasn't it?" he asked.

Alba nodded. "Yes. Raymond and Mirasu Tsubasa, the father and mother of Queen Emma. Her Highness was 22 at the time and was still a princess. As you know, she didn't inherit the throne until she was 25" he said.

Ruko scratched the back of his head. He hadn't been born at the time she ascended to the throne but he has read up on his history. "From what I understand, I read that there was quite the uproar when Taichi and Emma married and became the new king and queen. Specifically, everything that related to Taichi" he said.

Alba shrugged his shoulders a bit. "Yeah, there was quite a debate among the council members. It was understandable considering that he isn't a native to Cayhill and of how little people knew of his background. Even today, his origin is unknown to most. Aside from Emma and the former king and queen, only a select few know where he came from. Who those people are is anyone's guess." he said.

Ruko heard there was a lot of people opposed to their marriage and subsequent rise to power. Honestly, he was surprised that the former king and queen even allowed such a union. "I heard that despite not being a native to Cayhill, Taichi went above and beyond for Eresseas. Along with a small group of people that included Emma herself, they were able to achieve many great feats and because of this, he garnered favor from not only the population but the former king and queen themselves" he said.

Alba nodded to himself and leaned down against the railing, resting his arms against it. "Taichi proved himself to many and was widely accepted but naturally, there would be people who spoke out against him despite all that he had achieved. In the end, he turned out to be a fantastic king and, hopefully, alleviated any worries and concerns that people had" he said.

Ruko went silent for about a minute as the sounds of waves coming off the ocean crashed against the nearby shore with seagulls flying around. "Do you think that he will retaliate against Honegroth?" he asked.

Alba shook his head with a sigh. "I'm not sure. Honegroth has a pretty strong military. Not to mention the fact that their numbers far surpass our own. Given that we don't have any allies to really call on due to our neutrality, we'd be on our own in a one-sided fight even more so now with the deaths of some of Cayhills' finest warriors and mages" he said.

Ruko thought to himself for a few moments, before groaning from a bit of frustration as he shook his head. "If they surpass us in terms of military strength and numbers, then why come here to begin with?" he asked.

Alba shrugged his shoulders, turned around and pressed his back up against the railing. They were all hoping to find answers to their questions but at the the end of everything, they were left with more questions than answers. "I don't know but I have a gut feeling that Eresseas...no, Cayhill is about to experience a dark time" he said.

Alba and Ruko remained at the top of the lighthouse for a while longer as they talked amongst themselves about the present and what's to come. Meanwhile, Tsuki and Lynette had arrived at the Grand Sandpearl. With everything that the two of them had been through during their time together, they definitely deserved some time to relax and let their stress and worries go. With the letter they received from Alba, they approached the front desk.

Tsuki approached the desk. "Hello there. We would like to try out the hot spring. Commander Alba said to give this to you and you would be able to take things from here?" he said. He then placed the letter on the front desk and pushed it towards the receptionist.

The receptionist picked up the letter and opened it up. She read through what Alba had wrote down and nodded, putting the letter away afterwards. "You would be correct. If you would follow me, I can take you there" she said.

The receptionist put someone in charge of the desk before she walked out from behind it and walked off into the opposite direction from where the elevators would be. Tsuki and Lynette followed the receptionist through a hallway that soon put them back outside. There were three different hot springs in the area: one for males, one for females and another for mixed bathing. As they walked along a small, wooden walkway, they found themselves guided to one of the hot spring areas which confused Tsuki and Lynette at first.

Tsuki immediately took notice of just where they were standing in front of. "Umm...don't tell me what I think this is..." he said.

The receptionist gave them a slight bow. "Under normal circumstances, these baths aren't usually open until after dawn. However, as per the Commander's request, you two have exclusive acces to the mixed baths all to yourselves" she said.

Lynette was a bit flustered when they were brought to the mixed baths. This essentially meant that the both of them would get into the same open-air hot spring and completely exposing themselves to one another. This made her face turn red. "W-wait! That's not necessary! I'm fine with just the normal baths!" she said.

The receptionist continued to hold her bow towards them. "I'm terribly sorry but the male and female baths are currently at overcapacity already and can't hold anymore people. The Commander wishes that you two take this time to unwind and forget about your troubles no matter what." she said. She then stood back up straight and started to walk back in the direction they came from. "If you folks need anything, don't be afraid to ask" she said. She walked on and soon disappeared as she turned around a corner.

Tsuki held his hand towards the receptionist as she walked away without saying another word. "H-hey!" he said. Before he could let out a shred of protest, the receptionist was already gone. He sighed heavily, dropping his head. "Just great..." he said.

Lynette was embarrassed but she didn't want to turn down a perfect chance to relax in a hot spring. She put her hand up to her chest and took a deep breath. "It's embarrassing but I guess it can't be helped..." she said. She then looked at Tsuki. "Do...you mind going first?" she asked as her face was red from embarrassment.

Tsuki was surprised that she still wanted to get into the hot spring despite it being mixed baths. "S-sure..." he said.

They both entered through the sliding door and closed it behind them. On the other end, there were two separate changing areas for men and women. They both went into the appropriate changing areas. After a few minutes, Tsuki was first to emerge from the other side of the changing rooms with a towel wrapped around his waist and nothing else. He looked around the area and saw a very spacious hot spring with a big boulder near the middle that helped form the spring in a U-shape. Tsuki made his way into the spring, taking the towel off and setting it down on the edge as he lowered himself into the steaming hot water. The relief was almost instant as it didn't take long for him to start feeling relaxed.

Tsuki made himself comfortable as he looked away from where the changing rooms were. "Alright Lyn, you can come out now" he said. Honestly, he was extremely nervous. He knew that it was a pretty common thing for men and women to share the mixed baths but this was the first time he's had to experience it himself.

Lynette soon came out through the sliding doors of the changing room with a towel wrapped around her body. Her light brown hair that had been was kept up by some pins to protect it from the water. She took in the sight for a few moments before making her way over to the spring and stepped into it with the towel still wrapped around her. Her face was slightly red due to the fact that she and Tsuki were practically bathing together. She lowered herself into the water and sat down along the stone edge, resting her back against it. It's not like she wasn't used to being in mixed baths. Crescentia had mixed baths too where she would sometimes use if the female baths were full. This time, however, was different because it was Tsuki, not a villager. She was bathing with someone that she had formed strong bonds with so it made her nervous, anxious and embarrassed.

Lynette soon splashed some water on her face to snap herself out of what she was feeling. She didn't want to ruin the moment they were having by complaining about it. "This definitely hits the spot. I think it's better than what we have in Crescentia" she said.

Tsuki leaned back against the small rock wall with the water halfway up his torso. He could feel his muscles lighten up and relax. His aching bones start to soothe. All the fatigue that he was feeling vanishing with the rising steam. "With a place like this, it's hard to leave. It's a shame we don't have these kinds of things in Eresseas" he said.

Lynette looked up towards the sky as the steam rose up. She had known that their little adventure would eventually come to an end at some point. She just didn't think it'd happen so soon. "So, tomorrow is our last little adventure together, huh?" she asked.

Tsuki nodded and laid his head back against the stone edge. "I'll be honest, I'm a little sad. Part of me doesn't want it to end. I guess I developed a bit of an adventurer's itch" he said. He wouldn't mind going out on more adventures. However, he had to get back to fulfilling his duty and that was being a member of the Royal Eight and Princess Cheria's bodyguard. "So, you're going back home to Crescentia?" he asked.

Lynette nodded. "Yes. This whole adventure has opened my eyes to new possibilities that I wouldn't have seen before. There's still so much more for me to learn and now that I have gained some actual experience, I know that there's more that Reia could teach me" she said. She then looked down towards the water, scooping some up with her hands and lifting them up a bit. "This adventure was an unforgettable experience but I kind of like the quiet life better. I suppose I'm just not cut out for this kind of stuff in the long run" she said.

Tsuki took in a deep breath and splashed some water on his face. "Not everyone is. Whether it's being a mercenary like Ramza or an average adventurer, you need some form of drive to keep you going. Honestly, if I had the choice, I'd prefer living the comfortable, quiet life in a place like Crescentia" he said. Maybe one day, he hopes that he can reclaim the sense of peace and tranquility that he had back in his old hometown. "You've got your studies to become a better Healer and I have my duties as a royal knight" he said.

Lynette opened her hands a bit to let the water spill out back into the spring. She stared at the stream of water. "I wonder what's going to happen now with Caius" she said. She was worried about what the future holds for them. There was no way with everything that's happened, it all would come to an end.

Tsuki shook his head as he shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever happens, it's up to how King Taichi and Queen Emma handle things. There's nothing else we can do" he said.

Lynette glanced over towards him. "Do you think that you will be sent out to battle if things escalate?" she asked.

Tsuki went silent for a few moments before nodding his head with a small sigh. "Royal knights have a duty to fulfill. There's a strong chance that the Royal Eight could be deployed to the field. As far as me, I couldn't say. My duty is to serve as the princess' bodyguard. During wartime, I may be relegated to doing just that rather than fighting on the frontlines" he said. Wartime can be very uncertain as things rapidly change as the minutes go by. No one can really say or predict what could happen.

Lynette closed her eyes and sunk down deeper into the water until it was up to her chin. "If it comes to it, I'll come running to help" she said.

Tsuki looked at her with a surprised look on his face. She said she wanted to go back to living a quiet, peaceful life but yet was willing to throw herself back into danger. "I appreciate it, but I don't think I would be able to accept your help if that time came. Wartime is not like an adventure. I can't involve you in it. You may be a Healer but you're still too inexperienced for a warzone"he said.

Lynette mumbled to herself softly as she sunk deeper into the water to where it went just under her nose. "I see..." she said. She knew what his answer was going to be. There was no way he would allow her to accompany him onto the battlefield. Maybe if she was a more experienced Healer, the answer may have been a different story. It only motivates her more to become better.

Tsuki held his arms up over his head as he let out a big stretch. "I'm sure we'll be fine. Even if diplomacy doesn't work, King Taichi can be resourceful. He can handle things better than I ever could. After all, he has a lot more experience under his belt" he said.

Word has it that before Taichi and Emma became the new king and queen of Eresseas, they had traveled all across the world with 6 other people. They accomplished feats that cemented their names in history books and gained a lot of reputation, both good and bad. In terms of fighting power, they were quite formidable. Taichi and Emma were at the center of things as the combined strength and raw power from Taichi and Emma's complete mastery of Magical Artes, offensive, defensive and healing, they were practically unstoppable. Because of how strong they were, many people from different kingdoms plotted to take them out. They made strong allies but they were also perceived as deadly threats in the eyes of their foes. Apparently, some of the old councilmen of Eresseas under the rule of King Raymond and Queen Mirasu had made attempts on not only Taichi's life but Emma's as well.

The two of them continued to talk amongst themselves and took advantage of the time given to them to relax in the hot springs. Before they knew it, a little over an hour and come and gone but to them, they felt like they had been in there for hours. By this time, both of them started to overheat from being in the hot spring for too long but they couldn't bring themselves to leave.

Tsuki had moved over to the big boulder across from where Lynette was and was leaning against it while Lynette remained mostly submerged where she had been sitting at. He felt completely invigorated and raring to go. He looked down and brought his hand over the scar that ran down his torso. "It's a shame hot springs can't heal physical injruies" he said.

Lynette looked towards him and sat up a bit so that the water wasn't covering her mouth. "I know I said it before but when I saw the condition you were in, I was really scared. You were badly injured and weren't waking up..." she said.

Tsuki scratched the back of his head. "I'm sorry for scaring you like that" he said.

Lynette shook her head a bit. "If you were to die on my watch, not only would I fail as a Healer but also Princess Cheria, King Taichi and Queen Emma. Not to mention, the other members of the Royal Eight" she said.

Tsuki wasn't sure what to say. He simply stared at in silence. After a few moments, he couldn't help but chuckle a bit. "So, the reason you've been so diligent in your training is because of some sense of duty?" he asked.

Lynette shook her head more as she waved her arms around in front of her. "N-no, that's not it! I mean, this adventure has offered me new opportunities to learn and grow but I didn't do it out of duty. Well, maybe it was. A Healer's duty is to heal and support people so I couldn't just ignore it..." she said. She was a little flustered as she tried to get out the words she wanted to say. "What I mean to say is...above all else, even as a Healer's duty, you are my friend" she said.

Tsuki only said that to get a rise out of her so that she wouldn't think to much about what can't be changed. "It's because of you that I was able to come so far. You've done so much for and yet, I've dragged you into some dangerous situations than I probably should of. If there's anything I can do to make it up to you, just say it" he said.

Lynette took a deep breath and put her hand against her chest. "Then, when things settle, show me around Eresseas. I've never been there before and I heard it's a beautiful city" she said. It was a simple request but she couldn't think of anything else.

Tsuki felt like he had offered to give her a tour of Eresseas before. Regardless, he did tell her that she could ask for anything. "Sounds good. I won't be able to do it upon our return because I have to report in so do you mind waiting a bit?" he asked.

Lynette nodded at him. She didn't expect that she would get our all-exclusive tour right away since he would be busy with debriefing and everything. "Of course. All you have to do is say when" she said.

Tsuki smiled at her and leaned his head back against the boulder behind him. He sat there in silence as he soaked up more of the hot spring vibes. After about another 20 minutes however, he was starting to feel more dizzy. He put his hand up to his head as he shook it. "Ugh...I think we've stayed in here for too long. We should get out before we both pass out in here" he said.

Lynette was also starting to feel dizzy as her face was turning red. Not from embarrassment but from being overheated. "Yeah...I'm starting to feel dizzy. I'll get out first..." she said.

She then slowly started to stand up and turn around to step out of the spring. As she put her foot up onto the stone edge, she ended up slipping and started to fall forward. In response, Tsuki quickly got up and rushed over to her to catch her fall. Unfortunately for both of them, the end result didn't turn out well on account of the fact that they were both dizzy from being overheated. As Lynette fell forward, the towel she had wrapped around her came loose and ended up falling off her which exposed herself in full. Being as dizzy as he was, even though Tsuki caught her fall, one of his hands ended up in a certain place. Tsuki felt like he was touching something pretty soft. As for Lynette, she felt something press up against lower half due to Tsuki pulling her back to stop her from falling. It only took both of them a few seconds to realize what just happened. As a result, Lynette's face went as bright red as conceivably possible which caused both of them to let out separate loud yells. In sheer panic, Tsuki released Lynette and stumbled back which made him fall back into the water. Lynette quickly scrambled out of the spring and sprinted towards the female changing rooms, slamming the sliding door behind her in a hurry.

Tsuki was left floating in the spring as he stared up at the sky, his face red when he realized just what he was grabbing. Being a man, he couldn't help himself but comment on it. "So soft..." he said.

After about a minute had passed, the sliding door to the female changing room opened up slightly as Lynette poked her head out, her face still bright red. "Erase it from your mind!" she said. She then quickly closed the sliding door, proceeded to get dressed in the provided robes, grabbed her clothes and left the hot spring.

Tsuki remained floating there for a few minutes longer before splashing more water on his face before standing up. He grabbed both of their towels that were left, got out of the spring and went into the male rooms to change before leaving himself and putting the towels up on a nearby drying rack. In the provided robes with his belongings, he made his way back towards where the elevators were and took them up to the room that they were staying at. By this point, it was already the early evening hours as the sun had started to go down. When Tsuki arrived back at their room, Lynette was already there and still in her robes. Both of them looked at each other with a bit of awkwardness. They didn't know what to say to each other after what just happened to them.

Lynette's face was still slightly red but she had calmed herself down. She knew that what happened was a total accident and didn't want it to create problems. "U-um...thank you for helping...and I'm sorry..." she said, looking around the room nervously.

Tsuki scratched the back of his head. He was the one at fault for not catching her properly. "No, I'm sorry. I was...careless" he said.

They both looked at each other in silence for a moment before laughing bit at each other. It helped break the awkwardness in the air which help put them both at ease. The two of them spent the rest of night ordering in room service and using the last few hours that they had to relax. They were set to leave early in the morning so they decided to go to sleep a little early so that they could get some decent sleep. The return trip back to Eresseas was expected to be a rather easy and laid-back one compared to before so they hoped that things would stay that way.

Early the next morning as the sun was just starting to rise over the horizon, everyone had gathered near the town exit. Upon arrival, they saw `the carriage that was loaded up with the crates of crystal shards were waiting. The carriage was being pulled by two horses due to the heavy load combined with the fact that they will be pulling five additional people. Alba was standing near the carriage helping the driver do some last minute checks to make sure everything was set to go.

Once Alba verified that things were good to go, he gave them a thumbs up. "Alright, we're all set to go!" he said.

The driver faced the group that he would be ferrying along with the crates of shards and bowed to them, holding his hand up to his heart. "It is my pleasure to be of service to you. Just sit back, relax and we'll be at Eresseas before you know it" he said.

Ramza stepped towards the carriage and turned back to face Tsuki and the others. "I trust everyone has completed their business here?" he asked.

Tsuki nodded at him. He and Lynette had gotten up a little earlier so they could do some last minute shopping for Gels but he doesn't expect to run into many problems on the road. "We're all good to go" he said.

Ruko walked up towards Alba and the driver and climbed up onto the seating area in front of the carriage where the driver sat. "We'll get you guys back safe and sound, don't you worry. We hired our best driver for the job so you can rest comfortably" he said.

Elle walked up towards the carriage and climbed into the back. The crates took up half the space but there was still more than enough room for them to set and stretch their legs. "We shouldn't drop our guard too much. You never know when we might have to fend off monsters or roadside thieves. I've heard that beyond the Beltoise Checkpoint, a band of thugs have staged themselves somewhere along the road before reaching the Great Plains" she said. She took her sword off her and set it down next to her up against the crates and sat down.

Lynette was next to climb into the carriage. "I'm sure we'll fine. We have you and Ramza to help pick up the slack where Ruko and Tsuki might not be able to handle due to their injuries" she said. She soon sat down across from Elle with her back up against the carriage walls.

Ruko looked back into the carriage and waved his arm up in protest. "Hey, I'll have you know that I'm feeling 100%. I'm not about to let a bunch of monsters or low-grade thugs get the best of me" he said.

Ramza turned and climbed up into the carriage and made his way over to the crates. Much like Elle, he removed his sword off his back and set it down on the carriage floor and sat down with his back up against the crates and his arms folded in front of him. "Seeing as how you were able to still work your ass off around town despite having those injuries of yours, I would hope that you conserved some of your energy" he said.

Ruko waved his arm back at him in protest before looking forward. "Bah, everyone's a critic" he said.

The driver soon climbed up to his seat in front of the carriage next to Ruko and grabbed onto the reins. "Alright, let's shove off, shall we?" he asked.

Tsuki was the last one to climb up onto the crate. As he did so, it hit him once more that his little adventure was in its closing act. He took a deep breath and then clapped his hands together. "Right then. Eresseas awaits us" he said.

Alba walked around towards the back of the carriage and looked up at them. "Give the royal family my regards. Hopefully the next time we see each other, it'll be under better circumstances. I still owe it to you guys for all your help. Feel free to drop by anytime" he said.

Tsuki sat down next to Lynette and looked at Alba. "Try not to strain yourself too much. I'll be sure to pass on your words to the royal family" he said.

Alba nodded at him and then tapped on the side of the carriage. Moments later, the driver took the reins and cracked them which made the horses start moving. Moments later, the carriage started moving and before they knew it, they were out the front gates of Basilwell and made their way up the main roads. It only took them about 30 minutes to reach the Velkhor Checkpoint and then additonal 50 minutes to each the Beltoise Checkpoint. Because of the clearance that Ruko secured, they were able to pass through both checkpoints relatively easily. Of course, each checkpoint had to do their own individual safety checks but because of the clearance, they didn't have to worry about the in-depth checks and procedures that normal carriages have to undergo.

Once they were clear of the Beltoise Checkpoint, they were practically homebound. Normally, the carriage would take them into the Great Plains then cross the river using the bridge that Tsuki and the others crossed but since it was destroyed, the carriage had to follow the river south for a short way where there was another bridge they could cross over. They hoped that there was nothing wrong with that bridge because of that one was also destroyed, they would have to go even further south towards the border town.

From Beltoise, they spent about two hours carefully going through the mountains until they were put out back into the Great Plains. The trip took a bit longer because they've had to stop and fight off against monsters and the thugs that Elle had mentioned. Once they were back in the Great Plains, they followed the main road which led them south as they followed the river. Thankfully, they appeared to be in Undine's favor as the river seemed to be much more calmer than when they crossed before. After about an hour, they saw that they were coming up to the bridge that they were looking for. The bridge was in much better shape than the previous one so they were able to cross it without worry. At least now, they didn't have to be concerned about traveling another hour down south towards the border town.. When they crossed the river, they got back onto the main road and headed back north. By this point, it was already in the early afternoon so they decided to pull off to the side not too far from the bridge to stop and fill their stomachs by fishing out of the river.

An hour later, their stomachs were filled and they were back on the road. From this point, it was practically a straight shot to Eresseas but considering their location, they still had a long way to go. There were no side stops along the way but they did have to deal with monsters and thugs as they went along the main road. The whole trip going back north was pretty dull and and boring. Not a whole lot happened in terms of action so everyone mostly spent their time catching some shut-eye. They didn't have many other options.

Hours went by as the trek north came to an end not too far south from Crescentia. The sun had started to go down so they decided to set up camp for the night. Using the supplies that they brought with them, they all gathered around a fire, filled their stomachs and talked amongst themselves about various different topics. The talks were mainly about their adventure across Cayhill and a few other minor things. Talks went into the late hours before everyone called it a night.

The next day, they continued going north after the sun rose. The remainder of the trip was pretty much the same as it always had been. A few monster skirmishes here and there and nothing much else. Hours passed by and by the time it reached the early afternoon hours, they could finally see the end in sight. The makings of a castle town sitting on a large lake could be seen pulling in from the distance. It wasn't about another two hours since first catching sight of Eresseas that they finally reached their destination. They pulled up to the outer gates of Eresseas where the carriage came to a slow stop as two knights stepped into their path to stop them.

The knight with muscles holding a spear stepped forward, holding his hand out. "Halt. To what business do you have here? We weren't expecting any carriages coming through here today" he said.

Tsuki jumped out from the back of the carriage, walked around it and approached the two knights standing guard. "It's okay. They're with me" he said.

The second knight with scrawny arms who was also holding a spear recognized Tsuki immediately without having to look at his armor. When both knights saw Tsuki, they both came to attention. "Sir Tsuki! It's been quite a while. We had heard word of what happened in Basilwell. It's great to see you again!" he said.

Tsuki shook his head and waved his hand in front of him. "It's great to be back. I've brought some things back that require delicate care and procedure. I trust there's no issue letting us through?" he asked.

The muscled knight gave him a salute. "Absolutely not. You're free to proceed. Welcome back and job well done, Sir" he said.

Tsuki looked back towards the carriage and nodded at them before proceeding through the gates. The driver cracked the reins and the carriage soon followed closely behind him. They had now arrived at their final destination, the Holy Kingdom of Eresseas. They made their way through the loading bay where all the other carriages are kept for use and eventually reached the main city of Eresseas. The town itself had three different districts. The center district was where all the recreational stuff was with a large fountain in the center of it. The district off to the left of the Recreational District was where the Residential District was. There was a large assortment of houses, both big and small with a small bit of recreational stuff miixed in. The district off to the right was the Business District where businesses , schools and other related buildings and establishments were at. To the north of the Recreational District lies the grand castle of Eresseas.

The castle of Eresseas was rather large. Its' walls extened out to the left and right a bit and sat on concrete surrounded by lake water. It was connected to the town by a concrete bridge which led to an outdoor garden area before the castle itself. In that same area were a few buildings off to each side that housed the council, a few barracks for the knights and even a few shops. There were countless colorful flowers and grass hedges that lined up along the bridge and garden that led up to the castle with a few small water fountains spread out. It was like something out of a fantasy book. Even though it's considered castle grounds, people are allowed to roam it until sundown. It became a good tourist spot for visitors and adventurers who were new to Eresseas.

Tsuki guided the carriage through the Recreational District and proceeded north towards the castle area. After about 15 minutes, they reached a large archway with the castle and garden area beyond it. He soon came to a stop along with the carriage. "I would like to welcome you all to Eresseas. Beyond this point lies the castle and its gardens" he said, turning around to face the carriage.

Ramza and Lynette climbed out of the carriage and looked around the area. Aside from Ruko, this was the first time that they had been to Eresseas so they didn't know what to expect. They had heard stories about the town nestled on top of a lake but the stories didn't do justice. Both of them were completely speechless.

Ramza scratched the back of his head as the sight of the town he was seeing overwhelmed him a bit. It resembled Briswater in a few ways but it was a town that he had never seen before. "I gotta admit, this place is pretty damn impressive. The mix of concrete, cobblestone, wood and nature gives this place it's own unique charm" he said.

Lynette looked around with widened eyes and excitement. She's always heard Reia talk about Eresseas in her stories but actually seeing it for herself was a whole different experience. "This place is incredible! How have I never been here up until now!?" she asked.

Ruko couldn't help but let out a laugh as the two of them let out their first impressions. "I had the same reaction too when I first came here a few years ago. Hearing about this place in books or through word of mouth pales in comparison to the real thing. No one could do this place justice" he said.

Tsuki looked at them and felt content knowing that they were excited to be in Eresseas for the first time. It just made him a bit sad that he wouldn't be able to give them the grand tour, however. "I wish I could give you a tour of the town but I'm afraid the report of my return needs to come first" he said.

Elle poked her head out from the carriage next to Ruko. "I'll handle the carriage from here with Ruko. You better go make your report to the royal family before doing anything else" she said.

Tsuki nodded at her and looked at everyone else. "Would you all like to come with? I'm sure that the king and queen would love to express their gratitude for your assistance" he said.

Ramza shook his head. "Thanks but I think I'll pass. I didn't do it out of service to Eresseas in the first place so I don't really belong there" he said.

Lynette was of a similar mind. Not only that, the thought of meeting royalty made her freeze up a bit in nervousness and anxiety. "I don't think I'm mentally ready for a meeting with the royal family so I think I'll have to decline" she said. She was a simple country girl who never once thought in her life that she would get a chance to meet royalty so it would have been overwhelming to her if she didn't go in fully prepared.

Ruko leaned forward and gently pat one of the horses. "I would love to meet with them but I got to make sure these crates get delivered to where they need to go. Besides, if I don't hurry back to Basilwell, I'm sure the commander will shirk in his recovery" he said. He was most likely doing that now since he kept complaining about being restricted to just his office over the last few days.

Tsuki nodded at them. "When do you guys plan on leaving?" he asked. He was curious to know what their plans were going forward from here.

Ramza shrugged his shoulders a bit. "I'll probably check up on the Guild branch here and see if there any jobs I can pick up. With a city this big and diverse, there's gotta be something" he said.

Ruko knew that it shouldn't take very long to get the crates to where they needed to be and unload them. "Personally, I would like to leave right away once I've delivered the crates but it'll take us the same amount of time to return to Basilwell as it did to get here and I'm sure the driver would like a break so I was thinking that we would leave tomorrow morning" he said. He then looked over to Lynette since he would be dropping her back off in Crescentia along the way. "Is that okay with you?" he asked.

Lynette looked at Ruko and nodded. She was going to suggest waiting until tomorrow since they had been stuck inside the carriage already for a full day. "That's fine. I could use this time to stretch my legs and look around town myself a little bit" she said.

Tsuki nodded once more when they told him about their plans. "If you go into the Recreational District, you will be able to find a place called the Iron Maiden. It's near that big fountain we passed earlier. It serves as both a cafe and an inn. If you give them my name and recommendation, they will be able to accomodate you" he said.

Ruko gave him a thumbs up. "Will do. We appreciate it" he said. He then picked up the reins once more and looked forward. "Well, It's been a pleasure working with you, Tsuki. Hopefully, we get to work together again under better circumstances. Till next time!" he said. He then cracked the reins and the carriage started moving again as Elle sat back into the carriage.

As the carriage pulled away, Tsuki gave Ramza and Lynette one final look as he held his hand out towards them. "I really appreciate all that you guys have done. I hope that we will be able to see each other again soon" he said.

Ramza walked up to Tsuki, reached out and grabbed his hand, shaking it with a small smile on his face. "Did you forget that I'm a mercenary? I'm sure I'll be back here a few times" he said.

Lynette also approached Tsuki and shook his hand. "You take care of yourself, alright? If you need a Healer or anything at all, just send word to Crescentia. Don't be afraid to stop by and visit now and then" she said. She was a bit teary-eyed because this was their final farewell. It made her sad that they were going separate ways but she had prepared herself for it to happen.

Tsuki gaver both of them a wide smile and stepped back. "I'll definitely visit Crescentia if I get the chance" he said. He then started to turn and face towards the castle. "I'll see you both again some day. Take care" he said.

Tsuki then walked off towards the castle on his own. He felt both relieved to be back but also sad because he had to part ways with the others. Such was the life of a knight. He meets new people and makes new friends and just as quickly as he makes them, he has to leave them. It was something that he was used to but this time was a bit different. Since he had actually fought alongside them and was with them for quite some time, they had formed a bond and it was hard for him to leave. However, with Lynette and Ruko being only a few days away of a visit and Ramza being a wandering mercenary, he was confident that he would see them again at some point. It served as a motivation for him to get stronger by the next time they meet. He has gotten much stronger since he last walked through the streets of Eresseas but he was still far from being satisfied in his own strength. After being easily defeated on 3 separate occasions, he needed to improve himself. Now that he was back home, he would have all the time he needs to sharpen and hone his skills for next time.

To be continued...