Tales of the wizard.
Ch 7. The new world
Raiden pushed against the door of the Flanoir inn.
He and Sheena entered and looked around.
"I guess they aren't here yet," Raiden said.
They ordered some drinks and took a seat in one of the corners.
"Raiden, how do you feel about this mission? I noticed that you have mixed feelings about it."
Raiden nodded, "I do have some mixed feelings. Think about it, our world is prospering while the other world only tries to improve its own situation. Do you believe that it right to prevent that?"
"I can see your point, but people are reluctant to give up what they have. Even the people of Mizuho are slightly reluctant, but we have little to begin with."
Raiden looked at the shadows, "I understand, but still… I think it's wrong to make somebody suffer for your own needs."
They were interrupted by a waitress delivering their drinks.
"People don't think about threats anymore, they expect that everything is theirs to own. Being knocked down a peg or two can do miracles at times."
As they finished their drinks, Botta entered.
He sat down, and silently waited until they emptied their cups.
Raiden paid, and the trio walked out.
"So where to?" Raiden asked to Botta.
"This way," Botta guided them to the edge of the city.
Two Renegade grunts were waiting with a strange device.
"What is that?" Sheena asked.
"It's a portable warp, no matter where it activates the person using it will always appeared in our Tethe'alla base."
"So we travelled here for nothing?"
"Well, the range is rather limited at the moment, so no," Botta said, "We're past the secondary warning zone all ready."
The grunts activated the device and the three disappeared.
Raiden appeared somewhere.
"Sheena?" She wasn't there, "This doesn't look like a base to me."
He looked around.
He was in a basement, grey stones formed the walls.
"Why do I get the feeling that people don't want me?"
Ten years did do something to Raiden's sense of humour.
A door opened, and two persons entered.
One was the pink-haired girl he saw when Sheena got her Exspere, Presea if he remembered correctly. The other was a female scientist.
"Who are you?" the scientist asked.
"We met before, didn't we?" Presea spoke.
"Yes, in Meltokio," Raiden nodded, "Your Exsphere, it's different from the others."
The scientist looked surprised, "You noticed?"
"It's blood-red, rather the blue-grey the normal Exsphere have."
"Are you a criminal?"
"I am from Mizuho, I warped to this chamber from Flanoir."
"Flanoir! This is Sybak."
"What! Really, I am starting to get pissed. They want me out of their way, but why?"
"Excuse me?"
"Sorry, I need to get back to Flanoir."
Raiden ran to the door, opened it and dashed through the hallway.
"Damn it, I'll have to field-test my new Mana-travel now."
As Raiden ran, he leaked his magic into the air. Coming in contact with the world's Mana.
Light, open up
Show me the road
Let me travel in your embrace
I invoke
TRANSPORTATION!
Raiden disappeared in a flash of light.
He appeared in the snowy region of Flanoir.
"Well, at least the destination was correct. I am near Flanoir. The base must be near."
He whistled sharp.
A short time later, a snowy owl flew towards him.
"Névé, can you guide me to Sheena?"
The Owl looked up to the sky, and hooted.
"She has already gone to Sylvarant, hasn't she?"
The owl bopped it's head.
Raiden smiled, "I'll just have to use a different form of transportation."
We are one, the Mana and I.
Light, Darkness, Earth and Air.
Guided by Will and Power,
Given purpose by Mind and Body.
Two worlds split apart.
Take me to the other side.
MANA TRAVEL !
Raiden and Névé transformed into a pillar of light, which shot towards the sky.
The two landed in a desert .
Raiden looked around,
"From the fridge and into the oven," He said, "Damn it, how can I find her?"
He noticed a small settlement in the desert.
"I better check over there."
As he walked to the city he noticed a group of Renegades carrying a boy in red clothing and two swords away.
A boy with white hair walked behind the group.
"I'd better follow."
The group dragged the kid to a base.
"We've brought Lloyd." one of the Renegades said.
"Who is that child?"
His friend apparently. "What should we do with him?"
"The leader only wants Lloyd. I don't see any need to bring this one along." a third guard said.
"Understood."
The soldiers took Lloyd inside the base.
The second kid stayed outside.
"What's going to happen to me? Lloyd force me to come here. I didn't want to.…Waaaaaaah!" he cried.
"All right, all right! As a fellow kinsman, we'll let you go. Now get out of here!" one of the guards said annoyed
Raiden smiled slightly at the acting.
"Are you sure that's all right?" the other guard asked
"What can a kid do?"
"The kid called out to the soldiers, thank you for freeing me! I'll never forget this. Goodbye, mister."
"Just get out of here!" one grumbled
The kid ran away, meeting up with a strange creature.
Raiden decide to follow the kid and the animal.
After a few hours the kid started to have trouble.
He paused far more often then earlier, the heat started to affect him.
Raiden decided that he should help the kid.
He made his way towards the kid, the sun in his back to shield the kid.
"Here," he said, offering a bottle of water, "You look like you need it."
"Thank you, Mr..?"
"My name is Raiden, just Raiden."
"My name is Genis."
"Well, Genis what are you doing here in this desert? I don't think it's for fun."
"I am looking for my friends."
"You mean a group of three people: one male, two females. One female is a blonde girl, the other is a angry looking woman with your hair-colour?"
"Yes, did you meet them?"
"I met them, yes. They're behind you."
"What!" Genis spun around, looking at the trio.
"Genis! What are you doing here?" the woman said, and she gave him a spanking.
"Raine, I do not believe this is the time for that," the man said, "But why are you here? Isn't Lloyd with you?"
Raiden spoke, "Is Lloyd a boy with red clothes and two swords?"
"Yes, he is. Did you see him?"
"I saw him, he was being carried away from Triet by soldiers. I think I saw Genis there as well."
Raine looked shocked, "Why were you with the Desians?"
"They took Lloyd, I couldn't leave him."
"We must save Lloyd, please," the blonde girl said.
"I suppose so, and if the Chosen wishes it."
Raiden looked surprised, "You are the Chosen?"
"Yes, I am. I am going to try my best to regenerate the world."
"Pardon me if I offend you but you aren't really looking like a Chosen. I always thought the Chosen was trained to deal with monsters and survival. You hardly seem to be able to be the Chosen."
"Hey, don't speak to Collete like that. She's going to regenerate the world."
"I am just speaking my mind. Out of the complete party the mercenary is the only one I would think in the group of the chosen."
"It is unfortunately true, we are not really a group looking like a group of the Chosen," Raine said.
"Which can work in your advantage, sometimes deception is better then telling the truth."
"That is true, but the Chosen is widely known throughout the land."
"Perhaps but her appearance isn't well known," Raiden said, "So that work in our advantage."
The mercenary looked at Raiden, "Our?"
"The people that took Lloyd, I have some.. personal issues to discuss with them. I guessed that you planned to rescue him."
"You were correct in that assumption," The mercenary said.
"Since we will travelling with each other for a small time, I'd like to know you a little better."
"In what way," Raine asked.
"Names, Battleskills, weapons. We will be in battle quite often, so who do I need to cover, things like that."
Collete was the first, "I am Collete Brunel, I use chakrams as my weapons."
Raiden smiled, "So you stand in the middle of the battle, using mid-range attacks mostly."
"I guess I do."
"Genis, how about you?"
"I am Half-elven," He said uncertain, but when Raiden didn't show hatred, he continued, "My main weapon is my magic, I use a kendama as my focus and use offensive magic."
"I see, maybe you can show me later."
"I am Raine Sage, I am the sister of Genis and I mainly use supportive magic. I am also a schoolteacher"
"I hope you don't need to come into action too often, but some things can't be helped. You shouldn't worry, I am not a hater of Half-elves."
"And you are?" the Mercenary asked.
"Give me your name and I shall give you mine."
Genis and Collete started laughing, Raine grinned a little.
"What!" Raiden asked.
"It's just that Lloyd uses the exact same phrase."
"I see. Well anyway, I am Raiden. I was trained in multiple fighting-styles. I have an understanding of magic due to a minimum amount of elven-blood in my veins. I can work defensive, offensive or supportive. My weapon is a twin sword, which can combine into a double saber. I can also fight with one sword. Personally I am a frontfighter."
"You can use magic?" Genis asked surprised.
"I can, all three kinds. I chose to learn them, so if a war is coming I can protect everybody I care about."
Raiden looked at the Mercenary.
"I am Kratos, you already know I am a mercenary. I know some small magic and daggers and swords are my specialty."
"Nice to meet you," Raiden said, "I think I know how the battle works, and I'll probably protect Genis and Raine."
"Thank you," Raine said.
"Do we save Lloyd or not?" Kratos said.
Raiden wasn't sure, but did he hear concern in the Mercenary's voice?
"I think it's best to go now, or go back to Triet. The sun is nearing it's peak so out in the desert it will be scorching hot."
"Let's go to the base, who knows what the Desians will do to Lloyd."
"Genis, lead the way. You know where it is, Right?"
"Yeah, this way."
The group followed the Half-Elven boy through the desert.