Hello, okay you remember when I told you about the pic, well it's already finished, I've already got it up on and the link is posted on my profile, so if you guys wouldn't mind would you look at it and tell me what you think. Also there is going to be one up soon with her in her knight outfit. Sorry if they suck. Thank you.
By the time we reached the lake bed again, I was so pissed off that I could cut a tree with my bare hands. It wasn't the fact that Richter was trying to be an ass, just the fact that he acted like he was something made me want to knock him for a loop. I silently simmered in the back walking behind Emil. He seemed fairly please that we were traveling with him.
We rounded the bend and arrived at the entrance to the lake cave. Unfortunately Alba was facing us when we rounded it.
"You came back again?! What's wrong with you, you demonic brat?" With just the sound of his voice I could feel my eye start to twitch.
"A friend of the vanguard, indeed." I turned my head to look at the watchman that had said that. He looked back at me and winked suggestively. I snapped. I charged him going at full speed. When I reached him I grabbed the spear that he was holding and flipped it around his back and flipped him over it then calmly placed my foot on his back like nothing had happened. Richter looked amused and Emil just looked scared to death. "He may be your nephew, but you sure took in a pest." The watchman caught my eye and backed away slowly, raising his hands as a sign of peace.
"I'm sorry." Emil hung his head and resisted the urge to whack him upside the head.
Richter, who was finally fed up with waiting approached Alba. "The mayor has given his permission for Emil to accompany me. Step aside."
"The mayor, but…" Alba looked up at him. Richter stepped threateningly closer.
"Move!" Alba stared at him in fear before stepping back and out of the way. Richter began to strut to the entrance and I made to follow. He turned back and looked at Emil. "What are you waiting for? Come on, let's go."
"Wait, there are monsters in there." I turned to look at Alba who was staring at us like we were crazy.
"Yes, and?" Richter looked at him.
"I'm telling you it's dangerous. You can go if you want, but leave him here with us." Alba stated swinging around his spear. I laughed as he hit one of his men in the head with the tip.
"I wasn't aware that you actually cared what happened to Emil, Alba." I said serious again and looked Alba in the eyes.
"Yes, and didn't you just call him a demonic little brat?" Richter said backing me up. "Emil, what do you want to do?"
I too looked at Emil for his consent on what to do. "I…"
"Emil! You stay with us." Alba stated putting his hands on his hips and gave his nephew a stare that said "disobey and die".
"I…" He started again.
"Make up your mind," Richter said, "even dogs can think for themselves."
Richter turned and walked into the darkness of the cave, I looked at Emil, and then Alba, before hesitantly following him. Richter was waiting at the foot of the stairs. I stopped just behind and leaned against the wall to wait for Emil. I knew that he wouldn't let me down. He had told Richter that he would help him find Marta, and Emil didn't like letting people down.
"Richter, can I ask you something?" I took his grunt as a yes. "What exactly is that thing? Is it an axe or what?"
He turned to see me pointing to the thing that was attached to his ass. He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yes, it is an axe."
"Okay, just asking because it doesn't look like any kind of axe I've ever seen before." He rolled his eyes at me again and looked at Emil who was running down the stairs.
"Richter…" Emil said staring at his feet again.
"Let's go." He started walking off again.
"Huh?" Emil said confusedly
"You are coming with us, are you not?" Richter stated irritated.
"Yes!"
"Don't get in my way. You're responsible for taking care of yourself. I'll back you out if things get to tough." I would have been offended if I hadn't known that Richter probably understood that Emil hadn't ever fought a lot in his life seeing as he was so meek and not to mention squeamish. We started walking again and I made note that if it wasn't for the glowing crystals that lined the walls you wouldn't have been able to see down here at all.
"Alba really laid into you. Why didn't you say anything back?" Richter asked Emil as we walked down a small passage. I shivered when I felt the small draft that dragged across us from a hidden opening somewhere. Ever since my pact with Ventus I was extremely sensitive to the wind. I pushed the feeling aside and listened to Emil and Richter's conversation. I wanted to know why he hadn't said anything too, even though I had a pretty good idea what it was.
"I'm sorry." I groaned when I heard him say the dreaded two words.
"You were like that with the kids in town, as well." I raised my hand up and whirled my index finger around in the air.
"Way to go Mr. obvious you get a prize for telling us the most known piece of information around, good for you." I whistled innocently as Richter glared at me. "Bullies like that will never leave you alone until you stand up to them. Do you understand? Nothing will change if you just take it."
"I'm sorry." Emil cried stepping back a little.
"What did I say about over apologizing?" Richter returned.
"Oh, right." Emil looked down at his feet.
"I'm not blaming you. You're free to do as you choose." Richter turned his head away from Emil. "Just don't be so submissive all the time. Have more respect for yourself."
"Seriously Emil, this guy is telling you the exact same stuff that I have been trying to drill in your head for almost a week. Yet why do you make more progress when he says it?" Emil looked down sheepishly at my question. Richter looked surprised at my statement and looked to Emil for the answer.
"I suppose because the way he says it is so different from the way you say it." I curled one eyebrow. "I mean you just kind of say it like you wish I would do it, he just kind of…well" As he talked his voice got softer and softer, so much so that I couldn't hear the rest of his statement. I jumped as Richter let out a quick sharp sound that I guess was supposed to be a laughed. I rubbed my head. I didn't want to know anymore.
We stopped in front of a door that looked like it would fall if any of us touched it. I traced the pattern on the door with my fingers and stepped back hastily when the door began to creak and slowly pull open.
"Is that supposed to happen?" I turned to look at Richter who didn't look a bit surprised.
"Yes, they haven't been used in a long time therefore they don't look like they should open though." I nodded and turned back to the now open door way.
"Emil, you've fought monsters before, I assume?" Richter turned to look at Emil again.
"Well, I…" Emil started.
"Don't tell me you haven't?" Richter's voice had a put out tone to it.
"Twice, I think." I blinked.
"You think?" Richter looked to me for answers.
"Emil, it only counts as one, seeing as it was the same bear." I nodded and held up one finger. I turned to look at the cute little blue puff ball that came down the passage.
"This one should do nicely." I pouted at Richter; he was going to kill it. Oh, well. I stepped back to stand behind and watched as Emil brought the blade up to his chest. There was one problem.
"You're to tight Emil. Let your hands loosen. If you hold the blade that close to you all the time you risk hurting yourself more then your enemy." I adjusted his hands on the blade and moved his arms until they were hanging by his side. He half jogged towards the polwigle and started to swing the blade. I shook my head at the way he was just tossing it around. "Aim Emil, don't just swing it!"
"We are going to need to work on his style." Richter said not looking at me.
"Yeah we are, I'm afraid if we don't it's un-telling what will happen."
"Ah, stop it!" I looked to see the Polwigle attacking Emil who was trying to run away.
"Guard!" I called to him.
"How do I do that?" He called back. I sighed.
"Par it with you sword dummy." I imitated throwing the blade out horizontally to block an imaginary attack. Emil tried his best to copy it, and managed to succeed; never mind how shaky his hands were. Emil stumbled a bit as the guard was broken.
"What happened?" He asked me.
"You held the guard to long. They can be broken if you hold them up for to long." I vaguely noted Richter beside me casting a first aid spell at Emil. Emil got in three hits before the Polwigle struck back and Emil wasn't able to throw up a guard in time.
"Do you think we should intervene now?" Richter asked me in a calm voice.
"I think it would prudent." I followed behind as he charged in as soon as the words left my mouth.
"Mortal Summer." A giant flame leapt from the tips of his blade to the ground and pushed the Polwigle up into the air. I jumped up and began to spin.
"Heavenly tempest!" when the Polwigle landed on the ground Richter allowed Emil the last few strikes that effectively killed it.
"I don't think I could stand to do this very much." Emil said looking at the corpse when I landed.
"I hope that there isn't, but there may be a time in your life that you have to Emil. It's good for even common village people to know good self-defense. Not to mention that with all the attacks on towns by monsters and the Vanguard these days you may have to use it more then you like." I replaced my sword in the scabbard. Emil was looking at the ground.
"Like the blood purge?" he asked I a quiet voice.
"Yes, like the blood purge in Palmacosta six months ago. You parents might have lasted longer if they knew some of this stuff." I felt bad for bringing up his lost parents, but he needed to understand what uses that battle skills could have.
"By the way what were those moves?"
"They're called artes. You learn more of them the more you fight and develop your skills." Richter explained tucking his axe back into his butt pouch…heh, butt pouch.
"Even I can learn them?" Emil asked in awe.
"You will in time. Do you understand how to fight now?" Emil blanched a little.
"I think so." I could tell that Emil wasn't really that comfortable with the entire concept of fighting yet, and I could tell that Richter could see that too.
"Don't worry, I told you I'll back you up." Emil nodded a little. "I'm the one who asked for your help, I won't let anything happen to you."
Does anyone else sense a cute romance scene coming? I didn't realize that I had said this aloud until I noticed that Richter was glaring at me.
"I'll be here too Emil, between the two of us you'll be safer then those people in town." I rounded on Richter when I heard a distinct snort. "Excuse me, but do you find something questionable about my skills?"
"I find the idea that a woman as small as you could even pick up a sword questionable, not to mention that you obviously are not serious enough to be a swordsman." Before I could retort he turned around and started walking away. My shoulders shook and my fists clenched. I punched the wall and Emil jumped back when I left a small dent in the wall.
"Oh, I am so going to kill him, and you know what," I laughed manically, "I'm going to do it with his own stupid axe thingy!" Emil stepped farther away from me and started to follow after Richter. I laughed again and followed them both. When I caught up to them they were just standing there looking at one another.
"Why are you looking for Marta?" I looked to Richter to see if the jackass would even answer.
"Is that something that you know in order to live?" Richter asked pushing his glasses up his nose.
"Not really, but how do we know that you won't kill us when we find her and then rape the poor girl of her innocence. You rapist!" I might have only been seeing things, but did I just see his hands twitch towards his axe.
"I have no need to satisfy your idle curiosity." He stating before turning his head.
"Yeah you only want to satisfy your own." I mumbled.
"I'm sorry." Emil said hanging his head.
"Don't apologize so excessively." Richter crossed his arm. "I am often accused of being short with people. I don't intend to change my ways, but that doesn't mean that I have anything against you."
"Thank you." I watched Emil stand up a little straighter with the information that Richter didn't necessarily hate him.
"That's not something you need to thank me for." Richter looked at me like this was my fault, I stuck my middle finger up at him and laughed when he growled. Down boy.
"Oh, sorry." Emil slumped over again. Richter and I sighed in unison.
We started walking again at a slower pace then we were before. Emil was dazedly walking in front of us. I was a little to hyperaware that Richter was walking right next to me, so close in fact that our arms accidentally brushed together. Almost like we had both staring at the same place on the ceiling we stopped walking almost simultaneously, but Emil just continued on.
"Emil, stop!" Richter called out. I pulled out my sword in case Emil didn't wake up in time to get away. He finally pulled himself out just in time to escape the giant spider that was hanging in front of us. I picked a loose rock up from the ground and threw it up at the monster and watched as it jumped and landed, then took off. "Pay attention, you almost walked right into a monster." Richter reprimanded him.
"Sorry." I sighed as once again Emil hung his head.
"If you run into any monsters you see walking around, you'll have to fight it. Got it?" Richter pushed his glasses up his nose again. "If you stumble into an enemy, as you almost did, they are likely to get the upper hand and attack you from behind."
"So the way you run into monsters makes a difference?" Emil tilted his head to the side.
"Yes, it does. It could either make or break your battle." I said before Richter could start explaining. "If you attack them from behind it will turn the battle into your favor, but if they get you from behind, well just don't let them get behind you." I stated crossing my arms.
"The same is also true for fleeing. You should always be aware of your enemy's movements; otherwise it could get you killed." Richter finished my explanation.
"Okay, I understand." Emil said
"And one more thing, we can't have you wondering around in a daze like that so listen; its not that I didn't appreciate your words of gratitude. I simply feel that there is not need to give more thanks or apologize then the situation calls for."
"Alright." Emil said.
"We must express ourselves to convey ourselves to others. However, I feel emotions loose their strength once they're put into words." I stifled a snicker as he flicked his hair back. "Therefore I prefer to speak only what is absolutely necessary. That's all."
"Okay!" Emil nodded enthusiastically.
"This is the first time I've ever had to explain this much to anyone." Richter said in a put out voice.
We started walking again, but got sidetracked for a while when Emil ran down an extra passage and came back with 300 gald. "I found it in a chest back there." He said. I shook my head put the money in my waist pack seeing as he was afraid that it would fall out of his pockets. When we finally made it back to the door Richter stood in front of it analyzing the different design on the door.
"Master Richter!" Even I jumped when the voice rang out through the cave. I wasn't scared only mildly startled. Emil however was shaking in his shoes.
"What was that?" He asked Richter. I backed away from the two of them slowly and allowed the air around me to whisper what it had learned.
"Another Centurion invades the home of Lumen." They said in a low tone. "The centurion of water if we are not mistaken."
I nodded at the information and went to stand back with them.
"It was probably just a monster, don't worry about it." Richter said with a tight voice.
"Of course I'm going to worry." Emil's voice broke.
"Then you can wait here." Richter pushed his glasses again.
"What about you?" Emil asked.
"There is a monster in there. Probably a strong one. Wait here until I take it out." Richter told us.
"No, he only wants the core carried by the girl." My eyes widened as the wind whispered. The core…the red jewel.
"But, I…" Emil started.
"You'll only get in the way. Stay here." With that the door opened and Richter began to walk through. I made to follow but it closed before I could make it through.
Emil fell to the ground on his knees. I looked him over making sure that there wasn't something wrong with him, but he didn't seem injured.
"Aaahh!" I shot to my feet and had my sword pulled when the scream rang out.
"That sounded like Marta." Emil said standing up behind me.
"Come on we have to help her." I trudged to the door and place my palm on the seal and watched as it glowed and began to slowly open.
Emil was pacing behind me and I could hear him muttering.
"Emil lets go." I called back to him.
"We don't know anything about her." He said back to me. I turned to look at him. I must have been glaring for the look on my face sent him stepping back a few steps.
"So that's it, she saves your life and you're not going to pay her back for that?" I could hear the venom in my voice. He looked shocked for a minute and then a determined expression came over him.
"I can't just ignore it." I nodded and turned back to the door that was now open enough for us to get through.
"Let's go!" I shot forward through the darkness and listened to Emil's loafers, and my boots pounding the ground. I squinted my eyes against the light and mentally gasped at the scene.
Okay that's it. Sorry if I left you with a bit of a cliffy, but you'll be okay until the next chapter I hope. I've decided that at the end of every chapter I'm going to tell you guy's one piece of absolutely useless information until I run out. So the first one is, Stewardesses is the longest word typed with only the left hand. Okay, I'll see you guys soon.
