Chapter Five: Delivery to Cadoan
"Sso where'ss thiss persson we're ssuppossed to be giving thesse to?" asked Kei.
"Not far," said Azila, looking up and down the street. "In fact, I think- ah, indeed, there it is!"
The others turned to look where Azila was pointing.
"Come on, let's make this delivery and get out of here, kupo," Varei muttered, glancing around uneasily.
"Not so fast," said a voice from the rooftops.
"I guesss ssomeone really did want to ssteal it," Kei said, looking up.
"And who are you?" Azina asked.
"We're the Eluut Lookouts," the voice said, its owner coming into view. He was a human, and a thief by his clothing. "And we'd like to know what you've got there."
"Jusst ssome alchemy ssuppliess," said Kei.
"And who might they be for?"
"Zezamer Stormwatcher," said Azila.
"Ah. That's what I thought. I'm afraid I'll have to ask you not to deliver them."
"Why should we not?" Azina asked reasonably.
"We've been asked to stop this delivery by whatever means necessary."
"Who asked? And why should we care, kupo?" Varei demanded.
"Well, it's clear this isn't going to go easily," the young man said.
"And just what do you mean by that?" Azina asked.
The thief waved a hand and a few others appeared on the rooftops around them -a viera archer, a moogle thief, and two more humans, a black mage and a soldier.
"I declare an engagement!" the human thief announced.
"Joy," Varei muttered sarcastically as she pulled out her rod. "It's a fight. No doubt it'll be kupo fun!"
Kei grinned as he readied his spear.
"That'ss the sspirit," he said approvingly, the sarcasm completely failing to meet his notice at all. "Let'ss go!"
Lamoru took out his mace and waited.
The judge appeared on an unoccupied rooftop.
"Engagement between Clan Verity and the Eluut Lookouts," he said. "Either clan will win when all the members of the other have been knocked out." He blew his whistle. "Begin!"
"What are the laws for today?" Azina asked, drawing her rapier.
"Stealing and rapiers!" Azila answered, putting an arrow to her bow.
"Take the mage out first!" Azina ordered Kei. "Then go after the archer!"
"Got it!" Kei said, running forwards a little and then leaping. His armor shone in the sun as he reached the height of his jump and began to fall again.
The mage had just enough time to realize what was happening. He had been facing the bangaa's original location -but Kei had been near the corner of the building and had run around to attack him from the side. Kei might not be much for thinking, but he was good at fighting, though it helped to have Azi's directions.
The mage survived Kei's initial attack -but only just.
Azila drew her arrow back, aimed carefully towards the human thief, and fired.
"Ow!" the thief cried, putting a hand to his arm.
Azila smiled. Perfect shot.
Azina held her rapier point upright, both hands folded around the hilt, and focused.
"Fire Whip," she whispered.
A ball of red light sprung from her towards the moogle. When it reached its target, it spread into rings that lashed the moogle with fire.
Varei raised her arms, rod in her right hand, nothing in her left.
"Thunder!" she cried.
The black mage crumpled under the impact of a mild lightning strike.
Stars danced for a moment around Varei, as she was awarded a judge point.
Then the soldier, who so far they had ignored, hopped off the roof by way of a handy crate.
He slashed Varei.
"Rei!" cried Kei.
"I'll be... kupo..." Varei mumbled, staggering from the blow.
"Lamoru, help Varei!" called Azila.
Lamoru raised his arms, mace in his right hand, held like a staff. Unlike most magic-casters, he made no sound.
Light flowered over Varei. Soon she seemed fine again.
"Thanks, Lamoru," she murmured.
Lamoru just nodded.
Then the archer shot him.
Lamoru winced, but still he said not a word.
Varei raced towards the archer, but soon realized it would take quite a while to get there. The twins could get there sooner.
So she settled for the nearest target: the soldier.
"Fira!" she cried, blasting him with fire.
It took the soldier out instantly.
Another judge point for Varei.
The archer aimed carefully, just as Azila had.
"Kei, look out-" Varei began.
She was too late. The arrow struck Kei in the leg, not seriously injuring him but making it hard for him to walk.
The moogle thief, however, was stupid enough to rush down and attempt to stab Varei with his little knife. Fortunately, he missed.
Also fortunately, he had not been paying enough attention to where he was. Kei promptly stabbed him, and the moogle fell. Although he had not been next to the dragoon, he had been in spear range.
Judge point for Kei.
Azila's bow twanged. The enemy archer winced.
The human thief slashed Lamoru.
Lamoru groaned.
"Moru!" Kei sounded nearly panicked.
Lamoru shook his head slightly, as though to clear it, and started a spell.
"The disable wore off," Azila muttered.
"Heavy Dust!" cried Azina. Stones struck the viera Lookout and she collapsed with a cry.
The stars danced around Azina.
Lamoru's second Cura spell healed him.
"THUNDARA!" yelled Varei. Bolts of lightning, more powerful than that which had defeated the mage, struck the human thief.
However, the thief was not weakened by a dragoon jumping attack, and he had more resistance to magic than the soldier. He lived.
The thief had turned his back on Kei, figuring that the immobile dragoon was less of a threat than the others.
But he had miscalculated.
Kei breathed in... and out.
And fire hit the thief.
It was just enough. The thief groaned and fell.
And the last judge point went to Kei.
"Victory in this engagement goes to Clan Verity," the judge intoned. "All wounds incurred in the battle will now be healed."
"We won!" Kei yelled, grinning happily.
"Wow, I never would have guessed," muttered Varei.
"Aw, ssure you would," Kei said encouragingly. "You're pretty clever."
"...Thanks, I think, kupo," Varei said, caught somewhat off guard.
"After all, you were right about ssomeone wanting to ssteal the thingss," Kei went on, grabbing the collar of the human thief as he tried to scatter with the rest of his friends and went straight past the bangaa.
"Why did you want those?" Azina demanded of the thief. "You don't have anyone in your clan who could do anything with them."
"They could sell them," Varei offered.
"There are a variety of much easier ways to earn money," said Azila.
"Ah," Varei said, nodding. "That doesn't make sense then. Thieves are lazy. That's why they're thieves."
The thief sighed.
"Look, if I tell you, will you let me go?" he asked.
"Yes," said Azila.
"If you don't bother us on the way out," Varei added.
"Won't be any point then," said the thief. "This is what I know: there was a mission posted in the pub saying that a shipment was due to arrive today for Zezamer Stormwatcher. The request was to stop the shipment from arriving. That's all I know."
"Who posted the mission?" asked Azina.
"It was anonymous."
"Why'd you take the mission?" asked Azina, puzzled.
"I thought maybe it was some kind of dangerous stuff, something the palace didn't want Stormwatcher having. They're weird about that kind of stuff, you know."
Azila watched the whole exchange with interest. Kei stood around looking bored, Varei's eyes darted everywhere looking for another attack, and Lamoru also listened to Azina questioning the thief.
Azina sighed.
"We'd better deliver this before something else happens," she said.
"Can't be soon enough for me, kupo," Varei agreed.
Fortunately, there were no more mishaps.
"Tomorrow we'll be home," Kei said, staring at the campfire. They were all sitting around it, resting for the evening in the Eluut Sands.
"And back with Yuna," said Varei. They all missed Yuhina.
"I wonder what she's been doing?" Azina mused.
"Oh," Azila said pleasantly, "no doubt she's been keeping busy..."