Chapter 2: The Pirate and the Pugilist
"I told you before, white mage," a Cornelian guard said sternly, "I don't know when the bridge will be repaired, and the castle is closed off to the public until a private matter is settled."
"I understand, but I am here on very important business," Arin retorted calmly as he revealed his crystal. "I am searching for the others who bear the crystals. It is a matter of grave importance."
"That crystal! Then it's true..." The guard glanced up at the king's tower, then back to the white mage. "You may enter, but the king is in a foul mood. It would be best if you tread lightly."
"That is fine. I do not intend to disturb the king, unless he himself was chosen by the crystals."
"Make way!" A squadron of Cornelian knights slowly trudged into the castle. Most of the soldiers were severely wounded, though not a single one was beyond saving.
"What happened to them?" Arin asked, watching the situation carefully. "Should I lend my aid?"
"We have healers here already," the guard answered. "As for what has happened, a scoundrel has kidnapped His Majesty's eldest daughter. He was once a knight of Cornelia, though not by birth, named Garland. He and his brother fled Melmond several years ago. If you wish to know more, look for a young man in baggy, green clothes." Arin nodded and searched for the man the guard spoke of.
"More grog!" Bikke shouted at the terrified bartender, mixing his drinking with crazed laughter. "Aye, this be the life, eh?"
"Aye, captain!" the pirates shouted. Amid the shouting, a stone flew through the window and struck Bikke as he was about to take a drink, causing the captain to spill his precious rum all over himself.
"Who be the dead man that dares mock the great pirate Bikke?" the captain snarled as he drew his saber. Every man in the bar, save for the pirates and one man, dove to the ground in fear. "I know ye. Yer the foolish warrior from Cornelia!"
"Ye be right." Pierre replied mockingly. "I'm through playing by your rules, criminal scum. Today, you face justice!"
"Don't ye remember what I said, boy?" He nodded to his first mate, who grabbed a maid and pressed the blade of his sword to her neck. "Someone could get hurt when swords are involved."
"Best do as he says, boy," the first mate sneered. "It'd be a shame if a girl this cute went and died because you started a fight." He let the blade lightly pierce the girl's skin, drawing a little bit of blood, grinning as she winced in pain. "Savvy?"
"You just sealed your fate, pal." A large rock smashed the remnants of the window and surrounding wall, scaring even the pirates. A second man leaped through the newly formed opening and threw a tankard at the first mate, who let go of his hostage in shock as the cup bounced off his head. He fixed his balance in time to see his attacker, a youth with messy, brown hair in a purple training gi. "The name's Agura. Let that sink in as your final thought." The pirate swung at Agura, who simply dodged the attack and jumped over him. "Too slow!" Within moments, the pirate found himself unable to move his head. "Good-bye." In an instant, Agura snapped the first mate's neck with his bare hands.
"Agura, stop!" Pierre shouted. "I was ordered to take in these pirates alive." At hearing the warrior's plea, two pirates took up their swords and charged him, only for them both to be swiftly outmatched and sent to the tavern floor with severe cuts on their arms and legs that all but paralyzed them. "You'll live," Pierre grunted.
"What's this? Another one?" Bikke growled. He was down to six able-bodied crewmen, caught between the two crystal bearers. "You lot! To the ship!" Bikke and his men scrambled to leave through the hole in the wall, but three men were struck down by the duo.
"Running away?" Pierre scoffed, standing over the defeated pirates. "Truly a cowardly lot!"
"No. Let's get out of here. Everyone clear out!" Agura ordered, picking up several injured pirates. "Take as many as you can. We don't have time for trips." Pierre nodded and dragged the remaining pirates out of the tavern. Not long after Agura gave the order, a loud explosion echoed as a cannonball crashed into the building, sending it crashing down. "Just as I thought."
"Ye cannot win!" Bikke bragged. "Ye honestly didn't think me entire crew left our ship unguarded, did ye?"
"You cur!" Pierre snapped.
"Careful, boy!" Bikke warned. "I just need to give me cannoneer the signal, and 'e'll fill Pravoka with holes!" He turned to Agura and smiled. "Ye predicted that attack, lad. I must commend ye fer it."
"My old man always told me it's unwise to keep all your wares on one ship," Agura replied. "I figured any pirate as infamous as you wouldn't open yourself to such a blunder."
"Yer old man, eh? Must have been a merchant of sorts. I wonder, are ye here for revenge? Did I sink yer old man's trade boat? Was it the Enterprise? The Nautilus?"
"No. He called his ship Leviathan. Is that one familiar? It's plastered across the back of your ship, after all." Bikke recoiled in surprise at the monk's claim.
"Agura?" Pierre gasped. "You know this pirate?"
"Hardly. He just looks like sea scum to me. I was just hoping to find some remnant of my father on my travels. When I heard of Captain Bikke's ship, I had to see for myself."
"Sea scum, eh?" Bikke threw down his saber in frustration. "Is that what ye think I be? Why not fight me then, man to man, no weapons, no rocks. I'll show ye why I am the great Captain Bikke!"
"No weapons? Has the pirate gone mad?" various townspeople murmured.
"Yer in fer it now, bandana boy!" the pirates jeered. "The captain's never lost a brawl!"
"Is that so?" Agura said with a smirk. "Then this will be interesting." Agura dashed forward, ready to punch the captain, but just as he got close, he jumped over the pirate and stuck his leg out for an axe-kick.
"Heh." Bikke, unfazed by the fake out, threw his arm up and blocked the attack. "Ye give yerself away too easily." He grabbed Agura by the leg and slammed him into the ground. "Ye'll lose at this rate, kid!"
"That's what you think!" Agura kicked at Bikke's legs, throwing off the pirate's balance. "Try to block this!" The monk leaped into the air once more for another kick.
"Foolish kid! I'll just block it agai-Ack!" Agura changed his angle in midair, striking at Bikke's exposed elbow, breaking the arm at the joint. "Arrgh! Dirty trick!"
"Look who's talking!" Agura sneered. "Had enough?" Bikke charged at the monk, but his assault was short lived as Agura knocked him flat on his face, then struck at his back, rendering the man motionlessly suffering in pain. Everyone watched in silence as the monk turned to face the crowd. "Which one of you is next?"
"Y-Yer a demon!" The pirates fled towards their ship, only to run into Pierre and several unconscious pirates. "Yipe!"
"You aren't going anywhere, save for Cornelia's dungeon," Pierre said with a scowl. The pirates, knowing they were outmatched, dropped their swords. "That's wise of you."
"So this is all of them, then?" Agura asked as the townsfolk went to work tying up the pirates, about a dozen besides Bikke.
"I believe so. Much of this was your doing. Cornelia thanks you for your support." Pierre glanced at Bikke and frowned. "What did you do to him?"
"I didn't kill him, if that's what you mean," Agura said defensively.
"H-Hey," Bikke groaned. "Ye, in the purple. I lost to ye today, but I must warn ye; ye won't get far with that primitive fighting style."
"It beat an unbeatable sea dog, didn't it?" Agura countered. "I don't think you have any right to criticize my technique."
"Feh. I be wastin' my breath," Bikke grumbled. "I don't think I'll be tasting the salty sea air much longer. Since it'd be a shame to let such a fine vessel rot, I'll let ye be havin' it."
"That's not up to you, criminal," Pierre added curtly. "What happens to your ill-gotten goods is for the king of Cornelia to decide."
"But the ship was my father's," Agura pointed out. "This man's claim aside, it should be mine by virtue of inheritance."
"Perhaps. In any case, we must sail for Cornelia to deliver these pirates to their judgment. What happens after can be sorted out later."
"Hello?" Arin wandered the halls of the castle until he came across an elderly man. "Hello, good sir. I am looking for a man in green clothing. Did he come this way?"
"Ah, you must mean Gordon," the old man huffed. "He's over there." The old man pointed to a column a ways away. "He tends to hide out around there often. I haven't seen him leave that spot."
"I see." Arin made his way to the place the old man described, and surely enough, he saw a man in loose, green clothes sulking in the corner. "Excuse me, but would you happen to be Gordon?"
"Huh?" Gordon glanced up at the white mage. "That's my name. And you are?"
"My name is Arin. I am on a pilgrimage to find those that bear the crystals." Just at that moment, Arin noticed his crystal emit a green glow. "What? Could it be?" He glanced at the thief, whose bag was faintly glowing. "Do you have the Earth Crystal?"
"You mean this? Whoa." Gordon Noticed the glow as he opened his pouch. "This again?"
"Gordon, do you know the significance of what you hold?" Arin asked.
"This is one of the four crystals that signify the Warriors of Light, destined to return the crystals to grace, as Lukahn foretold," Gordon answered. "Which means Garland was wrong! The prophecy is true!"
"It is," Arin assured the Cornelian. "I hold the Wind Crystal. Only the crystals of Fire and Water remain hidden." At that moment, a guard walked into the room. "Yes?"
"The king wishes to see you. Both of you," The guard replied.