Hey there! Oh, and Miiake, soory for the confusion about Sakaki. In Azumanga Diaoh, Sakaki loves animals (hence the beastmaster job), yet animals don't love her. Her favourite is cats by far, yet every time she tries to pet one it latches it's jaws onto her hand. She always acts strange around animals because she is embarassed that everyone else thinks she's cool and collected yet on the inside she adores cute animals. Hope that clears that up. Enjoy! Oh yea and YAY! The story is now over 30,000 words and fits the criteria to be officially called a novel! woooo!
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My stomach grumbled. "But before we embark upon this epic journey, I need some gods damn food"
"Good idea.", Tomo said and rushed for the door. "C'mon guys"
Leslie, Yomi and Sakaki nodded in agreement and joined us by the door.
"No food.", the Soulforged said and sat herself down on the bed. Shrugging off the girl, we exited teh room and followed the enticing scent of cooking downstairs into the dining room. The room sparkled with an almost sterile look. The tables, chairs, carpet, and practically everything else was spotless in the rather small room. I counted 10 tables and only 3 of them were occupied. Two men dressed in an outfit similar to the one Yomi was wearing sat at a table in the far corner speaking to one another. Another was occupied by a woman dressed in brown wearing a tall hat. She picky idly at her plate and kept looking towards the door. At the last occupied table sat an old, grungy man wearing a plain brown tunic and gulping down none other than friend chicken. My mouth began to water. Friend chicken was my number one favourite food item of all time, and I've had a lot of food. I've even killed for it before. Anyhow, as I looked into the room an unaturally chipper teenage girl dressed in an apron approached us.
"Table for five?", she asked, far too happily.
I nodded to her.
"Excellent, would you like to try our new Specialty Table"
"Umm..sure.", I agreed. I heavily wondered how a table could be 'specialty.
"Ok! Follow me"
She led tehe five of us to a table near the two men dressed in red. Pulling up chairs, we sat down around the circular table. No sooner had we sat down then a horn sounded. Looking up in surprise, thre mirror balls descended from the ceiling to hang over our heads. The lights flashed a myriad of colours as confetti rained from above. A minute or so passed with flashing, multicoloured lights; mirror balls, confetti and very loud techno music that sounded like every other electronic song I've ever heard. All of a sudden it all stopped. The lights turned back to the normal white, the mirror balls retreated into holes in the ceiling and each of us stared at one another, covered in small, colourful pieces of paper.
"The hell was that...?", Tomo asked anyone who may have an answer.
"That was our special event! Wasn't it fun!?", the girl said happily, a large smile plastered almost perminantly on her face.
We were speechless. It's not everyday that simple eating turns into a techno rave. She handed us each a laminated menu with that smile still apparent on her cute face.
"I'll be back when you're ready.", she said and skipped off.
"'Bout time...", I mumbled. Leslie glared over her menu at the remark.Brushing off the confetti, I perused the menu. Most of the food sounded foreign. Such as Nebominite Bake, Yayla Corbasi, and Sutlac. There was no mention of fried chicken. I DISTINCTLY saw the man eating fried chicken.
"I'm having carbonara.", Leslie announced.
"Well, I'm gonna get smoked salmon.Mmmmm", Tomo said, licking her lips.
"I'll have..hmm..tonosama rice balls.", Yomi decided.
"What 'cha gettin Sakaki?", Tomo asked the silent girl.
"Cat Tail Surprise.", she murmured. I should have known it.
"What you gettin' Mr.Prior?",Tomo asked me next.
"I dunno...I saw that guy eatin fried chicken, but it's not on the damn menu.", I said with a bit of irritation.
"What guy?", asked Leslie.
I pointed out the old man that was still picking at his fried chicken.
"Oh,", she said, "That's not chicken. that's fried cockatrice"
"...It any good?", I asked.
"It tastes like..umm..", she thought for a moment, "..like dhalmel mixed with a little bit of coeurl.", she concluded.
Like hell I knew what that tasted like. The teenage waitress bounced her way happily back to our table.
"Ready to order?", she said.
We each placed our orders, but when I told her I wanted fried cockatrice she gave me a grave look.
"I'm sorry, Sir. That dish is only reserved for important dignitaries and visiting delegates"
"Then why does that guy have it?", I pointed out the old man still chewing on his bones.
"That man, Sir is Captain Phillius Desmark, leader of the Jeunoan Guard.", she sounded offended by my ignorance.
"Well, Ma'am", I stood up and heft Azura above my head impressively, "I am Lord Heronious Fillgrek, king of the lost Minoan kingdom, come to Jeuno for rest and political business.", godly music would have followed this false statement, but instead it was Azura's voice.
"Yea, give him the food"
Seemingly startled and maybe a bit scared the girl bowed quickly and retreated through the kitchen door. I sat down with a wide, wide grin on my face. I was so absorbed in my own small accomplishment that I didn't notice the two men in red approaching our table.
"Are you truly the king of the Minoans?", the gray haired, older man asked me with wide eyes.
"Y..yes, yes I am.", I played along with the ruse. I could hear Tomo trying not to burst out in laughter.
"OH! We must interview you, Sir!", the younger, long haired man said excitedly.
"After dinner, good sirs, I will meet you in the lobby.", I said haughtily.
"Oh, that would be grand, Sir. We'll be waiting patiently.", the older man said. Both gave a curt bow and left the dining room.
I turned back to the table with a canyon-like grin on my face.
"Why did you do that?", Yomi and Leslie asked almost simultaniously.
"Cuz it was fun?", I asked no one in particular.
Sighs followed along with Tomo's yell of "All right!" and the slapping together of our hands.
"Hey, they might know something.", I said.
"Like what?", Yomi asked.
"I dunno..something about Lord Eald'narche and his plans.", I shrugged. I didn't believe that myself.
"Hey,", whispered the voice of Azura, "Those guys are from the Jeuno Chronicle. It's a newspaper"
"Oh, crap...this should be fun.", I mused.
"Did you even know that Minoa was an actual civilizaion on this planet and that it fell into ruin ages ago?", Leslie asked very, very seriously.
"No...", I admitted. I had heard 'Minoan' at some point in my travels. Can't quite recall when or where.
"Then you're in for a surprise.", she said.
"I'm sure I can formulate something.", I said. She grinned at me disbelievingly.
The super happy hyper waitress returned with 5 steaming plates of food in her hands.
"Have a nice meal!", she said once she had handed us our respective plates and bounced away as bubbly as ever. I drooled at the breaded, deep-fried delicacy on my plate before me. I picked it up gingerly and bit into the soft flesh. I wanted to vomit fourty times over. The deep-fried cockatrice tasted like deep fried ass. It was horrible to no end. Yet, I ate every bit. Needless to say, I was very hungry. I wiped my chin with a napkin and stood up from the table. "I'ma go get my interview done then head off to bed. See ya in a bit.", I grinned with confidence and left the table with a wave. Walking from the dining room, I entered the lobby. Both men were perched on the edge of the suede loveseat as I approached.
"Have a seat, Sir.", the older man tipped his feathered hat towards a comfortable looking chair the colour of blue.
I sat down and sank into the comfort of the deep cushons.
"Ask away.", I said non-chalantly.
The older man coughed and began to speak. Then the younger man leaned foward and excitedly spoke.
"Where is Minoa"
"Far, far away...to the west.", I pointed in a random direction.
"How has Minoa survived"
"Cooperation with...people of the..state..", I said ambiguously.
"Wha..", he began, but was stopped by the older man.
"Calm down, Jesi. We have to pose our questions truthfully and with poise.", he said.
"Yes, Sir...", lamented Jesi.
"Ok, King Heronious Fillgrek, why have you come to Jeuno?", the old man said calmly, hands folded.
"I wish to meet with one Lord Eald'narche.", I hit upon a perfect oppertunity.
"Ah, Lord Eald'narche. I have written many articles about him.", the man said with a nod.
"What do you know about him?", I asked with an honest smile.
"Well,", he began, "five years ago Eald'narche set out to become a god. He and his brother, the Duke of Jeuno, thought they had found the Gate of the Gods. They were wrong and were defeated by a group of rebels that did not wish for their godhood"
"So, to some he is a hero?", I asked.
"Yes.", the man nodded, "Lord Eald'narche and Duke Kam'lanaut have brought Jeuno much prosperety and wealth. If they were to be immortal Jeuno could truly last forever"
"How did he try to obtain this godhood?", I asked, trying my damndest to sound convincing.
"So, now you're asking the questions eh?", Jesi leaned towards me.
"Quiet Jesi, this man can ask all the questions he wishes.", the older man reprimanded.
Jesi sat back with an audible grunt of displeasure and crossed his arms.
"Lord Eald'narche's first task was to open the long dormant gate to Tu'Lia. Tu'Lia is called the Gate of the Gods because according to legend it is where the Goddess Altana rests. Upon going to Tu'Lia, Eald'narche found no goddess or any method of godhood. Thus he was then defeated by the rebels. Him and Kam'lanaut returned to Jeuno in secret and now live quietly in the palace. It saddens me that the two men could not attain their goals. Jeuno could have prospered.", the old man gazed languidly at the carpet.
"What is Tu'Lia like?", I asked.
"According to legend, Tu'Lia is a floating shrine built by the Zilart. Made from pure cermet, it thrives with plants and the only living creatures upon that island are the Shrinekeepers"
"The Zilart?", I questioned. Man, this was too easy.
"You certainly ask a lot of questions.", Jesi interjected.
"Sit outside, Jesi. I cannot have you disrespecting the King of Minoa.", the old man raised his voice.
"Fine.", Jesi shrugged and exited the building, the oak door slamming behind him.
"I apologize, Sir. He is young and foolish. By the way my name is Beron.", the old man told me.
"Pleased to meet you.", I shook his hand politely, "But, please, tell me about the Zilart"
"Ah, yes. The Zilart were a race that existed upon Vana'diel long before any of the other five races. Humes like you and me came long after the Zilart were destryoed by a vengeful Altana and the Terrestrial Avatars. The world was shaken apart. The only reminants of the Zilart are their monuments. The cermet monoliths of Delkfutt's Tower, Fei Yin, the Crags of Dem, Holla, and Mea, the fabled creations of Tu'Lia, Ra'Nau, and their Celestial Capital of Al'Taieu. After their fall the first civilizations of the current races appeared. This is supposedly when your country of Minoa was formed.", Beron told me.
"Ah, yes, I know of the Minoan creation story, but us Minoans do not know about the Zilart.", I lied to him.
"It is a great piece of history, the Zilart. Some say they're still around, somewhere.", Beron mused.
Oh, how I wanted to tell him. "Let us say they do exist. What do you think would happen if they returned once more to rule the planet?",I asked.
"A great war...I would assume. Far worse than the current beastman wars. The Zilart are powerful creatures. It was said that they were second only to gods.", Beron clucked his tongue in thought. That sure boosted my spirits. The kid we were up against was from a race 'second only to gods.
"How could the races of Vana'diel defeat the Zilart"
"That..I truly do not know..", Beron sighed. I yawned, I was tremendously tired. I had had enough fun playing with this poor soul and had garned quite a bit of info about our enemy.
"I tire, good sir. Would it be alright if I retired for the night?", I asked politely.
"It is late. I don't blame you. Good night, Sir. It was great talking with you. Talking like this was fa more interesting than any interview, so I thank you.", Beron stood up as I did and shook my hand briskly.
"Good night.", I called over my shoulder as I mounted the stairs up to my room.
"Sleep well, Sir.", Beron turned out the door and went into the Jeunoan night.
"What do you think of all that?", I asked Azura.
"Hmm...", he hummed," I didn't know all THAT about the Zilart, I just thought they were tough dudes. But second to gods...very strange indeed.Yet understandable"
I flopped myself upon the only open bed once I reached the room I was staying in. I had to share it with the Soulforged, who didn't seem to be actualy sleeping; and Sakaki, who was sleeping soundly probably dreaming of kitties.
Once more I found myself floating in the deep, cold darkness, and once more the azure light shined before me. From that light came the familiar form of Jahlo, dressed in a gossamer blue robe. She beckoned me to enter the light. I felt compelled to follow my friend, she had yet to lead me wrong. The blueness opened into a scene of peace. Tall white towers protruded from what looked to be the ocean. I could tell that because the air seemed to flow and distort the image slightly. The towers surrounded a large building similar to the white collossal structures that Leslie had called 'crags'. Floating above the building was a swirling orange morass. Power couruscated within the whirling portal.
"What is this?", I asked the unseen Jahlo.
"Witness the Gate of the Gods...", she responded. Within moments the vision faded. Dammit.
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Thanks for reading everyone! It's because of you that I have now written my first novel! There's plenty more to come so keep reading! (man, that made me sound like some crappy rock star)
-peace-