The next day we met up with General Carmine in the plains outside the capital. He told us to get onboard his landship, The Hydra.

There really was something about it…

Carmine and Newo both stood near the window.

"So, what are we going to have to do to get paid?" Travis asked.

Carmine grinned with a cigar in his mouth. "I want you kids to help us smoke out some Gerudas. They've been attacking travelers and raiding farms to the north."

"That's our training?" Victoria asked. "You want us to kill Gerudas?"

Carmine laughed. "Well sure. You'll be fighting Gerudas from now on, so why not start off by stopping a couple of bandits?" He frowned. "Those damn feathery bastards, I hate the lot of 'em. It's written everywhere in records about them, how they've caused nothing but hell for the proud race of men."

He burnt his cigar out on an ashtray. "The Score even tells us about 'em. Says that one day they'll try to seize control. That's why you kids and the rest of the military are going to stop 'em," he laughed.

Travis grinned. "Oh yeah…"

I could tell that he could care less as long as he got paid.

Carmine turned towards Newo who had a look of discontent on her face. "All right, Newo. I want you to go with Vincent and help him slaughter those bastards."

Newo's eyes widened. "F-Fine, but I'm not happy about it."

Carmine grinned. "Whatever, lass. Just make sure you kill a couple of those damn bastards for me."

Newo frowned and followed us out of the door.

Oh boy, this should be interesting…

"So um, Newo…what kind of weapons do you use?" Victoria asked nervously.

Newo removed a slim hand axe from her pouch. "This is my raven. It can slice anything I desire to bits." She moved her hand up it.

"Oh t-that's great!" Victoria stammered.

"Well, you can slice up as many Gerudas as you want, Newy" Travis said.

Newo merely glared at him and said nothing.

We made our way across the plains, towards a trade route abundant with farmland. Cottages and water wells stood everywhere.

"What have these bandits been doing exactly?" I asked Newo.

She frowned. "A bunch of crap. They'll storm into houses along the path here and steal whatever they can. We've had a lot of victims recently."

I unsheathed my sword. "Well, that ends today."

The Gerudas were running up the path, carrying their daggers. They appeared to be about to bust into a house, but we stopped them.

Or at least, Newo stopped them.

She was like lighting, spinning her axe through their feathery bodies. Blood and screams went up into the air.

She wiped her axe with a linen cloth after they were completely disposed.

"Whoa, Newy! You were amazing!" Travis said.

Newo glared. "I don't need your compliments."

The General greeted us with a bellow of laughter back on The Hydra. "Serves those bastards right. You kids did great! I want you to officially join the military now!"

Travis grinned. "Hooray! Billionaire life style, here I come, baby!"

Newo narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh, you get paid a lot less then that."

Travis sighed. "Great…"

I walked through the city, the morning fresh and crisp. The streets were busy with people, all who were going on with their daily business. I stretched my arms out and grinned. Today was definitely a day to relax. I had on a plain white t-shirt, cotton pants and sandals. General Carmine had paid us just last night and Travis had told me to head to the store and pick up a six-pack of beer for him.

I didn't really understand why he couldn't do it himself, but whatever, I guess.

Besides, I felt like taking a nice walk through the city.

I stepped into the pub and was amazed at what I saw. There was a Geruda standing at the counter…no, not a Geruda.

It certainly had the wings of a Geruda. However, its face was more human-like, it had a nose and mouth instead of a beak, and sharp, pointed ears. Its feet were also human-like, made of flesh rather than being talons. "Just take your beer and get outta here, please!" The pub owner was trying desperately for it to go away.

The Geruda or whatever it was frowned. "Fine, I'm leaving. But I must say sir, you really do need to change your attitude."

He walked out.

"Damn Prise bastard, bringing his filth in here," the owner was rambling on.

Prise…?

I approached the counter and smiled at the owner.

"One pack of Heed's, please."

The owner scratched his chin. "Aren't you a little young to be drinking, kid?" he asked.

"Oh, it's not for me, its for my friend. You see, he"-

"Hey, I know who you are!" A look of bewilderment came across the owner's face. "That long red hair-you're Vincent the Bloodhound!"

I laughed at the nickname. That's what the other soldiers had dubbed me- 'Vincent the Bloodhound.'

Everyone in the city knew who I was- the guy with the long red hair who was like a bloodhound on a battlefield.

I was a local legend.

"Here kid, any soldier of Rhythm as skilled as you are deserves free beer!"

I looked at him in amazement. "Are you sure…?"

The owner grinned. "Sure, it's on the house."

I thanked him and made my way back to Victoria's house. I was living a good life- I was a hero to everyone in the city and the soldiers looked up to me.

Things were going great.

I walked into Victoria's house to find Travis sitting on the couch relaxed, wearing his dark blue bathrobe and slippers. The television was roaring with some sport going on.

"Hey, the beers are here!" he said.

I placed in down on the table. "Yeah, well, here you go."

"Hey, sit down and have one, why don't you?"

I shook my head. "I'm underage, remember?"

Travis grinned. "Come on, you're like what, nineteen? It's okay if you have a can."

That was the one thing I could remember, my age. But I guess old memories didn't really matter now.

"Hey, what's a Prise?" I asked.

Travis frowned. "A Prise? Well, they're like these race of...hmm...half human, half Gerudas, I think. I've personally never seen one."

So that guy in the bar earlier was half Geruda?

"You had better not puke your guts out on my carpet again, Travis," Victoria said, entering the room.

"Hey, relax Vicky! With all this cash I got here"- he pointed to the gald coins on the table- "I could buy you a new carpet, no, five new carpets! I don't see why Newy kept complaining, we get paid plenty!"

Victoria frowned. "Yeah, well why haven't you paid her back then yet?"

The grin vanished from Travis' face.

"How much did you owe her anyway?" I asked.

Travis whispered some amount to himself softly.

"What?" Victoria asked. "Speak up."

"50,000…."

"50,000?!" Victoria's eyes flared. "Well it's no wonder why she's always so pissed off at you!

Travis groaned. "Come on, I said I'd pay her back…"

"When?!"

"Uh…um, I don't know…. as soon as I get the money back I guess…"

"Well you won't get it back if you keep spending it as soon as you get paid!"

Travis stood up. "Hey, I'm saving up, okay? So Vinny…"

He turned towards me. "You still set to go to that amusement park downtown?"

I grinned. "Sure thing."

"Huh? You guys are going to The Velorium Carnival?" Victoria asked.

"Yeah, I got us three tickets," Travis said, "I was going to ask you to come, but"-

"Sure, I'll come!" A look of thrill came over Victoria's face. She rushed to her room to change out her sleeping clothes.

It seemed like it only took the mention of an amusement park to get her to forget things...

We went to the Ferris wheel as soon as we entered, and when we got off it, a soldier approached us.

"Vincent, sir!" he saluted me. "Emperor Claudio wishes to see you!"

I nodded.

"Do you want us to come with you?" Victoria asked.

I grinned. "No, you two enjoy yourselves. I'll be back."

I was definitely not prepared for what was going to happen later that day…