Disclaimer: Well, let's see. This happens to be on and also a story about Tales of the Abyss. Fan. Okay, point is, I don't own the game, the characters, anything—as much as I wish I did. So, if anyone honestly thinks I own the game, I give the rest of the world permission to throw large, blunt objects at said offender. Because that's seriously offensive to the REAL creators of the game—comparing them to me, that is ;) You get the point.
Thanks to all who gave me ideas for this fic. And, of course, to all who review. Much appreciated! I'll shut up now.
"Hey!--" Luke hit the ground hard, the wooden practice sword flying from his hands and nearly delivering Guy a solid clout to the head.
"Luke! Get up! Never let your guard drop in battle!"
"Hey, slow down, Master!--" Luke was sent sprawling again, and Guy leaped out of the way just as his red-haired friend skidded into the neat line of stone blocks that surrounded Pere's perfectly manicured gardens. "Owww..."
"Heh, you've got to be more careful, Luke. That or practice twice as hard," Guy helped the noble from the ground and dusted off his long white coat.
"Hmph," Luke snorted, facing his instructor again. "I'll get it this time, just leave me alone, Guy!"
"Yes, sir," Guy shook his head, not offended in the least by Luke's snotty mannerisms. It was not unlike the rude boy to make such comments to anyone—to those both above and below his rank . Guy watched his charge vainly fly at the Oracle Knight again and again, each time getting sent back forcibly.
"Parry, Luke, parry! Hold the sword diagonally across your chest with both hands! Hold tight now, here it comes!" Van's own wooden bladeclattered against Luke's, but this time, he held his ground and whipped the sword back for a counter-strike. Van easily executed a block with one hand, sending Luke down once more.
"Luke, Luke, Luke..." he sighed. "You were doing fine until you tried to strike back. Next time, block and only block, you hear me?"
"Y-yes, Master!" Luke stammered, getting in place for another round. "I'll do it right this time!"
"Right, then..." Van swung the wooden sword back, ready to attack. He charged for Luke, but the latter stood frozen on the spot. He squinted off to an area beyond Van, hoping the answer to come out of thin air.
"Luke! Luke, snap out of it!" Van admonished him, breaking his gallop and rapping the boy's head playfully. Surely anything important enough to draw the boy's mind from his favorite pastime was very serious indeed. Van chose to let it go for now, but keep it in mind to ask about it later. "Are you ready or not?"
"Um... um, yes, Master!" Luke said distractedly. He could have sworn he heard a voice... A woman's voice, and very close, too. He strained to hear it again, but it was gone, a drifting note on the breeze.
"What's that?..." Van glanced behind him, and, sure enough, there she was. Van recognized her immediately. "Tear! What are you doing here?!"
"I've finally found you, Vandesdelca! Prepare to die!" She dashed for the grey-haired man with the agility of a ninja, her hair of similar color billowing behind her and her knife and staff at the ready. She swiped at him, but Van dodged out of the way, simultaneously guarding with the wooden blade.
"Mystearica! I knew it!"
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Luke's reflexes kicked in, and he lashed out at the girl instinctively.
She spun, facing the boy, and swiftly brought her staff up in a parry strikingly close to Van's.
"Luke!" Guy ran to them, and he knew something was wrong the moment he saw sparks fly from metal meeting wood with an eerie ching. That was not normal. He grasped the boy's arm, feeling the blood surge to his head in a panic.
"The Seventh Fonon?!" Tear gasped.
"That... damn... voice!" Luke gritted, squinting in obvious pain. Guy tried again to wrench them apart, worried about Luke. Why those headaches again, and at a time like this?! The sparks were growing, and they licked out from where Luke and Tear's weapons met, flashing red, purple, and auburn. The air near the point of contact swelled, rippling and making the wood appear to merge with the rod. A metallic light emanated from them, and Van's cry of "Wait!" fell on an empty courtyard as the light swallowed the three and dispersed.
"Hyperresonance," Van grunted to himself. Tear was always the rash one, especially when it came to him. Ever since he'd told her... she'd been like this. She used to be so rational, but now she was a bloodthirsty beast, intent only on slaying her own brother. He grinned. If only she knew...
Van put on his best worried expression to warn the Duke and Duchess of their son's disappearance. After the "kidnapping", this was sure to bring a smile to their faces...
"Luke?! Wake up, Luke!" Tear watched the frantic servant hover over the redhead so close she thought he was about to kiss him, but Luke's eyes suddenly snapped open and he shoved Guy from his face.
"Shut up all ready!"
"Luke!" Guy threw his arms around Luke, and Tear raised an awkward eyebrow. Luke's next string of curses was muffled by Guy's clothes as he tried to push him back once again.
Tear couldn't think of anything to say, nor could she find any action to take. What the hell was up with him? He looked like he was going to strangle the boy, and she almost felt sorry for Luke. After all, Guy probably hadn't even noticed she was there in the first place.
"Um... can I help in any way?..." She hesitantly reached for Guy's shoulder as Luke kicked him off in agitation.
"Damn, Guy, obsessive enough?!"
Instead of answering Luke, Guy let out a shriek that completely shattered all hope Tear had for getting out of the forest alive. Another prissy man was just the thing she needed. Guy seemed to see her for the first time, and he threw himself as far as he could, still wailing for all he was worth. Tear gave him a strange look, but had no time to comment.
"You!" Luke shouted, just realizing Tear's presence. She sighed, annoyed with these careless men. "You broke into the manor! I remember now!"
"Hey!" Guy stood from his fetal position on the ground, finally gathering his courage. "What did you do back there, taking us all the way out here?!"
And she thought they would actually be of use. These two were quite the moody ones. She shrugged at their impatience. "Honestly, what happened back there was not my fault--"
"Oh, a hyperresonance wasn't your fault?!" Guy snarled, forgetting his earlier fear and advancing menacingly. "You're with Malkuth, aren't you!? You're here for Luke again, just like seven years ago!"
"Guy! Give her a break! I don't even know what the hell you're talking about!" Luke begged, trying to calm his irate friend.
"No! How can we trust she won't attack us again?"
"I wasn't after Luke!" Tear argued.
"Then you were going for Master Van!" Luke chimed in. "Why did you try to kill Master Van?!"
Tear merely stood, giving a gusty sigh, and turned to the path behind them. "Are you two going to help get out of here or just stand there fussing at me all night?"
"Stop avoiding the question!" Guy's voice rose to a volume much louder than Tear liked. A bush rustled behind her, and she drew her knives as a tusked male boar stampeded out. Guy wasted no time readying his own weapon, and the creature was filleted neatly before Luke could blink.
"Well, it seems you're not as irresponsible as you sound," Tear commented icily.
Luke gave a slight whine, and Guy was at his side again. She had never seen someone of his age be babied in such a way before. It must be nice to be royalty.
"It's all right, Luke..." Guy crooned like an old wife. Luke seemed to enjoy the attention and was even hoping Tear might get a bit jealous of him. He shot her a nasty grin, and she simply glared back at him. Seven years of coddling had surely softened the boy, and his nurse was just as bad when it came down to it.
"Unbelievable. I don't have time for this," Tear started down the hill, swatting away any miscellaneous foliage that obstructed the path with her rod.
"H-hey! Where are you going?" Guy directed his attention back to the girl, silently berating himself for letting his guard drop. "Get back here!"
Tear ignored him. He'd had his chance—now he'd have to keep up on his own.
"Wait!" Luke called to her this time. The two males panted to keep up with Tear's pace.
"Miss... I offer my sincerest apologies for both my own and Master Luke's actions," Guy bowed generously.
"You sure you can keep cool now?" Tear sneered, almost disgusted with the show.
"By my honor, Milady," Guy continued.
"...No more formalities! You may call me Tear," She blushed slightly as she nodded to each in turn. "We have to help each other if we're to get out of here alive. Are either of you familiar with the area?"
"Well, Luke's been confined to the manor for the past seven years—he has no way of knowing."
"And before that? Doesn't he have tutors or something?"
"Well," Guy motioned to the childish Luke, who was fascinated with the various luminescent flora that grew in the valley. "After the Malkuth Empire kidnapped him seven years ago, he lost his memory, and now he's not allowed to leave the manor lest anything happen to him. We have taught him as much as we can in that time, but he's still a bit oblivious to the world around him."
"I see... then do you have any idea as to where we might be?"
"Hmmm..." Guy examined the surroundings carefully. "I'm not sure—there are forests like this all over the world, and they all look pretty similar..."
"Well, our first objective should be to get out of here. Then, maybe we can find a coach and get a ride back to the capital from there."
"Sounds like a good plan," Guy praised, then looked over his shoulder for the young noble. "Luke, come on, are you ready to--"
Luke tore a path through the woods, a fierce female beast hot on his trail. She snorted, barreling toward the group.
"Luke!" Guy whipped out his sword, not bothering to unsheathe it, and gave the monster a heavy crack on the head that stunned it as it passed.
Luke ground to a halt when he heard the bone-shattering blow. The sow lay dead, and Guy flipped his sword back into his belt easily.
"Impressive," Tear mouthed. "It's a relief to have at least one decent fighter on our side, at least."
"H-hey!" Luke sputtered, approaching the woman angrily. "I can fight, too!"
"Fine job you did of running away, I must admit,"
Guy gave a light-hearted chuckle as Luke almost let Tear have it, and he pulled the former away before any damage could be done. "I'll handle the fighting, Luke."
"No!" Luke was just about to throw a tantrum right then and there when all three froze at the sound of another voice from the direction of the stream that wound its way through the valley.
"Ah!--The Dark Wings!" the man stuttered, dropping the two pails he was carrying. He backed away, hoping they would leave him alone.
"The Dark Wings?" Tear stepped forward, asking him for further detail.
"Two men and a woman—it must be you three! You must be the ones raiding Engeve, too!"
"We're not--"
"My good man," Guy stepped forward, preparing a flattering speech to buy them the necessary trust they needed to get his assistance. He looked like a coachman—just the thing they needed. "We're merely travelers that lost our way. We would be most grateful if you could aid us in reaching the capital city."
The man still looked uneasy, tensed, and ready to run for it.
"If it may help clear us from suspicion," Tear stepped forward carefully. "Take this—my pendant. I can assure you no thieves would so easily part with their treasure." She did her best to sound as innocent as possible—the last thing she needed was for this man to back out on her as well.
"W-well..." The coachman still seemed as edgy as before. "It could still be a trap, but that looks like quite a trinket you've got there—worth more than enough to pay for passage for the three of you. I suppose I can trust you—for now, at least."
"A thousand thanks to you, my good sir," Guy bowed with a flourish as Tear hesitantly let the gold-set sapphire tumble into the man's open palm.
"The coach is over this way. I'll see you to the capital as soon as possible."
The carriage in question wasn't exactly top quality. Luke was quick to point this out, and, as Tear soon discovered, anything conceivably possible to criticize was addressed by the duke's son. He whined about everything: the cushions, the view, the beasts that were harnessed to the cart, the reins that might snap, the limited space in the vehicle, the dust, the wheels that looked like they were about to stove in, the old planking, the peeling paint, the boring scenery, the--
Tear was far past the point of sanity. She would have reached over and shut the whiny little brat up herself had Guy not stopped her. Of course, as she learned, he was deathly afraid of females—something of which Tear made a mental note to fall back to if need be. Guy dared not physically push her back from Luke's neck; she wouldn't miss the chance to threaten Guy. Of course, as irrational as his fear may have been, she decided that she should only do so sparingly—it would be no fun if he got used to her, after all.
When Luke fell asleep from the long ride, even Guy was relieved. The redhead was half sprawled in his lap, and Tear found herself in no more than a corner's space near the door to allow the noble sufficient room to accommodate such a position. She counted off every precious second Luke was snoring beside her, and she was positive Guy was doing the same.
"You there! Move your coach before you get caught in the crossfire!"
To everyone's dismay, the thunderous voice started Luke from his sleep, and the coachman jerked the reins sharply. Luke toppled over Tear, but Guy's phobia kept him plastered to the wall in fear of following his companion. Luke was over Guy again in an instant, face glued to the smudged window as he looked on at the vast landship.
"Whoa! Cool!"
The towering vehicle roared across the field, pursuing a coach similar to the one they were riding in now. The tank slowed suddenly, a glyph flashing pink underneath it before encompassing the entire mass of it in a glowing barrier. The bridge in front of it combusted, huge pillars of smoke and flame carrying large amounts of debris with it.
"Hmm... that looks like Malkuth colors. What's Malkuth doing around here?" Guy observed.
"That's our newest land dreadnought—the Tartarus," the coachman told him from his position at the head of the cart. "It's the biggest landship in Malkuth. It makes sense they're here—tensions near the border have been greater than ever, and Kimlasca's bound to declare war any day now!"
"M-Malkuth?!" Luke lurched forward. "You mean we're in Malkuth?!"
"Yeah—the East Rugnica Plains. Are you guys Kimlascan, by any chance?..."
"No!" Tear answered sharply. "We're on our way to the capital. Do you mean to tell us you're taking us to Grand Chokmah?"
"Well, that's where I was headed. I'm stopping in Engeve to the east first, though—it's up to you if you want to go there or stay on till we get all the way north. If you're heading to Baticul, the best way would have been south through Chesedonia, but with that bridge out..."
"Well," Guy turned to Tear. "Even if we could get a ship in Grand Chokmah, it's much farther than Engeve is—we're probably better off going there instead. There's not much else we can do otherwise."
"So, you guys getting off, then? You want to leave here and walk the rest of the way?"
"Like hell!" Luke voiced his opinion. "I'm all ready wet and dirty from that stupid forest! Just take us there so my shoes won't get any messier!"
"Please," Tear cut in. "Ignore him for now. We'd like a ride to the city, if you don't mind, sir."
"Okay, miss," The man slapped the reins across the monsters' backs, urging them on faster.
The trip seemed to be passing uneventfully. Guy stared out the window, doing his best to retain his sanity and tune out Luke's nonstop string of complaints. He hoped to Lorelei the poor fool that didn't know what he was getting himself into wouldn't just up and kick them out right then and there. Tear was in a similar position, meticulously counting the stitches on the hem of her uniform to keep herself occupied.
"...and when are we gonna get there? It's been hours! It's gonna be dark soon, and I don't like the dark! If you can't get those things moving any faster, I'll make them move myself!..." Luke ranted, oblivious to the others' building rage.
"Luke, would you PLEASE," Guy clapped a hand over Luke's mouth, obviously struggling to control himself and keep from transferring his grasp to the young noble's neck. "Be quiet. You don't want to annoy the nice coachman and have him make us walk the rest of the way, do you?" Guy didn't bother to release his prisoner long enough to get an answer.
Tear exhaled for probably the first time since they left. Guy's voice was like a fonic hymn to her ears after the whining. She made eye contact with her newfound savior and mouthed "thank you" to him. Guy grinned sheepishly and shook his head. Finally daring to remove his hand, he spoke to Luke again. "You want to go to sleep now?"
"No," Luke pouted sourly.
"Whoa! Hey--" the coachman shouted abruptly, the carriage veering off course at a steep angle.
"What's that?" Guy reached for his blade, and Tear her wand.
"That's odd," he responded. "It was a liger—a huge liger. They live in the forests north of here, though. I could have sworn I saw a griffin with it, too..."
"This is bad," Tear stated. "No two widely varied species coexist in such a manner naturally. What could that mean?..."
"Damn!" the coachman vaulted from his seat to tend to one of the reptilian creatures that had been pulling the cart. "Man, these things are easily spooked, eh?" He rose, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, guys, but we'll have to camp here for the night. Relk's hurt her foot bad, and she needs a night to heal before we go off again. At least that big liger and its friend are gone—we don't need to be messing with ligers, especially at night..."
Tear winced, waiting for Luke's tirade to begin anew, but it never did. When she glanced back down at him, she saw why. He was sound asleep, head falling onto Guy once more. Tear sighed out of a mix of relief and exasperation. At least she herself would be able to fall asleep relatively easily, provided Luke could sleep through the night. She knew her hope was a lost cause; it was only just getting dark again, and dinner would have to be prepared soon. She could tell all ready that Luke was not one to miss a meal in his life.
Luke did, indeed, wake up later that night. He yawned, stretching, and snorted when he bumped his hands against the roof of the coach. He sat up, surprised to see the thing vacated and still.
"Oh wait, Guy. Luke hasn't eaten any yet."
"It's his fault if he sleeps through dinner!"
"As much as he deserves it, I still would rather..."
Luke jumped from the cart, banging his head this time, and he stumbled into the firelight. "Hey, hey, is there food?"
"There you are," Guy smiled up at him. "Tear cooked us some dinner. It was kind of hasty, but it's better than nothing."
"Rice balls?" Luke mumbled. "That's the best you can do?"
"Luke..." Guy's expression hardened at the rude comment. "We don't exactly have the means of getting supplies for elaborate dishes, here. We're lucky our kind friend here is supplying us food, not to mention giving us a ride to Engeve in the first place. You need to be a bit more thankful..." Guy gave up on his speech when he saw the redhead had stopped listening long ago. Luke picked apart the rice, undecided whether or not to trust it. Finally, he took a hesitant bite. Guy swallowed his next outburst, his patience running thin.
"Well, if that's all," The coachman stood, dusting his traveling clothes off. "We should head off to bed now. I'll do first watch, if no one has any objections."
"No, that's fine," Tear assured him. "You're the one actually doing all the work; you take the early shift and get your sleep. Guy and I will finish off the rest of the night."
"Here we are," The coachman entered the city, waving to a few familiar faces along the way. "You guys can take it from here, I trust?"
"Yes, thank you. You've helped us a great deal all ready," Tear thanked him yet again.
"Noooo problem," The greedy man fingered Tear's bauble, all ready knowing a man in Grand Chokmah that would kill for such a gem.
"Well, what's the next plan?" Guy asked Tear as the other man wandered into town ahead of them. "If we're in Engeve, the best way back to Kimlasca would be through Kaitzur to the south and then take a ship from Chesedonia to Baticul."
"But wouldn't we need passports to get through a checkpoint like Kaitzur? I don't have one, and if what you said is true, there's no way Luke would have one in the first place. What about you?"
"Nope, nothing," Guy held up his hands. "Never left the city, myself. Never needed to. But anyway, we should stock up on supplies here while--" He stopped, glancing around. "Where'd Luke go?"
"Oh, please..." Tear kneaded her forehead. "Not again..."
"Hear that?" Guy cocked his head toward what must be the main square, judging by the amount of activity there.
"Ugh, he better not be causing trouble again. Let's go check it out."
"...not your damn thief, you hear me?!"
Tear and Guy rushed up to the mob of villagers gathered around the door to the inn. At its center was a man holding Luke by the collar. The indignant noble kicked and swung at the crowd, cursing them and their "filthy stores".
"Hey! Luke, calm down!" Guy intervened, trying his best to make peace. His efforts were turned back in his face, however.
"You with this kid?" The innkeeper glanced past the blond swordsman at Tear. "And that woman! You're the Dark Wings, aren't you?!"
His statement sent the residents in an uproar, with cries of "Arrest them!" being the most prominent.
Tear and Guy found themselves held along with Luke and dragged to the mayor's house. Luke snarled and bit at the man holding him in a most unrefined manner; he received a nasty slap in return.
"Rose! Rose, we caught the thieves!" the innkeeper called as he pounded the door to the cottage that stood just off the square.
"Calm down, Kelly," a female voice hissed before the door opened. The hefty woman stood in the door frame, facing the men. She seemed the type that could pull in a whole year's harvest in a single day and not even break out in a sweat—which she probably could. Rose was no pushover.
"We caught the thieves!" Kelly repeated, the others also echoing the statement.
"Now, now, calm down," Rose quieted them in a more humane manner than Guy expected her to. Then again, he saw all women as scary, this one more so than usual. "Let them speak for themselves. Well?"
"We're not with the Dark Wings," Tear explained. "We got on the wrong coach and ended up here. We were bound for Kimlasca."
"They're lying!"
"No, she's not!" Guy snapped at the villagers. "A-anyway... We're not here for food. You can search us if you want. We didn't take your food and we have no need to take it, either."
"Do you lazy farmers know who I am?!" Luke shouted loudly.
"Luke!" Tear sent Luke a severe glare. "Your name will mean nothing to them!" Though she knew his name would mean a great deal to them, she opted for the shortest explanation possible at the time. Later she would have to tell him the rest, but now was not the time.
"Tch. Fine," Luke sniffed.
"How about this," Guy offered, giving Rose a light wink. "If we can find the real thieves, you let us leave peacefully."
"What a feeble excuse!" Kelly struck Guy mockingly.
"You!" Rose reprimanded him. "You do not hit our guests!"
More like prisoners, Luke considered saying aloud, but the look he received from Tear told him otherwise.
"We shall let you help us," Rose agreed. "We haven't been able to find anything for the past few weeks—maybe some fresh help will set us on the trail. Release them, but you may keep an eye on them if you wish, Kelly. Everyone else, you're dismissed."
The farmers left, still mumbling horrible things about Luke and giving him angry glares.
"Well now," Rose sighed, her mood suddenly become that of a pleasant housewife. "What are your names, young 'uns?"
"You can call me Guy," the blond told her. "and this is Tear and Luke. Pleased to meet you."
"Right. And you may call me Rose."
"Did you get word of the Malkuth military near here with their new landship?" Tear asked.
"Actually, the colonel in charge of the mission was here just yesterday. He was just stocking up on supplies while he was in the area."
"Oh. Thanks," Tear nodded to the woman. "I guess we better get to work, then..."
She directed her comment at Guy, who followed her example and bid Rose goodbye. Luke trailed behind them, arms crossed sullenly.
"And Luke--" Rose stopped him. He turned, only half caring, as he was still insulted by the villagers' behavior. "Don't let little things like that get to you, okay? Everyone's been on edge recently because of the thefts, but they only mean well."
Luke grunted in response, making a point to slam the door as an indication that he wasn't going to forgive them that easily.
Outside, Kelly was all ready speaking to Tear and Guy.
"Ever since those fires up north, food has been disappearing left and right from the storehouses—we think it may be some band of thieves hiding out up there looking for food. They've escaped us so long; we have a pretty good idea that it's the Dark Wings. They're world famous as the most skilled robbers in the land."
"So, why not take a look inside the storehouse?" Guy shrugged to Tear. "We may find some evidence there."
"I'm sure they've looked through everything inside and out, but I guess it's the only start we have."
"So now we're working for these pigslaves, huh?" Luke groaned.
"What was that, Luke?" Tear shot, more in a warning than curiosity towards what he said.
"Nothing,"
"Okay, then. It's this way," Kelly led them to the back entrance of the village's closest warehouse. He clicked a key into the lock and pushed the door open gently.
The room appeared small from the outside, but it was actually quite spacious. From wall to wall and ceiling to deck were stacked boxes, jugs, barrels, sacks, kegs, containers, pots, and jars of every size imaginable. Luke wondered how the hell they ever found anything, much less stored it, in such an intricate system of conduct, but Kelly seemed to know his way around the place. He gestured for them to go in first, and Guy obliged, followed by the other two and Kelly himself.
"See—most of this stuff was ransacked. And over here, too," He pointed out two heaps of disorderly supplies that stood out rather well due to the contrast it posed to the otherwise neat storehouse.
"Oh! Look," Guy plucked a torn corner of burlap from under a shelving unit. "See this?"
The others leaned in for a closer look. Kelly shook his head, still unable to detect anything amiss.
"Ah, right there," Tear saw what Guy wanted her to, and she carefully slid the fine hair from the rough weave of the burlap.
"This must be from a cheagle; no other monster has fur this shade," she recalled her lessons from when she was just studying as a fonist in the Order of Lorelei. "Cheagles are the sacred beasts of the Order, so it was part of the history we were required to learn in officers' school."
"A cheagle, huh?" Luke eyed the hair expectantly. "Where do they live around here?"
"In the forest just north of the village," Kelly pointed in the general direction, even though nothing could be seen from where they were. "The fires were still further north than that—I don't think they spread to where the cheagles live."
"Let's go there tomorrow!" Luke declared. "They have to have left proof all over the place that they're the thieves—then you can stop blaming me for everything!"
"Sure, kid," Kelly humored him. "You guys can stay at the inn free tonight. Rose would eat me alive if I charged you anything."
Please review!
Thanks to my beta, Lanane, for much valuable help with editing and making this fic a little easier on the eyes ;