Final Fantasy: Rise of Despair

When we last left Clan Falcon, the clan had met up with Clan Forest and after a brief meeting with Clan Forest's clanmaster, Hunter, they had to stave off an invasion from the Black Army in which Hunter displayed his prowess in strategy. Gilbert began to note something even more unusual about Harris but it is unknown what. Now the clan, with Hunter in tow against Violet's wishes, are on a boat going through the Bervenia canal and off to meet Clan Laura.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy: Tactics Advance, I do own the characters and the plot.

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Long travels

The group had already been on the boat for a day. Today, Harris and Heidi were meditating side by side near the bow of the ship. Gilbert was in the sleeping cabin reading a book on mana and magic. Hunter was on the crow's nest trying to get his eyes used to the fog, while Monty and Mendoza…

"Oooooooooohhhhh…" They both moaned rather loudly while hanging their bodies over the port side.

"Honestly, have you two never been on a boat before?" Harris asked, a tad annoyed since the moaning was fairly hard to concentrate over.

"No…" They both moaned.

"Well neither have I, and you don't see me complaining." Heidi added in before she resumed her meditation.

"And you don't see me complaining either." Hunter yelled down to them. The nu mou in charge of the boat then climbed up the crow's nest and smacked Hunter behind the head.

"Don't yell around here you idiot!" The nu mou hissed.

"Ow… you didn't have to smack me." Hunter said.

"And what are you doing up here anyways? I don't need a lookout, I've been driving this boat for twenty years." The nu mou said.

"Fine fine…" Hunter said. He climbed down and stood right behind Monty and Mendoza. "Man, that guy acts like he's going to throw me off."

"Oh don't say throw…" Monty moaned.

"But I've got to hand it to the old codger…" Hunter said being completely oblivious to Monty and Mendoza's moaning. "… to have been rolling along this canal in these wavy waters for twenty bumpy years is worth praising." Hunter said.

"Ooooooohhhh…" Mendoza moaned.

"I think I'll go do target practice on the mast, yeah that'll be slightly tougher with this ship rocking and rolling." Hunter stated.

"Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrg!" Both Monty and Mendoza could no longer hold it in and upchucked over the side of the ship.

The next day…

Monty and Mendoza were not any better than they were yesterday and were hanging over the starboard side of the ship. Harris was walking by them. "Clanmaster Harris…" Mendoza moaned.

"Hm?" Harris looked at the two.

"Couldn't you use white magic on us?" Monty asked.

"I don't think that there was a white magic spell that could cure seasickness in all of history." Harris answered them bluntly. "Have either of you seen Heidi?" Harris asked.

"Nooooooooooo…" They moaned.

"Very well then." Harris left them to their business. Well if that's what you'd like to call it.

"Aw come on, you're not going to make me nail up the mast over a few little holes are you?" Hunter asked.

"Yes I am." The nu mou stated.

"But it's just a few little holes." Hunter argued back.

"Quiet you twit!" The nu mou slapped him.

"Ouch!"

"Excuse me ship-master." Harris interrupted.

"What can I do for you?" The nu mou asked him.

"Have you seen Heidi?"

"Oh, the lovely girl? I let her up in to the crow's nest, if you need to see her go right up." The nu mou said.

"Thank you." Harris then climbed the mast.

"Hey how come you won't let me up there?" Hunter whined.

"Because you're annoying." The nu mou answered.

Harris climbed up to the crow's nest and found Heidi sitting on the edge with her legs hanging over the side. "Oh, Harris, did you need something?" Heidi asked.

"Not entirely. Just something I wanted to ask you." Harris said.

"Yes?"

"Will you be ready?" Harris asked.

"Ready?"

"Ready to face any challenge that comes our way."

"Of course I will Harris." Heidi assured him. "The Black Army won't stop me that easily."

"It's not the Black Army I'm entirely concerned with." Harris said.

"What do you mean?"

"There are going to be challenges that you won't be able to prepare for, so you'll just have to be ready. Things that will make you question yourself and others, but I don't want that to happen if at all possible. And there may be other enemies."

"Harris…" Heidi thought for a minute. "I don't think I could ever question you if that's what you're worrying about."

"… Very well then." Harris smiled and turned back toward the rope ladder. "She's right, she won't have to question me, as long as I don't have to…" Harris thought to himself.

"Stowaway!" Hunter yelled.

"You idiot! How many times do I have to tell you to shut up." The nu mou told Hunter as Hunter chased after another figure.

"Oh I'm going to faint." Mendoza passed out backwards and the figure Hunter was chasing tripped over Mendoza's helmet. Hunter then grabbed the figure and held him up.

"Darn it, I got caught." The moogle pouted.

"Well well well," Harris began walking over toward Hunter. "If it isn't Brently again." Harris said.

"Ha ha! In the moment I was chasing you, the irony of the situation has led me to capture you." Hunter said.

"But the irony is that the irony from earlier that led you to capture me did in fact not lead to me being captured but rather in me escaping." Brently said from the starboard side. Hunter looked at his hand and indeed it was only a doll replica. "ha ha! Whoa!" Brently then fell off the side of the ship.

"But in the event of the irony of the ironic situation of you escaping the initial irony of you tripping over Mendoza you failed to notice that you were going to fall of the ship and thus land in another ironic situation in which you are now caught in the current of the canal." Hunter proudly declared.

"Not so loud you idiot!" the nu mou then slapped Hunter again.

"Ow."

The next day…

The boat had finally docked somewhere close to Cadoan and the Eluut sands. The second the boat docked, Mendoza and Monty leaped out and kissed the ground over and over. "Alright then, in light of us running short on supplies, we have no choice but to get supplies in Cadoan, but we're leaving shortly afterward." Harris instructed.

"I thought you only had that 3,000?" Monty asked.

"I would be careless if I didn't put some money aside for supplies." Harris answered.

"Understood." Gilbert nodded. "Most of all we're going to need some water." Gilbert said.

"Right." Hunter agreed. Since Cadoan was within sight, it didn't take long at all to get to the town. Harris had covered his face in a white veil and Heidi was in light robes and was wearing a blindfold. "What are you two doing?" Hunter asked.

"Wanted posters will be up about us." Harris said. No sooner did he say that did the party spot some wanted posters of them with their respective bounties.

"Heeeeeeyyy… how come my bounty isn't up there?" Hunter asked insulted.

"Because they probably don't suspect you of coming this far from the forest." Gilbert answered.

"Oh well, we need to pick up some supplies, so let's get going." Heidi said. The group split up; Heidi went by herself, Harris and Hunter went together, while Gilbert went with Monty and Mendoza.

"Yes thank you for the water." Harris said to some water dealer, then he paid the lady, strapped the barrels of water on his back and turned to face Hunter. "Okay Hunter, let's… huh?" Harris saw Hunter staring at a human female and a viera doing a belly-dancing routine with his eyes wide open. "Oy… come on." Harris grabbed Hunter by the shirt collar and dragged him off.

"That much for water and food?" Mendoza asked a female nu mou vendor.

"Yes." She answered bluntly.

"But that's highway robbery." Monty moaned.

"Either take it or leave it." The vendor said.

"Excuse me ma'am." Gilbert walked up to her and looked at her.

"Oh! I remember you! I was able to save my store because of the money you lent me." The vendor said.

"Yes, please excuse my clan mates, they can be rather unscrupulous."

"Hey!" Monty and Mendoza said.

"If you're going to insult us, at least do it in words we can understand." Monty argued.

"Seriously!" Mendoza said.

"But either way ma'am, we have a long journey ahead of us and we could desperately use some supplies." Gilbert said to the vendor.

"Of course I'd be willing to help you dears out." The vendor said and she carted out a cart of food and water. "There you go."

"My most sincere thanks." Gilbert said taking a deep bow. "Mendoza, I can't pull this cart." Gilbert said.

"Aw man…" Mendoza moaned.

Heidi was carrying another pack on her shoulder that was full of food and was making her way toward the east to the gates to the Eluut sands.

"No please! I paid my taxes already!" A man shouted. Heidi turned and saw some black soldiers bullying a human male whose human wife was guarding their son and daughter behind him.

"The taxes have just gone up. So either pay now, or hand over your children." A Bangaa Dragoon threatened.

"But I don't have the money." The man said.

"Then take the children." The Dragoon ordered.

"No!"

"My my…" Came Heidi's voice from a rooftop behind the black soldiers.

"Huh?" The soldiers turned around.

"I see the soldiers are lower than dirt as usual." Heidi said.

"What! For insulting us the penalty is death!" The Dragoon shouted.

"Well hey, I guess you're not the lowest." Heidi said. "Yes… your king is even worse."

"She's definitely dead now." The Dragoon growled. "Char-ugh!" before he could finish that, Heidi had fired an arrow in to his chest.

"Lieutenant!" A moogle black mage shouted. Heidi then disappeared and in the next five seconds the remaining soldiers fell down dead.

"Hey… where did she go?" The man asked.

A short while later…

"Very well done Heidi." Harris complimented. The party was now traveling through the desert. Everything was being hauled on a cart being pulled by a chocobo that Harris had rented.

"Well, I was just doing our duty as you described it." Heidi said.

"Man it is hot!" Monty complained.

"I don't mind the heat." Mendoza said. Mendoza was by far having the lightest steps out of anybody in the group.

"Man… how can he enjoy this?" Hunter asked.

"It's because bangaas are reptiles, just a whole lot more intelligent." Gilbert said. That's when Mendoza got so carried away that he tripped over a rock and ate sand. "Uh… in most cases." Gilbert finished.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Hunter laughed.

"Say how long until we reach Nargai cave?" Monty asked while trying to figure out the map. Hunter then took it from him.

"Holy cow! We have a long way to go!" Hunter said with a shocked look on his face.

"How long?" Monty asked paling.

"One week." Hunter groaned.

"ONE WEEK!!!" Monty shouted.

"HA HA HA HA! I'm just pulling your pompom." Hunter laughed. "Did you honestly believe me?"

"Well you said it with such a straight face." Monty said.

"We really should only have two more nights and one day, we'll be there by the day after the second night." Harris said.

"Yeah that's right. How did you know?" Hunter asked.

"I've traveled for a long time." Harris said.

"How long could you have possibly traveled clanmaster Harris? I mean as young as you are…" Mendoza began.

"Sheesh, I've told you guys time and time again that I'm older than I look." Harris sighed.

That night…

"Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!" Mendoza cried while huddling close to the fire.

"Now you're freezing?" Monty asked.

"Hey I don't mind the heat but I can't stand the cold." Mendoza said.

"Reptile thing again?" Hunter whispered to Gilbert. Gilbert nodded.

"Reptile thing again." He repeated, only as an answer to Hunter's question.

"Alright, I'll be the night-watch tonight." Harris said.

"Again? Harris you really should rest more often." Heidi told him with concern in her voice.

"I got plenty of rest on the boat. No need to worry." Harris assured her.

"So… cold…" Mendoza moaned.

The next day…

The group was walking through the desert once again. But unfortunately it was rather windy and thus sand was blowing around.

"Ptttttttthhhhhbbb! This sand is getting in to my mouth!" Monty complained.

"You should have brought a veil or something." Harris told him.

"Look! Some rocks!" Hunter yelled. Indeed, there were two plateaus in the sand with a walkway between them.

"Well… it's not out of our way." Harris said. So the group steered toward the rocks. Thankfully, the sand wasn't blowing around in the rocks.

"Water?" Mendoza asked.

"Yes." Heidi assured everyone. Everyone took out their canteens and got some water out of the second barrel of water that was left. After taking a few sips, Harris stopped drinking and got a focused look in his eyes and he looked around.

"Get your weapons out!" Harris ordered.

"Huh?" Monty and Mendoza looked at him. Suddenly antilons and jawbreakers came out of the sand and more were crawling down from the rock walls. "Whoa!"

Heidi instantly began firing arrow after arrow at the antilons and continually pierced their heads.

"Grrrrreeeeeeeee!" They screeched and flailed their legs about before dying.

"Greased Bolt!" Mendoza made really fast slashes that slashed through the monsters before they could react.

"Blizzaga!" Gilbert caused icicles to pierce through jawbreakers and antilons as quickly as he could.

"Blindshot!" Monty fired bullets that blinded the monsters and set them up for easy strikes from the others.

"Sidewinder!" Hunter was firing arrows that pretty much destroyed the monsters as the arrows pierced through them. Naturally he was having the easiest time with this since he was best suited for combat against monsters.

Harris stood in one spot with his arms crossed and allowed the monsters to completely surround them. They were clambering toward him until Harris could feel that putrid breath coming from them. "Saint… Cross!" As expected, he cast the usual ring of hold energy around him that blew away all the monsters surrounding him without even moving.

"Is that all of them?" Hunter asked.

"Yes I think so." Heidi said.

"I doubt that they all left the nest, we'll be moving now." Harris said.

Later that night…

Everyone was asleep, except for Harris. As usual he volunteered to be the night watch. "Hmmm…we really are making progress with this. We just have this clanmaster and the next one to convince to help us. But then…damn it…we wouldn't be able to beat the Black King anyways… unless we… no! I don't want to resort to that but… ugh at this rate I'm running out of options." Harris thought to himself.

The next day…

"Are we there yet?" Monty moaned.

"No." Mendoza answered.

"How about now?" Monty asked again.

"No." Mendoza answered again.

"Now?"

"No."

"Now?"

"No."

"Now?"

"No."

"Now?"

"AUGH!" Mendoza finally got irritated and tackled Monty.

"Not fair!" Monty cried.

"Hey hey guys! No need to fight." Hunter said. But in reality he was thinking "Sweet! This ought to be interesting."

"We're here." Harris said. Monty and Mendoza stopped fighting abruptly with Monty biting Mendoza's arm and Mendoza pulling Monty's cheek.

"Hmmm… so this is Nargai cave." Gilbert said with interest.

"So Clan Laura is in there?" Heidi asked.

"Yes, they should be." Harris said. "Really this desert is ideal for this clan since the Black Army literally never bothers to come here." He added.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Hunter asked with a smile. The group stepped in to the Nargai cave and walked on for a while. Finally the group was at a very level area of the cave. There were a few crystals of some sort sticking up from the cave floor and then some high rising ledges all around them.

"So… where is the clan supposed to be in here exactly?" Mendoza asked.

"Haven't a clue." Harris said bluntly.

"Are you serious?" Monty asked him.

"The clan is of course going to be well hidden." Gilbert said.

"Well then where should we start looking?" Hunter asked. The group got in to a discussion about this. Harris and Heidi just listened without saying anything in to that conversation.

"Hmmmm… I do wonder where they are." Heidi said.

"That is rather curious isn't it?" Harris said. After standing there pondering for a while, Heidi's eyes opened up a little bit wider.

"Harris…" Heidi began.

"I know." Harris answered as he put a hand on his swords. "Everyone, stop arguing, we have company." Harris said calmly.

"Hm?" Everyone looked around. The ledges around them now had various silhouettes looking down at them. Everyone calmly got his or her weapons ready.

"Well, I suppose there's only one thing left to do." Heidi said as she got her bow ready.

"Indeed." Harris said.

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I'll just leave you guys here for now. Mua ha ha ha ha! Read and Review!