*takes deep breath* Yes, I think I'm back to writing Phenomenon. I'm very, very sorry that it ever stopped, but frankly, I got lazy, then I had a TON of homework, then I just procrastinated and made excuses as to why I wasn't writing. But I'm going to try this again, and hopefully it'll keep going this time. I have a couple friends who will help keep my morale up, by which I mean will shoot me if I stop writing again, so… look for updates every week or so, hopefully. On with the story!
…
"Out of the way, filthy humans! Lord Magnius approaches!"
Hakonesia Peak loomed before them; a thin path snaked up the mountain, a path that connected to theirs. The path that would take them farther on the Journey of Regeneration.
Huge metal boots thundered against the cobblestones, echoing over the silent crowd. Their owner passed through the shadow of the gallows.
"The Spiritua Statue? That's insane! Just give us a look at the book already, old man."
Whispers ran through the small groups of onlookers, but one rang out louder than the others. "It's Magnius, from the eastern ranch…"
"That's Lord Magnius, vermin!"
"The Desians are headed for Palmacosta! The leader of the nearby human ranch, Magnius, is with them. If I were you, I'd stay here for a while, until it's over."
There was a sickening crack, and the man who had whispered was tossed from the Desian's meaty hand and onto the cobblestones beneath him. His head was bent back at a grotesque angle. He wasn't moving. Without a second glance, Magnius continued towards the gallows, reaching the platform and smiling cruelly, manically, at the gathered townspeople.
A Desian guard, a mage, from the looks of it, raised his staff and called out, "This human has defied the wishes of the great Lord Magnius and has refused to provide us with supplies."
Another, on the other side of the gallows, continued. "Therefore, while the designated death count has been exceeded, Lord Magnius has given orders to carry out her public execution!"
Even from across the square, Lloyd could see that Cacao's eyes were wide in fear and shock. "Dammit, shouldn't the militia be doing something?" he demanded, looking to his friends for an answer. However, the answer came from a man standing nearby.
"Most of them are out doing training exercises, there's no one here to stop them…"
"The scumbags must have waited for an opportunity like this…" Genis looked horrified.
"Mom!"
Chocolat ran past, not noticing them, across the square toward the gallows where her mother stood, the noose already around her neck.
"Stop right there, girl!" The Desian held his staff out threateningly. "If you interfere with the execution, we'll make you suffer in ways that will leave you begging for death!"
"You think Governor-General Dorr will let you get away with this?"
"Dorr? As if he could do anything. Don't get your hopes up, pathetic human," the Desian's laugh mocked her. From the gallows, Magnius' laughter joined his, until a small stone hit the wooden beam beside the Desian leader.
The man's eyes narrowed, the knotted scar across one eye distorting the glare, as he focused on a small boy in the middle of the square. A second rock was clutched in the child's hand.
"You disgusting little vermin!"
With one jump, Magnius cleared over half the distance between the boy and the gallows; the clang of his boots hitting stone thundered across the square. The child trembled as he approached, too scared to run. And none of the townspeople moved.
The people were the same as those in Iselia… despite their militia, despite how they said they'd fight the Desians, no one would step up, no one would help the child… they were just like the villagers at home; no one would fight, even though a kid was in danger…
Lloyd wouldn't stand for it.
"Stop!" Sending off a Demon Fang at the Desian, he ran forward into the square. The attack gave Magnius pause enough for the child to escape, but now the Desian's eyes locked on Lloyd.
"Lloyd, wait!" his teacher's voice called from behind him as she caught up. "Don't turn this city into the next Iselia."
"It's not the same! They don't have a non-aggression treaty! How can we go on a quest to save the world when we can't help the people standing right in front of us?"
Colette's voice rang out. "Lloyd's right! I won't just stand here and let this happen! We have to help Cacao and the rest of the city!"
Magnius wasn't the only Desian focused on Lloyd. "Lord Magnius, that boy is wanted criminal number 0074!"
Magnius' eyes widened slightly. "Lloyd Irving… Ha! The boy with the exsphere! This is just perfect! After I kill you and take your exsphere, I'll become the leader of the Five Grand Cardinals!"
One of the mages behind Magnius threw a fireball toward Lloyd, but using the Force Field technique that Kratos taught him, it glanced off him and burned itself out on the cobblestones, leaving him unharmed.
Magnius' eyes were wide in rage. "Dammit, you worthless idiots! Enough of this, I'll take care of this worthless woman first!" He signaled to the Desian still at the gallows, who moved to release the trapdoor beneath Cacao's feet.
"No! I won't let you hurt Cacao, or anyone else!" Colette's chakram screamed through the air, neatly cutting the rope before the Desians could move.
As the chakram sailed back, nicking the arm of a Desian on the way, Skah ran forward. One Desian fell after a quick stab before the blade sliced across Magnius' shirt. "Listen to the Chosen," he snarled.
Whispers ran through the crowd again. "The Chosen? That girl is the Chosen? The Chosen herself has come to save us!"
Raine still stood back by Lloyd. "Do you all realize what you're doing? This city could be attacked, just like Iselia!"
"I know," he replied quietly, only to his teacher, although he didn't meet her eyes. "But I know exactly what I'm doing this time." His volume grew, his voice ringing steady through the square. "I won't repeat the same mistake again. I'll destroy them all, the entire ranch!"
"Lloyd, that's insanity." It sounded like the Professor's teaching voice, but underneath was a more unsteady tone.
"They're only after Colette and me. And besides, we have the Chosen on our side, the Chosen who will regenerate the world! Right, Colette?"
Colette's blue eyes, at first unsure, turned harder, more determined. "Yeah! I'll fight for everyone's sake!"
Lloyd could tell that their words were giving the citizens hope as he heard them; their whispers, at first so frightened, were close to cheers now.
"Enough of this crap!" Magnius' rough voice cut through the growing commotion as the livid commander turned to his soldiers. "Get rid of these vermin!" His eyes fixed on Lloyd. "And take the exsphere that the child stole. Destroy the criminal!" And then the massive Desian was gone in a ripple of mana.
Before the soldiers could get a word out, Skah was upon them, blade slashing, reflecting sliver and red. Kratos was the next in battle as Lloyd circled behind. Yuan pushed Colette back, out of the fray, as he and Genis began to cast. Lloyd heard a faint whistle, then saw a flash of metal leaving Colette's hand.
"Skah, look out!"
The blonde ducked out of the way just in time, the chakram whizzing over his shoulder before cutting deep across the back of a Desian mage.
They made quick work of the Desians; Magnius had brought only mages with him, not expecting to be attacked at close range; the barrage of attacks that Skah, Lloyd, and Kratos threw at them interrupted their spells and drained their energy. By the time Yuan's final lightning spell hit, the Desians could hardly stand as it was; as the electricity raced through them, they fell to the ground, not stirring.
…
"Thank you so much for saving my mom!"
Chocolat's thanks had streamed out in a never-ending rush since the mages had fell; Cacao's gratitude had been quieter, but more useful, as they now sat in the room above their shop, with Cacao serving them a meal that smelled better than anything Lloyd had eaten since he left home.
"Thank you so much! I don't know what I would have done if they had murdered my mom too…"
"What do you mean, 'too'?" Genis asked, before going red, looking horrified. "I-I mean, I'm sorry if I'm prying…"
Cacao set a steaming plate on the table in front of Genis. "…my husband volunteered in Governor-General Dorr's army, and he was… he was killed in a battle against the Desians years ago. And my mother was taken to the ranch."
Chocolat nodded sadly. "Grandma started up the shop, it was originally hers. That's why we have to keep it, we have to protect it for her sake, for when she comes back."
Cacao looked at her daughter sadly, although Chocolat was facing away. The mother's eyes were hopeless, but she only turned away. "…Chocolat, don't you need to get to work soon?"
The girl sprang out of her seat, exclaiming something, but Lloyd didn't catch it; he was distracted. Genis' face was pale, and although he moved the vegetables and bits of fish around on his plate, he didn't take a bite. He looked clammy.
Cacao jumped to her feet as well when a pounding rang out from the floor below them. "Oh, who's down there? I hope—" She cut off, nervously looking out the window to the shop door beneath, then visibly calmed. "It's someone from the militia. Please wait up here, I'll go see what it is. Please, enjoy your food."
Lloyd dug in as the woman left the room, noticing that Genis still wasn't eating. Raine seemed to be worried about him too, but she kept silent.
Cacao reappeared in the doorway, the soldier behind her. "He asked for you," she explained.
"Chosen of Mana, all of you, Governor-General Dorr heard what you did. He requests that you meet with him as soon as possible."
"Look, if he has a problem with what we did, you can tell him to stick it—"
"No," the messenger cut Skah off, "not at all. He commends your deeds. He wishes to speak to you all about more matters concerning battle against the Desians."
"…then we'd better go see him." Lloyd stood up, looking around at the others. "Come on, let's go."
…
Once outside, Lloyd fell back to talk to Genis. "What's up?"
"What do you mean?" The boy still didn't seem well; he trembled slightly as he walked.
"You okay? I mean, you weren't eating anything, and it's not like you to pass up good food."
"…I realized something…"
"Realized what, that you don't like seafood?"
"Lloyd, be serious!" The sound of the half-elf's voice was what really caught Lloyd's attention; Genis sounded like he was going to be sick.
"What is it?"
"Cacao said her mother was taken to the Human Ranch, and Chocolat said that her grandma founded their shop…"
"…and?" Lloyd wasn't sure what would come next, but his stomach felt empty, like his insides had dropped out.
"…and the shop's name is Marble's."