One Year Later
It had been a full year to the day of Lundgren's defeat. Several members of the Legion departed Castle Caelin after the celebration in their honor. Rath departed for parts unknown shortly after the celebration started. Matthew bowed his way out before Sera noticed him, the thief left heading back to the Ostia Canton, as he had a report for Lord Uther the Marquess of Ostia. Erk and Sera departed for Ostia the day after the celebration. Nils and Ninian simply vanished without a trace, and with no sight of them since.
Jace and Cyrus had stayed at Castle Caelin. Cyrus had been knighted like Jace, and promoted to the Captain of the Castle Guard. Lyn had stayed, wanting to see her grandfather back to full strength. Lord Hausen had made a full recovery within the next several weeks following Lundgren's defeat, and the swordswoman had made no mention of leaving the castle since Lord Hausen's recovery.
It was on the aniversary of Lundgren's defeat, that Jace recieved a letter from Eliwood. His father Lord Elbert the Marquess of Pheare had vanished a month previous, and the young noble had requested the tactician's assistance in helping find the missing Marquess. The tactician hadn't wanted to leave Lyn's side, but Lyn had countered.
"It's because of Eliwood that no other Lycian province joined Lundgren." She said. "He needs assistance Jace."
"Alright Lyn, you win this time." Jace countered winking.
Brego was saddled within the hour, and with a final kiss to his beloved Sacean Jace rode full speed for Pheare. Several days had passed, as Jace rode Brego nearly nonstop. Finally exhausted the tactician stopped to rest at an inn a few miles away from Phearan castle. He had just settled into the small room he had payed for, when a small commotion drew the tactician's attention.
"What is going on?" Jace asked the innkeeper as he exited his small room.
"Bandits!" The man screamed in fright. "They got in through the south gate!"
"Damn!" Jace cursed, as he ran to the inn's stables. Brego neighed in protest when his rider placed his saddle upon his back. "I'm sorry Brego, but we have a problem."
Brego, whom Jace had believed to be of higher intelligence than other steeds looked to his rider, and gave him a soft and worried nicker. Almost as if he knew what was coming. Taking a swig of some elixer that Erk had given to him to help with his recovery of the massive amount of magical energy he'd lost when casting Thoron, Jace then swung himself up onto Brego's saddle, with no further protest on his steed's part. The elixer tasted horrible, but sugar made it useless.
It was as Jace rode Brego from the stables, did he see the force that had invaded the small village. The tactician rolled his eyes at the panic that six bandits had caused. Six bandits caused this much of a panic? Oh this is truly pathetic. Jace scoffed as he drew the Sacean blade Lyn had given him, Brego reared and neighed loudly drawing the attention of the six invaders. Jace spurred Brego forward charging towards the small group of six. Another horse joined him, and Jace only had seconds to recognise that there were two riders upon this particular horse. One was a knight who wore a set of armor similar to Kent and Sain's. His light green hair seemed to almost completely cover his eyes. The person behind the young knight, was a young girl several years Jace's younger.
Both horses charged at the bandits, and the young knight drew a blade sheathed on his left hip. There was fear and surprise etched into the faces of the six bandits as Jace and the young knight charged. The tactician spun his blade in his hand once, and swung taking the head of one of the six invaders. The remaining five scattered, as the two riders reached the south gate. Brego reared and flailed his hooves, as if warning the remaining bandits to leave.
"Jace there you are!" Jace's attention was drawn to a red haired youth of the same age as the tactician. Eliwood was astride a white horse, with a rapier in his right hand to which he pointed at the five remaining bandits. "You are attacking my people, leave now and I will spare your lives!"
"There's still five of us left princeling!" One of the bandits said brandishing a large axe. We could still end you easily!"
The sound of an arrow flying drew the young noble and the tactician's attention. The source came from the second rider on the green haired knight's horse. The young girl held a bow in her hands that looked too large for her. Yet her aim was true, as her arrow pierced the throat of the bandit who voiced his threat.
The other four did not last very long after the young girl let her arrow fly. It was actually the shortest battle Jace had with bandits in his life, with the small skirmish only lasting several minutes.
"I'm glad you're here Sir Jace." Eliwood said, as he cleaned his rapier.
"It was only odd luck that brought me to this particular village." Jace replied. "Though I do believe I have a bit of a penchant for attracting trouble. Now tell me what's happened. Where was your father last seen?"
"He was heading towards the Laus Canton with the majority of the knights of Pheare." Eliwood explained.
"And in your letter, you said that was a month ago." Jace mused. "This does not sound good at all Eliwood. It sounds as if your father was about to go to war with Laus."
"That is what I fear as well, yet there's been no word from father nor Lord Darrin confirming this." Eliwood said, his face falling.
"Now that is odd." Jace replied. "Alright then, we should indeed get to the bottom of this."
Far from Elibe the powerful dark mage that Jace had fought in his dream was pacing in a large castle completely furious. He had lost track of his sons and his wretched wife over the past year. He had cursed anyone foolish enough to approach him without warning, as his frustration continued to mount, which drew the ire of the man seated on an ornate throne.
"Validar calm down." The man said in a bored tone as he leaned to one side.
"Silence!" The dark mage named Validar snarled at the king. "Silence you wretched puppet!"
"Puppet!?" The king roared, going from bored to anger in a flash. "You watch your tongue or I will have it ripped out, and placed upon my mantle!"
"I said silence you wretched worm!" Validar snarled. "You only sit upon that throne because I allow it!"
At that point, a messenger shaking from head to foot then entered the throne room. Though he took great care to stay as far from the furious Validar as possible. "L-lord V-V-Validar? I… I have news…"
The dark mage's attention snapped to the quavering messenger, his dark eyes narrowed. "Speak."
"Your son's my lord… They've been f-found…"
"Where exactly?" Validar asked.
"In L-Lycia Lord Validar… I b-b-believe in Caelin…"
Validar smirked in vicious triumph. He'd found them, and this time he'd bring them back to Plegia. After his son's were back he only needed the treasure to perform the ritual. Yet he would take no chances this time, he would sent his most powerful agent. "Send Zephyr."