*hides under her desk*
Yes, I'm still alive! I'm terribly sorry! Let me explain.
First, exams were nagging me week after week...
Secondly, A GREAT LACK OF INSPIRATION. Like when you open your file, write some words and... ended up desesperated and finally closed the file. Yeah, this is what happened for me for almost two months. I was planning to write this chapter entirely from Raven's point view, I think it was the reason for my random inspiration hole, so I finally decided to shorten that part.
BUT! I have something more for you guys! Yep, another story (I'm lauching into the world of SI fanfictions...) I'm planning to release once this one will be over. Chapter one is almost finished ;)
It was certainly the most difficult chapter to write for me since I released the story... Hope you'll enjoy it!
Elizabeth the Bathog: Don't worry, I'm still alive! University didn't killed me yet. Don't worry, I will finish this story, because I love it too much!
Chou: Hey, un autre compatriote! Désolée pour la réponse trèèèèèès tardive (Ahem... deux mois...); en gros enchaînement de DS et exams oraux, le fun quoi... et surtout un GROOOS manque d'inspiration qui fait qu'à chaque fois je passais des heures à écrire deux-trois mots puis je terminais en m'arrachant presque les cheveux. Je pense que ça été le chapitre le plus difficile à écrire... En tout cas merci, contente de voir que mon histoire plaît à d'autre français!
09. I will get them
It was the nightfall and... it was still so hot. Conditions were gathered for a good nap. Because of the ambient heat, Raven had finally swapped his captain armor for his usual light purple coat, his magenta shirt and dark trousers.
It was now... two? No, three days? Zaphias was still marked by the attack. As Raven and his faithful men, Leblanc, Adecor and Boccos, were patrolling along the streets and helping people on their way, the old man could only see the extent of the damages caused by the winged monsters. Cracks on the ground, entire buildings destroyed... Raven whistled.
"Hey, those guys were really somethin'..."
Back in Halure, as he was organizing the people's evacuation and commanding the knights already on the premises, a messenger from the capital informed him that Commandant Scifo had noticed strange activities within the Knight organization itself. In order to not draw too much attention on this case, Raven was asked to come back to Zaphias quickly and meet Flynn in private.
Actually, he himself had already noted something wrong in the Knighthood. Reports of knights disappearing with no traces, knights changing units without their captain's permission... Even men of his own unit had mysteriously vanished. He had even planned to go back to the capital to ask Flynn what the hell that kid wad doing...
Once they had arrived, he had immediately left the kids, pretexting he had something to take care of... which was true, of course. Knowing the kids had wanted to see Flynn first, he had rushed to the castle, trying to get there first. He had hid himself in the corridor while the kids and Flynn were talking in the Commandant's office and, when they finally left (Flynn too, Raven then supposed he had decided to accompany them to the castle's entrance), only Flynn had noticed him. Both of them had glanced at each other and Flynn had nodded, Raven suggesting he knew why the old man was there.
A few minutes later, Flynn had came back. Raven was waiting next to the office's door and both of them had salutated each other, before Flynn had politely invited him into his office for more privacy. When he had entered, Raven couldn't have help but think the room hasn't changed drastically. The walls, the tapestries, the floor... and even the furnishing's position. While Raven was glancing at the room, a smirk on his lips, Flynn had took place behind his desk and folded his hands under his chin.
"So, I suppose you know why I asked you here."
Raven had looked at Flynn. And to think this young kid was just a simple captain as him... Now here he is, in his Commandant uniform, sitting behind this imposing desk, and waiting for his subordinate to make his report! At this instant, Raven smiled at the young Commandant, like a father proud of his son. With that kid, a new era for the knights had started.
"Yep, I received your message while I was in Halure helpin' the kids. So, any informations 'bout that mess? Dare to explain me what's happenin'?"
"I wish I could understand that myself..."
"Ya mean you have nothin' ta do with that?"
Flynn had stared at Raven, a serious expression on his face. "We are right in the middle of a crisis, so playing pranks like that isn't a good idea. And even if it was the case, I wouldn't have call for you, right?"
Raven had sighed when he had heard that. He had a point. Flynn isn't the type to do things behind the back of the others... and given the situation they are in actually...
"So? Whaddaya suggest?"
"I think you already know. You're really good in spying and getting informations, right?"
Raven scratched the back of his head, smiling. "Well, ya can say that. Ya want me ta have a little investigation, right?"
"If it's not asking too much to you, yes."
Raven had sighed once again. That young commandant was counting too much on him! He already had to clear the mess between the guilds and the empire – even after all those months, the situation didn't really got better between the two sides – and now this... But, after all, this is really a situation even Raven had difficulties to understand. Actually, it was the first time the knighthood faced such a situation. Well, there have been cases of corruption, shady alliance and all...
Raven had the impression that if it keeps on continuing like that, something bigger will come... and it will be too late to oppose it. That's why he had decided to accept the young commandant's order.
"I'll see what I can do."
Flynn's eyes had sparkled. Raven knew that, by accepting the commandant's request, he has just taken a great weight off his shoulders. Of course, Flynn would never admit it, but Raven could read it in his eyes. Flynn was looking relieved.
"Thank you! For the moment, you're the only one I can count on for that."
"Not even your little second in command?" He crossed his arms and looked up, ruminating. "I
think her name was..."
"Oh, you mean Sodia? No... it's weird for me to say that, but I need her to my sides. And I really don't want to make her do this... if she gets in trouble after that..."
"Ooh? You're caring fer what might happen' to her? And you're throwing this poor old man inta the lion's den?" Raven had said, laughing. Flynn had then blushed.
"No... no! I mean... you're more experienced and... and..."
Raven had ruffled the young blonde's hair. Of course he knew he didn't meant that. It was just a joke.
"Hey, don't worry, just joking. That's a job for this old man!"
He had stepped backwards and standed to attention, suddenly serious. "At your command, Sir! I won't deceive you!". Behind his desk, Flynn had nodded and dismissed him. But before Raven opens the door and leaves, Flynn had got up.
"Before you leave, Captain Schwann..."
"Ra-ven," the old man had said, insisting on each syllable.
"Oh, right... Raven."
Raven had nearly laughed. The way Flynn had said Raven was really funny, like a child pronoucing for the first time this word.
"This is not funny!" Flynn had poutted, this time causing Raven to burst out laughing. "No, seriously. I have one more request for you, and it will be the last, I promise. Can you keep an eye on Yuri?"
Raven had became again serious all of a sudden. Babysitting? He know Yuri well enough, even if that kid tends to be a trouble magnet, he had always managed to get out of it himself. Flynn might know that as well, so why was he doubting of his own friend now?
"Why that?"
"I... I can't tell for now, I'm not sure as well, but... please."
Raven raised one his eyebrows. This is getting shady... but the little one seemed to be pretty serious about it, so this wasn't something he could overlook, he had thought. He had gave a last comforting smile to the young commandant, telling him he'll take care of the situation, and had let out a little "see ya!" before leaving furtively the office.
And now here he is, patrolling in the Lower Quarter and thinking about his next course of actions. For the moment, little much is known about the guys behind all of this. One thing Raven was pretty much sure of, they must belong to the Knights. To start, he had asked his own men, but none of them seemed to understand what was happening either.
First, he thought about picking up the trail of the knights who had mysteriously disappeared. He will of course start with his own men. In the same time, he planned to spy on others units, so he can take in note every changes that might happen.
Raven took a deep breath, satisfied. For the moment, he will stick with that plan. No need to tell the Union about it, as it will only worsen the relationships between the guilds and the Knights. He could already imagine the Union's reaction about it.
Raven lost the trail of his thoughts, as he smelled the sweet aroma of wine and food coming from his right side. He was now passing next to the bar. He tapped his rumbling stomach and faced his subordinates.
"Alright, guys! I think that's all fer today. Good job. Ya're free until tomorrow mornin'."
Leblanc, Adeccor and Boccos immediately stood to attention. Leblanc spoke for everybody.
"Thank you, sir! In that case, we will be waiting for you at the castle."
Raven waved his hand. "Nah, don't worry fer me! You guys go and relax."
"Yes, sir!"
The three men salutated. As Raven watched them leaving the place, he couldn't help but smile. Leblanc, Adeccos, Boccos... even though they're a little dumb and naive, they can truly be called Knights, applying the laws wherever they think fit to do it or desobeying the laws if it can help and protect the people.
True knights...
The bar was full. Well, it was expected, at that time of the night. Raven choose for himself a single table in the corner of the room and, as soon as he put his butt on the chair, a nice maidservant came to his table with a pen and a notepad. Short black hair, green eyes, short skin-tight dress and walking while swaying slightly her hips. Hey, that girl exactly know how to seduce that old man!
Raven commanded for himself a hot meal and, of course, wine. As expected, the young girl soon succumbed to his charms and was now sitting next to him, leaning against him.
People progressively left the bar. Only Raven, the girl (he was too drunk to actually remember her name) and a few guys were left. The nice young maid was serving him a fifth glass of wine, when the conversation of the guys sitting at the bar reached his ears.
"Ah men, you know what? Last week, at least five men of my unit disappeared!"
Instinctively, Raven turned his head and recognized the outfits the guys were wearing. Two captains, no doubt about it. The woman started to make advances to him, but he ignored her, now concentrated on the conversation. Oh, and to say he thought it will be difficult for him to gather some informations!
"Oh, you – hic! - too?"
Besides, they were talking loudly. Easy to spy.
"Yeah! It was... what, two days ago maybe? One morning when I gathered my troops, I found out that five of my best warriors were missing!"
"And – hic! - me, it was nearly half of my troops, can you – hic! - imagine?"
"I'm sure it's that four-eyes!"
"Four – hic! - eyes?"
"Yeah, I'm sure you know him! That effeminate guy... Ludiart!"
Ludiart?
Raven had already heard that name before. Captain Georges Ludiart... Not much is known about him, because he's just an ordinary captain. He never caused troubles to others, nor he never accomplished something big or honorific. Well, that's what everybody says, since Raven never met him.
"Oh! Now that you say – hic! - it, that Ludiart came to see me two weeks ago..."
"Really? And?"
"He asked me to – hic! - to transfer my best Knights into his own unit. Of course I refused!"
"And? What happened?"
"At first, nothing." The guy sipped his bear. "Ya know, he just said it doesn't matter and left. Then, I forgot about him."
"Oh, so it was the same for you! That guy also came and asked me the same thing. I refused, even if he said this lost would be largely compensed... You know, it was Commandant Flynn who choose to transfer skilled warriors into my unit! I didn't want to betray his trust! "
Raven was trying to analyze the situation. If those men were right, Captain Ludiart visited them and made a deal, to which they refused; and a few days later, bad surprise...
But, Ludiart might not be the only one. Maybe there are other complices... No one ever met with Raven before and no one proposed him a deal. Everything happened all of a sudden. That's why it's too early to conclude something. Ludiart might be the real mastermind behind all of it... or simply a cog in a machine.
The guys changed the subject of their conversation, meaning they have nothing more to tell about it. But for Raven, it was enough; maybe a little visit to this Ludiart clown will settle things or allow him to further his investigation.
"Hey, Raven? Are you listening to me, dear?"
Oh! That's right. He completely forgot about the young maid sitting next to him. Of course he wanted to spend some more time with her, but...
"Sorry, cutie..." He said while getting up, "but I have urgent matters now... maybe next time?"
Saying that, he put some money on the table and added an extra tip for the young girl. She took the money, but was still disappointed, and tried a last time to persuade him to stay with her. "You said you wanted to stay with me, and now you're leaving? How mean of you."
What a very attractive proposition! There is so much to do right now, so Raven was determined to not be tempted. But, at least, he kissed the girl on her cheek, making her blushing slightly and whispered in her ear:
"Ya know, your pretty face will be stuck in my head forever. Be sure I'll come back only fer ya', cutie."
He winked to her, and this time she was really blushing and smiling. Hope this will calm her down for a while...
~.o.O.o.~
When Yuri woke up, he had never felt so worst in his life. A bad headache coupled with vertigos and sickness, how very uncomfortable... He managed to sat on the bed. It was almost dark in the tent: the only source of light were a few candles on the night table. Damn, for how many times did he sleep?
"Oh, you're awake?"
Eolie's gentle voice startled him. She was crossing the exiguous tent, holding a bucket of water and a towel.
"You shouldn't move too much." she continued, sitting next to him. "I'm afraid the poison isn't completely eliminated..."
Yuri stared at her. "Poison?"
She tilted her head. "Yes. You have been slightly poisoned by the miasma out there. But nothing serious, fortunately, thanks to Miss Estelle."
Oh, right. That could explain why he was feeling so bad.
"I hope she didn't forced herself too much..."
"You mean Miss Estelle?"
Yuri tried to get up, but once he was on his feet, his legs went wobbly. He didn't even noticed Eolie had jumped up and caught him before he collapses on the ground. When he realized it, Eolie was already helping him to go back to bed.
"Woah... thanks..."
"I told you to stay still, didn't I? Miss Estelle will be mad at you if she had saw this."
Yuri smiled. Yeah, he could easily imagine the situation.
"Okay, okay, you got me. By the way, how's the situation out there?"
Eolie sat down again. "Well... everything didn't turned as right as we wanted..."
Even though he couldn't see what kind of expression her face had, judging by the tone of her voice he knew something was wrong.
"Do you really want to know?" she asked. "Maybe I should wait until you got better..."
If she's saying that, it might be really serious. But Yuri is used to that anyway.
"No. Go ahead."
Nevertheless, Eolie was still hesitating. Yuri frowned and looked at her with determined eyes, urging her to continue.
"Well then, if you insist... Thanks to you – and I won't deny it – the hold has been freed from the cursed smoke and everything went back to normal. Unfortunately, the captain and his men made a macabre discovering..."
Macabre... apparently, not everyone had escaped alive from that mess.
"People were locked in the warehouse," Eolie continued, "and some of them have been rescued. As for the others... it was already too late."
Yuri closed his eyes. The sickness and the vertigos had completely gone, now replaced by a feeling of guilt and anger. Innocent people were killed... why do they have to involve innocent people who had nothing to do with that?
This has gone too far. But what could he do when his opponents are so reluctant to negociation?
For a moment, he even thought about surrending to them and eventually letting them do as they please with him. And even if they don't want to tell him why, then it doesn't matter... as long as they promise to not implicate innocent people like they did. But was it really a good solution? Even if he... well, died, then there's no guarantee they'll keep their promise...
"Are you feeling guilty?"
"Huh?"
Yuri opened his eyes. Eolie was slightly bending over him.
"You seem troubled," she continued, "after all, maybe I shouldn't have told you."
"No, that's not it... Don't worry about it."
"I should be the one saying that to you!" she said, laughing a bit. "Are you feeling guilty because you thought you could have saved those people?"
The swordsman was a bit startled by her words, but regained quickly his impassive attitude. She's quite perspicace... Until now, Flynn was the only one to know how to read in him...
"What makes you think that?"
"Well, after what I told you, you made quite a face... it wasn't so hard to know how you were feeling."
"Yeah, maybe... Knowing other's feelings without letting them know about yours, right?"
"Hum? What do you mean?"
Yuri didn't replied immediately and instead examined minutiously her mask. From afar, it was looking like a mask with crude red forms without any signification; but closely, Yuri had to admit it was kind of a refined piece of art. Judging by the drawings, it was representing an animal, but the swordsman couldn't recognize what animal was it. The mouth, the nose and the muzzle were carved into the white mask and completed with bright-red paintings. The eyes were very well detailed: black outlines, long eye-lashes and brown iris.
"You always wear that mask all the day?" Yuri asked, now curious.
"Oh, that?" she was a bit surprised. Apparently she wasn't expecting that question. "Hum... yes."
"Even at night?"
"Yes."
"Dare to explain to me why?"
This time she didn't answered. Instead she soaked the towel into the water and put it on Yuri's forehead. The coldness startled him.
"You should get some rest." she said, as if Yuri never asked her that question. "Mister Karol said we will leave once you will get better."
"Hey... don't try to change the subject there. But I can understand if you don't want to talk about it..."
She was hiding something, that was clear. She was hesitating, her hand still holding the towel on his forehead. After a few seconds, she finally removed her hand and standed up.
"Well then, if you insist... just promise me you won't do anything reckless from now. Your friends still need you, you know. Then, one day, I will tell you."
Yuri opened widely his eyes and stared at her. Why was she saying that? It was almost as if she knew what he was planning to do...
"You shouldn't feel guilty about those people. It's absolutely not your fault. The knights told us that, judging by the state of their bodies, they died a long time ago."
With her hand, she opened the tent's entrance.
"Now, have some rest." She left the place in a cloth rustle, leaving a suspicious and rather baffled Yuri. Now sitting on the bed, he was staring at the entrance from where the woman left.
Eolie... Who is she?
~.o.O.o.~
The next morning was wet and rainy. Almost as if the rain had come to wash everything and help the place get rid of its last impurities of the incident. Yuri was the first to wake up; apparently everyone had decided to take up residence in the tent. Estelle, Rita, Judith, Repede, Karol... everyone has seemed so tired. He couldn't help but feels rather uneasy when he passed next to Eolie, who was sitting on a chair with her head lowered, sleeping... or maybe pretending to be asleep, who knows what this mask can hide?
Her words from last day were still sounding strange to him. In a way, she managed to discover what he was thinking... or maybe he was just getting too paranoiac?
Outside, the campement was bustling. There, a few knights were packing weapons, food and provisions; others were dismantling tents.
So the brigade was planning to leave the place... Next to the biggest tent of the campement, a long brown-haired man was giving instructions to another knight... probably his second-in-command.
Captain Ludiart, was it?
While talking, Ludiart noticed Yuri standing under the rain. The second-in-command then nodded and left, and Yuri was surprised to see Ludiart raise his head and looking at him directly. The captain smiled and came closer to him.
"Yuri Lowell, right? The savior of Deidon Hold! Thanks to you, we could have saved some of our men. Unfortunately, some citizens weren't spared..."
Yuri didn't answered. Ludiart was keeping on smiling and placed a finger on his chin. Smiling while talking about the death of innocent people? It was almost as it was nothing for him.
"Oh yes, now I remember... you gave us a hard time a few months ago, you know that?"
"What, you mean you too had followed me like faithful dogs?"
"That's..." Ludiart had an embarassed smile, "that's a pretty rudeless way to say it, but... it's the idea."
He cleared his throat and looked at Yuri with a... perverse look. Yuri frowned. What's with this man?
"Hum... there are still charges against you, right?"
Huh... this wasn't good... Yuri thought. He had his sword with him, in the case the situation will go out of control...
"No need to worry. This is all past right now." But he had said that with a rather suspicious and haughty voice... showing clearly his intentions, even if he didn't expressly said it.
Goddamn, Yuri doesn't need that right now! The tension between them was getting higher and higher, Ludiart still calm with his ridiculous smile, Yuri about to draw his sword...
"Is there any problems there?"
The two men startled, the gently voice breaking immediately the tension. Eolie was there, standing behind Yuri. Since how...?
Ludiart stepped back, an expression of disgust on his face. Still, he tried to stay polite while talking to her.
"Oh... nothing serious. Miss...?"
"Eolie", the interested one said.
"Eolie? Oh... right... don't worry, we were just - he gave Yuri an odd look – talking."
"Is that so? Then sorry if I disturbed you. I have just came here to tell Yuri his friends were awake and are waiting for him."
Ludiart straightened and rearranged his glasses on his nose. It was a rather strange scene to see for Yuri; it was almost as if Ludiart was ready to do something, but Eolie came in time to prevent him to do so, the whole well-camoufled behind an apparently polite conversation.
"Oh... then..." Ludiart stammered. "Then don't let them wait any longer. If you ever need something, you can find me here, in this tent. Have a good day!"
Yuri and Eolie both looked at him as he rushed into his tent.
"What's wrong with him?"
"I don't know," Eolie claimed as she shrugged, "but he had looked so scared... what did I do?"
"Well... a masked woman concealed from head to toe... that's not somethin' you see everyday..."
"Really? I guess you are right..."
"You really can't remove that?"
"Well... it will be a problem if I do that..."
Yuri sighed. He shouldn't try to push it a bit. She was kind enough to pay all the group's expenses for the travel, so he couldn't even imagine what will happen if he manages to make her angry... But still...
"Yuri!"
And here it is, Estelle's typical call when she's worried about someone.
"Hey there, here is our little princess." He grinned. She stood right before him, examining him with meticulous care. Ah, that Estelle, she's never changing.
"I was so worried! You slept all the day, you know! You were looking so pale..."
"Yeah, I'm sorry. Huh, I've been making you worry about me so many times lately..."
"No, it's not your fault! It's those monsters! And... Judith told me that actually it was a youkai who was responsible for all of this, so... did you found out why they are after you?"
Yuri hesitated for a while. What should he say to her?
"Nah, nothing," he finally said, "they refused to say something... had to kill them before they could do anymore damages."
"Oh, I see..."
The others weren't far away. Everyone was there: Karol, Judy, Repede and Rita. As he patted Repede and excused himself from making everyone worry about him, he noticed Rita was staring at him with narrowed eyes and arms crossed. Still searching an explanation for what happened last day, surely...
"Looks like Yuri is okay!" Karol claimed. "The knights are leaving. Maybe we should take our leave..."
"But!" Estelle interfered, "Maybe Yuri wants to rest more..."
Yuri waved his hand. "Nah, it's okay. Look, I'm all back to normal! Time for me to get back to the scene..."
"It wasn't a common poison," Judith said, "are you sure?"
The swordsman grinned. Now wasn't the time to babble about his health condition, there was more important matters, like chasing down those youkais and prevent them from doing any further harms to the people. A difficult task since Yuri doesn't know where to start...
After some discussion, it was finally decided the group will leave the hold and try to avoid cities as much as possible – everyone agreed to say Yuri was a Youkai magnet – and reach Dahngrest as soon as possible, before leaving for Yumanju.
Easy to say, but...
As Yuri was lost in his thoughts, he didn't know how the conversation ended up with the victims of the last day's incident. Judy quietly explained him – so Rita and Karol won't listen to her - that while he was inconscious, she, Estelle and Eolie helped the knights bury the bodies not far away from the Quoi Woods. There wasn't many dead people, but it was still difficult especially for Estelle. She had silently cried during all the process but still had handled it marvelously.
Yuri clenched his fists. He should have been there instead of her, rather than lying on this bed.
Those bastard had gone too far. Next time, he'll catch one and make him say all the truth. Even if the monster refuse, he will wait. Minutes, hours, even days! Once he'll snatch the truth from it, he will kill it and then think of a plan of action.
For the moment, it was the best solution he had in mind.
I don't know if the tenses I used for the flashback in Raven's part are correct. We just studied present and past tenses at the university so I used them... don't hesitate to correct me!