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Chapter 55: Choose Wisely
"So there we were, we were flocked by these Emperor Aevis and Yetis when the mark we were searching for suddenly appears in a flurry of snow and wind, so we had to battle that as well as those fiends and get back to the Galbana before sundown as our magick won't work with the Mark at night." Vaan was describing one of the more exciting hunts Penelo and himself had experienced during the three years after the Great War to a very excited Yvelle.
"What happened then?" she asked in an enraptured voice as they walked through the Silverflow's End in Paramina Rift, approaching the Stilshrine of Miriam.
"Well…" Vaan said and a sheepish look crossed over his face, and he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Vaan got knocked out by one of those Aevis and he was out for a full thirty minutes." Penelo interrupted with more than a smug smile on her face as she looked over her shoulder towards Vaan and Yvelle walking behind her. Yvelle's eyes widened in astonishment.
"Really?" she asked in a rather breathless voice looking at Penelo then Vaan then back again.
"It was no big deal," Vaan shrugged nonchalantly trying to brush it off, but Penelo interceded again with a rather unlady-like snort.
"It wasn't for you, but while you were knocked out I was left to fend for myself." Penelo continued with mock-annoyance. "By the time Vaan woke up I killed off most of the extra fiends and got the mark to boot." She grinned at Yvelle and winked.
Yvelle just was gaping now and a look of disbelief passed across her face. She never thought one of her idols could actually be knocked out in a battle. Her expression caused Penelo to giggle.
"Don't look so surprised Yvelle." She said through fits of giggles. "Vaan wasn't always the hunter you hear in the stories you know. Once upon a time, he wasn't even strong enough to defeat sewer rats." She laughed again making Vaan scowl in embarrassment.
"You don't have to tell that last bit Penelo." He said obviously embarrassed to have a side of him exposed like that. "You weren't so strong yourself back then."
Penelo just grinned again at his obvious change of mood. "Don't be such a sour fruit, Vaan. You know I was just kidding." She laughed at his expression. Vaan meanwhile just harrumphed and folded his arms as they continued walking up the snowy slopes.
It had been a month since their stay in Mt. Bur-Omisace. During that time, Gran Kiltias Lerusse had allowed the party to peruse through the vast collections of the Kiltia Library found deep within the mountain to get what information they could about the Shadow Nethicite. After three long weeks, Larsa found a tome from an Ordalian Historian by the name of Mustapha Mond and his writings about deifacted nethicite. Though the Shadow Nethicite had not been specified, partly because large portions of this tome were missing, what Larsa was able to translate was that there might be a chance of the other part to make the Shadow Nethicite was buried somewhere in the Stilshrine of Miriam where it was placed by the Gran Kiltias of that time deep within the shrine. It was there were the party had decided to go, in search of this nethicite, in hopes of at least getting an advantage over their adversaries and to stop whatever plans they had for world domination.
They had departed Mt. Bur-Omisace with more hope than when they came there, cheerful at the thought that perhaps they had a piece of knowledge that the other party didn't know and they were eager to get the advantage. They had said their goodbyes and thank you-s to the Grand Kiltias and promised to return once they found what they were looking for in the Shrine.
The left the Galbana back at Mt. Bur-Omisace since they did intend to return to the mountain after their investigation of Stilshrine. Though the chances of them finding something in Stilshrine were slim, it didn't damper the party's spirits at any rate. They did however said their goodbyes to Captain Sephyr before they had to depart for Stilshrine, as Larsa, very much recovering back to his Emperor mode, had given orders to the Order of the Tournesol's Captain and he departed as soon as he was able.
So now here they were, clad in fur-lined cloaks and making their way towards the Stishrine of Miriam. For some of the party like Vaan and Penelo, they visited the Stilshrine in the early days of their stints as hunters-slash-sky pirates, so they know the way and the place pretty well. For others, like Basch and Ashe, they haven't had the time to visit the shrine in the past three years since their need to search for the Sword of Kings. And for the rest like Larsa and Yvelle, this would be the first time they would get to visit Stilshrine so they were relying heavily on the knowledge and the support of their more knowledgeable friends.
Now that Penelo and Vaan were busy teasing each other and Larsa and Ashe were in a deep conversation about the tome Larsa found at the Kiltia library, Yvelle had nothing to do but look about her surroundings, trying to occupy herself before they reached their destination. There wasn't much since this was Paramina Rift, and it wasn't actually a place where tourists go to, there wasn't anything particularly interesting. Just snow and rocks which were covered by it. Yvelle didn't mind. It seemed such a long time since she actually saw snow and she marvelled at the sound her boots were making as they trudged along. The most of her companions had wrapped their Kiltia cloaks about them tightly, Yvelle surprisingly hardly felt the cold and left her cloak open, prodding at the flakes with the end of her new staff. The old one was destroyed at their escape of Henne Mines.
"Boredom does not suit you," a gruff voice said beside her and Yvelle startled, looked up to meet the steady green eyes of Judge Majister Basch whom unlike her, had his cloak tightly around his person.
"I'm not bored," she hastily answered, tugging on one of the stray blue locks that had fallen across her face. She looked up at the man, taller than her and felt a surge of relief at seeing him alive again after the countless hours she had spent trying to keep him alive. It was a relief to see him healthy and back to his old self despite the slight limp he had on the previously injured leg. She was just grateful that the Judge Majister did not have to die by her hands and by her mistakes. She ducked her head, her shyness suddenly getting the better of her. She focused on the snow before her, nudging it with the end of her staff once more.
"Thank you," it was the Judge Majister who broke the silence once more and the words startled Yvelle again, she looked up at him, surprise in her amethyst eyes. Basch was looking at the other members of the party in front of them when he said this and only turned to meet her eyes when she looked up, a small smile now at the corner of his lips at the question there was in her face. "For keeping me alive," he added helpfully, and he watched surprised at the look of mortification on Yvelle's face as she realized what he meant. She looked away quickly.
She had not meant for the Judge Majister to find out about her deeds in the Galbana when he was still unconscious. She had no intention of him finding out ever. She had asked Penelo and Vaan not to reveal it and keep it a secret as she didn't want any attention to herself. She had even timidly asked Larsa not to say anything, now she was wondering how the Judge Majister found out.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, ducking her head in shame, trying to hide the flamed cheeks of embarrassment from being seen. "I was not able to help you as much as I could, I apologize for being weak, if I only had enough strength..." she stopped abruptly because Basch had grabbed her arm.
Basch, still holding her arm, nodded towards the hole that she was about to step into unawares and most likely be injured if she had. "Be careful," he said in a slightly reproachful tone and Yvelle felt her cheeks burn again with embarrassment. Basch let go of her and Yvelle thrust herself back into her shy, silent self, refusing to look or do anything anymore fearing making yet another spectacle of herself.
"I have a question." It was again Basch who dispersed the silence that had ensued since his minor rescue and Yvelle did not trust her self to speak nor look up. So she just nodded, trusting that gesture to tell Basch he could ask whatever he pleased.
"Why do you apologize for healing me?" there was a roughness in his voice that Yvelle had not heard before. "I am grateful for all the aid you give to me and to this group but I could not, for the life of me understand why you would not say anything about the help you give, nor accept the thanks that is due to you. You are even embarrassed and apologetic that you would demean your own person and deeds. It confuses me." The Judge Majister spoke and Yvelle could not remember and believe the fact that she had managed to make him feel bewildered. She had no intentions of telling him of her reasons however, afraid again yet of chastisement, but since he had asked and she was not one to back out of her word, she cleared her throat and looked up, not towards him, but at the group before them.
"I wish no attention for myself." And her voice was firm and held none of her awkwardness behind it. "I am happy that I am able to provide aid, but I do not relish it when the people I help shower me with unnecessary praise that is worthy of one higher than myself. I do not see the need for people to do that when I know any person placed in that position would also do the same." She looked at him by the time she was finished and was startled at the unfathomable expression in his face. They looked at each other for a moment, in a moment full of understanding, a silence unlike the others stretching before them. It was not Yvelle who looked away first.
"You may be wrong on that." He spoke, looking back at her as he did so, a hint of a smile dancing across his lips again. Yvelle could not see the humour.
"Wrong about what?" she asked him, entirely curious of the answer.
"The praise that would be given to you is entirely deserving of you." Basch answered gruffly. This time, it was Yvelle who looked away and the blush that spread across her cheeks filled her face and did not disappear until they reached the entrance of Stilshrine.
XOXOXO
The sun bathed the city of Archades in bright light which warmed the rooftops and cobblestones. The sky was clear of clouds; a lucid sky loomed over all Archades.
The ministry had been quiet of late. The building was not derelict, not in any way. The stillness could only be credited to the calmness of the Majisters who stilled reported to their posts. Taxation, administration of public conveniences and lawsuits demanded much of Judge Majister Zargabath's effort and attention. The growing Imperial army, the implementation of the civilian army training program and his gatling gun induced the engrossment of Judge Majister Scipio. Both men saw to their duties done with much serenity and calmness. The only sounds which broke the peaceful silence of the Majistry building were whispers, silent consultations and shuffling about.
Aurea, masquerading as the receptionist kept a watchful eye over Judge Scipio especially. To her surprise, the Judge laboured within the ministry's walls. Seldom did he set off on an excursion which involved dealings for the Empire, that is, for the Empire under Ortal.
Aurea could not easily determine the cause of Scipio. As accounted by her captain, Scipio was a traitor to the Lord Larsa, the real lord who had every justification to be called Emperor, as well as an extremely eccentric foe who had obscure ends which he sought to meet. What was Scipio's real reason for putting up such charades? What could he be after?
Shaking her head and concentrating on her charade, she looked upon her papers once more. As a receptionist, she had to play the part of secretary to both judges. There were several memorandums which needed Scipio's approval and there were a number of depository accounts which also needed Zargabath's approval. The political contrivances relied heavily on the decisions of the Majisters, especially when it came to the dealing of criminals and war envoys. There were few criminal incidents throughout the city and thus, since Scipio is the commander, or as far as his farce will present him as such, of the Archadian Armed forces, the decisions regarding dealing of criminals were not of immediate and urgent necessity. Zargabath's duties had been reduced to mere approval of City implementations. Zargabath had no qualms.
Aurea got up from her desk, shuffling with the papers which she had quickly segregated. One pile for Judge Scipio and one for Zargabath. She decided to bequeath Zargabath's pile first, the look Scipio had on his face whenever they met made her feel awkward and watched, as if Scipio could see through the mask she wore. She could not say what he thought, but there was a feeling of certainty that Scipio did not know who she was and who she worked for.
As Aurea was caught in a conversation with Judge Zargabath in the lower levels of ministry, Scipio was hard at work with his Gatling gun which he recovered from Giruvegan. The excursion which lead him to Giruvegan to recover his lost article also allowed him the acquisition of a new item: an escutcheon fashioned from a metal with unparalleled had smelted the metal and had used it to upgrade his weapons.
Hilaneya was keeping him company in his office. As Scipio stood, hunched over his weapon which was propped on his desk, Hilaneya sat on his stool, observing him lazily.
'What are you doing again?' She asked in a bored tone. She extremely loathed it when Scipio was immune to her agitating tactics, for whenever Scipio was busy tinkering with his doom instruments there is naught a thing which could wrest his concentration, not even Hilaneya.
'I am applying an auxiliary firing mechanism on my gatling gun, I have done the same with Castellanos Launcher. This system will fire metal spikes and the projecting mechanism therein utilizing tensed springs. I have also equipped my two ranged weapons with bayonet slots, of course, near their muzzles. This will give me a tactical advantage...'Scipio prattled on. Another one thing Hilaneya had grown weary of was Scipio's innate ability to tear people's ears off with his incessant dabble of technical speculations.
'I see, my dear.' Hilaneya expressed sarcastically. Scipio ignored her. He was too busy to notice the mockery. His fingers worked on his guns' innards with much deft and skill.
After a few hours of much fumbling Scipio was done at last. He had managed to keep his workspace free of clutter for the whole duration of his assembling. He riveted the Gatling gun's armour into place and set it aside beside the Castellanos launcher at one end of his office. Scipio gazed at his weapons after he had set them down, he smiled, and he was beside himself.
Hilaneya sighed exasperatedly and got up from the stool. She walked to where Scipio stood; she placed her hand on his shoulders and then turned him forcefully to face her. 'Perhaps now I can have a word with my Scipio.'
Scipio was in a rather good mood and replied jovially 'Yes you can have a word with your Scipio.'
Hilaneya pulled Scipio to the desk, made him sit down on the stool and then settled to rest on the desk.
'What ails your mind?' Scipio asked, his smooth and silky voice was steady.
'I believe I owe you a proper explanation, as to why I offered my services to you back there in Giruvegan.' She replied, her sultry voice had no stab of patronage.
'Ah, yes.' When Scipio had reached the top level, whilst fleeing from Hilaneya, he lost consciousness as he had lost too much blood and had lost too much strength. Hilaneya was able to reach him and then tended him until he regained consciousness. When he awoke, Hilaneya made an offer to serve him. He, at that time, could not fully grip what was afoot, and accepted.
He agreed to Hilaneya, a woman he once loved and now hated to such an extreme intensity, to be so close to him and to serve him. He could not understand his own decision, but he had contemplated on possibilities and saw the need for reliable help to be the reason as to why he drew an accord.
'My reason is simple. I wish to protect you.' Her voice was not sultry now, it was firm and steady. She had alighted from the desk and had positioned herself near Scipio, she was leaning forward and was looking him intently in the eye.
Scipio rose from his chair, Hilaneya promptly stood on her full height. They gazed at each other's eyes for some time, the silence which hung around lingered.
'I am to believe that?' Scipio inquired.
'Yes.' Hilaneya replied in a firm voice.
'After what you have put me through these past decades, the past two centuries? All the trouble, the hate and the darkness? I have endured such a harrowing void filled with naught but ash. You come to me, promulgating such a ludicrous cause and...' Scipio was suddenly cut short; Hilaneya placed a finger on across his lips.
'Cut the drama and just tell me that you're somehow glad to have me back by your side. Yes, I was horrible to you and I...' Hilaneya hesitated, tearing away from Scipio's piercing glare as she looked for the strength to utter what she wanted, '...I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry for doing all those things to you.' She looked at Scipio again, staring as intently as he was at her, 'That was what has passed, that is nothing to me now and that must be true to you as well. Now, you have enemies everywhere and ...'
'Consider the past,' Scipio interrupted, 'it's too haunting to forget. Place yourself in my shoes and then...'
'Shut up! Just shut up! Hear me out, I know, I know...it tore you up. I...I'm changed now, I'm different, Scipio. And seeing you surrounded by your enemies it makes me feel...' Hilaneya shook her head as she grunted in impatience, she could easily seduce or entice, what some find audacious she finds comfortable, but she failed miserably in expressing herself.
'Say it. Tell me, it makes you feel what?' Scipio asked; an eyebrow rose.
Hilaneya breathed in, straightened herself up, and looked Scipio in the eye again, 'No.'
Scipio's glare intensified.
'Just...' Hilaneya searched for the appropriate word, to no end, '...I'm here for you now Scipio. You know why, that's my reason and there are no hidden fires. That's the truth; I'm here to protect you.'
'Why? Why bother protecting me?' Scipio said crisply.
'You're not going to make me say it.' This time a hint of her old stubbornness leaked through her tones.
'Then don't.' Scipio said coldly dismissing the conversation. He either failed to see or completely ignored the flash of emotion on Hilaneya's eyes.
'Well then,' Scipio spoke after he had regained his composure, 'I'm off to deal with a very grave insurgency, as I'm sure you know who the insurgent is.' Scipio walked casually to his weapons, he was already clad in armour, and he picked them up and strapped them to himself.
'I'm coming with you." Hilaneya declared. " I have an old acquaintance whom I believe I can invite to serve you as well. I judge him to be an able hand." She had regained her composure as well. It was not like her to lose control of her emotions whenever she had a tryst with anyone.
'Oh? I thought you were to accompany me to my quarry with the intention of keeping me alive.' Scipio remarked sarcastically, a small smile creeping across his lips.
Hilaneya cocked her head, sighing, and then smiled. 'Of course.'
XOXOXOXO
The Stilshrine of Miriam was an ancient shrine deep within the Jagd Ramooda. Like Raithwall's tomb this too was constructed in the time of the Galtean Alliance. Originally to honor the ancient God of swords and martial might, it is said that a Gran Kiltias of long ago selected the Stilshrine to house the relics of Dynast-King Raithwall, though why he would choose this site and not a temple of his own sect is not clear.
The party had entered the Stilshrine now and a certain hush fell over the group. It was not intentional. It was something that was characteristic of any ruins or temple that they entered during their travels. An inert feeling of silence.
Basch and Yvelle spoke no more to each other as they entered Stilshrine and the Judge Majister returned to his position behind the Emperor, being again the bodyguard. Since Ashe and Vaan were walking ahead, Vaan pointing several changes in the temple that Ashe had not yet seen since their last excursion here and Penelo was with Larsa and Basch, Yvelle was left to her own wanderings, a little bit to the rear. She did not mind the solitude, in fact she welcomed it. It had been far too long since she had a bit of time to herself, being very busy with the group. She was not complaining either. She was glad she was part of a group now, but having to travel so far alone before, one does miss it after a while.
Since there was hardly any cold now in the shrine for some weird reason, the party had left their cloaks with the Kiltia who were conveniently standing guard at the front of the shrine and had proceeded inside in their usual garb.
Yvelle looked about her, still quite in awe that she was able to encounter places like this now that she was travelling with Vaan and the others. She could never imagine the skill the people of the past had to create such magnificent places and she was lost in wonder of them. But looking at her companions, I guess if you saw one temple, you've seen them all and there was hardly a glance up at the inconsequential details of the shrine.
It seemed wherever they needed to go was somewhere deeper in the shrine and when they weren't fighting the stray beasts there, Yvelle was free to let her mind wander. She stayed behind of the group most of the time, her new staff loose in her hands. She loved the feel of this new staff in her hands, better than that of Penelo's gift all those weeks ago back at Jahara. Yvelle had treasured her first staff and though it was broken she kept a piece of it as a remembrance. But this new staff felt as if it was made for her, the wood feeling so familiar and yet so new in her palms.
The staff had been a gift from Captain Sephyr of all people, and she was not the only one surprised with the gift. In fact, the Captain looked as if he was surprised at himself in offering such a gift.
When she found out that it was the Captain who carried her into the infirmary of Mt. Bur-Omisace, she had exercised all manner of means to locate him as soon as she was able and thanked him profusely. She could still remember the conversation after this and felt the blush coming.
She had run, frantically in search of the Captain and found him outside the quarters of the Emperor who was finally knocked into a dreamless sleep with a potion brewed only in Mt. Bur-Omisace. The Captain was standing outside as a guard. She had quickly run up to him and blurted her thanks before he could ask.
"You ran all the way from the infirmary to tell me this?" he had asked, an eyebrow rose looking at her with suspicion as she tried to catch her breath, bending and panting heavily.
"Yes," she said and Yvelle could see that she must have looked stupid in front of him, but the conversation had happened already and the only thing she could do was remember.
"I want to thank you." She had said straightening up and trying surreptitiously to fix her hair without getting noticed. "You did not need to do that for me and I am grateful. I don't know how can I ever repay..."
"Take a walk with me." Captain Sephyr had interrupted with that smooth voice of his, promptly startling Yvelle into silence.
"Er...what?" she spluttered incoherently, making the Captain quirk one of his lips up in what looked like amusement or some other emotion.
"If you are searching for a way to repay me of my deed then I have stated what I deem is an appropriate payment," Captain Sephyr had said slowly as if he was talking to a child. "Take a walk with me," he continued, no embarrassment, not even teasing approached his look and tones. He had said the words in such a detached tone that Yvelle could not tell if he was kidding or not.
"Right now?" she had asked, feeling more stupid.
Captain Sephyr seemed to find her lack of eloquence amusing because again his lips quirked. "As much as I see that you are eager for my company, I cannot be spared at the moment." He looked at her with his steady clear green eyes and Yvelle was speechless for a full minute before she shook her head internally and nodded.
"I am at your service." She said in a breathless voice, still trying to catch her breath from her run and it was a little too late did she notice the double meaning of her words and the blush soon followed after. Captain Sephyr seemed to understand her embarrassment and in an uncharacteristic gesture for him, his lips stretched into a full blown grin, showing his perfect even teeth and eyes glinting with more than amusement.
"We shall see." He merely said and Yvelle had quickly departed trying to quell her blush.
She had not had the chance to fulfil the Captain Sephyr's payment not because she had been avoiding him, but because they had been busy searching for clues to their next destination and had not the time for idle activities. So the only time they did take that walk was at the eve of their departure and it was not unlike the time they had met in the courtyard of the Rabanastrran Palace, the only difference was this walk was during the day and in one of the more spacious but secluded gardens that peppered the temple grounds. Yvelle had agreed to take a walk with the illustrious Captain because she had been curious of his intentions and she was not really one who refused anybody anything once she was asked.
So the walk had started albeit a little awkward because Yvelle could not dislodge the sudden barrier in her throat and the Captain had not been helpful in starting a conversation. In the end, Yvelle had begun thanking him again and the Captain had given a rough sigh of exasperation.
'Must you thank every person who gives you aid?" he had asked with more than a figment of exasperation. He looked at her, several heads shorter than himself and Yvelle found herself blushing in embarrassment yet again. She had turned away to hide it but the Captain had spotted it already and his lips quirked again. "Whatever happened to the brave maiden I met back in Rabanastrre? Already it seems she has disappeared into this shy one standing before me."
Somehow, Yvelle had found that statement rather uncharacteristic of the Captain and found her mouth getting ahead of her and she blurted out whatever was it was on her mind.
"I was never brave. I am shy. My mouth just runs ahead of me, that's all." Again she was forced into blushes. Captain Sephyr raised an eyebrow again.
"That must be a hard thing, for one's mouth getting ahead of them." Yvelle had looked up a small smile on her face now, and finally noticed that Sephyr could tease and that he had a personality underneath the austere persona.
It became more comfortable after that; Sephyr had asked her to talk about herself and after a few moments' hesitation, managed to relate an anecdote of her past, though she could not find why Sephyr seemed interested in it. When she had exhausted what she could of her past, she had began to ask him to share his, fearing more than a bit of apprehension lest she should be denied. Sephyr however seemed to be on a good mood as he quirked that faint smile again and said what he could.
He was the youngest of three children. His older brother and sister had died long ago of some disease or some war that he could not remember because he was several years their junior. It had been a surprise to his parents that they managed to create him. He was loved by his father and doted upon by his mother, and he had had plans to join the Magick Academy when he showed an aptitude for it, but the selection of the Order of the Tournesol came and he was forced to abandon his dream and his family in order to bring honour.
Silence followed this and Yvelle felt her heart constrict with pity at Captain Sephyr's tale. She had asked at how the trials took place but in that subject the Captain was adamant to be silent as it was a confidential trials. Yvelle knew enough of secrets not to push him and was nonetheless grateful for his openness.
The walk had come to an end just at twilight before they were to dine with the Gran Kiltias and her guards for the final time before setting off again. Captain Sephyr was not to be present at this since his orders from the Emperor was to leave before they did and he had deemed it was the opportune moment for him to do so. He had, as gentlemanly as Yvelle saw him, escorted her to her chambers, surprising Yvelle and others who saw them do this eliciting Yvelle into one of her blushes yet again. But that had quickly disappeared because at her doors, Sephyr had hesitated, and she looked up at him, not really straining her neck as she did so, but looking up for he was much taller than her. He had looked upon her in such an inscrutable expression, Yvelle felt her heart thud erratically in response, confusing her of her reaction. Something in her face must have amused the Captain, because he merely quirked his lips again before reaching down and placing an object into her hands. She had looked with astonishment at the package, gazing at it with such puzzlement that she almost did not feel his much larger hand rest upon the top of her head. Before she could look up however, Sephyr had leaned in and Yvelle felt him, if it was possible, stroke her blue locks away from where they strayed across her face before swiftly pulling back, bowing deeply at her then walking away, disappearing down the corridor before she could register any of his movements.
Amidst the blush that as beginning to become permanent in her cheeks, Yvelle unwrapped the Cloud Staff he had given her, surprised that he had noticed her without her weapon and her secret desire to have a new one and was suddenly more grateful than ever and without the means to thank him yet again. It seemed it would be a long time before they would meet again and she to deliver her message of thanks.
"Yvelle!" Basch's gruff voice sounding rather loud in her ears jarred her out of her reveries of the past, making her gasp in shock. She had been so preoccupied that she had not noticed that the party had gone deeper into the shrine and was now into battle with a rather large entite that hovered rather menacingly in the middle of the room called the Throne of the Veiled Gods. Her companions were already unsheathing their weapons, preparing to fight. And after such a long respite, Yvelle found herself wanting to test out her brand new staff. She gripped it readily enough and ran towards her friends, ready once more to be of some aid.
XOXOXO
"Now that was some warm-up!" Vaan cried excitedly as Penelo went to pick up whatever leftover the Entite left with its passing, glad to have some loot at least. He sheathed his Ultima blade and looked over to the others, blue eyes sparkling with excitement. "It's been so long since I managed to stretch my muscles, it feels good."
"That's because you spent the majority of the time in Mt. Bur-Omisace bumming around Vaan." Penelo teased walking back to the group, sheathing her Danjuro and Yagyu as she did so. "No wonder you have gotten fat." A grin stretched across her lips.
Vaan gave a smug smirk and folded his arms. "No thanks to your cooking, Penelo." He said trying to conceal his triumph. Penelo's face flashed more than annoyance.
"What is that supposed to mean Vaan?" she asked indignantly but was interrupted by Larsa's cool voice.
"Come and take a look at this." He said from the far end of the circular room making the others look up in interest.
With more than just a bit of curiosity, the others walked over to where Larsa was looking up at the wall.
"Wow," Vaan muttered looking up at the wall as the rest of the group stood behind. A pause ensued after he said this.
Then: "What are we looking at?" he asked and almost immediately he let out a sound of pain as Penelo whacked him at the back of his head.
"Don't be stupid, Vaan." Penelo hissed at him rolling her eyes. Vaan merely shrugged, folded his arms and looked over at Larsa. "So what are we looking at Larsa?"
Larsa, who was holding copies of the tome he had found in the Kiltian library, pointed at the wall before him, a few feet above their heads.
"There are markings there, in the ancient language." He spoke and he squinted as if to understand them, before looking back at the pages in his hands.
"Can you decipher them?" Ashe asked out loud and Larsa merely nodded.
"With a little more light, I might be able to read it." Larsa murmured, and Basch, quick to comply, uttered a simple Fire spell to hold it above, casting a glow about the wall.
"There!" Larsa murmured rather excitedly as the light from the Fire spell washed the wall with light and casted the faded runes in a bright glow.
"Beyond this barrier," Larsa read out loud, pointing out the rune as he translated it. "Past a void imagined, resides power, coalesced from hell into a relic."
Vaan and Penelo exchanged glances. They weren't the only ones who were confused.
"Is it not a little obtuse?" Ashe asked out loud, hand on her chin, thinking. "Why do you suppose this message was placed here? This is after all the end of the Shrine. Do you think there might be another passage that leads from here?"
"Perhaps," Basch agreed, his arms folded, staring up at the glowing runes even as he extinguished the spell. "There must be a way to trigger it,"
"There's something written here," Yvelle whispered who had stood a little apart from the group and was staring up at the wall with the glowing runes.
"Yes, Yvelle," Vaan said in a placating tone as he rolled his eyes in exasperation. "I think we established that there's something written on this wall."
Yvelle ignored Vaan;s sarcasm and shook her head. "No, there's something written here. Other than the runes. Do you not see it?" she turned to look at them who stared back at her. There was this feeling of déjà vu, like back on the Henne Mines when Yvelle had declared there was a girl in the mines and wanted to follow her. The other members of the group exchanged glances as if trying to decide if they should believe Yvelle.
"What does it say, Yvelle?" Basch asked her and the others looked more than surprised that Basch, the most logical among them, trusted something that the rest of them could not see.
Yvelle gave a small smile and turned back to look at the wall. "It's not written in the ancient language, but in the common tongue. I may be able to read it." Her hand hovered over the rough surfaces of the wall. She picked her staff and whispered something at the end of it, making the end of the staff to emit a soft light. She raised her staff now to gaze at what to others was just a blank surface.
"Gathered have many heathen fools to seek it." Yvelle said out loud and her soft tones were altered into something more ominous as she read the invisible passage.
"They know not consequence and their thoughts dwell only on the means. They strive towards an iniquity, their eyes fixed on the ends. Too late do they learn that they have squandered their time. No fate awaits them here, those heathen fools. So treacherous are their hearts, ever an anathema in mind. No illusion holds them in their place, no reality from which they have been denied. There is need of truth to attain this power. One touch to summon forth a path."
" Now I know I'm not the only one who didn't understand that." Vaan said out loud after Yvelle read the passage.
"Well, it's definitely talking of a passage right?" Penelo asked looking up at the blank wall.
The others nodded. "But why is it only Yvelle who could read it?" Queen Ashe now asked the group at large, pose thoughtful.
"Well, Yvelle must have something that we don't have." Vaan said out loud now, "I mean, she's the only one who could read it right? Maybe she's the only one who could open whatever passage there is too."
Larsa who was silent as he gazed upon the wall. "Yvelle," Larsa now spoke, catching the attention of everbody. "Could you please read the inscription again?"
Yvelle nodded and read the passage again this time, slower, as if committing it into memory. A few minutes passed after that and Larsa fell silent again, gazing at the pieces of parchment before muttering the passage that Yvelle read.
A few moments after, it was Penelo who broke the silence.
"Of course!" Penelo cried out, clapping her hands excitedly. "I get it!"
Ashe looked at her as if she just lost more than few feathers. "What are you going on about Penelo?" Vaan asked, looking at Penelo sceptically, but Penelo ignored them all and rushed over at Yvelle.
"One touch to summon forth a path!" Penelo cried ringing Yvelle's hands in anticipation. "One touch to summon forth a path!" she repeated it over and over as if it cleared matters.
"Yvelle!" Penelo cried before any of them could ask what Penelo was going on about. "You have to touch the wall! Yvelle you have to touch the wall!"
Yvelle stared at Penelo as if not understanding; her amethyst eyes were wide with surprise as Penelo came close to shaking her. "Yvelle, touch the wall!"
Yvelle paused, unable to look away from Penelo's excited eyes. The novice hunter stared at her master for a moment before closing in on the wall.
Somewhere, Yvelle heard Vaan mutter "this is stupid," behind her, but he was quickly hushed by Penelo's hiss. Yvelle looked up at the wall the words that were so invisible to everybody else bold in her eyes. Her hand hovered at the middle of the wall, where one of the runes still stood glowing. Of all the walls she touched to reveal hidden passages, this one was the strangest of them all. But this was she was waiting for right? A chance of adventure. There was no way she would hesitate now.
She breathed in now and without further ado, placed her palm in the middle of the rough rock.
A few minutes passed, and the silence stretched beyond comfort. Yvelle, who still had her palm on the surface of the wall, looked over her shoulder towards the others, her eyes questioning. Both Queen Ashe and Judge Majister Basch had inscrutable expressions, Emperor Larsa looked disappointed, Penelo devastated, and Vaan severely irritated.
"Nothing's happening." Vaan declared in a deadpan voice, folding his arms and Yvelle ducked her head in embarrassment.
"My apologies," she whispered the blush spreading far past her cheeks to her neck.
"Don't apologize Yvelle." Penelo quickly interceded, throwing another glare at Vaan. "Vaan's just jealous because he hasn't figured a way to get in—" Penelo stopped abruptly as a rumbling noise interrupted whatever else she was going to say.
Instinctively, the group raised their sights above; the product of too many collapse ceilings in their previous journeys making them weary. After a few tensed seconds and realizing that it was not the ceiling that was rumbling, the group turned once more to the wall, realizing that that was the source of this earth-shattering rumbling.
XOXOXOX
Strange, distant and vague noises echoed in his mind which swam in a trance; wresting, bloodcurdling screams, steel biting into flesh and then finally the crackling of a fire. He could not remember when and where…those sounds in the haze.
Half-awake now, his eyes still shut; one of them would find it hard to open in the next few weeks. He felt a pain knotting up on his back, then a wet, sticky feeling on his right arm… a gash, the blood was now clotting. His half-able body was being rocked; he leaned against wood, which felt strangely cold against is skin. A carriage mounted to a chocobo, maybe a team of chocobos. The road must be rough, the traverse through any path would be quiet and stable otherwise.
Then, he heard a neigh. The carriage wasn't being pulled by chocobos.
There was no clatter of hooves, just dull thuds and the crunch of gravel. The old timbers which gave the carriage shape creaked. The boy leaning on one post was awake now, he looked up. The carriage's ceiling was comprised by several pelts; there was a faint scent of varnish.
He then turned to his gashed arm; the bleeding had been bad. He prodded the incision, found it to be deep and still somewhat wet. He pressed on it, pressed hard. He did not wince, he wondered why.
'You there,' a muffled voice addressed him roughly, 'stand down if you know what's good for you.' An imperial soldier, clad in armor was seated at the carriage's open end. His words fell on deaf ears. Scipio didn't care what the insipid kidnapper had to say.
Scipio was feeling drowsy again, his head was ringing and he longed for silence, the Imperial was oblivious to what Scipio wanted; he would not shut up. Scipio willed his anger away, he could not stand the Imperial's incessant cackle. 'You're in for it, son.' He heard the Imperial say. Scipio had learned many martial arts from his friends, he could easily kill this addle-pated fool if he had but the strength.
'You're going to be a judge, or you're going to be dead.' , was the last thing he heard before he finally fell asleep again.
"Scipio?" a voice echoed from the near vicinity of his ear and Scipio left the dregs of his past slip past once more to drift his attentiveness back towards his cohort, who was scrutinizing him with unruffled amber eyes, features schooled in an impenetrable air. Not for the hundredth time did Scipio consider being appreciative for the mask that enshrouded most of his face and therefore clouded his expressions. There would be hell to pay if he betrayed any weakness, especially to a hellion like Hilaneya.
So as an alternative, Scipio unleashed that minute, wily, almost mischievous smile he did when he was hiding something and gesticulated with one of his weapons down the snow-covered slope of one of Paramina Rift's peaks.
"You worry about me too much, Hilaneya," he uttered in his silky voice, traces of some laughter in his tones. "But I suppose that is to be expected from a bodyguard."
Hilaneya merely raised her eyebrows at Scipio and with an arch look, launched herself from where she was standing a little away from Scipio to land nimbly a few meters away, her footwear barely skidding across the slippery surface of the soft snow.
Scipio gave a chuckle now as he quickly tore after her. "Curmudgeon!" he hollered as he ran past her, his laughter whipping against the howling wind initiating a challenge that was soon acquiesced with a flurry of snow and a flash of auburn hair, sprinting past him. After all, spots of excitement should be allocated in definite interludes of time prior to a hammer fall.
XOXOXOX
"Admit it Vaan," Penelo cried in a sing-song voice that only echoed vastly against the dark, domed vestibule that was enshrouded in darkness, making not only their voices but their footsteps reverberate dully. "I'm smarter than you." She called again and her voice held all the victory of a smug person.
Vaan could be heard snorting but otherwise he issued no reply. A sudden hush had fallen over at the group as they entered the antechamber that was revealed with the parting of the barrier behind them thanks to Penelo's deciphering and Yvelle's assistance. Though Yvelle had not said anything after the wall had opened, she too had felt an immense pride in doing something right and she could not help the small grin on her face as they ventured in the dark hole. She felt that she was actually earning more than bruises and earning her place in this motley group.
"Have you read anything about this Larsa?" Queen Ashe's voice could now be heard as Basch produced a torch of his own making giving them some light. Yvelle had quickly joined in, illuminating the end of her Cloud Staff as she did so. Between the two of them, there was just enough light to get a grasp of their surroundings.
"It is rather difficult to say," Larsa remarked, his Archadian accent very prominent within the echoes of the chamber. "However, so far, it looks like the descriptions of the tome match this chamber perfectly." He turned around on the spot, as if searching for something. "If we could only—" he was cut short by Vaan's excited cry.
"Here it is! I found it!" his voice echoed somewhere away from the reach of Basch and Yvelle's light.
Eager footsteps resonated across the chamber as the other members of the group followed the sound of Vaan's voice. Sure enough at the end of the chamber, in a dais similar like that of in the Henne Mines sat a small pillar made of the same dark washed stone engraved with runes, and on the apex of this small pillar, hovering so eerily was a Stone, similar to the one Balthier and Fran coveted from them in the Mines. The only difference was this Stone was glowing a dull iridescent red casting a more sinister glow upon all it touched.
"There really is another one." Penelo whispered in awed voice, her eyes fixed upon the hovering stone, all her fears of nethicite restored at the mere presence of such a small yet powerful thing. With great difficulty, she wrenched her gaze away from this stone to look back at the rest, who like her, stood transfixed, staring at the stone with awestruck eyes.
"Larsa?" Penelo now whispered, and she knew it sounded pained. As much as she wanted it not to be, she could not help it. The events surrounding these stones were still etched fresh upon everybody's minds but to remind Larsa of that, Penelo had not wanted to.
Larsa meanwhile whose eyes never left the glowing stone, casting his face in odd shades of red as well as shadows, did not stir, only gazing at the Stone with spellbound azure eyes, fists clenched and jaw tight controlling some emotion.
'Your Excellency," Basch's gravel voice echoed roughly across the cataclysm. The Judge Majister's voice seemed to jolt Larsa into attention for he breathed in and stepped upon the dais.
"Basch, the light." Larsa now spoke in a detached voice, crouching down to read the runes etched upon the small pillar. Basch moved to stand beside Larsa.
"It has the same markings," Larsa said out loud now, hands skimming feather-light over the runes. "Only, some of the runes are reversed." He added, his voice thoughtful now. "It reads: For balance do what must you do, one cannot have one when there are not two. Wrought in Shadow the Light prevails. With Sorrow, Despair entails. Tread softly in the realms of Day and Night.'"
"It's got to be the other Stone Larsa," Vaan now said and the eagerness could not be hidden from his voice.
"There is something else written here," Larsa muttered as If he had not heard Vaan. The young Emperor moved to the other side of the pillar. "Some markings here were not found in the previous one. This one reads: With thy eyes, question. With thy ears, perceive. Illusion render illusions, Heart render hearts. Choose Wisely."
"What--?" Ashe began to ask when loud gunshot pierced through the air shattering the silence of the chamber, resonating and booming sounds all over the hall.
"Well done," a voice so achingly familiar echoed now as footsteps announced the arrival of more people. "And to think I thought this would be difficult."
A whispered spell, a flash of light, then suddenly the whole chamber was occupied with intense, dazzling, blinding light that the others had to shield their eyes before the other beings presented themselves.
Bathed in tolerable light now, the room seemed much smaller than it was when they first encountered in darkness and the Stone's glow was nothing more than a dim light at the far end of theroom.
"Why, I must really offer my congratulations." Baltheir now spoke, his voice still very close to a drawl, arms folded and smile wry. "For you to decipher whatever source it was and coming this close to this nethicite is something that really ought to be applauded."
"Balthier." It was not Larsa, or Basch who uttered the name as the rest of the group swiveled around to face the intruders, weapons ready, and muscles tense. Vaan, who had been in such a jovial mood since the beginning of this trip seemed to have transformed into some sort of wraith when he spotted the older sky-pirate with his partner in tow, was the person who uttered this one worded greeting. It would have been a greeting were it not for the loathing in Vaan's voice and the not-so-welcome appearance of weapons.
"Greetings, Vaan." Balthier smirked raising a hand in mock-salute. "It seemed the lot of you survived our encounter quite well. Fran was worried." He gestured lazily to his side where the ever-present Fran stood, her expressions unfathomable, her ruby eyes unblinking.
Nobody said anything but Balthier seemed content enough not to garner a reply. Instead he let his hazel eyes wander over the members of the group.
"It seemed you have managed to acquire more than the usual number of royalty in your group. Replaced me so quickly Princess?" Balthier spoke derisively, eyebrows raised and arms folded.
Ashe, whose own unlike the others did not have the same look of abhorrence towards the sky-pirates, but instead her face merely showed indifference but a flash of some emotion lingered on her eyes when Balthier addressed her.
"I have not been a princess in two years, Balthier." Ashe uttered archly, and she too raised her eyebrows, one hand on her hip but the other resting heavily on the hilt of her Excalibur.
Balther smirked yet again and flourished a wide sweeping bow in mockery. "My apologies, Your Majesty." His smirk was still in place but his hazel eyes hardened to the color of flint.
"What are you doing here Balthier?" Ashe now asked, taking the role of speaker for the group seeing as the rest seemed too wrapped up in their memories of the past encounter of betrayal to speak civilly.
To their surprise it was Fran who spoke, and in her steady lilted voice did she answer. "What else do sky-pirates do?" her snow-white eyebrows raised to match that of Ashe's. "Treasure." There was a flash of surprise in Balthier's eyes but he quickly tempered it and said nothing.
"You have no idea what you're doing!" Penelo now shouted, her face red, her eyes shiny with unshed tears at seeing two people whom had betrayed her and the rest of their trust as if the betrayal had not affected them in any way. "The Shadow Nethicite is very dangerous!"
Balthier straightened up and cast a glance of amusement towards Penelo. " 'The Shadow Nethicite' is it? My, my, are you not the smart one Penelo? Sometimes you do surprise me."
"Stop it, Balthier." It was Basch's warning that stopped Balthier's mocking. "State your business and begone with it. If you're not with us, then you are against us."
Balthier gave a snort and folded his arms. "How boorish of you, Judge Majister. Not really what I expected from a knight of your caliber."
"Shut up!" this time it was Vaan who spoke and his voice couldn't possibly filled with anymore hate than it already had. Fists clenched he pointed his Ultima blade at Balthier. "Shut up Balthier! Let's just settle this and have it over with! Abide with the Code!"
Balthier's smirk disappeared when Vaan spoke and his expression was cool and distant as he regarded the younger sky-pirate. "The Code Vaan? Still being the idealistic child you are, I see."
"I am not a child!" Vaan shouted, his voice echoing louder in the domed cavern. "You know I can beat you here, right now! I challenge you as my rights by the Code!"
Balthier, if it was possible, raised his eyebrows higher and his face hardened in an unfathomable expression. Penelo meanwhile gave a loud gasp, her hands quickly covering her mouth as she looked at Vaan with alarm. "Vaan no!"
Vaan didn't seem to hear Penelo, for he stepped forward, weapon still on hand. Fran had calmly stepped forward in front of Balthier, drawing her bow as she did so.
"No, Fran." Balthier's calm voice interrupted. Fran gaze flickered before she stepped back and Balthier slowly moved forward his eyes and face betraying nothing.
"You delight in complicating every single thing in your life do you not Vaan?" Balthier said but he did not wait for a reply because he unsheathed his Fomalhaut but rested it against his thigh. "I accept your challenge."
Vaan scowled and nodded grimly, Ultima blade flashing. Penelo tried to get his attention again, but Vaan ignored her, eyes focused only on Balthier, eyes burning with hatred.
"What are your terms?" Balthier continued in a deadpan voice, as if bored already.
Vaan scowled deeper but straightened up, his blue eyes hard. "If I win, I get the Stone and you will never show your face around us ever again. Understand?"
Balthier rolled his eyes. "How positively primeval." He gave a mock-sigh and rolled his eyes but quickly tempered his features. "And if I win, you will accept Fran and I back into your little party, no questions asked."
"What?" There was more than one gasp and expression of bewilderment at Balthier's statement but Balthier ignored them all and merely gazed back with detachment.
"Those are my terms. The Code you seem so eager to abide to allows this."
Vaan's eyes widened in some emotion but nonetheless he said nothing. He looked away for a moment before he sighed roughly and looked back. "Fine." He poised his weapon in a ready stance.
Balthier stared at the large blade for a moment before giving another smirk. He folded his arms again. "How about we make this a little more interesting Vaan? Espers?" he met Vaan's blue eyes with steady hazel ones.
"That is not a good idea Vaan," Basch's rough voice said from somewhere behind Vaan and again this was ignored as Vaan continued to stare back with hatred at Balthier. He straightened up again, ramrod straight, this time a stone clutched in his hand.
"Let's do this." He muttered and stone in his hand began to glow the glyph of Belias the Infernal
"Lovely." Balthier deadpanned. He extracted his own Esper glyph. "Famfrit! To me!" he cried and unleashed the Darkening Cloud.
Roars from the Espers echoed harshly across the chamber. Whorls of light swathed the two summoners as these beings towered over the rest, beams of red and blue as the two Espers howled at each other in challenge and hurtled towards each other, Belias' hackles raised and Famfrit's chains ringing in the air.
Then a loud crack and a swift flash of a great whip echoed disrupting the battle.
"You mortals do provide the most excellent entertainment!" A soft, smooth and silky voice filled with amusement, whispered across the chamber.
A/N: All right, first our apologies for the long update, there is so much where this story wants to go and we had to do a lot of trimming and rethinking as to what we wanted to follow. As a compensation, I wrote this longer than I had intended, but not so much that you guys would get bored halfway through. It ends in a cliff hanger and not so much action because I can tell you now, you will have plenty of action in the following chapter and it would be anti-climatic of me if I stick in the major action this early.
So there you have it, the next chapter will be mostly written by Scipio, with a few tidbits from me and I hope you stick with us long enough to find out. Please stay tuned!
Cheers!
Comet
PS I really, really had to put that "Framfrit! To me!" line because its homage to the ever-lovable Doctor Cid. It was only fair that Bal got to say it...hehehe..kudos to anyone who noticed it!!
