Magnus: Well, a little bit faster than last time. Now I bring to you the beginning of the Ivalice's fall arc, with more battles, more bloodshed, and a little bit of mysticism, enjoy! And remember, Read and Review!
Disclaimer: We don't own anything, most names are only alias
Chapter 23
The Siege
"War is a word that shouldn't be said lightly, for it means the total annihilation of the opposing force, stripping away from the loser side the right to exist or even be remembered, leaving that at the mercy of the victor. When I march to war, I leave nothing behind of my foes…" –Mark Hunter-
Ivalice's castle, a wonderful sight to behold, a magnificent replica of the mediaval castles found in the pictures of the pre-Sukebe war. It had towers, a colossal main gate, and of course, it's own set of regal guards.
"Who is there?" One of the guards shouted, for he couldn't recognize the tall guy with the great sword at his back
"My name is Illidan Von Hellscream! And I've come for the head of the lord of this castle!" Illidan presented himself, striking fear on the hearts of the guards
"Great, just great. Now we look like the bad guys!" Shadow showed his discomfort, for he always thought himself more in the hero line than in the villain
"Suck it up, kiddo. Remember that this is for the successful rescue of your girlfriend!" Illidan replied somewhat annoyed. He took off his new great sword from his back, it was beautiful, straight and not really broad, the shining blade was double edged, becoming a strong block near the hilt, which was made of gold with a few engravings, the pommel was made of a black steel, long enough for two wide hands to grip it comfortable. In total, the sword had a length of 7ft… but it didn't weight properly
"What the hell?" Illidan nearly screamed, for the sword went all the way to the ground, destroying the concrete at his feet, missing Shadow for less than an inch.
"DUDE! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?" Shadow screamed, and the guards sent the alarm, thinking that the destruction of the concrete was a warning move
"This sword… There is something strange…" Illidan replied, and then tried to lift the sword. It was the strangest feeling he got from a weapon, It was heavier than anything he had tried to lift up to now… Yet it felt like moving his own hand, not hard at all. Suddenly the words of Mark Hunter resounded into his memory
"This is Anathar, the sword of power. She will react to your will, for she is the embodiment of your true essence. You used to know how to wield a sword, now you must learn to tame your own will, so Anathar can be truly unleashed"
"This… Is going to be interesting" Illidan finally said, and then began to run to the first incoming guards
Meanwhile…
As any medieval castle, this one had secret passages, alternate entrances, and a rater large sewer system. The conditions of darkness, smell, and overall sinister look of this area, made it the least monitored, for no tamer would dare adventuring the complex sewer system for the fear of being lost in there… Or the fear of finding something that they may not be able to handle. But to Mark and Zetsumi, this was no different to anything that they hadn't done before…
"Well, three tunnels to choose from. Which one?" Zetsumi asked, he could call IGGY to make a scan, but that could rise the chances of being spotted.
Zetsumi watched how Mark took from one of his pockets something like a pendant. It was made with a cord, a common stone, and a yellow feather, more likely from Alba. He held it by the end of the cord, with the stone and the feather acting as a weight, and then he began to chant.
"Spirits that inhabit this place,
I beseech your help and guidance,
show me the path to my destination,
and grant us your protection against the devils of the lower realm"
As Mark chanted, Zetsumi saw how the pendant began to move like a pendulum, and when he finished, Zetsumi's heart almost jumped at how the pendant darted forward, pointing to the tunnel in the left
"This way" Mark finally said, walking without fear into the darkness
"I would have felt better if you had used something to choose by luck… Anyway, we better hurry. We don't know how much the distraction will last" Zetsumi said as he moved to walk by Mark's side
"I don't believe in luck" Mark deadpanned. Both kept walking into the darkness, no light to help them to not stumble, but Zetsumi couldn't help but to wonder, how Mark could walk like this? He had his ocular implants, granting him some infravision, but with Mark, it was as if some invisible force were guiding his steps… Suddenly Zetsumi couldn't help but to feel the imperious need to scan the area with his pokedex, beginning with Mark
GHOSTLY (aka WILL O' WISP), the Spook Pokégirl
Type: Inhumanoid
Element: Ghost
Frequency: Rare
Diet: Life energy
Role: Information collection, Connection to the spirit realm, General annoyance
Libido: Very Low
Strong Vs: Fighting, Steel, Psychic
Weak Vs: Dark
Attacks: Illusion, Drain, Hypnosis, Invis, Telekinesis, Phase, Possess, Lick
Enhancements: Non-physical presences
Weaknesses: Unable to become fully corporal
Evolves: Haunting (special; possessing a Pokégirl upon the brink of death), Bhooty (Dusk Stone), Banshee (special; discovering own body or murdered body of loved ones)
Evolves From: None
"What the…" Zetsumi began, this was unnerving, but Mark remembered him to remain calm
"Do not disturb them. These spirits are here to help us. They deserve our respect… And help" Mark stated, still walking, being guided by an entire horde of Ghostlies.
"Who are they?" Zetsumi asked now. Now he wanted to help, no one deserves to be suspended in the existence like this
"They are the ones who were killed by the lords of this castle. Pokewomen, Pokegirls, pokekits, women and even men too. They died, and no one cared" Mark replied, and the Ghostlies became agitated, as if angered, they even became visible, emanating a eerie and faint light. But they kept on guiding them, not that it eased Zetsumi's mind
On the main gate…
"ORA!" Illidan shouted, while swinging his sword horizontally. Six Battle angels were caught by the powerful swing, their shields, swords armors and bodies were sliced without effort, as if the sword couldn't find any resistance
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" Illidan began to laugh like a madman, the sensation of power was… Intoxicating. Even when the momentum was almost unstoppable, Illidan enjoyed it to it's fullest, it was like being reborn, like rediscovering his true strength all over again.
"Damn! He is losing all control!" Shadow muttered, as he punched another guard in the face, rendering him unconscious.
"On the other hand… No one is paying attention to me! That's right! Mark, you are a genius!" Shadow shouted, still being ignored, and then ran toward the door, finding no opposition, for everyone was trying to stop the now blood lusting Illidan.
From one of the towers, one high pitched scream was heard, then the sound of a window shattering followed, and the figure of a Whorizard carrying a battered and naked Gary Stroak was seen. The twins proved to be more than entertainment, and to get away with his life, he had to sacrifice everything else he had with him.
"What a piece of a scumbag, leaving behind his pokegirls so he can escape with his miserable life" Celia said, licking the blood on her hand, the slaughtered forms of an Ivywhore and a Growlie at her feet
"It doesn't matter, we have what we need" Lettie replied, with the pink pokeball on her hand, a black black poodle at her feet, most likely the remains of the princess slimette
"Hey! It seems that someone invited some madman to our door!" Celia happily said while looking down the window, where Illidan was slaughtering the guards and their pokegirls
"Let's hope he gives more of a challenge than Mr. Stroak. Go ahead, have your fun with him, but let something for me, I have to deliver this to Lord Beoulve first" Lettie replied, smirking evilly
" Ok, I'll leave enough of him for you to enjoy. But hurry, I may forget about it if you take long enough" Celia added, and then disappeared
Meanwhile…
Mark and Zetsumi went further into the darkness, up to now, no challenge, just more little orbs of light joining their procession. The more they advanced, the more it grew cold too, not that any of the two complained, Zetsumi had implants to auto regulate his body heat, while Mark… Was simply Mark. No shivering, no complains, just a face that grew more serious with every step. Soon they arrived to another wide room with a torch barely giving any light at all, in front of them, the path diverged into another five tunnels
"I guess it's time for the pendant trick?" Zetsumi asked, slightly more unnerved than the last time. Mark took the pendant out, repeated his chant, and soon the pendant pinted the path… up.
"Need a technician to fix your device?" Zetsumi asked, more to free some tension, the place was creepy even for him
"More likely a pair of eyes to look for some stairs, or a trap door in the ceiling" Mark replied seriously, and Zetsumi was fast to get into the job, for his eyes were the best of the two to look for a way up
It took less than a minute to find the trap door and the stairs, just a few seconds to reach the door and open it, but once in the other side, they found a welcome party that was certainly unnerving… Zombabes, by the thousands…
ZOMBABE, the Carnivorous Corpse Pokégirl
Type: Very Near Human - Inhumanoid
Element: Poison/Ghost
Frequency: Common - Extremely Rare (depends on outbreak)
Diet: living flesh
Role: scourge of humanity
Libido: None
Strong Vs: Bug, Fighting, Ghost, Poison, Plant, Rock, Water
Weak Vs: Dark, Fire, Ice, Celestial Pokégirls
Attacks: Bite, Scratch, Tackle, Wrestle, Growl, Poison Mist, Mega-Zombie Poison, Lure, Sprite
Enhancements: Sleeplessness, relentlessness, poison immunity, constant fear aura
Disadvantages: Fire-weakness, Ice-weakness, low mental capacity, slow movement.
Evolves: None
Evolves From: Any Human females or Pokégirls (constant use of Red Magic Spell: Zombie, infected through breaking of skin)
Bounty (for confirmed kill): 90,000 SLC
Bounty (for reporting sighting & getting out alive): 45,000 SLC
Bounty (for successful stop of plague): 1,000,000 SLC
Recommendation if you see one: Upon seeing a Zombabe although difficult, remain calm. They may seem dangerous due to the constantly generated Aura of Fear, but remember, that Zombabes are a slow and dim-witted bunch and it is easy to outrun them; the suggested route to take when one or more is found. If fleeing is not a realistic option, use a Dark, Fire, or Ice-Type Pokégirl or one with a Celestial alignment to mow down numbers. If you have a pistol, pick them off from a distance – AIM FOR THE HEAD!
"Please tell me you have some cures for this…" Zetsumi whispered, he was used to fight the aura of fear, but the hallways and rooms visible were filled with zombabes
"Those who walk among the dead, may be seen as them, but not counted among them…" Mark said, and then took out a bottle, and drank half the contents, just to pass the remains to Zetsumi
"Drink, feel the touch of the death, but don't embrace it" Mark solemnly stated, and Zetsumi drank, immediately feeling his body going cold, and his vision becoming slightly foggy
"What is this?" Zetsumi asked, concerned for his well being
"Zetsumi! What's going on? Your vitals have almost stopped!" IGGY managed to scream, making every Zombabe to look at their direction… But none moved, responded, or anything
"It's called 'El Beso de la Muerte' Now hurry up, we only have fifteen minutes" Mark said, and then began to walk
"Fifteen minutes for what?" Zetsumi asked, but Mark didn't reply
Inside the castle…
"Lord Dycerag, here is the pokeball with your elusive and rebellious sibling" Lettie said to the lord of the castle, who now looked pleased to his core
"Fantastic! I knew I could count on you and your sister! You don't only deserve a high reward for this, you deserve anything you want!" Dycerag praised the girl and her absent sister, this girl though smiled cutely at him
"Could you double the sacrifice this time? My sister and I would like more… Vitality" Lettie asked with a cute childish voice, and Dycerag seemed to think about it
"Hmmm… Very well, conceded, you are more worthy than any quantity of soldiers or lesser pokegirls, but the sacrifice that comes next time will be normal" Dycerag conceded, as well as pointing on not making this an habit
"That's just fair enough, beloved Lord Dycerag" Lettie replied, seemingly pleased
"And now, to break you, little troublesome sibling" Dycerag voiced. But any intentions got interrupted
"I'm afraid our plans with the little bitch will have to wait, brother. We have an unexpected visitor" Zalbaag voice sounded, and his figure emerged from behind the throne
"Ah, yes. Celia went to greet him at the gate of the castle. A savage with a sword far more powerful than his abilities allow to fully control. She'll be back with his head soon, sooner if I part now to help her, Lord Zalbaag" Lettie reported, but she was in for a surprise
"The one at the gates is only a mere distraction, someone has managed to infiltrate from the sewers… And is still lurking the basement" Zalbaag explained, and Lettie's face became one of absolute horror
"I'll attend that immediately!" She replied, and then darted to the basement
"Our vaults can't be opened by any other that doesn't have Beoulve blood on his veins. What else is there to be protected?" Dycerag asked, and Zalbaag couldn't help but to frown
"Your kingdom depends on the safety of our secrets, and leave it at that" Zalbaag replied, and turned to leave
"Ours, or yours, brother?" Dycerag asked, but Zalbaag didn't replied
"Damn it. It seems the battle king will see the battlefield again… I'll deal with you later, bitch" Dycerag said, and then left the pink pokeball on the throne, while he walked to greet Illidan
At the main gate…
"BWAHAHAHAHAHA! IS THIS ALL YOU CAN DO? ALL YOU HAVE? COME ON! BRING ME A CHALLENGE!" Illidan yelled, mocking the defense prowess of the prideful army
"You have a big mouth. I'll cut that tongue of yours" Celia said, while falling upon Illidan with tanto on hand. Just for the warrior to block her with Anathar. The impact was brutal, there was even a shock wave, but Illidan was unmoved, he felt the demonic nature of the tanto, how it tried to shatter his new sword with it's dark forces, but Anathar was completely unaffected, making Celia leap back
"What is this? A living sword? Or are you from the same realm as me?" Celia asked, a little more serious now
"If we were from the same realm, you would recognize me, for no one could forget my face after what I've done. But then again, nothing can come from my realm, for I've left nothing but ashes of it!" Illidan replied, pointing Anathar against her, and he could felt the sword screaming for another chance to break the tanto that dared to touch her
"What?... Who or what are you?" Celia asked, startled by the sincerity of Illidan's declaration
"My name is Illidan Von Hellscream, and this is Anathar, the Sword of Power. If a god comes into her way, he'll be cleaved in two, and if it's a devil, he'll be beheaded!" Ilidan shouted, changing to his true form. His power fully unleashed made Anathar chant in glorious mighty light
Castle's secret chamber…
"You got to be kidding me!" Zetsumi voiced his shock. Up to now, they had walked among the Zombabes, seemingly unnoticed. Every now and then, they would moan, groan, or even growl, specially when Mark pushd them aside, he was seemingly unfazed by the constant aura of fear, unlike Zetsumi, who felt it but managed to fight it down with ease.
"Figures. This is why these things haven't escaped yet. A magical orb of slavery" Mark half explained, pointing to the bright sphere in the middle of the room, earning an eye-twitch from Zetsumi
"Now this is most unexpected. Dead men walking? Death cheaters? Necromancers? How?" Lettie asked, coming seemingly out of nowhere. Not caring about the bottle that Mark took out to take a sip
"A pokegirl?" Zetsumi asked, just before taking the bottle from Mark, and taking a sip himself, feeling the heat returning to his body, and his vision clearing again
"No, a demon" Mark replied, readying his sword
"How you dare call me a demon? This body is the representation of beauty incarnated!" Lettie shouted in angry, not noticing the zombabes that were now getting closer
"External beauty doesn't truly count, for it only arouses the weak of mind" Zetsumi stated, mocking at her as he readied his mithril glaive
"But for those who have walked among pure hearts, you are nothing but the vision of the essence of putrefaction incarnated" Mark continued, earning a hateful glare from Lettie
"You are going to die. I will not add your energy to mine, you will be tossed into oblivion!" Lettie finally shouted, leaping at them
Inside the castle…
Dycerag did know that someone was assaulting the main gate, he even knew that someone managed to sneak his way into the castle from the underground, both of them without using pokegirls, meaning no way to track them accurately. But what he didn't know, was that someone was already inside…
"GIVE ME RAMZA BACK!" Shadow shouted, while delivering a flying kick to the lord, who barely managed to block it with his shield, although he was pushed back a foot or two
"I don't take orders from anyone, much less from someone who brings bare fists into a sword fight!" Dycerag shouted back, not taking seriously his challenger
"I will have her back. Even if I have to turn all your bones to dust!" Shadow shouted, darting toward Dycerag, who tried to cleave him in two, just to fail miserably due to Shadow's speed
"Gotcha!" Shadow shouted, as he applied a triple punch combo to Dycerag's jaw, sending him to the floor
"You are strong. BUT I'M STRONGER!" Dycerag shouted as he darted from the ground toward Shadow, tackling him with his shield… failing to see two pokeballs being thrown, releasing Agrias and Boco
"Go and look for Ramza! I'll take care of this bastard!" Shadow shouted to Ramza's pokegirls, who didn't need further encouragement
Meanwhile, far away from Ivalice…
"I'm sorry, I had to leave before being dragged into something from where I couldn't come back" Felix reported, sounding sad, as if remembering a troubled part of his life
"It's ok. No one will judge you. It was a hard choice to make, and this Mr. Hunter is not one to take lightly" Fuyutsuki replied, sounding sincere and caring. His voice also eased Felix's heart
"Now, you are a full fledged Ranger. And here is your first mission. You are going to provide an escort to a recent graduate from Vale, he is in his journey of enlightenment, and you are going to provide support so he can reach the title of Harem Master" Fuyutsuki stated, earning a shocked expression from the now Ranger
"Are you serious? My first Ranger mission, and it's something so important?" Felix had to ask, for Graduates from Vale are considered really powerfull, and for them to need an escort, it only means greater danger
"You have proven yourself worthy, Felix. Now, please come in Reimi" Fuyutsuki called, and then a young man entered the room, completely covered with a white hooded robe, only his eyes were visible, although they were of changing colors
"Thank you for aiding me on my quest, Ranger Felix" Reimi said, although it sounded more like he was pitying the Ranger
"And what is this quest? If I'm allowed to ask" Felix asked, trying to sound polite
"It is dangerous, most likely deadly. We are going to track and study a subject that is rumored to be arcane" Reimi half explained
"Who or what are talking about?" Felix ventured to ask
"No other than Mr. Hunter" Reimi replied, and Felix couldn't help but to feel that the Mage was smirking below his robe
'He is either crazy, or damn too greedy for his own health' Felix thought
'He want to understand' The anima replied, not that it helped a bit
Magnus: I know, not too many pokegirl intervention, but believe me, that will come later, you just have to wait until next chapter