"Now some people may realise this isn't the exact wording from the game. I kept some, to be true to the game, but it was harder to integrate myself into the story if they all talked to each other and not me." If more people review the chapters come up faster.
Out on the bridge it was complete chaos. The screams of dying people filled the air. I kept running but it was getting harder and harder.
"Fuck fuck fuck, I'm going to die fuck" I screamed in my head. Thoughts of my family raced through my head. I have never felt so completely helpless, hazy sights of Vaan and Balthier passed through my sight. Terror seized my lungs before I felt something hard hit my head.
Balthier ran across the bridge spotting that young boy from the vault room.
'I have to catch this cutpurse right now' he murmured to himself
Running even faster to make up for lost time the stupid kid just about slammed into him. Blonde boy looked up into his eyes fearful of punishment as if Balthier was the one to give it out. How little this boy knew of the world.
"What's going on" he cried out
"The Ifrit eh? That's quite an entrance." Balthier exclaimed "Impeccable timing. If I didn't know better, I'd say they were waiting all along."
Just as an explosion hit the bridge he spotted two sights that did not please him in the slightest. One was that blondie was running away again. The second was the body of the young girl. Balthier was not even sure she was still alive until she started stirring.
"Damn why do I have to do everything around here" he muttered to himself before yelling "Stop running, we have to save your girl or is that too much to ask thief."
My vision slowly started to recover. Through blurry eyes I could just make out Balthier and Vaan running towards me. I lifted my hand and tried to yell for them, but I could not force out a scream, not even when a loud explosion almost deafened me. Covering my hands to my ears I felt warm hands under me as Balthier scooped me up.
Balthier is a hard man to predict. He comes off as, well, a dick yet as he was running with me he never stopped throwing words of comfort in my ears. Little whispers of "its ok" and "don't worry" filled my head. I saw a fast blur of the hover bike as Balthier slipped me into the seat, encouraging me to hold onto Fran's waist. Much of what happened next was fuzzy and as I'm writing this only fragments come to my mind, but as we have all played the game we know what happens, all I remember is waking up to Fran gently slapping my face.
"Mugh what Fran what's happening"
"Can you walk?"
"Yea I can"
"We will tell you later right now is not the time"
Getting up on shaky legs I looked around for Vaan. I knew I shouldn't have been worried. Vaan was supposed to live for the whole game but my presence was in itself a disturbance so who knew what else might be different. I saw him over with Balthier having gambits explained.
Running over to him I bear hugged him, "Vaan I'm so glad your ok."
"I'm glad I am too, but are you ok?" Vaan asked hugging me back
"Yea I'm mostly ok just really thirsty, I haven't had any water since you met me" I said
Feeling a tap on my shoulder I turned to see Balthier holding out a small cantina. I looked at him with questioning eyes, not sure if he wanted me to take it.
"Please milady take this." he said smoothly.
"Thank you Balthier, I feel like I can't ever repay my debt I mean you saved my life" I said before drinking a mouthful from the bottle.
"The pleasure was all mine milady although you'll excuse me if I ask to never do it again" he stated whilst bowing slightly "may I ask however, how you know my name?"
"Oh believe me Balthier you are a famous man where I come from" I replied
"Sounds titillating, however we must all be going unless we want to end up in Nalbina which I thoroughly don't"
The next half an hour for me was spent searching for potions dropped in the confusion. Vaan was given the job of scrounging for items on the dead bodies littered like trash. Occasionally dirt, plaster and bricks would fall from the celling dropping around us.
"Curse the damned gods, whores and Ba'Gamnen"
Turning around I saw Balthier rubbing the top of his head cursing the gods and anyone else who was unlucky enough to cross his mind. I giggled and turned before I tripped over a dead body. I let out a short yelp and shuffled away from it. I glanced down at the body a young boy about my age, his dead face frozen into and expression on eternal fear.
My voice breaking I started crying with jagged breaths. Closing my eyes to calm myself, this was a video game nothing to get sad about. His eyes burned into my memory swimming all around. I cried for the solider. I cried for my family. I cried at the thought that I would never be able to see them again. I felt someone slip their arms under my arms and pull me up on my feet.
"Get off me" I screamed. Lashing out at whoever picked me up. Tears stung my eyes blurring my vision while I ran up ahead. I could hear my sobbing echo loudly of the grimy bricks and concrete. War is not like it's depicted in COD or even on the news. It's messy, brutal and it leaves scars that not even time can heal. I dropped to my knees and threw up over the side of the path. Lying against the wall I felt my head drooping, I was hungry and faint. I heard my named being called so I looked over. I saw Vaan running for me with Balthier and Fran following.
Vaan rushed up to me. He felt my forehead, "Ella are you ok, what's the matter?"
Balthier on the other hand had no patience for this. As soon as I saw his face I could tell he was pissed. Grabbing my hand he ripped my arm up forcing me to stand.
"I have NO time for this, you want to live then keep going but it's not my job to make sure you thieves survive." He growled at me.
I just looked at him. I wanted to argue but I knew ultimately he was right. I should be thankful to him. It still didn't make me feel better when I knew he was angry with me. I felt my bottom lip trembling, "I'm sorry" I whispered
His angry gaze seemed to falter before he passed me a bit of bread and a small tomato. I thanked him with my eyes. He smiled at me before flicking my nose and walking past me. The rest of the way was spent in complete silence. Until occasionally slight clinging from swords alerted the group to a young, blonde woma- oooohhh it's Ashe!
"Who would be next" Princess Ashe yelled out
I heard the others surround me. Balthier made it very clear that we should ignore her and keep walking but of course Vaan ran out yelling for her and making a complete idiot of himself.
"She's not alone!" the guards yelled
"Our Ranks grow by the hour." Fran exclaimed punching her first into her hand, she was probably imagining it Vaans head.
"And our troubles with them." Balthier said angrily
"Vaan you idiot." I yelled at him
"Over there don't let them escape" a guard said
Balthier made a noise of disgust and took down one guard with a shot of his gun. Fran did a particully impressive move shooting a guard through his helmet and killing him instantly.
Pulling out my two daggers I laughed without humour. What help was I going to be? I wasn't trained for this. I saw Ashe and Vaan taking on the last guard before killing him. I was just about to relax when I saw a hiding guard jump out; his helmet falling off alerted me to the presence. Sword draw he was going to land a fatal blow on Balthier.
"BALTHIER!"
He turned and the blow struck him on the shoulder, which in retrospect probably saved his life, but he still fell. Without even thinking I rushed forward and jumped on his back, sinking my daggers deep into his throat. I landed with a thud before rolling away from the dying guard. Balthier got up rubbing his shoulder looking in distain at the body. I stared in shock. I had just killed someone and I had his blood dripping from my face. My breathing started getting faster I rubbed the blood of my lips. This was disgusting. I stood up and walked over to the group. Vaan turned towards me indicating who I was.
"This is Ella, Um, I'm Vaan this is Fran and Balthier—"then Vaan noticed Balthier walking away "Hey Balthier!
Vaan turned back to Ashe, "What's your name?"
"Amalia." She replied
"Amalia, huh it's nice to meet you." Vaan said
"There were others with me." Ashe asked hesitantly as if she already knew the horrible answer. She looked to Balthier and Vaan they shook their heads, she looked at me I looked avoided her eyes; I thought maybe if she couldn't see my face she might not know the truth.
"I'm sorry." Fran said breaking the news to her.
We all looked and probably felt pretty shitty. Ashe was continuously mumbling "no" to herself, as if it was going to make a difference. Oddly as our mood got darker our surroundings started to get brighter before Vaan noticed that the magicite was glowing.
"Now isn't that impressive." Balthier said in surprise
"I wonder why it's glowing like that." I asked Balthier
"To be honest I'm not sure, maybe Amalia knows something we don't." he replied coyly
Ashe was just about to protest when Fran interrupted her.
"Have you finished talking? When the guards don't report in, they'll come looking for us." Fran replied irritably
"Very well." Ashe replied snottily irritated at being interrupted
We all watched her stride away like she was some sorta; sorta well some sorta damned princess
"What's wrong with her?" Vaan said confused
"You have a lot to learn before we even get started on your thievery." Balthier sighed annoyed
"What's that mean?" Vaan called to Balthier
Giggling I walked of following Balthier.