Author's Note: I don't own the White Knight Chronicles series, ergo; I don't own any of the characters, settings, plots and so on. The concepts such as the Crystalis and some characters that will feature in this work are my own creations, however.
With an interesting review sent to me, it gives me more of a means to flesh out the story, and implement a character who would like nothing more than to destroy the Crystalis.
White Knight Chronicles – A tale of a Crystalis scorned
Chapter 3: The Bloodied One.
Location: Frass Chasm.
Time: 7:35 AM
Cronic flew over the network of Greaver-occupied passages that was Frass Chasm, and spotted one of the colossal beasts storming through the chasm, and he could've sworn he'd spotted some Windwalkers close behind it.
"…Hm. I wonder how Osmund, Rocco and the other Windwalkers are holding up?" Cronic said to himself, a faint echo to his voice, as he continued flying over the chasm.
"Well that's just grand… I just realised. I have no idea if the Mining Season is going or not. Would probably make sense to catch a ride there, instead of flying directly towards it… Don't want to revert back and fall to my death after all." Cronic said to himself, as he changed course towards the station which held the air transportation network to and from Greed from the Chasm.
"In hindsight, living as a lone wolf inside Vellgander was not a good move as far as world events are concerned…" Cronic said to himself, as he drew closer to the ground.
His train of thought was interrupted by the sound of someone screaming, however. It sounded like a Paupitaur.
"Probably just one running from a Greaver, but still… I can't just leave the little guy to become Greaver Chow. " Cronic said, as he then turned to fly towards the approximate source.
When he landed though, he saw not a Paupitaur running from a Greaver, but one pinned up against a wall, in front of a blonde haired, white-suited individual with silver shoulder plates that had a crimson cloak trailing down to just shy of his feet, wearing a white fedora, and was holding an Arcanum Wand in one hand.
"…I'm disappointed in you. I expected you to have a full shipment of those metals sent to me by weeks end. "The figure said to the terrified Paupitaur.
"There were some delays in getting everything together! Please! You'll have your metals! Just don't hurt me!" The Paupitaur said.
Cronic was quietly watching from the sidelines, though it was pretty hard to be stealthy when you were a colossus seven metres tall that was made of metal.
"And I paid in advance. And when my associates don't meet the deadlines I set them, I question their worth… And sometimes, I get very uncharitable." The figure said, as he held out the staff towards the Paupitaur.
"And that is especially so when I don't see that which I paid for in advance." The figure said, as a lightning bolt shot from the end of the staff, and impaled itself into the wall besides the Paupitaur, which was met with a terrified yell.
"Next time, I will not miss." The figure said, as he aimed directly at the Paupitaur.
"You have one last chance. I expect those Metals to be delivered at the agreed location by tomorrow." The figure said, as he lowered the staff.
"If you fail to meet this deadline, your life is forfeit." The figure said, only to be interrupted by the sound of metallic armour moving, and the feeling of tremors in the ground behind him.
"Metallic Armour? That… isn't… right…" The figure said, turning around slowly as he spoke, to see the armoured form of Cronic's Knight stood before him. The figure himself, however, had dried bloodstains on his suit. They were dotted around the majority of the suit, but they were more noticeable around the ends of the suit where the hands and feet were, and wore similarly bloodied gloves and shoes, which were practically blood red all over.
"An Incorrupti? Here? And it sure as hell isn't one of the Yshrenian Knights…" The figure said, as he raised his staff. The Paupitaur turned and ran off, screaming as he did so.
"Alright buster. I don't know what your problem is, but why don't you pick on someone your own size?" Cronic said, as he looked at the figure, swords in hand.
"The Paupitaur and I merely have a business arrangement. And he failed to deliver on time." The figure said, adjusting his hair on the left side of his face, revealing a blood red eye, while his right eye was obscured.
"And you respond to that by trying to kill him? That's one hell of a business practice. Not." Cronic said, as he noticed his knight form fading.
"…Damnit. Out of energy." Cronic said, as he knelt down, and the knight form faded away, leaving the standard Cronic in its place, with staff in hand, as he stood up.
"Hm. A mage, much like myself… With plenty of resources, too, by the looks of it. That robe looks like it's been quite carefully customized. And that staff… It is absolutely coursing with power." The figure said, as he then pointed his staff at Cronic.
"However… I've done enough of my homework to know that a pactmaker who reverts from knight form essentially has no Mana left. And for a mage, that is a bad position to be in." The figure said before firing a lightning bolt at Cronic, who promptly dodge rolled to one side to avoid it.
"Was hoping to have to save this, but seems I don't have a choice." Cronic said, taking out an elixir from his backpack, and downed the whole thing, as a surge of Mana flooded his veins.
"I see. You intend to go out fighting. Very well. I'll humour you." The figure said, as he boosted his Magic, at the expense of his resistance to it.
"Before you die, you will know the might of Boreus the Bloodied!" The figure, Boreus shouted, a twisted grin spreading across his face. Cronic's eyes widened in shock.
"Wait, Boreus? I've heard that name before… Oh shit…"Cronic said, as he knew just who this person actually was now.
"Hmm? You know of me. Interesting. I figured no-one in this world knew who I was…" Boreus said, as he lowered his staff.
"Boreus Maximilian Crystalis. Also known as Boreus the Bloodied, and Collaterally Indifferent Boreus. You are Infamous amidst the Crystalis' ranks for your brutal means of killing people, be they an enemy or ally, regardless of whether or not they have surrendered." Cronic said, his gaze becoming more serious, knowing just who it was who stood before him.
"Was sentenced to the Long Fall due to influence from his family to spare him. But as you and I both know, the Long Fall is a Death Sentence." Cronic said, not even bothering trying to hide the fact that he was a Crystalis.
"…Interesting. You know of the Crystalis, a considerable deal about me, and about their means of Exile." Boreus said, as he looked at Cronic, dead in the eyes.
"Then that leads me to suspect you are, or more accurately, were, a Crystalis at some point in time." Boreus said, as his grin returned.
"A fellow Exile. What are the odds…?" Boreus said, chuckling to himself.
"However, I have no reason to assist you… But your status as a Pactmaker gives me plenty of excuse to KILL YOU!" Boreus shouted, before unleashing a barrage of ice shards at Cronic, who countered with a string of Dragonfire spells cast in rapid succession, firing a lightning bolt in between one of his Dragonfire casts to throw Boreus off his barrage, who evaded the lightning bolt.
"This isn't right. Boreus was supposed to have his magic sealed at the time of his exile. How is he able to use magic then? Whatever the case may be, I'm in no condition for a prolonged fight. I have to end this quickly." Cronic thought to himself, as he then shifted to casting a meteor, which was headed right for Boreus.
"Oh you've gotta be…" Boreus said, spotting the meteor, as he turned and ran for it, while Cronic used his magic to call up a barrier of stone in front of him to shield himself from the blast.
When the meteor impacted the battle ground, it exploded violently, knocking Boreus flying into the wall the Paupitaur was backed up against, but he turned in mid-flight to avoid crashing into said wall face first, his back taking the brunt of the hit, while Cronic dug himself in as the wind whipped around the stone shield he'd conjured.
Once the dust cleared and the wind settled down, Cronic then sent the stone barrier back into the ground, and looked at Boreus, who was peeling himself off the wall, a large gap in the path between him, and Boreus.
"Clever thinking, kid." Boreus said, as he coughed twice, coughing up some blood onto one hand as he did so.
"I'll let you live this day, but I will have your goddamn head on a platter for this." Boreus said, as he cast a portal to the side of him, and sluggishly walked through, clenching his side with his free hand, and the portal closed behind him.
Cronic looked at Boreus as he disappeared.
"No way will he be coming back in a hurry from those injuries." Cronic said to himself, as he turned to walk towards the station. "Still, his presence here worries me. If he's still alive, then god knows what he's planning." Cronic said to himself.
Location: Frass Chasm station
Time: 8:26 AM
Cronic arrived at the station, and saw it was busy as usual, though some people were chattering about the meteor impact that hit the chasm a short while ago. Choosing to ignore it, he walked towards the station, and climbed onto the transport to Greede. Several minutes later, the transport took off.
Only he, a mother and child, and a black cloaked figure with the hood obscuring his or her face in shadow were on the transport. Cronic was looking more towards the horizon, seeing the Demithor carrying Greed upon its back as per usual.
"Not bad for something that had petrified itself a short while ago. Then again. Garmatha would've levelled Balandor without it." Cronic thought to himself, before noticing the black hooded figure was staring at him through the shadows of the hood, hands resting on the seat. Meeting the figure's gaze, the figure promptly turned away. Cronic used the opportunity to glance over the figure's body. Noticing the physical shape of the person, he mentally noted the figure was female. His gut instinct said this person was a thief at best or an Assassin at worst. He put it to one side for now and looked at the Demithor, which drew closer with every passing minute.
A short while later, the transport arrived at Greede's central station, and Cronic, with his gear in hand, and his staff placed upon his back, wedged between his back itself and his backpack, he headed towards Caesar's home, spotting his blue Bigelow stood on a tree branch nearby. He was being followed by the hooded figure though, and he knew it.
"Sooner I get through the gates to Caesar's home, the better." Cronic said, as he arrived at the gates to the mansion.
"Halt. State your name and your intention." One of the guards said, stepping forward to stand between Cronic and the gates, as the black hooded figure sat down upon a bench nearby.
"Cronic. No surname. I'm here to see Caesar. I need to speak to him." Cronic said, as the guard looked towards his associate, who nodded at him. The black hooded figure sat upright, while the Guard looked back to Cronic.
"Ah. You were the silent guy with Leonard and the others. Just watch yourself in there. It's probably only a matter of time before Caesar does something stupid, and Kara brings the hurt." The guard said, as the two guards then opened the gates.
"I don't get how those two could stand one another… Never was good at playing cupid." Cronic said to himself, as he walked up the stairs to the mansion, the guards closing the gates to the mansion. The black cloaked figure stood up, and turned to walk away from the gates.
"I know without a doubt it's him now. But I need to figure out a way into the mansion. There's no way the guards will allow me inside, so I'll probably have to sneak in come nightfall." The figure thought, as she stopped to look at Cronic, who was now at the doors to the mansion. She knew she'd need to plan a way into the mansion, which would mean examining the Mansion closely to find a way in. Finding Cronic wasn't an issue, as she has ways of finding people she already knew personally. Especially if they were mages.
That's all for Chapter three people. Thanks to Luckenhaft for the pointers relating to Ch2. As always, I ask that you point out things I did well, and areas that I can improve upon.
Also, Luckenhaft, the reason why the 9th figure was wearing white and gold was because they essentially embody the unity of the 8 elements represented by the people with masks. Thanks for the pointers on the colours of the suits they wear though.
Anyway, I'll see you all for the next Chapter.
Cronic out.