E3 2013 was FANTASTIC! All around a lot of awesome games were revealed though the Xbox One itself is turning a lot of people off
I'm still getting a Wii U first but down the line, I see myself with a PS4, huge reveals all around but my favorite goes to Super Smash Brothers, new trailer and three new characters. All that stuff is on youtube with tons of interviews and reactions and on screwattack (where I primarily go for game news)
Nintendo really brought their A-game and as a Nintendo fan, super happy! What I'd like to hear more about? Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem, duh!
Anyway, E3 WOO but here we are, back in Ymarkteg!
Chapter Sixteen
The Craw Desert
Sendusk vanished quickly behind tall dunes and the radiating heat that made the features in the distance vibrate.
The group looked ahead as the carriages were now pulled along by different horses. Fistivus and Lune sold the four they had been using throughout Anondye during their stay in Treige and with the help of some local Sarharans picked up four mighty steeds with the stamina and physical ability to handle the deserts they needed to cross to reach Shuize.
Mia pulled out the map and unrolled it, the 'path' they followed through the Craw Desert was not set in stone, but rather the suggested route, avoided sudden dives into deep sand or exhausting climbs up dunes. It led along to a road surrounded by rocky cliffs that led out of the Craw Desert and into the Crown Desert.
Leena looked out of the cart to the sands behind them "It's been some time since I last came to this nation."
Wyre glanced over to her "What were you doing here last time?"
"Killing someone." She turned to meet his eyes; he seemed a little shocked but then smiled at her statement and shook his head. Upon looking at her again, he realized, she wasn't kidding.
"You think the Dune Guard will come at us even more now that they have the home field advantage?" Leena asked, turning to face Soren.
The tactician looked up at her "We haven't seen much of them aside from the few that aided Roltz in his attack back in Treige. Not to mention the Grove Mine attacks were mostly led by Korgans…seeing as how we are planning on passing their old headquarters, we will most likely see them."
Leena smiled "All I needed to hear, I'm ready."
"What I'm worried about is running into Meloi…he has shown that he is much stronger than the rest of his grunts in the short periods he attacked us." Wyre stated as he narrowed his eyes "Murawk was no easy beast to topple…surrounded by this sand, I don't want to imagine what he could do."
Mia placed a hand on Wyre's shoulder "We are much stronger, as a team, I'm pretty sure we can handle him."
Ahead of Fistivus' cart with Soren, Mia, Wyre and Leena was Lune who carried Wayu, Mikel, Orgoth and Lyle.
The swordmaster lay down on the floor looking at the ceiling as Wayu and Mikel spoke. The knight stared past Lune ahead into the desert they were traversing. He knew that things were coming, since Roltz, their foes have been quiet, now was the opportune time to strike.
"So that is why I told her that…why do you think she continues to treat me like a joker?" Mikel asked.
Wayu sighed "Because you are a joker, Mikel…even if you don't know it, and you act like one even more when you speak with Leena."
"Maybe, but I know she's interested. She is super tough, just like me!" Mikel laughed, Wayu smiled, as full of himself as Mikel could be, at least he had confidence and drive. It made him dependable in combat and with what they've been through so far, she greatly appreciated it.
Lune put a hand over her eyes and turned to Orgoth "Do you see that?"
The knight looked ahead and noticed something as well. It looked like the shape of a few people, his grip on his lance tightened.
As they got closer, Mikel and Wayu stopped talking and joined Orgoth as Lyle sat up.
Lune noticed that the figures were waving at them; she turned back to the people in the cart and relayed this information. Mikel turned and signaled Fistivus, the other merchant nodded and brought the cart to a halt.
As the five people approached, the group realized a few were injured, only one of them carried a weapon and one was being carried by a pair, clearly severely injured.
"Thank the gods we ran into someone out here!" one of the civilians cried out.
The armed man held one of his hands out, bringing the three to a stop along with the injured man they carried. He walked up to the group "Who are you?" Soren asked.
"To'Eltz is my name…these people are my charges."
Mia looked over to the people then back to To'Eltz "What happened?"
"Our caravan was assaulted…we didn't see the attackers…they killed another mercenary assigned to the group and a few of the people. Stole all our supplies and vanished…it was disgraceful to be so utterly defeated, the only thing I can do now is defend these people as we return to Sendusk."
Mia glanced over to Soren as Orgoth approached To'Eltz "Did you see your assailants?"
"Not too well, the sand around us erupted…my partner and I could barely fight back."
"What do we do? We can't afford to double back now!" Lyle commented as he joined the group.
Wayu turned to him "But-"
Wyre shook his head "Lyle is right…we are on an important mission and we have no visual on the cliffs that mark the halfway point and the Merchant Rest."
Soren sighed "We'll help…but we can't go back…"
To'Eltz took a step forward "This man will die! I've tried my best to heal him, but the wound won't close!"
Soren raised an eyebrow as he looked to the sword strapped to the man's side "Sword and…staves?"
"Wyre and Soren can do some healing of their own, bring him to the cart, we will continue to the merchant rest and bring you all to your destination." Mia stated and motioned for Fistivus and Lune to move forward.
"We'll do what we can To'Eltz…but we can't be responsible if he dies, we have a massive task ahead of us."
To'Eltz clenched his teeth to Soren's statement and turned away, without facing the sage he sighed "Very well…"
Letting the people in the carts forced a few of Soren and Mia's group to walk alongside, To'Eltz joined them to tell them when they neared the place his caravan was attacked.
With To'Eltz in front, Mia, Soren and Wyre follow closely behind with Orgoth and Lyle at the very back on foot. The two sages had applied a bit of their own magic and physical remedies to the injured man to place him in a more stable state.
Mia turned to Wyre as the man cleared his throat "Dune Guard…that would be my best guess."
"The method of attack definitely screams Dune Guard…but I've still been thinking about the black cloaked soldiers from Treige." Soren looked over to Mia after she said that. They had talked about it, but literally have nothing much more to go on aside from just speculating.
With the sun still high overhead, the desert was burning hot, for the few on feet it wasn't a good experience. As traveled as Soren and Mia are even they haven't been across vast deserts since the wars on Tellius.
Soren looked over at To'Eltz again "You told us you're just a sell-sword…is that true?"
The man took his hat off to fan himself before facing Soren "Do I need to tell you anymore?"
"We are helping you. Would you rather we left you and your people in the middle of the desert?"
"I'd rather you take us back to Sendusk." The two men continued to stare at each other. Soren partially understood To'Eltz anger and frustration, not to mention the heat didn't help it, but at the same time, Soren needed to know about this man he was helping.
"You are coming from Shuize correct? Is that where you are from yourself?"
To'Eltz grinned as he put his hat back on "No, I'm from a village in the Fair Desert to the west of us on the end of this continent."
"Did you learn to wield both swords and staves for your mercenary work?"
To'Eltz looked back at Soren with a curious expression "I know you are a mage…yet carry a sword and probably have the knowledge to use a staff as well."
Smirking Soren pulled his cloak back to reveal the sheathed blade he carried "Sized us all up did you?"
To'Eltz looked forward and nodded "Comes with the job…to answer your question, I think it helps in being deceptive. Hence why we call ourselves Tricksters…we hide our blades in serious situations and pass off as healers of sorts…if people get to curious, they have a sword in their gut before they know it."
"That is some camouflage." Mia stated, To'Eltz turned to face her and nodded "It helps in many situations."
"You picked up the blade first right?" Mia asked. The trickster nodded as Mia continued "It is shorter than a standard blade…and has a custom hilt…yet you carry no shield…I imagine, physically, you are very athletic."
To'Eltz shook his head "You lot aren't normal travelers, I can tell this much…"
Before the trickster could continue he gestured to Soren and the pair looked ahead to several ruined carriages and bodies covered in sand. Wyre turned and motioned to Fistivus and Lune to take a small detour around the wreckage.
As the Soren, Mia and Wyre followed To'Eltz across the wreckage, Orgoth and Lyle turned to stay behind the carts.
Soren and Mia each glanced to the sands on the side of the wreck, being so vast it was hard to pick out if anyone was there. The trueblade noticed To'Eltz standing near a body, most likely that of the Trickster's partner.
Wyre himself walked forward while looking back, as the group continued, Mia noticed high cliffs ahead and a path through the middle that would take them out of the Craw Desert and to the small Merchant Rest.
Rejoining with Fistivus and Lune the group began to breathe easier. To'Eltz shook his head "They attacked and killed us, stole our supplies and vanished…why? What possible reason?"
Soren place a hand under his chin as he thought, Mia looked over at Wyre "The Dune Guard and Korgans have always made it a point to attack us only right? The only reason they would start any kind of havoc was to draw us out so they could try to kill us. That is how it has been up until now."
Wyre nodded "Right. Unless the caravan was transporting something important…it wasn't, was it?"
To'Eltz turned to face Wyre; his eyes narrowed "No. It was a standard trip through the desert, food, water, clothes and the like."
Soren kept his eyes on To'Eltz, for some reason he didn't quite believe him. As the sage looked up at the cliff walls to the sides, his eyes widened "Everyone! Ambush!"
He shot his hands out to each side and then up, raging winds shot up the chasm knocking boulders headed down towards them out of the way and shredding them to bits.
In front of To'Eltz and behind Lyle and Orgoth sprang several Earth Sages from the sand.
Men leapt over the cliffs directly over the group, it was the Dune Guard and much more of them than ever before.
Mikel leapt out of the cart along with Wayu, the pair looked up, Wayu's spear impaled a man as he fell on them, while the other took an arrow to the neck. The dead bodies fell before the pair as Orgoth's lance clashed with a Dune Guard weapon.
Acting quickly Lyle leapt over a sword slash and stabbed the Dune Guard in the chest with two blades.
Wielding an axe, one Dune Guard landed on top of Fistivus cart, as the old merchant turned the man raised his axe. Leena tore out of the cart sending splinters everywhere and digging her blade deep into the foe's neck. Throwing the body off her sword and the cart she turned as several landed on top of Fistivus and Lune's carts.
Wyre activated his Brave Bolt to keep the Earth Sages in front of them at bay as Mia dashed at them, Soren brought out his blade and swung, shooting a sharp air wave up the chasm and cutting several more Dune Guard trying to drop on them to death.
As Mia's blade embedded into a rock that an Earth Sage brought forth from the cliff wall, To'Eltz flipped over several times, jumping over the Trueblade and through several rocks headed his way, his blade cut through the sage from shoulder to side. The man screamed as blood shot out of his body, as he fell dead To'Eltz leapt over several shards headed for his legs and with a quick turn brought his blade into the second Sage's head.
Kicking the dead man off his blade he leapt against the cliff wall and then kicked off to the other side. He repeated this process working his way up top. As he vanished over the cliff wall, two more Dune Guard were thrown over, dead.
Mia turned to Soren and smirked "I have to admit, I'm impressed."
With the sages in front gone and Wyre pinning the other men to the side, Fistivus and Lune called their horses and began rushing through the deadlocked path.
As Leena fell on her back she brought her blade up to stop an incoming blow from the man standing over her. As the other two made their way to the pinned mercenary, she rolled across the top of cart, her legs caught and tripped the Dune Guard, he fell and landed on the sandy path before being stabbed in the back by Wayu.
As Leena got up on her feet, a spear wielding solider charged her, Mikel leapt onto the roof as his axe crashed into the crook of the man's neck.
The third Dune Guard took that time to stab Mikel in the side "Hey!" Leena rolled across Mikel's back and landed next to the Dune Guard, as he drew the blade out of Mikel; Leena cut him to death and kicked him off the roof.
Lyle finished another Dune Guard and heard Orgoth yell, the swordmaster turned to see an enemy with an axe raise it above his head. The end of Orgoth's lance forced its way through the man's chest. He choked on his own blood, dropping the axe harmlessly as Lyle moved away.
Tapping Orgoth as he ran by Lyle called out "Come on, the merchants are moving!"
On the high cliff, To'Eltz finished another Dune Guard brutally, holding the man up with his blade in his stomach and then stabbing him repeatedly with a knife.
Kicking the overkilled man off his sword he turned to face a very large robed man.
"You are quite a monster."
As blood dripped down To'Eltz face to his lips he spat it out "Who are you?"
"Your new friends didn't tell you? My name is Meloi, the leader of the Dune Guard."
"Then you!" spinning his blade he pointed it to Meloi "Are the killer of my friend." Smiling Meloi shook his head "You are a sell sword…to you; there is no such thing as friendship!"
With a war cry, To'Eltz crashed into Meloi, surprising the big man with how much strength he had. The pair fell over the cliff and down into the chasm.
Soren turned as Mia called to him. He saw To'Eltz crash into the floor with Meloi "Everyone! Meloi is here!"
Before, Soren could command them, he realized what this meant "Everyone! We need to get out of here now! Leave Meloi! To'Eltz! To'Eltz!"
Deaf to the cries of the sage, To'Eltz began to stab Meloi in the chest repeatedly. The man's hand grabbed To'Eltz arm and lifted the trickster, spinning he threw the smaller man into the ground and stepped on him.
"You. Will die here along with your new found friends and the people you failed to protect." Lifting one arm, the cliffs began to shake as smaller rocks broke off.
A blade flew through the air headed for Meloi, reacting quickly the large man knocked it aside with his hand, a surge of electricity and powerful gusts knocked him back and allowed To'Eltz to stand. Orgoth grabbed the Trickster and with Lyle's help they took off with him.
Meloi looked around at all the fallen Dune Guard and with a roar smashed his fists together, collapsing the cliff walls all around him.
Running as fast as they could, Soren and Mia's troop barely escaped from the collapse, with not enough time, Meloi wasn't able to weaken the structure of the entire range but most of the path was now buried under rubble and sand.
As they all knelt down catching their breaths, Lyle called Soren and Mia over to look at To'Eltz.
The pair noticed that the trickster was covered in blood, Soren knelt closer and let out a sigh of relief "Most if not all of it isn't his…"
Lyle shook his head "That still doesn't erase my concern…what was he doing to those men up their? How did he get bathed in their blood?"
Soren stood and looked at Lyle "They killed his comrade…what he did to them was his revenge."
"We aren't going to let this guy come with us, right? After we reach the Merchant Rest we will leave him there…right?"
Lyle looked around to the rest of the worn out group.
"Someone agree with me, he is crazy!"
Mikel walked over and smacked Lyle on the back "No need to worry about those things now…besides, he managed to grapple with Meloi, I'm impressed that's for sure."
Orgoth picked up To'Eltz again and Wyre turned and told Fistivus and Lune to continue.
"We need to get out of here before we discuss anything…has anyone checked on the civilians?"
Answering Soren's question, Leena and Wayu exited the carts, the mercenary stretched before speaking "They're all good…just a little dirty from the rock, sand and wood."
"Wood?" Smiling at Soren, Leena relayed as to how she broke through the roof of the merchant cart.
Wayu also reported that her civilians were alright and the injured man seemed to sleep through the whole conflict.
Leena walked over to Mikel and examined his wound "You alright?"
The warrior laughed "Of course! This won't kill me!"
"Still, it was my fault…I don't normally do this but-"
"No need to apologize or explain anything, there were more of them than we've ever dealt with, without To over there, we may not have gotten out with just this little ding on my side."
Leena laughed "To?" The warrior grinned as she shook her head. Facing Mikel with a smile she thanked him, as he opened his mouth to say something she held a finger up "Think. Please, don't mess this moment up." Mikel nodded and kept his mouth shut.
"Hey! Lune, Fistivus, are you two alright, we tried our best but…" Orgoth called as he walked over to the merchants.
Lune waved him off "We're fine, we are made of tough stuff just like all of you…though we lack the ability to wield weapons, we can keep cool."
Fistivus shook his head "In all my years, I've seen things but never been a part of them myself…no need to worry; this old body of mine still has energy in it."
Orgoth regarded them before turning back to Soren who nodded; giving them the order the merchants began moving again, now carrying To'Eltz with the entire troop following behind.
Standing on the cliffs above, Roltz watched them march away and shook his head "It was a genius plan, Meloi…until you buried yourself…"
The Ethereal Man warped in behind Roltz, the Korgan turned and aimed his sword at the figure who shook his head "You killed the men I placed around you as soon as Meloi took off…I hope you understand what I can do to you."
Roltz took a few steps back "I understand…but I'm not letting anyone give me orders, not like Murawk. I am a Korgan, the leader of the Korgan Clan! I will prove our superiority over this pathetic rabble, without you!"
Roltz leapt off the cliff as the Ethereal Man crossed his arms "I'll give you one last shot, Roltz…but I'm not the only one unhappy with your actions and your words."
Emerging from the entrapped route, the caravan arrived at the Merchant Rest, the group turned away a few carts passing by, telling them off the sand-slide further down and to take alternate routes.
The rest was home to few, temporary facilities, tents and more caravans and carriages with many busy merchants and travelers.
The group was able to find someone with enough supplies and experience to treat the injured man and the others that To'Eltz was escorting.
The Trickster himself stood at the end of the rest, alone, arms crossed staring out across the desert.
Mia stopped next to him and smiled, the man stood with a straight face, only moving his eyes to acknowledge her.
"What are you going to do now?"
Chuckling, To'Eltz kept his eyes on the horizon as the sun drew closer to it "I failed so…spectacularly…the man who assigned me this task will not be happy."
"I thought you were hired?" To'Eltz glanced over at Mia's confused face and sighed.
"I have not been entirely forward with you all…despite your aid, the only thing I wanted was to kill the bastards that attacked me, I honestly felt no attachment to the travelers I was escorting…my goal was to bring…was for me and my partner to reach Amaryllis."
"You two were going to leave the travelers at Sendusk and continue over there?" Before Mia could continue, To'Eltz held a hand up and shook his head.
"I can't say anymore…the people did hire me, I only took that job because I was going to Amaryllis so they were going my way…frankly, my true employer…I'm in no rush to see him…that Meloi took something from me…more than my partner…I need to get it back."
Mia nodded "I understand…we did some crazy things to try to get something back…both as a group and as individuals…" Mia's thoughts went back to Soren's battle against Kanahana; she shook it away as To'Eltz continued.
"I heard all that you said…I wasn't completely unconscious…but I have to ask…can I travel with you all…at least until Meloi falls to our might and I get back what he stole."
Mia sighed and looked over to the rest of the group, all in the midst of recuperating with Leena preparing a tent and Orgoth setting up a fire as Mikel complained about starving.
Her eyes landed on Soren who was looking at her and To'Eltz, she gestured at the trickster and noticed Soren raise an eyebrow. She nodded and Soren looked surprised but smiled at her, placing a hand on To'Eltz shoulder she spoke "You are welcome to come with us."
To'Eltz has joined Soren and Mia's Troop
He is a Trickster, new class introduced from Awakening, advanced thieves that wield swords and staves, as such their MAG eventually overpowers their STR making their primary weapons Levin Swords. Also, they gain the ability Acrobat which is pretty awesome (all traverse-able movement cost = 1)
One thing I realized from writing so much in large portions is that the Troop has to stay small, as of where I am the Troop is 13 not counting Fistivus and Lune and I need to buckle down when I edit these chapters so they all maintain their character, I want you all to like the OCs because there are a ton of em.
Anyway, my deviantArt is updating with a new OC Sheet that includes Pesh and Versha, Lyle's friends : To'Eltz, the new troop member : and future characters Qi'No and Lo'Tem.
Hope everyone reading continues to enjoy Ymarkteg, I know I love writing it, see you Wednesday with a Paralogue chapter! :D
ps next week is my Summer Vacation then I'm back to school after that...sigh