CHAPTER 17

Back with Ike and company, they were resting in their rooms provided to them by Begnion's senate and other Begnion staff. However, not too long after resting, the apostle assigned Ike and his company with a task. Ike was disappointed, but he was willing to take it up regardless of his feelings. When he arrived at the scene, it was getting foggy outside.

"I can't even see a thing!" said Kamaria.

"Yeah!" said Samantha. "This fog is just nuts!"

"I know." Ross said. "I'm even shocked that Ike is not even fuming and angry with the fact that the apostle is even employing us with a job.

"But she said that there were peddlers selling sub–I mean, laguz out in these territories." Jill Fizzart said.

"Right." said Nephenee. "I wonder why these peddlers are selling laguz in the first place…"

"Well… we don't know." said Ike. "But we are going to find out. Let's go!" Ike later hollered.

Back with the apostle Sanaki and the senate, Kito, Kamaria's brother, told them that Daein soldiers were on the loose in Begnion, and that they recruited him into the army. Sanaki then told Kito to wait with her until they have been wiped out. Kito then asked if she had seen Kamaria.

"You mean that giant bead bracelet and necklace-wearing girl?" asked Lekain. "She was just here a moment ago!"

"She had left with Ike." Sanaki said. "You, on the other hand, must wait here until she returns."

"But it's been years since I have seen her though!" said Kito.

"I know, Kito." Sanaki said. "But think about what us, the beorc, have done for you."

"Hey!" yelled Kito. "I was taken in by laguz changelings too! I mean, seriously, there's a band of laguz somewhere here in Begnion that have kindly taken me in as family! …They knew I had nowhere to go! Nowhere to run to, that is!" he later hollered.

"I see…" Sanaki said. "I have the perfect idea then. What kind of laguz were they?"

"There were all kinds of laguz. Cats, Tigers, Hawks, Ravens, a non-royal heron, and there were even red and white dragon laguz too! It's amazing, my good Empress Sanaki! If you give me the chance, I can find the group myself!"

"That sounds like a great idea." Sanaki said. "I was just thinking about that myself. Do you remember where they were?"

"The Grann Desert." answered Kito. "The Grann Desert is their location. Whether they are still there or not is a good question. And the last I saw them, they were hiding within a large ancient temple built out of chiseled and cracked sandstone."

"That temple sounds like it is a very old temple, then." said Sanaki. "Alright." she later said. "Find out who these laguz are. Good luck reuniting with your sister Kamaria."

"I will, Apostle Sanaki!" said Kito.

Back with wyvern soldiers Ignas and Adrian, who were flying in Begnion skies with an army of wyvern knights, dark fliers, and even armies of fliers on black and gray griffons, they were looking for Kito, Kamaria's brother, after one soldier reported to them that he had escaped their grasp. Ignas wanted to know where he was headed.

"We have no information, General Ignas." said the soldier.

"GAH!" said Ignas. "Execute this man for insubordination! Get his disgusting face outta my sights!" General Petrine later showed up to catch wing of Ignas and Adrian.

"Dog's breath, Generals of Daein!" said Petrine.

"General Petrine, we've executed a man for insubordination towards us!" said Adian.

"Sounds good if you ask me." said Petrine. "But look down there. The peddlers down there are selling half-breeds."

"Sub-humans, General Petrine?" asked Adrian.

"Yes, indeed." Petrine said. "The ones that set up the highest price are the prized, trophied heron half-breeds."

"Why?" asked Ignas.

"Because no one cares about those white-winged freaks!" hollered Petrine.

"Can Adrian and I see what's going on?" asked Ignas.

"Sure." Petrine answered. "And bring me back a sub-human for me to fry on a furnace!"

Back with Ike, he was fighting off the peddlers selling laguz. However, Marcia the pegasus knight caught wing of her brother Makalov.

"You stinkin' brother of ignorance and disrespect!" Marcia hollered. "Do you know your ignorant actions caused me to leave the holy guard?!"

"Wh-wh-what?!" asked Makalov.

"Yeah, you'd better say the 's' word of apology!" said Marcia.

"Sorry?" asked Makalov.

"Is that a question or statement?" asked Marcia.

"Statement…?" asked Makalov in confusion.

"You're coming with me!" said Marcia. "Ike's gonna teach you a thing or two!"

"Who in the holly and the ivy of an evergreen tree is Ike?!" asked Makalov.

"My new boss!" yelled Marcia.

"Well, at least you finally found your brother." said Ike.

"Ike, teach this man a lesson when we get back to base!" said Marcia.

"I will." Ike said. "For right now we have a battle to focus on. Let's go!"

"That's them down there, right Adrian?" asked Ignas when he saw the beorc marketers selling the laguz.

"Yup." said Adrian. "That's them. Let's go!" Both of their wyverns roared. Back with Kamaria and Ike, they wondered where the roar came from.

"Laguz, possibly?" asked Kamaria.

"No." Ike said. "Not possibly."

Ha ha haha ha!" said Ignas.

"Nana nana Boo-Boo, Daein's gonna screw you!" Adrian said.

"Who on earth and in hell are you people?!" asked Kamaria.

"Oh, never seen us before?" asked Ignas. "Wyvern riders from Daein. I am Ignas, a Wyvern Mage. "This is my most trusted companion, Adrian."

"We heard there were sub-humans being sold around this old town road, so we figured we would buy them up for a price of 5,000 gold!" said Adrian.

"You know what?" asked Ike. "You two are racist Daein freaks! You have absolutely no respect for other people of other kinds, and I am not sure what you are after, but you are not getting it!"

"Oh, my… are we disgusting you out, mister?" asked Ignas.

"YOU ARE!" said Ike. "Now fly! Fly! Fly away!" Adrian and Ignas later flew away.

"Sheesh!" Kamaria said. "We'd better get going!"

"Ike! Kamaria!" shouted Izzy and Isaac.

"Izzy! Isaac!" said Ike. "What happened?"

"Tigers, coming this way!" said Isaac. "Dark magic won't do! Just fire magic!"

"Leave this to me!" said Soren. Then, the big cheese of the laguz selling was coming with a killer axe.

"Ike, watch out!" yelled Ross.

"I got this!" Titania said. She immediately killed the tiger.

"You… you killed a laguz of my kind…" Mordecai said.

"It looked very hostile." said Titania. "I had no choice."

"No!" the axe-wielding berserker said. "I… I have to flee!"

"You'd better run, you freak!" Kamaria said.

"Let's grab this cargo and get out of here!" said Ike.

When Ike returned to Sigrun with the seized cargo from the peddlers, he and the other Greil Mercenaries were pleased with the victory welcome. However, Sigrun had to think about payment. But while Sigrun was thinking about payment, Ike wondered what the cargo contained.

"Ike, that cargo was to be delivered. You have done well." Tanith said. "Princess Elincia has returned to her quarters. Please do inform her about your return."

"At once." Ike said. Ike went to inform Princess Elincia of his return from the old town road where the peddlers were.

Meanwhile at the location known as Grann Desert, Kito found the temple where his laguz friends were hanging out. The laguz friends of Kito consisted of a diverse cast of laguz changelings. The cast of Kito's friends consisted of two green-furred cat laguz named Feredina and Felidae, two fraternal tiger laguz twins named Kamro and Kiev, a female hawk laguz named Talyana and a male hawk laguz of color named Ulonmon, a female raven laguz of color named Davela, two non-royal heron laguz siblings named Swan and Craine, three red dragon laguz named Rojo, Bilema, and Gloria, and three female white dragons laguz named Zuria, Una, and Cassamela. Together, they made up a laguz army known as the Laguz Confederation Legion. This was a confederate band of laguz that was organized by a group of beorc. A Seraph Knight from Crimea named Cecily Fliesher was their leader, and she was accompanied by two giant wolf-riding beorc siblings named Colin and Hannah, who were her trusted deputies in command that originally hailed from the Grann Desert. Together, they were eager to see Kito return to them. When one laguz soldier told them that Kito was outside the temple, Cecily told the soldier to bring him inside.

"They are ready to see you now, Kito." said the soldier. Kito went inside the temple.

"Welcome back, Kito!" said the raven laguz of color Davela. "You still looking for your sister?"

"How's that even coming along?" asked Rojo the male Red Dragon laguz.

"Still haven't found her yet." said Kito. "But I am destined to reunite with her sometime this year!"

"What brings you here?" asked Cecily.

"The apostle Sanaki sent me here to stay with you guys again…" said Kito.

"Excellent!" said Colin. "Just excellent, indeed!"

"Why don't you come on back." said Colin's sister Hannah. "I have made something special for you for your return to the Laguz Confederation army."

"Really?" asked Kito. "I'm eager to see it!" Kito was very much destined to reunite with his sister Kamaria. He wondered if she would be coming to Gann Desert to meet the laguz who had taken him in as family. The journey of a family reunion was just about to begin for Kamari and Kito.