The Journal of Renault, Bishop of Valor
Chapter 2
Well, just only a few days after I uploaded Chapter 1, I am finally uploading Chapter 2. In the last chapter, we got through the beginning of Renault's adventures and have met Nergal. Now in Chapter 2, we'll see where this unlikely pairing will go with their experiments. Again, don't forget to follow and review if you like what you've read so far!
Also, I plan to do a somewhat similar project as this but with Fire Emblem Three Houses characters, almost in the direction of Genealogy gen 2/Fire Emblem 6. If you would like to see that, let me know in the reviews! For now, Chapter 2 of The Journal of Renault!
"I'm looking to join your band of mercenaries."
These words alone sparked the beginning of my years in the mercenary business. I was in my late teens at the time and very desperate for money. The year before, my father was killed in an accident while travelling for his merchant business and my mother died not too long after from illness, leaving me to wander the streets looking for even a single coin. I had heard of Caelin's mercenaries many times before, but the fact that I was still young and still inexperienced with a blade made me anxious as to whether or not I would actually qualify for a spot on their roster. Regardless, I gave it a go, and to my surprise they took me in.
And that's when I met him.
It was my first day of training and I was nervous as hell, but when I looked over at him, he looked calm, composed, and prepared. He wasn't much older than I was, and yet he looked like he had done this before. Our leader, a tall and brutish redheaded man by the name of Cobalt, gathered us and four other men together in the preparation room of House Caelin.
"Listen here boys," he growled in a sonorous tone, "you should all know by now that mercenary work is nothing like the training you are about to receive. While we'll be using sparring weapons today, you'll be using actually weapons on our missions. Now Marquess Hausen has put a lot of faith in both my leadership and our collective strength, and I don't wish to sully either of those just because one of you aren't prepared for the burdens that come with being a mercenary. Loss, betrayal...you will certainly encounter these at one point or another."
"That being said, I want you all to know that you will not be paid for your training, nor will you be paid for the first two missions that you'll be sent on. That includes myself as well. Payment will come once you have proven yourself worthy of being a true soldier."
I became very confused. Wasn't the whole point of me joining this band of mercenaries for money? What was the point of this if I wasn't going to get paid until-
"Oi bright eyes," said the guy next to me with a laugh. "You look lost. Were you surprised that we're not getting paid? It should be normal for rookies like yourself." I didn't answer. It wasn't funny to me, I thought. I've been in need of money for a long while now. Who was this guy to make a joke over something like that?
Not too long after, I heard someone else whisper in my ear. "Never mind him. I bet he's also pissed that he's not getting paid. Guys like that will try to get into your head, but don't let their cockiness lead you astray. And if any of them give you trouble, I'm sure Cobalt or even myself will step in and teach them a lesson. The name's Briar, by the way. This is my first rodeo with a gang of mercenaries as well, but I've been practicing my swordplay since I could walk. But enough about me, how about you?"
This guy seemed so sure of himself, and yet at the same time he generally cared deeply for my feelings, like brothers would. I could hear his generosity overshadow his surefire brashness in every word that came out of his lips. Calmed by his words, I gathered my words and spoke up. "Renault," I replied. "I don't have much practice with a blade, if any. I doubt that I'll be tough enough for mercenary work but hey, one can dream right?"
"Not with that mindset you won't. Sure mercenary work is a tough business, but as long as you know how to hold a weapon, anyone can do it. You just gotta believe in yourself and trust your gut. If you can do that, you can wield a blade, and if you can wield a blade, you can be a mercenary. It's as simple as that." A pause. "Well, looks like the other guys are heading to the training grounds. You coming?"
I nodded. I didn't realize that in that moment, I had met the one person who would become one of my closest friends.
I was startled suddenly by a long smack, only to turn my head and find that the sound originated from a large book Nergal had slammed on the table. "Focus, Renault!" he snarled as he looked at me rather annoyed. I nodded and acknowledged his orders, which were to write down the information he gave me from the experiments he was doing behind me, to which he would later translate into complex equations. I wasn't sure what he planned to do with them after but I suppose that's none of my business. After all, I was hardly qualified to write the equations myself, so it was best left to him. Behind me, I could hear him pacing back and forth, muttering some sort of gibberish as I continued scribbling down my notes. What little information I could hear was something about quintessence, which he explained earlier was the life force from all living beings (human or otherwise), and something about a "vessel". When I turned back around, he was back at his table testing on a small rodent. Whatever it was, I didn't want to know. As soon as I went back to writing down the last bit of information, I heard a loud growl and turned around only to watch as Nergal threw the rodent he had been testing on at the wall, effectively killing it in the process. He clasped his hands on his face and sat in the chair next to mine, looking very defeated. "This will never do! I need a proper human subject, but where do I find one that can suit my needs?" he groaned. I could tell things were looking dire for him, so I spoke up.
"What about me, Master Nergal? Surely I could be your test subject?"
"Don't be foolish, boy. You're still a vital part in helping me in completing my experiments. Besides, the adverse side effects alone could do untold damage to your body and mind."
"It all depends on what you plan on doing."
He sighed. "What I need is a good amount of quintessence from a living being, but not just any living being. I need a human being, one with a substantially high amount of quintessence, and rarely are there human beings in this world with that amount." He suddenly paused to mull things over before he turned back towards me, eyes beaming with evil joy. "Unless…"
"Unless what?" I asked, curious but frightened of what may come next.
Suddenly he jumped up from his chair, his face just a few inches from mine. "I know of one such man. Yes...a man of the Saint Elimine church, or rather he was before his wife had a child. I have met him several times before in the past few years, and even then I could taste the quintessence eminatting off him...yes, he'll do wonderfully for this experiment."
"But what do we have to do with him?"
It was then that I could feel that wretched, devilish smile of his fully transform into pure insanity. I found out in this moment how much of a sick and twisted man Nergal truly was, for what he told me next shocked me out of my mind.
"We have to kill him."
I was taken completely aback. Sure I had made a living off bashing skulls and massacring groups of men, but in those cases they were either bandits or pirates or criminals of some sort. But murder? That was far beyond my limit. I couldn't kill for such an insane reason as gathering quintessence for a madman in a cloak. It was out of the question, far too ridiculous, and psychotic in every sense. In my mind, I kept yelling at myself to reject this man's evil intentions and to run as far away from him as possible, but for some reason these actions wouldn't form. All that came out was "Master Nergal…" before I was whisked from my seat.
"Come, Renault," cried Nergal. "We must make haste! This well of quintessence isn't going to collect itself!"
What damnation have I mixed myself into now, I thought sadly as I was dragged onto a carriage outside, unprepared for whatever events were about to unfold.
That about does it for chapter 2! Hope you're enjoying the story so far and of course, don't forget to leave a review and follow for more! Also don't forget to let me know if you want to see that Three Houses series I mentioned earlier. And of course stay tuned for chapter 3!