Another chapter ready to go. Slight spoilers for Ochette and Castii's stories.
Disclaimer: Octopath Traveler II was created by Square Enix.
Encounter at Sai
Another chapter ready to go. Slight spoilers for Ochette and Castii's stories.
Disclaimer: Octopath Traveler II was created by Square Enix.
The group, joined by Throne and Osvald, spent the night at the inn. Ochette, Akala and her newfound sea dragon friend had gone to rest up, themselves, her day was no less busy, having found out that Cateracta was killed, leaving only her child, who the Beastling named Acta.
As the group was getting ready to go to breakfast at the cafe, Ochette, Akala and Acta met up with Priscilla and Castii on her way out. Priscilla greeted Ochette"Good morning, how did yesterday go for you? Who is this little guy?" She was looking curiously at Acta.
"Oh, this is Acta, he's Cateracta's baby, but Cateracta was killed by the dark hunter" The beastling replied, growing uncharacteristically serious as she spoke"But the little guy is all right. A friend who I met on Cateracta's island, Alpionne was guarding the egg Acta hatched from."
"That must have been awful for the poor creature, losing its mother like that" Castii whispered.
"Yeah, but I'm taking care of Acta, now" Ochette smiled.
"Good for you" Priscilla commented.
"Thanks, Prissy" Ochette beamed.
Ochette, Castii and Priscilla went to join everyone else at the cafe for breakfast, Alistair had left a bit earlier to go talk to Governor Kent, but was going to meet them at the cafe. Priscilla looked at Osvald curiously after they ordered their breakfast.
"What is it?" The older scholar asked, noticing her staring.
Priscilla replied after a second"To be honest, as Proescutor, I should stop you from murdering a guy purely out of vengeance, but this "Harvey" struck first, so I am unsure what to make of all this. I always strove to be as lawful as possible in my profession, but your case is just something else. What justice is there to be found in that area?"
"You also could have arranged to have me sent back to Frigit Island if you were not able to or didn't get any information on my situation" Osvald commented.
The younger Scholar nodded silently after a moment of contemplation"True, but anti-magic muzzles don't come cheap. Besides, it must be really terrible to have lost your family, I know what that sort of pain feels like." Deep down, she understood the pain he must be feeling, having lost her father to a miscarriage of justice and later to illness.
"Your family is gone, too?" Castii asked.
"Just..." Priscilla sighed"My father, he was sent to Frigit Isle by my so-called uncle for a crime he did not commit. Only over twelve years ago was I able to prove that he was innocent, but he was frail by the time he was acquitted. He died of illness a few months afterwards."
"It sounds like you've had family matters, which I will not pry into" said the older scholar, thoughtfully.
"Thank you" Priscilla said, grateful.
Throne came to join them shortly after, having spent time listening into rumors from some of the townspeople"So, Priscilla, I hear that you are looking into a syndicate. Do you know of the Blacksnakes?"
"I can't say I heard of them, the Crimson Sun is the group I am investigating" The Prosecutor replied.
The thief blinked"I figured you wouldn't know, but no harm in asking. Like Osvald, I am hunting down a particular individual, two in my case. The Blacksnakes are a group of thieves and assassins, which I was forcibly raised to be part of."
"So that choker on your neck isn't simply there as a fashion statement?" Priscilla asked her, curiously.
"Don't remind me, its a little tight on my neck" The thief frowned"All Blacksnakes are forced to wear this as a sign of our membership. It can only be removed with the right keys."
"That must be terrible" Hikari commented, disgusted to hear about this.
"Indeed" Throne nodded.
The prosecutor thought about it"Can't you just cut it off or make a lock-pick for it?"
Throne shook her head"If it were possible to forcibly remove my collar, I would've already done it a long time ago. It is laced with a poison that kills the person who was wearing it if it is ever removed without the keys."
The rest of the group were even more disturbed to hear about the situation. Priscilla let this information sink in before asking"Who are the individuals you're looking for?"
"Father, and Mother" Throne replied, bluntly"They are the leaders of the Blacksnakes..."
Seeing that the thief didn't want to discuss this any further, Priscilla quietly contemplated what she had heard. A moment later, Alistair joined them and the group headed for the cafe.
"How did things go with the governor?" Priscilla asked.
"He is grateful that Vella is helping to oversee things in Conning Creek" Alistair replied, calmly"And he was none too surprised to hear of Stenvar's corruption, except he could not step in due to lack of evidence, he even wished to extend an apology to Osvald for not being there to stop Stemvar from abetting Harvey."
"Harvey is a careful man, he would cover his tracks if he had to" Osvald grunted"The Governor is in no way at fault. Yet Harvey left enough breadcrumbs for me to follow him to Montwise. Even if the governor had been there, Stenvar could have simply silenced him and made it look like a suicide, or worse."
Alistair nodded understandably, then he and everyone else arrived at the cafe and ordered breakfast. The group ate in silence as they pondered their next move. Harvey, the Blacksnakes and the Crimson Sun need to be dealt with, and Ochette still had to find two more legendary beasts.
"I'm going to Sai, there may be someone who knows me" Castii murmured.
"That's where I am headed, too" Priscilla nodded"I want to know exactly what Nathan is doing and who the criminal he is hunting is. Alistair, what of you?"
"There's still trouble between two rival factions, the knights stationed there are doing what they can to help" Alistair replied, calmly"We're fighting alongside the faction that is protecting Sai, I must go, too. Justin and the knights we brought will remain here, just in case and to help train new Conning Creek Guards. I do not think Timberain will take Vella's involvement lightly. Not that I am worried, given that they are focused on Sai at the moment."
"I'll join you, Harvey probably isn't going anywhere if he wants me to find him" Osvald said bluntly. Besides, he owed it to Priscilla's group for exposing his innocence to Conning Creek, even though that had not been his original intent.
"I shall continue to lend my sword to your cause" Hikari added"Ku and Vella did fight alongside each other for a time, even if some of its knights were simply being hired out at mercenaries."
"Thank you, both of you" Priscilla smiled.
"Well, I'm going to check out the north-most parts of the wildlands for any sign of Tera" Ochette piped up"Never know when I might need to be back at my home island, the Night of the Scarlet Moon is getting close."
"I'll go with you, Oresrush is a bit out of the way, but I am going to find some clues as to Mother's whereabouts" Throne offered.
"Thanks, Nene'" Ochette smiled"Nice to meet you by the way, pops" she directed that comment at Osvald.
If the older Scholar gave any reaction to being called that, he didn't show it"My name is Osvald" he gently told Ochette.
"Mine's Ochette" The hunter smiled"Guess I'll see the rest of you guys around."
The group finished their breakfast and started heading out of town. Clarissa and Justin met up with them at the gates. Clarissa looked at Osvald"You're going after him, aren't you?"
"Yes" Osvald replied bluntly.
The green-clad blond bowed her head"Ethan once said before he died that I should bear his killer no ill will... It is a show of love. And are you not going to pay your respects to your family?"
"I did what I came to do, and I've forgotten what love was a long time ago" Osvald replied, bitterly.
"At least we've basically rid Conning Creek of corruption" Justin commented"Priscilla, take care out there will you?"
"I will, Justin" Priscilla nodded"And how are your wounds?"
"All better now, basically" The defense lawyer replied, confidentially.
"Good" Priscilla nodded"Take care."
"Good luck all of you" said Clarissa, feeling no desire to try to dissuade Osvald further.
The group headed out of Conning Creek, Throne and Ochette split from the group to head north to the Wildlands. Priscilla took a moment to speak further with Osvald"I don't really mean to pry, but shouldn't you do something about your clothes? I mean, the jacket doesn't exactly hide your prisoner's rags."
"I will think of something" The older scholar replied"The same could be asked of you, a Prosecutor traveling alongside an escapee."
"True" Priscilla admitted, feeling a bit sheepish. It was not exactly professional on her part, but she had gotten information regarding his situation from Stenvar anyway, and Steven did say he was going to get a confession out of Stenvar and make Osvald's innocence known.
The trek through the west Conning Creek coast took the better part of the morning, soon making way to a vast desert. Priscilla studied her map"So this is the Hinouema region, specifically the Eastern Sai Sands."
Hikari nodded"Indeed, I passed through here as I made my escape from Ku. There are stronger monsters, here than at the Conning Creek coast, but we shouldn't have any trouble."
Osvald shrugged"It certainly is quite hot, here." Though frankly, the desert is no worse than the icy prison of Frigit Island and the snowy region near Cape Cold in his opinion.
"Doesn't it get uncomfortable wearing heavier clothes like armor or jackets in the desert?" Castii asked, a bit concerned.
"Its a little uncomfortable, but I made sure to buy plenty of water canteens in anticipation should anyone need a drink" Alistair replied"We best keep on going."
"I agree" Hikari said"And I suppose armor isn't the most practical attire for the desert, but I've long grown used to it since I was born in Ku, which is even further into the desert than Sai."
The group headed into the desert, marching silently. A handful of desert apes and a couple of sandworms accosted the group on their way to Sai, but those were easily dealt with by magic and Hikari and Alistair's swords, but not without sustaining minor injuries, which was nothing Castii couldn't help with.
"So how do you intend to approach Nathan?" Alistair asked as Priscilla as they continued toward Sai"You have every right to have him arrested for setting thugs on you. Yet if you want to talk to him, I will support your decision."
Priscilla paused for a moment to ponder her answer, thinking back to the argument she had had with her mother"We've been at each other's throats for over twelve years... We never quite got along, even before that argument we had regarding his father's imprisonment. If he's willing to talk, I might give him the time of day to do so. Otherwise, I won't have any qualms having him arrested when he's done with Chief Justice Minister Lian's mission, if he's not caught spying on them."
"That is understandable" Alistair nodded"Justice is not always as black and white as most people would be inclined to think. But consider this when you see him: Are you in this for justice, or solely because of your own vendetta against the wrongs that were visited upon your family?"
"I see that our best knight is as talented with his words as he is with his martial prowess" Priscilla smiled"I really should look a little deeper like my mom has been telling me to, I just wish it were that easy."
The group headed into Sai, a medium-sized town in the middle of the Sai sands. Priscilla looked around"Hm. Nothing seems out of the ordinary..."
"Perhaps Nathan is lying in wait. Whoever the criminal he is looking for is, I imagine he would not easily be found" Alistair speculated.
"Sir Alistair!" A Vellan knight and a soldier of Sai came over to greet the group.
"Sergeant Gareth, how are things on the front?" Alistair asked.
The aforementioned knight, a man with dark hair and traditional armor replied"Not too well, Sir Edmund's mercenaries are barely able to provide sufficient assistance, and the makeshift hospital is practically full. My squad is barely holding out. The local Apothecary, Mao is barely able to keep up with the number of injured troops who are in need of treatment."
"This is worse than I thought" Alistair frowned, if Timberain won and caught wind of Vella's presence in Conning Creek, they'd probably have both the Crimson Sun Syndicate and Timberain to worry about.
"Alistair, I'm going to look for Nathan" Priscilla told him"You go ahead and provide Sergeant Gareth, Mao and Edmund with assistance. We can do both tasks at the same time that way."
"I'll go help tend to the wounded" Castii said.
"Priscilla, are you sure?" Alistair asked, concerned.
Priscilla nodded, determinedly"Yes."
"Osvald and I shall join you" Hikari informed Priscilla.
"Thank you" the Prosecutor said"But surely the Sai army would require more help than myself at the moment."
"Alistair and Castii can handle themselves" Osvald pointed out.
Priscilla nodded reluctantly, then headed to the east-most side of Sai, where most of the town's poor lived. A small mansion was seen to the northeast, home to an esteemed noble.
"If I recall, that is Count Seymour Vanneth's dwelling" Hikari noted"He is a high ranking noble serving in Sai's ruling council. I do not know much about him, but he's been rumored to have had some odd... Dealings."
"Odd? How so?" Priscilla asked, curious.
"He supposedly commands a secret smuggling ring to ship illicit elixirs around the continent" The prince explained"He even has his own band of mercenaries at his beck and call. Some actually see him as a benevolent man just doing what he has to for Sai. Others say that he is a corrupt businessman, I do not know which is true."
"I should like to meet him" Priscilla said, matter of factly"If he's corrupt, we should be able to handle him."
"All right, but we best tread lightly" Osvald cautioned.
As Priscilla's group headed towards the small mansion, a certain orange haired man and a couple of mercenaries with Crimson Sun tattoos stood watching from the shadows. Nathan glanced Priscilla's direction, eyes narrowing a bit.
"You know that woman?" One mercenary asked.
"Humph" Nathan grunted"Yes, but don't forget what we're here to do." He had seemingly joined up with Crimson Sun, but only to infiltrate the group on Minister Lian's orders. And he had hoped Shane would be able to do the job he wanted him to do, but he seemed to have failed.
"Well, what are you gonna do, noob?" The other mercenary asked.
"We focus on Seymour for now and then go to Timberain" Nathan replied, he was not fool enough to try to have Priscilla attacked again. He had to remain on the leaders of the syndicate's good graces for the time being which meant no scapegoating any of Crimson Sun's members to keep his mother pacified.
Alistair, Gareth and Castii headed for the front lines and reached the makeshift hospital where the town's Apothecary was tending to several wounded men, most of them were mercenaries. Two of them were knights of Vella.
"How are the wounded faring?" Gareth asked.
The town apothecary, Mao looked up from where she was tending to one of the wounded men"They're not going to last much longer if they go right back into battle. They'd need rest." She then noticed the blond Apthecary"Castii?"
"Hm? Have we met?" Castii asked, confused.
"Its been that long since we first met, huh?" Mao asked, concerned.
"She's lost her memory" Alistair explained"But I see that you are somehow acquainted with each other."
"I see. I will explain later, I'm a bit tied up at the moment" The town apothecary said.
"Let me help you" Castii offered.
"Thank you, Castii" Mao smiled gratefully.
Gareth looked at Alistair"The war has been intense even with my squad's help. And Master Edmund isn't helping."
Before Alistair could ask what he meant, a brunette man with armor and a tunic with pants came into the makeshift hospital"Hey! I need you back on the front lines, pronto!" He shouted at the injured mercenaries.
"Master Edmund, they need more time to heal" Mao told the Sai commander patiently.
"They can't fight very well in their condition" Castii added.
"Mind yer business" Edmund grunted, then glared at his injured men"You weaklings won't get any dinner tonight."
Alistair was usually not the kind of man to get upset easily, but in a moment of weakness, he clenched a fist"Treating your men as less than human won't do any good, Master Edmund. I came to lend assistance to the war effort so we can hopefully drive Timberain from Sai. Even with Castii's help, victory still won't come easy. Let your men rest and I shall go in their stead. I am Alistair of House Fen from Vella."
"Fine, fine, don't need those lazy layabouts or these bonemenders anyway" Edmund scoffed.
Castii frowned"Sergeant Gareth, are there more wounded on the battlefield that need help?"
"They might" Gareth said thoughtfully"Edmund should count himself lucky that Vella is still willing to render aid as a part of our alliance with Sai. I've been wanting to knock him down a few pegs, but had to refrain" he finished with disdain in his tone.
"I heard that!" The aforementioned mercenary shouted as he left.
Castii accompanied Alistair and Edmund out of the hospital to help more people who might be injured. Gareth followed them while Mao remained behind to tend to the wounded.
Priscilla, Osvald and Hikari approached the entrance to Seymour's home. A couple of Sai soldiers stood guard at the entrance. Hikari addressed one of the two soldiers"We have business with Lord Vanneth."
"For what purpose? His lordship is busy" One soldier replied, glancing at Osvald with suspicion.
"I am Priscilla of House Whiteshore from Vella" Priscilla introduced himself"And if you're wondering, Osvald, here was recently released from prison, but forgot to turn in his prison garments" she added to avoid explaining the complications of the Frigit Island escapee's circumstance.
"Its to do with the state of affairs that need to be brought to his attention, many of the soldiers are occupied. Plus, if there are any unsavory rumors, then he must be informed of them" Osvald grunted, not the least bit irritated at what Priscilla said, it was understandable that his prison clothes would draw attention.
"If you say so" the guard shrugged.
"So will you let us in? I also need to inform him of this mysterious syndicate that's operating from the shadows" Priscilla added.
The guard nodded"Come in and wait for him in the foyer." He led the three inside, the manor was fairly decorated, though with a couple of simple couches in the foyer and a kitchen. A set of stairs led to the second floor.
"He certainly seems well off" Priscilla commented as the guard went to inform the lord of the house.
Hikari nodded, standing in wait.
"So what would you suggest I replace my prison rags with?" Osvald asked, calmly. Not that he was in any hurry to get a fresh change of wardrobe, but there was no point in keeping the prison rags if Steven and Priscilla were going to eventually get his guilty verdict overturned, but he kept his expectations low in the latter case.
"I'm no fashionista, but I'm sure that maybe with your hair tied back, a nice suit, pants and a top hat, you'd looks presentable" Priscilla suggested.
"I will keep your suggestion in mind" Osvald nodded.
Castii rushed into the war zone where Sai, Vella and Timberain's troops had been fighting, the rest of Gareth's squadron were still standing in case any of Timberain's troops made it past the sand traps that Edmund had set.
"Sir Alistair" one of the troops greeted the group"Thank goodness you came."
"What's the situation?" Alistair asked.
The Vellan soldier replied"We're just barely able to scrap on by. We're running low on supplies, another shipment won't come for a while due to how far inland Sai is. I don't know how much longer we'll last."
Alistair nodded and started to contemplate his next course of action"If we can somehow get to Timberain's commander, we could end this skirmish today and keep casualties to a minimum. Describe the layout."
While Alistair and the Vellan soldier talked, Castii spotted an injured soldier not far away and ran over to him, inspecting his wounds. Edmund walked over"Oi, Bonemender, what are you doing? That's a man of Timberain!"
Alistair stopped his conversation with his comrade to go over to the two"Is there something wrong?"
Castii inspected the Timberain soldier"He needs help, get me some kindling and water, right away!"
"Are you nuts!?" Edmund exclaimed.
"Just do it!" Castii shouted, not too concerned with her own safety.
Against his better judgment, Edmund did not argue any further, instead going to get what Castii asked for. Alistair reached into his sack for an extra healing grape in case Castii needed it.
"Normally it would be counterproductive and risky to help the enemy, but I will trust your judgment" Alistair told her.
"Thank you" Castii said.
Priscilla and her group waited a bit longer before a man with short dark blue hair, blue eyes and a traditional suit of armor from Sai over his regal tunic and pants came to great them, accompanied by three guards.
"Lord Vanneth, I presume, I am Priscilla of House Whiteshore" Priscilla introduced herself.
The man smiled warmly"Yes, but please, just call me Seymour, we are both nobility after all. And your companions?" He looked at the two men accompanying the prosecutor.
"I am Hikari" Hikari replied"I am accompanying Lady Whiteshore on this diplomatic visit." He would not reveal his own royal status at the moment, Sai is too close to Ku to take any chances right now.
"I'm Osvald Vanstein" Osvald introduced himself cordially"I am a Scholar. You do not seem troubled by our sudden visit."
Seymour smiled warmly"I was, truth be told, I rarely get any visitors. So tell me, what brings you all to my house this fine day? I've been rather busy."
Priscilla could not tell if the lord of Sai is being genuinely nice or if he was just putting on an act, but cordially spoke"You also don't seem to mind living in the poorest part of the town."
"How could I not? Someone has to look after them" Seymour chuckled in a slightly unsettling way"So, can I introduce you all in some tea? It must have been quite the journey getting here."
"I think I'll pass" Priscilla replied hastily"Not that I mean any insult to your hospitality. And have you seen someone called Nathan?"
"I have not heard of that individual" The Count replied in a matter of fact tone"Is he a friend of yours? What does he look like?"
Careful to keep her face neutral, Priscilla replied"He means nothing to me, I was just curious. He has orange hair and brownish eyes. And have you by any chance heard of any unusual rumors?"
"Rumors are rumors, I take no stock in them" The count shook his head dismissively.
Osvald carefully scrutinized the count, this man seemed sincere, but if rumors are to be believed, he could just be putting on an act. His scrutiny didn't go unnoticed however as the count addressed him.
"Is there something wrong?" Seymour asked.
"No, but Priscilla is looking into a criminal and am wondering if you know something" Osvald simply replied so as not to raise suspicion.
"Some in the poor part of Sai certainly do have questionable pasts, but I've yet to hear of any unsavory activity from there" The count said confidently"But pray tell, what do the rumors entail?"
"I heard that you were abetting a smuggling ring and have mercenaries on your payroll" The Prosecutor put in"But people also say you are a good leader who is just looking out for the people."
Seymour smiled wryly"I do sometimes give quite an impression, but sometimes the end does justify the means. If you'll excuse me, I still have some paperwork that needs to be finished. Good luck with your travels. Guardsman, see them out."
As the count began to leave, the guard approached"Please follow me."
"We can see ourselves out" Priscilla declined, the count had neither really confirmed or denied the rumors.
The guard hesitated, then said"Very well" and headed to his post.
"What's the plan?" Hikari asked once the guard was out of earshot.
Priscilla smiled"We're going to explore the place and find evidence in case Seymour is being deceptive."
"It won't be easy" Osvald contemplated"He seems to be a very good actor, and he'd want to make sure that any incriminating documents and the like are destroyed and his his tracks to ensure that nothing traces back to him."
Before the three could discuss it any further, the sound of a window shattering and men outside being cut down was heard. The same guard from earlier came in"We're under attack! If any of you can fight, please help us protect his Excellency!"
"Blast, we're gonna have to postpone this investigation" Priscilla pulled her tome out.
Hikari drew his blade"I will go first."
"What a coincidence," Nathan replied with a smirk. "You just cannot stay out of my way, can you?"
"Nathan..." Priscilla snarled, her eyes shooting daggers at her half-brother. "So you are involved with the Crimson Sun, aren't you?"
"Yeah, what of it?" Nathan questioned, his tone full of annoyance at Priscilla. The Vellan Prosecutor angrily clenched her fist, though her facial expression remained calm and unbroken. She knew Nathan had done many things, but joining a criminal syndicate was something she could not tolerate.
"So you're a real criminal now," Priscilla insulted. "And Mother wanted us to reconcile." Nathan's arrogant smirk dropped and his face was filled with immense rage and anger.
"Reconcile?" he hissed. "With you? After what you did to my father-"
"Your father took mine away from me!" Priscilla barked. "He forced my mother into marriage against her will! But I know you'll never believe me because you'd prefer to live in your delusions!"
Nathan couldn't bring himself to view his father, Sylas, as a criminal. Growing up, Sylas was always kind, always supported him in his endeavors as did Mother. The man Priscilla spoke of didn't match the description of his father at all. Sylas could never have framed an innocent man of sexually assaulting innocent women and sending him to Frigit Isle. He couldn't accept it.
But he had other concerns to worry about. As much as he wanted to get back at Priscilla, he needed to focus on the mission.
"You're lucky you're just a secondary objective, sis," he taunted.
"I fear that the man is as unreasonable as my brother" Hikari commented as he readied himself.
"I have to agree that it seems unlikely Nathan will listen" Osvald frowned.
"My mom seems to think there's good in him, so I have to try to make Nathan see sense" Priscilla insisted"If not at least for her sake."
Nathan laughed"You should listen to Professor Prisoner and the pretty boy Ku swordsman, girl."
Osvald was peeved at the younger man's words"Perhaps you should learn to respect your elders."
"Spare me your lecture, professor, I must be going" Nathan headed further down the hall.
Three Crimson Sun mercenaries charged at the three. Priscilla blasted one soldier with Thunder, knocking him down. Hikari briefly dueled with a mercenary. Just then, a band of other mercenaries came in to intercept the intruders, causing the remaining Crimson Sun Mercenary to turn in surprise.
"Protect the Count!" Several of Seymour's men headed upstairs while the rest remained to engage the two Crimson Sun mercenaries.
"What a mess" Osvald frowned"But we can take advantage of this chaos."
Priscilla nodded and headed after Nathan, followed by Hikari and Osvald. The remaining Crimson Sun mercenaries in the area forgot about them as they began fighting Seymour's mercenary protectors.
"So Nathan is your brother" Osvald commented.
"Yeah, but he and I never got along" sighed Priscilla"My mother has been pushing for us to stop hating each other, but if anything, we're both stubborn."
Hikari placed a hand on Priscilla's shoulder"I've not known him long, but perhaps there is a chance you can reach out to him."
"You're probably right. Anyway, we should hurry" said Priscilla, continuing on.
Castii, Alistair and Edmund finished tending to the wounded soldier and headed further on, Alistair did not dare question Castii's judgment as he followed quietly. The three reached the end of a series of quicksand pits where the Timberain Commander stood.
Griff, the commander in question frowned"Who are you people?" Some of his men remained with him.
"Are you the Commander of Timberain's invasion force?" Alistair asked"I am Alistair, knight of Vella. Are you going to come quietly? I do not wish to prolong this conflict anymore than I must."
Before Griff could reply, the ground beneath them shook and several of Griff's men and Griff himself fell into the nearby quicksand holes. When one of Edmund's men managed to catch up despite his injuries, he fell in, too.
"What was that?" Castii asked.
"Must have happened after I set the traps that snared some of Timberain's men" Edmund said.
Alistair frowned"I should have known, this could mean one thing: This whole war was being fought on top of a monster's underground nest. We may have provoked a sand lion. They are normally docile creatures, but they have a nasty temper when sufficiently provoked. I read about them."
Castii looked around and found the entrance to a cave"We can still save those men, so the entrance is over there, right?"
"Are you out of your mind!?" Edmund exclaimed"Its too dangerous."
Alistair frowned"Go get Gareth and the other knights who can still fight, Castii and I will go on ahead." Perhaps he can negotiate a way to end the fighting peacefully if the Timberain commander is grateful enough.
"Thank you, Alistair" Castii said.
"You are welcome" Alistair replied.
The two headed into the Sandlion's den while Edmund went to get Gareth.
Nathan smiled as Seymour's mercenaries were either beaten or ran away. He expected much more of a fight, considering what Seymour could afford, but at least his job was made easy by their incompetence. However, the moment was soured when he caught sight of Priscilla.
"Miss me already, sis?" he smirked. Priscilla was tempted to smack that arrogant smirk off of her half-brother's face, to arrest him right now and throw him in the same cell as Sylas. If he loved his father so much, he could join him in that frozen pit.
But Priscilla remembered her mother's desire: to see the two of them reconcile and understand that what happened was neither of their faults, only Sylas's. He steadily took a deep breath and looked at her brother before speaking.
"I don't miss you, Nathan, but for my..." She caught herself. "For our mother's sake, stop what you're doing and listen to me. For her sake...I'm willing to reach out and suggest reconciliation."
"Oh, NOW you want to reconcile?" Nathan scoffed. "I gave you that chance twelve years ago and you threw it away. You don't get to send my father to prison and then ask me to act like nothing happened."
"Something DID happen!" she barked. "Sylas framed my father, Perceval Whiteshore, for raping innocent women and had him sent to Frigit Isle so he could have Mother all to himself!"
"Why should I believe you!?" Nathan shouted. "You never once tried to reach out to me. You always looked at me like I was inferior to you, like I disgusted you!"
That was all too true. Priscilla had always viewed Nathan as a half-breed born of Sylas's lust for Vanessa, a constant reminder of what her uncle's selfishness had taken from her. Her father was left to rot in Frigit Isle for years and her mother could barely spend any time with her as Sylas had her focus on Nathan instead.
Even if he weren't responsible for what Sylas did, Nathan befitted from it, enjoying the love of both parents while Priscilla was left alone and neglected.
Never once did Priscilla extend a kind hand to Nathan growing up, always sneering and gazing at him as though he were filth. She hated him. She hated that he was born of her mother by Sylas.
She hated that he had her mother's attention while she barely spent any time with her. She hated that Nathan benefitted from her father being in Frigit Isle.
"I wished to honor our mother's wish and reach out to you," Priscilla spoke. "But now that you've joined the Crimson Sun...I see now that reconciliation is beyond our grasp. You are just as much a criminal as your father was."
"My father was NOT a criminal!" Nathan shouted.
"Your father WAS a criminal!" Priscilla roared. "He took everything away from me! If you love him so much, then I'll send you to Frigit Isle to spend your remaining days with him!"
Seymour looked on with amusement, chuckling as he chose this moment to speak"What of it? Hardly any conclusive evidence that I would be directly connected to those occurrences."
"Don't be coy" Nathan looked at him"I know those rumors must have meant something. I came here to hunt a criminal, and you're my number one suspect. Too bad for you, the Crimson Sun doesn't operate within the boundaries of the law."
"And you take me for a poor, helpless town lord, do you?" Seymour chuckled, pulling a tome from his pocket"In addition to economic lessons, I picked up a few magical tricks for such an occasion. Yes, I indulged in smuggling and the black market, but it was all for Sai, especially this poor, rundown quarter of town. So sad I can't have any of you spilling my secrets. I fear I shall never again show myself in public should word of my financial problems become common knowledge."
"We need to hand him to the authorities and see what their opinion of this matter is" Priscilla readied herself"Guess we're in for a fight."
"No promises, there" Nathan smirked"He'd still probably try to lie his way out of it."
Seymour promptly cast a couple Bolts of Thunder, which Osvald and Priscilla dodged. Nathan rushed at the Count, who blasted him back with a fireball. Hikari darted to the side and slashed at Seymour, who dodged and retaliated with Icewind. Osvald took this chance to hit the Count with a fireball. Nathan had manged to recover and throw strong bolt spells, staggering the Count.
"Why you!" The rest of Seymour's mercenaries charged at the group, only to met met with Hikari's blades and Osvald's magic. Priscilla cast Fireball to stagger Seymour, who retaliated with Icewind.
Castii and Alistair made their way through cave where the Sand Lion dwells. The pair proceeded cautiously through the cave until they found Griff and a couple other Timberatin Soldiers.
"Is everyone all right?" Alistair asked.
"Yeah, but the monster ahead is still in a right frenzy" The Timberain Commander grunted.
Alistair nodded"Good."
"So the Sand Lion is just past here. I hate to resort to violence, but we probably should make sure its sent into a nice nap" Castii said.
"Its not going to be a pushover" Alistair pointed out"We need to wait for Gareth and Edmund. We need all the manpower we can get to subdue the creature."
Castii nodded understandingly. The knight clearly knew what he is doing and knows how best to approach a situation, so she trusted him.
"I must admit, I know of no other Apothecary who'd dare to heal wounded soldiers indiscriminately, regardless of their allegiance when it comes to warfare" Alistair commented.
Castii flushed"Yes, well... Even though I still don't have my missing memories, I just can't bear to let people suffer."
"An admirable trait" Alistair commented"I must admit that I find myself fascinated and intrigued by you."
"R-really?" Castii asked, she was oblivious when it came to love, but she could understand what he is telling her.
"I speak only what is true" Alistair said, gently.
Hikari cut down another one of Seymour's men while Priscilla took time to recover, Osvald blasted the Count with bolt, knocking him backwards. Nathan grinned, discreetly signalling the two Crimson Sun members to come in, firing crossbows at the Count. Seymour grunted as the arrows pierced him, retaliating with Fireballs, striking the two Crimson Sun members down. Nathan wasted no time in dashing forward to run Seymour through, slamming him in the chest.
Priscilla was hardly surprised, trust Nathan to be as underhanded as his father when it comes to accomplishing what he is setting out to do. Still, she had hoped to take Seymour alive.
"Despicable, killing a man when it is unnecessary" Osvald growled.
"Heh... You and the girl have a lot of spirit" Seymour chuckled weakly at Nathan"But do you really think this is justice...?"
"It was nothing personal" Nathan pulled his sword out"Just a job the boss of the syndicate wanted done. As personal as it is between me and miss so-called goody-two shoes" he turned to sneer at Priscilla"Well, now that this crook has all but been dealt with, what say we settle this here?"
"You..." Priscilla shook with anger and disapproval"I still hope to try to talk things out like mother wanted... But seeing this, does the Crimson Sun intend to commit unnecessary murders!?"
"Only to those who commit crimes but are untouchable by the law" Nathan said in a matter of fact tone"Sad, but true, some criminals do hide their tracks very well, especially those who abuse their positions as high ranking nobles. It doesn't matter to the Crimson Sun what their motives are."
Nathan conjured a fireball, grinning"So, sister, are you done talking? If so, I personally will deal with you. And fret not about mother, I will be sure to tell her that you died in our fight against Lord Vanneth."
"There is no justification in unnecessarily taking a life, you must be stopped" Hikari rushed Nathan to knock him out, only for Nathan to parry.
Seymour, who was still drawing his last breath, smirked"How about a little breeze?" He drew forth a gust of wind magic, catching Priscilla, Hikari and Nathan off guard and sending them hurling outside onto the manor's balcony right before letting go of the mortal coil, dead. Osvald proceeded to deal with the two Crimson Sun members remaining in the room.
Priscilla regained her balance and rushed towards Nathan, casting Icewind. Nathan dodged and slashed at Priscilla, who dodged before knocking him back with a fireball. Hikari headed over to Priscilla's aid, slashing at Nathan, who parried again and jumped back.
Priscilla rushed at him and cast Icewind. Nathan jumped just a bit further back to the edge and was about to retaliate when an earthquake shook the foundation, monsters emerged from a nearby quicksand hole.
"What did that!?" Priscila gasped.
"Probably one of those sand antlions, and its p*****" Nathan frowned, he had not been aware that there was a den beneath them.
"If monsters escape from down there, they'll attack the townspeople" Hikari said"Given the commotion, we must have woken the monster up."
"Nathan" Priscilla addressed her brother"I'm willing to call a truce if you're willing to help protect Sai."
Nathan shrugged"Well, I'm not gonna let a bunch of monsters chomp on people. Besides, I got bigger fish to fry." He headed back into the manor. Priscilla and Hikari went to meet up with Osvald before following Nathan out of the manor.
What a chapter, I decided to end that on a cliffhanger, I hope it was enjoyable, I tried hard to make it make sense. Seems like an A$$pull that a Scholar can use wind magic storyline wise, but then it's possible to combine a main character's job with a secondary job, so you could argue it was a dancer/scholar combo, as Dancers can use wind magic in Octopath Traveler and its sequel.
I was gonna have Nathan and Priscilla tossed into a quicksand hole into the den, but it didn't read right, plus realistically that fall would kill them. So, I changed it.