Note: This has literally nothing to do with anything, but I've been listening to the most unrelated music when it comes to writing these. Seriously, ABBA, 80s anime OST, Astrud Gilberto songs (if you have the time, go check out some vintage Brazillian music, it is gold).
Sort of breaking canon a bit, as there's not much detailing how exactly the beastmen and the Masked Mage end up working together in a sense. Plus, given the brief other interaction, Gauser has with Kevin, I sort of expanded his role in both how he sees his son, as well as how he becomes involved in the business with the Masked Mage. I guess I don't need to say it, but Gauser's far from an excellent parental figure. Culture aside, I find it hard to believe that Kevin would simply return to him at the end of the game. Thus, I'm thinking of tweaking some things.
Also, not going to lie. Some of the traits I gave Goremand come from a love of spooky, creepy stuff in anime. And a bit of tentacles. Don't worry; this ISN'T that story—specifically a minor character from Hellstar Remina.
Also, let me know if there are any contradictions in this, a la hair/eye color, etc.
Arrivals and Charlotte's Dilemma
Ferolia
"Your Eminence!" the young man fell to the ground, face down and ragged and out of breath.
The Priest of Light looked upon the young man who had burst through the doors to the worship chamber, leaving the pulpit and kneeling to help him. His clothes were torn, and he was covered in several cuts and bruises as if he had just gotten himself quite banged up. "What is it? What is wrong, dear boy?"
"Beastmen!" the boy choked out. "Beastmen have invaded Jadd!"
The Priest of Light's eyes widened in horror. "What?!"
"It's true!" he shouted. "They just came in the night! On large birds!" he exclaimed. "I escaped because I was outside the city to visit family in Astoria! But they saw me and sent their hounds to chase me off! And then, I had no way to go but the Cascade Cavern! And even there, I barely made it!"
"Barely made it?" The older man was astonished. "What of the safe passage that leads here?"
"It's blocked off!" the boy answered. "Surely you've felt the quakes that have been plaguing that area lately!" indeed, the Priest had. The seismic movement was occurring in that cave as of late, so much so that he advised Heath only to check on the Light Stone when there was a period when the quakes had stopped. Yet if it was blocked off, what if the people? He shook off the thought. It was a possibility, but the older man didn't wish to entertain such an awful thought. "And…" the boy continued. "And there's something in there beside Goblins and Batmos."
"What do you mean, dear boy?"
"It's huge." the boy shivered. "I only saw a glimpse of it, but it was enormous. Its eyes were huge and glowing. It had several legs and a hide of spiked material. I would've assumed it would've been as tough as iron!" he continued. "It walked and looked like a giant crab. A crab with rows and rows of gnashing teeth! I swear it had something in its mouth! I couldn't tell whatever it was, but...but…" he fell again. "Please, your Eminence!" he wept. "You must do something! Put a barrier around this place! Protect those here!"
"But what of those in Astoria?" the Priest questioned.
"They didn't believe me!" the boy cried out. "I tried telling everyone, but they said I was just making things up! No one else is coming!" He grabbed the older man's robes. "Please, your Eminence! You must protect those here, both from the beastmen and that thing!"
The Priest of Light looked down at the desperate boy with conflicted eyes. It was too soon to decide, but it was clear that something needed to be done. Yet, for a young girl listening in, she knew what she needed to do. It had to be done tonight.
That Night
"You sure about this?" Mik questioned, Charlotte paying him no mind as she wound up the parachute she and he had sewn from the bedsheets, fastening it to her back with belt straps.
"Positive!" the blonde confirmed. "Thewe's no mistaking it now! I gotta go now, ow Heath's going to be in WEAW twouble!"
Mik sighed; Springy only looked at the two, puzzled as to what was happening. "Ok. If that's what you want." he sighed. He knew the moment she had said she was loading Heath's clothes into the wardrobe; he knew she was both crazy and determined to go through with it, which was crazy in itself. She's nuts. He thought, but he knew better than to say so openly, lest she threatens him with a spanking. Heh, like she could even catch him to try. "All right," the green-haired boy said. "Here's what you do." he pointed to Springy. "Stand beside him, and he'll take care of the rest. But he might need to take a few moments. He's never bounced anybody that high before."
"Ok," Charlotte said, giving Springy a pat on the head. "Thank you for this, Spwingy." the Springstepper cooed, yet groaned when the girl stepped on top of him. It was small at first, yet Charlotte felt a pressure beginning to develop beneath her. "Uh, Mik?" she said nervously, wondering whether she had jumped into this too quickly. "Just HOW faw can Spwingy bounce somebody?"
"Um…" the green-haired boy bit his lip. "Well...about that-"
BOING!
He got no more as Springy sprung up, revealing his namesake spring that resided between his lower and upper half. Charlotte was sent flying, immediately regretting not simply sneaking out or something else as she flew far away from view. "Uh…" Mik nervously said, looking to Springy, then the still flying Charlotte, who became little more than a far-off dot in the horizon. "Not my fault!"
"YAAAAAAHH!" she screamed, the world beneath her little more than a series of colored blurs. The top of the large cavern that connected Wendel to the Rabite Forest lay beneath her, as well as the ground that was steadily approaching closer and closer. "Time to deploy pawachute!" she cried out, loosening the straps she had fastened around herself, the sewn bedsheets popping out from their restraints and getting caught in the air. Charlotte had the air knocked out of her from the sudden force of the pull that resulted from releasing the makeshift parachute, yet her descent had slowed down. At least she got that part done right.
Unfortunately, she didn't account for the wind catching and carrying her forward. Right amid a collection of trees.
"Gah!" she cried out, kicking her legs and pulling on the sheets, trying vainly to change her direction. "No, no, no, no, no!" she cried out, crashing right through the foliage, her parachute becoming all twisted and caught in the branches. "Ow, ow! Ow! No!" she cried out. "Not my-ow!" she tumbled downward. "Ow! Eek! Gah!" that twig went up somewhere. She wasn't sure she wanted to know where. "Owww!" Finally, at long last, she stopped. However, it was with a resounding THUD! "Oooh…" Charlotte sighed, and then everything went dark.
Morning
"Mmm…" she murmured, finding that something felt strange.
Munch munch…
And that something was eating her hat.
Steadily opening her eyes, Charlotte found that the world was turned upside down and that she was staring right into a pair of large, blue eyes that bore into her own. "AHHHH!" she hollered, the creature that had been munching on her hat squeaking in horror as well; it bounced off and ducked in behind a nearby bush. "A Wabite?" the blonde girl moaned, trying to move but finding herself stuck. She huffed and struggled, kicking and pulling at the parachute she hung from. "C'mon...c'mon-OOF!" she fell from the tree on her head, rolling over and laying flat on her face. "Owww…." steadily getting to her feet, she surveyed her surroundings. From the looks of it, it was an area with an abundance of trees everywhere and, judging from the little critter that had been munching on her hat and several other creatures hopping around or snoozing still, filled with Rabites. Yep. The Rabite Forest, no doubt. "Weww...I'm out of Wendew at weast," Charlotte said aloud. "But whewe's…" she looked around and saw little else but hills and trees.
Well, that was great. Already out of Wendel, and she had gotten herself lost! Tears began to come to her eyes. What was she going to do now?! Just then, she heard buzzing above her. What the-AH! From the tree she was in, a swarm of Assasiants flew out, their large, beady eyes looking down at her with fury for disturbing them. Charlotte let out a yell as she ran, the bugs giving chase. A flurry of stingers was shot in her direction; they just missed by mere inches. However, this wouldn't end in their deaths like regular bees, as their stingers simply grew back. She had to get away! She had to-
"OOF!"
SPLASH!
A large splash momentarily blinded the raging insects, then looked to see that the one that had disturbed them was long gone, nothing but ripples in a small pond before them. Taking off, Charlotte rose from the pond, the tails of her hat over her face and her bangs plastered to her forehead. Great! Now not only was she lost, but she also had just ruined her clothes! Now not bothering to hold it in anymore, she released a fresh stream of tears and loud wails, a few nearby animals covering their ears and hightailing it out of there from the shrieking girl. What was she going to do now?!
"Hey, where do you think you're going?!" Huh? Who was that? It didn't sound amicable.
"I'm merely going my own way." Wait, that voice. Heath! "Please, let me pass through."
Charlotte wasted no time following where the voices were coming from, her tiny feet carrying her (though they only allowed her to go so far and at a particular pace) forward until she came across the young Priest himself, surrounded by a group of rather unsavory looking characters. Rather hairy, unsavory-looking characters.
"Hey, you're from Wendel, aren't you?" one of the men questioned, folding his muscled arms as he surveyed the young Priest. "You're here to warn others of our invasion!"
"Invasion?!" Heath exclaimed, shocked. "What?!"
"Don't try denying it now!" one of the beastmen shouted. "We've got you, red-handed!" he stepped closer to the Priest.
"Please, sir. I'm a man of peace." Heath assured. "I mean nothing for or against you."
"Ha! As if!" the beastman then grabbed the Priest's arm. "You're coming with us, buster!"
"Hey!" a high-pitched voice roared, its owner running forward, arms flailing. "You weave him awone!"
"Charlotte?!" Heath cried out, the beastman restraining him, looking on at the girl about to charge into him.
The beastman raised a brow, stopping the charging girl with the heel of his foot. "Who's kid is this?"
"I'm no kid!" Charlotte yelled, continuing to flail her arms, wildly punching the air. "Wet Heath go!" her threat proved useless, as she was given a light kick and sent rolling back wildly into a nearby bush. "Oww…" seriously, she was getting a little sick of being pushed around.
"Charlotte!" Heath exclaimed, looking to the beastman restraining him and the others surrounding him. He looked around and focused. To have to resort to something such as this wasn't exactly becoming of him, especially after his declaration as a man of peace. But sometimes, action had to be taken. "Your Eminence, please forgive me."
"What the?" a beastman shouted, noticing a light forming in the palm of the young man's hand.
"HOLY BOLT!" from his hand, a beam of pure light shot out, striking the beastman, and then Heath turned and blasted his two companions. "Charlotte, let's go!" the young Priest said, retrieving the girl from the bush and running. Where they were going, Charlotte had no idea. And she had soon lost track of how long they had been running. But eventually, they stopped, no one around save for a few of the Rabites that populated this area and gave the forest its name.
"Charlotte…" Heath sighed, needing a breath. "All right…" he huffed. "I suppose I don't need to ask, but what in the world are you doing here? You have no place being out here! How did you even manage to get out of the city? The pathway's closed!"
"I...I just…"
"Please tell me you didn't go that way! You could've been crushed! I barely made it out myself!"
"Heath, I-"
"And now with beastmen about, they say they're invading?! Charlotte, how did you-"
"WHAAAA!" the girl let out a wail as tears fell from her eyes like waterfalls, blocking out anything else Heath was saying, though upon seeing her in such a state, he found he didn't have much else to say anyway.
"Charlotte! Charlotte, calm down-"
"WHAAA!" she continued to cry, then hugged the Priest. "You...you'we in twouble! I don't cawe if you don't bewieve me! But something bad will happen if I don't watch you!"
"Charlotte…"
"Aw...isn't that nice?" Both Heath and Charlotte looked to a nearby tree; a figure concealed in the shade. "Helping a lost little girl...really," the figure stepped out, his yellow eyes locking with Heath's blue. "You ARE too good to be true. But, then again, you ARE one of the Priest of Light's favorites."
Charlotte immediately felt her entire body freeze upon seeing him, despite his attire and general appearance being that of a jester. Heath quickly ushered the girl behind him. "Who…" he found his breath catching in his throat. Such foul energy was radiating off this being. "Who are you?"
The jester smiled. "Oh, come on! Are you not going to introduce yourself first? So much for you being a nice guy." he said disappointedly, though it was clear he didn't mean it. "Course, I doubt it matters, seeing as we're going to be getting to know each other JUST fine in a little bit."
"Hey!" Charlotte suddenly shouted, grabbing the leg of Heath's pants. "You...you weave Heath alone!" she immediately regretted saying anything as the jester turned his attention to her. Then, with a few long, seemingly impossible steps, the being was right in front of her face, staring her down.
"Get away from her-" Heath began to protest but was shoved to the side, the girl's protection taken from her, leaving her to face this stranger alone.
"Hmmm…" the jester snarled, though he didn't appear angry. Instead, he stared at Charlotte with intrigue. As if he were studying some strange new finding and wished to know everything about it. Or perhaps, Charlotte found herself thinking; he was staring at her as if she were some piece of savory food. She stepped back when he smiled. "What have we here?" his grin spread even more comprehensively. "You look like a sweet little thing." he sneered.
Charlotte felt conflicted about whether to be terrified or disgusted, perhaps both. Still, she stood tall. "I...I'm not scawed of you." she affirmed, despite the fact she was shaking like a leaf.
"Hmmm...yes." the jester chuckled. "I bet you're as sweet as sugar…" Before either Charlotte or Heath could react, the jester seized the blonde girl by the throat and thrust her to the ground. As he lifted his arms, they both watched in horror as a massive scythe was seemingly produced from thin air, its blade reflecting Charlotte's terrified features at her.
"W-Wait!" Heath cried out. "Don't hurt her!"
"Oh yes…." the jester chuckled, leaning down closer. "Oooh yes, indeed!" he opened his mouth wide, Charlotte's eyes widening in terror. There was no inside to his mouth, at least not what would usually lie in a mouth. Instead, a swirling, blackened vortex that swirled down, down, down into seemingly nothing was before her. Yet from the darkness, something appeared to be coming...no. It was slithering out. From the maw extended an impossibly long tongue, though it bore no resemblance to any tongue she had seen. Instead, it resembled a tentacle with several pulsing veins; it was covered in mucus, its color a dark violet, with the veins seemingly having green liquid traveling through them. The large tongue swerved this way and that. Charlotte's eyes followed it in fear, wincing as it made contact with her cheek, wet and cold against her skin. "Ahhh…" the jester sighed in satisfaction. "Yess….sweet as sugar." he then rose the scythe in his other hand. "You'll be the best I've had in a LOOONG time!"
"STOP!" Heath cried out, preparing to cast Holy Bolt on the unnatural monster. Yet the jester directed his gaze at him.
"Want to test who's faster, Priesty? I bet she'd be DYING to play that game!" Charlotte was clawing at the jester's gloved hand in desperation, yet despite her struggles, she knew it was useless. The being was powerful. Unnaturally so. Nothing about him was natural.
"Please, please, don't harm her," Heath begged. "She...she's just a young soul. If you must kill, then take me."
"Heath-" Charlotte called out in protest, but a squeeze cut off her answer to her throat.
"Kill you, you say?" the jester questioned, tilting his head. "Well...that's a bit of a problem." he rose, still keeping Charlotte in his grasp. "You see, I can't exactly do that. The Master wouldn't be too happy if I did that. Oh no, no, no, he would NOT." Heath was about to ask about this "Master," but the jester continued. "But...there is something you can do."
"What?"
He then held Charlotte out as if handing him a prize. "You can come with me."
Heath felt his blood run cold. "Come? Come with you where?"
"Oh, nowhere special." the jester giggled. "Just somewhere where you and I can get to know each other. Oh! And the Master...yeah. You see, he's been wanting a word with you. And...well, I can't hurt you TOO bad and all. But…" his golden eyes turned to Charlotte, staring at her hungrily. "He didn't say anything about a light snack along the way…"
"Stop! Please!" Heath begged, reaching out for the girl, only for the jester to pull her back. Then, "...all right." the Priest said breathlessly. "I...I'll do it."
"Hm?" the jester put a hand to his nonexistent ear. "Come again?"
"I'll go with you. Just let her go. Please."
The jester smiled, immediately dropping Charlotte to the ground. "Oooh, goody!" he proclaimed happily, the scythe disappearing from his other hand as he clapped. "See? No need for this to get ugly!" Heath then, albeit with hesitant steps, began making his way towards the jester.
"Heath! No! You can't-" Charlotte got out no more words as a brutal slap was delivered to her, sending her flying a good few feet away and landing hard on the ground.
"Charlotte!" Heath shouted, only to feel a slim yet surprisingly strong arm grab him from behind.
"Ah, ah, ah!" the jester lectured, shaking a finger. "Remember our agreement!" He then looked at the girl struggling to get up. "Now, don't forget to wave goodbye!"
"H-Heath…" Charlotte's vision became less hazy as she witnessed the jester holding Heath in a headlock, a dark mass of energy beginning to form around them. "HEATH!" she hollered, rising to her feet and falling again, but rising again and running towards the Priest.
Yet it was in vain, the energy having formed into a large, dark sphere that dissipated by the time she arrived, leaving nothing but the barren ground in its wake.
"H-Heath…" the dream. The dream. Him standing there...and the dark figure. It had happened. She hadn't prevented it. She...she had…"H-Hewp!" Charlotte hollered, completely having lost any sense of direction or logic. "Hewp me!" she screamed, rushing in an order she didn't know led to what, yet right now, she found herself unable to care, let alone contemplate such a thing. "HEWP! HEWP ME! PWEASE!"
Stronghold City Jadd
Weapons Shop
"What do you mean that you don't have anything for sale?!" Duran shouted, slamming his hands down on the counter.
"It's just as I said." the man behind the counter said. Like many merchants, he wore a white turban set with a red stone, an orange tunic and pants over a white undershirt, and brown shoes. And, another oddity shared by seemingly all merchants, he waved his arms about wildly for no apparent reason. "The beastmen have confiscated everything. All the armor and all the weapons."
"That can't be!" Duran argued. "There HAS to be something that they haven't swiped!" there had to be! Otherwise, he was screwed!
"What the?" he remarked as he felt the ship come to a grinding halt. The Skipper and several other passengers had also come out to see what was happening. From what could be seen, men with more than a healthy supply of body hair and muscles came out from the entrance to the city, walking to it and looking up. Suddenly, one among them leaped up and landed on the ship itself. "Dock here!" he ordered through bared teeth. "Whatever you're carrying, it belongs to us now, as well as all of you fine folks." The beastman bore long, blonde hair, a red coat, and yellow and blue striped pants. "Be quiet, and you MAY live." Everyone silently mutters. This was far from what anyone had in mind. The Skipper had already taken this ship to several places, having gone to several other ports in several foreign lands. Now they were here, getting raided on what was supposed to be a routine stop!
"Hey!" a voice suddenly called out, a young man approaching from the crowd. "Who do you think you are?!"
Everyone was silent as the blonde beastman approached the wild, auburn-haired young man. "Well, well, well." the beastman gave a toothy smirk. "Look who thinks he's all big and bad."
Duran's violet eyes widened a bit as the beastman approached him. Well, he was taller than he initially thought. Still, that didn't matter. "Yeah. That'd be me." the young man proclaimed. "Who do you think you are? You don't own this ship, let alone this harbor!"
"You don't think?" the beastman barked a laugh. "Ha! A little look in town will say otherwise! And soon, that won't be the only thing we'll own!" he then placed a hand on Duran's shoulder, quickly thrust off.
"Don't touch me!" the young man demanded, leaping back, significantly nearly stepping on one young lady's foot. A particular young lady had rather striking violet hair.
"Watch it!" she hissed, though he ignored her, his gaze on the beastman.
"Oh, ho, ho! It's a fight you want, is that it?" the animalistic humanoid got into a fighting stance, and Duran drew his sword. "And look here, boys!" he called out to his comrades below. "He's brought a little toy to share with us!"
Little toy?! He dared insult his father's blade in such a way?! That was it! Duran leaped forward with a slash-"ULK!" only to find a fist thrust right into his abdomen, knocking the wind out of him.
SPLASH!
Then he was flipped over and tossed from the ship, falling headfirst into the water. He rose quickly to hear the laughs and laughter of the beastmen and the jeers of the crowd that had just watched his defeat. "Oooh." he heard someone say, looking up to see a violet-haired young man around his age say, clearly wincing at what he had just seen. "That's gotta hurt."
The violet-haired girl nodded, having rushed up to the edge to see the floating Duran. "A little lower, then he'd probably be begging them to kill him," she whispered to the young man beside her. He tried to retain his composure but couldn't stop the chuckle coming from his throat. Duran only glared daggers at both of them.
"Hey, boys! Look!" the blonde beastman called out, holding an object that made Duran recoil in horror. His father's sword! "Look what he's left us as a gift!" he then tossed the blade to the other beastmen on the dock.
"Hey, wait!" Duran called out, swimming over and trying to hoist himself up on the wooden platform. "Get back with that! That's-" he was cut off by someone grabbing him by the scruff of his shirt, the blonde beastman looking him in the eye.
"You're funny, kid, but don't push it. We're not here for comedy acts." he then threw the soaking Duran to the ground, the young man coughing up water, yet he didn't rise. "Get going, kid." the beastman ordered, lifting him again and giving him a solid kick to push him forward. Duran only glared daggers at him, yet ultimately, what could he do? Swallowing hard, he was left with little choice but to enter Jadd empty-handed.
Just a silly little boy.
"Sorry, but you yelling and saying that there has to be something isn't going to make something magically appear." the shopkeeper told Duran. "Besides, even if I did have something to give you, the beastmen would burst down the door and raid everything to see what else I had. Or light the place on fire. Hell, maybe both."
Duran huffed, folding his arms and pacing around the shop's interior. "My father's sword…" he growled.
"Hey, kid. I get it, I do." the shopkeeper told him. "But what would you do even if you DID have your sword? It's not like you could take them all on yourself."
True. Though it only served to infuriate Duran more. What a headache.
The Inn
Finally, no more seasickness. Solid ground and a bed on a concrete floor too. "Want to stay?" the turban-wearing, bearded man behind the counter asked. Angela only nodded, circles that were nearly pitch black under her eyes. "Rough time at sea, huh?"
"Roughest time of my life." the young woman groaned. Of course, that probably wasn't true, yet she wasn't in the mood to go over technicalities. "Spent most of my time on deck…" she slurred her words.
"Go ahead and help yourself to a bed." the keeper told her. "With the beastmen here, I can't get any business anyway."
"Th-Thanks." Angela staggered forward. For the past few days, it had been hell. She couldn't sleep, and what she had eaten was thrown right back into the sea. Her stomach clenched, needing food, but her need for sleep won out. She set her wand down by her bed; she could get it past the beastmen as they had just up, called it a useless stick, and decided that it wouldn't even be worth giving any attention to. It would never occur to them that their words held more truth than they could've ever imagined.
But right now, all that mattered was sleep. So stripping off her shoes, gloves, and crown, Angela nestled right into the sheets and immediately shut her eyes, lost in a world of haziness and darkness.
Grocery
Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no!
How could they have been here so quickly!? And here, he thought he had the perfect route to go via Lake Astoria! He should've known, though, that something was amiss when he saw the dark birds perched on the city's walls. And even more, how could he have mistaken this place for Wendel?!
"Go down, and once you reach the shore, you've reached the Rabite Forest," he remembered Anati telling him as he was about to leave the boat when they were a few yards from said shore. "That's as far as I've gone, but I think there's a cave system somewhere. Through there, I think you'll reach Wendel. But, first, you'd probably be better off asking someone for directions."
And that was what Kevin had intended to do. He had planned to go through the entrance yet saw that a few familiar hounds resided outside of the sealed-up access to the city. Was this Wendel? There was no cave system. Maybe Anati had taken him past it? After all, she said she didn't know the area too well. He had to know. Climbing up a wall via a few bricks that protruded outward in the formation, Kevin could get into Jadd, only to see that the entire city was swarming with beastmen. Some were merely patrolling the streets, some were going in and out of a larger building that resided at the top of a large staircase that ran through the middle of the square, and some were beating down civilians that dared try and fight them.
"Grandpa!" he heard from below when he first entered, a young woman tending to an old man that had been tossed to the ground. "You...you barbarians!" she shouted at the beastman that had just assaulted the old man.
Oh no, they were here?! He couldn't be seen! By either them OR the civilians here! He ducked into the nearest building, the owner looking at him and immediately noting his clothing. "Hey, you!" Kevin looked behind him to hear a man from behind the counter; he looked rather displeased. "It's bad enough that you must invade this place, but you come in and decide to try and raid my store too?"
"No!" Kevin protested. "Not with them! I-"
"What are you playing at?" the man interrupted. "It might be different for everyone else, but I won't let you simply waltz in and do as you please! Get out!"
"No, please. I'm not-" Kevin got no other words out as a pot was thrown in his direction.
"Get out!" more things were thrown at him, Kevin having little choice but to duck under them and head out the door.
"Yipe!" only to almost run right into Ludger himself. He was here too?! Ducking between a couple of buildings, Kevin sighed and slumped to the ground. It looked like he would have to wait this out until he thought of something else.
If he could think of something else.
Bar
"So, no one knows how long those brutes are staying for?" a man asked, guzzling down that last of his beer.
"Nope." the one he was sitting with sighed. "They did arrive just a short time ago, and I doubt they'll be leaving anytime soon."
"You see those birds they got? They're huge!" someone else said. "Perched on the walls like a bunch of gargoyles!"
"You don't think they...eat people, do you?"
"Um...I don't know about that…."
Hawkeye leaned against the counter, taking in the various conversations around him. Well, that was quite a show when he had first arrived. Poor guy. Though really, picking a fight with those guys? Still, he got his sword taken away and everything. Who knew where it went too. He had managed to get lucky in concealing his daggers. Albeit, it wasn't exactly something he'd wish to try again. He had hidden his weapons in the one place that the beastmen probably wouldn't dare to touch.
"Ok," he remembered them saying. "Whatcha got on you?"
"Search me?" Hawkeye asked, knowing well that he wouldn't get out of the pat-down. And pat-down they did, yet when they felt nothing, they began in more frequent movements. "You want to search a little lower? Or are you guys all business before pleasure?"
"Wh-What?"
"Hey, I'm not judging."
He received a harsh push. "Get outta here."
Again, not exactly a direction he'd usually take, but it worked. Concealed, quite literally in his pants, the thief managed to get his daggers through the borders. And as long as he kept them in his pants, he'd at least be able to keep them until he got out of here. Just then, the door flew open, and the same young man from earlier came into the bar and immediately took a seat at the counter. "What'll it be?" the bartender asked, not exactly happy with the situation in the area.
"Nothing." Duran sighed. He wasn't in the mood for a good buzz for once, especially after his time in Valsena. He had vowed that his focus wouldn't be broken or inhibited by anything. He then pounded his fist on the counter. "Damned animals…" he sighed. "How dare they…."
"Looks like you're not doing so hot," Hawkeye observed, Duran only giving the thief a passing glance.
"Yeah, and what's it to you?" Duran sighed, really not caring.
"Just observing. Meant nothing by it."
"...sorry." the soldier breathed out. "It's just...they took my sword. My father's sword…" the latter part was said quieter, yet Hawkeye heard it. He then looked to the bartender. "You wouldn't happen to know anything, would you? Any weapons here? Any at all?"
"There were." the man sighed. "Though they're probably down in some dark crevice by now. I can't be sure, but I think someone said that the beastmen are planning on melting everything down and making various tools and weapons for themselves."
"What use would weapons be for them?" Duran questioned. "They ARE a weapon!"
The man nodded. "True. But still, they still need steel and iron for some things." he then looked around. "But," Duran and Hawkeye leaned in, not noticing that a young woman was coming downstairs and also heard what was being said. "I heard that, and it's just a rumor, but they've got them all piled up somewhere in some sort of area down below some shop. Between you and me, I think it's that weapons guy."
"I KNEW it!" Duran proclaimed. "I KNEW he was playing me!"
"Don't be so hard on him." the bartender told him. "Poor guy's probably been threatened to keep quiet." Duran calmed down a bit, thinking over the man's words. "But...I also know something else." he leaned in even closer. "The beastmen have been here for a few days...and I've studied their patterns. They transform at night and need to work out their pent-up energy with each other, so they go out of the city to brawl. The birds also go out to hunt. So if you want to get out of here, that'd be the opportune time."
"Excuse me?"
The bartender, Duran, and Hawkeye looked to see a young woman with long, blonde hair with the lower portion of her hair tied in a loose ponytail with a green ribbon. "Sorry to interrupt, but...you wouldn't have happened to have seen a young boy around, have you?"
"Young boy?" the bartender questioned.
"Yes." Riesz nodded. "This high," she positioned her hand just around her knee. "Blonde hair, blue eyes, has a blue cape." she paused. "Then again...who knows if they took those things off of him…" she muttered to herself, shifting her attention back to the boys. "I don't suppose you've seen anyone like that?"
"Hey, lady!" someone shouted. "You hang with me; I think I can show you a kid like that!"
Her eyes narrowed, not even paying him any mind. "Thanks anyway." she made her way to the door. "I think I can find him myself, thank you." she sternly said before leaving.
"Tease." the man huffed, going back to his drink.
Astoria
The last quake rattled everyone. The middle-aged, red-haired woman sighed as the last of her dishes were washed. She knelt to the oven, watching the pie that was inside. So far, it looked just about right to set out and let cool. She could only hope there wasn't another quake, lest the entirety of her cabinet gets shattered. Still, she couldn't deny that things were beginning to feel a little more uneasy.
First, it began with the whole business involving the quakes that seemed to be coming from Cascade Cavern. Then, that youth came here from Jadd, going on about beastmen. And now, there had been those who said the safe passage to Wendel was blocked off, and the regular route was blocked off entirely! So, just what was going on?
"Hewp...hewp…" her attention was drawn away from her pie and dishes to outside.
"Mom!" her son came in, his brown hair that she had meticulously combed all messy now. "There's a girl outside!"
Not exactly specific, but from what she had heard earlier, she sensed something was amiss. Wasting no time, she moved outside, coming upon a blonde girl with a pink, two-tailed hat and a blue jumpsuit. "Hewp…" she moaned, voice choked and dry sounding, having cried for some time.
"There, there, now." the woman cooed, kneeling and rubbing the girl's back lightly. "What's wrong?"
"He...he's gone." she whimpered. "Heath...he...he's gone."
"Gone where?" she asked, not knowing what the girl was talking about yet comforting her all the same.
"Some...some bad man. He...he…" the girl collapsed into tears again.
"Hey, c'mon!" the boy then said. "Pull yourself together!"
"Ralph, take her inside." the woman said, the boy somewhat puzzled at this.
"But mom, isn't she a stranger?"
"I say it's ok this time. Please, take her in." with that, the boy obeyed and took the blonde by the arm, hoisting her up. "I'm Elisa, by the way." the woman greeted. "And this is my son, Ralph."
"Ch-Chawwotte." the girl responded.
"Chawwotte?" the woman questioned. "Oh! You mean 'Charlotte.'"
"Yeah, that's what I said. Chawwotte."
A little bit of a speech impediment, she saw. Well, no matter. The poor thing was in distress and needed somebody to talk to. And from the looks of it, also judging how she had never seen the girl, Elisa assumed she wasn't a town resident. "Here." She went and opened the door to her home. "How does some cherry pie sound?" she smiled when she saw Charlotte's expression lighten up somewhat at that, yet it was clear that baked goods would far from solve whatever problem she was having.
Note: FINALLY, we're getting started! At least, the first part of it. The next part will have a few alterations but rest assured, for the most part, generally, this fic will follow the events of the game. That said, I hope you enjoy it! And I enjoyed hearing from the regulars; I also hope to hear from some new blood too, if that's ok for me to say.
