Chapter 19
A little girl, with a poring doll in her left hand walked in a big dark hall. No other voice inside the hall except her footsteps. Her eyes were full of fear, unsure of what was waiting her in the endless abyss.
"Mother?"
The girl said as she continued walking in the hall. No respond came for her. A cold night wind touch her skin as the girl stopped. The wind shivered her spine, as if it was a breath of a demon trying to scare her.
"Mother? Where are you? I'm scared."
Just like before, no responds. She continued walking several steps ahead while grabbing her doll closely. The dark night scared her to her bloods. Suddenly, she heard something.
"BANG!"
The loud sound surprised and scared her at the same time.
"Mother!"
She shouted as she ran towards the source of the sound. She dropped her doll in her way, her curiosity got the best of her. She finally saw a bright light coming from a room. When she finally arrived in front of the room, she witnessed a man wearing a gunslinger uniform, standing in front of a woman's body. The woman lied motionless in the floor, the blood covered her body. She was heavily wounded.
"Mother!! No!!"
The little girl shouted as she ran towards her mother, and start crying when she reached her mom. Her mom was half unconscious.
"Mother!! No, no! What happened?! Somebody!! Help, help me!!" The little girl cried for help seeing her mother dying.
"Give it up, young lady." The gunslinger told her calmly. The little girl turned her attention to the gunslinger. It was a very dark night, she couldn't see his face. But, she can feel an intimidation came from his very presence, it was like, she could feel his evil.
"Your mother will die. She loss too much blood. And there is no need to call some useless help, I've killed all the guards in this place."
"Why?! Why did you do this?! What did my mother do to you?! Answer me?!"
The cold night wind flew in the dark room as the girl stared towards the smiling gunslinger. Suddenly, she saw from her mother's hand moved.
"Mother? Mother? Thanks god you're alive! Please wait here, I'll get you some help!" She said with full of hope.
"No, there...is...no...need to."
"Why?! Please, it not too late!" She said as she tried to rushed herself, but her mother grabbed her hand.
"No...please...listen...to..me."
The girl stopped since she couldn't refuse her mother's wish, since it could be her last. She looked at her mother with a teary eyes. The gunslinger just stood silently watching them, he grinned as the girl hold her mother's hand.
"Hey...don't...cry. Your...face....is...pretty...don't...ruin...it...with...tears."
"Mother.."
The woman coughed some blood after listening her daughter.
"Mother, please don't die! Don't leave me alone."
"No..no...I..will...never..leave..you..alone. I'm..your...guardian...angel..right?"
"No,no, please don't say that!! I don't want to be alone, I don't want to be alone!!! Don't leave me!!"
"Listen...you..are...our...treasure..your..father...and..my..pride. You...must..live...promise me..you'll...live?"
The little girl nodded her head as tears flowed down her little eyes.
"Maybe...a..hard..painful...path...lies...ahead...of..you. But...you..must..endure."
"No, I don't understand!! I can't endure anything by myself!! I can't endure anything alone!! Please, please, please, don't die, don't leave me!!"
"You...won't..be..alone..because...you...will..have..friends..comrades..people...who..is..destined..to..be..with..you...to...protect...you..to..fight...alongside...you..to...live...with..you...even...to..die..for..you."
The little girl fazed by her mother's words.
"Don't forget..I'll..always be...with..you..by..your..side. Goodbye...little..angel." Her mother concluded her last words as his heart stop beating and death greeted her. The little girl widened her teary eyes as she screamed,
"NO! NO! Mother!! No!! Don't die!Mother!! No!!"
As if he ignored the little girl's crying, the gunslinger picked his handgun and aim it towards her. The little girl quickly noticed this, and turned her attention around with fear.
"What....what are you going to do? No, no, don't! Don't kill me!!" The little girl pleaded for her life.
"You had your chance to say goodbye to your mother. Now, I must bid you farewell." The gunslinger said with smile as he pulled the trigger.
BANG!!
"AAHH!!" Fiorentin screamed as she awakened from her sleep. Her face is full of sweat, her eyes widened in fear. She panted her breath heavily. She looked around her, Felicia and Olivia were sleeping besides her. She remembered, they decided to sleep in an unused temple not too far from the town's gate since they agreed to make their move today's morning.
It was still at late night, she arise and pick a bottle of water from the cart they used to enter the town. Salvador was seen asleep near the cart. Fiorentin drank the water till the bottle is empty. She tried to pull herself.
"Come on, come on. It's unlike you to be so weak." She said to herself. "That dream, it occurs more often these days, I wonder why?" She continued. "Ever since meeting Elraven, I couldn't sleep properly every night because of that dream."
"That gunslinger...why can't I remember his face?" She continued as she sat on the floor, leaned her body to the wall. "It's odd, I've never met Elraven before but when I saw him at the inn, I suddenly remembered this dream...could it be that..the gunslinger is...".
"No, no. It can' t be. What am I thinking? I better get going back to sl..." She said to herself again as she fell asleep on the spot.
The next morning, at the same time with the previous chapter....
"My, my. Seeing Alexandria sleeping like this, how priceless!" Olivia whispered to her leader, who was still sleeping. "Huh, oh! What, what?" Fiorentin awakened in surprised. "Morning, princess. Breakfast is ready, let's have some before we go to our next destination." Said Felicia, who was feeding Salvador.
"Oh, OK". Fiorentin replied as they prepared to eat the breakfast. Today's menu is breads and oranges.
After they finished their breakfast, Fiorentin asked Felicia to prepare the carts and Olivia to help her pack their goods. Olivia noticed something when they are done packing the goods, "Fio, your hair..it's mussed."
"Huh? Oh, yeah right! I forgot to combed it!"
"Why? It's unlike you! Let me do the task, OK?" The high priest asked as she picked her comb and start combing her leader's hair.
"Fio, you know what? You could be so cute and soft when the boys are not around, I wonder why?" The high priest asked the Sagramore leader.
"Huh, well I..don't know." Was the only answer the high priest got. "Maybe because she doesn't want to look so vulnerable in front of the boys." Felicia explained to her sister as she prepared Salvador to pull the cart.
"No, it's not like that!! I was just..." She answered with a blush on her face. "Just what, Fio?" The paladin teased her leader further.
"...No, nothing. Maybe you're right." Fiorentin answered calmly. "Now, she's getting back to her original self. OK, I'm done combing your hair, let's move out." Olivia cheerfully stated while picking her goods, and then the three goes to their mission spot.
Their mission spot is one of the main temples inside Payon. The monks in that temple are Sagramore's spy or allies which provided them with information or anything else they need to know in order to take Payon down. They informed George to follow them there last night before the war (which Elraven ignited) happened.
The current Payon is not the same town as they used to know, during their time living in Prontera, Payon was a small town full of kind people. They were very diligent and religious. But now, Payon is an empty town. Only abandoned house and temples everywhere, just like the old man in the bridge told them. The town folks now lived in a forest right besides the town because Lethe Guild put up several high taxes and demanded the town folks to pay half million zenny for the pass to enter the town, which they couldn't afford. The riches, who could afford the taxes and the pass, live in the guild area behind the town where the Lethe guild Headquarters lies.
"Well, this Payon is messed up. I'm starting to miss the old Payon" Felicia said to the group as they walked across several abandoned house. "...Can't agree more. This is more like a haunted town than an Archer town." Olivia hastily agreed her sister.
"Don't worry, Valdomir didn't manage this town quite well. All we need to do is take down Lethe Guild and Payon will get its smile and people back." Their leader gave a optimist statement as usual. The other two smiled to themselves as they remembered something.
"Oh, yeah. About the war last night, what was the result?" Olivia asked her sister. "Well, I fell asleep not too long after we arrived at the temple, so I don't know." The paladin replied. "We didn't see any soldiers from today's morning, so it's safe to assume two possibilities." Fiorentin explained her theory calmly. The other two listened carefully.
"First, Elraven & George won. And now they are thinking about how to get inside here. Second, the soldiers are currently chasing them in the forest, that's why we didn't see any soldiers this morning."
"Wow, quite an explanation. I prefer the first one, though" Olivia stated in awe. "Well, it better be. Because if the second one happens, someone will lose his head!" Fiorentin stated in anger without looking at her comrades. "She is still mad, huh? I'm glad I'm not Elraven" Felicia thought to herself.
They finally arrived at the temple, there, a young girl welcomed them. "Fio, Olivia, Felicia! You finally arrived!!". "Sohee!" Olivia said as she jumped and embraced her friend. "Hey, long time no see. You're as healthy as always!!" The high priest continued.
"Of course!! I'm one of the monks here!! I have to stay healthy!!" Sohee replied cheerfully. "Long time no see, Sohee." Felicia greeted her as they embraced. "Good to see you here, you seem fine comrade" Fiorentin said to her. "Thank you, Fio. I've been dying to see you guys from a week ago when you sent me a message that you would come. I'm afraid you wouldn't make it here, but seeing those two came here makes me feel assured." Sohee explained cheerfully.
"Those two? Who?" Olivia asked the female monk. "George & someone I don't know, they arrived here earlier than you this morning. They are currently waiting in the hall with the other monks to discuss our plan, but it seems that they decided to wait you three arrived first." Sohee explained. The three asked Sohee to bring them inside the temple, and headed right to the hall. There, they saw George, Elraven, & the other monks were eating a Big Foot steak.
"Hey, Alexandria you finally came! Felicia & Olivia too, let's join this winning celebration, OK?" Elraven, who was acting as the chef, asked the three to join them. "What? You..came here before us? How?" Fiorentin asked in disbelieve. "And what celebration? A winning celebration?" Olivia asked the chef.
"It's last night war, Elraven massacred 15 dozens soldiers, leaving no single witness. And based on the information we gained from this temple, the only soldiers Lethe guild possess right now is only monster soldiers and less than 10 dozens soldiers." George replied seriously as he drank a glass of water.
Fiorentin shocked and widened her eyes in disbelieve, "He..massacred 15 dozens soldiers..Midgard's people? How could he...?" Alexandria thought to herself. Felicia seemed aware of this and tap her leader's shoulder, hinting her to hold herself. The three joined the steak party. After the entire temple had their stomachs full, Elraven joined Sohee in the kitchen to cook for the people of Payon living in the woods near Payon.
George joined the other three girls in their room, discussing some matters before they held a meeting with the monks tonight. "OK, tell us about the war last night first." Alexandria asked him. George told them how the war last night goes, including the result and their so called 'massacre' by Elraven Sinclair.
"My god, he really did that?" Olivia asked in disbelieve. "They didn't call him The Angel of Darkness for nothing." Felicia said to the group. "I can't believe this, he didn't...leave a single man alive..how could he?" Fiorentin muttered as George finished the story.
"I know what do you mean, Alexandria. It shocked me at the first time, too. But, I guess it's his way of doing things. I couldn't protest him since he saved my life back there, as he promised you." The champion explained in a serious tone. The room fell in silence. "Oh yeah, how do you get here, George?" Olivia asked trying to break the coldness. "Huh? We met that Frea girl again, along with a ninja named Kirigi and a stalker named Wendy. We found out that she is the leader of Palamedes, although Elraven seemed unaware of what Palamedes is."
"Palamedes is one of the strongest mercenaries groups in Midgard right? What are they doing here?" The high priest asked again. "It seems that, Lethe Guild offered them a job as a reinforcement here. Although their leader said that, they haven't decided to accept the job, not yet. They brought us to their camp, oddly enough, there are only 50 soldiers of them consisting of Ninja, stalker, and Taekwon Master. From my point of view, only that much soldiers wouldn't be enough to make a mercenary group, moreover the one of the strongest."
"Well, but you witnessed one man like Elraven by yourself, right? If the members of Palamedes are like Elraven, I wouldn't be so surprised." Felicia commented the story.
"Well, you're right. Anyway, once we got to the camp, Elraven killed a dozen big foot and start cooking Palamedes the big Foot Steak as a treat for doing us a favor. After that, we along with Palamedes march through the town's gate. Thank to the massacre last night, only one injured soldier guarded the gate, and since we were with Palamedes, he didn't have enough time to check and let us in. All over the way from the forest to the town, Elraven and Frea talked a lot of things happily. Even a blind man could tell that they really like each other. We parted ways around the temple, Palamedes headed to the guild area behind the town and Elraven start cooking the big foot steak as a treat for the monks in temple, although the monk didn't seem too eager to eat a meat. And then, you three arrived that's all." The champion concluded his story.
"Hm, I see. Palamedes is yet to accept the job, right? That means we can still bring them to our side, they will be a great reinforcements for us." Alexandria stated to the group. "But, how? Lethe guild could offer them more money than us, right?" Olivia asked her leader.
"Oh yeah, come to think of it. Elraven promised Frea a dance in the festival 3 days from now. Can't we use him to lure her to our side?" George barged in the debate. The room fell in silence, before Fiorentin said,
"Well, looks like this lovey-dovey things will give us a win over Lethe guild. We need to meet Frea and tell her if she and her Palamedes join our side, she can have Elraven and love him all she want, how about it?" Fiorentin proposed with a smirk.
"..Fio, love him all she want, is that statement including...make some younger generation?" Olivia asked in disbelieve. "Well, apparently...yes." Was the only answer she got from her leader. Again, the room fell in silence. "OK, we shall meet at the meeting tonight, then." Fiorentin finished the discussion. "I wonder if this some kind of punishment for Elraven" George though to himself as he waled out from the room.
****
At the same time with the discussion in the girls room, near the forest where the town folks live..
"OK, easy there. Here you go kids" Elraven said as he handed the kids some big foot steak. "Hey, Sohee. Do you need some help down there?" The gunslinger asked the long haired girl.
"No, I'm fine. You can take care of the kids there" Sohee replied as she gave the kids parents' their shares of food. "Thank you, sohee." "Thanks, lady" "May god bless you, Sohee" The people of payon thanked her. "Wow, a lot of people like her, huh?" Elraven thought to himself seeing Sohee. After most of the town folks got their share, the two rested for a while.
"Whew, I'm tired of cooking all day long." Elraven said as he sat on the ground.
"Ah, sorry if I made you do all these things. I was just...you are a great cook and Payon's resident had never had a good food for quite a long time so.."
"Don't worry, I understand. I don't mind helping them."
"Thank you then, I'm glad."
"Oh, by the way. You knew Alexandria and the others for a long time?"
"Yes, because they used to come here twice a year before Valdomir take over Midgard, why?"
"No, just wanna know. Why do you live in the temple, where's your parents?"
"Well..um, I'm not a human you know. I'm originally a monster, I don't have parents."
"Huh? Oh, you look human. Sorry I don't know about this."
"That's OK. The former head monk adopt me as a pet here. That's why I'm doing the household chores for them."
"Oh, I see. Hey, I almost forgot. What is a dano festival?"
"Oh, it's a festival held once a year to celebrate the prosperity god gave to this town, it used to be a wonderful party. All town's people gathered and prayed to gods, after that they will do a folk dance. During the festival's night, an aurora will shine across the sky as if decorating the town, it was a blessed festival!"
"Wow, you seemed so happy explaining the festival."
"Oh, sorry. I got carried away, but it was good festival!"
"Was?"
"Well, yeah. After Valdomir ruled Midgard, they appointed the new head monk, Do. Unlike the previous head monks, he is arrogant and corrupt. He chose to live in the guild area rather than the temple, he plays with women, and greedy for money and power. That's why the temple chose to support Sagramore. Not only that, once in a year before the dano festival, he would pick one young girl from the town's people from the forest here as a sacrifice for Lethe Guild."
"What? How inhuman!"
"Yes, and that's not all. He...he..made me as the lead prayer for the victims. I couldn't do anything but obey, I...kinda feel disgusted of myself. I should have protect this town and its people. But all I could do was leading the pray for the victims, although no one ever blamed me, it's still...painful to..do." Sohee continued as tears start flowing from her eyes.
Elraven suddenly remembered George told him this morning about Fiorentin, he couldn't help but fell into silence.
"Hey, Elraven. Do you think what I did was wrong?" Sohee asked him. Her eyes met his. He didn't answer.
****
At the same time with Elraven-Sohee conversation, in the front gate of Payon Guild castle....
Frea walked slowly in a hall with the guide of her mighty staff. The soldiers guarding the castle asked her soldiers to wait outside. The soul linker felt a soul waiting ahead of her. "Miss Frea?" The sound of a woman asked her.
"Yes" A short reply from the soul linker. "Goo, we've been waiting for you. Please come with me to the Leader's room. Do you need me to guide you?" The woman replied.
"No, I will be fine. I can feel your soul presence. I'll follow you." She responded as Cecil walked to the Guild's leader room , followed by Frea. The two finally arrived in a room. Frea couldn't see what was the room look like, but judging from the air flow, she could tell it was a big room with several people surrounded her, she felt not more than six souls surrounded her.
"Forgive me for the late introduction, Miss Frea. I'm Cecil, 2nd in command in this guild. Standing from right to left, are the guild commanders, Eddga, Moonlight Flower, Zmey Gonrich, Egnigem Cenia, & Darktroce." The sniper named Cecil introduced the Lethe Guild to the soul linker. The other members stared menacingly on her.
"Heh? A blind soul-linker yet Palamedes Leader? Don't tell me her soldiers are blind too, heh." Moonlinght Flower commented Frea. Frea replied with a smile and said, "Well, Idon't really know about my soldiers, whether they are blind or not, cause you know, I've never seen them before."
Moonlight grunted hearing the reply."You sure can talk, woman." Eddga said to her. "Time will tell whether she can walk the talk." Gonrich continued. Darktroce & Cenia didn't seem to care about the conversation, they just stood silent. All of sudden, Frea felt an imposing soul entered the room.
A gigantic white monster with fire on his back, stared right to the Palamedes leader as he entered the room. "SO, YOU ARE THE LEADER OF PALAMEDES? ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF. I'M GLOOM UNDER NIGHT, LEADER OF LETHE GUILD." The monster introduced himself.
"I'm Frea, it's an honor to meet you."
"WELL, LET'S GET TO THE POINT. YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT OUR OFFER TO USE YOUR SOLDIER AS OUR REINFORCEMENT, WHAT'S YOUR ANSWER?"
"Well, we are mercenaries. We'll work with you if...you can give us a good payment of course."
"LOOKS LIKE YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, MISS."
"Understand what?"
"WE WILL NOT PAY YOU WITH MONEY, BUT WITH SOMETHING ELSE."
"What would that be?"
"HONOR CITIZENSHIP OF PAYON GUILD AREA. YOU CAN HAVE MORE THAN MONEY WITH THAT."
"Are you really going to give my 50 soldiers an honor citizenship? That seems..."
"SEEMS WHAT?"
"Uninteresting. I want more."
"UNINTERESTING?! HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT!!"
"Well, yeah. Life isn't just about money or power. Palamedes aren't too interested with money, Lord Gloom under Night."
"DON'T VALUE YOURSELF TOO HIGH, WOMAN!! LETHE GUILD COULD KILL YOUR PALAMEDES ANYTIME WE WANT!!"
"You sure can talk. Especially for a guild who has just lost 15 dozens soldiers last night, hm?"
"YOU! HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?"
"I'm blind, but I'm not deaf. I heard so many souls screamed last night in the forest, I could tell they have been killed by..a group of people."
"This woman should learn to shut up!!" Moonlight Flower jumped and slashed her scythe towards Frea, only to be blocked by the mighty staff. Seeing this, the other members prepare to attack Frea too but,
"WAIT! WE DON'T INTEND TO FIGHT HERE!!"
As their leader ordered them to stop, Moonlight half-heartedly pulled her scythe back. Frea grinned seeing the guild. Gloom Under Night stared to Frea and said, "THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING. THINK ABOUT OUR OFFER OR YOU WILL BE DESTROYED." Frea didn't answer. She smiled as she walked away from the castle.
On her way out, she wondered "An honor citizenship or a dance? What should I pick?"
****
Well, that's it for this chapter. The next chapter will be some..preparation for battle. Sorry if I didn't update this chapter faster, my part time job tortures me!!
But, I enjoy it though. Several improvement I made in this chapter are MVP bosses from Somatology laboratory are human characters in this story. And Darktroce is the combination of two remaining Atroces. And tell you what, I'm trying to break the record of the longest fic in Ragnarok Online. The longest I knew so far is, Knight of The World part 2 with 70 chapters, so wish me luck, OK?!
Hope you enjoy this chapter, don't forget to read (and review if you would like to, I'm open for advice. This is my first fic, so I still have a lot to learn!). See you next chapter!!