Outside the Capitol
Joachim Raizen left the castle of Barcea without any sort of fanfare, having not even said any sort of private goodbyes beforehand, and he wouldn't have preferred it any other way. In that moment, speed was all he had on his mind, and for that he required no frightened farewells to cast doubt, or the need for any horse. All he needed were his two feet and the road.
There was plenty of road in front of him as well, there was no doubt about it. With no supplies he set out on the great Western Road, one that would eventually end in Kyora. He clearly had some sort of plan in mind, considering who it was; setting out without any sort of resources beyond his own blade, empty bags, and his hat pulled down low however, was a curious decision to say the least.
The best laid plans...
Nia had not gone directly to the castle after arriving in the city. Instead, she had planned on a spending a day being another face in the crowd and getting to know the lay of the land. It always proved useful to know the way if something went awry and she needed a quick escape, and it gave her the opportunity of picking up on some ever-so-juicy rumors. Of course, these rumors always proved to either be absurd, such the royal stables housing a Deathcrawler, or trashy, such as the newly crowned King’s former romance with the publican of an inn, but Nia still enjoyed collecting them in the way some people would collect foreign currency. Plus, she always found that the more information that she had to share, the more information someone would give back to her in return. It was useful. Very useful.
However, as the day passed into the next an interesting tale began to spread through the city like a wildfire, and Nia could feel her cheeks began to burn with anger as the rumor tickled her ear: the Queen of H’kela was coming to crash the Barcean celebration. Revali could not have come at a more inopportune time; the next day Nia would’ve gone to the castle, pulled out her cover letter, and begun pretending to be a simple H’kelan ambassador. That was no longer the case. Surely Revali would know who and who were not her ambassadors, or at least someone in her company would—Nia’s impression of the girl was that she was never quite completely there.
Regardless, Nia was locked out of more conventional means, which was fine to her: things were often more fun this way. So while the Sentinels searched in secret, Nia stalked from the shadows. She didn’t see every sight nor hear every whisper, but she gathered from voices that were too loud and lips that were too loose to paint a picture. In the broadest strokes, it seemed that some loser from Guratan let some bastard Gifted get the drop on her, and in his infinite wisdom the King decided he would head to Kyora to hunt this man down. Nia could careless about any of this, really, except that Ennis thought that the King was the one who would know the most about Revali’s secret benefactor. Perhaps if she got to Kyora first and gathered information on this man the King would be so kind as to share anything he knew.
It was the best plan she had right now, and that was mostly due to it being her only plan. She’d have to make haste if she wanted to beat Cyril and his men there, so the woman in black saddled up as quickly as she could and headed to the Western Road. Plus, it was nice knowing that she wouldn’t have to spend anymore time in the Barcean city; all of the decorations were absolutely gaudy and just completely dreadful. She was ready for the open road again, excited to have the foreign city at her back and the wind through her hair, and as she passed through the gate she spurred her horse onward into a fast gallop.
She caught a blur of purple as she sped past on her mount, nearly colliding with the figure before she veered slightly to the side to pass it by without trampling it. She shouted something at the lone wanderer that most certainly wasn’t polite, but was also impossible to determine. However, Nia realized that she actually recognized that bundle of purple as she begun to round a bend, and pulling on the reins she spun her horse around and trotted back to the man that was trying to hide underneath a hat. It did no good; she knew that she had been right. The purple robe had been no wanderer, it had been the Wanderer.
“My, my, I nearly didn’t recognize you there. Normally you’d be surrounded by a river of bodies, or so they say,” said Nia with a sneer, her boots kicking up dirt as she jumped off of her horse. She walked in a circle around the man, staring at him in the same way a curator would appraise a vase. “Personally, I don’t believe in fairy tales, and the last time we met you didn’t really strike much of an impression: more of a bored bodyguard than some monstrous manslayer." She gave the insult a second to marinate before adding, "Divines, I’m just teasing.” She stopped back in front of the man, her voice softening with a quiet chuckle. “We’re not around a bunch of stuck-up rich folks right now, no need for us to act so hoity-toity.”
“You, uh, you don’t remember me, do you?” she asked, her body deflating ever so slightly.
For just a moment it seemed like Nia would certainly run over that purple blur, the Wanderer seeming unaware of it; but then again the Wanderer seemed like he was unaware of everything at all times, and yet had the uncanny ability to subtly act to preserve himself or someone else. The same could be said in that moment Nia shot past him, as just before he had taken a slight step towards the side that, combined with the swerve on Nia's part, had ended up with him not getting run over.
It had seemed like she would pass by without recognize him, especially with his head down, but that was all for naught. Sighing gently as she came to a stop, he walked until he was before her horse, stopping there and letting her circle around him. One hand came up, slightly shifting the rounded hat up some, so that he might actually speak to her. Already, he had covered his scar with bandages once again, to keep it out of sight as well.
He gave his gentle smile, the one that bordered on meek, eyes closing ever slightly as he spoke.
"Do not worry, he remembers you." He spoke in an almost consoling manner, having noted how she seemed to be disheartened about not being recognized.
"He wishes that you had been met in slightly better circumstances, but there was little he could do about that at the time... Just like there is little he can do now about the unfortunate circumstances. He is unable to stop now, he must move, so if you will excuse him..." Shifting his hat back down, he began to try to step around her and her horse, but he already felt like it was a useless gesture.
"Hey now, hey now," said Nia as her voiced picked up, stepping to block the man's path. "You're making me feel as if I'm unwanted! I know I acted pretty unbecoming back there in the Kirun, but that was all just for show. Our sides were technically at war with each other, you know." She waved her hand dismissively. "I don't really care about that, but you gotta play your part. Besides, why the rush?"
It was the Wanderer's turn to deflate ever slightly, a weak sort of murmur of protest leaving his lips briefly as his path was, in fact, cut off once again. He adjusted his hat ever slightly, shoulders curled as he said,
"It is not due to the fact that he doesn't wish to speak with you, it's just that he cannot at the moment... He has somewhere he must make it to as quickly as possible, for the safety of everyone, so he can't be delayed...""Well, I think if you're trying to go as quickly as you can I think you've already dropped the ball on that one," she said, patting her hand against her horse. She smiled. "Tell you what, since I've delayed you, and since I was so very rude to you before, let me do you a favor." She put her foot in the stirrup and climbed on to the saddle, scooting forward so that there was room for one other. She gestured to the space behind her with her hand. "I've had this horse for years. He's quick; much quicker than any horse you can get in Barcea, and that's including carrying an extra rider. I'm headed to Kyora; I can take you as far as there."
"That is," she said playfully, "unless he was just trying to be polite, and truly doesn't wish to speak with me."
For a moment he was quiet, and then he looked to her, smiling gently once again.
"He appreciates your offer, but it isn't really necessary. He moves better without a horse, so he doesn't need one. So, he does not need to burden your beast as well. But truly, he greatly appreciates it.""Oh, well, okay then," said Nia, somewhat surprised that she had been turned down. Still, it didn't matter what the man said—she was going to force him to deal with her, like it or not. He was obviously part of the King's inner circle if serving as one of his few guards over the man's needlessly large entourage told her anything, and even if he didn't know any information he could serve as an inroad to someone who would. Already she was calculating the steps out in her mind: reach Kyora with the Wanderer, earn his favor, use him to get close to Cyril, and get the information she needed. She trotted her horse to the side to give the man room to move on, waited a second, and then turned the horse back west. Nia rode right alongside the Wanderer, matching his pace perfectly.
"She forgot we're headed the same way. So," she said, dragging out the word as she trotted along, "shall they just continue on in an awkward silence, or will he break the ice by telling
her why you are in such a hur—do you always speak like that?" she asked, interrupting her own question. "It must get incredibly confusing; what if you're talking about yourself and another man? He thinks that he should not have his lunch since he did not make it and it belongs to him, so he took his sandwich out of his hand and ate it in front of him. Ugh," she said as she rubbed her temples, "she just gave herself a headache just thinking about it. What a nightmare!"
The Wanderer seemed to shrink slightly; whether or not it was due to the fact that Nia was still following along with him, or that now she was grilling him about the way he spoke. He allowed the rant to pass, and then quietly he mumbled,
"It is not as confusing as you are making it out to be... He only has to specify as necessary, and has more than enough practice at this point making sure people who are listening can understand him..."And then he shook his head, straightening.
"But he recommends not travelling with him. Ride faster if you can or slower if you like, but he is not a good travelling partner. It is not safe for you to be seen with him, and he wishes to place as few as he can into danger. So, please, for your own sake leave him.""Danger?" she said in an exaggerated tone, playing as if she was truly afraid by clapping a hand over her mouth. When she removed it moments later she revealed a smile. "That sounds just like the sort of thing that I need! I've been busy babysitting lord's sons for so long that the thought of another day where my life isn't on the line makes me want to kill myself. So," she leaned down so that she could whisper to the man, "what kind of danger are you going to get me in?"
Slowly he sighed, his eyes shutting, before he said quietly,
"Those sent by Shisor Yaguar, the Gifted who should be dead."She blinked, and then quietly whispered back, "I don't know who that is."
"... He doesn't know whether to be shocked or pleased..."
The Western Road
Joachim's plan was simple, and with the addition of Nia wouldn't really change. They would take the Western Road at first, before cutting northwest towards Kyora by leaving the road and carving through the forest. They would stop at two villages along the way, the first soon after leaving the Capitol while on the road, and another the second day as they prepared to enter the forest. For both visits it would be to purchase a certain number of supplies, as Joachim wanted to travel as light as they could for all possible speed.
The village they stopped in was nothing special, not too large, but still for the sake of time Joachim sent Nia on some errands as well; he wanted her to gather food, while he went for some tools, the kind of which he would not further describe. He did not wish to take more than fifteen minutes, and so when he had found the blacksmith in the village he was in and out quite quickly, carrying a new bag over his shoulder as he did so.
All it was was a simple stop for supplies, and for the most part that was all it was. The village was still ... but not for long. While Joachim walked, commotion was raising. The crowd in the street was shifting, quicker and quicker until he could see a young woman parting the crowd at a crossroad, skidding to a halt. She was dark-skinned and dark-haired, an ebony black cloak billowing about her form - and she was being chased. The hurried look in her eyes was enough of an indicator.
"GET BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE BITCH!"Hearing the scream, the girl began peeling through the crowd. Swiftly, she shouldered through every perso in her path, keeping her eyes peeled ahead, but keeping them behind her, too. Unfortunately, there was one shorter member of the crowd she couldn't quite notice off the bat.
And that was how she barreled right into Joachim, shouting in alarm as they both pitched to the ground in a heap.
"URYA!?"
While the young woman hadn't seen Joachim at all, he had seen her... And he had seen her coming as well. Watching her rapid approach become hectic, he had looked back and forth, before back forwards just the moment before she crashed into him; his eyes were wide, mouth dropped open in a silent gasp that was some sort of mix between fear and shock.
And then he was hit, arms limply flailing upwards to end up around her as the two tumbled backwards. They hit the ground heavily, but being in between her and the ground she was fairly protected as he was... well, squished, for lack of a better term. His head seemed to hit the ground rather hard as well, and clearly he was stunned- so stunned, in fact, that his limbs were locked up, keeping her in place.
"Get off! You - !" With a frustrated noise, the girl writhed in Joachim's arms.
Behind them, a more official figure finally made it to where she could see the two. The crowds were immediately parting for what seemed to be a military official storming through the street - an armed one, at that. The younger girl seemed to get even angrier now, finally managing to pop from Joachim's grasp and stumble to her footing again.
As soon as she did, though, the older figure's arm went up, fist clenching as a length of chain burned into existence between her wrist, and the young girl's. It was enough to yank the girl back rather harshly with her pace, causing her to fall over again... and smash her head into where Joachim's was already laying.
"...
Bakayaro..."
"Fucking finally." Storming forward, the militant reached down, grabbing the girl by the shoulders and hauling her up. Looking down at Joachim, she stooped down a little bit, one of her hands entering her pockets. "Wowwwwww. You really did a number on this little shrimp. What the Hell did I say about running, huh? You okay, pal?"
". . ." Silent, the girl just looked away bitterly, closing her eyes without a comment.
On the ground, Joachim was the image of perfectly stunned. His eyes were dazed, unfocused as he simply stared upwards, seeming to look past the official looking woman who loomed over him. Back and forth his head tilted some, as if trying to reset himself, before his eyes fluttered and he blinked several times. With that, he sat up-
And his head went straight into the official woman's, hitting quite hard before he ended up falling backwards once again, his head crashing against the ground once more.
"YEOW! You mother - !" Straightening up again, the militant rubbed her head, catching her hat as it came toppling off from the blow. "Ugh... Patrons above..."
Just barely, the younger girl's mouth wibbled, as though she was stifling a laugh. Taking a breath, the pursuer seemed to calm herself down before taking a long drink from a silver flask, tucking it away before grabbing Joachim and helping him back up to his feet.
"Causing so much damn trouble... One pitstop without this shit is all I'm asking... Are you
okay?" She repeated, removing her hands from the smaller man and straightening her tie.
Up Joachim went, easily lifted to his feet. There was a bit of a show as he stumbled back and forth, ending up gripping on the chain with both hands as he put all of his weight on it with one sway, before he released it and straightened once again. His head shook, and one hand came up, rapidly rubbing against a perceived bump as he looked back and forth between the two... strange persons.
"... He is fine, don't worry. Merely a little more bruised than before, perhaps."The weight of the man yanked the chain inward, expectedly so. With a pair of noises signifying their small surprise, the two nearly bumped shoulder to shoulder, scowling at each other before the chain once more demateralized.
"Well, ain't that good to hear. This one's hard head didn't crack through yours, at least."
"....." Still, the other girl was silent, staring at Joachim with keen, narrow eyes, as though she were staring straight through him.
Slapping her against the back, the older woman shook her head, grabbing onto the girl's ear tightly. "Hey, quit fucking staring. It's rude, and we don't have time for this. Sorry for all the
trouble, yada yada, safe travels. Can't wait until Cyril gets a load of this shit..."
Even still, the girl kept staring at Joachim. Maybe she just didn't understand plain English, or maybe she was just ignoring her captor. It was hard to tell.
Every so often, Joachim would glance to the girl, without really looking at her. They were only brief moments, as he seemed to resituate himself, but in comparison to her he seemed to be... undeniably small, and out of the way. He remained that way as he looked to the taller woman.
"Cyril? As in the new King? He very rarely hears others refer to him as his given name..."Blinking a couple of times, the older woman seemed to grow a bit of a frown over her lips. "... Yeah. The new
King, I guess. You know him personally, or something? A Sentinel?"
He gave a slight shake of his head.
"No, not exactly... but a friend and an ally, to be certain.""Well,
shit." The woman stood back a little, lips crooking into a wide, almost malevolent grin. "I guess that makes two of us! I mean, I guess you could say I'm his best friend, but I won't toot my own horn about that too much. We just kind of go way back..."
Shaking her head, she snickered to herself, rocking on her heels. "So, how's the blue-haired son of a bitch doing these days, anyway? I've been in Bellamy so long, I only get to hear about shit weeks after it goes down..."
"He is.... well enough, he supposes." He smiled slightly, almost wearily.
"But he will be leaving Barcea for a few days, as well, on business.""Leaving?" She sputtered. "On
business? Business
where?""He has probably said too much already...""Tell me more. We've got some urgent business to report, you know!"
Joachim let out a very slow sigh, seeming to deflate in the process. Perhaps by the end of the journey he would be completely flat.
"The King must leave the Capitol for a little while to deal with some business. That is all he should really say...""Where." The woman got a little more serious, then, glaring at Joachim fiercely.
"Wherever this one's going, assumedly..." The girl finally spoke up, shaking her head.
Joachim's eye twitched ever slightly then, him shrinking away from both slightly.
"Again, he shouldn't say. He hopes you'll understand."Twitching, the older woman seemed to get even more angry, even without speaking. Her face really said it all...
"Listen," the younger one spoke up again, crossing her arms. "Before this one explodes on you, take my advice. He won't stop bugging you, and you're just going to cause problems. May as well speak up. When we say 'urgent' we really mean
urgent."Her gaze passed over to him, looking him up and down before back to his face. "Someone who reeks of the Abyss like this should understand
urgent.""... Why must things always become complicated..." He gave a slow, drawn out groan before his head fell.
"There is business in Kyora. Truly urgent."The militant seemed a little more pleased now, perking up a little with a smile. She opened her mouth to speak before the younger one cut her off, storming up to Joachim and getting in his face.
"Why Kyora? Is the old man alright?"
"Kid, what the hell?" Rolling her eyes, her companion put her hands onto her hips. "Anyway... if that's where he's going, that's where we're going too."
Joachim leaned up and back away from the younger one, his eyes widened as he startled. Slowly, he looked from the younger to the elder, frowning some.
"... It might be better if you just wait in the Capitol, actually... The less involved, the better....""Nope!" Smiling, the militant clapped her hands together. "Anyway, we're your new travel buddies. Name's Remy! Remy Bellamy. This is -"
"Yarinaosu Kaishu." Still, the younger one was staring at Joachim, her eyes intense and even seeming to glow a little. "I agree. I'm not passing up a trip to Kyora."
Slowly he sighed, before he began to turn; murmuring to himself, he just started to walk along, not looking back.
A Village the Next Day
Joachim did not explain the two additions to Nia beyond muttering a simple word:
"Guests." Instead, he chose to immediately return to the road, and to continue to tally up miles rather than anything else. He was not intent on stopping in another village that night, as he was paranoid that would endanger the residents if Yaguar's network, which was undoubtedly watching their travel, decided to ensnare him then and there; better to sleep under the stars instead, off the road and out of sight.
The night passed without incident, whether it was due to the Wanderer's precaution or simply because nothing was going to happen in the first place. They continued on their way, but a few hours into the travel the Wanderer finally led them off of the road entirely. Instead, they followed side paths or blazed a trail on their own.
It made movement much more difficult, and the Wanderer was well aware of the toll it would take on his travelling companions, whether or not he wanted them. He actively pushed limbs of trees and bushes to the side, carefully clearing snakes and the like out of the way; he made no fanfare about the actions, but it was clear that if he wasn't doing that he probably could have lost them with ease, especially with the way the ground began to rise and fall, some previous calamity leaving still turbulence in its wake. He seemed to be familiar with where they were, and soon enough he spoke:
"We should be arriving at the village soon. There, we will buy what we need to last through the night, and tomorrow we will arrive at Kyora."They continued along the way, but something seemed... off. With the way Joachim had spoken about it, they would have arrived in minutes, but they there was no sign of that whatsoever... No sign of anything having been cut down recently, or disturbed at all. And, perhaps more disturbingly, there was no sound of village life at all... And it was this that brought Joachim to a stop.
Once more that creeping fear began to claw at the Wanderer, and his breath began to pick up. The silence was too much, too familiar, too horrifying-
And, without a word, he suddenly surged forward, disappearing into the brush without a trace.
Nia blinked in disbelief as the Wanderer just ditched them in the forest. She turned to the other women with a shrug, a bemused look on her face as she looked back towards the brush. Was this just another one of his shortcuts? TO be honest, Nia had not been too fond of how Joachim had gone out of his way to avoid the main road. Her legs hurt from walking (having been forced to lead her horse instead of ride it), and she felt grimy from all of the plants that had brushed against her hair and clothes. She looked at the brush with some trepidation and grumbled; she certainly wasn't just going to wait and hope that he came back.
"Well, no point in us staying here," she said to the other women as she moved to try and track down Joachim. "Let's go."
Let's go? In a sheer bit of disbelief, Remy couldn't really begin to parse the nonchalant way Nia reacted to the sudden 'ditch', as the militant would say. It looked like she didn't have a choice, though, as Kaishu had already begun to move after Joachim with a swift and quick step.
Pain in the ass."What a couple'a freaks..." But Remy, with all her ability, could feel that something was different. Something that almost made her water at the mouth. With a nod to herself, she headed after Nia, hand on Dearg-due's hilt and prepared to draw if necessary.
In the meantime, Kaishu was hot on Joachim's tracks. If there was anyone who could keep up, it was her, but...
She had a sort of sinking feeling in her chest the further she went in tracking the Wanderer's footsteps.
They did not have very far to go. Though Joachim had charged into the thick of the forest, it seemed that they were merely yards from a clearing. Once they burst through, light once more freely shown from above as they stepped out onto a road. There, the Wanderer had come to a stop to their right, simply staring forwards with his back to them-
In front of him was a small, simple village, nothing special about it. Nearby, beyond the village, there was a sudden upheaval of earth that rose in the imitation of a mountain slope, though it cut off well before it could be called one. In a rough oval the clearing had been made all around the village, with another road coming out of the village towards the left, heading off into the forest once again.
There were no people in the streets, or in their homes. Instead, they hung on pikes, gutted through and impaled in lines on either side of the road, from outside the village well into the thick of it. The men, women, and children had not been killed recently; the smell and sight of rot made that clear enough, and though most of the bones had been picked clean by still circling scavengers up above, flies still swarmed all around in search for some morsel to savor. It was also abundantly clear that many of the bodies hadn't had the fortune of being impaled after death, and some even worse had also the misfortune of being lit aflame before expiring.
Joachim screamed.
Kaishu did not scream, though.
Rather, she stood there beside the Wanderer with her hooded eyes a bit wider now, hand resting on the hilt of the sword that hung from her back. As her expression returned, her fingers curled just a little tighter on that woven hilt. Muttering something in another tongue entirely, her foot slipped out to the side. Her bare toes prodded the other man's ankle before she stepped towards the village - a beckoning motion. Still, her hand didn't leave her sword.
As Remy emerged from the brush, having ran when she heard the scream, she arrived as Kaishu began making deeper down the path. "Kid - !" She had to cut herself off, though, as she saw the scene in front of her. Taking a single breath made her cover her mouth and nose, making a disgruntled noise beneath her breath. "Patrons above..."
She didn't follow after Kaishu. Instead, she had to touch a hand onto a tree and support herself a little, reaching into her jacket to pull a handkerchief out and push it over her in place of her hand, going closer to the Wanderer now. "What did this?"
"People with too much time on their hands, clearly," muttered Nia, a look of disgust on her face. Thanks to her days in the H'kelan military the woman couldn't claim to have the cleanest of hands, but she had never been the kind to put in the deranged effort to setup such pageantry. The thought of getting pleasure from such a thing was despicable—and with only ashes there wasn't much to put up for show anyway.
"Does this seem like something your man would do?" asked Nia, stepping closer to Joachim.
The Wanderer stood there stock still, silent after that cry of anguish. There was something new about him now, though; a tremble in the limbs, a shake so slight that it was nearly invisible, but the observant eye would see. With that, it was almost like the blood vessels beneath his skin were darkening, becoming visible just slightly. The expression on his face, meanwhile, was one of a cold, terrible anger, his eyes narrowed into a sharp glare that did not fit his sharp features, and seemed to alter them entirely.
"Yes... Undoubtedly, this is the work of him.""To be precise, Lord Yaguar didn't do this!" Immediately, Joachim's hand snapped down, gripping his blade and prepared to draw. The voice came from forward, above, and to the side, and the Wanderer immediately zeroed his gaze on the person who had spoken; they had appeared, apparently, when all the gazes had been on the corpses, rather than the rest of the surroundings.
The appearance of the speaker probably wasn't what any of them were expecting. He was young, incredibly young; he had to have been in his early teens, no older. The boy was also quite clean, and calm with a sort-of smiling expression on his face, like something a servant would be practiced to wear. Dressed in blues, his hair was dark and cut just short enough that it didn't hang that far at all.
Something about the smile didn't seem to reach the eyes, even as they shut.
"No, Lord Yaguar didn't kill all of these people, and hang them up for any would-be travellers to see. He didn't light the fires, didn't drive them out of their homes; though he did give the order if I'm to be honest, and I believe to Lord Phantasm that probably means the same thing.""Be on your guard." The coldness in Joachim's gaze had reached his voice.
"If he is correct, this boy is the one who killed Yihira.""Oh, you connected that together! You're perceptive, just like what Lord Yaguar has said!""Yhira?" Remy's hand was firm on the trigger of Dearg-due's hilt. Her gaze went to the Wanderer before over to the young boy, tilting her head back and forth. She was stifling a smile threatening to pop on her lips.
A little kid causing all this discord. It was funny. Really funny. But Remy was fairly well-versed in foreign politics. She recognized a name like that. "A leader of Gurata... This punk took her out? Hard to believe."
While the others stood before Alexai, Kaishu watched the scene partially from over her shoulder, hooded eyes a bit more sharp, maintaining that level look. Standing further off gave her a little bit more breathing room, and thinking room. Slowly, the Princess's eyes grazed the village, flicking back and forth before back to Alexai. Certainly, he could have attacked by now. So why hadn't he? Her brain fixated on this for a moment before she uttered another word.
"If you're here to play a taunt," she spoke up towards the young man. "Then it's wasted. You already laid your blow. You're just kicking an angry animal, now."
Unlike the others, Nia did not appear as if she was ready to fight. Instead, she stood with her arms folded over her chest, a rather pensive look on her face as she studied the kid. He was hardly the age she had been when she had gone into training, certainly much too young to be butchering entire villages because he was ordered to do so. He hadn't done it alone, had he? If he had, then how? She bit her lip as the morbid curiosity racked her brain. In a way, it was almost impressive it that was truly the case. Sick, undoubtedly, wrong, certainly, but definitely nothing to scoff at—yet something was bothering her.
"So what's the point?" asked Nia, her voice deceptively light. "Surely your boss isn't just one of those people who wants to see the world burn, is he?"
"The point?" The boy's head tilted to the side some as he, very clearly, seemed to have to take a moment to think it out. Slowly, the tilt passed from one side to the other, before his head suddenly straightened as he shrugged, saying,
"I don't know! But I can tell you that I'm not here to taunt about it, because this isn't something worth taunting about!"Taking a single step forward, he dropped down to the ground, a fair bit of dust and ash rising up with the impact. Straightening, he brushed himself off before he seemed to remember where he was, quickly bowing as the imitation of a polite smile reappeared on his face.
"Ah, where are my manners! My name is Alexai, and I am a disciple of Lord Yaguar. It's certainly a pleasure to meet you. I'm here because my master has an invitation to extend; it seems like fate wanted to have Lord Yaguar and Lord Phantasm meet once again today, considering you both happen to be here! If you would be so kind as to follow me..."The boy turned, and only briefly looked over his shoulder to check to see if he was being followed; he didn't seem to have any concern exposing his back to them. The Wanderer was indeed following after him as well, and so he quickly began to lead them through the village. The sight all the way through was the same sort of grim that they had witnessed at the beginning, and they only met living people on the other side, where the earth suddenly rose.
Those they met certainly weren't villagers, having more of the bearing of bandits than anything else. However, they did not share in the gruff, dirty inconsistency that bandits seemed to share, with mix and matched clothes and armor; no, the dark cloth and leather armor, though rough in some places, could only have been described as a uniform. And these men and women, though they stood and sneered like bandits, were oddly composed as well; they stood and sat on either side of the street, loosely organized into lines to watch as the "guests" passed by, towards the sudden opening in the rock up ahead.
There were also more than enough, it seemed, to constitute some small part of a larger army.
"Where are you taking us?" The Wanderer finally spoke as they reached the opening in stone, which had clearly been artificially widened and smoothed out, a wooden gate in place that was swung open by some of the waiting ruffians (or soldiers?) that stood nearby as they approached. Smiling still, Alexai looked back to speak, but he didn't stop.
"Oh, have you never actually partaken of the tourist sight here? You are in for quite a treat then, Lord Phantasm!"Inside, the path was well lit by torches and slowly but surely angled downward, the carved path taking advantage of a natural slope. Down, down they went, and briefly the tunnel seemed to narrow every slightly...
And then, suddenly, it ended, and they stood in a massive expanse. Raised torches set upon the ground were the only source of light, and they only stretched so far forwards as, suddenly, the stone gave way to water. The underground pool was massive, stretching deeper and deeper into the cavern, and the water was amazingly clear, the light allowing vision to the very bottom (if it could stretch that far). And while the sight of the water was beautiful enough on its own, there was something else that made the cavern even more of a wonder:
The only stone that was in the cavern was the shore that the tunnel emerged out on. Everything else, walls, ceiling, and the bottom of the pool alike, was crystal. Crystal of massive, beautiful shapes and colors, sparkling with the light and even seeming to glow. Red here, blue there, and every color in between, the colored light bounced around the cavern, painting everything with an otherworldly hue.
Despite the size of the cavern, within there were only two people waiting for them. One was a very beautiful woman, tall and graceful, with her brown hair gently pulled back into a bun and a soft yellow dress that left her shoulders bare. There was a beauty mark next to her mouth, and there was a sensuality that surrounded her, making her everything expect a plain woman.
And yet compared to the man she knelt beside on the mat she seemed entirely normal, for he was truly unique. His golden-orange eyes blazed with an intense stare, one that devoured every detail of the world around him. He sat cross-legged on the mat, with his back perfectly straight. In his hand was a thin smoking pipe, held out to the side slightly...
And he was utterly covered in metal, grey like steel and clean. It enclosed his arms and legs in long strips. Around his torso it curved, segmented so that he might move. His joints were covered with curved plates, also protecting him while allowing movement. His hands and feet were covered, dozens of pieces segmented over each end of a limb so that he could flex and curl to his desire. And upon his face many specifically shaped plates were attached, set so that they could move, so that he could express himself, such as the smile in that moment, and very clearly talk:
"Ah, Joachim, my old friend. It's been awhile."Strangely pale lips could be seen, along with almost see-through eyelids, but no other flesh was exposed, and there was a black robe around his lower half. His voice was calm, pleasant to the ear; in contrast, the coldness of Joachim's almost seemed cruel.
"Yaguar."
"Oh, please, Shisor, I insist. We've been through too much to not use first names."
"And yet you are willing to throw it all away."
"Come now, my friend; those are cold words to use for our first meeting in... Over ten years now.""Well, isn't this nice, you boys reuniting like this," chipped in Nia, her eyes looking over the cavern as her hand propped itself underneath her chin as if she was appraising a painting. She batted a lash and fixed her narrowed eyes on Yaguar, wondering how long the tin man would survive in that armor of his before she could bake him alive. Her look softened as it shifted over to the woman, yet her nose wrinkled ever-so-slightly in a moment of envy at the woman's effortless beauty. "A really nice place you have here; makes you almost forget about all the dead people up above."
"Oh," she said, drawing in a sharp breath of air and placing an apologetic hand on her chest. "Sorry, should I not be bringing that up? If it's any consolation, I don't really mind. Just, there's not much sport in crucifying villages these days, is there? It all just seems in poor taste, but, uh, ignore me. Make sure you boys play nice."
"Hey, you know, I'd be pretty pissed, too..." Remy reached up, scratching her inner ear with her pinky. "... If my decade-old rival started kicking up a fuss. Killed a country official, massacred an entire village. If anything, I encourage a little...
feisty play. Maybe even a death battle to the end. Nice and bloody. It's only fair." She shrugged, smiling crookedly at Nia before looking back at the man made of metal.
The scion even went so far as to nudge Kaishu, whom passed her a fierce scowl that made even Remy recoil back a little. Until then, the younger girl hadn't been paying attention to Nia or Remy's jeers, instead opting to survey the cavern, the woman, and Yaguar himself. When her eyes once more settled on the man before them, her gaze remained narrowed, but curious - the eyes of a child wondering how mangled someone would have to be to encase themselves in steel. Regardless - she spoke not, stepping up closer to the Wanderer rather than keeping back with the other two.
Yaguar let out a laugh; proud, and yet not manical. Completely sane, and that was what was terrifying.
"I like those you brought along with you, Joachim. Feisty and unpredictable, between them all. They compliment you well; Tucela has the sharp tongue, and Bellamy the bloodlust to go with it that you've seemed to have lost. And, of course, it seems like Yarinaosu is prepared to listen, unlike you."Making no note about how Yaguar already knew all of their names, Joachim tilted his head up some.
"Why did you take this village, Yaguar? Your objective is the whole of the East, perhaps the world, not one peaceful, backwater village. There was no need to slaughter them.""Still with the last name? Very well then. What if, Raizen, the water is just why I took it for myself?"
"What?" It came out as a snarl.
"Mere water?"
"Not any mere water. Pure and clean water, what they would have contaminated without a care. Springs like these are rare in this part of the world, and they would have used this precious water for baths; simple baths. To wash dirt and sweat off. It's such a waste... But, you see, I need it. I haven't forgotten the day that the Void Lord suddenly attacked me, taking me by surprise and casting me into the Void itself..."Slowly, his hand came up, to the metal on his face.
"And my body hasn't forgotten it either." His fingertips lightly pressed, and then the plates unfolded to reveal what was beneath.
The Wanderer tensed, but neither Alexai nor the woman blinked.
The skin beneath the metal looked sick, and was so thinly layered that muscle and bone beneath could be seen, as they shifted about as he talked and breathed. Throughout his face were many black cracks that glowed with a purple light with each beat of his heart, and the skin directly around these areas were too dark as well, falling away, almost seeming to be rotted.
"Such pure water is perfect to ease a Void tainted body, filled with Void tainted blood. No amount of medicine will cure me, the best I can do is ease it... So I come here, four times a year, to cleanse myself of the relentless cold that tries so hard to rob me of my fire, and yet that cold is not nearly strong enough to finish the job.""Ohhh,
nasty!" Remy leaned forward, hand on her hip and the other still on Dearg-due's hilt. "Gross, gross! Wow! Now that's what I call ugly! Think I'd kill myself if my face ever got blasted that hard. Kudos for taking it in such a swift stride."
With a grimace, Kaishu passed a look at Remy before the look faded back into neutrality again. Looking towards Yaguar, she began stepping forward. Gingerly, she removed one of the gloves she wore, crouching down before the man. Glancing beyween Alexai and the other woman, she once more looked back forward before reaching out.
"Hey! Yarinaosu, what the fu -"
"Shut up." Kaishu's fingers pressed to the side of his face, gently brushing over the decayed, tainted flesh. "... Interesting." It made her wonder what the Abyss felt like for someone who couldn't simply enter it. She retracted her hand, but didn't stand. "Pardon my intrusion. I've only seen this one other time. Self-inflicted."
"I wonder what was going through their mind then." Yaguar hadn't flinched at Kaishu's touch, simply waiting patiently as she explored her curiosity to the fullest.
"Truly painful, I must say. But many things in life are, aren't they?"The Wanderer had run out of patience at that point, and said,
"And so now you wish to... what? Take out some perverted revenge on the world? Or is your plan greater than that?"
"You're on the right track, my friend. At the moment, I have no desire to take revenge on the one who gave me this... condition."Slowly, Yaguar brought one hand up, and, placing his other hand on the wrist, flexed his fingers; metal slid over metal with a slight hiss. He then brought his hand up farther, and brushing Kaishu's hand aside brough the face-plates closed once again.
"In fact, I thank Kuraihi for them. His attack taught me many, many lessons. Trust, and be betrayed. Relax your guard, and be killed. Kill before you are killed."His hand went out slightly, and immediately the woman moved in, getting much closer as she looked to him.
"And, as a side note.... Lovers will come to a real warrior no matter what they like. That's part of what makes it so bearable, Second Commander Bellamy." There was no small amount of humor in his voice.
Transfixed by the metal moving back into place, Kaishu remained stationary, crouched there as she listened and watched. As Yaguar had said, she came prepared to do so. She could feel Remy's anxiety through the bond they were forced to share the longer she lingered, so she continued to do so even as the Wanderer and Shisor spoke. Just the same, even when Remy scoffed and drew forward to grab her shoulder, she was unmoving.
"Creepy as hell, you know... How you know all our names. Titles. Whatever. Makes me wonder just how much you
know and it makes me wanna..." Shaking her head, the Commander yanked on Kaishu, though the girl only shifted her balance to remain in place. This seemed to enrage the makeshift warden, but the change could only really be felt through the two of them... and the way she looked so fiercely down at Kaishu.
Removing her hand, she instead slipped it into her coat, pulling a silver flask from it. Popping the cap back onto its hinge, she took a deep swig, pulling away and licking her lips. Finally, that crooked smile of hers returned to her face. "Shucks, nevermind. That's not very kid-friendly of me to - "
"Kill or be killed," Kaishu finally said, arms resting loose, gentle over her knees. "I think that's fair. But I don't really get it - what's the point? Is this world really worth all this trouble? You could go on living and healing, but you're putting in all this effort to kick up a fuss. Not to say it isn't justified, but - urya, if you do someday go up against Him, do you really think you'll win?"
Falling back off her heels, she sat down, one leg bent and the other tucked beneath it, foot hooked behind her ankle. The motion only made Remy bristle more, and grow more impatient with her.
"You should know by now, as well as I, the state the West is in. All because of Him."
A chuckle left Yaguar, and Joachim slowly tensed even more. Slowly, the Devil's Fire closed his eyes, and gave an almost forlorn sigh before he reopened them.
"Him, the Phantasm, myself, we all lived through the God King War. It's hard for people who didn't live through that to understand. The God Kings, the Rebellion, the East, the God King War was the first era of tulmult in a hundred years, erupting to return to this new... 'balance' that the Phantasm enjoys so openly. God Kings, Gifted, mortals, we all carried our banners, our 'Gifts' through that endless killing. A person forged in such an age must be one of unquenchable ambition, wouldn't you agree?"Slowly, the pipe began to spin between his fingers.
"But, by the time my wounds healed... There were new governments in the West. In the East, the old Kings have died, replaced by those who love the false peace. Governments that are so blind that they didn't even know a half dead dog existed in the first place, never mind can kill him. Nations of weaklings. I can't leave the world to such a fate, not after so hard I worked... SO!"Suddenly, his fist clenched, and the smell of wood and tobacco burning filled the air; the whole of the pipe was lit with flame, and crumbled to ash in a moment.
"If the God King War is over, then I'll simply start another, and this time I will gain control. Then will I make the East stronger, to clash with that growing Abyss in the West! That is the 'Gift' I bring to the East, the same one I tried so hard to bring to the West.""Another God King war? Are you fucking kidding me?" Remy tucked her flask away, flicking her gaze to Kaishu before back to Yaguar. "That's insane. I'm all for 'eye for an eye', and 'vengeance' and hedonist delusions, but this is just... wrong. You'll just be disrupting a balance hundreds of people died for. You think people would just roll over and let that happen? Sure as shit won't be us."
Concern. But not fear. Flexing her hand, Kaishu examined her wrist, before pulling her glove back onto that hand. Tapping a finger on the plate of armor on her knee, she mostly ignored Remy speaking. She remembered certain phantasms of things her mother told her about that war. Burning memories with edges all in cinders.
"You have charisma, but so does He. Just not in the same way. What will the point be if your clash ends you and the world with it? Sure, you make the East strong... but what if you lose? You'll need allies on the same level as your Gifted, maybe even gods."
"Kid, quit humoring this nutjob." Remy tapped her fingers on her arm anxiously, staring down at the younger girl from above. "We ain't here for twenty-questions."
"I have more than twenty." Replied the prodigy, glancing up at Remy coldly before looking back at Yaguar.
"You know surprisingly little if you think a group of gods would fell the Void Lord." Yaguar laughed, reaching up to run his fingers over the metal next to his mouth.
"I was there with him as we both killed them, and I have been on the receiving end of his wrath. And yet your concern does not go unnoticed, child; I have spent years planning and training to be able to do what is necessary. I am simply ready. And if I lose, I was only that strong to begin with."Yaguar simply smirked, but then finally Joachim spoke.
"... And yet, despite all of what you say, it is not you who suffers for your so-called 'Gift.' The ones who bleed and die..." The glare on his face was soft, and yet intense.
"... Are those who live peacefully in this new age. Like the village up above. Like everyone who wants to move on from the horrors of the war."
"Only the strongest survive in this world, Raizen But I honestly don't expect you to understand. You were always much too soft, in everything you did. No matter how much you killed, you always remained soft at the foundations, ready to crumble."Slowly, Joachim stepped forwards, saying,
"And yet he insists all the same that no one else may be allowed to bleed for your personal 'right,' Shisor Yaguar. And he will stand in your way until the day he dies."For a moment after the Wanderer spoke, his companions remained silent. Remy with a silent bewilderment and Kaishu with thoughtfulness, Nia in her own thoughts. Slowly, Kaishu began to stand, hand on her knee as she rose. Fixing her cloak, she soon went to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "You have me intrigued, but I won't waste anymore of your time. Thanks for the insight."
Breathing out, somewhat relieved, Remy shook her head. "Yeah, yeah, yeah... this has
really been
swell. A real fucking tea party. Kid, I swear..."
Rolling her eyes, Kaishu bowed her head politely before stepping back into place beside Remy (who gave her a good flick to the side of the head before yanking on her ear) and behind the Wanderer.
Yaguar smiled.
"I have no objection to fighting you Raizen, in fact I look forward to it, but when it happens, I'd rather it be in Kyora." Joachim did not relax even slightly. The Devil's Fire sighed.
"No...? Very well then if you insist on fighting..." With a speed that couldn't be seen by the normal eye Yaguar's hand snapped out, grabbing the blade next to him before throwing it directly at Alexai, who caught it with a startled face. Yaguar's hand, meanwhile, went down to lightly press against the stone.
It began slowly at first, and then the rumble began to rapidly pick up. Even as the cavern quivered around them all Yaguar stood, his hand pulling the woman up with him in the process. Behind him, across the water, cracks began to appear in the crystals, from the water line to the height of the ceiling over the far half of the space... And then along those cracks the crystals shattered, light suddenly streaming through as the outside world suddenly intruded upon this subterranean space. Furthermore, a bridge rose from the water behind him, created of smooth, clearly carved stone and raised by some sort of magic or mechanism.
"I'll wait for you in Kyora, Raizen, so come when you're the Phantasm proper again. Alexai, play with him for a little in my stead."
"Oh, may I? And with the Collector as well?"
"Yes, yes. In return for his eagerness, show him why he should be serious. And if you do happen to kill him, then you can bring his soul along with you, so that I'll be able to show him even after death why I'm right."And, as Yaguar and his companion made their way across the bridge towards the newly made exit, Alexai began to step forwards, giving a light hum to himself even as he looked towards Joachim.
"Well then, Lord Phantasm, shall we? I must say, this is truly a honor."Slowly, Remy released Kaishu's arm where they stood, the two of them exchanging a look before returning their collective gazes to the outside. Wincing against the sudden burst of evening sunlight, the Commander lifted her arm to cover her eyes. "Rat bastard..."
Kaishu shook her head, brushing leftover crystal from her shoulders before stooping down to collect a larger fragment. Watching the light reflect over it, she tucked it back into the satchel hiding beneath her cape and straightened up. Looking from Alexai, to the Wanderer, her gaze was a little tenser.
"Are you going to be alright?" She asked. It was clear to her what Alexai was ordered to do. His focus would be on the Wanderer, not them, and she wasn't one to interrupt a duel. Neither was Remy, by the way she looked at the Wanderer, as if reflecting Kaishu's own question.
"He is not certain." The Wanderer spoke simply, honestly, the idea of possible defeat seeming to do little to daunt him. "However, there is still something he must do at this moment, and he will see it done no matter what." Slowly, the Wanderer stepped forwards, moving so that he would stand across from Alexai. The two slowly rotated so that they stood parallel to the group... And for a moment, it was just like that. No movement whatsoever.
"... I'm sorry, but if we don't hurry this up, I won't be able to catch up to Lord Yaguar easily."With that, the Wanderer reached down to hold his blade a little higher, hand held forward, prepared to strike.
"Ooooh, of course.... Then I too will do the same!" With that, Alexai took a very similar stance, though his hand was held lower. Once again, there was silence....
And then they both suddenly rushed forwards, blades drawn with the speed of lightning, swung-
And then there was a nasty crack.
Joachim's eyes widened as the two took steps past each other. There was no blood drawn, and yet he was more shocked at the broken half of his blade as it fell behind him, stabbing deeply into the ground. He came to a stop, slowly turning to look back to it...
And Alexai, meanwhile, simply smiled.
"Match over, don't you think?"The tension in the Wanderer's shoulders relaxed slightly, as he nodded.
"Yes. It is a draw."
"Hm-? Oh!" With that, Alexai saw how the blade that he was using was cracked from tip to base, absolutely beyond repair. However, even as he looked a blue-white light began to leak from the cracks, glowing brighter and brighter as a high pitched whine filled the air, and then with a yell of alarm Alexai flung the blade away, deeper into the cavern.
It was just in time, as moments later the sword exploded. As the fragments blasted in all directions, dissolving away from the heat of it all, that blue-white energy collected, and then surged upwards. As it reached the roof of the cavern it spread outwards, curling along the curve of the space even as vaguely humanoid shapes began to form as they fell... and then they disappeared, silence falling before Alexai spoke again.
"Amazing... And you did this with a sword that broke, too! Oh well, it had served its purpose." Both of his hands went out as he shrugged with a sigh beginning to walk towards the exit- the proper one, as the bridge had already begun to lower.
"There's no winner or loser today, I suppose! I'll be on my way for now, but I look forward to meeting you again. By then though, please have a new blade."And then he was gone, but Joachim didn't say anything, simply staring towards the broken half of the blade after his gaze had fallen from watching the shapes.
The tension in the cavern was one that was uncomfortable, laced with a little bit of a forlorn air. With parted lips, Remy watched the figures dissipate, while Kaishu was focused on the broken half of the blade the entire time. The look on Remy's face was unreadable, something between a daze and a... hunger. Covering her mouth, she ran her hand down it and guzzled from her flask. Passing by Kaishu and going to stare down at the blade beside Joachim, she removed a handkerchief from her pocket.
Very carefully, she bent down to grab the fragmented half of the steel, looking over its scratched, worn surface. Gingerly, she held it out to the Wanderer.
"Well... look on the bright side! You've got your limbs and you can get a new blade. One that's not as beat up, old... etcetera. This is a positive!"
"Bellamy." Kaishu scolded quietly, brows furrowed. She was gripping onto the hilt of her own blade, as though just the scene of the swords breaking had her on edge. Her eyes flicked to Joachim. "... What are you going to do next?"
For a few minutes longer, Joachim remained silent. His eyes had followed the blade even as Remy picked it up and held it out to him, but he still didn't say anything, nor did he reach for it. Eventually, his eyes slowly went up to Remy's... and gently, he smiled.
"Nothing has changed. He will continue to head on to Kyora like he was. He is not... entirely defenseless now, to be honest." He carefully reached forwards and took the blade, before his other hand reached down to the larger bag that he had picked up in the village before; as he rummaged around there was a slight jingle of metal lightly tapping against metal, before he drew out a long piece of cloth. Wrapping the separated half of his blade securely, he placed it into the bag before sheathing the other half at his side, as if it wasn't broken at all.
"He does not have the time to falter on his path now, and so he will walk on. If you are to separate from him, though, now is the time."Blinking slowly, Kaishu tilted her head. For a moment, she was silent, but lifted her head and gave Remy a look. The two once more looked at him.
"No. We'll stay with you." Kaishu said, nodding with certainty.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah! I'm on this train ride to Hell to see Cyril, remember? And I guess kicking a little ass won't hurt, either." Remy grinned, clapping Joachim on the back roughly. "You're stuck with us!"
The Wanderer staggered forwards slightly, letting out an audible,
"Ooof!" Reaching up to gently rub where he had been hit, he gave a slight sigh.
"Very well then, if you insist." 