Suriko's Story(ies)

[Suriko]

Before i go and start posting stories here, I just wanted to make sure that it's a good idea. I mean, they'e all in my Dairy, but this seems to be more of the appropriate place for them to be, But then again, it would be kind of an Ugly repost. Of course, i would like to edit some of the older ones... they really need it. Hence, I would like someone to tell me whether to repost my stories here, or just keep posting in the Diary.

Thanks in advance, whoever answers this!
-Suri-chan

[Sarizaddi]

Before i go and start posting stories here, I just wanted to make sure that it's a good idea. I mean, they'e all in my Dairy, but this seems to be more of the appropriate place for them to be, But then again, it would be kind of an Ugly repost. Of course, i would like to edit some of the older ones... they really need it. Hence, I would like someone to tell me whether to repost my stories here, or just keep posting in the Diary.

Thanks in advance, whoever answers this!
-Suri-chan


Super super repost here. The Diary has a maximum number of articles, so as you add to it, you may lose some. Better here because I never delete anything.

[Suriko]

okay, well, here goes.

[Suriko]

I had an amazing adventure this week, one that gave me some insight into my own past, in fact.
I was sent to speak to the Archduke of Jeuno himself, no as a representative of bastok, but as a powerful adventurer in my own right. I would have been swollen wiht pride, but I know that I am not nearly as powerful as the Shinobi of Tengoku Village have been in the past. Still, it was an honor.

His throne room was... amazing. It practically screamed of his wealth. Relics everywhere, and gilded decorations everywhere else. It struck a sharp contrast with his throne however, which looked very simple and functional. Looking into his eyes, i could not help but feel the taint of evil. It must have been my imagination.

“Suriko Tengoku?” He asked. I nodded. “Good, Good. I have a matter of dire importance that I require your help with.”
“What?” I said, not wanting to be in his presence long.
“You know of the Shadow Lord, and the Havoc he has wreaked upon Vana'Diel in ages past, I assume?”
“I know of it.”
“Then you know that it would be rather a disaster should he ever return.”
“It was killed, I thought?”
“Aye, that it was, but the beastmen are conspiring to resurrect him.”
“I see.”
“To do this, they need a very powerful magical stone, called magicite. They have discovered a source of magicite in their three greatest strongholds: Davoi, Beadeaux, and Castle Oztroja.”
“So?”
“Your task is Simple. Steal it.”
I nodded. This was what my whole line had trained for, This was our purpose. Keeping great eavil out of the world. I had to do it.
“Very well. I'll leave as soon as I can.”
“Now, hold on. I cannot send you off to this task by yourself. Please, select two other adventurers that you feel have skills that complement your own well, and take them with you. you will likely face many great battles.” The Archduke said to me.
"I do not feel that i shoud need such assistance, but if you think so, then i Choose Sanosuke Fukai and..." I paused. "Hobbes."
"Hobbes? that blundering fool?" he stammered back. "Fukai is a genius at hand-to-hand combat, but that Hobbes... why?"
"Because he is more powerful in a fight than any of your vaunted jeunoan duchal guards could ever pray to be." I said, narrowing my eyes.
I should have known better than to let my lack of respect for him show, but when he insulted Hobbes, i was naturally perturbed. He'd been a mentor to me, practically, as i tried to rebuild my life.
"Very well, it is your decision. Know you this, though: You will need the assistance of that Aldo, head of the Tenshodo. Though I regret allowing the existance of a criminal operation such as his in my city, I see myself as having no choice in these troubled times. I am certain that you know him well, as you are well known to the tenshodo?"
"I am."
"you are a hero among pirates and criminals. Ironic then, that you shall save us."
"I am glad that I amuse you. I shall go to see Aldo immeadiately."
“Oh, one more thing.” He said.
“Yes?”
“If you don't bring me back the magicite, i'll have the guard arrest you and take you to San D'Oria. I can't have a know criminal loose in Jeuno without a good reason.”
That bastard. Fuming, but in control of my emotions, I left the Archduke's hall.
I made good time to the Tenshodo headquarters. Unnannounced, of course, I strolled into Aldo's office. Not that any of his guards would have done anything aobut it, they were all far to frightened of what I would do to them if they tried to stop me.
"Aldo." I said, to get his attention.
"Suriko, my dear!" he said " how wonderful that you should grace me with your presence once more, o, creature of beauty."
"Stop that. Not only am i familiar with your advances to all women that enter your sight, But I am further married. And not to you, either. Show some tact."
He smiled. "And cheery as ever, i see! What brings you to me?"
"It is in regard to the magicite. I was told i would need your help."
"That you will. I am... in the unique position of having the knowledge of how to get into the places where the magicite is stored. Specifically, the Qu'Lun Dome, The Monastic Cavers in Davoi, and Castle Ozstroja's Altar Room."
"Oh? and how do I gain entrance to such places?"
"Quite simple. you have to be in posession of certain relics. Relics i can provide for a price."
I smirked. He was consistent, if mercernary. "Aldo, i am prepared to do what-"
He cut me off. "No i don't want that from you this time. In fact, i really don't want anything from you, but i can't get the relics myself. i Know the individuals who posess them, but they are... rather inflexible about simply giving them up. In fact, i've been told that nothing but a Charm and an Augury Shell made by the Quadav will result in the relic being given to me, and i've no way to obtain such things. I know however, that your dear husband has both."
"Yes well, Sanosuke is.. not likely to simply wish to part with the Souvenirs of his previous advnetures."
"He will understand, given the current situation." Aldo said.
"I'll understand what?" Sanosuke said, walking through the door to Aldo's office.
"What are you doing here, all of a sudden?" I said.
"Are you not happy to see me?" Sano said.
"I sent for him." said Aldo. "I knew that his presence would be required for out negotiations to have any real purpose to them at all, so i anticipated and acted. Thus, here he is."
"Good to see you again, Aldo. I trust you've been infroming my wife of how attractive she as, as per usual?" He said, Chuckling.
"Yes, of course. Please, we're all friends here, Suriko. Let's try to get along." Aldo said. I stared at him coldly.
"She's... well... She has a lot on her mind, Aldo. She always does. Please don't mind her."
"Sano,” I said, frustrated. “don't be so condescending to me. Certainly not in front of someone like Aldo."
"Hey, I didn't mean it like that." Sano replied.
"Sano, Suriko, I've been a friend to the both of you for a long time. Please, I understand why you are... short with me at most times. I jsut try to brighten up your day a bit, as Sano once said."
I sighed, opened my mouth to talk, and was cut off.
"But of course you will want to be getting down to buisiness. Let's deal, my friends."

We walked out, a few minutes later, with the relics that we would need.

Hobbes met Sano and I Later in the Lower part of Jeuno. He was as he usually is.
"Hello there, beautiful." He said to me. I ignored him. "And greetings to you as well, Fukai. Damn you for stealing such a fine woman, and bless you for being such a wonderful fighting companion."
"You haven't changed a bit." Sano said. "But then again, neither have I. And i still killed 3 more than you did, last time."
“Eh, you killed all the weak ones anyway.”
"If you two are quite done, we have a mission to complete." I said.
“Sano's filled me in on the details, I can leave whenever.” Hobbes said.
“Aye, that goes for me, too.” Sano added.
“Alright, then let's go. Beadeaux will be our first stop.”
And with that we left. They laughed all the way to Beadeux.

My little Entourage arrived at Beadeux really without incident. Sano picked fights with a few goblins along the way, but other than that, nothing really happened. When we arrived at beadeaux, however...
"I'll go in first, make sure there isn't an ambush." I'd said.
"No way. It's too dangerous for you to just go in on your own." Sano said.
"You're just saying that because you want there to be an ambush so you have a decent fight. Can't say I blame you, though." Hobbes said.
"Hell yeah!" was Sano's typical Reply.
So we ended up just charging in through the front. Well, they did. I hid in the shadows. AS for the ambush, i had been right, there nearly 50 quadavs waiting for us in the mouth of beadeaux. Not that is fazed either Sano nor Hobbes. Sano grinned rougishly at the Quadavs, as was his usual, whilst Hobbes merely got a grim look on his face and gripped his Katana more tighly.
"YOSHAAA!" Sano shouted, and plunged himself into the horde of Quadavs. Sano refused to use anything but his fists in combat, and thus he had to hit many, many times to do much damage. Not that that was a problem for him. He confronted his fist quadave, and quickly landed 7 punches on it, as well as a solid kick in a certain... sensitive region. He spun and faced anouther, planted a foot in it's gut, and performed his signiature backflip kick. It dropped like a rock.
Hobbes was equally impressive. He stared down three quadav, and put both hands on his sword. "Flying Swallow!" He shouted. One instant, i saw him staring grimly at the quadavs, the next, he was on the other side if them, sword drawn, and they had all been cleaved in two. Even their darksteel backplates.
Of course their lack of subtely really was a downfall for the both of them. They had only managed to put down a few quadav, in those few instants. At the back of the Quadav formation, 5 of them were still in the process of scratching at the needles that had embedded themselves in their throats. I would have felt sorry for them, but... but... I didn't.
We cleaned up the rest of the Quadav quickly, then proceeded to the Qu'Lun dome. It seemed as though all of the Quadave had been gathered in the entrance to meet us, as we ran into no more of them within the dome. The Magicite was waiting for me, within the ruins of a Cermet structure the the Quadav must've dug away to get at the magicite. I figured it was a third of my task done, but...
Suddenly I found myself staring at Bastokers... a very long time ago. The apparently had dug the Palborough mines with explosives, and had destroyed a Quadav temple in the process. I guessed that it had to be in excess of some 30 years ago that they had done it. That Vision quickly faded into another, a vision of 3 adventurers... Ulrich, Cornelia, and Raogrimm. That last name sounded familiar to me, but i was not certain where from, and i recalled that Ulrich was Captain Volker's grandfather. I had no idea who Cornelia was, though. All i saw of them was the defeating some Quadav and then them tramping around in Xarcabard. The vision cut off.

I shook my head.
"Are you alright, Suriko? You've been standing there blankly for hours... we couldn't get you to move.." Sano asked of me.
"Hours? we've got to get out of here before Reinforcements come!"

We ran from the dome. As we cam out from the underground where the Magicite had been kept, wo found ourselves met with a very unwelcome sight.
"YOuuuuuu... yOuuu weRE The ONes wHO KILled My BrETHerEN!" It spat at us.
"That's... that's..." I gasped.
"Forget it's name, let's kick it's ***!" Sano shouted, and launched himself at it, Shouting: "Futae No Kiwami!"
That was THE punch. He connected with it, and sent it flying. It Crashed into one of their dwellings, stood back up, and from what I could see, Hefted a gigantic Axe. Sano simply smirked at it and charged again. It took a mighty swing, and he easily jumped above, launching himself twoard the quadav. With amazing alacrity, it spun the Axe completely around itself, and connected with Sano, full on in the Stomache. He slammed into a berm, and slumped.
Hobbes Charged it then. It swung it's great axe at him, and he simply deflected that attack onto the ground. With it's Axe embedded in the ground, he prepared his Gekko technique. The quadav staggered under the assault of blows that gekko laid down. Hobbes stood, smiling. Then the quadav began Casting some spell. I didn't see it very well, but it sent hobbes flying up against a wall, and he sluped as well.
"My turn, I guess." I said to myself. "Kage Bunshin No Jutsu!" It was a jutsu I hadn't used in quite a while. Unlike the usual utsusemi that I used, the replicas of myself that this made were real, and could strike the enemy as well.
"YaaaaAAAAA!" I ran at it, all of my replications dis as well,a dn it cut down nearly half of them with the axe. No matter. One of my replications slipped underneat it, and was able to give it a sharp kick upwards. Then another one did the same. And another. And another... It was launched nearly 40 feet into the sky, and I was launched after it by my replications.
I met it in midair. I tried to grab hold of it around it's body, but found it far to large around to get a good hold of. Thus, I did what Sano told me to do. Improvise.
Its legs weren't too large to grab hold of. I caught it by the right leg and used that to invert its head toward the ground. Then I placed my foot solidly in its genitals, and shouted: "Izuna Otoshi!" It slammed headfirst into the ground, presumably with a broken neack, as it did not rise after that.

I saw Sano dragging himself to his feet so, knew he was fine. He had the consitution of a bull, and apparently, he'd only be contacted by the flat of the axe. I was more concernerned with Hobbes. Whatever that spell was, it had caught him full-on, and blasted him rather hard. I went to help him up.
"Thanks, beautiful." he said as he rose. He also got a hand on... well, i'll not talk about where he put his hand. Hentai-san.
"You'll feel pain for that later hobbes."
"It'll be worth it." he grinned.


We made our way to castle oztroja. This time, since they were both hurt somewhat badly, they decieded to let me have my way and sneak in and steal the magicite myself. My art of Tonko was more than enough to keep myself concealed from the foolish Yagudo that prowled the halls, and though the place was something of a maze, it was nothing for a ninja of my skill to navigate. Even the famous Fuma clan would have been jealous of my performance on that day.
Thus, I found my way to the Altar room with no trouble at all. It was strange to note the dead goblin on the floor, but that was none of my concern. The magicite was again dug out of a structure left behind by the Zilart. I wondered at this, but not for long. However, as I grabbed the peice of magicite, i was again struck by a Vision.
This vision I could make almost nothing out of. I saw the Tarutaru responsible for discovering the forbidden art of summoning. He was speaking to Star Sybil, the one famous of the Tarutaru, though I am still unsure as to why and what transpired. All I know is that the Yagudo were not resposible for the devastation of the Sarutabaruta plains, and that they in fact, blame the Tarutaru. What that all means, I do not know, but i can tell it gives soem siginificance to the war that rages on now.
When I came to, I was standing alone in the chamber. I'd been lucky, and none of the yagudo had come to check on the magicite. I'd given them no reason to be suspicious, though, so I suppose it was due to my own skill, and not to luck. I don't belive in luck. It was time to leave.
When I emerged from the castle, Sano and Hobbes were waiting for me, unscathed. When I asked them how it was that they came to have healed from their wounds, Sano informed me that a White Mage of some power had passed through and had healed them. This turn of good fortune spurred us on to Davoi, for the last peice.
Davoi was by far the easiest of the places to get the magicite from. The orcs cowered in fear of us, for they knew how powerful Hobbes and Sano were... the two of them were infamous for their competitions to see how many orcs they could put down. Still, if they'd used their brains, they would have all rushed us at once.. then they'd have given us a fight we might lose. So, we moved quickly, and didn't give them a chance to think. We just killed them as they came.
Finding the Mosnastic Caverns was quite simple. The two orcs guarding the enrance were easily dispatched... I distracted them with Utsusemi Replications, and them Hobbes and Sano easly slew them. Hobbes' Gekko technique really was powerful, as was Sano's Futae No Kiwami. We entered the cavern, and weere unmolested from that point on.

This peice of magicite glowed red, and I felt as though something was staring out from it at me... being merely in it's presence made me uncomfortable, so i seized it quickly and turned to make haste to leave...
...And was struck with another vision, This one of the San'd Orian Royal court. A knight Strode in, and they began to speak with him, to tell him his mission, in regards to the northern investigation expidition. I blanched. I had seen his face before. "Francmage... you..." i stammered. I'd seen that one before.
I saw him amongst other adventurers in Xarcabard... Ulrich... Corneila... Raogrimm... Where did i Know Raogrimm from? I knew his name from... wait... Francmage... that was it..
Suddenly the Vision shifted back to San D'Oria. Sir Francmage was going on his usual nightly walk. He strode around a corner, and then his muffled cries came from around the corner as he was murdered... I knew what was going on around that corner... the image of that murder would ever be painted into my mind...
Francmage came strolling around the corner, suspecting nothing. I smiled to myself. An easy target. He walked precisely to where I wanted him to and paused, as he had done every night before. I pounced on him, and put my Kunai to his throat.
"Raogrimm sends his regards." I said.
"What? Raogrimm died in an accident! I know nothing!" He gurgled at me.
I guess he was trying to get me to spare his life, but I didn't know enough to make that decision. He was merely meant to be killed, so I slit his throat and dropped him to the ground, then made good my escape.
.... All those years ago, and a ghost of my prey comes back to haunt me. I shuddered. Francmage was a despicable bastard, and yet still I was wracked with guilt for his murder. I didn't quite know why.
It was then that I came back from the vision. Sano was standing there, watching me intently, while Hobbes kept an eye on the entrance.
"Suriko, are you alright?" Sano asked. I was quite pale, i suppose.
"I'm... i'll be fine, Sano. Let's get out of here." I said.

We left, and made haste back to jeuno. The rest was unimportant, it was just giving the magicite to the Archduke. He accepted it gladly and the informed me that I had earned the right not to be returned to San D'oria as a prisoner. He acted as though it were some sort of wonderful reward.
Such is my life.

[Takk]

Yay Suri! I love your stories!!

[Suriko]

He was out there, somewhere, and I had to find him before he found me. He was skilled, I had to give him that...
‘He’ was Bloodtongue, but was better know known as ‘Bloodtongue the unseen’. The name came from the fact that he was a highly skilled ninja who liked to drink the blood of his prey. I’d been fortunate. His associate and scout, a young Mithra name Ryilu had befriended my cousin, and thus I had discovered her intent. If I hadn't pumped Ryilu for information, I'd probably never have known that he was coming for me.
Now, all I knew is he was hiding somewhere in the Bastok Mines... I didn't know where, and I couldn't very well just go up to doors and ask. No, I'd have to do this much more creatively. At least he didn't know that I was coming to find him, and hopefully, that would be all the advantage I'd need. I was unsure however. Bloodtongue the Unseen was, to say the least, one of the most skilled Bounty Hunters ever. It was my bad fortune that he had decided to work for the San D'Orian government He must have picked up a contract on my head. Damn it all.
Bloodtongue was a Shinobi of no mean skill. I feared him greatly, in fact. He was a member of the Shiten-Soku clan of Norg, a star pupil of his time. His talent was obvious all the way along, from when he first hefted a kunai. What no one realized was the source of his talent. Pure bloodlust. The graduation test, to become a full-fledged Shinobi of the Shiten-Soku, is a fight to death with another student. Beastly enough as it is... Bloodtongue took it further... He killed every last student in the test. He was exiled from Norg, and became a bounty hunter with his incredible skills as a ninja. This would be my first opponent with whom my skills were equally matched. I tasted fear.
Ryilu also hailed from Norg, no one knowing how nor why she had showed up there at the age of 3, but Gilgamesh himself took care of her and watched over her as a father. Somehow, she went from the daughter of the most prominent figure in Norg to the scout for one of its most notorious exiles. I'd find that out from her later. She was going to be useful when I finally decided to return to San D'Oria and extract my revenge on the order of the bleeding rose. That was the only reason I had left her alive. I'd found out that she was working with Bloodtongue from Aldo, and had subsequently forced his position out of Ryilu. Now it was time for him to die.

....But where was he?
I sat down and concentrated. Focus....Focus. I felt energy coursing through my body, The energy that I was summoning up within myself. "Doton..." I whispered. "Disappear!" And with that, the earth disappearance ninjutsu took hold, and I slowly melted into the ground.
Crawling around underground as though you are still in the open air is truly an interesting experience. It doesn’t feel like anything else you’ll ever know, simply because you know it should be happening, even when it is. At the time I didn't have time to ruminate on it, I was too concerned with locating my opponent. Sneaking underneath the nearest house, I pulled out a small metal tube, bent at right angles at 2 points, with mirrors inside, and slowly slipped it above the ground line, so I could see what was above, which was nothing important. It was just the old Galka, Pavke. I'd found many sets of silver name tags for him in the past. I moved on.
This time, when I poked my tube up, I saw… nothing. Not even any furnishings, just a completely empty house. This must be it. I pulled my tube back down. Water splashed onto my face.
"Damn it!" I thought. He must’ve been using a water-detection jutsu, so he'd know if his house was disturbed! He knew I was there!
And up I came, crashing through the floor, only to end up looking Bloodtongue right in the face. He wore little in the way of clothing, just some slacks, a face-mask, and a beret. A sick sense of humor. That beret had belonged to one of his fellow students, one he had slaughtered. He looked me in the face. "Ahh, this is a good day. I love it when my bounty comes to me! I love it even more when they actually put up a fight!"
With that, he removed the huge Dabliahro berserker’s sword from his back that had become his trademark. In such a small area, that put him at even more of a disadvantage... Was he just a fool? He advanced, and began a huge swing, obviously intended to cleave me in half from shoulder to hip. I tensed and prepared to jump away....
....and found myself rooted to the spot on the floor! The water covering the floor now held me fixed to it, unable to move. I knew that there was no way to parry his strike with my kunai, his sword had a heft well in excess of a hundred pounds... Wait! I could use that water too! "Hyoton! Ni!"
Instantly the water rose to meet his blade, then froze, stopping it mere inches from me. Apparently, water was his strong element... foolish to pick a single element to rely on, but it meant that I had to be wary, in this house where the floor was covered in water. I had to free my feet... "Katon!" a burst of flame appeared, and the water turned rapidly to steam, as I leaped away. If I didn’t want a repeat of that little episode, I could not touch the floor.
My feet contacted the wall, and I began to run along it, parallel to the ground, but I could not keep that up for long. Now I understood why he had no furnishings in the house. As I leapt from the wall, I pulled out one of my Kunai, and threw it at the walk in front of me, embedding it into the stone so that I could use it to hold myself above the water on the floor. I landed one foot on it, and considered my options.
Too late. He had freed his blade, and was preparing a jutsu of some sort. I'd have to be quick. I quickly drew the shuriken given to me by my friends of the Fuma clan. They were of exquisite quality and design, very effective killing tools indeed. I placed one between each of my fingers, and threw them. His eyes were shut, as he was concentrating hard on his jitsu, so he did not notice them.... They struck home!

Water shot out of his body. Not blood, water. His whole body turned to water, and crashed to the floor, melting into the mass of water that covered everything. I'd been fooled, it was a mere water clone. Damn it.
He was here... somewhere. Hiding. Aldo had told me that the Water clone jitsu took a great deal of energy to maintain... so he had to be nearby. Think...
Of course! He must be using the Tonko jutsu! There was only one more room to the house, he must be there. I flipped from my kunai, threw another, and landed on a new perch in the next room. There they were. Two foot-shaped holes in the water. He’d been hoisted by his own noose. If he could stick me to the floor, there was no reason why I could not do the same to him!
"Hyooootoooonnnn!" I began to summon the ice jutsu again. The power gathered into my hands, and the water around his feet was chilling about to flash into ice…
Suddenly, I was struck sharply in the back! As I flew to the ground, I saw the water clone behind me, holding his sword. Such a damn fool, I was, there was no reason he couldn't summon another copy of himself. I flew face first into the water on the floor, and was instantly encased. It pushed its way down my throat and filled my lungs... I couldn't breath, or even move!
Then it happened. The water receded, and I was left with the chore of throwing up what had gone into my lungs, but I did not go about this task until I saw what had happened... Bloodtounge was on the ground, a great gash in his chest, and Hobbes stood over him, in his classic Shino-Ippu stance.
"Suriko, I told you I wanted to help you kill this bastard." he said glibly.

Bloodtounge made the motions for the water entrapment jutsu he'd used on me earlier. I tried to shout a warning to Hobbes, but my lungs were full of water, so no noise emerged. I saw the water lock Hobbes' feet into place. I thought all was lost.
Then Hobbes picked up his foot and moved it. It took a great effort, I could tell, but he simply broke the jitsu through strength! "Your cheap ninja tricks don't impress me, scum." Hobbes said. "Now stand and fight like a man!"
Bloodtounge stood and held his sword out in front of him, then released his grip on it. The water cam up to meet it, and wielded it with such strength that it looked like a featherweight. Hobbes simply smiled. "Dimple enough to beat." he said quietly. "Tachi! Kagero!"
Hobbes' blade struck the Dabilahro, and a great explosion issued forth, instantly evaporating the water the wielded the sword, and sending the massive Dabliahro crashing to the ground.
"Normally, I wouldn't kill an unarmed man, but you've just conveniently forfeited your weapon." Hobbes said.
"then i'm going to help you keep your honor intact!" Bloodtounge shouted. He slammed his hand into Hobbes' chest, and water issued forth, picking Hobbes up of the ground, and making it impossible for him to move. "Let's see how long you can hold your breath, eh?"
"No!" I shouted. I don't know what I was thinking, I just charged him. His hand was still in the ball of water that held Hobbes, which made me think that he had to keep the jutsu active with his hand. That would give me more of an advantage than I'd need.... I just had to be careful of the water clones.
I prepared to strike, and carefully placed my kunai so that I could see over my shoulder with the reflection. There! A water clone! If I dispatched it, I'd have several seconds before he could summon another. I spun and struck!
No water came out. It simply vanished. It was Simple bunshin! I'd been tricked again! I cursed myself, and tried to turn to face him, but I felt his hand impact me in the back Water poured over me, and I felt myself being lifted off of the ground, my mouth again being covered in water... this time I shut myself off from the water, so it would not invade my body. Somehow, I could still hear... I presumed he was letting sound through to taunt us.
"Bloodtongue. You've made a mistake. a big one." That voice... it was Ryilu!
"That jutsu... you can't release it. you're stuck where you are. A bound ninja may as well be a dead one. Like you. This is for kidnapping me and making me do all your dirty work for all these years!"
She produced a small brass knife, and plunged it into his...genitals... Nasty little girl, she was...
However, the end result was that the jutsu was released, and Hobbes and I fell to the floor, able to breathe once more. Bloodtongue collapsed to the ground, bleeding profusely. I rolled him over and looked him in the eye.
"You... an errant shinobi... you deserve no better than to die alone, with no one grieving for you. But I cannot stand to see you go that way. Tell me one last request. Something I can do for you." I said. My training said he deserved what he got, my instinct said he deserved better. I knew better, for my own deeds were considered just as evil as his.

"Ry...Ryilu..." he gurgled. "I just want... her… to forgive me." He said. He was rapidly bleeding out. He'd lost too much blood already to be saved.
"W--what?" she said.
"I... was always alone..." he said "When I had you around... you were like a daughter to me... I thought I could make you... teach you..."

"I didn't want to learn what you had to teach me! How many times do I have to say that?" Ryilu shouted at him.

"I know that... now... I always thought that if you really didn't care to... you would have left..."

"I had family...friends... you took all of that away! Why would I ever look up to you?"

"I...I don't know. I was just hoping against...hope..." His eyes became unfocused, and his head dropped back limp. I reached down, and shut his eyelids.

"Am... am I supposed to feel bad... feel sympathy for him?" Ryilu asked.

"No." I said. "You were supposed to forgive him. But you can't. He wanted... someone to carry on his memories, I suppose. You weren't that. So, no one did."

"He deserved it. Scum." Hobbes said.

"Yes. He did." said Ryilu.

"You two go on." I said. " I need to think on this for a while."

"Suriko..." Hobbes said. "If you’re wondering... this isn't how it will end for you. You'll be with someone, when your time’s up. If no one else, then I'll be there. And I'll be grieving."

"Thank you. But still... I have much to think about."

We were too much alike, Bloodtongue and I. The intent and the reasoning may have differed, but our actions were much the same. He was an ugly, but truer version of myself. That scared me. I had to leave. Let his body be dealt with by whomever finds it.

As I left, I noticed all the water draining out of the house he’d been in. No longer controlled by his jutsu, it flowed where it willed. It was much like Ryilu-held prisoner, used to keep him alive. Now, Ryilu was just as free as that water.

[Suriko]

I've only recently been told this story... I'm going to have to be kinder to Hobbes in the future, now that I know the kind of hardship he's faced in his life. He always seems to be in a good humor, yet with what I know of his past, I don’t see how. I can't understand how he can cope so well with those difficulties. He’s truly remarkable, possessing a strength of character that I seemed to always have lacked.
Hobbes was born with the name of Hikauro in Norg, the son of two of the pirates there. The time of his birth was a great misfortune to him, as he was born the very day the shadow lord was defeated. The Shadow Lord's evil energy entered into the ‘life stream’, and sought out a new receptacle. It found Hikauro, and thus, He was born with a powerful Fuuin (seal) on his body, the mark that showed the shadow lord's power was bound within him. It was kept a dire secret by his parents, who intended to make of him a powerful shinobi, with the fuuin being a source of great power for his ninjutsus. Such was not to be the case, however.
Being Elvaan in a prevalently human community caused him to become something of an outcast. Personally, I think that's what saved him from a life of being an evil pirate, but that is pure conjecture. However, it seems logical, considering Hikauro's way of dealing with the rejection was to reject the whole community on whatever grounds he could. Hikauro focused on Honor. He decided that the lack of honor in the pirates of Norg was something he could not abide, and, to rebel against it, he would become the most honorable man he could be, to bring something of a balance to his home. Thus, Hikauro was started down the path of the Bushido Blade, destined to become a Samurai of the east.
Hikauro sought out the great master Jeaucrabaix for his tutelage. Though Jaucrabaix hardly ever took students on, He saw in Hikauro a definite need and desire for that which only he could teach. Thus, Jeaucrabaix took on his one and only student that is currently known. Hikauro's tutelage began at age 8, but every day, he strained and focused on his training as though possessed by a will of one many years beyond his own. His skills flourished, but were never anything exceptional... Hikauro always lacked the intuitive understanding of the Katana... It was always a sword, never an extension of himself. Jeaucrabaix was, to say the least, displeased.
Jeaucrabaix's frustration with Hikauro reached fever pitch when Hikauro struck the age of 18. He summoned his student to meet him, and gave him the dire news.
"There is something holding you back, Hikauro. You will never be great, you don't have it in yourself to be so. I can see only one more option for you..."
Hikauro would have been on the edge of tears, had he been anyone less. As it was, he simply maintained his serious, emotionless disposition, and inquired "What must I do, Sensei?"
"Go. Go alone. Journey to the sacred sanctuary of Zi'tah, and meditate on your weakness. Do not sleep, eat or leave the sacred sanctuary until you know your weakness, and have defeated it by cutting down a mighty tree of that great forest in one stroke."
Hikauro was daunted by the task, but also determined. "Hai." he said curtly, and left.
Hikauro's journey was not uneventful, but the events of his journey pale in comparison to what happened when he arrived and began his meditations.

Hikauro strode into the sanctuary, and was confronted with the specter of its beauty. He momentarily forgot the task that had dominated his mind for the months of his journey, and simply enjoyed the beauty of the place that lay before him. "Truly…" He thought, "This place is most sacred of sacreds... no beauty could exist like this in a lesser place."
He wasted no time after that, and began to meditate. He plunged deep within himself examining himself, his weaknesses, his strengths, his desires, his needs, all that he was, he looked at, and left nothing unexamined. Still, two full days stretched before him, and still he could not see what was holding him from his destiny. He looked at his style. He fought as a demon, powerful, quick and exact. There was no flaw there that the conscious mind could see. Thought was not the answer.
He repeated to himself one of the first things he'd been taught. "Don't think." he said. "Feel." What could he feel? What felt wrong about his kendo? He stood, and began to practice his form. Instead of thinking what the next part of the form was, he simply let the form perform itself, and felt what it was.
There was a shadow hanging over him as he fought. Something in him that did not belong, He could feel it. "Out!" he said "I order you out!"

Nothing.

"Whatever keeps this shadow over my body, I will break it, and I will be free of you!" he shouted, at nothing in particular.

The he felt his chest begin to burn. His gi caught ablaze, and he cast it off. Still he burned. The source of the blaze was his own chest, some strange pattern of fire danced across it.
The pain drove him to one knee. Smoke poured off his chest, but did not simply float away. Instead, it congealed into a physical form in front of him... it had his same form, but it seemed a mockery of him... it was a Ka, possessing Hikauro's same body!

His mind cleared though the pain, though his chest was still aflame, and he stood to face his opponent, who, though still not totally formed, was poised to strike anyway. They clashed Katanas together.
Hikauro began the fight with one of his more easily performed, but potent forms. As his opponent advanced upon him, he dropped to one knee, and slashed horizontally at his opponent’s waist, from left to right. He then quickly proceeded to twist his katana in his hand and pulled it in a diagonal line across his opponent's torso, shifting his weight to his left foot. Finally, he ended with the most powerful of all his slashes, and quickly jumped from his left foot to his right moving nearly 5 feet in that direction, and causing his Katana to accelerate towards his opponent's neck at incredible speed.

Or so he'd hoped.

His opponent looked at him disgustedly and quickly parried all three slashes with seemingly minimal effort, then spun to Hikauro's left, and slashed across Hikaouro's thigh. A perfect Chrysalis, or so the attack it had used was called.
Hikauro, to his credit, was able to quickly shift his weight off of the leg that was targeted, and thus only received a light gash. The pain was nothing in comparison to the searing of his chest, and he acted as though it had not happened. They turned to face each other once again. Hikauro, now aware that he faced an opponent with skills of defense far superior to his own, prepared what he hoped would be a much more effective form.
Hikaouro lunged at his opponent with a powerful stabbing motion that was easily deflected. But he was not done. Quickly, He redirected his sword to stab into a lower part of his opponent, and was deflected again, this time out to the right. "perfect." Hikauro thought. He then lay the blunt side of his sword across his left arm, stuck his opponent with his elbow, and using that as a guide, plunged his blade deep into his foe's abdomen.
The Ka staggered in pain, a huge hole in its intestines. Hikauro thought himself victorious.
Smoke poured into the hole he’d just made, seemingly healing his opponent. He stared in shock as the Ka stretched its hand forth, and the flames on his chest grew a hundredfold, then died. A great puff of smoke entered his opponent's body, and he saw it grow in power. He knew not how this perception had become so crystal clear to him, but it was.
It lunged for him, and his mind was blank. He did not move to defend himself. Or, at least, he did not think to.

Hikauro watched himself expertly deflect his opponent's lunge into a very large tree behind his body, then quickly spin and put an elbow into his opponent’s back. The Ka slammed into the tree face first. Then Hikauro’s hands began to move of their own accord.

He sheathed his sword.


Taking three steps forward, he pulled his sword out, drawing a line across his foe's chest, in the powerful massun-boshi attack that had always been his favorite

"Ichi!" he shouted

He curled the katana around, and cut another diagonal line across the Ka's chest, this time in the other direction.

"Ni!"

Hikauro's feet left the earth as he spun around, and brought his katana back around and down on his opponent, cutting a diagonal line down, from right to left.

"San!"

Then he twisted the katana up and slid it across his left arm, in a replication of his earlier successful thrust.

"Shi!"

His Katana dragged itself out of his opponent on the right side, and he cut a great circle in the air, coming all the way around and Cutting his opponent from the left to the right.

"Go!"

He then brought his Katana up to shoulder level and performed another quick cut from the right shoulder to the left hip.

"Roku!"

Hikauro then drew his katana up along his opponent, gashing his face, and raising his katana high above them both.

"Shichi!"

He swung his sword in a great arc to his right, a perfect Storm God upward slash, lifting his opponent from the ground, and jumping up with him as well. He raised his Katana raised again high above his head, and poised to strike.

"Hachi!"

The katana came crashing down in a great vertical slice, cutting not only his opponent in twain, but also the tree behind him.

"Kyuu!" He Shouted. "Kuzu Ryu Sen!"


And it was done. The fuuin on his chest was broken, and he was a samurai. He knew Jeaucrabaix would agree... He'd even managed the idiocy with the tree. He turned and looked at the dead, vivisected body of the Ka on the ground. A broken part of himself. That was what had been holding him back.

When he finally returned to Jeaucrabaix, he was entirely expected, and not welcomed at all.
"You have done well, and have earned from me the truth." Jeaucrabaix said.
"What, Sensei? of what do you speak?"
"You were not meant to return from the task I gave you. The evil of the shadow lord tainted your body, and you who were meant to be evil from birth were also meant to die before you could dirty the name of the bushido blade. Leave my sight."

"I have defeated the evil that lay within me, and thus have brought honor onto the law of the samurai, unlike you." was his reply. He placed a hand on his Katana. "And I would kill you for this dishonorable thing you have done to me."

"Leave. I've no desire to fight you. Tell me of my lack of honor for not fighting you, you cannot cut me down while I do not fight back. Such is the way of the Samurai. I'll not fight you."

"May you never find peace. So says your student, Hikauro." He said. "I take my leave of you for all eternity, for I can see we will not be headed to the same places when we die."

.....And thus was born one of the greatest samurai that Vana'diel has ever known.

[Suriko]

Why is it that I can never say “It started like any other day.”? It's never true of me—all of my days, in fact, start differently from one another, and none of them seem ordinary. However, the way this day start mad all my other days seem to have sense of normalcy to them. It was... inexplicable, at best.
The first thing I noticed was that the shadows were almost… longer, it seemed. Most would find it to be a figment of their imagination, but since I pay so much attention to the shadows, being what I am, I noticed the change, and did not doubt myself. It was not then that the realization of what was passing struck me, and it would not for many days.
This I noticed as I strolled out of the small apartment that the Jeunoan government had given me, upon request. Seemingly, it was a reward for stealing the magicite for them. I had expected no such reward, not after the blackmail, but it seems the Archduke was more charitable than he let on. In any case, my intent was to make a productive day of it, money wise. I wanted to retire already, even though I was merely 17. I'd had enough of the lifestyle, and I simply wanted to relax with Sanosuke, into my elder years.
So I was going to the Gusgen mines. I'd become fairly rich as of recent, because few people could go into those mines and live, haunted as they are, and there were ores in their worth fortunes. I actually had spent a great deal of my time in there, and I’d go so far as to sleep on a cot I'd set up, a few times. It was supposedly dangerous, but I'd never been caught by surprise by anything in the mines. It normally just meant I wasn't going to get a very good sleep.
The day proceeded normally from there, including the long walk from Jeuno to the Konschtat Highlands, which I normally rather enjoyed, but today, it merely disquieted me. There was a veiled malice behind every rock, tree, and blade of grass that fled when I looked closer. It was a very, very bad feeling. I ignored it. Money was more important.
There was the normal sense of foreboding when I entered the mines. The place was truly frightening to someone who did not know it. I didn't like the place, but I had to deal with it. I needed money. I headed down the usual path, grabbing one of the mining carts and dragging it along with me. There was a vein of gold that I had recently discovered, and had been avidly digging after. I intended not to leave until I had exhausted the vein.
Some hours later, I lay on the cot, practically unable to move. I was utterly worn out from all the digging I had been doing, and needed a few moments rest to recover my stamina. I hoped that the fear I had instilled in the resident haunts would hold out while I was in this state.
Then a face appeared above me, and I jumped with a start to me feet, startled as all hell. I whipped out my Kunai and turned to face…“Aldo? What the hell are you doing in here?”
“Getting my nice clothes awful dirty. How can you stand this place? In any case, I need to talk to you.”
“I'd assume so. It'd take you a lot to get you into the Gusgen Mines.”
“This really is rather important. I needed to find you today.”
“What could be that important?”
“The shadow lord... you didn't stop his resurrection apparently. It seems as though the magicite... had nothing to do with it.”
My eyes shot wide. They were going to ask me to kill the Shadow lord.
“I... you're not serious?”
“Would I be here if I was kidding? This place is foul!”
“No. You wouldn’t. I was... hoping against hope, I suppose. I guess I'll leave this valuable gold ore here.”
Aldo's ears would have perked up if he were a Mithra. He looked with interest at the pile of impure gold ore and smiled. “I'll have my people pick it up. Is... fifty thousand enough?”
“It's worth.... It's not important. We have more dire issues to deal with.”


The trek back to Jeuno was much the same as the walk out had been. Something purely disquieting about the whole walk. The whole world seemed to bear malice toward me. It must have been the taint of the shadow lord.
“Aldo.” I said.
“Mmm?”
“You do realize why I am working so hard to make so much money as of late?”
“You're trying to buy Shiten-Soku relics?”
“I'm trying to retire. Maybe back to my village.”
“You can't!” he said, stunned. “I need your talents... the Jeunoan government needs them... You can't!”
“I'm going to. After the Shadow Lord is dead, I am... I'm done. It's time for me to stop putting my life on the line. I want children someday. I want a normal life.”
“Suriko, I can't let you do that. You're needed. You can't run out on your responsibilities.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but there was naught to say.

Walking into Jeuno hasn't had quite the same effect on me for quite a while. It used to be that it was overwhelming, just to see the city. It was still a rather formidable sight, in fact. It just... had lost its impact on me. I'd seen it many times. I missed the days when I wasn't so jaded, but I couldn't help it. The world didn't like me anymore.

“In here. I've arranged a group of people to help you kill him.”
“I prefer to work alone.”
“Yes, but I’d prefer you not to die. They go with.”
“.... I'll be fine. I've trained all my life for a fight like this, I can handle it.”
“No.” I'd never heard Aldo be so firm. “You will need help.”

We walked into his office. It was a relief to see who he’d chosen to ‘help’ me. They were all people who I could rely on to stay out of my way, with the exception of one, who I didn’t know. I wasn’t surprised to see Sanosuke, taking swings in the air, probably out of boredom. Hobbes was standing over to one side of the room, idly staring off into space. Valqroma, another friend of mine, was idly chatting with Aldo's sister, and giggling happily away. The only one I didn't know was the Elvaan monk in the corner of the room, whose gaze was fixed solidly on me as I entered. There was a spark of recognition in his eyes, as though he knew me. The others merely glanced at me, but were unsurprised to see me. Hobbes and Sano at least smiled when I entered the room. Not that I cared.

“You.” I said. “Who are you?”
“Daevik.” He said. He knew who I was. I could tell. He was hiding his emotions towards me well, but there was something there.
“Why has Aldo decided that I need you to come with me, Daevik?”
“Ask him.” he replied.
“I'm asking you.” I said.
“And I'm telling you to ask him.”
I was annoyed, but I didn't need to pick a fight with him. A strange smell filled the room then. Opium.

“Aldo.”
“I'm sending him with you for a very simple reason. He's a very talented enforcer and brawler. He'll be a big help. ”
“Right. Daevik. Your style is?”
He pulled the pipe from his lips to answer me. “Shorin-Ryu Karate. 7th dan. I was trained at Remiem Tample.”
I turned back to Aldo “You may be right about his usefulness.”
“Suriko,” Hobbes interjected. “Listen to me. Daevik is quite good-I've seen him. Not that he'd beat me or anything, but he's good.”
“Fine. He can come.” I turned to face Daevik. “You're not San D'Orian, are you?”
“I lived there. Not much of a patriot.”
“Fine. So long as you're not here to kill me.”
“I’m not interested in the reward. It’d be too much effort.” He replaced the pipe and resumed smoking.
The corner of my mouth turned up in a smirk. I liked Daevik.


“So... what exactly are we doing?” I asked.
“Going to kill the shadow lord. He's in Castle Zvahl. That's all there is to it.”
“You mean we're talking on all of Castle Zvahl by ourselves? Just the five of us?”
“Six.” Sano said.
“What, Aldo's coming? He can't fight.” I said.
“No, I count as two.” Sano said. I glared at him.
“Sano?”
“Yes'm?”
“Shut up.”
“Yes'm.”

“Fine. So we have no support. No plans. We're just going in and killing him.”
“Sounds good to me.” Hobbes said.
“Sounds suicidal to me.” Daevik said.
“Then you're just not tough enough, Daevik.” Hobbes relplied.
“If by tough you mean stupid…”
“I don't.”
“Then I guess you're wrong.”
“Really now, there's no need to argue. Love and peace, everyone!” Valqroma suddenly said. Everyone suddenly quieted down and looked at her. “What?”
“Nothing. You did a fine job of stopping a pointless argument. Thank you.”
“That's what I'm here for!” She said. I suppressed a groan.
“You're here to keep us alive, too.“ Hobbes said.
“Well, not just that.” I said. “Her magic will probably be very helpful.”
“I don't just do healing magic, you know. I'm also pretty good at manipulating the elements and bending them to my will.”
“How odd. Not many mages practice both black and white magic.” Hobbes said.
“I think it's actually not that uncommon.” Sanosuke said.
“Listen.” I said. “Are we going to just run in the front? Or rather, are you all going to run in the front, while I sneak in?”
“That suits me just fine.” Hobbes said.
“Aye.” said Sano.
“I'll keep them alive.” Valqroma offered.
“Daevik, what about you?”
“I'll go in the front I guess. If it's five against the whole castle, then makes little difference.”
“Six.”
“Shut up, Sano.”
“yes'm.”
“Now then” i said. “I'll be going in through an alternate entrance. I'll find one, trust me. I'll do my best to give you support from behind the enemy, but there's limits. I refuse to give away my position.”
“When do we leave?” Valqroma asked.
“If it's alright, then now.” I said.

It was shortly agreed on, and we left Jeuno minutes later, heading for the Ranguemont Pass.

It was 2 days journey to the pass, and we had to pass right outside San D'Oria, through Ronfaure. I didn't relish the prospect. As it turns out, I was quite right to be worried. As we passed through the La Theine Plateau we passed by a canyon where a brigade of San D'Orian knights were out, practicing their manuvers. One of them was posted above the canyon and stopped us.
“I'm afraid you can’t come down here. Our unit is drilling in the canyon.”
I stayed behind Hobbes, trying not to be seen. Unfortunately, it was a great, open field, and nothing to hide behind or in. Without time to prepare my earth disappearance Jutsu, I was seen. His face was familiar to me, but I knew not why. Judging by his expression, however, he recognized me, and recalled why he did.
“Y-you are Megumi Akane!” he shouted. “Murderer!” He drew his sword.
And reflexively, everyone with me drew their weapons. Except for Sano. He cracked his knuckles. The knight looked somewhat intimidated at this point, and backed down.
“Why are you helping a murderer of heroes? This woman has killed many a great man in her time! You do you help her?”
“Because she is going to save us from the shadow lord.” Hobbes said. “...With our help, of course.”
“W...what? She is evil, you do not realize this? She only wishes to see ruin on our great country!”
“Shut up. Idiot.” Daevik said. “This is more important than any of the nations, Julian.”
“Daevik? What do you help this murderess? You of all people should want her dead! You the most!”
“It is not important at this time. You're too much of a hothead and a patriot to have any brains, Julian. You're making me ashamed to have grown up anywhere near you. Now shut up and let us go on our way or I will leave you unable to chew anything.”


With that, he backed off and descended into the canyon.
“Rival of yours?” Hobbes asked.
“No. Close friend.” He pulled out his pipe.
“And you're okay with losing a friend just like that?” Hobbes asked.
“What do you mean? We've always been like that. It's nothing different.”
“Weird...” Hobbes muttered.
“Thank you, Daevik” I said. “I didn't need another life on my conscience.”
“If you want to repay me, light up my pipe if you please.”
“Can I ask you something? What did he mean when you said you should be the first to want Megumi Akane dead?” I asked.
“Let me answer the first question first. No. Now light my pipe.”

We continued on into Ronfaure, circling wide around the gates of San D'Oria, the great fortress-city. I had no desire to ever return there, and this was far closer, in fact, than I ever wanted to be. It started to rain, making the trip even more unpleasant. As we passed into West Ronfaure, something seemed amiss. I couldn't put my finger on it, until we reached the Ranguemont pass.


“Megumi Akane!” a voice shouted.
I spun and saw 6 mounted figures. San D'orians. They appeared to be royal guards. This... would be ugly.
“You are under arrest for the foul murder of too many to count, including the hero, Sir Francmage! Give yourself up now!”
“Why, so you can cut her head off in the middle of the square, for all to see? Humiliated before she dies instead of dying with honour? Why don't you bend over and kiss your own arse, while you're still dreaming!” Sano shouted.
“You insult me, Sir! I'll take your life right along with hers if you say things like that!”
One of them gurgled and fell off of his horse, a small metal disc embedded in his adam's apple. I smirked. It was a good shot.
They dismounted and threw their lances away, instead resorting to their trademark claymores. The captain carried one that was different however-it appeared to have a much greater heft, and was one sided... it was the Ram-Dao, a great sword of no small repute. I pointed at the captain with a Kunai and shouted
“Hobbes, he's yours, I'd not be able to kill him!”
He said nothing, but flicked his sword guard an inch out of his sheath, and pulled back, preparing one of his famous quick drawing Iajitsu attacks. Daevik had quickly pulled out a pair of katars, which he quickly tried to bury into one of the knights, sliding of his armor.

To my right, Sanosuke was punching dents into the armor of the knight he had squared off with. The remaining two rushed me. One I could handle, but two would be rather difficult. I flipped to the side, throwing shuriken all the while, but without the precise aim that I had take before, they bounced off of their armor harmlessly. One of them went out to my right, the other to my left. I flipped forward and spun around, only to see them about 5 feet behind bringing their claymores down on my head. I slipped a knife into they way of one, redirecting it into the ground, but the other cashed into my shoulder. I felt my collarbone splinter.
“Katon! Fire explosion jutsu!”
The two of them went flying back as the explosion from the hand I could still use sent them flying. I was furious, and the fury brought the powers of my Ninpo to full bear.
“Raiton! Chidori Thrust!” I gripped my bad arm with my good one. This was going to hurt. Lightning began coursing along my arm, gathering the palm of my hand. I ran full on toward the two, lining them up in front of me. My hand slammed clear through the first of them, and caught the second in the chest, slamming him to the ground and crushing his ribcage.
Unfortunately, it completely crushed my shoulder, as well.
I screamed in pain, and apparently that was all that was needed. Valqroma was very quick with her healing magic-I felt my arm repairing itself, and in a matter of seconds, I was up, and ready to go again. I looked around. Hobbes had cleaved his opponent in half with a single stroke. He looked as though it had not even happened. Sano stood over his opponent, whose body was probably even more broken than the armor he wore. Daevik apparently had pulled out some sort of hook, as he had punched a hole right in his opponent's armor, then pulled some intestine out, much to his chagrin. He was cleaning his weapon as I watched.

“You do realize you are all criminals in San D'oria, now don't you?”
“Are you kidding? We'll be heroes when we get back. This won't matter, tragic as it is. I mean, it's not like I don't feel bad, but it's gonna be okay.” Valqroma said.
“I certainly hope you are right. I have not enjoyed my last 3 years as a criminal.”
“We need to get going. There's going to be more of them. Light me up, by the way.” Daevik said. I groaned, but complied.


None of us were stupid enough not to listen to him-he was right, and we knew it. In we went. Going through the pass was somewhat upsetting, but it was not dangerous. The monsters inside knew us to be too much for them, and kept their distance. Thusly, the trip through the pass took merely an hour. We walked out into a blizzard.
Beaudecine glacier might have been beautiful if it were not so dangerous. Again, most of the monsters there kept their distance, but this time, it was less because of fear and more due to cunning and tactics, it seemed. Still, we encountered no trouble passing through. It was less simple to find our way, though, so we ended up having to rest there. I found a small cave which we used as shelter to sleep in.

That night was interesting. Valqroma and Daevik were both asleep, while Sanosuke and Hobbes told war stories across the fire. I stood at the mouth of the cave, watching for any sign of anything hostile. It was getting too warm in the cave anyway.

“Maybe i'll step out for some fresh air” i thought.

I walked out side and took a look around. Even through the darkness, the glacier was still beautiful. I stood and admired the beauty for a while.
“Hey, you.” a voice said from behind me. I turned to see who it was. “There are some things you must know before you face the shadow lord. I am here to tell you them.”
“Gilgamesh.”
“You are quite good. I'm surprised you knew who I am. In any case, I'm here to help you.”
“That's what you said. How'd you trick me into coming outside?”
“That's something I don't have time to explain. I'm here to tell you about Hikauro, and about his link with the shadow lord.”
“What does Hobbes have to do with the shadow lord?”
“Allow me to explain, and you will understand.”
“Very well.”
“The shadow lord is not mortal. Simply because he is dead does not mean he is not coming back.”
“I assumed that much, seeing as it was killed 20 years ago and we're going to kill once again.”
“That would be resurrection. He is different. He can come back simply of his own will.”

“What? How? How can I kill him, then?”
“You are uniquely suited to so do. First, let me explain how he brings himself back. You see, when he dies, the evil energy doesn't just cease to exist. It moves on, into children who are born less 72 hours after he dies.”
“So? It's too diluted to be of any use to him then.”\
“No, it's not. If any of those children allow their negative, evil emotions out too much, the shadow lord's gambit pays off. He can take control of the host who carries him, you see, Just not normally. Only when the host is distressed. Then he can affect their mind, change their perceptions. But only a little at first. He takes them slowly down the road to insanity, hunting down the other hosts of his energy, and gathering it into one host only. When all of his energy is in one place, He is reborn.”
“And... Hikauro was one of these children.”
“Correct.”
“Then how is he not dead or insane?”
“He is the one person who succeeded in exorcizing the energy from himself. He doesn't know the evil in him was the shadow lord's, but he knows he's defeated a powerful evil in himself. Don't tell him the source of the evil, he might...get emotional at a bad moment.”
“So... how is it that I am one who can kill him?
“You are a ninja, and further, you are a ninja of the tengoku line. You should have been taught certain techniques? Such as a Fuuin?”
“A seal... but what do I seal him into? A weapon? Magicite?”
“Neither will be strong enough. No, you must seal him in yourself.”
“IN myself? I don't know...”
“It's the duty of your lineage. You're not going to just... skip out on it, are you?”
“I...no... but... isn't there a better way?”
“No.”
I looked at the gronud for a moment.

“Wat will it do to me? Sealing him inside myself?”
“You will be the same as those children who were born with him in them.”
“That... will be difficult.”
“There is more. Because he will have a stronger influence over you, since his energy will be all in one place. So much so that you will not be able to contain it, when it is at full strength.”
“Then... why should I bother? I'd just turn into him!”
“No, you must ensure that the energy never reaches that point. The only way to do so is to use it, and use it constantly.”
“How?”
“Ninjutsu. Use it to power your Ninpo.”
“W-What?”
“It will make you into a more powerful ninja than you can imagine, but, the cost is high. You must take this unholy bargain, or else he will merely return again.”
“What happens when I die?”
“Still sealed to you, he will pass out of this world.”
“But... what about me?”
“Your paths will split there. He goes to the place he deserves, you go to yours.”
“I... see...”
“That is all have to tell you. Goodbye. If you succeed, There will be a place of honor for you among the shiten-soku, if you so wish.”
“I do not. I am of the Tengoku clan, I always will be.”
“Pity. I would have so liked to have as talented a ninja as you around.”
He started to walk off, then spun on one heel and shouted back:
“Don't grieve too much for him! If you do, the shadow lord will take you!”

“What?” I shouted. What on earth does he mean by that? Why would I grieve for the shadow lord... he was pure evil! I could care less... no, I'd be delighted to see him die. There will be no negative emotions in me while I watch him die.
I walked back in. Sano and Hobbes had fallen asleep. We needed someone on watch, so I went back and stood at the cave entrance. I did not sleep that night, but knowing what I did... there was no way I could have.


The next morning we walked to Xarcabard. The place was frightening, to say the least. 'The dead's playground' it was called back in Bastok, and it certainly lived up to that name... Skeletons and ghosts were everywhere. We made our way to the Vazhal gate-crystal, to take shelter from the storm for a moment. If Beaudecine was beautiful, then this place was equally foreboding. It reeked of the shadow lord's influence. We pressed on to Castle Zvhal. Under my direction, we managed to avoid fighting the myriad demons that wandered the Zvhal perimeter, and passed on to the gate.
We stood before the great gate, in front of which many a hero had met his end. I was painfully aware of this fact, and began to sneak around the castle to find myself a window or some such means of entry. None existed. The place was soulless and unlivable, but defendable. The closest to a window or any sort of entry were arrow slits. I avoided those, as they were probably staffed by the shadow lord's tireless minions.
My secret entrance did not exist. I began to panic, looking for something, anything that could get me to my objective. Nothing.
Then I heard a great crashing sound. Sano had probably grown impatient and had punched the gate open with his Futae no Kiwami. Surprise was lost. Now speed was important. I clapped my hands together and began forming hand seals.

“Cat. Dog. Horse. Donkey. Sky. Sun. Ocean. Grass.” I groaned with the effort of calling such energy from myself. “Do....ton!”
The very rocks that made up the wall of the castle began to rearrange themselves to my will. A hole. And some very surprised castle occupants. A second later, they were also very blind, victims of my Kurayami no jutsu. Then they were dead. I had no time to dally.
I ran, hidden from sight, through the castle halls. I had to find my way to the main courtyard and help them. There would be many demons, and I had to convince them they faced an army, not 5.
Perhaps I could make them face an army after all... I smirked with that thought. It was good.
I ran into the courtyard, already forming hand seals for my next and certainly trademark ninjutsu. “ Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!” I shouted as I came outside. The strain was incredible, overpowering the ninjutsu to such a degree, as to make from 5 copies, nearly 200. But it worked.
I saw them being overwhelmed by hordes of demons. They were holding their own, but were hard pressed. Then my replicants fell on the demons, and the tide of the battle suddenly changed. Though the energy cost was terrific, the replicants began to tear through the demons. Spurred on by this, my comrades began to cut ion their assailants, beginning to kill nearly as quickly as my bunshin could. No. Faster.
The Kagebunshin was dwindling quickly, I had not the energy to maintain it for much longer. I dismissed them. And it was over. The few remaining demons were pressed into a corner and killed to the last.
I fell to the ground fully exerted. I had no strength left to me.
“Rise, to your feet, with renewed vigor. Fight again for the cause, Suriko!” Valqroma's voice was... strong somehow. Far stronger than I'd ever heard before. But somehow, her words rang true as soon as they were said, and I stood, ready once more to fight.
“Th-thank you.” I said.
“Why are you thinking me? You're the one who saved us!” She said.
“And you're the ones who volunteered to come with.”
“Well, you're welcome in any case!”
“To the throne room?” Hobbes asked.
“Aye.” Daevik said. “The sooner the better.”
“I agree.” said Sanosuke.
“Thenwe go, before they can attack us again.”

We burst into the Throne Room. The shadow Lord was surrounded by his minions. An impossible fight, I thought. “I see my minions were too incompetent to stop you. The prophecy may as yet be true.”
“What prophecy?” I shouted.
“That you, little ninja of the Tengoku clan, would end my story.”
“I will be glad to make your Prophet a true visionary then!”
“Very well. I will fight you myself, and none shall interfere. If the prophecy is true, then my minions will not save me. If it is false, then I, alone, can destroy a simple ninja.”
“What of my comrades?”
“They may leave to fight another day. I fear them none, with you, the subject of the prophecy defeated.”
“Very well, I agree to your terms.”
“Suriko!” Sanosuke shouted at me. “Don't do this! Let us help!”
“I'll not let anything befall you when I can avoid it! This is my punishment for my sins in San D'oria! I will Redeem myself!”

“No! Stop!”
He was too late. A burning circle formed around myself and the shadow lord, and were locked in combat.
My first action was to summon my bunshin. I would not survive any sort of hit from this monstrosity.
I was wrong. Fire consumed not only me own body, but everything in the burning circle. My bunshin instantly vanished. I was scorched, but not badly. He stood audaciously in front of me, looking completely devoid of fear. He met his challenge well. I lunged, not for him but the wall. I knew the secrets of the elements, and I could use the fire of the wall to my advantage.
As my feet contacted the flame, it turned from fire to earth, a much more amenable element to be in contact with. I ran along the wall, a patch of earth beneath my feet at all times, circling him. Again, he summoned up a great mass of fire, but this time, I was ready. As the explosion rocked the circle, I launched myself far up above him, well out of the blast. I twisted in the air and came down in the motions to bring the ‘Wrath of Subaru’ down on him, as I had been taught many times before. My knife plunged into his head, and I leapt away, as he flailed in pain.
He turned, and pulled the knife from his head, greatly angered. His anger intensified his power, I could sense it. I would need to be careful if I were to survive the next attack. The walls would do me no good, he would expect that. Down. That was where to flee to.

“Pig. Horse. Bird. Frog. Rain. Worm. Doton! Earth disappearance Jutsu!” I slid down into the ground just in time to avoid the great ball of shadow energy he had hurled at me. I burrowed further and further, barely ahead of his attack, as it annihilated the ground where i had just been. I had narrowly escaped it.
I plunged back out into the open air, behind him, and prepared a precise attack on a vital spot... the notorious ‘dim-mak’ death touch technique that would kill a human with a mere prick... I hoped that with a knife, it would be sufficient. I leaped to his neck and plunged my knife in twice, flipping up over his head to escape. He fell to one knee, unable to move, from the effects of the attack. Another. Quickly.
“Rin Pyo To Sha Kai Chin Retsu Zai Zen!” I shouted, and spiked of earth came from the ground and stabbed into the Shadow Lord, moving with the motion of my Katana. Then it exploded, still impaled in him. Holes opened up all over his body, and a brackish sort of blood poured out. Then he laughed.

“What are you laughing about, you bastard?”
“Your friends... they will all die, I am just looking forward to it.”
“You said you would spare them!”
“Why? Why should I not lie to you! Fool! I'm going to wipe out all traces of you and enjoy it! Your sister, your clan, your father, all of it! Tengoku dies, starting today!”
“grrraaahhh!” I bellowed mindlessly. My rage flowed through my veins, and I felt the power of my clan coursing through me.
To me, it seemed unremarkable. Time seemed to slow down, and I simply moved with the speed I normally would. To an observer, I am told, it would have been far more impressive. It would have appeared as though I had disappeared, and that all that could be seen was a flurry of cuts and blows, delivered one by one to the shadow lord with incredible speed, as though I was flying.
“a...arrgh... no... impossible!” he choked out.
“Feel the pain of the tengoku clan! Metsu no Jutsu!”
The knife moved of its own will, it seemed, flying from my hand to his heart. It plunged in, with the seal attached to the back.
“Fuuin!” i shouted. My gi ripped to shreds as the seal formed on my chest, and he was pulled toward it. The burning circle died down, and I saw my friends. They stood, aghast as the shadow lord was forced into my body.
“I die, but I shall be born anew! To ensure this, I take with me the one dearest to you, worm!”

He reached out with his hand, and from it I saw the image of death. I knew I was the only one who could see it, and I was powerless to stop it. It flew to my friends, Raised its knife to strike the life from one of them...
“Sano! No!” I was too late. His soul was torn form his body, and he crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
And then it was done. The shadow lord forced into my body, his evil never to emerge again. But neither would Sano. His soul would be trapped in the seal with the shadow lord for as long as I lived. I was glad that they would be separate, but still, it was a prison i had no desire to see my own husband in. I fell to the floor and cried. They ran to me.

“Suriko... you musn't.” Hobbes said. “It is awful, but you cannot cry. You must control your emotions in, or else...”
“Shut UP!” I shouted. “You don't know this pain! You've never lost one that you've loved in this way! I've...I've... killed him...”
“No, you haven't.” Valqroma said. “This was a risk we all knew we were taking when we volunteered to come. He was ready for it, I'm sure of it.”
“I... I wasn't!”
“Don’t be so weak.” Daevik said. “Do you want to lose your husband or do you want to become the shadow lord AND lose your husband? Don’t be so self absorbed, like the person you once were! Like Megumi Akane!”
“Suriko...” Hobbes said. “You're wrong. I have lost love. I lost the woman I loved to another. I had to watch as he enjoyed the love that I envied. I understand. I understand your grief. It is impossible to ignore, it is only possible that you replace it with another emotion. I... Please...”
“w-what do you mean? ...Do you speak of me?”
“I...” he stared away. “Yes. I loved you. I still do. I would have given my life for Sano's, just so that I would not have had to see you cry.”
“Hi... Hikauro...”
He kneeled down to me, and put his arms around me.
“Gilgamesh told me of the burden you now carry. Please... let me help. Let me be there to help you walk the path that you must, to be...”
“Hikauro... I... don't...”
“It is the least I can do for Sano, who was my friend, to see to it that your task is as easy as it can be.”
I fell on his shoulder and began to cry again, but not with tears of loneliness. It was... going to be all right.

It took us nearly a week to return to Jeuno. They were hailed as heroes upon our return, having halted the advance of the shadow lord. I didn’t let my name be known.
Daevik merely returned to the work he had done before for the Tenshodo. He seemed to care little for the fame and recognition of what he had done. Instead, he simply went back to breaking legs and smoking opium. I would have thought it was unfortunate, but he seemed to enjoy it well enough.
Valqroma took the fame and ran with it. Now well known wherever she went, she used it to her advantage to inspire people, to make them be better then they might have been. I wish I had her good intentions and purity of heart.
Sanosuke Fukai was immortalized as a martyr that had taken on the shadow lord single-handedly and had lost his own life in defeating him, as the story we all told went. There is now a large statue of him in the Ru'Lude gardens, over where his body was buried. I have stood there many a time, simply staring and trying to remember his face better. No one has recognized me when I've done it.
Hobbes had been by my side ever since, not just as the friend he once was, but much more than that now. I know I would have fallen to the shadow lord many times had it not been for Hikauro's constant and vigilant watching over me. He never seems quite as happy as when we're apart.
For my part, little changed. No one knows my name, and I am still a criminal. Truly, I prefer it that way.
Only a week later I returned to the mines, once again seeking fortune. I was lucky, and found a very large vein of gold. It would be worth millions. When I realized this, I collapsed in tears. I no longer could look forward to that quiet future. It was my fate to not only live by the blade, but to die by it. At least I would not be alone.

[Suriko]

Sometimes life's greatest challeneges come from the places we last expect them. In fact, that's often the case, at least for me, but the nature of my life is so vastly different from most people's that I doubt I could even explain it to them. That, however, is beside the point. I'm not sure why, or how it happens, but somehow... I find myself facing greater and greater dangers from stranger and stranger sources. Considering that i have taken on the shadow lord and bested him singly, i thought myself ready to handle any challenge that came my way. I was wrong.

"Welcome t'norg, my fine lass. Might i interest you in... some entertainment?" an obviously drunken pirate said to me. I grimaced. I hated dealing with this sort of... entaglement. Fortunately, Hobbes was more than ready to deal with it. He landed a rather solid and painful looking punch in the man's face, sending him reeling to the ground. I smirked, and kept walking.
"Will that cause us trouble later?"
"No, Suriko, it won't. I have a measure of respect here."
"Ah, good, so it's not like anywhere else in the world." I chuckled a little.
"What? oh, shut up." He tried, poorly, to hide the fact that he was actually pleased with that. Ever since Sanosuke's death, i'd been very morose and serious. only a few moments of closeness with hobbes broke up the melange of depression. That I was starting to ease out of that depressive demeanor was good news to him, to me, and to the rest of the world. I couldn't spend too long being depressed, or else the shadow lord's evil would take hold of my mind, my body, and perhaps even my very soul.
"I'm sorry." he finally said, probably because the same thoughts had just run through his head.
"Don't be."
"Well, all right. Since you put it that way."
Norg was... well... I felt at home there, at the very least. I had come to take gilgamesh up on his offer of a position in the shiten-soku clan, as i needed reason to use my ninjtusu. It pained me that I could not retire to a quieter life, but fate would not let me indulge that particular desire of mine.
"Suriko."
"Hmm?"
"Don't think too much about it."
"How'd...?" It was amazing. He seemed to know every time i began to dwell on the past. perhaps i was letting it show on my face. Such would not surprise me, but it would need to be fixed if it was so. Showing emotion was a major weakness, at least, it was in my line of work. Then i noticed he had been talking to me and i hadn't heard a word.
"Wait, what?"
"See? you aren't even paying attention to me."
"I'm sorry, I was thinking."
"That's what i was saying, that you are thinking to hard on this. Until you use some of that energy that's pent up in you, it's a poor idea to think too hard on this."
"mmm... maybe... what?"
He sighed. "Can you please listen to me?"
"Oh... yes... what were you saying?"
He sighed again. "Nothing important. Just... forget it."
"I'm sorry, what was it?" I said.
"It's not important... you're not going to just let it go, are you?" I shook my head no. "Well then... i'm just... worried about you. I don't want you to let it take you over, and if you keep thinking the way you do now, i worry that it will."
I put my arms around him and leaned my head up against his chest. "I think... it'll be okay." I looked up at him and smiled, for the first time... maybe the first time in my life, but certainly the first time in my memory. "As long as you're around, at least."
He hugged back and said "I hope you're right." He paused, lost in thought. "I still worry, though."
I let go, and stepped back, the reason for having come to norg resuming it's place at the forefront of my mind. "Where's do i go to talk to Gilgamesh?"
"Slow down. He won't take kindly to you barging in on him."
"I know, but..."
"..but there's no reason we can't hurry, right?"
"..."
"Come on, I can get you in to see him."


I guess Gilgamesh wanted to keep us waiting, playing some sort of mind game. I stood there and used the opporotunity to survey the room and catch all of it's ins and outs. His throne room was not at all what I expected. I was... underwhelmed. It made sense, though, it would be kind of stupid to flaunt his weath with gaudy posessions-his men would more than likely steal it anyway. Besides, he must have spent a great deal of money on the magical traps that were nested all around the room. If i tried to attack anyone sitting on the throne, I'd be frozen solid in less than a second. Apparently Gilgamesh trusted he own men about as far as he could throw them. Actually, probably no where near that far, he could throw them quite a distance.
"Suriko, i didn't think you'd come." Gilgamesh said, coming in the door behind me. Hobbes was surpised-I wasn't.
"I didn't think I would either, but..."
"But you need to use that shadow energy in yourself. I'm glad you finally realized the true nature of my offer."
"Enlightened self interest. You want her skills more than you want to help her." Hobbes said.
"Quiet Hikauro, you, more than anyone, know i'm not always looking out for myself."
"Hobbes? What does he mean?" I asked
"Nothing. It's something he swore never to talk about again. Something i'd rather forget. But... he is telling the truth, his motives... might not be so selfish."
"They are, to some degree. I don't want to see the return of the Shadow lord, that much is obvious, but i could just kill suriko, and not have that worry anymore. i haven't done that, have I?"
"Obviously not." I said.
"Then, perhaps, you could give me just a modicum of trust?"
Hobbes grimaced. "I... want to trust you, but she's... too important to me."
Gilgamesh smiled. "Hikauro, have you gone and falle-"
"Shut up!"
He just smiled more. "Fine then, call yourself her bodyguard or whatever. You don't trust me, so watch her yourself."
"Do I get a say in this matter?" I said.
"Actually, your say is final." Gilgamesh said. "If you don't want to take the position, then this conversation is totally academic."
"Well, I don't see that I have much choice."
"Good. i'll be honest, if you didn't take it, i would have had to have you killed."
"I thought as much."
"I really didn't want to, Suriko. I'd... well, i just wouldn't."
"You son of a *****." Hobbes said "You'd do that? You're worse than I thought."
"Please. let's...not think about it? It's not necessary now."
"So... what now? as much as i don't like the idea, i need... some mission. Anythng."
"Kill the archduke of Jeuno." he said, dispassionately.
"What? no!"
"Good."
I smirked. It seemed he was testing me. I knew that if i did something so evil, I was as good as lost to the shadow lord already.
"We will discuss a mission tomarrow. You can last that long."

We walked out from the 'throne room' back into the vast cave that was Norg. Something in the air was wrong, and i didn't feel safe as I had done when i first walked in with Hobbes. I'd learned to trust those feelings.
"Hobbes, there's something wrong."
I guess he learned to trust thos feelings of mine as well. He tensed up and move his hand to the hilt of his katana and said "What is it?"
"I'm not sure. It's... my instincts say something's wrong."
"Alright. I have a place here, it should be safe enough. Keep your eyes peeled, you're more likely to catch whatever is wrong here than i am."
I would have acknowledged that, but it was totally uneeded. We knew each other's minds well enough in a situation like this. I was tensed, ready for action, but at the same time, i was totally relaxed, just walking through the cave, no different from anyone else there. Hobbes didn't look out of place with his hand on his sword, thankfully. Still, i now know that to a trained eye, neither of us looked normal. It was fortunate that the trained eye was not also a hostile one.
"Calm down you two, there's no one here stupid enough to take you on." said a familiar voice. It was Daevik.
"You... work for aldo. what are you doing here?" I asked.
"Aldo works for Gilgamesh. You figure it out."
"That much I knew, but still, why would Aldo give up one of his best... fighters?"
"I had no further interest in doing Aldo's foolery, not after the shadow lord was no more."
"Then, why here?"
"Where else?"
"I see."
He stopped, and seemed to think on something. A trickle of frustration crossed his face. He seemed to be fighting a battle with himself, and trying his best not to show it. Finally, he spoke. "Suriko. I'm going to warn you now."
"What?"
"Your past will soon catch up with you."
"What? what on earth are you talking about?" Hobbes said.
"That is all I will tell you." He said, and then walked off. He only let it show when he thought i could not see his face, but he was furious. It seemed that whatever he had just done, he wasn't happy about it at all.

"Well, that was eerie." Hobbes said, once we were saftely nestled in his home. I found it very comfortable, reminding me of the house i had lived in, back in Tengoku village. It was decorated with many items from the far east, but that was by no means exclusively what was there. It was obvious that Gilgamesh had made Hobbes rich many times over, and that Hobbes had made himself poor an equal number of times. It wasn't a total waste, however. It made for a very comforting environmment.
"What do you suppose he was talking about?" Hobbes said.
"I've no clue, and I really shouldn't think about it." I said, factually.
"Indeed not. You need to exorcize some of the evil energy before you can safely consider something like that."
"I thought, perhaps, that there might be another way, Hobbes."
"oh?"
"The shadow lord's essence feeds on negative emotions. Perhaps... This sounds so stupid... Perhaps positive emotions would push it back?"
"Possibly. Not that we'll find out."
"...yeah."
"You've never really been a happy girl, Suriko. Maybe someone else should have carried the burden."
"...perhaps so."
"What is it that made you so..."
"I'm not sure. There are many things that have made me to be this way."
"let's... not think about that."
"i'd like to stop, but... i can't..." I said.
"Come here."
He walked over, and sat next to me, then put my head on his chest, and held me close to him. There was nothing to say, at that moment, so I just let him comfort me. It was amazing, the effect that it had... My memories, all so very painful, merely washed away, and there was only the present-myself, and him. And an overwhelming fatigue from the journey to Norg. I closed my eyes, just to rest them for a moment...
...and opened them again, looking directly into his face, as he lay me out in his bed. He had a guilty expression on his face, even though there was no reason for it. "I was just going to put you to bed, so you could get some sleep." he said sheepishly "I can use the floor."
"Don't. i can't afford to feel lonely right now."
"I... are you sure?"
"Yes, of course."
I was asleep before he had finished walking around to the other side of the bed.

Unsurprisingly, I didn't wake until the next morning. Hobbes had to rouse me from sleep in fact, perhaps the first time in my life I'd slept so soundly. I wonder what could cause me to have been so tired as to sleep so solidly as that. Even digging in the Gusgen mines for hours upon hours hadn't had such a draining effect on me. It struck me, after far too much thought, that i had never been so comfortable in all my life, and that i had let my defenses down. I cursed myself for my stupidity and prepared to face my day, and my first mission for Gilgamesh. I hoped it was something stupid and petty, something easy. I simply was not ready for a true test of my ablilities.
I was not to find out however. In fact, whatever Gilgamesh might have had in store for me that day, I will never know what it was. I didn't even make it to his chambers. Instead, before i left the house, we heard a knock on the door. A grizzled-sounding voice informed Hobbes that there was someone to see him.
That was when i knew something was seriously wrong. Whoever Daevik's wife had sent, that was who was at the door. I was sure of it. I tensed in the shadows of the small bedroom, waiting for Hobbes to let whoever itwas in, so i could quietly extricate myself from the situation.
“Koda?” Hobbes said “Well, this is a pleasant surprise, anyhow!”
My sister. She was the one at the door. My instincts... they had been wrong.
“I am glad to see you again Hobbes.” Koda said, walking into the house. It was odd... the last time i'd seen her, there was an airheadedness about her that was no longer there. It seemed to have been replaced by a strong sense of... purpose, it seemed. It was probably temporary.
“I'm sorry to do this to you, Hobbes, but i am here on important business, and i know you're not likely to help me.”
“What? Of course i'll help you. Anything for an old friend such as yourself.”
“Not likely. I rather doubt you'll help me with this.”
Something was very, very wrong. Koda would have instantly accepted such an offer with out a single doubt in her mind. This just didn't seem like the sister i knew at all. What had happened?

“You see, i'm here as a representative of the Royal Knights of San D'oria.” Koda said.
My heart fell into my stomache.

“What?” Hobbes gaped.
“I'm here for justice.” she said. “My sister is a murderer, and she WILL face justice.”
Hobbes looked as though she had tapped him with a warhammer. He literally fell back into a chair and stared at her. “You... joined the San D'orians?”
“I have entered into the service of the goddess Altana. I serve the cause of justice, not of any nation in particular. I feel... that it is my place to bring justice into this matter.”
“Leave.” Hobbes said, with sudden force. “And tell Daevik i'll kill him if i see him again. I'll not have you carry Suriko off to some public execution.”
“Daevik had no part. He tried to stop me, in fact.”
"Why?" Hobbes asked.
"He... wanted to do it himself. Exact revenge on Suriko himself."

I had to run, to leave Norg. I had to hide from her. I couldn't fight her. I knew i would lose my mind if i did. It seemed she no longer cared that I was her sister.

Hobbes spoke. "Leave. Now."
“I am sorry, I cannot leave.”
“You can and will, or i will make you.”
“No, fool, you won't lay a hand on her.” Daevik said, suddenly appearing in the doorway. “I'll break you in places you didn't even know you had if you try.”
“You bastard.” Hobbes said. “How could you do this to your friends?”
“As much as I hate to admit it, Koda's right. She must face justice.”
"I won't let you take her!" He shouted.

“stop.” Koda spoke with such force as i couldn't belive it. “The two of you fighting does not help in any way. Daevik, I warned you about this before. Hobbes, I'm not leaving this house without Suriko. If you think you are hidden from me oneechan, give it up. The evil energy in you makes you stand out to my sight as though you were a lighthouse on the darkest of nights.”
It was my turn to reel from a mental blow. She had looked right at me when she said that. For once, the shadows were no refuge to me, i had nowhere to turn, nowhere to flee to.. I was trapped like a rat.
“I will bring you with me. This end with you coming out the door with me. Whether you walk out or not is up to you.” She said.

I hated her then. I only wanted my freedom, my life, a chance to live what everyone else took for granted, and she wanted to take that away! I couldn't let her, never, ever, not ever!
“Kage Bunshin no Jitsu!” The copies of myself filled the house, all with murderous intent manifest in their eyes. “I...will.... kill... you!” i shouted, and launched myself at her.

She simply turned and looked me in the eye. My blade clattered to the ground, i could not do it. I was... too weak.
“It is no weakness, what you have just done. The same strength in you that spared Fukai has spared me as well. Weakness would have been to kill me, and flee once more.”
“I... I...”
“Get away from her!” Hobbes yelled. He stood between me and Koda and brandished his blade at her. He could easily beat her, I knew, but between Koda and Daevik, he was in a losing battle, he knew it as well.
“Don't get in my way.” She said.
I collapsed to my knees, unable to do anything. Koda lifted me to my feet. “Come with me.” she said. “It's time for you to stop running.”
“No it isn't! They'll kill me!”
“At least you can restore your right.... your honor, by accepting your fate.”
Hobbes looked at me horrified. “No...” he said.
“It was once said That it is better to die on your feet, than to live on your knees, Suriko.” Daevik said. “I think you would do well to consider this.“
“If it were my choice...” Koda said “I would say she has suffered enough for what she has done, but that choice is not mine. It is Altana's. If Altana finds that Suriko deserves death, then we will accept that!”
“I won't!” Hobbes said. “I'll kill every last one of them, the hell with justice, for revenge! I won't have you take the woman I love from me!”
“No Hikauro, you won't.”
“Suriko?” he said shocked that i'd say such a thing.
“You saw what... my past has done to me. I couldn't bear for the same to happen to you. I would cry for you, even in the next world if that were to happen.”
“Suriko...”
“I... don't have any choice. I have to go with her. Maybe...”
“ Let us hope your good deeds outshine the evils you have committed.”
“No.” I said. “That's not possible.”

With that, i gave into despair.


The trek to San D'oria was long and hard. I knew I was walking to my own death, and neither Koda nor Daevik could offer any real reassurances. Hobbes, bless his soul, walked every step of the way with me, steadied my step, righted me when I fell, and finally carried me when I could not go any farther. He was strong when all I could offer was weakness. He would often tell me that he was just waiting for his chance to escape with me from Koda and Daevik, so that we could go of and live happily together. If only breifly, I would smile every time he told me of it. I don't think I truly knew it until then, but I am sure that what i saw there was as much love as anyone has ever shown to me... to anyone.

And then the towers of San D'Oria could be seen over the next ridge. Koda decided that we needed to make camp outside of the city for one more night, I think mostly out of kindess to me, but the gesture was wasted.
A cadre of San D'Orian Temple knights came riding up to us, 8 of them. They had none of their usual cermonial gear, they were simply decked out for battle.
“We've come to take the murderess, Megumi Akane, off of your hands.” Apparently that one was the captain.
“And just who are you?” Hobbes said.
“Tovanage, son of Francmage, captain of the Temple knights!” He said in an obviously practiced manner.
I suppose i looked pretty helpless then. I was wearing a tattered gi and hakama, and was wrapped up in a blanket, shivering for the unnatural cold i had felt ever since being found by Koda. The shadow lord's influence was growing stronger, and i grew colder and weaker as he wracked my body with the despair i felt from my impending exectuion.
“Is this her?” Pointing at me.
“Yes, that's her, but you're...” Koda didn't get to finish. The man reached down from his horse and punched me in the face. I fell to the ground.
“That's for killing my father, you *****!”
I think hobbes would have killed him if he hadn't been trying to help me to my feet. I ended up just sort of collaping into his arms, utterly spent.
“I'll not release her to a boorish idiot like you, Tovanage.” Koda said.
“Then bring her with you now. The court demands her presence immidately. And are you mad? Why is she not in chains?”
“Why put her in chains? She will do no harm as long as i am here, so i see no reason to humiliate her with such measures.”
“You worry about the dignity of a murderess such as her? You make me wonder at the sanity of the Royal knights!”


Hobbes carried me into the city, following Koda to the Chateau d'Oraguille. As I passed through the city, memories of my activites thei assaulted me. I lost control of my senses and began to wail as though posessed by a demon. Only by buring my head into Hobbes' chest was I able to quiet myself. When we entered the chateau, I had all but lost my mind. I could feel the demonic assault feeding on itself, and attacking each time with more an more vigor. It would not be long before I succumbed...

Hobbes stayed by my side at all times, thank the gods. I faced the king and... an uncountable number of various nobles and such others.

“Megumi Akane!” a voice boomed at me. I must assume it was the king's.
“a...aye.... that is m..me.” i said.
“Megumi Akane, you have been accused of the most heinous crime in recent history that has occurred within the walls of our great kingdom! You have murdered many, including great heroes of our city! You sought you men of good character and killed them in their sleep!”
“I... have so done.”
“Then you do not deny these crimes?”
“I do not.”
“Then your death is ordained by theis court!”

I couldn't take it. I gave in to the despair, know i would die, and suddnly, I felt my body was no longer mine to control. My gi burst into flames, as the fuuin on my chest began to weaken and crack. People stared in amazement at me as i tore the burning shreds from my body. I felt power, dark power surging out of me. I looked around, searching for someone, anyone to blame for this hellish predicament I was in. Who's fault was it? Who must be punished first? It was theur fault the shadow lord was surging out of my body, not mine. Someone must be punished for releasing the evil on the world. One of these short-sighted foolish bastards must feel the pain that i was going to feel for all eternity, with the destruction of my soul!

I surged out completely aimlessly, looking for someone to kill. It was my great fortune that i turned straight to Koda. Beyond the fact that she was not so easily killable, there was another quality to her that saved the life of everyone in that castle, as well as my very soul. For, as i surged toward her to strike her down with my now unbelivable powers of ninjutsu, she again just stared me down. I rose to strike her...
Koda went reeling from the initial assault. I cut her well, solidly across the chest. She staggered back, stunned, and i used the opportunity to launch another deadly assault. Had Koda not been so well trained, and she would have been consumed in a flurry of blades, but instead, i merely turned her sheild to mythril dust. Without a sheild to protect her, I was going to cut her in half. I lunged.
She... was fast. Almost as though something had picked her up and moved her out of the way, but i could see her moving herself. It was a show of prowess that i would expect from myself, not from a Paladin. I tumbled past her, and spun back to my feet, facing her, a mere 2 feet from myself. Again, she moved with speed far surpassing what i could expect, and caught my blade as i swung it twoard her. Koda's strength definitely surpassed mine, but she would not surprise me with her speed again. If i could get free of her grasp, The battle would be mine, but she was so strong... She twisted my arm and forced me to face her. Her eyes were aglow with some sort of divine might, i could see. It wouldn't save her. I twisted my other arm around to strike her in the neck, and the blade whistled home. It Struck just beneath her chin.
It shattered. She was totally unharmed. So stunned was i that she twisted the other blade free of my hand, and threw me to the floor. Then she spoke to me.
“When Altana protects me, i cannot be harmed by evil such as yours. That will be quite enough, Oneechan.”
What was I doing? This was my sister, my own flesh and blood! How could i be trying to kill her? Why? What foolish delusion made me do this?
I had to stop it, stop the evil from flowing from my body. It had to be resealed. I began making the hand signs of another fuuin.
“Grass. Water. Wind. Fire. Stone. Sun. Ocean. Rain! fuuin!” I shouted as loud as I could.
And like that, it was over. The shadow lord screamed in my ears as he was sealed away again. I collapsed to the floor, utterly devoid of any ability to move whatsoever.


I heard a voice. It was not one I knew, but i could... sense something in it. It wasn't so much that there was a particularly strong quality to the voice; no, it seemed as though my senses had... hightened for some reason. I was acutely aware of every person in the room, their movements, and even, to some extent, what they were feeling. Considering how many people were in the room, being overwhelmed was not surprising. Still, the voice stood out to me, for it was the only one in the room that i could discern that bore me no malice.

“Out!” i heard “Everyone out of the Chateau! It's not safe!”
“But your-”
“Now! I've no time to explain, Just get out!”

There was something of a stampede to the doorway out of the Chateau as the nobles scurried to save themselves, the knights scurried to save their king, and Hobbes scurried to save me.
“Suriko.” he whispered in my ear. “Let's get out of here, they won't miss us until it's too late. Come on!”
“I... can't move...” i choked out.
“Then I'll carry you. Hold on.” He said, and hoisted me into his arms
Then i heard that overpowering voice again...
“Hikauro Ikafune, where do you think you are going?”
Hobbes halted in his tracks. No one knew his real name. Even i hadn't know his family name until it was spoken on that day. He spun, and faced the source of the voice. In so doing, he turned my head so i could finally see the source. Somehow, my expections were exactly met by what I saw.
A tall elvaan, clad in incredibly strong looking plate armor of the purest white... it was truly brilliant, so much so that it threatened to blind me, or so i thought. At the very least, i found him hard to look at, but in my semi-vegatative state, i had little choice.
“Who the hell are you, to call me by that name? That is my name no longer, and i've killed men who've insisted on using it! What makes you think i won't do the same to you?” Hobbes said, enraged more than the situation deserved.
“Calm yourself. Don't get yourself into a conflict you cannot win.” No arrogance in his voice, just a statement of fact.
“I could cut you down in a single stroke, if i so pleased. What makes you think i can't beat you?” Again, more belligerance than was really appropriate.
“I rather convinced of the fact, as Daevik and Koda both stand ready to help me.”
"Koda does." Daevik said. "I'd rather take her myself."
"Now is not the time for such things. I'd rather not fight at all.”
“...who the hell are you?” Hobbes said.
“Trion, prince-regent of San D'oria. Please, put her down. Now that the rabble is gone, we can discuss her fate like civilized people.”
“...i cannot just leave her to you to condemn to death. I'd die first.”
“Hobbes... no...” i said. I didn't want him to die too.
“Suriko.” he said. “This is my choice. Let me do this.”
“P-please...”
“I'm sorry, I have to do this.”
Trion interjected. “There's no need. Condemning her to death is not my intent. Altana's wisdom does not include condemnation of the repentant, now does it?”
“I... suppose not.” Koda said. “Is that why you told me to leave her alone?”
“Yes." He said. "But it was a lesson you had to learn for yourself. You are too bullheaded to be taught, sometimes, Koda.”
"Or too stupid." Daevik said.
"Shut your mouth, or i will shut it for you." Trion said. Daevik quieted down.
“Then... what of Suriko?” Hobbes said.
“Put her down somewhere, let her recover. There is much to be discussed.”
Hobbes' sense of irony didn't fail him, even then. What with the room empty, he saw no reason why he couldn't get away with sitting me on the throne. Koda grimaced, displeased with the act, while Daevik laughed outright at it. Trion, however, was nonplussed.
“Now then, Suriko, are you listening?” Trion said. I couldn't really answer. Even nodding my head proved to be a very difficult task, so tired was i.
“Well, then.” Trion began, calmly. “The first problem we face is that the people of San D'Oria will not accept any punishment other than death, so poisoned against Suriko as they are.”
“And why is that a problem to you, Trion?” Hobbes said, confused.
“Because i've no intent to kill her, you moron. Hadn't you figured that out?” Frustration.
“It was... not clear to me.” Shame.
“You let your fear cloud your sight, Hikauro.” Forgiveness.
Hobbes, for once in his life, had nothing to say. Trion hadn't meant to offend him, it had just sort of happened that way. Wait. How did I know that?
“Suriko. You killed quite a few of my countrymen 3 years ago. Some of them were rich. Some were heroes. One... was my friend. Yet.. i sense that the burden of these murders weighs as heavily on you as it does on any in Vana'diel. I do not need to ask you if you would ever do such again, Altana tells me what is in your heart.” He paused. He tried to convince himself that what he was about to say was untrue, but failed. “You also have saved many, many more than you killed, by ridding the world of the shadow lord, and burdening yourself with his essence. This, in Altana's sight, is far more than enough to redeem your sins.” He wanted to be angry, but was wiser than that.
I could tell there was something more. He wanted something from me, and he intended to make use of the situation to get it. Still... his motives were not selfish, i could tell. My strength returned somewhat, and i was able, at least, to speak.
“Trion.” I said in a weak voice.
“Yes?”
“What is it that makes you so certain of this?”
“I have spoken with Altana. She-”
“Why do you think she told you that what i did redeemed my... actions three years ago?” Trion looked shocked.
“How did you...”
“I didn't read your mind, Trion, in case you are wondering. I just... guessed.”
“What the-” Hobbes started.
“I guessed what he was going to say, Hobbes. I just.... knew.”:
“How is that possible?” Koda said. “ Precognition is a paladin's talent, not a ninja's!”
“It's not precognition, Koda, it's just that your feelings, movements and such give away what you are going to say. It's just logic.”
“Then, Suriko, how is it that you have suddenly-” I cut Trion off again. I was enjoying this.
“There is... some of the essence still pervading my body. I fear i will never be rid of it. I think, that this acute awareness of peoples feelings and motives is a result of that. I wanted to ask you, Trion, if you knew anything about that. However, i now realize you do not. You were just about to tell me that, don't deny it.”
He stood, silent for a moment, then spoke. “Perhaps a guess?”
I would have smiled. This was the real Trion, under all that holyness, he was still elvaan.
“It is, perhaps, The shadow lord tempting you with power. Giving you a tase of what you could have, if you gave in. Now it is my turn to guess what you are thinking.” Trion said. “You are worried about the essence sealed in your body, and want the council of one who is... more used to such things?”
“Yes... I do not... want the shadow lord to take my mind again.”
“I do not want that either. It would be the doom of all vana'diel, and would mean your destruction as well.”
“But you can't have that, you need my help, don't you?”
Trion knew he'd been found out, and his face reflected it. Koda instantly angry and suspicious; she thought he'd lied to her.
“Yes, that's true. We do need your help.”
“ I have no desire to help the kingdom of San D'Oria.”
“Then there is little i can do to save you from them.”
“Are you... blackmailing me?” I said, even then knowing he wasn't. He was insulted, but he also knew that he couldn't act indignant with me. He was surprisingly tactful when he spoke.
“That was not my intention, and i wish you would not presume so little of me. I am sure you realized i had no such intent when you said that, and further, you know why i cannot help you if you do not assist me. I am confused as to why you would have said that at all.”
“Spite.” I said.
“Ah.” He actually seemed releved when i said that.
“That's so rude, oneechan!” Koda said.
“Yes, it was.” Trion said. “But also of no consequence. I am, in fact, surpised at how cordial you have been so far, Suriko. Those who told me of you said your were... harsher.”
“Shut up Trion, i'm not interested in you picking my character apart.”
“That was what i had expected.” He was enjoying this.
“Shut up!”
He was quiet. I was... having a hard time coping with this. He was playing with my life, telling me who i was, picking it apart and judging it as though he had the authority to do so. Damn him! he... no.
“I... am sorry.” I said.
“That is better.” Trion said. “Are your thoughts more clear now?”
“Y-yes.”
“I could feel him attacking you. It was necessary to make you angry so that his assault be stopped.”
“Doesn't anger help him?”
“No. It is an emotion of strength. Anger creates will, and will is the source of strength. When you are angry, his hold on you fades. It is when your will grows weak, that he is strongest.”
“ So... you can help me.”
“Yes. And I will do all i can, wether you help me or not. It is true however-”
“That you cannot help me if i don't help you, because how repentant am i, if i'm not willing make some sort of reperations for my actions?”
“ So you do understand. This is good.”
It was my turn to be silent.
“But, Suriko, we do still have a problem.” Trion said.
“Aye, what do we do about the riffraff?” Hobbes said.
“I'll say that we couldn't kill you. It's true enough. I'll say that we were forced to put you in the Bostanieux Oubliette. You, i am sure, are more than capable of escaping San D'Oria through the sewers?”
“You are aware of my escape with Sanosuke Fukai through there then, I assume?”
“I am. Few are. If you are observed entering the sweres, people will assume you are dead, as long as you are never seen again.”
“But... you know that i will be eventually.”
“Yes, and then we will have to deal with the situation as it is.”
“Can't I clear my name? Is there no way to do that?”
“I don't know. Are you guilty of the murders you are accused of?”
“Well.. yes.”
“Then, no.”
“Surely saving the city itself or something of that order would convince them to forgive her?” Hobbes said.
“I find it unlikely that anyone would belive even me, were i to tell them that she had saved our city,.”
“I see.” Hobbes said.
“It is sad that people can be so... distrustful.” Trion said. “Altana has voiced her displeasure to me about this matter. Yet, i find no cure for it.”
“I can imagine.” Hobbes said.
“Can I stay in the oubliette a couple days?” I said. “ I need to recover.”
“Certainly so. I'll tell the jailor to let you out when you need to leave.”
“Trion... thank you. You've been very kind.”
“Your kind words touch me, but I was only doing what was right in the sight of Altana.”
Amazing. He acutally belived that bullshit. I had no intention of escaping through the sewers in the Bostanieux Oubliette, there was no other entrance that led out of San D'Oria. Sano and i had fled into the sewers to let pursuit die down, then made our escape elsewhere. The Oubliette was a dead end, but i doubted if Trion would belive that. I'd have to find another way out.

“Perhaps, then i shall come and talk to you tomarrow about what Altana needs for you.” Trion said.
“I am curious to find out what Altana needs from me that niether of you could accomplish.”

Hobbes picked me up, and Trion led us down to the Bostanieux Oubliette.

“Here.” Trion said. “This one. It's not so... uncomfortable as the other cells. You should be able to rest here.”
“We'll need another cot.” Hobbes said.
“don't you wish to-” Trion must have been getting used to being cut off by now.
“No, i'm staying here with her.” Hobbes said.
“Good.” Daevik said. “I'd have had to make you eat soup for several days if you didn't.”
We all actually laughed at that. Perhaps... Trion wasn't all bad.


“Hobbes?” Koda said, after Daevik and Trion had left.
“What is it?” he said, not looking up from me. He was too worried about me, as though I'd never be able to walk again.
“Can i have a...um... moment along with Suri?”
“...”
“Please? I need to talk to her...as her sister.”
“...”
He stood and nodded, walked out of the cell, and around a corner. Though i did not see him after he exited the cell, somehow, i knew exactly where he was. It was odd.

“Suri?” I lay there limp, because i didn't really have the strength to do much else.
“Suri, I know you're listening to me!” she said, putting her hands on her hips.
“I... I am, Ko.” I choked out.
“I just wanted to say... I'm sorry i dragged you into this, but.. I had to! It wasn't right, just letting you go after you did all that!”
“Not very sorry, are you?” I said, finally sitting up. Felt a lot better, all of a sudden.
“No, I am! Really I am!”
She was, too. She was just too.. well, stupid to make an exception to her rules. That's just how Koda's always been, and I was well aware of that. I guess that made being a knight of Altana perfect for her. Just have to follow rules, do certain thing certain ways, have it all layed out for you ahead of time. Must be nice to be able to something and just pass it off as 'duty', instead of having to take responsibility for it, or make a decision on whether it was right or wrong. I was... jealous.
“I...” I paused. It was hard to say. “I belive you. Blockhead.”
She smiled. I guess she'd rather be stupid than evil.


...and i guess i'd rather be evil than stupid.

But then, which one of was in a prison cell, fighting for their very soul? Which was hunted ever step of her life?

She hugged me. First time in 10 years that she'd done that.

“I missed you, Suri.”
“Well, you did run off... but then... maybe that was the right thing to do at the time.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You have a tendancy to do the right thing, even when it's dumb, while I have a tendancy to do the smart thing even when it's wrong. Look where it's gotten both of us.”

“Oh, hush. Trion's going to help you, so it's all going to be okay!” she said, totally convinced.
“Wish i had your blind faith.”
“It's not blind faith, it's trust!”
“That's another thing I don't have much of.”
“Whatever. Altana's decided that you've paid your debt, so if they try to hurt you, I have to try and stop them. So does Trion. Just trust us!”
“...”
“What's wrong?”
“I... don't... or maybe more like I haven't. You see... I lied to Trion.”
“Wha? What about?”
“There's no way out of the sewers in Bostanieux Oubliette. I was planning to leave another way. I thought if i told him, he'd make it out as killing me while i tried to escape.”
“Oh... You realize i have to tell him that...”
“I know.”
“Does that mean you trust us?”
“...more than i did, anyway.”
“I'll go tell him. I guess we have to figure something else out..”
“Guess so.”
“You just get some rest.”
I guess someone else would have smiled.


“Suri?” Hobbes poked his head back into the cell.
“mmm?”
He walked over and kneeled next to the bed. “feeling any better?”
“mmm..little...”
“Better than none. Get some sleep.”
“I can do that.”
“Hey, one thing before you do.”
“wha?”
He leaned over and kissed me.
“Oh.”

That time, i did smile.



I don't know how he does it. Hobbes was awake before i was, sitting there waiting for me to wake up. He held my hand and started talking, but i didn't really hear anything for the first few seconds. I was still groggy.

“...couldn't let you wake up alone in here, you know?”
“uhhh?” I still wasn't really awake, i guess. So out of character for me. Hobbes chuckled a bit at that.
“little sleepy, are we?” Now i was awake.
“I hate that condescending bullshit.”
“Whoa, not so sleepy anymore.”
“..sorry.”
“It's fine. You've been through a lot. Think you can walk?”
Actually, i did. I felt worlds better than the day before. I was getting more of an idea of how dealing with the shadow lord's essence worked. Seemed the worse i was emotionally, the more physical energy he could drain from me. Now that my fate was back in my hands, I felt more than ready to take back charge of it.

“Now then, Hobbes.”
“Hmm?”
“do we have any idea what Trion wants me to do?”
“No, but you can bet it'll be just about as dangerous as facing the whole San D'Orian army, or else he wouldn't need you.”
“Good. If it's not much harder than that, it should be relatively easy to take care of.”
“Whoa, you sound like me. No, more like Sano.”
I blinked a few times. He was right, i was being cocky, something I didn't usually do.
“You're right. I was being stupid.”
Hobbes' face narrowed. I smirked at him.
“I guess you like torturing me. Real nice of you.”
“...” I didn't know what to say. I just felt bad.
“Wha?" He said. "Hey, I'm not upset.”
“Yeah.” Why was I acting so oddly? “Right.”
“But seriously, the confidence was good. You need that.”
“I suppose. Better not to overestimate myself, though.” I sat.
I suddenly realized i was standing up with nothing on. I hurredly sta down and covered myself with the blanket i'd been using. Hobbes just laughed.
“That wasn't kind.” I said.
“I was just wondering how long it would take you to notice. And enjoying the view.”
I blushed. “You should've said something! That was embarassing!”
“Well, sorry to embarrass you, anyway.”
“Hey... how'd i get undressed?”
“That wasn't me, They brought in a doctor who did that. You'll notice all those various nicks and cuts that you had are gone now.”
“You watched, didn't you?”
“... Trion didn't let me.”
“ Pervert.”
“In any case, Gilgamesh sent something for you. He said to give it to you if they didn't kill you. I'm not totally sure what the big deal about it is, but he said you'd know.”
Hobbes handed me a medum-sized package, something i'd seen in his pack a couple times on the walk here. I hadn't surmised that it was for me, bit it didn't surprise me. I opened it to find a Gi and Hakama. Shiten-Soku relics, no less. I could definitely use these, but first...
“Okay, okay, i'll leave.” Hobbes said, inferring what i wanted, simply from my glance.

A little later, when i was dressed, i called him back into the room.
“Hey, that looks good on you.” Hobbes said. I just sighed. “What?” he said. I shook my head.
“What... do we do now, Hobbes?”
“I go talk to Trion, i think. I'll be right back. You, of course know why you need to stay down here.”
“Yes, obviously.”

Hobbes walked down the corridor and turned a corner. He passed someone as he wlked to the stairs. I stopped and thought. Again, i had known what had just happened, but there was no way for me to have known... I had to go check, see if there was someone there. I started to slowly creep, but then realized the pointlessness of so doing. Anyone down here would know what was going on. I'd assume Trion was that thorough, at least. So, i just strolled around the corner. Stupid me.
I walked around the corner and bumped right inot a tallish elvaan wearing a dark cloak who looked for all the world like everyone's vision of a vampire.
“Oh!” he said. “Are you a prisoner? I hardly ever get any of those anymore!”
I wasn't sure what to say. I stood there silently.
“Well, i'd better... um... good lord, do you even have a cell? What on earth are you doing just wandering around down here? Did you escape?”
“N-no... Prince Trion left my door open.”
“Oh, well then i'd better not let you leave, if the prince brought you here himself.”
“I... wasn't planning on leaving. It's not safe for me outside the Oubliette.”
“Well, that makes my job easy. I guess i can get back to my research. If you're bored, you could maybe help me?”
“I don't really think i'd be much help. Who are you, anyway?”
“Novalmauge, the head jailor. Actually, the only jailor. And there are never any prisoners. I'm just down here because I need to stay out of daylight.”
...Now i really thought he was a vampire.
“Of course, i go out at night to get more blood to continue expirimenting on...”
I started to reach for my kunai, which wasn't there.
“...so that maybe i can find the antidote to this damn poison that keeps me from seeing sunlight ever again.”
Then I relaxed.
“I'm thought to be a vampire, because of my research. Not a very pleasing life.”
“mmm. I can understand.”
“Oh? Can you? I doubt it.”
I smirked. “Trust me.”
“How could you possibly understand?”
“Oh... i can. You said something about a poison? I know a thing or two about those.”
“Yes, i've been poisoned.”
“Do you know what kind?”
“Well, it only gets motabolized if i'm exposed to sunlight.”
“I see. Mitsunari told me about a poison like that that comes from black lotus leaf. If you've ingested the poison i'm thinking of, then you need to get hold of blood from a antican.”
“I knew it was some beastman's blood!”
“did you know the source?”
“No, i had no clue.”
“that's fairly impressive that you figured that out, then.”
“Thank you for your help... how did you know that?”
“I've... got my reasons for knowing about poisons.”
“Like what?”
“I'd rather not talk about it.”
“So then, you use them.”
“...”
“You're some sort of ninja, by the look of you... I bet you're Megumi Akane, what with my luck.”
“You're very smart.”
“...you... you're Megumi Akane?” He said, now terrified of me.
“Three years ago, I was.”
“Well, i've only heard rumors about you, but similar rumors call me a vampire.”
“I'm afraid the ones about me are true.”
“....are you going to kill me?”
“Would i have helped you figure out the antidote to your poison if was? It would be something of a waste of time, now wouldn't it?”
“...I suppose so.”
“I WAS a murderess... I have learned from my mistakes.”
“That is good to hear.” Trion's voice was audible from the stairway.
“It is.” Novalmauge said. “It means i get to live another day. Might i take my leave?”
“go ahead.” I said. “I hope they don't think you're a vampire when you come out of here for the first time. That was the problem i had.”
“I don't understand...” he said.
“Never mind. Just go work on getting what you need.”
He hurried off, obviously relived to get away from me. As he did, Trion walked up to me.
“You seem better. That was kind, what you just did.”
“I'm not all evil.”
“I didn't...”
“Yes you did. Don't lie, Trion, it doesn't suit you.”
He Grimaced. “Obviously i'm not going to convince you that I saw redeeming value in you from the first, so i'll not try.”
“Has Koda-”
“Yes, i wish you had trusted me from the first, but I think, in your position, i would not have either. This presents us a serious problem. I think the only option left to us-”
“Is to stop the court from demanding my death. That won't be easy.”
“I'm not entirely sure it's even possible.”
I was silent. There wasn't anything to say.
“I think, perhaps, if you helped us with the problem we are currently having, it would allow me to convince some of the more powerful nobles to leave you be, at least for a time. You could escape in that time. Koda wouldn't follow you this time, and any fool who did would deserve what they got. Koda only gets away with disobeying me because i know her intentions are always good. No one else do i trust in that way.”
“Why do you trust her so much?”
“She has a certain... slowness of wit.”
“Meaning?”
“She's not very bright. Easy to read.”
“Oh. Yes, it's odd how she manages to make stupidity into a good quality.” I grimaced. Trion actually laughed at that.
“I've thought so myself many a time.”
I was still depressed. He had looked pleased with himself, but then noticed my state, and became more serious.
“Perhaps... we should speak of what assistance I require from you.”
“Perhaps.”
“It is a difficult and long story, are you sure you are up to listening to it? I found it rather boring when i heard it.”
“I'm fine, Trion.” I said a bit testily. “Tell me.”
“It started in blood, simply put. Tovanage, one of the captains of the temple knights, lost his wife. She was murdered.”
“This sounds familiar.”
“Aye, it should. There was a bloody rose found on her corpse.”
I blanched. The order of the bleeding rose was possibly the only group that could produce such instant, abject fear in me.
“However, that is not such a problem, as it turns out. Their leader was discovered by Tovanage.”
“Indeed?”
“He found a letter in the house of the commander of the Temple Knights, addressed to an assassin that we recently arrested and interrogated. As it turns out, they had been planning to murder the entire royal family. Curilla is at the center of it.”
“She is the commander of the Temple Knights?”
“Yes. She's been the head of the Bloody Rose all along.”
“Impossible. Raogrimm is the head.”
“Think. Raogrimm died. They use his name to frighten Francmage. Simple, no?”
“I don't think so...”
“Perhaps not, but she is involved. The letter was found there. I've seen it.”
“I suppose i'll have to forgive Tovanage for punching me in the face. He must have been very upset at the time.”
“He was, but that is no excuse.”
“Maybe not to you.”
“You are making this tale difficult to recount. Do you want to hear it or not?”
“Continue, please.”
“Very well then. She fled. We could not stop her as she fled, something was protecting her. I belive it was the might of the evil god Promathia. That is why we cannot fight her ourselves.”
“Surely Altana's might outweighs that of the chained god?”
“It does, yet not of the knights I have sent to retrive her have returned. Whole companies have vanished. It is most eerie.”
“So... you want me to do what? Kill her? You know i won't bring her back alive.”
“That... seems to be the only option. I would kill her, given the chance. She is fallen, and thus deserves no mercy, I feel.”
“I see what is going on here.”
“What?”
“You would be duty-bound to kill her if you bested her. I am not. You are hoping i will bring her back alive.”
He looked frustrated and angry. “Fine! So that is how it is! It is none of your affair, if you wish to live! You will do as you are told, and not talk back again, or i will have your head off!”
I was shocked. This was not at all what Trion was supposed to be. This was something else, something selfish and ambitious. This... wasn't Trion.
“What on earth is the matter with you? I thought you were a paladin of Altana!” I shouted back. He seemed to normalize some.
“You are right...” he trailed off. “That comes first, before any ...other considerations. Forget my outburst.”
“So... where is she?”
“In Ordelle's caves. Deep, near where the Stropers live. You can see their chyme eating away at the walls there. It's disgusting.”
“Indeed. It is also dark.” I smirked. Evilly, i guess.
“Go. Take Koda, and anyone else you wish with you.”
“I wish to go alone.”
“You will not. It is dangerous in the open for you, and further, i want you to actually come back.”
“I've given my word Trion.”
“Then you'd go back on it. Honor isn't an issue for you, this much i know. You are concerned only with keeping yourself alive, and those who you care about alive and happy.”
“Koda's told you a lot about me.”
“Indeed she has.”
With that, i turned to leave. It was time to prepare.


It was no less that an hour later that we departed. A quiet, anonymous supply wagon rolled out of the Chateau D'oraguille. It was searched thoroughly. They did not find me. I suppose having the driver of the wagon cover for me was a great help. Still, it was depressingly easy to get out of the chateau-staying out would be hard. With Koda after me, if and when i took off, i couldn't really even run for long.

...My thoughts drifted to Sanosuke, for some reason. I did miss him, as did Hobbes and Koda. He was always cocky and sure of himself, so much so that it gave me confidence, usually. Now he was gone, his self-assuredness not saving him. I found myself thinking more on how his death had been so random and pointless, rather on how meaningful and important his life had been. It seemed unfair, that he should not have died either heroically, or happily as an old man. He'd earned that, i thought. It was good that i had brought Hobbes along, i needed to talk to him about this.
“Hik...Hobbes?” I said, polishing my kunai in front of a campfire.
“Yes?” He said.
“Have you ever thought about... dying?”
“Quite a bit.”
“And?”
“It doesn't worry me. I've accomplished much more in my life than most do.”
“I see. You expect to die... as a hero?”
“I suppose. Are you thinking about Sano?”
“Yes.”
“His death wasn't pointless at all, if that's what's worrying you.”
“How'd you...?”
“It just seemed like something that would bother you.”
“It still is.”
“Why?”
“He deserved better.”
“That, i'd agree with. One rarely gets what one deserves, in death.”
“I...see.”
“I hate to be so horribly pessimistic and fatalistic, but it's just one last dissapointment in life... that you don't get to live to see any more dissapointments.”
I laughed, just a little.
“I don't think that's true at all!” Koda said.
“Oh?” Hobbes said.
“I think it was pretty dead on.” Daevik said. “Amazing that a clod like you said it.”
“I think that death is just a step, and that life continues afterwards, just differently. After we die, we go to be with Altana, if we are worthy. Your Sanosuke most certainly was.” She said, Smiling.
“I suppose that would be the case, but the Shadow lord dragged Sano's soul into the Fuuin as it died.”
“Is that really true??” Koda said, suddenly. It seemed that that fact had struck something in her.
“Yes.” Hobbes said. “I saw it.”
“Then every time you start to give in, he'll be there to tell you to be strong, if you listen suri! He will!”
“Perhaps that is what has caused me to stop from... killing you, both times that i had the chance.”
“It is! Oh, i know it is!” Koda said.
“Then... it does serve some purpose, for him to have died.”
“Seemingly so.” Daevik said.
There was something of a pause in the conversation, then hobbes decided to ask the ten million gil question.
“Daevik... why did you want to to be the... executor of justice in Suriko's case?”
"...i'll explain that another time."
"You'll explain it now, or you'll not come with us an inch further."
"It is something that is not important at the moment. Curilla matters more."
"How can I trust you?"
"We'll agree to make issue out of it after this is over with. I'll explain then."
"Daevik." I said. "You... want revenge. I've done something to you. I don't know what it is, but I have done something."
"Yes, you have. It is not revenge I seek, but justice. Justice is patient."
"Justice will be served once she is done helping curilla." Koda said. "Trion said so. "
"Shut up. You knights are all the same."
"Jerk."

Later that night, After Koda and Daevik had already gone to sleep, Hobbes and I were lying awake, looking at the stars. I was resting my head on his chest.
“We could just leave.” He said.
“No, even if not for the fact that Koda would find me easily.”
“I wish i could say you were wrong. There are myriad reasons to say it, but... they are still our friends.”
“I wish i was as cold and evil as they make me out to be in San D'Oria. Things would be so much simpler.”
“I'm glad you're not.” He said, rubbing my shoulders. “I don't think i'd like you much if you were.”
“I suppose not. You being so good-natured, yourself.”
“I'm not perfect either. The difference between you and me really is that the people i've killed were less respected than the ones you have.”
“This might sound strange... but that's the kindest thing anyone's ever said to me.”
“That didn't sound strange at all. That's why i said it.”
“You understand so easily... why is that?”
“It's called love, Suri. You just have to get used to it. I'm surprised it seems so alien to you, what about those three years you were with sano?”
“It was different.”
“How so?”
“Even if he did understand, he wouldn't let it show. He wanted me to become a better person.”
“I knew he was harsh sometimes, i didn't know he was like that with you.”
“It was better that way, i think. He said he loved me no matter what i was like, but he wanted me to improve myself for my own sake.”
“I guess... i hardly knew him.”
“He was only like that with me. I'm sure it was what i needed. It's why i never killed like I did in San D'Oria, again.”
“It sounds like he treated you more as a daughter than as a wife.”
“Maybe so. I wouldn't know.”
“Yeah. You told me about that.”
“But i think you're right. I think he saw me as someone who needed his help, more than someone who was... i don't know, what a wife normally would be.”
“So, not everything was perfect in how you got along with sano.”
“Is it ever? With anyone?”
“No, but the two of you acted as though it was. I thought it was. I was happy for the two of you, that you should have such a happy marriage.”
“it was a lot of effort from both sides, trying to get along all the time.”
“Well...” I knew he was about to compare himself with sano, unfavorably. He never trusted himself when it came to me, and i really wanted him to. He'd always been so kind. If only there was something i could say or do that would make him know that... Perhaps that was the thought process i had then, but it didn't really serve as justification for my next action.
“No less than we put in now. There is one thing, however...”
“mmm?” I had piqued his curiosity. He was soon to be so much more interested, that i found it humorous, at least at the back of my mind.
“Well... it's hard to say... i'll just... show you.”
“Huh?”
I sat up and started to undress. Hobbes caught on quickly, probably because he'd been waiting for a chance to ask me. I rather liked the enthusiasm i caught in his eyes, it was the first time he seemed so sure of himself.
“Suri... you sure about this?”
“Not entirely.” I said, being honest. “I think it would be a good idea, though.”
“I... well, i'm for it...”
After that, we stopped talking. In fact, only one more thing was said before we drifted off to sleep:
“Wow, suri, i've never seen you smile like that.”
I was, admittedly, much happier at that moment than i'd been in recent memory. I've been just as happy many times since, in various different situations, but that stick out in my mind. I still don't think it was terribly bright, but i've never had any reason to regret it. Oh well.


The next morning was also a very good moment in my life. Waking up, not alone was something that i had always found important, from the earliest moments of my life. Unfortunately, because of who i'd become, i had to do it a lot. It was at this moment, when i woke and felt Hobbes' arms around me, that my usual depression and cynicsm faded. It was just me, and him, nothing else mattered. It was, to say the least, a feeling i treasured. Either i woke him up then, or he'd aleady been, because he pulled my face up to his and kissed me.
“Good morning.” was all he said.
“It certainly is.” I said, still smiling some.
“You seem happy.”
“I am.”
“That's good.”
“Yeah.”
We were talking to just talk, i think. It got a little more pointed after that.
“I... didn't think you would be.”
“Oh...” That sort of ruined the point of having done that with him. I wanted him to belive that i really didn't think poorly of him.
“I guess i should've known better.” He said.
“Wha?”
“I should've known you'd like it.”
“Oh. I guess.”
“You like anything involving another person that much... I didn't say that very well, but you understand, right?”
“I think so. Something to do with me wanting at least one person to like me and approve of me? You've told me many times that i like being around you for that reason.”
“Yes, that was what i was thinking of.”
“I don't think it's that at all.”
“Oh?”
“I think it's that i'm just glad to do anything with you.”
“Nice of you to say.” He smiled. “I'll take your word for it.”

Koda was a little dissaproving, but for once in her life, she was silent about it. I still knew how she felt, though. For some reason, the near spiritual perception that i had posessed while partially the shadow lord was still lingering. It was odd, but it would also be very handy. Perhaps it would help me reason with Curilla.
Walking through the La Thiene Plateau taught me how slowly i could move if i needed to. It took a whole day to get from the Ronfaure forest to the entrance to ordelle's caves. I was dreading facing curilla down-she was said to be Trion's equal, at least in terms of raw swordsmanship. I find it hard to belive that if Trion was actually trying to defeat her that she would win, but i'd heard about her besting him in a competition of some sort.
In any case, it made her a dangerous opponent, one i was not likely going to be able to defeat. I'd have to pick at some emotion, cause her to make a mistake. Then i could best her. It complicated things that i was supposed to not kill her.

It was night when we reached the entrance to ordelle's caves. My mentality suddenly switched when i saw the cavern's opening. I had thought i would want to camp for one more night, but then, after seeing the cave, i decided putting off the inevitable was stupid. I should just go in, get it over with. I wasn't tired, or anything.
“Suri, you should rest before you go in there.” Hobbes said.
“No, i'm ready.”
“He's right, suri.” Koda said.
“I think you should just head on in. if you're not ready now, you never will be.” Daevik said.
“That was sort of what i was thinking too, but i didn't want to admit it.” Hobbes said. “I wanted more time.”
“I don't think it would be a good idea. I'd think of you too much. That would make it hard to fight Curilla.”
“True. Go.” He said.
“I'll be back.”
I walked into the cave, and slipped into the shadows. She was far down. Still, moving through the cave was easy for me, i felt quite at home, in fact. There were quite a few feinds roaming the passages, but the worst of them that i saw were goblins. Nothing I really feared until i got deeper into the caves.

The fiends deep in the caves were seemingly more powerful. Gigantic beetles passed back and forth, dumb to my presence. What frightened me more, was the seemingly intelligent globs of slime that roamed the halls. I had to assume that was the chyme from the stropers of the caves; i'd heard the stropers were fearsome opponents. Seeing traces of them slightly startled me, but since nothing had noticed my passage yet, i was as yet not worried.

Then i saw a light. It flickered a bit, it was probably a candle. That was Curilla. She'd picked up the candle, and was walking toward the rock i was hiding behind. She knew i was there. The same thing that had lead Koda to me was leading her as well. That made no sense. Altana provided that sense, supposedly. Then again, i didn't really belive in Altana's power in any case. I figured the power came from some other source. I guess, then, that it shouldn't have surprised me nearly so much as it did.

“Megumi Akane? Show yourself.” Curilla said. How in the hell had she known who i was? “Come on. You're wasting time for the both of us.” I stood up.
“Ah, there you are. Might i ask you a question?”
I blinked. This was just odd. She was scared, more than anything. She hid it well.
“Go ahead.” I said.
“Why are you here?”
“I'm here to bring you back to San D'Oria. Alive.”
“You?”
“Strange, isn't it?”
“A reverse of what i would expect. In any case, i'm not going.”
I sighed. “Why not?”
“For the same reason you never did.”
“Ah. Now explain to me why you had to flee.”
“I'm not totally sure. A cadre of my own knights burst in on me whilst i was training a few of my men. They just attacked me, didn't tell me what i'd done, didn't even try to arrest me. I fought them off, then fled from the city. I was fortunate, because Altana was protecting me the whole time. I would have died otherwise.”
“What?” I was confused, but i could tell she was telling the truth. I just knew.
“What did i not make clear?”
“Nothing... it just doesn't square with what Trion told me.”
“T-Trion sent you? No wonder you didn't attack me on sight.”
“What do you know of the order of the bleeding rose?”
“That you were their best assassin three years ago.”
“Please don't dredge that up.”
She cocked her head, apparently surprised that i was ashamed of my actions.
“In any case, i also know that they've been mostly dormant for about three years. Trion mostly eliminated them after you and Fukai fled the city.”
“You know about the murder of Tovanage's wife?”
“Yes, it was odd. A blood-covered rose on her corpse. The same as... you used to do.”
“They say you are the head of the organization now. They've found a letter in your chambers, adressed to the assassin who killed her. He was pumped for information and put to death. He said you hired him.”
She was shocked, utterly. She'd had no clue. She had nothing to do with the murder. This was even more complex than i thought.
“I... had nothing to do with that! The letter must be a fake!” She paused. “...not that you'll belive me, of course.”
“I belive you. I am...somewhat sympatheitc to those hunted by San D'oria, for reasons that should be relatively obvious.”
“I...see. What do you propose we do?”
“What have you done with the other three knights Trion sent?”
“Nothing. They are here, protecting me. They were some of my most loyal friends, and volunteered to go after me so that they could come help.”
“Clever.”
“I'm surprised Trion didn't see through it. In fact, he probably did.”
“No, he had no idea. I'm certain.”
“Well, it's not important.”
“How can we go about clearing your name?”
“...What? Why is it any of your concern?” normally, i would have taken that as insulting, but i knew she didn't mean it that way. She genuinely didn't know why i would help.
“It is the only way, I think, that Trion can keep me from being executed.”
“I'd be surprised if clearing my name would so change the opinion of the people. Even your killing of the shadow lord didn't sway their opinion.”
“It is... better to try.”
“I see. Yes, that is true.”
I stopped and thought. Would it be possible to save myself from their hatred? Was it possible that i could be forgiven, after all i had done? Or would they all, like Tovanage, look at me hatefully for all their lives? Would they always resent me? Could i ever even apologize?
So many questions, and no answers.
“What is it that you think of?” Curilla asked me.
“Do you think, that after what i have done, that it is possible to redeem myself? To be forgiven?”
“You forget something important.” She said. “To redeem yourself is not necessarily to be forgiven. You may yet redeem yourself from your actions, but being forgiven is likely impossible.”
“I...see.”
“You are not at all what i thought you would be.” She said.
“What, exactly, do you mean?”
“I always expected you to be almost diabolicaly evil, reviling in the murders you comitted, not reviling yourself for them.”
“I... have changed.”
“Yet there are still those who will not forgive you.”
“Tovanage... he never will. His father died at my hand. He-” I stopped. The realization struck me like a blow from a warhammer to my chest. I had been an idiot.
“Tovanage.” I said. “He's the new captain of the Temple Knights.”
“Yes, of course. He was in line to take the post when i stepped down.”
“He is close to your age, is he not?”
“Yes, perhaps a year or two younger than I.”
“Then if he waited until you retired, he would hardly see command at all.”
“You don't mean to suggest...”
“He killed his own wife, and made it look like the order of the bleeding rose. He used that to make it seem impossible for him to be the murderer, then made it appear to have been you. Thus, he assumes your post.”
“That's hard to belive. How could be have been so cold as to kill his own wife?”
“I don't truly know. It has to be, though.”
“Then we must return to the city at once. I will turn myself in, give them something to pay attention to. You must find evidence of Tovanage's treachery.”
“You don't need to turn yourself in.”
“No, you must be sure that none of the Temple Knights are in nor near his chambers. They would know your presence immidately. If i am on trial, they will all be there, not guarding his house.”
She was right, and i knew it. I still didn't like it.
“If i find nothing?”
“Then i die. But it's better than running for the rest of my life.”
I felt like i'd been slapped. It seemed like i was the only one who didn't want to face their fate if it involved death. These San D'Orians all seemed to have some sort of strength of will that lacked. It was...embarrassing.
“Are you ready to go? Sooner the better.” I said.
“I've got everything i still have right here.” She had her armor, a sword, and a candle. I'd been in similar situations.
“Then let us return to the surface. My companions await my return there.” We started walking toward the way out of the caverns.
“Oh? Who?”
“Koda, who i assume you know, Daevik, a remiem monk.”
“Those two i know, yes. Who else?”
“Hobbes, a samu-”
“I know of him. His swordsmanship is unsurpassed, i hear. He travels with you?”
“Yes...”
“You keep some powerful company. I'm gald we didn't fight, i'd probably have lost.”
“Don't be so sure. I'm not much good once my position is known.”
“Indeed. That must make it difficult to fight the knights, now. That is good. Hopefully it means you won't try, and i won't lose six more of my men to you.”
I was silent the rest of the walk.

When we emerged, Koda was utterly shocked to see the both of us walk out of the cave. Hobbes was midly surprised and Daevik was... bemused.
“You... didn't kill her?” Koda said, trying to hide her shock.
“No, why would I? She's not guilty of anything except having a postion that Tovanage wanted.”
“W-what?” Koda said.
“She said i was innocent.”Curilla said.
“What makes you think that?” Daevik said.
“I'm certain.” I said.
“You recall that sense she was left with after... the incident in the chateau.” Hobbes said. “If she's certain, i'll belive her.”
“Aye, I'd never argue with a woman's intuition.” Daevik said, rolling his eyes.
“Koda, i assume you belive me?”
“Of course. It's tough to figure out, so i guess i'll just let you do that for me. Tell me what to do, Suri.”
“Take Curilla back to San D'Oria. Turn her in. Tell Trion what i've told you, and that i'll need the Temple knights to be all in one place to be able to find what i need to. Make sure they are all at the trial. I'm sure Trion can arrange that.”
“Okay, i can do that. I guess that means you're not coming with us?”
“Correct. I have to sneak back into the city anyway.”
“True enough.” Hobbes said. “And for appearances, i have to go with them?”
“As much as i like your company, yes, you do.”
“Very well. I'll see you when this is all over.”
“Suriko.” Daevik said. “Don't die. I'll kill you if you do.”
“I'll... keep that in mind.” I said.
“We split paths here.” Curilla said. “If you are seen with us, it would be difficult to explain.”
“Correct. Goodbye.” I said, then vanished into the night.

It was wonderful. Being alone for a change. No one breathing down my neck, i could go where i want, do what i want. It felt like freedom. It wasn't, truly, i had to go to San D'Oria with all possible haste. But it felt like it for a change. I perched myself in a tree for a short rest, and enjoyed the moon and stars.
It made me think back to how my life had been, before i'd left Tengoku Village. Back to when i was a child, using my ninjutsu to play silly pranks, instead of taking it seriously. But then again, no one took me seriously, so it fit. My mother had loved to play with me as a child, always trying to make me think i was an exceptional ninja. She'd always been so encouraging to Koda and I. I missed her.
Father was not so. He was always harsh, always making us train to become better. He wouldn't stand for Koda's rebellions, or my inadiquacies. He always told us that he just wanted us to become the best we could, but it just seemed that he wanted that because he hated what we were then. He practically drove me from the village when i was fourteen, ending me up in San D'Oria. I sort of blamed him for what had happened there, but not really. I knew it was my own mistakes, not his, that caused that.
It was sad that i hadn't been back. They must have given up on me as the did on Koda. That was possibly the worst realization of all, I wanted... my father... to be proud. He never would. I left the village, incompetent and worthless, and i would return a callous murderer. Nothing to be proud of. At least, if i never returned, he wouldn't know that i'd failed to be what he demanded of me. There would still be a glimmer of hope, for him. I could never go back home. My father hoping that i would become something he would be proud of was worth more to me than being able to see my home again.

I realized i was crying. Embarrassed, i wiped the tears from my face, and tried to act as though it hadn't been happening. Who was i trying to convince? I was lying to myself... to myself, about my own emotions. How stupid was that? I cursed myself, and resumed my journey.

“The ronfaure woods certainly are beautiful.” I thought to myself, as i leaped from tree to tree, making my way toward the City walls of San D'Oria. “I wish i could spend more time here.” I wasn't far from the city walls. They were just coming into view through the thick forest canopy, but i had seen them from miles away, when i had poked my head above the canopy from time to time. Just because i could.

The City walls seemed less daunting than when i'd seen them last. Aside from the fact that i was 6 inches taller, My abilities had developed quite a bit since i'd last been faced with the prospect of scaling them. I launched from the tallest tree i could find, toward the wall, I jabbed my Kunai into a crack between two stones and pulled myself up, jabbing another kunai into a opening further up. It only took about 5 minutes to scale the wall in this way. Reaching the top, i flipped up onto the wall and slipped into the shadows. There was no one nearby. This would do for a place to observe the city. I got comfortable.
Koda's entourage entered the city mere hours after i had nestled myself into my place on the wall. There was a great deal of fanfare when they entered, apparently the people had wanted Curilla badly. I saw Koda block Tovanage as he tried to strike Curilla. He was good at feigning his anger. I was nearly fooled, but then i saw the source of his anger to be jealousy for holding a position he wanted. There were a lot of emotions running high down there, it was hard to focus. Thank goodness for my father's obsession with my training, if not for that, i would have been totally overwhelmed my senses. As it was, i barely kept up.
They took her to the chateau, ostensibly to throw her in the Bostanieux Oubliette. Trion didn't look pleased, from where i was. He and Curilla excanged a glance... was that... no, not quite. They weren't lovers, but he certainly had strong feelings for her, almost as if she were a sister. They took her inside. The Temple Knights were congregating around the chateau, something was wrong. Would there be no trial? It had happened to me, but i assumed it would be different for her. Perhaps the trial would be immidiate. Why hadn't i thought of this in advance? Idiot. Damn it, i had to go now. There was no time to be sure it was safe.
I jumped from the wall, slowing my fall by periodically using the wall to slow my descent, i managed to hit the ground with only a small thud. Nothing damaged, and very little noise. No one had noticed, luckily. There was little time. I began to move toward the barracks of the Temple Knights. Thank goodness it was only their headquarters that were in the Chateau D'Oraguille. The streets were near empty, making moving about them very simple. Avoiding detection in this environment could be easily done by any Genin. I was no Genin.
The barracks were unguarded, as the plan had stipulated. It was fortunate. I slipped inside, and headed upstairs, towards the chambers of the captain. None of the doors were locked. Idiots. At least Tovanage's door was locked, but i hardly broke step going through his door in any case. I entered his chambers, intently focused on finding the evidence i needed. That was a mistake.
The flat of a sword slammed into my back and sent me to the floor. Tovanage.
“Do you think i was stupid enough to let that little ruse fool me?”
He charged me, shield out in front. He was well armored and well trained. A hard fight this would be. I Backflipped over his sword as he swung, it missed me by inches.
“Idiot. You should have killed me when i walked in.”
I Jumped up, contacted the roof, which was some 12 feet above the floor, pushed off and pounced. I let a small string trail behind me. He swung again, not slowly. I contacted the floor, and flipped to the side, corkscrewing in the air, over his blade. With one foot i flipped open the visor on his helmet, and i firmly planted the other in his exposed face.
I pushed off, and landed some 20 feet from him.
“Damn you! Go back to hell, where you belong!”
I felt some sort of divine magic suddenly begin to rend my body into pieces. I felt like every little part of myself was being torn apart. The feeling quickly subsided, but it had stunned me for too long. He was on top of me, about to strike. There was little i could do. I tried to parry with my Kunai, but he was vastly stronger than i. I was thrown to the floor, a large gash in my arm. I silently thanked Gilgamesh. Without the Shiten-Soku relics i was wearing, i would have lost my arm.
Tovanage inverted his sword, and tried to plunge it into my heart. I rolled to the side, pushed of the ground, and caught him full in the chest with both feet, sending him reeling. I resumed my feet, and began making hand signs for the kage bunshin no jitsu.
“Oh, no you don't!” He shouted. He slammed his sword into the ground, and a great seal formed on the floor, extending to all corners of the room. “Your Jitsu is sealed.” He sneered.
I found myself unable to finish. I couldn't complete the jitsu. “Damn you!” i shouted. I let loose another string and trailed it behind me. He was more powerful than i was... i'd have to make him angry, or fearful. One of the two, perhaps both. I had to make him think i was toying with him.
“I will avenge my father's death!”
“He would be proud of you! You've turned out to scum just like him!”
“How dare you!?!?”
He charged again, furious. It wasn't calculated, he just wanted me dead. I spun to the side, and tripped him up as his blade flew over my head. It nicked one of me ears. As he tripped, I landed a kick to the back of his head, and his helmet flew off. And now he was in real trouble. I pulled the strings taut.
“What the?” he shouted.
He was suspened in mid-air held paralyized by tiny threads that i had looped around him and various objects in the room. He couldn't move, but i had to hold the strings tight, so niether could I. Yet.
“Now, Tovanage, now i kill you like the dog you are. Like the dog your father was! I will destroy your entire family line! I swear it!” ...perhaps i was carried away in the moment.
There is a subtlety to the use of the threads that i had tied him up with. When you let go, your opponent would be free to move again. Thus, most used them to set up an advantageous attack. If one tried to simply tie them off, usually they would go slack, and allow an opponent to escape. Unless they were lined up perfectly, as my now hightened senses allowed me to do with ease. I tied a couple knots, let the strings go, and walked toward him.
“Now, Tovanage. Make peace with Altana, for you're about to meet her.”
I thrust my kunai at his heart.

It shattered.

He was surrounded by some sort of black aura. The Same protection as Koda had received from Altana, but it was from some malevolent force. I practically flew back from him, landing across the room. He stood on his feet, and laughed.
“I gave my soul to Promathia a long time ago. You're wasting your time, trying to kill me.”
I felt a sharp pang of fear. More and more power seemed to to flow from him. His skin cracked and peeled away to reveal Black skin and red, evil eyes. A shadow.
“I will free my worldy master from inside your body, and rule this world with him! The Shadow Lord will be born again!” Tovanage raved. A madman.
He put down his sword and sheild, and grabbed a gigantic great sword off the wall. With one hand. The other seemed to be reaching up and grasping something. Then i saw it.
The floor cracked open at his feet and the crack raced across the floor to me in the blink of an eye. I was to stunned to move. Some sort of dark force exploded out of the floor and lifted me off my feet, slamming me into the roof. I coughed up blood. At least i had the presence of mind to land on my feet and be instantly moving. He was on me in an instant, swinging the great sword with even more alacrity than he had shown with the other weapon he'd been using. I barely escaped that stroke with my life.
I ran up the wall and backflipped off of it. As i did so, i saw him swinging at where i had just been. I aimed for him and landed on his shoulders. Tightening my legs around his head, i backflipped, sending him headfirst into the ground. As i flipped away from him, i slammed a kunai into his back. He howled with pain, but stood once more.
“It'll take more than that, little girl!' He hissed.
“I hoped so, or else this would have been rather boring.” I said, calmly. I wanted to appear as though i thought i was winning. It didn't have the desired effect.
“Then i guess i'll make it really interesting for you!”
He began to wave his hands in the air, the great sword just floating where he had let go of it. I saw some dark power froming between his hands, and i knew what he was doing. I recognized the spell. A blast of fire caught me right in the front and slammed me into the wall. I slumped, in a great deal of pain.
Suddenly he was there, Trying to nail me to the wall with his sword. I slipped underneath it, and swept his legs out from underneath him. Passing underneath, and spinning to my feet to gather momentum, I stood on the other side of him, and stabbed a kunai through his throat, embedding it in the wall.
I stepped back, and pulled another. He was scrabbling at it, trying to get it out of his neck, trying to pull himself off the wall. I rached forward, and pulled it out. He stood, swaying.

“Now, Tovanage, taste my steel!” I spun and stabbed one last kunai into his mouth. The note on the end flipped up in front of his eyes, and he realized, just before the end, what it was.
“Fuuin!” I shouted.
“No!!” he screamed as his essence was drained into the seals on the paper. His body turned to dust and crumbled. I spit on him. Taking the note, I walked out of the bulding. Making all haste possible, i headed for the Chateau D'Oraguille. Curilla could be dead already.
I burst in through the castle doors, the guards outside lying on the ground, unconcious. They were conducting a trial, not an execution. I was in time. Though my entrance drew a great deal of attention, not all focused on me. That changed quickly.
“Stop!” Trion's voice boomed out. He had probably been referring to the trial, but i still stopped in place for a second, so commanding was his voice. Then i resumed my breakneck pace, running up to Trion's throne.
“What have you there?” He said.
“Proof of Curilla's innocence and Tovanage's treachery!” I said, loud enough fo all to hear.
“That's-That's Megumi Akane!” someone shouted. “Stop her!”
“You will not touch her!” Trion boomed again. “She has evidence for this trial!”
“She's a murderer! “ Someone else shouted.
“And you won't be in the Chateau much longer if you don't shut up!” He boomed back. Her turned to me, and lowered his voice considerably. “What proof is this?”
“Tovanage's Soul. He gave himself to Promathia and became a shadow.”
His eyes shot open wide. “I cannot simply take your word for it, you realize.”
“Fine then.” I took the note back from him, and held it between my hands.
“Katon!” It burst into flames on the floor.
“Suriko, what are you doing?!?” Trion shouted.
“Ask him yourself.” I said.
Tovanage took form out of the smoke from the burning seal. He looked very angry, but he was also unable to do anything. Such was the nature of the seal i'd used.
“Grrrr.... you *****! I'll kill you!” He snarled.
“Quiet!” Trion boomed at him “You will tell us exactly what you have done, and you will tell us the truth! Altana's power compels you to do so!”
“rrrrr....aaaa!” he screamed in pain. He'd tried to lie. “Fine, fine. Here, fleshling, is what i have done. I grew angry at this harpy for the last three years of my life. I wanted to kill her. Temple Knights under Curilla, didn't care to go after her. I decided that i would kill her, at any cost, and so i gave my soul to Promathia. Then i planned to seize power in the Temple Knights from Curilla, by framing her for my wife's murder. In this way, i could have revenge against Megumi Akane, that gleeful murderess who now stands at your side!”
There was silence in the Chateau, for a brief instant. I took it as my chance.
“Be ready.” I whispered to Trion.
“What?” He said. I don't know whether he'd figured it out or not, but i wouldn't have another chance to do it.
I broke what was left of Tovanage's seal.
He leapt at me, but Trion's sheild met him half way. He snarled and punched Trion squarely in the face. Trion didn't even flinch. I didn't see anything after that.
Confusion swept the room. The mass of aristocrats that filled the room all surged toward the door. The temple knights were overwhelmed. Too much to keep track of. I made good my escape, slipping out a window.
The last thing i saw before i slipped out was Trion leaping high above Tovanage, his sword raised above his head. Tovanage was soon to be cleaved in half, but I didn't have the time to watch. I dropped from the window to the street, unseen.


He was later than i would have expected. I waited, impatiently for him, hiding in a tree in the Ronfaure Forest. I was fairly sure that i wouldn't be spotted, but that didn't make me any more comfortable. In truth... i was just bored, not worried.
Hobbes walked out of the underbrush into the clearing i was walking. Finally.
“Suri? Aren't you here somewhere?”
Something was wrong. He was being followed.
“Who's following you?” I said, throwing my voice so as not to give my position away.
“Daevik.” He said.
Oh. I was just too paranoid. Actually, it was a relief. I dropped down into the clearing. I didn't see Daevik. That worried me.
“How'd you know he was following me, Suri? He's like a mile and a half back.”
That explained why i hadn't seen them.
“Well i knew because...” I paused. I didn't actually know why. “...I... ah... did.”
He smiled. “Well, i won't criticize.”
"When he catches up... He's going to fight us. I'm sure of it."
"That's... going to be hard."
"Yes. It is. What of Trion?"
“He's made sure that you're not going to be hunted anymore.”
“How'd he manage that?” I asked, skeptical.
“He's the commander of the Royal Knights, so he can ensure they don't pursue you, and Curilla commands the Temple Knights again, so they won't be after you.”
“Sounds like it's well in hand. I'd thank him, but going back to San D'Oria would be stupid.”
“Indeed so.”
“Anyway, there's something else...”
“hmmm?”
He grabbed a hold of me and kissed me, much to my surprise.
“I'm glad to have you back, Suri.” He said.
“I never did say thank you for everything you did for me. Thank you.”
He looked almost shocked. He wasn't, i don't think.
“Didn't think you'd ever say that.”
“Well... I guess...”
“I should have more faith.” Him saying that... made me smile. “Looks like there's a lot I thought wrong about you.”
“Not really. It's just that you changed a lot. Like Sano did.”
“Um... thanks?”
“Yeah, i meant it as a compliment, not just a statement of fact.”
“Geez, what happened to you?”
“I just... I almost lost everything. Made me appreciate what i've got.”
“It's more than that.”
“Then... i don't know.” I said, being more honest than usual.
“Well, it's a good thing, i think.”
“Yeah...” my voice trailed off. My mind shifted to other things as i spoke. “...what do we do now?”
“I guess... we go back to norg?”
“Maybe. I think i'd like to just roam around some.”
“That really doesn't surprise me. Let's see if we can get Aldo to get in touch with Gilgamesh for you, perhaps?”
“Probably going to need some jobs. I'm near broke.”
“Ha! As though that were an issue.”
“Oh, shut up. Let's go meet Daevik. I'm ready.”

[Suriko]

I crouched in ambush. Daevik was coming, probably to kill me. I wasn't going to give him the chance. I liked him, I refused to kill him myself, or to let him kill me. It was thus that i'd prepared a special Jutsu, one that would render him helpless, so that I could get his reasons out of him. All i needed was for Hobbes to distract him for a short while, and it would all work out.
I also wanted to know what i'd done to him. I liked Daevik, and i wanted his forgiveness.

There.

Hobbes was standing in a clearing in the Ronfaure Forest, waiting for Daevik, who'd followed us out of San D'Oria. Daevik walked out of the forest, looking around for me, while hobbes was at the far end of the clearing making a show of doing the same.

Daevik was battle-ready, but not totally alert. Hobbes walked over to him, Said something. Daevik responded. It was distraction enough for my jutsu to work.

The hand signs had already been formed, i'd just waited to activate the justu. Slamming my hand into the ground, The attack surged out.

A great crack opened up in the ground, beneath Daevik's feet. He was fast enough to backflip away, as I had expected, and even flipped in the direction i'd hoped he would. In the air, there was naught he could do to change his trajectory, so His fate was sealed.

He landed in another hole my jutsu had opened, which quickly sealed itself off, burying Daevik up to his neck in solid earth, which I was rapidly turining to stone. He'd be stuck for a while.

"Good." I said, walking out of the bushes. "Now you can explain what all this revenge business is about."
"I was actually rather hoping to best you in battle, then explain it." Daevik said. "That'd be a little pointless now."
"Aye." Hobbes said.
"Let me go." Daevik said.
"Sorry." I said. "I'm hoping to to hurt you any, but not letting you kill me is higher on my list of priorities."
"...indeed. Then I suppose I shall explain it from down here."
"What is it, exactly, that I've done to you, Daevik?"
"...let me tell you a story."

Daevik was born into a noble family in San D'oria. From a young age, Daevik had been intended to become a paladin of the Royal Knights as was the tradition for the men of his family. He was the only child of his generation, and so a great deal of pressure was on him to be an exceptional Knight and Paladin. He was pushed into training at the age of 4.
Daevik was not one to be told what to do, it seems. He began to resent his training, began to despise the concept of being a knight. At the same time, he rather took to the concept of physical combat, and often found himself picking fights, because he enjoyed unarmed fighting so much.
He was known as a troublemaker to other students, but teachers looked the other way, because of his noble heritage. He wasn't a bully-there wasn't any malevolence in his actions. He just liked to fight.
The rumors of his troublesome tendencies reached the ears of Master of squires in the royal knights. When Daevik came up to be admitted into the Royal Knights, he was denied. His parents were stunned, dismayed, and above all, furious.
“How could you not be accepted? Our family name alone is enough!” His father raged at him.
“Maybe I didn't want to get accepted!” he shouted.
“W-what?” His father said, livid.
“I don't want to be a goddamn knight!” Daevik said, flinching as he said it. His instincts served him well, as his father punched him solidly in the face.
“You little... never talk like that to me!”
Daevik stood back up. “I...”
“You've no chance of being a knight. Am I right?”
“Yes.” Daevik said.
“What did you do?” His father said, glaring.
“I fought with other students. A lot.”
“Why in the name of Altana did you do that?”
“I like to fight, and they won't let me.”
“You like to fight? What in the hell do you mean?”
“I like to fight! I'm good at it!”
“So you throw away a chance at a knighthood just to fight?” His father said, furious.
“I don't want to be a knight anyway, father!”
“Fine. Don't be a knight. Betray everything our family stands for. If you like to fight, I know where I can send you!”
“W-what?”
“You have a few things to learn about discipline. They'll teach you discipline at Remiem Temple.”
“I don't understand.” Daevik said.
“You won't be a knight, but you WILL serve altana. You'll become a monk at the Remiem Temple. I don't care whether you want to or not, you ARE going.”
Daevik said nothing, but nodded his head slowly.
“Now come here.” Daevik flinched away. “Idiot, i'm not going to hit you.” Daevik walked across the room, to his father. His father kneeled on one knee, so that he was face to face with his son.
“Now then, Daevik, no matter whether you are a knight or not, no matter how angry i am at you, you are still my son.”
Again, Daevik was speechless.
“You may take some time to get ready for your trip, but we will be going sometime soon.”
“I'll...be ready tomorrow.”
“Good. I want you to promise me something before you go.”
“Y-yes?”
“Do the best you can.”
According to Daevik, at the time, he had two things going through his mind at the time. The first was shame, for having let his father down. The other was a strong sense of determination not to let it happen again.
“Father... I will. I promise.”
His father smiled.

It was thus that Daevik began he training at remiem temple in Shorin-Ryu Karate. He was a natural. He never did take to the spiritual side of the training, but his unruly edge was curbed quite completely by the monks who trained him. He became a dedicated, focused and extremely powerful fighter. In fact, very little of his life changed for nine years.
Then, one day, while he was out training, a friend of his came up to him with a very grim look on his face.
“Daevik... The master says he has news for you. Dire news.”
Daevik looked unfazed, but ceased his forms. “Thank you.” He said, and went to go speak with his sensei.
His sensei's chambers were very simple, as were his own. The master looked upset, a look of pain permeating his face. “Daevik... please sit. This news will be difficult to handle.”
“What... has happened? I assure you, I can handle it.” Daevik said.
“Indeed... I believe you can. Your parents... they are dead.”
Daevik had no words. He stared at the floor, fighting back his emotions.
“I am sorry.”
“I had hoped to see my father when i was something he could be proud of. This was taken from me. How?”
“They were murdered. Killed by a group of revolutionaries called the Order of the Bleeding Rose. More specifically, by an assassin named Megumi Akane.”



At this point i stopped his story.
“What?” I said. “Why didn't you say something? Why didn't you try to kill me before?”
“That is a difficult question to answer.” He said. “Three weeks ago, when Aldo sent us against the shadow lord; do you recall that?”
“Yes... you said you wanted revenge... you meant against me, not the shadow lord. Am i right?”
“Indeed you are. I had planned on taking revenge after the shadow lord was dead. That was, of course, more important.”
“You said that you weren't after me. Liar.”
“I said i wasn't interested in the reward. That was truth.”
“Semantics.”
“In any case, I overheard your discussion with Gilgamesh. I was surprised, to say the least, that you would sacrifice so much for others. Not exactly the image of you I'd had in my mind for three years.”
“That was enough to stay your hand?”
“No, not entirely. I still planned to kill you, but i thought perhaps i would give you a chance to repent, first. Then Sanosuke died.”
“You knew i was depressed, and any more depression would allow the shadow lord to escape. You couldn't do anything.”
“Wrong!” he said, some anger in his voice. “How could you think so little of me? I felt... sorry for you. That stayed my hand.”
I was stunned.
“After that, My resolve hardened again. I decieded to try and end you life once more. Koda stopped me.”
“So then you were frustrated over not getting your revenge, not that you'd betrayed me.”
“I felt like scum, tricking you when you thought of me as a friend, but it was not getting revenge that really frustrated me, yes.” Daevik said.
“So... you haven't taken revenge on me yet, because circumstances prohibited it.”
"Aye."
“I wish... i could take it back, bring back your parents. Even at the cost of my own life, i would, but there is no way to do that. All i can do is tell you that I am sorry.”
He stared at me.
“For nine years...” He began, but stopped.
I began to understand. He had wanted the respect of his father, much as i had. I had dashed his chances at ever getting it. His pain, it was very similar to my own.
“At least... you can blame me for taking your second chance with your father. I have no one to blame but myself.”
“That isn't much consolation, suriko.” He said.
“Nothing i can say will be.” I said. “That, you know, is truth.”

There was silence for a time.
“I got the feeling you weren't finished. Shall we resume the story?” I said.
“Not a bad idea.” Daevik responded.


“What is this order, and why would they have killed my parents?” Daevik asked.
“They seek to create confusion and chaos enough in San D'Oria to take the city over.” His Sensei responded.
“So my parents were killed... randomly?”
“Not quite so. They were killed because they were well known, and supposedly well protected. The point, i think, was to show that no one in the city is safe. That fear goes a long way toward their goals.”
“Indeed. What is there to be done about it?”
“Nothing. You know well that there is nothing any of us will do. We do not meddle in such affairs.”
“This is... my family. I should be permitted to do something.”
“That is not how things work, as you well know.”
“...While i am still in the order.”
“You intend to leave?”
“I must. I cannot let this stand.”
“Very well. You are ready to leave us, in any case. You leave with only 2 possessions, and no more.”
“What will they be?” Daevik asked.
“Your clothing, and a pair of cesti. They are... in that box.”
Daevik walked over to the box, one of the few things in the room. He lifted the lid, and removed the cesti from their container. Dust fell to the floor. They had obviously not been used for some time.
“You have learned from us that it is the most simple things that are the best, in life. This is also true in a fight. Tell me how.”
“It's simple.” Daevik said. The sensei laughed quite a bit.
“A very creative answer, and also the most correct one. You've learned well. Take those most simple and spartan weapons and use them well. Use them to do good things.”
Daevik looked at the 'spartan cesti', as his sensei had called them. They were purplish in hue, and seemed heavy, yet well-balanced. Otherwise, they totally unremarkable, lacking any form of decoration. They felt well-suited to him.
“Thank you, sensei.”
“It is... the least i can do. I do not seem to wish harsh in telling you that you cannot return to the order, once you leave.”
“I am well aware. I am also sorry. But this... this i must do.”
“I would not question your senses in this.”
“Then... goodbye.”
“May Altana guide your steps.”


With that, Daevik turned and began walking. Out of his master's chambers, out of the monastery gate, out into the world.
He was confronted with the harshness and cold of the Beaudacine Glacier, yet he was well used to it after nine years. His walk took him down the glacier towards the ranguemont pass, and was relatively uneventful. The tigers knew well not to attack Daevik, after he had put many down with his bare hands. The Ranguemont Pass was much the same, he had trained extensively against the fiends there, and they cowered in the shadows away from him. Normally, Daevik would have picked a fight with a Goblin or some such, but in this instance, he was too focused on what lay ahead to think of it.


It was not until he reached the gate to San D'oria that he realized he had no clue where to start looking. Fate intervened.
“You there! Are you from the Remiem Temple? Your garments look it.”
“Aye.” Daevik said. “I am.”
“Did they send you to sort out this mess?”
Daevik paused. He didn't like to lie, but he wanted to find his parent's murderer.
“I... Volunteered.”
“Do they really think you can find the head of this group of terrorists?”
“I would rather find their assassin.”
“She's fled the city. You'll not find her here.”
Daevik looked at the ground, frustrated. He thought. She hadn't acted alone, she'd been ordered to kill. The ones who had ordered her were just as responsible. His revenge should fall on their heads as well. Yes, that'd do.
“Damnation. I was hoping she'd tell me where they were hiding.”
“There's little chance of that. Perhaps you had better speak to Curilla, she's in charge.”
“Aye, i'll do that.” He said.

He hadn't seen the city in nine years. It wasn't all that different, but it had lost the feel of being home. He no longer belonged there, nor did he want to be there. A mild dislike, even, was what he felt. Perhaps it was because of all the misery he'd felt in this city, or all the sad memories associated with it. Whatever the cause, he felt the desire to conclude his buisness in the city as soon a possible, so he rushed to the Chateau D'Oraguille.
Getting past the door guard was easy-his family name was more than enough to carry him through. Getting to talk to Curilla was no more difficult, his monk's garb made certain of that.
She was wearing a bandage over one eye, and seemed distracted when Daevik walked in. He ignored it, and proceeded with his buisness.
“Excuse me ma'am, but are you Curillia?”
“Aye, that I am. You are Daevik, son of my friend. I assume you come seeking his murderer?”
“Indeed.”
“Of that I can tell you little. She has fled the city, as have all of their order.”
“All of the order have fled?” Daevik's heart sunk.
“Aye. We've lost track of Megumi Akane, but The leaders of The order have been seen in Jeuno by an... 'aquaintance' of mine.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, and as such, my hands are tied. San D'Orian Knights have no authority in the duchy of Jeuno.”
“Then send me. I need no authoriy, only my fists.” Daevik said, a look of determination crossing his face.
“Indeed, i was rather hoping you would volunteer to so do.”
“Oh?”
“It is actually all rather well arranged already. Aldo, my 'aquaintance' is the head of a powerful smuggling group called the tenshodo. He will smuggle you aboard an airship bound for Jeuno, and point you in their direction. The rest is up to you.”
Daevik nodded. “A bit... under the table, for a knight.”
“I like to see justice done. If the law gets in the way of justice, then the hell with it.” She said.
That appealed to Daevik. “When can I leave? Now?”
“If you so wish. Go talk to Donvanogue in the ports. He usually eats at the Black Board inn. If you tell the bartender that Curilla sent you to find him, he should point you to him. Then give him this ring. He gave it to me to give to whomever i wanted to send.”
“Very well.” Daevik said. He took the ring, and left without another word.

The port was very busy, as per usual, but Daevik knew some of the back alleys from hi misspent youth, so he made good time to the Black Board. It wasn't nearly as seedy of a place as hed expected to find, considering he was looking for a smuggler. It was fairly civilized, and he looked out of place. With that little discomfort breathing down his neck, he shuffled across the floor to the bar in a relative hurry.
He came up to the Bar. The man standing behind the bar looked like a walking pawn shop. He had rings and such stinking out of nearly every single part of his body. Daevik, of course, was nonplussed, as usual.
“I'm looking for Donvanogue. Curilla sent me.”
“Sure, you and every other runt looking for a free ride to jeuno. Get lost.”
That did not sit well with Daevik. Considering what he could have done, he was rather nice about it.
“You know, that ring in your nose, that one looks rather good. I think i know where it would look better, though.” Daevik said.
“Oh? Where?”
“The bar.”
Daevik hooked a single finger through the man's nose ring and pulled sharply downward, slamming his head into the bar. The bartender began to screm, but the Daevik whispered something into his ear.
“You can call the guard, and have one nostril for the rest of your life, or you can point out Donvanogue. Now.” He said.
“There... there.. he's over there!” the man said, almost gibberring with fear. Daevik let go.
“Next time, be more helpful, and you won't end up sore.” Daevik said, before walking off to the table indicated by the bartender.
There was only one man sitting there, clothed in bright red, looking very rich.
“That was quite a show you put on over there. Bounty hunter, i assume?”
“Nothing of the sort. I have a ring for you.”
“Oh, so Curilla sent you? Good, good, I didn't relish the concept of arrest. I am Donvanogue, as you must have guessed by now.”
“How soon can we leave?”
“Quite in a hurry, are we? Well, that suits me, i like to have my work done with, so that my conscience is guilt free while I waste my time.”
“Then can we go, or are you going to ramble on?”
“We'll do both!” he said.

A couple hours later, Daevik found himself aboard an airship bound for jeuno, hiding in the engine compartment. He didn't particularly like his accomidations, but then again, it wasn't really important. Revenge was.
He stopped and reflected on his actions thus far. He'd been taught many times that his emotions were misleading, that he had to learn to suppress them. Yet, at the same time, he was taught to follow his instincts, to train them to do in an instant what his mind could not. It hadn't seemed condradictory until now, for both his emotions and his instincts told him to seek revenge.
That was a paradox most confusing, he thought. One of the teachings was wrong at this moment. Which should should he trust?
Daevik puzzled over it until the engines stopped humming, signaling the ship's arrival in Jeuno. He roused himself from his little hole, and dragged himself out into the now deserted main cabin. Getting the rest of the way off was just a matter of taking a short swim, something he was eager to do because of the soot covering his body and clothes.
Several hours later, sitting on the end of the dock, Daevik finally finished drying out to his satisfaction. He stood, and walked into Jeuno proper.

He felt bitter, letting the tradgedies in his life get to him and make him sour. As he walked, He slammed his fist into a wall, and came away with a rather large chunck of plaster. He was angry. That needed to stop. Anger got people killed.
“Hey, you there!” A man in light leather armor said to Daevik.
He had accidentally wandered into a... more disreputable part of Jeuno, he'd been so caught up in his introspections.
“Aye?” he said back.
“You've got any gold? Cough it up!”
He was surrounded. There were six of them. A gang of muggers. Excellent. He needed to vent some agression.
“Here you are.” He said. He held out his hand, totally empty.
“What is this, a joke? Your money or your life!”
“That's all i've got.”
“Liar! You came in from the airship ports! Only rich scabs come out of there, so cough it up!”
“I'm telling you the truth.” he said, totally calmly.
“Maybe a little blood'll loosen you up.”
That was the cue. The man lunged at Daevik with his sword. Daevik slipped to the side and brought the edge of his hand down on the man's wrist, causing him to drop the sword. Daevik then pulled on his wrist, sending the man sprawling forward.
“You bastard! Kill 'im!”
Two more attacked Daevik. One lunged at him, the other slashed. He ducked and spun to the left, extending his leg and tripping up the robber who'd foolishly jumped at him. He then spun back up to full height, and brought his heel down in the small of the thug's back with great force. Quickly shifting weight from one foot to another, he flipped forward, propelling himself of of the back of the mugger, and catching another's face with his other heel. He smashed the rogue's face into the ground.
He stood on the back of the man's head, and swiveled back around, planting his other foot firmly on the ground. Another mugger was directly in front of him. Pivoting his weight onto his leading foot, he extended his fist into the man's jaw. The punch he had practiced so many times connected with perfection, and lifted his opponent clear off his feet, flinging him several yards.
The leader recovered his sword, and held it at arm's length, hoping to use the superior reach to hold Daevik off. Daevik knew it was a vain attempt. He clapped his hands together, on either side of the man's blade, and twisted it free of his grasp. In the same motion, he placed his hands on the ground and brought his feet of to meet the man's face.
Resuming his stance, Daevik found no one standing against him.
“That was dissapointing.” he said, before resuming he walk to the Tenshodo headquarters.

Finding the inn that fronted for the tenshodo was simplicty itself. Daevik, in his troublesome phase, had spent much time in such places, so He found their front to be particularly obvious. He walked right on in and asked the Mithra who stood at the fron desk if he could talk to Aldo.
He was taken right back. The place surprised him a little. There was a wealth of items from the east. Katanas, easter armor, even some claws he thought looked interesting. That his mind was wandering struck him, and he resumed focus on his mission.
“Mister Aldo, this is Daevik, the one Curilla sent to see you.”
“Ahh yes, show him in.” Aldo said.
Daevik's first impression of Aldo's office was that it was the exact opposite of everything he was used to in the last 9 years. Little trinkets everywhere, it was obviously the gaudy hiding hole of a very rich man. Such a waste.
“Daevik. I understand that your parents were killed by an... associate of mine named Megumi Akane. Am I correct?”
“You are her associate?”
“I take it that's a yes. Yes, I am, I put her onto the job for the Order of the bleeding rose, before I knew what they were. It was my mistake to have any dealings with them at all.”
Daevik didn't say anything, and, much to his credit, the intense hatred he already felt for Aldo didn't cross his face.
“They lied to me, told me they stood for something quite different than they did. It cost many their lives, including poor Surik-... i mean...”
“So Megumi Akane's not her real name. Is she dead?”
“Not dead... she just... her life is over. Leave her be, and i'll help you find the real evil here.”
“The... real evil? What in the hell are you talking about, you drithering idiot?”
“Well, if she had not taken the job, i must assume someone else would. You want to find the employer, not the employee.”
“Aye... that is logical enough. Yes, fine.”
“Her name is Urumi Takashi. She orchestrated the attempt at a coup.”
“So she is responsible?”
“Very much so.”
“Give me some time to think on this.”
“Certainly.”
Daevik sat and thought. His understanding of the situation... was it wrong? Did any of what Aldo had said hold any water? It seemed unlikely that a killer was a victim in their own killings, like Aldo was making out.
Aldo had hired her out as a killer. A Murderer for money. Daevik owed no alligiance to a man like that. He could get whatever information he needed form this man, and the pursue Megumi Akane afterwards. To hell with Aldo.
“Fine. I will do as you ask.”
“That's good.” Aldo said, smiling. “I knew you'd be reasonable.”
“I want to go after her now.” Daevik said.
“Is there some reason you are in such a hurry?” Aldo asked.
“I... am eager to put my parent's souls to rest.”
“Now, let me tell you something, Daevik. Revenge doesn't make anyone's soul rest better, trust me, i know from expirence...” Aldo's eyes seemed to focus on something off in the distance, then snap back to Daevik. “They get rest when their last wishes are fufilled, not when they are avenged. That's not to say i'm against getting revenge, but it's not going to make your parents any happier.”
“How the hell should you know?”
“I just told you, i have expirence in these matters. I don't want you to throw your life away to anger and vengance like some of my friends have. Like Zeid.”
That struck a chord with Daevik. Everyone in Vana'Diel knew of Zeid, and how he'd fallen, not to another sword, but to his own anger and frustration. It was an ideal of what he'd wanted to avoid in his life, but there was no way Aldo could have known that. Fate, again, had intervened in Daevik's favor.
“I...see. I shall try to reconsider. This Urumi... she is dangerous, is she not?”
“She is evil and needs very much to be dead. She is a sorceress of no mean power.”
“I see. Then i shall kill her. For my own vengance, but more to rid the world of a powerful evil.”
The way Daevik hated and respected Aldo at the same time reminded him very much of the he'd related to another man. His father.
“Young man...” Aldo said. “I'd like very much for you to come back alive. You seem to have a lot of promise.”
“Thank you. Now tell me where she is.”
“She's hidden herself in the Eldieme Necropolis. No one dares follow her there.”
“I see. That is why you are suddenly worried.”
“There's nothing sudden about it. The necropolis is a notoriously dangerous place. Many have perished there.”
“I won't.”
“What makes you so sure?”
Daevik shrugged, and turned to walk out.
“Hold on.” Aldo said.
“Yes?” Daevik said, turning around.
“If you succeed, I'd like to give you a job. I saw that fight with the muggers.”
“I'll think about it.”
It was convenient, Daevik didn't have anywhere to go after he was done... It would probably be a good idea. Still, he didn't like the idea of working for Aldo. Megumi Akane had worked for Aldo. There was no way.
"And... Daevik, you need to rest and eat before you go after her. Make sure you are ready. This is an Inn, after all." He said, as Daevik left the office. Daevik wanted to leave immideately, but he was tired, and hungry. Again, fate seemed to favor him, and the answer had fallen into his lap.


The next morning, Daevik felt quite ready to take on anything. He felt in perfect shape. Daevik didn't stop walking until he hit the end of the bridge leading into the Batallia Downs. Again, he was lost in his own mind, thinking on what had passed in the last few days. Seriously considering the fact that his parents were gone made it hurt all over again, so he sat down next to a tree, and tried to collect himself. It made him woder why he'd tried so hard at Remiem Temple. Why train so hard just to impress his father, when something like this could happen? Was there really any point?
“Of course there is, stupid.” He said aloud to himself. He just wished that he knew what that point was.
It had enabled him to seek revenge, that was true enough, but it wasn't worth nine years of his life to become an avenger. That... is not something his father would have wanted of him. No... his father had a reason for wanting Daevik to become a monk at Remiem Temple, he was sure of that. What had it been?
He couldn't figure it out himself, but he felt that he really needed to knoe, so he did something he hadn't done for quite a long time. He prayed to Altana.

He heard nothing from his goddess.

“Now i remember why I stopped bothering with that.” He said to himself. “Altana doesn't like to take an active role in the world, i've heard it thousands of times. Of course she won't answer. Not even help her chosen. I guess that's up to me.”
...That was it, that was what his father had wanted. He'd wanted Daevik to be a helper to the world, to protect the people from evil. His father must have realized that saying the only way to do that was to be a knight was shortsighted and foolish, when he sent Daevik to the Remiem Temple. Just having been willing to go would have been enough to make his father proud. He'd... done what he had wanted to do nine years ago, and never realized it.
“Ha ha ha ha!... you idiot, Daevik, I can't belive you never figured that out before.” He said to himself. “You really ought to think of things like that sooner.”
Comforted with that knowledge, he felt ready. There were a multitude of entrances to the Eldieme Necropolis scattered around the many barrow downs that lay before him, he just had to pick the one that suited him the best. He didn't know which Takashi had taken, but it was probably best to follow another route anyway. Chances were with him. It would make sense for her to have used the entrance closest to the bridge from Jeuno, assuming she fled from there. There was another, farther north, only an hour's walk further, that would do.
The Downs were vaguely threatening he noticed. The ruins that permeated the place were the first thing that one noticed that made Batallia seem unwelcoming, but then, there were also the tell-tale old, destroyed trees, all bent south, as though some sort of explosion had pointed them all that way. The whole region failed to meet with Daevik's approval, but nothing happened on his way to his chosen entrance to the Necropolis.
If the Downs were unwelcoming, the passage down to Eldieme Necropolis was downright hateful. He could almost sense emotions of despair and hatred floating up out of entrance, and he had second thoughts about pursuing Urumi at that time. He steeled himself, though, and after a short time, he entered.
Lurking in the shadows and hiding didn't seem to be the style of the horrors of the Eldime Necropolis, for as soon as he walked in, three skeletons jumped out at him. One had a club and a sheild, another carried a scythe, and the last, a elvaan skeleton, as opposed to the other two hume ones, held in its hands a wicked-looking great sword. Daevik, refusing to be surprised, grabbed his cesti and entered his combat stance.
The one with the scythe started it. It took a mighty, but clumsy cut at Daevik, who nimbly flipped over the weapon and landed atop it, slamming it of it's weilder's hands and to the ground. The skeleton lurched forward in an attempt to keep hold of it's weapon, and Daevik took advantage of it by flipping over its head and firmly planting his feet in the back of his foe, snapping its spine in two.
The club struck him in th back as he landed, but he rolled with the blow, so that it did little damage. Daevik found himself on his feet, with the Skeleton swinging at him again, still horizontally. He reared up onto his shoulders and jumped to his feet, passing over the path of the club. Spinning to his left, he hooked a very solid punch into the Skeleton, and backed off. The strike resonated on it's bones, and after a shor second, it shattered completely.
The Great sword smashed down to the ground near him. This one was more canny than his allies, it seemed. For as soon as it's sword hit, it jumped over it's sword and twisted it back around over its head for another vertical strike. Again, Daevik easily sidestepped, and, dropping the cestus on his right hand, delivered a strick with the sharp edge of his hand to it's neck. The skull fell off, and it fell to the ground, little more than a pile of bones.
Daevik slipped his foot under the dropped cestus and flipped it up, snatching it out of the air with his empty hand. Satisfied, he resumed proceeding deeper into the Necropolis. At least, now, he knew what he faced in this place, to some extent. After the fight in the Necropolis' mouth, it seemed that the skeletons of the place were... somewhat less eager to take him on.
There seemed to be little trace of Takashi. He hadn't really planned out how he was going to find her, he was just hoping for some more of the interminable luck that had helped him in his quest so far.
Daevik walked into a large square room, with four passages, one in the middle of each wall. Also, in the room were four pits, filled to the brim with bones. Common graves, or something. Turning back would do no good, he'd fully explored the passages behind him. No, Takashi lay somwhere ahead. He walked into the room, trying to decided which way to go, when suddenly the decision became a moot point.
The bones in the pits began to animate themselves. Hordes. There had to be hundreds of them. They quickly moved to cut off the four passages to him, forming a ring around him. Daevik put on his cesti, and glared at his strongest-looking opponent, entering not his normal stance, but a stance much more suited to counterattacking.
A group of the skeletons surged inward towards him, and he dropped to his hands, swing his right leg widely, sweeping out the footing the vast majority of them. He completed the spin by launching himself by his hands with his right leg forward, and his left tucked well in toward the Skeleton he'd regarded earlier. It broke into pieces.
Unfortunately, he also landed in the midst of a group of them, and several grabbed hold of him. He tore away, by spinning to his right and landing several punches on his opponents in the process. Again, they stood there for a second, resonating with the strike, then shattering.
He found himself in the middle of a Circle of skeletons again, this time much stronger in number, as they continued to pour out of the pits. He considered his options, then realized he had none. He decided all he could do was fight to the death.
This time, there was not some small group of the skeletons that rushed him, they all did. Daevik took many of them down, swinging quickly but accurately, each time one would stop in its tracks and break into so much bone shard. It was not enough, and eventually he was overwhelmed and pulled to the ground.
Oddly, though, they seemed to not be trying to ahrm him, merely to restrain him. He struggled mightily, but ineffectively against their grasp. Then he saw a grayish form taking shape above him. Some sort of spirit. It was still not completely formed when it turned to stare at him, and it flew towards him. There was naught he could do as it settled on his chest and sunk into his body. His sight flashed with white, and he feared he'd died.


Images formed before him. A burning village. People running for their lives, being cut down by men in armor. San D'Orian armor.
He knew not the village or its inhabitants, but the attackers he'd seen many times: San D'Orian Royal Knights. One of the villagers tried, in vain, to summon some avatar to his aid, but was cut down before he could do so. In fact, several had tried to do just that, with the same result.
Daevik began to understand. This was a village of summoners, magic users who drew the power of the land to bring avatars to their aid, to fight their foes. Such magic had been forbidden by the Three Cities, for reasons that were never explained. Daevik hadn't known that they'd taken such extreme measures to stop it's use, though. It was... not something he wanted to watch.
Then one figure appeared before him, A Royal Knight of apparently superior skill and position. He carved through the villagers easily.
He also saw a small girl, no more than 4 years of age, hiding behind an older woman, who he guessed was her mother. The knight he'd seen before came up on her mother and, despite her pleas, cut her down. Her body fell atop her daughter, hiding her from the knight's sight. The knight lifted his visor and said one thing to th mother before she died:
“Never again will you practice your vile craft in Vana'Diel!”
Daevik didn't see the face, but he recognized the voice. It was his father.

After a time, the knights seemed to find themselved finished with the village, so the returned to their mounts and rode away from the village, leaving it burning. He saw the young girl crawl out from under her mother, and survey the wrackage. There were no tears on her face, only hatred. He knew, though not how, that that girl was Urumi Takashi.
He snapped back to reality. The appariton gathered above him once again, this time making itself corporeal. A woman, with definatively Oriental features and a body, perhaps once beautiful but now scarred to the point of repulsion stood over him. She looked down on him and spoke.
“You came seeking the same revenge agains me that i sought against your people, I understand. If you leave now, I will let you live.”
Daevik's stomached turned. Was he that much like this evil thing that stood before him? If this was what vengance was, he wanted no part of it.
“I come not for vengance, I come for justice. Your evil cannot exist in this world.” He said, and as he said it, he felt an energy welling up inside himself.
“Then Die!” she screamed, and the skeletons began to dig their bony fingers into his flesh.
“Yaaaaaa!” Daevik screamed in pain. He thought he was about to die, as he was still unable to loose himself from the Skeletons that held him. He felt energy, a great deal of it, welling inside him, but he didn't know how to use it. In frustration, he tried to flail as best he could.
Then his arms came up from the ground, and he smashed two of the skeletons holding him together, breaking them into nothing but bones. A red glow surrounded his hands. He flipped up to his feet, away from the horde of skeletons. His body was covered in cuts and punctures, and he was barely able to move.
“Damn it... damn it!” He shouted. “Move, damn you!” he exclaimed at himself.
The energy surrounding his hands spread of his entired body, and he felt his wounds healing. Not entirely, he was still hurt, but he could fight again. He focused on his hand, still surrounded by an energy he now knew how to use.
He struck the ground with his fist, and the entire Necropolis shook. The floor resonated, and a great explosion issued forth all around him, destroying nearly all the skeletons in one mighy blow.
“Damn you!” Urumi shouted. “Belial, lord of fire, come forth, your servant calls you!”
The explosion doubled in size around daevik, and three great claws tore through the floor. The arm they were attached to pulled up a great demonic body out of the ground. Black wings were the first thing that came out of the hole, and a glowing red body that seemed to be made entirely of fire and naught else. It stood about nine feet tall, and looked unarmed, at least to the point such a demon could be so.
“Whooooo hasss callllled meeeeeeee?” It howled.
“Forget who called you!” Daevik shouted. “I'm going to send you back to hell!”
With that, Daevik, with a running start launched himself toward the demon. Tucking his left leg in under his right he slammed his foot into the demon, knocking it down to the ground. Quickly shuffling backwards,Daevik settled down in his stance and stared his opponent in the eyes as it stood.
“Your soul is mine, little one.” It growled, then surged forward at Daevik, seeming to be less demon and more a flurry of claws. Daevik tried to slip away to the side, but it was to quick, and landed a very solid blow home on him. When it did, his Shirt caught on fire. He staggered and tore his shirt from his body. The claw marks were deep indentations on his chest, already cauterized from the heat of the claws.
“Very well, then.” Daevik said. “I'm going to crush every last part of you! Hyaku Genkotsu Raishuu!”
His eyes glowed red with his energy, and it traveled along his neck down to his hands. They blurred from sight, as he launched blow after blow agains the appariton that stood before him. At first he tried to guide his strikes, but found that he was slowing himself down, so he let his instincts take his fist where they may. He landed scores of punches on his opponent, slowly staggering it back.
Then he struck hard with his left, shifted his weight onto his right food and hooked across it's body with his right fist, twisted down into a crouch, spun around, and came up in a massive uppercut that launched Belial several feet into the air, Daevik follwing right after. Having twisted with the uppercut to add strength, Daevik's back was turned to his opponent, so he spun around with with his leg extended, kicking Belial into the wall, which crumbled. The demon slumped to the ground, then melted into it.
“No!” Takashi shouted. “Impossible!”
“Very possible. You just saw it. Now, for you...”
Daevik focused on his hand. It began to shake rapidly, with the smallest of vibrations. He flattened his palm out, and leapt across the room to the summoner, and slammed his hand into her chest. She shuddered, and fell to one knee, blood pouring from her mouth.
“W-what did you do?”
“Just die.” He said. “Once the quivering palm destroys your heart, none survive. Just die already.”
She collapsed to the ground, blood pouring from her mouth. Daevik, incredibly tired, turned, and staggered out of the room, back to the mouth of the Necropolis. Nothing dared challenge him on his way out.
Stumbling out of the passage into daylight, he was confronted by three figures, Dressed in the clothing of the Tenshodo smugglers.
“Daevik?” One of them asked.
“Aye.”
He grabbed onto Daevik's arm and put it over his shoulders. “Aldo sent us to get ya. You okay, mate?”
“I'm... i'll make it. You don't have to help.”
“Of course I don't. I'd be a lyin scum bag if I said I wasn't happy that harpy was dead though, so let me do the least I can, eh?”
“Oh, all right.” Daevik let his weight come down on the man's shoulders. He was glad he didn't have to walk back by himself. Then he passed out.

He woke up in a bed at the Spire, the Tenshodo's front. It was a very comfortable bed, something he'd not expirenced in a very, very long time. Still, bed was not the place to be while one was awake. He needed to talk to Aldo anyway. There was a new set of clothes for him on the chair next the bed, and his cesti set atop them, well polished. He dressed quickly and hung his cesti at his side.
Walking through the back door and into the tenshodo headquarters, he found himself being regarded with a great deal of respect. People bowed to him when he walked by, they moved out of his way. Even Aldo's guard merely nodded to him, instead of stopping him from entering the office. He walked in.
“Aldo.” He said, as he walked in.
“Daevik, glad to see you awake. Feeling any better?”
“Much, thank you.”
“...did the revenge help you sleep any better, or was it as i said.”
“Ugh... don't talk to me about revenge.” He said. “That... she called it revenge too. I felt disgusting for having that in common with her.”
“Oh. Then i guess you're not going with the whole 'avenger' bit any more?”
“No, not at all.”
“Good. I'd hate for you go go after Suriko.”
“Megumi Akane?”
“Aye.”
“If she is as evil as i think she is, I will kill her, given the chance.”
“Fair enough, but you will find that she is not.” Aldo said.
“I hope you are right.”
“Have you considered my offer of a job?” Aldo asked.
“Aye. I'll take it. I've nowhere else to go, and i seem to have some... respect here.”
“Great. You can keep that room. It's yours. I'll also pay you a montl-”
“Don't bother, just feed me and give me a place to live. It's all i need.”
“Okay, but if you need something just ask.”
“I won't.” They said at the same time, Aldo parodying Daevik's response. Daevik rolled his eyes at Aldo. He stood.
“Where are you going?”
“I have a whole city to familiarize myself with. If you need me to work, i'll start tomarrow. You can wait.”
Aldo laughed. “I was thinking about next week at the earliest. Would you like a tour?”
“No, i'd like to go sit somwhere quiet. Alone.” With that, he walked out of the office, into Jeuno and the rest of his life.


"That is why I was so hesitant about revenge, why I tried so hard to convince myself it was justice that I sought.
"But it was revenge." I said.
"Aye, it was."
"You... should know better." I said.
"Who are you to criticize?"
"No one. I'm the last person who should. It's still true."
He growled in frustration. "Damn it... Revenge is what claimed my parents. I shouldn't... give in to it."
I kneeled down before him in a position of supplication.
"I am sorry for your loss. Please find it in your heart to forgive me."

The ground exploded before me, and Daevik climbed out of the rubble. He grabbed me by the shoulder, and slammed his fist into my stomache. Hard.

I coughed and collapsed on the ground in pain. Hobbes drew his sword.

"Now, I forgive you." He said. I coughed some more, as he backed off. "I'm going to return to the Remiem Temple. I've lost sight of who I should be. Who my father wanted me to be."

Hobbes sheathed his sword and rushed to my side, helping me up from the ground.
"Did you really have to do that?" Hobbes said.
"I'm surprised I managed to stop myself from using the quivering palm."
"I'd have had to kill you." Hobbes said.
"No... you wouldn't. I know what a shameful act that would have been. I'd have killed myself. I'm very glad I did stop."
"Daevik..." I wheezed. "Never come near me again."
"Not until I've let go of my hatred. I promise." He said.
"...If you think you can. I'd... be glad to see you, once you've so done."
"Good. It'll be some time. Goodbye." He said, and walked off.


I coughed. Hy stomache hurt. A lot. I propped myself against a tree.
"Think we'll have to camp here tonight."
"Yeah... do you know what to think about him? I don't."
"I think, if he gets over his rage, he'll make a good friend."
"I hope you're right. I used to like him."
"I still do."
"You're very forgiving."
"I'd better be. I hope for a lot of forgiveness from people."
"Yeah... Let's get back to norg. Who cares how long it takes. You need time off."

I sat and rubbed my stomache. He punched me right where the center of the Shadow Lord's Fuuin lay. I wondered if there was some significance to it. It'd be years before i'd find out.

[Arson]

I'm very impressed Suriko /clap

I want to read more, I hope you will continue. I'll continue to read it for sure.

The story has a personal touch to it that makes it real detailed. I like it how you make the pirates sound like real pirates in Norg.

He grabbed onto Daevik's arm and put it over his shoulders. “Aldo sent us to get ya. You okay, mate?”

Good Job!

[Suriko]

Thank goodness school's almost ended, I can start writing these again as soon as finals end.

As Koda and valq very well know, there are quite a few stories already bouncing around in my head that I'll finally get to write. Most of these start off and adventures written for D&D, which Koda makes me run like every time we hang out :headbange but hey, they end up as pretty good stories by the time we're done, so I can't really complain.

Which reminds me. I doubt this belongs here, but what the hell, i'm making a D&D adapation of FFXI, since pen-and-paper RPGs are way better than online anyway. If anyone plays D&D, or just has ideas, I'd love to hear them. Maybe i should start a thread to that effect.

[Koda]

Thank goodness school's almost ended, I can start writing these again as soon as finals end.

As Koda and valq very well know, there are quite a few stories already bouncing around in my head that I'll finally get to write. Most of these start off and adventures written for D&D, which Koda makes me run like every time we hang out :headbange but hey, they end up as pretty good stories by the time we're done, so I can't really complain.

Which reminds me. I doubt this belongs here, but what the hell, i'm making a D&D adapation of FFXI, since pen-and-paper RPGs are way better than online anyway. If anyone plays D&D, or just has ideas, I'd love to hear them. Maybe i should start a thread to that effect.
Yes i make suri GM because he does an awesome job.. and a well run D&D adventure set in vanadiel > FFXI any day of the week. makes me much more attached to "Koda" too makes me want to play... suri is coming back in two days and ima make him run another game >:3 :notme: