Book I: The Wanderer

Chapter IV: The Chosen’s Journey of World Regeneration

“We’re leaving at noon tomorrow.”

“Ok, I’ll be there. I’ll bring your birthday present too.”

“That would be great!”

The blonde Chosen sighed in front of the fire. It was the first night of her Great Journey of World Regeneration. It was also the first time she had been away from home. Yes, Colette was a little homesick, but that wasn’t the problem. She was racked with guilt that she had lied to Lloyd. She had never lied to him before, and he had really wanted to see her off…and give her the birthday present he had made…

They were camped along the road, a few hundred feet from it, the Chosen guessed. Trees and some wild grass surrounded them, the fire lay going on dirt, to prevent wildfire. The blonde girl tore her gaze from her surroundings and returned to her meal.

Colette sighed again and continued to eat the stew Kratos had prepared. She was quiet throughout the whole meal. Raine and Kratos discussed which way to go. She wasn’t paying attention who was speaking what.

“It will take at least a week to reach Triet, and that’s only without any delays.”

“Yes, but the road curves here and a rather delaying route. If cross through a glade for a few miles here, we could cut a day or two out of our time.”

“There are many dangers through that glade, wild beasts, and there have been reports of a bandit hideout, though that was a good many years ago.”

“You’re the mercenary here, this is what we hired you for.”

The quarrel ceased, as Colette put her bowl down and removed her eyes to the ground.

Quiet engulfed the camp, save for only the crackling fire. The depressed did not realize that her companions’ gazes were fixed on her.

“Is something wrong, Chosen?” asked the red-haired mercenary. “You’ve haven’t said a word since we left.”

Colette looked up, and put on one of her infamous fraud smiles. “I’m-I’m sorry.” she laughed the fake giggle she used when lying. “I’m fine. Really I am.”

“If you say so.” Kratos replied.

“I’m surprised Lloyd wasn’t there in the village this morning to see you off.” Raine commented. “I don’t think he’d miss that for the world.”

“Oh, he probably just overslept.” Colette said, laughing the fake giggle.

“What did you two talk about on the roof last night?” Raine asked.

“Oh…you know, about my birthday present and what was going to happen on this journey.” The Chosen answered.

“That’s not what I heard,” said Raine. “You lied to him about when we were leaving. You said we were leaving at noon. Why?”

Colette gasped. “Professor Raine, you eavesdropped?”

“Answer the question Colette.” her teacher stated plainly.

Colette’s eyes went back to the ground. “I didn’t want to say goodbye to Lloyd…because of what will happen at the end of this Journey. He’d try to stop me.”

“You’re right about that. Tsk, stubborn Lloyd.” She took a deep breath. “I suppose it was the smart thing to do.”

Kratos agreed. “We don’t want him to tag along, acting like it was a field trip.”

Colette’s eyes snapped up at the mercenary. “Lloyd can take things seriously! Once in a while…” her voice trailed off.

Kratos’ eyes still held uncertainty.

“It’s late,” Raine butted in. “We have better get some rest.”

Kratos nodded as he put out the fire with a large clump of sand.

“Good night Professor. Good night Kratos.” Under her breath she muttered. “Good night Lloyd.”

Colette Brunel wore her usual clothes, which consisted of an elaborate white jacket with two straps on either side of her body overhanging from her neck. A white shirt was visible underneath it. On the lower half of her body she wore black pants and white boots, much like the Professor did. The Chosen had blonde hair that went to her waist, and baby blue eyes. She was a year or two younger then Lloyd, and had to be one of the shortest people she knew, apart from Genis.

Professor Raine Sage, as her full name was recited, wore a plain orange jacket not too different from Colette’s, with the four over hangings that formed into points. The elven teacher wore the jacket unbuttoned with a white shirt underneath. She too wore black pants and white boots. Slung across her back was a pack. A tan sandy color, it was rather large, as it carried many things. It had an opening on it’s top which could be open or closed with the pull of a string attached to it so it went around the hem of the opening. The Professor had silver hair of decent length; enough to cover her ears at any rate, and blue-silver eyes much like her brother. She had to be in her early, almost mid-twenties and only a few inches shorter then Kratos.

Kratos Aurion wore his usual hard leather armor, which had a hue of purple and blue. The only really hardened parts were the sections protecting his shoulders, and the two strips that ran down his back and stopped around his knees. Another section covered his neck like a turtleneck sweater. He wore two belts, blue gloves, and red an exsphere on his left hand. His boots were white in a few places, but most were a mix of the color of his armor. The rest of his body was covered by soft cloth, the same hue as the hard leather. The mercenary was red-haired, with some slight brown. His eyes though, were a definite brown. Kratos’ age had to be somewhere in his late twenties, a few good years ahead of Raine.

The second day was much like the first. Grassy hills and knolls, wide open stretches of plains, and patches of forest spaced a good distance away from the road. They saw few travelers, most on pilgrimages, some merchants, and others just traveling. They all had wished Colette good luck on her journey. They camped in a rather small patch of forest, maybe a mile or two across. It would take them more quickly then going around the wood as the road did.

The third day from Iselia was like the previous two had been. The Professor had said the landscape would change after they left the nearest House of Salvation tomorrow. It was boring yes, but Colette, like always kept her mouth shut and worried about others rather then herself. Nothing truly interesting happened until the sun was going down on the third day.

Raine and Colette were maybe ten feet or more away from the road. Kratos had gone to collect firewood in a nearby forest. So it was just the girls of the party.

Raine was going through the pack, taking inventory on the items stored.

“We have enough gels for awhile,” said Raine. “Food should last until Triet. We should ask if they have any at the next House of Salvation, just in case.”

She took out her own wooden staff, and Colette’s pair of chakrams. Both designs were simple. Colette’s were simply some white rings, around the width of head. Raine’s was a wooden road, which curled into a circle at its head.

“Weapons are fine for now.” the professor continued. “They aren’t broken my carrying them in my pack.”

Colette nodded in agreement. “Yeah you’re right as usual professor.” These few words were to keep her mind off several depressing thoughts.

“For when my path is long gone,

My own journey will be done.”

Raine and Colette turned their heads to the road, to the left, northwards where the voice was coming from. There was a man there, driving a cart led by two sturdy looking horses. The man was robed in green and yellow with a matching pointed hat on top of his head.

“For I am a wanderer,

A wanderer am I,”

The two approached he road with care. The man was very near them now, not close enough to make out his face in the fading light of the day of course, but still very near.

“My road stretches very far

Until the day I die.”

With that last verse he pulled the cart to a stop and looked at the people at the side of the road.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here? An elf and human on the road alone? Just who are you?”

The professor pulled a Lloyd. “Give us your name and we’ll give you ours.”

Colette blinked. “Professor! That’s something Lloyd does!”

The man cocked an eyebrow. “Well if it be my name you want, it’s Aberos. I am a Wanderer.”

“Well, I’m Colette!” The blonde-haired Chosen offered her name. “That’s Professor Raine.”

“Professor eh?” Aberos grinned. “Well, I didn’t think the Chosen’s group would be so small.”

“There’s another in our group.” answered Raine. “A mercenary. He’s off to collect firewood.”

Aberos nodded.

“What’s a Wanderer?” asked Colette.

“Wanderers are a group of people from all the races, that simply wander around the land, doing regular good things. We are mages, healers, archers, swordsmen, teachers, scholars, and even a few of us are mercenaries.” responded Aberos. “There is no wanderer in your group. I would know if there was.”

“So then how did you know who I was?”

“Everyone knows who the Chosen is.” Raine said. “We have to be careful of this factor. It could very well lead to your death.”

Aberos nodded. “Hmm, yes. Wish I could help more, but I must be on my way.”

“Oh, will you at least join us for dinner Mr. Wanderer?” asked Colette. “It’s my turn to cook tonight!”

“I’m afraid not Chosen One. I have a few miles to go yet.”

“Aw, too bad. Perhaps we’ll see each other again.” chirped Colette.

“Perhaps Chosen, perhaps…” Aberos told her.

“Wait a moment Wanderer,” Raine stopped him from leaving. “I want to ask you of something, even if we just met. I want you to be on the lookout for Lloyd Irving and Genis Sage. I have a feeling those two boys are following us. Here’s their picture.” She handed him a picture of Lloyd and Genis.

Aberos studied it closely. He handed it back to Raine. “I’ll be on the lookout.” He bid them goodbye and the horses started up a trot.

“On the side there lies a creek,

Looking otherwise very meek.

I do not mean to cross the creek,

Any day of this week.

For across the creek there lies a glade,

A good place where I can rest and lay,

On this merry, sunny day,

In the merry noontides of May.”

And he was gone, over the brim of the road, his voice carried on by the winds.

Kratos went off to secure lodging at the local inn, leaving Colette and Raine to explore the town.

“Oh! There are so many shops here!” The Chosen was getting excited. She loved to go shopping and looking at all the different items. She was known to have a nasty habit of forgetting everything else but shopping at times.

“Concentrate Colette.” the Professor warned her. She was fully aware of Colette’s little habit. “We’re here to buy food and some gels, that’s it. That pack of wolves two nights ago left our supply depleted. No one really likes rationing food.”

“So where’s the first seal?” asked Colette. She and the professor browsed through a stall.

“The most logical place would be to head to the southwest, towards the Triet ruins.” She sniffed a gel, inspecting it closely. “We’ll take ten.” Raine told the shopkeeper. She handed him his money and the merchant handed over the gels. “That’s the only place in the region with ruins from the ancient world. Other then the Ossa Trail mines of course.”

The professor put the gels in a pouch and then put it in her pack. “We should check the food stalls next. Colette?” She looked around. The Chosen was nowhere in sight.

“Oh! Your house is so pretty!”

Raine turned towards the voice. Colette was looking at nearby building. The apparent owner was looking very happy that the Chosen was complimenting his home.

“Why thank you Chosen.” the owner replied.

Raine sighed. Colette had ignored her. A little bit of Lloyd had rubbed off on her.

“Do you mind if I take a closer look?” asked Colette.

“Not at all!” said the owner.

Colette took two steps before tripping and falling onto the house. The wall of it crumbled before the Chosen, leaving a hole in the shape of her body.

“Oops…sorry about that.” apologized Colette as she got up.

“Sorry!? Sorry!?” the owner said incredibly. “The Chosen has blessed me! The Chosen has blessed me!”

“Uh…um…” Colette stepped back, becoming very flustered.

There were small shouts as a crowd of people came to see how the Chosen had ‘blessed’ the owner of the house.

Someone seized Colette’s arm and dragged her out from the swarming throng of people, pulling her towards the inn.

“Colette,” the Professor, who had grabbed her arm, told her. “You cannot just go about by yourself. Next time do not leave me sight. Am I clear?”

“I was just commenting on how nice that man’s home looked.” Colette started to apologize again. “I’m sorry Professor.”

Raine sighed. “Maybe Lloyd’s right. You do apologize for everything you do.”

“Is something wrong Professor?” Colette asked Raine as they stopped at noon to rest and eat.

“Hmm? Nothing’s wrong! We’re going to the Triet Ruins! What could be wrong!?” Raine was starting to a little crazy. “I feel so giddy! I haven’t felt this way since…never! Did you know that the Triet Ruins became ruins when Efreet, the Summon Spirit of Fire, emerged from a…”

And so for the rest of the afternoon, Raine lectured Colette and Kratos about the Triet Ruins. She didn’t stop until they ceased traveling for the day, much to her great displeasure.

“But we won’t reach the ruins until tomorrow!” she protested.

The sun was now half gone beyond the western mountaintops. The sky was turning into its evening hues of orange, purple and red.

“We’re only an hour or two away from them!”

“The desert will get cold once the sun goes down,” Kratos reminded them. “It is not wise to travel during the night here.”

“I guess you’re right.” admitted Raine, her sanity returning to her. “Colette, let’s set up camp. Colette? What are you staring at?”

The Chosen’s gaze was drawn to a huge cloud of dust rising into the eastern horizon. “What’s that?” she asked.

Kratos’ hand strayed to his sword hilt. “Could be Desians or monsters.” he answered.

The dust cloud started to get closer.

“It sounds like horses…galloping.” stated Raine.

“Oh! Wait I see who it is now! It’s Mr. Wanderer and his two horses!” Colette spoke up.

“Mr.…Wanderer?” asked Kratos.

“We met a traveler part of the Wanderers a few nights ago, while you collect firewood.” explained Raine.

“I see.” replied the mercenary.

Aberos was red in the face and very hot and sweaty by the time he stopped his horses in front of the Chosen’s group.

“Chosen, Professor, good to see you both again.” He glanced at Kratos and something from his far distant past resurfaced. It can’t be…he looks…exactly the same…impossible…

“What are you doing here?” asked Professor Raine.

“Hardly anytime to explain Professor Raine.” said Aberos. “To make a long story short, Lloyd Irving and Genis Sage have been captured by Desians.”

The three that made up the Chosen’s group wasted no time hopping in the cart.

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