Book I: The Wanderer

Chapter V: To the Rescue!

The horses galloped on, prodded onwards by Aberos. They were racing back to Triet, where hopefully if they reached it soon, they could rest for the night and go after the ones who captured Lloyd in the morning. The horses would need their energy for the chase to follow, as would Aberos, Colette, Raine and Kratos. Even if the latter three rode in the back of the cart.

The Wanderer had much to think about. The apparent mercenary of the Chosen triggered a memory of times long past. How can he still look the same? Not a day as passed since I thought of what happened that day fifteen years ago. He seems to be part of a group. This may be only guesswork, but it’s the best I’ve got. I wish I knew their intentions. They aren’t very good. I must listen to my heart as I once used to many years ago.

Time passes, things change. The World becomes for the better or the worse. Memories of loved ones long gone linger around in our hearts and minds. The passage of time had not been kind on Aberos, nor had fate. Fate indeed dealt him a cruel hand. Whether the results of his youth turned for the better or worse, even now he cannot say.

Now is not the time to dwell on the past of one Wanderer. It’s time we take look on Genis and the now unconscious Lloyd.

The sun had already begun its descent into the west when the trek began. As soon as the sun departed from the sky, the boy’s captors ordered for a halt, and set up camp. They made a small fire, and served Genis what looked like some crap that birds pooped up. But it filled him up, albeit the smell and horrible aftertaste.

Genis laid down on his back. The evening was cold, but it didn’t bother him much, even with him wearing shorts and short-sleeved shirt. Nerl flew into Genis hair to nest. Genis let him on two conditions. He couldn’t go the bathroom in it, or dirty it up at all. Nerl, (or so Genis felt) seemed to understand and complied with the elf boy’s rules. The white bird settled down to sleep, and so did the boy whose hair he had nested in.

Genis however was able to hear snippets of conversation between their captors before he finally fell asleep.

“I wonder why Botta ordered us to capture these stupid kids.” said one.

“Didn’t you hear?” said another. “This order to capture this human comes from Lord Yuan himself. At least those Desians didn‘t get him.”

“Why would Lord Yuan waste his time with such a weak kid?” the first asked.

“Because,” the leader snarled, butting into the conversation. “It’s about his exsphere.”

“What’s so damn special about some random kid’s exsphere?” the first one demanded.

“That doesn’t concern you!” snapped the leader. “It only matters to Lord Botta and Lord Yuan!”

The first scoffed. “Whatever.”

Genis had a lot to think about. Who was this Lord Yuan guy? He from Genis had been able to make out was their guys real leader. This sounded big. And why the hell was everyone interested in Lloyd’s exsphere!? Even the Desian Cardinal of the Iselia human ranch wanted it.

Genis’ captors continued their conversation.

“So, is that assassin still training at base?” asked the first.

“Yeah I think so…why?” asked the leader, glaring at the speaker.

“I can’t wait to see her train from all angles if you know what I mean.”

“…Aren’t you married?” said the leader.

“So, it’s natural for guys to do this thing right?” the first protested. “You’ve got wives to you know!”

“I don’t look at other girls.”

“Neither do I.”

“Big negatory for me!”

“Nope, sorry. Don’t do it. I like my wife.”

“…You guys really suck.” the first grumbled.

Genis chuckled softly. These guys didn’t seem to be Desians. But they were pretty funny, like Lloyd was sometimes. Like the time he found out what an echo was. The entire class was laughing it up for weeks!

That was the last the boy heard of their conversation. He left for the dream world that sleep provided after that.

“Perhaps we should just go in and wake them up ourselves.” Kratos suggested. The two stood outside Raine And Colette’s room, having varying opinions on what to do.

“We can’t just do that!” argued Aberos. “Give them some privacy!”

“There’s nothing in there we haven’t seen before.”

Aberos looked down.

“You’re still a virgin? At your age?” The mercenary crossed his arms, smirking.

Aberos glared at the mercenary. “Shut up. Not all of us go from bed to bed like you mercenaries do.”

“I am not some sort of male whore.” Kratos gritted his teeth.

“That’s not what I here. Have you even been married?”

“I have.”

“Widowed eh? What happened then?”

“It is none of your concern.”

“Suit yourself then.” Aberos muttered.

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“You ever been married?”

“No.” The Wanderers eyes went back to the ground. “That doesn’t me I’ve ever been in love though.”

“Oh? Is the tough wanderer going to cry?”

“Watch it.” Aberos warned. “She died in the worst possible way.”

“And how’s that?”

“You’re better off not knowing. How she died isn’t common knowledge. It could shock you to your very soul.”

Kratos scoffed. “I’ve probably heard worse.”

“Ugh, you sound like Lloyd at times, you know that?” Aberos sighed and banged on the door three times. “What the hell is taking you two so long!?”

“We’ve already been ready for an hour,” answered Raine from behind them. The two men jumped and turned. “We’ve been waiting for you two gentlemen.”

Five minutes later, they were all in the cart, ready to go.

“Well which way?” asked Raine.

“They went in a northeastern direction.” replied Aberos. He gripped the reins. Where was Nerl?

“What are waiting for Wanderer?” Kratos was getting impatient. They should be at the first seal by now. “Let’s go.”

“We have to wait for our guide.”

“Guide?”

“Yes our-ah! Here he comes.” Aberos pointed to a white shape moving towards them. The shape turned out to be a bird, which fluttered to the Wanderer’s shoulder.

“Nerl! Good to see you again. Find out where they took the lads?”

The bird nodded its head.

“Good! Lead the way old friend.”

“We’re being led by a bird. This is just great.” said Raine sarcastically.

Two guards stood at the entrance, and the their comrades reported their captured prey.

“We’ve captured Lloyd Irving as Lord Botta commanded.” said the leader.

“Who’s that little kid?” asked one of the guards. “You were commanded to bring Lloyd only.”

“His…friend apparently.” the leader responded. “He was with him when we captured him.”

“We only need Lloyd,” the guard said. “I don’t see the need to bring this one in.”

“Understood.” The leader nodded to the two carrying Lloyd. They hastened inside while the leader dealt with Genis.

“What’s going to happen to me?” Genis cried. “I don’t even know that guy!”

“It doesn’t really matter. You’re a fellow kinsman, and aside from that, you’re set free anyways! Get out of my sight!”

Genis ran away from the base. When he was a very good distance away where they couldn’t see him, he stopped and leaned against the tall plateau. A large green dog licked his face.

“Noishe! You followed us!” said Genis hugged the dog. “Lloyd’s been captured! Let’s find Aberos and save him together!”

The dog barked affirmatively as the two went to find their Wandering friend.

“Where am I?” he asked groggily.

Two voices discussed something in the hall outside his cell.

“If so, I feel pretty sorry for that Lloyd kid.” It was a guard.

“Yeah! I mean he may have escaped the Desians, but he can’t escape execution!” another guard said.

“Execution?” muttered Lloyd. “What the hell did I do this time?”

“Hey! Stop loitering you two!” another guard entered the scene. “You!” He referred to one of the guards. “Lord Botta is calling for you.”

“Gotcha.” The guards walked away leaving the first one to patrol the cells.

“Damn!” cursed Lloyd. He had looked for his weapons, but the guards had taken them. “They took my equipment. I can’t pick the lock with the guard here. And the only thing I have on me is the Sorcerer’s Ring!” He cursed again, slamming his fist on the palm of his opposite hand. A small fireball shot out of the ring and hit the guard, knocking him unconscious.

“Wow,” said Lloyd as he picked the lock. “I’m glad I didn’t return it after all.”

The cell door opened soundlessly. “Damn I’m good!” The teen’s ego went up a bit. “Now to find my stuff.” He left his cell and looked around. It was a large hall with a corridor at the opposite end of the cells turned to the left and leaving the room. In the middle there were tables, and a large console. Lloyd went to the console first.

“Oh man! This is stuff Raine and Genis would know,” groaned Lloyd. It was all gibberish to him. “Maybe I should of listened in class more.”

He sighed and looked around. There, stuffed in a corner were his dual swords!

“Alright!” Lloyd said cheerfully. He quickly equipped his weapons and made sure they weren’t damaged.

That was all he carried around, aside from the Sorcerer’s Ring. Items and money he left in Genis’ capable hands. Know he kind of wished he had a few gels.

“Time to bust out! Lloyd ran around the corner and out of the cellblock room.

It was of little difficulty to sneak past the guards. They hardly paid any attention to their posts. Most were goofing off, drinking something from a bottle. Alcohol most likely, as many seemed drunk. Lloyd lost track of which ways he had turned, what staircases had gone up and down. He thought he was golden until he came in a large room with some sort of large spherical centerpiece. It had a ditch around it, sunk into the metal flooring.

A clear sphere, crackling with electrical energy inside, stood in front of it, had a fancy stand.

Lloyd walked up to the clear sphere. “What’s this thing? It looks familiar.”

Three balls of energy erupted from the sphere and melted into the Sorcerer’s Ring.

“Hey! I think something like this was back at the temple where I got this thing,” said Lloyd. “Maybe it fires something new!”

He pointed it in a random direction, and the ring shot a ball of electrical energy, much like the one that left him unconscious in Triet. The electricity hit a strange floating sentry machine that resembled a gun. The sentry robot hovered above a blue pad, and the electricity surged through the sentry and the pad. A door on the other side of the hall opened.

“Hey! This thing opens doors! Well, fire electricity anyway.” Lloyd said happily. “I always knew this thing was the coolest thing since my new metal blades. Even if I got the dual swords after this.”

He entered the door and went up some more stairs and entered another large room. It had this floating cube in the center. Lloyd had entered from the eastern door and there were northern and southern doors in this room. On the western wall there were four spinning pillars, and near that was another console.

“Man this place has some strange technology,” commented Lloyd. “This really is amazing. But I wonder if these guys are even Desians. They seemed sarcastic about it back at the Temple.” He walked towards the northern door.

“Oh man! More locked doors. How does anyone move around in this crazy place?” He sighed and moved towards the console. “Maybe this can help.”

Lloyd tried. He really, truly tried.

But he failed miserably to understand a single thing of what the console said.

“90 degrees? What the hell is that?” He half-shouted. The swordsman was getting very irked. Lloyd turned his head towards the spinning pillars.

“Maybe if I hit those with the electricity from the Sorcerer’s Ring. It’ll open the doors like with the robot in the other room.” said Lloyd. He proceeded to hit two of the pillars with electricity, and with his dumb luck, the door to the north opened.

“All right! I’m smarter then I give myself for!” Lloyd ran out the open door and further along into a hallway. He came to an intersection where it the corridor went left and straight.

“Uh…which way?” Lloyd asked himself.

“Hey you guys here something?” said a voice from straight ahead. Guards.

“Yeah I think I do.” said another.

“Let’s go check it out!” said a third guard.

“Oh no…” Lloyd darted into the left branch of the hallway and went into the first door on his right.

It was study, bookcase lined the wall opposite the door, and there were potted plants in each corner. A fancy woven rug lay on the floor and desk, covered with mounds of books stood in the very back. There was a man with blue hair tied into a ponytail, and wearing a black cloak stood scanning the bookcases. Lloyd, didn’t really notice the man.

“Whew!” Lloyd muttered. “That sure was close!”

The man turned. A thin mustache grew below his nose. His ears were slightly pointed. He was a half-elf.

“Who the hell are you?” The man demanded. He readied an electrical ball with his hand.

“Give me your name and I shall give you mine.” Lloyd grinned.

The man chuckled. “You certainly have guts kid. But there’s no reason for me to reveal my name a miserable human like you.”

“What a coincidence,” Lloyd said overconfidently. “Cause I don’t see a reason to introduce myself to a moron who doesn’t realize how pathetic he is.”

“Why you little!” The man snarled. He readied to fire the electricity ball.

Lloyd raised his left hand in defense. The hand with his exsphere on it.

The man was taken aback by the gem on Lloyd’s hand. “An exsphere! You’re Lloyd Irving?”

“And if I am?”

“Hmm…I see the resemblance.” responded the man.

Lloyd drew his sword. “Why don’t you just-”

The door opened as a man entered. His chest was covered with metal armor; the rest of his body was covered in tan clothes. His hair was black and somewhat spiky.

“Sir!” The man said. “There are reports that the Chosen’s group has infiltrated the facility.”

Lloyd glanced at the man. “Hey…you’re the Desian that attacked the Temple in Iselia!”

“So you’re Lloyd! Now isn’t this amusing!” The man responded.

“Botta!” said the cloaked man. This guy had to be the head boss. “I’m leaving…for now. Our plans will be ruined if he sees me. It’s also time to check on our…guest.”

“What of the Chosen?” asked Botta.

“I shall leave that to you.”

“Understood.”

The leader turned his attention back to Lloyd. “Lloyd Irving. Next time we meet, you are mine. You just wait.” He pressed a hidden button on the bookcase, and was gone with a flash.

“Well, well, well.” Botta laughed. He drew a huge scimitar from his side. “Like a rat caught by a cat.” He laughed again.

Lloyd backed up, still holding one of his swords. There was nowhere even both of his dual blades could stand up to Botta’s massive blade.

Botta didn’t get a chance to even swing his scimitar. He was blasted against the bookcase by a gust of wind. The bookcase fell on top of him.

Lloyd blinked at Botta’s attackers. “Guys? How did you?”

It was Genis, Colette, Raine, Kratos and Aberos.

“I had Nerl go with you two when you were captured.” answered Aberos. “When he found where you two were took, I had already found the Chosen’s group, and we raced here to rescue you.”

“Lloyd are you okay?” asked Genis.

“Are you all right? Did they hurt you?” prodded Colette.

“He looks fine.” said Kratos.

“Wow…thanks guys.” said a relieved Lloyd.

“Dwarven vows my boy,” winked Aberos. “Dwarven vows. Now get behind Raine. Kratos and I will deal with this guy.” He and the mercenary walked over to the bookcase, lifting it off Lloyd’s attacker.

“He’s not the real leader,” said Lloyd “The real guy already left. I think this his second in command or something.”

“Ugh,” Botta groaned. He got up, and rubbed his head. “What the…”

“Botta!” barked Aberos. “What the hell are you doing here!? You’re supposed to be at the Wanderer’s meeting in Asgard!”

“Damn.” cursed Botta. “Cat’s out of the bag now.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Aberos demanded again.

“Me? What the hell are you doing here Aberos?”

“Doing what Wanderers do Botta.” said Aberos. “The Elders won’t like it when they here you’re working with Desians.”

“We’re not Desians!” snapped Botta. “You wouldn’t know though, as smart as the Wanderers are. There is much more then the little reality you all have fabricated!”

“What are you talking about?”

Botta’s hand reached for the button on the bookcase. He smirked. “Nothing you and these feeble humans need to know. Bye-bye!” He pressed the button. A flash like the one that took Yuan away shined around Botta. When it subsided, he was gone.

“Damn it!” muttered Aberos. “Damn little egotistical half-elf. Calling us feeble. He knows damn well I’m not human.”

The others looked at him. “Something you need to explain Aberos?” asked Raine.

The Wanderer turned to the others and sighed. “Later, right now we have to get out of here.”

“It would be wise to return to Triet and regroup.”

Aberos nodded. “We can be there in an hour in the cart.”

“Then let’s go!” said Lloyd.

As they left, unseen by the others, Raine picked up the weapon of Botta and removed the exsphere she had seen on it earlier.

Well he’s not going to need this, thought the professor. She followed the others out the door.

A female ninja wearing purple ninja robes (which showed more then it should have), black pants and purple shoes fought against several of the sentry druids that Lloyd encountered earlier. The ninja had black hair tied up in a spiky ‘bun’, and a long ribbon was tied around her waist which what wasn’t tied, was trailing behind her back. She fought with several forms of ninja karate, and sometimes, magic cards. The cards were imbued with a myriad of spells, leading for interesting attacks.

When the last robot was left smoking in the corner, the leader presented himself to the female ninja. He stood in the open door of the training room, clapping.

“Well done, ninja.” he commented. “Well done indeed. You shouldn’t have any trouble eliminating the Chosen.”

“Whatever,” the ninja scoffed. “I think I’ve trained enough Yuan.”

“Don’t get cocky,” the leader, Yuan warned. “If you fail to assassinate the Chosen of this world, your country will fall into its demise.”

“I know.” the female ninja groaned. “No need to remind me. Where would be a good place for an ambush?”

“Ossa Trail.” answered Yuan. “I wouldn’t recommend fighting them in the desert, or the Fire Seal for that matter. You can find the Trail in the mountains east of Triet.”

“Right. I’ll leave when they’ve finished with the Fire Seal.”

“Excellent.” Yuan nodded. “Good luck to you Sheena Fujibayashi. You’ll need it.”

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