Fandom Final Fantasy: The Age of Ophiuchus [Closed]

[Arcanist]

Of course, the situation was out of their hands, but still, Cleon couldn’t hide that deepening frown. Another setback, and worse yet, they were stranded. At least they had escaped with their lives, though, he wondered if the Imperials would be waiting for them on Rozari’s shores when they finally arrived. There was no telling.

He glanced up at Leviathan, swirling into the air, watching not them, but the island ahead. If the creature was as troubled as Reva said, there must have been something on the island that needed their immediate attention.

“Ahuh…” The captain murmured, raising an eyebrow at Didymus, but didn’t think to question things much further. It wasn’t as bizarre as the sea dragon suddenly appearing to their aid. “Just, uh, be careful out there.”

Kikiti simply gave the captain a reassuring smile. “We will!”

Cleon had been the first to follow after Reva, jumping off the side of the ship and just about landing in the sand – though, nowhere near as gracefully as the viera – and gave a hand to both Didymus and Kikiti. Well, after Kikiti hung from the side, and realised that she would need help by being lifted and put down.

Damn that short stature.

Once they had all gotten safely to ground, Leviathan sped ahead, and even made sure that the four were following. That only caused them to speed up and not lag behind any longer.

The island itself seemed quiet. It was unknown whether that was a good thing or not, considering anything could pop out at them at any given moment. Though, with Leviathan and Reva leading the charge to whatever it was that was so important, they figured there were few – whether people or monsters – would dare to face them.

“What is it that you think Leviathan will find?” Kikiti asked, not directing the question at anyone in particular.

Cleon shrugged a little, thoughtful. “It could be anything.” Though, he wondered if it had anything to do with Leviathan or these other beings that they could summon.

 

[Lucyfer]

The island seemed peaceful. Content. Reva did not know what about it bothered Leviathan so much, but she could feel it and stayed ahead of the others, seeking something that would point to danger, or concern, as they moved on. She heard Kikiti’s query, but did not answer immediately.

Didymus, of course, had no answer. He shrugged. “Maybe he smelled a tasty whale.”

Reva shot a look over her shoulder at the thief for that remark, before shaking her head, “I do not know, I have never seen him this way,” as she said it, she crested the hill they’d been going up, only to get a better view of what was below. Further away, and further below, the ground was scorched entirely.

It seemed as if even the soil had been turned to glass by the heat, it caught the light of the sun and glinted. There was no grass, no vegetation, from a point near another hill where there appeared to be the ruins of a structure, and an entrance within that hill that was clearly destroyed by whatever happened.

Reva could only gasp as she felt the sudden wave of both pain and guilt hit Leviathan.

That was enough to have Didymus scrambling to get to the top, and look over. He let out a low whistle, “Damn. Something happened here.” But what? And what was that place? He thought he could see bones, but he wasn’t sure if that was just roughed up…dirt? He didn’t know what was up with the ground, it looked like obsidian to him. “What is this place?”

Reva shook her head. Leviathan had yet to say, though the dragon coiled down closer to it, no longer looking back towards them, but seeming to move around the ruins. “Let us go closer…perhaps we will discern it there.” More likely she would ask Leviathan. Though he knew her thoughts, she did not feel like pressing that one into his head right then.

 

[Arcanist]

Kikiti raised an eyebrow. Could Leviathan swallow a whole whale? It seemed the sea dragon could do anything but it had such a small mouth that it doubted it could swallow one whole. Maybe it had to cut it up into little bits first. Though, her question was soon answered by Reva, who gave an incredulous look back to Didymus, before explaining Leviathan's behaviour was odd.

And it seemed to have good reason for it, for as they arrived, they were met with the scorched ground. Whatever had been living here before had been annihilated with ease, leaving only charred remains in its wake. Cleon, once he had clambered to the top of the hill with Kikiti in tow, staring at the darkened scene with a gloomy visage. He and Kikiti had been wondering the same thing looking upon these ruins. How was it here that was completely destroyed, and yet, the rest of the island remained perfectly intact and alive?

The only worthwhile thing to do instead of stand and gawk was to advance ahead. As their footsteps crunched against the charred ground, Kikiti couldn't help but ask, "Was there a battle or something here?" But then she had already regretted asking that one. "Mm...but surely we would have known about it somehow, right?"

Cleon hummed, unsure. "I don't think so..." He murmured, looking around the rest of the grounds, the odd shape of its charred shadow. Did something...land here? No, no, that couldn't be it. The shape couldn't have been that distinct.

Things started to get slightly more clearer the closer they approached. Well, visually, at least. The structure seemed to have represented a building, a temple of sorts, with its grand pillars having been knocked flat, cut in half, and scattered. It was difficult to discern what material it had been built with, seeing as it had decayed slightly over time.

"A...temple?" Cleon asked, stopping at a pile of rubble, no doubt once a fine work of art. "Why would it be built here of all places?"

 

[Lucyfer]

The closer they drew to the sealed entrance, the more apparent the features became. Reva had seen her fair share of human temples, and the pillars were usually something of a give-away. At least, a give-away to important places. This had once been such a place, but she had never known of it before. “It could have happened a long time ago,” Reva suggested, although she knew, even by human standards, that wouldn’t be true.

Didymus let out a low whistle, spotting flecks of gold amongst the wreckage, and what looked like precious stones. He bent to pick one up, brushing his thumb over it to reveal there was still a deep, red color to the gem. Needless to say, he pocketed it, before looking at the pillars that were broken.

There was no salvaging them, but the inside of some looked to be gold. “This place was fancy, whatever it was.”

“A temple,” Leviathan’s voice boomed, startling Didymus so badly he fell back onto his rump after getting to his feet.

“Y-you talk.”

He also cradled what appeared to be a bird’s skull in his coiled tail. Leviathan might have found Didymus’s comment somewhat amusing any other day, but today, he had learned of a tragedy. “It was Leo’s temple. Phoenix’s temple.”

“Are those not all in Ibec?” Reva wondered aloud, but saw that skull as well. She had…a very bad feeling.

“There are temples in Ibec, but they are not OUR temples. They are human creations. Phoenix…died here.” Leviathan sounded almost bewildered by it, but of course – Phoenix had died before, but come back, time and time again, in some ways the youngest of them all for their manner of rebirth, but nonetheless….

His head snapped up from reflection as he heard Didymus laughing, and making a poor attempt to stifle it.

Reva felt the hair on her ears stand on end at Leviathan’s fury. “What is funny, Didymus?” She spoke in his place.

“I’m—it’s sad—I just—I realized why the Empress doesn’t have Phoenix now – even though everyone says she does,” it wasn’t a good reason to laugh and he absolutely knew that – but he also wanted to see Zariel’s face when she learned she was never, ever, ever getting Phoenix and the lie came crumbling down around her. “I really am—Leviathan—I’m sorry—it’s a—a human thing.” He didn’t want the dragon to eat him.

 

[Arcanist]

Kikiti had been picking up the feathers, brushing off the soot and revealing the fabulous reds, oranges, and yellows. She had been looking around for any exotic birds on this island – for it was near the exotic Rozari itself – yet she hadn’t seen any nests, and there couldn’t have been any in a part that was uninhabitable. Nonetheless, she had pocketed hit as they continued their impromptu temple tour.

Leo’s temple, the sea dragon had boomed. Even Kikiti had expressed the same surprise as Didymus at Leviathan’s ability to speak with them. Though, the mood had quickly soured after that.

“A temple for…Phoenix. Under Leo…” Cleon murmured, piecing together that information. But how did Phoenix die? Wouldn’t they have been an all powerful and divine creature, much as Leviathan was? As Cleon stared at the bird’s skull in Leviathan’s possession, he found it difficult to believe it had just simply died here.

Kikiti turned to Didymus as he laughed, hands on her waist. Even after he explained his reasoning, her visage hadn’t shifted. “Even so, Didymus! A friend of Leviathan’s still died.” Well, assuming that was a friend. Judging by the grim atmosphere around them, it seemed as much. Though, she had to wonder, if they all had one of these beings to summon…how many of them were still alive?

Cleon’s head was also riddled with questions. He stepped forward, and looked up to the sea dragon, addressing it itself. “Leviathan. Would Pisces have a temple? And Gemini, Libra, and Cancer?” If Leo had one, surely the rest of them had to have temples. Perhaps they were the keys to finding out more about their markings, who they could summon…

 

[Lucyfer]

“I know!” There was a part of Didymus that was genuinely sad for Leviathan, but he didn’t know Leviathan. He knew of Phoenix. He knew the legends of Phoenix, and all the talk about Zariel being the successor not of Lavi, really, but Leander. It had been spoken of since her birth, even by Emperor Lavi. Didymus hadn’t paid much attention to politics, but that bit of Imperial propaganda was hard to avoid.

They wanted Zariel to seem as grand as Lavi, but no phoenix had ever manifested. None ever would. He had to tell Jagger. As soon as they got to Rozari, he was going to send her a letter. She needed to know. Maybe it would even make confronting Zariel about what was going on easier.

He at least managed to get a hold of himself and his laughter under the sour looks.

And Leviathan ignored him as he focused on Cleon, nodding his head before speaking again, “Yes, all have such places. I know where mine is, and I know Aries,” Aries was opposite, “I know Cancer is opposite Leo,” but the rest, admittedly, he hadn’t paid much mind towards, or attention.

“The others?” Reva was the one to ask, but he shook his head. He couldn’t look bashful, or embarrassed, exactly, but he felt it.

“I did not have much reason to know. I know they are all across from another. Aries is across Pisces, Leo is across Cancer, but others I know not their placement, only that their opposites could be found across from them.”

“Why were these Temples made in the first place?” Didymus asked, although Leviathan fixed him with a glare for asking.

Reva lifted her hand, “Please. He asks an important question.”

Leviathan grumbled, and gently set Phoenix’s skull down on the ground, before the entrance. “Marks are not so unique. There were times before we marked the people of this world, when we were still in the sky,” Didymus canted his head, marking that as strange, “and lent them our powers. Times when changes were needed. We kept bits of ourselves in these temples, as well, to help our chosen heroes.”

 

[Arcanist]

So, it was true. They – or rather, the Zodiacs – all had temples. Though, Leviathan’s words confused Cleon as much as it seemed confusing to the sea dragon itself. All across from each other. Aries across from Pisces, Cancer opposite to Leo. Physically? There couldn’t have been another temple on this island. Perhaps they were further across the world.

Cleon’s hand moved towards the sheath of Severance, staring at it. He recalled its story, the many hands it had passed to, including his uncle. “It makes sense,” Cleon said, still staring at the falchion. “Ucantis’s legends say this is Asura’s sword,” he explained, gripping it tightly. He wondered if Asura had been with that old hero, Cesaria, as she fought.

Kikiti cocked her head to the side too, swinging side-to-side as she mused, “So…we would get weapons?” She found it hard to believe it would just be weapons. She didn’t know the first thing about swinging a sword. Didn’t mean she wouldn’t try it though.

Cleon shook his head. “It couldn’t just be weaponry. Maybe something more useful depending on who we can summon…” He murmured. He couldn’t be sure. It was all just speculation of course. Things were so up in the air as it was.

Kikiti hummed before turning back to the entrance of the temple. She frowned, then sighed as she pointed out, “It would have been useful to explore Leo’s temple, see what there was…but the entrance is all busted up.” They hardly had the tools to get through the wreck left in Phoenix’s wake.

Plus, they couldn't access whatever goody that Phoenix had left behind.

 

[Lucyfer]

Leviathan’s gaze drifted down to the sword that Cleon had, knowing it, though he had never paid much attention to all of the things the other Zodiacs did. It was likely why he’d been caught unaware when everything unfolded so quickly, and he was cast out of the sky. Generally speaking, if it wasn’t his time to look over the world, he was sleeping.

Leviathan hummed at Kikiti’s query, a rumbling sound more akin to a waterfall than anything else. Didymus still found himself unnerved by the sounds the dragon made. And the fact it even spoke to begin with. “I cannot say for certain what all would have stored, but I doubt in all cases it is weaponry. It is not always violence that is needed.” Some of his siblings preferred other means.

Some would have left protection, magic, or other kinds of things behind, rather than weapons.

“Even if you could enter here, it would not be wise to do so. It won’t open for you all the way.” Though Leviathan doubted that had stopped everyone in the past. In fact, he knew it hadn’t. People were always trying to rob from temples and things like this. The protections put in place, and the need of a certain mark, would prevent them from ever getting too far.

Though, he did wonder if Leo’s protections remained.

“And there are traps.”

“And what did you leave behind, hm?” Didymus asked.

Leviathan again looked down on Didymus with irritation. “That is not for you to know.”

“Would you help us find your temple?” Reva asked, “Later,” an addition, because first there were other things to do. First they needed to find El Cid in Rozari, before they could even consider this route.

Leviathan hummed again, before nodding his head. “Yes.” He had no qualms with that, he supposed. “Although…it may not be where I last knew it to be.” When Reva canted her head, he noted. “I put it on the back of a rather large turtle…he’s supposed to stay in the North, but he drifts sometimes….” Still, he’d never go too far. Certainly not South.

“Are they all islands?”

“No.” That, Leviathan at least knew, was true.

 

[Arcanist]

Kikiti, in contrast to Didymus, could only look up in awe at Leviathan as he made such sounds. Then again, the way Reva had spoken about him, how could she not be amazed by Leviathan? She listened as she nodded along, where Leviathan echoed Cleon’s point. It must have depended on the Zodiac they had. She guessed violence wasn’t always the way…until it was.

She wondered what hers would gift her.

Cleon clicked his tongue at them being unable to enter Leo’s temple. “So…I wonder if it has to be open by those under Leo…” The Empress. She would have to be the one to open it herself. He scowled at the thought of it. Even if she did open it, it wasn’t as if the spoils of the temple were theirs for the taking.

It would be hers. And with that, who knows how much power she would have gained.

Then again, it didn’t seem like she would even be able to summon Phoenix, as per their last discussion of it.

“They should all have temples somewhere,” Kikiti pointed out with a smile after Reva suggested that they look for Leviathan’s temple. “So, if we find Leviathan’s, I’m sure we can find a bunch of other ones.” Though, she was surprised that Leviathan’s was on the back of a large moving turtle. So, not all of them were grandiose temples on islands.
“They must all have unique locations then…” Cleon theorised. Each of the signs and constellations widely differentiated from one another. Their temples would have to reflect that.

He wondered if El Cid would know much more about them.

He doubted it. He just had to count on him knowing more about his father than anything else.

Cleon sighed, turning to the others, musing, “I wonder how they’re doing with the ship. We would have heard if anything dangerous by now, so…”

 

[Lucyfer]

Leviathan nodded as Cleon’s assumption, though found himself wondering how any could be marked by Leo if Phoenix were dead. Was this person lying? Leviathan wondered to what ends. Had Phoenix died more recently than he suspected and they bore the mark before the death? It was puzzling to Leviathan, but none of these thoughts were passed along. Just the general confusion was what Reva understood.

“I don’t think it’d be that easy. We’d only be able to find Aries from going…well, across. I guess we could find Cancer the same way,” though he didn’t think Cancer was on the same island. Probably across the planet, way on the other side. Still, they had a point…assuming they could remember it. Didymus didn’t exactly know where they were in relation to anything else.

“Regardless, it is something to look in to,” Reva would agree on that note. If it could aid them…it was worth pursuing, wasn’t it? That was why she sought to go to Leviathan’s temple. If she could find more power for herself, she could help Cleon. They could defeat the Empire…especially since the Empress didn’t have Phoenix. Or what was in the Temple.

Hopefully.

There was nothing to do here, even if Reva thought to destroy things here even further, it would do little good.

And it seemed there was nothing here to do, as it was. They had new information now, about temples and powers, and about Phoenix…the lie the Empire was leading…even if it hurt Leviathan.

She sighed, “We should see if there is a way we can make ourselves useful to getting the ship moving.” She agreed. “Thank you, Leviathan,” she said, lifting her hand to the serpentine creature. He lowered his head to touch his nose to her uplifted hand, before beginning to part away, like drops of rain rising up, rather than down.

 

[Arcanist]

Kikiti hummed, tapping her cheek as Didymus explained how difficult it could be. “True…but there has to be clues scattered about. We just have to find those clues first, don’t we?” She smiled. Ever the ray of optimism that they needed. She worked off the hope that they would find them. It’s all they really had to work off.

Cleon nodded, agreeing to both Kikiti and Reva’s statements. It was something they needed to do, especially if they were to all go home again.

The others watched as Leviathan started to break away into droplets, rising up and away, before its form had disappeared completely. Kikiti smiled, almost tempted to wave the droplets goodbye, though, resisted. Cleon was the one to lead the charge back towards their narrowly avoided shipwreck.
Returning to the shore once again, most of the crew were at work attempting to patch up the back of the ship, the sides…the ship could have had a worse scruffle, but it certainly didn’t look like a job that could be finished in one night.

The captain, currently standing with her trousers rolled up to her knees while standing in the water, noticing the oncoming figures. She waved them over, to which Cleon dutifully approached. “Find nothing?”

Cleon shook his head. “Nothing that’s an immediate danger to anyone here, no,” he reassured. He could have mentioned the temple…but it didn’t concern the captain or her crew so much. He looked over to the ship, to which the captain gave a sigh, scratching her head.

“The good news is, we have what we need to patch it up. The bad news, well…” The captain rubbed her forehead. “It’s gonna take awhile to fix it.”

Kikiti frowned. “So, we’re stuck here?”

The captain nodded. “For now, at least.”

“Anything you need, we can give you a hand with,” Cleon offered, “four extra pairs of hands are better than none at all.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Neither Reva nor Didymus were keen to clear up information about what was found. Both of them knew it was better for the crew to remain as ignorant as possible. It went unsaid. Though, Didymus did wonder how they’d explain it, ‘Ah, yeah, we just stumbled upon the ruins of a dead god’s temple and we’re planning to ransack some others in the future.’ He couldn’t even imagine the reactions.

Or the amount of looting attempts on Leo’s temple, and probable new corpses.

His eyes did move over the ship, assessing the damage on his own. He could see that. There were holes in the structure, after all. He sighed, knowing they’d have to work more. They should really get a refund of their gil, but he bit back on the urge to say that. They had just saved everyone’s lives, though.

“Uh huh. Well, I think I have some ideas for all of you,” she said, nodding after a few moments of looking over at them, “I’m sure using a hammer and nail can’t be that hard for some of you, right?”

Didymus still gave a side-eye to Cleon, but said, “Nah, I’ll be sure Gus gets it down,” as he wrapped an arm around Cleon’s shoulders. He would also snicker to himself when Cleon inevitably hit his thumb with the hammer and not the nail. He could feel Reva’s glare at the back of his head, but he ignored it.

Soon enough, they were ushered along to help out the crew where they could.

~***~

Elsewhere in the world, within the mountainous region of Ibec, a priestess traveled on her own. Well, mostly on her own – the woman held the leather leash of a rather large lizard who strolled along after her, flicking its tongue out, looking around like a starstruck child. A saddle, and a pack of items were on its back. “No, we’re all out of red chocobos,” the priestess muttered, “if you want to travel up the mountain, you’ll have to use a kumi lizard.”

Admittedly, the lizard had gotten her up the mountain, but it had been terrifying because it went straight up the rocky side of the mountain, and seeing as she’d been on its back, she’d been holding on for dear life as it sped up. Trying to direct it while in that state of fear had been a nightmare in and of itself, not to mention the few fiends they had in the foggy areas.

It would all be worth it, though. It had to be.

The snowy areas were already starting to break away, even though nothing about the mountain itself with regards to height, had changed. There was a slight dip approaching, but already the white was giving away to rock, and that was showing signs of green moss. Still, the priestess shivered against the cold.

Should have packed for colder weather, too. Not that she wasn’t covered, white slacks beneath her black skirt, a black top that covered her neck and arms, and a furred coat over that. Still, the chill was piercing.

She hadn’t known mountains to be so cold.

So she was relieved to start to see that green, and anticipated warmth, despite that.

She was pleasantly surprised as she reached that ledge above the dip.

Her hopes of an oasis were shattered by the sight of stagnant water and withered plants. It may have been lush at some point, but no longer. Yet, the structures below were not in ruins as the area would suggest. Pillars lined a path, not held by a foundation, but through the tension of chains that were stuck into the nearby mountains.

“Mmmm, this can’t be right,” she sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and looked back down at her map, “Maybe I’m a little too far—” a shift in posture caused the chimes at her hip to jingle, which startled one of the wolves that had started to stalk her and her lizard.

Rather than run off, it chose to charge.

The priestess caught sight of it quickly, but just as she was about to lift her hands in a spell, the kumi lizard caught the smaller wolf’s head between its teeth, snapped its neck, and tossed it aside. “Uh….”

The lizard let out a chirping sound, but inched nearer to her, a ‘burring’ sound following as it seemed anxious. She was, too. Wolves didn’t hunt alone. “Okay, we’re gonna go down there.” She moved to the saddle on the lizard’s back and stepped up onto it again, grabbing the reins, sighing, and directing the lizard to plummet down the cliff.

She really didn’t like how quickly it did it. Or how enthusiastically.

~***~

Zariel Arkidos had just missed Oleander when she returned to Ucantis, letting Lady Virys know that Lixue would be some time behind her, given he was occupied with business in Ibec. It was worth keeping her aware that her son was well enough. It didn’t take long for Zariel to learn that Jagger had returned, a failure at finding the Prince or Didymus.

‘I am going to regret trusting him.’ She had known that from the start, but it did not make it easier. Never trust someone who only feared. She had seen only too often what happened in those cases.

Those who were afraid, eventually found their spine.

Jagger, at least, was bought by other means, though not the most trustworthy of means, either. Given her ties to this thief, that could start to become problematic. It was a thought Zariel would keep in mind as she went to go find the mercenary in the quarters she’d been given within the Ucantis castle, which was gradually being taken over by the influences of the new ruling family, the Marchands.

She still needed a full report on Egbert, but she decided that was a headache better saved for after Jagger.

So it was Zariel would find herself before the mercenary’s door, knocking, while considering just how late she might want to delay Lady Virys’s information dump on the Marchand’s and how hopeless they were.

 

[Arcanist]

Admittedly, trying to find somewhere to land the Valkyrie at first was a pain. The mountain that had the map pointed towards, in question, had steep inclines and narrow paths, not to mention the fog had hurt their viewing of where these ruins would even be on this mountain. It was after reviewing the map, that the sky pirate duo noticed set of pillars and oddly, glowing chains, building into the side of the mountain. The two had the leave the airship airborne, which it was more than equipped to handle even if they preferred to land it somewhere and were forced to scale some of the wall up into the mountain.

“Shiva’s tits,” Sesario huffed as they finally reached the entrance safely, giving Hector a hand up, “I’m getting too old for this shit.” He rarely admitted things like that because that would have only given the boy plenty of ammunition to fire at him with, but the climb had been steep, and he didn’t find himself climbing mountains all too often. Plus, it was as cold, no doubt, as Shiva’s tits probably were.

“Keep your gun handy,” the older man warned, detaching himself from some of the gear they used to climb up. “Don’t know what’s around here for sure.”

Maybe some nice Imperials waiting to say hello to them, for all he knew.

Or something that would lead them to their deaths. He’d be doing some haunting around that woman in Escander.

Surprisingly, even as Sesario ventured on ahead, the path moving further into the mountain and downwards, he realised they had no need for a torch. There was a strange flicker of green flames from torches lining the walls of the cave, ones he had been tempted to stick his hand in to see if they were as real as they looked, though, cautioned himself against it. The straight path wasn’t long at all. It eventually led them into something akin to a room, pillars chained to the wall, and flames lighting the room. Oddly, the ground had something akin to obsidian steppingstones, with strange symbols etched in them.

Straight ahead, a door—no, a vault, with chains from each side built into its door, and a giant lock in the middle, pulsing with a strange green glow.

Sesario stopped, staring at the door. Though, he just scratched his head and chuckled, “Weird design for a locked door…” He imagined it would be easy to bust through with the tools they had, grab whatever inside, and get moving again. Though, something about the glowing, the chains…almost seemed memorable. Sesario felt a strange nostalgia wash over him and he felt his smile fade for a moment. Where would he have…?

Above the sounds of the chains, he could hear something falling outside of the entrance. Loose debris of the mountains, perhaps. Still, it was enough to bring him away from the nostalgia. He looked to Hector with a smirk.

“How we opening this bad boy then?

~***~

“Man…poor folk are missing out…” Jagger murmured, eyes closed as she starfished on the bed. To think that whiny prince got to sleep in one of these bad boys, every night, for his whole life. The mercenary couldn’t help but drag her arms and her legs over the sheets. If it was this good to sleep in, she could imagine how great it was to…

Ah, but she couldn’t have anyone over. Not with the Empress arriving back soon.

Of course, she knew she was biding her time, lying here, waiting for Zariel to come back. She was advised to stay close, just in case the Empress came back earlier than expected. She still hadn’t rehearsed what she was going to say. Or what she’d do if Zariel appeared to her, red-faced and furious. In any other situation, she’d have been charred toast.

In this case though, she was only slightly burnt toast. She had a mark, after all. They wouldn’t execute someone with a mark.

Would they? Probably. But who knows what trouble that would cause for them.

The knock arrived as did Zariel’s hour of reckoning. Jagger wriggled herself off her back, mourning the loss of comfort in the meanwhile before she walked to the door, opening it. She looked pleasantly ‘surprised’ at Zariel behind the door, and gave her a grin, “Oh, Empress, good to see ya. There’s me thinking room service got here before you.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Hector followed along after Sesario, scowling at his profanity each time, though he did quietly agree that Sesario was getting too old for this. He wouldn’t say it, though. He didn’t really want Sesario to turn towards a boring life, after all. Then he wouldn’t be having any fun, and finding new things like…well, this wasteland. Okay, maybe they could have done better with this venture. ‘Damn map.’

He followed the path, humming agreeably as Sesario told him to keep his gun. As if he’d ever relinquish it. “Yeah, weird magical lighting, that’s not a red flag or anything,” Hector muttered to himself as they stepped into the cave that sloped downwards, lit up by green flames. He still had enough items on hand to bring up a fire if they went out.

He was half-tempted to light up one of the torches in his pack anyways, but he busied himself as they came to the end of the hall with wrapping up the rope nicely to be stored in the bag. He eyed the vault door warily all the same. “Something tells me an explosion isn’t going to do the trick, but I’m willing to find out.” Hector offered, before he heard steps of…something…behind.

He turned quickly and pointed his gun at what at first he recognized as a lizard, before he realized there was someone on top of the lizard.

Anissa froze on top of the lizard, uncertain exactly what was being pointed at her, but certain she didn’t want to be on the receiving end of it. “Hey there! You really don’t want to blow up that door.”

“Why’s that?” Hector asked.

“That symbol there? That’s for Taurus, of the Twelve. How keen are you on upsetting a god?”

“Depends on the day.” Hector shrugged, “Who are you? How do you know what that is? What are you doing—aaa!” He was taken by surprise when the lizard’s tongue flicked out, wrapped around his gun, and tossed it to the side.

The woman looked smug as she patted the lizard’s head.

“I get to ask the questions, I’m the priestess!” She countered, realizing she’d answered one of the questions by doing that. She scowled, “What are you two, thieves?”

‘Well that’s one way to put it.’ He did not, in fact, say that. It was probably time for Sesario to try and charm their way out of this.

~***~

Zariel arched a brow at Jagger’s commentary on room service. “Really now?” She stepped in, having no need to actually wait outside. She might afford Lixue some luxuries of not barging into his space, but Jagger? Oleander? Certainly not. They didn’t have sensitive things that could explode with the wrong interactions waiting in their rooms. “And what did you order? I might have to steal a bite.”

Zariel didn’t actually care, but Jagger might need the moment to jabber on as she gathered her thoughts. Zariel walked across the room and towards the chair that was set up besides the vanity. Likely, an accessory that Jagger didn’t need, but nonetheless, the rooms had ample to offer, and Jagger was still one of hers.

She crossed one leg over the other once she took her seat, tilting her head up towards Jagger, “You’re back earlier than I thought you would be, and with no one, which means you’ve given up earlier than I thought you would,” Zariel noted, “for some good reason, I assume.”

She left it open for Jagger to start explaining herself and what that ‘good reason’ was. Her tone had not turned cold, nor her gaze, but the threat was present. Her dissatisfaction was present.

 

[Arcanist]

Sesario hummed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, something tells me a regular key isn’t going to do the job either,” he pointed out. Hector’s past mutterings – which, to be fair, were always doom and gloom in his opinion – were warranted. This wasn’t just a regular old temple with some regular old spoils. Not if the Empire wanted their hands on a map like this.

Turned out, that debris falling down the mountainside had been a precursor for the guest…s that would be joining them. Hector as always was quick on the mark, gun aimed at a lizard, and a rather lovely woman seated upon it. His hand had already gripped the lance on his back, though, never brought it out. Hector was more than equipped to handle it.

Sesario glanced back at the symbol that the woman was talking about and raised an eyebrow. “Huh. Good point,” he murmured. The green fire and strange symbols all made so much more sense now. When he looked back to assess the woman, his grip tightened instinctively on his lance when the gun had been knocked out of his hand. The lizard was a problem. It couldn’t be charmed.

That didn’t mean the lady was entirely uncharmable though.

Sesario loosened his grip on the lance and held his hands up, a sign that he wanted to make peace. At least, unless the woman had other ideas. But he didn’t want it to get nasty. “Adventurers looking to whet their appetites for some discovery. We heard of this place some time ago, and naturally, we couldn’t stay away from finding such a sight,” he smiled. Technically not a lie. But of course, why would anyone else be here other than thieves, and scoundrels, and Twelve knew who else? Then again, it was rare for a priestess, never mind one as lovely as this one, to be wandering around ruins and temples such as this.

“You priestesses sure are getting younger,” Sesario raised an eyebrow, still smiling, “and you’re further from the holy city than I thought priestesses would ever go. I’m assuming you operate under Taurus, seeing as you know more about this temple than we ever would.”

~***~

Jagger couldn’t exactly argue with Zariel butting into the room as much as she so wanted to. She had to accommodate her employer after all. Once that was one, and Zariel had asked what she had ordered, she decided to play the game.

“I’ve always wondered what lobster tasted like,” she started, walking back over to the bed, leaning against one of its posts. “You’re not allergic to fishies, are you?” ‘Like your brother is apparently,’ she had been tempted to add for humour, thinking of the sea dragon he had barely handled. She relented. “And they better not slack on the portions. Nobles take a bite and they’re full. No offense,” she added, though, they were just words, not a genuine crafted apology.

And now, onto the main course, in which Jagger was about to be one handed up to Zariel. She hadn’t erupted, which was promising, but that silent anger never was. “Yeah. About that,” she scratched her head. “Thinking the prince has taken a nice cruise away from Ucantis. Got to one of the ports and heard from one of the dock workers there were some weird looking characters getting on one of the ships.”

Jagger rolled her shoulders back. “That was hours before we got there though. Couldn’t jump on a ship to follow them since business was conducted for the day. So,” she shrugged, looking to Zariel again. “Just have to make…adaptions.” Adaptions, such as not putting her friend in danger. Finding out more about the Zodiacs. On the surface, potentially just getting an airship to find these fugitives.

 

[Lucyfer]

Adventurers was usually just a pretty word for roving thief.

Anissa would not call the man on that, though she kept her eyes narrowed while listening to his explanation, and rolled her eyes as he called her young. She knew right where that was going, “Capricorn, actually,” she corrected, “and I don’t know much,” she admitted, “that’s why I’m here.”

These were not built by the people in Ibec. They were not kept in their records, they were not known. The Empire was finding them. The Empire had an obsession with the Twelve, and the marks that appeared on people like her, for the power they granted – power she could not yet access, and knew not how to access.

Why the Empire wanted it, beyond conquest, eluded her.

“To get into it and learn more?” Hector asked, and Anissa nodded, before dismounting from the lizard. “So you don’t know how to open it,” it was more a statement than a question.

“No,” Anissa shook her head, “I don’t,” though she’d assume it had something to do with Taurus, “but I don’t think explosives are the best option here. There might be a puzzle, or a key….”

“There’s no keyhole.” Hector pointed out.

She sighed, “Magical key. An artifact that would resonate, or….”

‘Or a mark.’

She trailed off. If she couldn’t get in, this was a dead-end for her. Maybe an explosion wasn’t that bad….

As she thought it, she heard a howl from outside.

~***~

Zariel wasn’t the biggest fan of lobster, truth be told, though she took no offense at Jagger’s prodding and implications about nobles. ‘We eat small bites because we have more food to try.’ She didn’t add that. Jagger wouldn’t forgive her for that realization that variety truly was the spice of life for nobility.

“None taken,” was all she offered to that, before it shifted to what she was truly interested in. Her gaze remained steady on Jagger, sensing something amiss in the way Jagger answered. The movement was never a good sign, in her experience. Anxious people moved about. Liars moved about.

Zariel wasn’t ready to call Jagger a liar, the woman could be anxious simply for having failed. Oleander was usually the one to inspire fear more than Zariel was, but Jagger was smarter than most people. Jagger was far more aware that Zariel was not a ruler who led from behind. “I do not suppose you happened to get the information for where these weird characters were trying to go, did you?”

That would be the logical step in her situation.

So would following Cleon to that direction to see if it was, in fact, him.

That he took a boat was unexpected, but not surprising. Zariel didn’t have the ports as secure as she’d like, though she was working on it.

 

[Arcanist]

Sesario did raise an eyebrow to that, humming in some interest. Unexpected, since he’d quite verbally assumed a Priestess of Taurus would have been more interested in this place than a Priestess of Capricorn. And anyway, didn’t this Priestess have a temple to be managing or something? What would make her so interested in this place?

Must have been something good hiding away if she was here.

The sky pirate sighed at the back and forth, scratching his head. “Puzzles, riddles, and keys…that’s all damned ruins ever seem to need…” He mumbled. It made sense if there was something to be secured in them. Though, he wished one of their conquests could be simpler for once…

And it seemed it would refuse to be this time.

It was then that Sesario unsheathed his lance. “Looks like we got company.” Of course, that was inevitable for creatures to find them in a place like this. Though, wolves in all places? He didn’t think wolves liked to live up in the mountains, but that would be a question posed for later.

It wasn’t long after the howl that the pattering of padded feet came sprinting from outside. The snarling was soon apparent as a pack of wolves – six in all, by quick counting – had arrived within the sacred grounds to prey upon fresh blood.

It was a standoff. Six against three. Plenty of snarling and barking going on. It wasn’t a great situation to be in.

Sesario, though, had been in worse spots.

As one wolf leapt towards Anissa and her amphibian friend, Sesario rushed forward, the lance striking into the wolf’s jaw, who yelped. With some effort, Sesario managed to swing the beast away from him and – by some stroke of luck – into another one of its friends.

“If you can fight, now would be the perfect time to do so!”

~***~

There came the question that Jagger had been dreading to have to answer. It wouldn’t be so easy to lie about where it was they were going, not without Zariel sniffing it out like some dog searching for the bloodiest cut of meat. She could already see how zoned in Zariel was, like she had an intuitive sense that there was something she was hiding.

“You know, they didn’t mention it,” Jagger told her, arms folded. Though, she wasn’t satisfied with that excuse. “My best guess is that they’ve scurried off to somewhere that hasn’t joined the Empire yet.”

She couldn’t get away with not at least giving Zariel a lead. Shitty of her, sure, but she did intend to gain information by way of exchange.

“What’s the deal with the prince and the runaways anyway?” Jagger asked, hoping to pry some sort of information that she had long chosen to ignore. “I mean, sure, he’ll cause some problems for you and your budding Empire if you don’t grab him. But you can’t exactly kill the kid, can you? So, what then?”

Just like they couldn’t kill her. Just like it was perilous if any of them were to die. They were important, somehow. She was important to Zariel’s plan, yet, she hadn’t an inkling of what it was all for.

So how the hell was Didymus and the others meant to understand what was going to happen to them if she didn’t either?

 

[Lucyfer]

The kumi lizard seemed quite anxious as it tried to get turned around so it could look towards the oncoming thread of wolves. It had handled one deftly before, but six? The lizard didn’t fully understand it was now part of a group, uncertain what to make of Sesario and Hector at the moment. So, rather than stay and fight, the lizard bolted out of the cave.

“HEY! GET BACK—eep!” Anissa had balled her fists as she shouted at the lizard, but of course, it didn’t heed her right then – and something lunged at her, only to be taken care of by the stranger. “Yeah, good point.”

She took her chimes into hand by the branch, as Hector dove for his gun, rolling under a wolf that wanted to take a bite out of him, “And fuck you in particular,” he grumbled before he shot at that one. The noise was terrible in the cave, bouncing off the walls and seeming to fill the space in a deafening way.

Hector was used to it, but Anissa wasn’t.

The jingle of the chimes helped her re-orient. She took in a deep breath and on the exhale, channeled it through the chime. A gust picked up, a nova of energy spreading out from her to slam the wolves against the walls of the cave to make them a bit easier pickings for the pirate duo, since Hector needed a moment to reload.

~***~

‘And you didn’t ask.’ It wasn’t a question that needed asked, as Zariel felt that surge of anger that she crushed down, clenching her fists, the one on her lap the most visible indication of that. Jagger had asked. Jagger wasn’t that stupid. Either people had lied to her, people wouldn’t tell her, or Jagger was lying to her. Zariel knew which one she suspected, but it didn’t change what Jagger was to her.

It did change how she would be utilized, though.

“It’s fortunate I already have a decent lead for where they are going to go, eventually,” Rozari. El Cid. She and Lixue had pieced it together, and she’d sent a letter to the Kavalieris family about it. They were eager enough to help, eager enough to retain power through some marriage arrangement. They were at least aware enough it didn’t matter if they agreed or not, so far as Rozari was concerned.

Zariel would have it.

Their relevancy simply depended on their cooperation.

At Jagger’s question, she rolled her eyes, but rose, “He has a mark. We’ve been over this,” not in great detail, “and now we know the viera has one, as well. That’s the importance.” She strode towards the door, “You can rest here a few days, then I’d like you to head to Escander. I’m certain Oleander could use help.”

She was off the case.

 

[Arcanist]

Well, it was goodbye to the lizard. So much for four on six. Kumi lizards had a reputation of dispatching things they didn’t like with relative ease, which would have been useful here. Nonetheless, there were still three on six. Not horrible odds. Much better than just the duo of sky pirates fighting against a pack.

Even if he had heard that gun go off multiple times in the past, it had never stopped Sesario’s ears from ringing. Another sign he was getting old. The difference now was that he never focused on it for too long.

Sesario readied his lance once again, and the priestess did surprise him with a gust that sent the wolves banging against the walls of the cave. That was the man’s cue to start messing with some of the wolves. With a spin of the Highwind, he launched himself and his weapon at one wolf, skewering it through its neck before pulling it back out again.

Another one though had caught its wind faster than the pirate expected it to, and when he turned at the relentless barking, he was lucky enough to put his lance sideways between him and the wolf for it to latch onto it rather than him. Attempting to shake him off, and well, to try and even hold the wolf up, he strained.

“Do…you mind?! This…was…a…family heirloom!” He growled between his teeth.

Though picking of the wolves may have been easier, with a pack, there was always an alpha. This one hadn’t reached the three yet, but further up the path they came, its yellow eyes glowed in the dark, and worse yet, it seemed that little bit taller than the rest of its pack.

~***~

Jagger could see the answer wasn’t satisfactory enough for the Empress. She tried not to shift so much at the way the atmosphere had suddenly turned so cold – or perhaps it had turned uncomfortably hot. She did have to wonder what kind of death sentence awaited her in the future. Hung, drawn, and quartered wasn’t an optimal choice. Drowning was painful, but quick. Maybe Lixue would turn her into some raging beast, and she wouldn’t have to die at all.

Jagger let her imagination run away with her before Zariel had dropped what she already knew. Really, they had little need of her. The only thing that had been of any use to her was the damned letter she shared with them. They truly were one step ahead of them all.

Now would have been the time to keep her mouth shut and go with the flow. She wouldn’t be running after Didymus and his new buddies, but she still had a promise to hold up. Even if it wasn’t entirely for him, but for her own sake.

“Hey, slow your roll,” Jagger told her, too brashly, too bluntly for her own good, but it was a sure-fire way to grab her attention. Or her wrath. “What’s the deal with the marks? You gathering us all together for some superpowered weapon or somethin’?” She doubted that, but then the apparent power that came with each of these people with marks…it wasn’t entirely an unfounded theory.

“You got one, your brother’s got one, and your scientist buddy has one too,” Jagger pointed out the obvious. “I got the same right to know what this is all about if I got one too.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Hector reloaded his gun fairly quick, but it was still something he always had to do. He knew he needed to improve the gun to hold more than one shot at once, but right now? He was pleased with what it could do, given it was often fatal. He saw Sesario struggling with one of the wolves, and was quick to get to his feet and fire the bullet right into the wolf’s head.

That would get it off Sesario’s spear, and it was another wolf down.

That was three down, three more to go!

“AH FU—” it wasn’t Hector’s day, really. The wolves were smart enough to try and go for the weapons, and one crunched down on Hector’s arm. His whimper was only punctured by the shriek of the wolf on his arm as it burst into flame. Thankfully, that made it let go, but it didn’t do much for Hector. He drew back, shifting his gun into his other arm.

The other good thing about it – versatile.

He had a potion somewhere, but he’d grab that later.

He was somewhat surprised when the priestess was quick to step in front of him to help shield him from the wolves. Reloading with one hand would be more difficult. ‘Okay, might be worth popping a potion.’ He knelt to set the gun down so he could dig in his side-pack, as he heard another whoosh, and another shriek as a second wolf burst into flame – before it was pounced by the Alpha, rolled.

The fire was somewhat extinguished.

~***~

Zariel’s hand touched the knob as Jagger told her to wait, and demanded more information about the marks. It was expected that it would happen eventually. That it happened now wasn’t exactly a surprise. Jagger was seeing the Empire go on a hunt for a marked person, she would start to wonder more about what it meant.

“You did not seem to care before,” Zariel noted, “Has my gil lost its value?” Though the question was posed with a touch of dry humor, it was also posed to gauge any change in expression, as she opened the door.

To her own surprise, there was a moogle there. It looked just as startled; it hadn’t knocked. “Po! Kuupo! Empress Zariel, a letter!” The moogle held it out to her, and she took note of the Kavalieris seal with some small pleasure as she took it from the moogle. Silently, she took a bit of additional gil from her pocket and dropped it down for the moogle as a tip, “Thank you,” she added, and gestured for Jagger to follow her, as she folded the letter into her hand and held it there with her thumb.

No need to open it just yet.

“If you really want to know more about this, you’re going to have to come drinking with me.” An odd invitation, but there were a few things she’d learned.

The first was that every supposed secret meeting had moles.

The second was that no one paid much attention to conversations in raucous bars, and everything she had to say, had to be well hidden.

 

[Arcanist]

When the shot rang through the room again, the wolf fell from Sesario’s spear, whimpering and yelping before it suddenly went silent. “Good riddance,” Sesario muttered, trying to get his head back into the game once again. Though, he heard the yell from Hector, and turned to see the damage that was being done to his partner.

“HECTOR!” Sesario shouted, and soon, the remaining wolves were among him. Gripping the lance, he lunged forward towards the odd wolf out from the alpha and the flaming mongrel, driving his lance into its hind leg. Though it was a successful hit, after Sesario had yanked his weapon out of the wolf, it lunged straight for his leg, sinking its teeth into his leg.

“Gah, watch it, you--!” Sesario yelled, pulling and pulling away from the predator before he had remembered the lance. He drove it into its back, and the jaw released its grip on the pirate’s leg, before Sesario withdrew the lance.

Two left.

Sesario tried to ignore the searing pain in his leg. He wouldn’t stop, not until both Hector and that woman were safe. He put two fingers in his mouth, gave a harsh whistle, before shouting, “Oi, you ugly mutt!” When the alpha wolf had turned to look back at him, he continued, “Yeah, you!”

He wondered how much he’d regret it as he put up his lance, watching the alpha reel and gallop towards him, teeth bared.

~***~

“Never,” Jagger reassured her, that part being truthful. She would have gone on to explain her view, though, was equally surprised by the Moogle who had arrived with a letter. She stared at that letter in her hand for a moment, wondering if it was about Diddy. About the others. Did they really find them so quickly?

The seal was official. It came from someone with some semblance of power.

She couldn’t tell who though.

Though, as soon as her gaze had landed on the letter, it wasn’t long before she pulled them away and back to Zariel again. She raised an eyebrow at her offer, though, considered it seriously. She never seemed like the type to go out drinking, never mind in a bar.

Jagger thought nobles spent most of their time alone, drinking wine, lamenting about some meagre topic or otherwise.

Jagger sighed, relenting. “Alright. Guess we’re going drinking then.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Hector had time enough to pop a potion. It wasn’t a full heal, but it helped with the pain in his hand and was a quick salve to it. He’d definitely need to wrap it up once this mess was dealt with. However, first he had to deal with this mess, and when he heard that whistle, he knew Sesario had just drawn all attention towards himself.

“Damn fucking idiot,” Hector grumbled, as if he had not just gotten bit by a wolf. He tried to track the time and the movement of the alpha, but he was off by a bit when he let his shot go. It still connected with the alpha, but it wasn’t a headshot. It graced over the back of the creature, “Fuck.”

Anissa was inclined to first finish off the wolf she’d set on fire, drawing not on fire this time, but earth, pulling the natural environment around her into the attack and jamming a spike of rock straight up into the wolf’s throat before it could get its bearings. That was when Hector’s shot startled her, and she looked towards Sesario with the wolf barreling towards him.

‘All right then.’

She wasn’t expecting the fire to kill the alpha, but she threw up a wall of flame in front of its path to Sesario in the hopes it might jump through it and injure itself. If it didn’t, maybe it would give Sesario a better opening against the wolf when it tried to come around.

~***~

At the sigh, Zariel laughed, but continued toward, “And here I thought you rather enjoyed going out drinking. I suppose Oleander’s told me lies about you, then.” She understood why Jagger wasn’t enthused, but it wasn’t going to spare her a bit of mockery for the supposedly uncharacteristic response.

She would lead the way out.

Ucantis was as quaint as Lady Virys complained about. The lack of noise, industry, and busybodies was still such an oddity to Zariel. Perhaps she should be concerned about walking out among the people when she’d just killed their queen, but she wasn’t.

If someone wanted a confrontation, she’d offer it to them, as non-violently as possible.

For now, she simply spoke to Jagger, “I’ve yet to feel out what sorts of entertainment Ucantis has to offer. Lady Virys seems unsatisfied with it,” though it was unlikely Chyou had ever known satisfaction a day in her life, even before she realized just what she’d married. “but there has been some talk amongst the rank and file of a few good places to get a drink,” she looked back to Jagger. “I don’t suppose you’ve already found a preference, have you?”

 

[Arcanist]

Sesario internally grumbled when Hector’s shot hadn’t connected. It could have been the perfect way to finish it off. Oh, well, Sesario would just have to adapt to the situation. It certainly wasn’t his first rodeo doing so after all!

Sesario braced himself as the wolf came running. He’d have to think carefully, considering the pain in his leg. Though, as he prepared to brace, a wall of fire had burst open between him and the Alpha, and the wolf had little chance to veer out of the way of it, forcing it to jump through the veil of flames.

Even though the wolf had been jumping straight for him, Sesario stood steadfast. When the Alpha had just gotten close enough, she shoved the lance through the wolf’s mouth, and up, just out the back of its head. He couldn’t hold it for too long on his own, and so even as the wolf squirmed, he managed to throw it to the ground. With some effort, he pulled the lance out of the burning wolf, feeling the sweat bead on his body before he forced the lance through its head again.

It took a moment for it to cease its squirming. Then, it died, its body still aflame.

Sesario pulled the lance out of its head, breathing heavily as he did so. ‘Man…I’m really too old for this,’ he thought ruefully. He turned to Hector and Anissa, surprisingly quite serious for the moment. “Are the both of you okay?”

~***~


“I do enjoy an occasional drink,” Jagger reassured her, following after her. ‘With people who aren’t nobles,’ she thought. The thought of drinking with an Empress surprisingly unnerved her. Maybe it was because she wasn’t exactly out of the shark-infested waters just yet. Maybe because she knew Zariel had her right where she wanted her.

She just had to let her think that, Jagger resolved.

And so she followed behind Zariel through the streets of Ucantis. She had been once before all of this , and Jagger was sure it had barely changed in the time she was there last. Traditional, stagnant. That was how Griffin, Juno’s father, described it. An opposite to Amarum. Any wonder Lady Virys complained about it.

Then again, she complained about a lot of things, Jagger heard.

Jagger did chuckle a little at Zariel’s correct assumption. “Yes, ma’am. It’s further of a walk than some of the other pubs in the centre, but it’s a solid pub. The Marauding Moogle they call it.” She wondered if that was offensive to moogles, having their name used like that. Then again, this was the same city that cornered Lalafell into a sector of Ucantis and called it ‘Lalafell Town’.

She caught stony glares from passing townsfolk, though, the looks never lingered too long. What grief had manifested for their Queen had filtered into a bubbling resentment. She glanced to Zariel as they walked before she murmured, “Much trouble here the past few days?” She was sure those Ucantis Loyalists weren’t going to sit around and take shit from Imperialists.

 

[Lucyfer]

Sesario seemed to come out of the situation fine, finishing things off. He clearly was stronger than he looked to be wielding the lance that way. Anissa was able to nod when he turned to them, quite fine, really.

Hector was the one to groan and complain, “Oh yeah, great, just had my hand bitten by a wolf, had to use a potion, and my sleeves are all messy with blood now,” he huffed as he pulled at that sleeve, as if that would fix the bloody situation at all.

Anissa couldn’t help but giggle at his obvious pouting. “And the holes in it!”

“You mean the holes in your hand aren’t that much worse?”

“Those are closed now,” Hector said, “There’s not a potion for clothing!” And he was not the best at sewing. Occasionally he tried. It was usually easier to just toss the things away and buy new clothes.

“Well.” Anissa said, “I think we either want to figure this door out, or maybe leave.” Before Hector could start to ask why, she continued, “Taurus is kind of tied to Fenrir, and so I’m sure those aren’t the only wolves in this area,” really she should have expected danger, but she’d never gotten to explore anything like this before, and the Empire never mentioned any issues in their excavations.

Except, of course, that they could never get inside them.

~***~

Marauding Moogle was a name Zariel had heard amongst some others, so she gave a nod. They at least weren’t as likely to cast her out as some places…or try to cast her out. Or poison her. And people wondered why she was paranoid about poison. Her family had conquered too many places to not be concerned – it was honestly a wonder her brother wasn’t more worried.

“Then we’ll go to that one,” she agreed easily enough.

She felt those same eyes on her as Jagger did. Nonetheless, it didn’t halt her steps, nor change her expression. She didn’t dip her head, or otherwise try to appear smaller, or like she was anyone else. That wasn’t the idea here, after all. Jagger evidently noticed it from her question, and the murmured way it was spoken.

Zariel arched a brow, “No more trouble than you’d expect from a capital city that had its monarchy deposed in a battle, Jagger.” It really was a ridiculous question. “Actually, probably less trouble than you’d expect,” which Zariel wouldn’t take to be a good thing. People were quietly plotting her demise.

She’d rather they be loud about it, honestly.

Eventually they came to the Marauding Moogle which did indeed appear like a traveler’s tavern more than anything else, which did mean odds were better it was friendlier towards Imperials, even if the current situation soured their mood.

It did have activity here, despite it not quite being evening yet. The way everything came to a standstill with her entrance was not unusual, and she didn’t wait for the people there to break their reverie to make the first move, continuing towards the counter to where one of the workers were, who had clearly been talking to someone moments before.

“Do you have any good gin?”

“Ain’t got nothing for you here.” It wasn’t the worker who said that, but the customer he’d been speaking with. Zariel glanced at him, then pointedly ignored him. She wouldn’t make a fuss if it wasn’t necessary. No need to burn down an entire bar if the staff were willing to behave.

 

[Arcanist]

Sesario seemed to come out of the situation fine, finishing things off. He clearly was stronger than he looked to be wielding the lance that way. Anissa was able to nod when he turned to them, quite fine, really.

Even after that serious question, that clear concern, Sesario couldn’t help but crack, “We’ll buy you a new shirt. That’ll soon solve it.” It’s what he always did. He had the money for it, after all. And too many clothes. Some of them were worse for wear after a few uses.

Sesario rolled his shoulder back, sighing as he listened to Anissa’s explanation. Just their luck. The wolves were obviously attracted to this site, and whoever was unlucky enough to stumble upon it. “You sure know a lot about that, and this place,” Sesario murmured, looking back to the door.

He was torn. There was a mystery behind that door. And spoils, no doubt, belonging to the great Fenrir himself.

“Ach,” Sesario shook his head, “we’re best retreating for now. We don’t know how to open that door, and I don’t fancy getting into another scrap with wolves.” He grimaced, feeling the sting of his leg wound. He’d have to look at that. He looked to Anissa. “Saw your ride booked it out of here. If you want, you’re welcome to join us for a bit. We owe it to you for your help.”

~***~

Maybe it was a silly question, but she knew it was too quiet. She’d seen enough of the Queensguard – or rather, former Queensguard – with sour looks, a deep and clear resentment on each crease of their faces. She wouldn’t have been surprised if any of them were already making plans to find their true King. Stubbornly loyal, right up to the end.

She was surprised one of them or any of the civilians hadn’t tried to shank any of them yet.

“I guess that’s good,” Jagger murmured. Let’s hoped it stayed that way. For now.

They entered the Marauding Moogle to the eerily choreographed head turns towards the door. Mind you, Zariel didn’t seem phased by it, and continued to the bar counter. Most patrons had returned to their drinks or their food. Others were watchful of the two. She could feel the eyes moving along with them, trying to be discreet.

Of course, when they got to the bar, and tried to order, someone was brave enough to sound what most of the other patrons no doubt thought. Jagger felt a familiar spark in her, that spark to face off against a man who couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Though, Zariel seemed to pay him little mind – at least after she had looked at him.

The bartender cleared his throat. “Yeah. We got some.” He opted to ignore the comment, turning to grab a glass, the gin, and all the necessary components. Imperials were still customers. Unfortunately. He glanced back at Jagger. “Suppose you’re lookin’ something too?”

Jagger nodded, confirming. “Ale,” she told him, before glancing over to the customer who had opened his gob only moments before. “And another round for your friend over here.”

The man looked up, trying to mask his surprise with clear disdain. “I don’t want a drink from an Imperial.”

“Can’t see a good offer when it’s waved right in front of you?” Jagger tutted, taking money out of her own pocket, rubbing them together in her palms. “And anyway, I’m no Imperial. Prumoor-born. Unless you don’t take drinks from flea-bags like us either?”