In The Name of Love

*Rhea holds some bread with jam out to Roatha.*

Rhea: <You should eat too.>

*Clyde runs after the kidnapper.*

Zac tensed a bit, "Well, this will not end well..."

--

M.I.N.S stood around doing nothing, since Neo didn't give them a post.

~Warjilis~

*As predicted, the kidnapper manages to stay a few steps ahead at all times. A little over halfway through the room, she ducks behind another bookcase, heading for the removed grille. The Archer is still sniping the Dark Knight. As he tries to get close, she jumps to another book case. One of the female thieves stays behind, unsuccessfully attempting Steal Heart on him. The monk shoots the archer, & she shakes her head, murmuring "what happened?"*
======================================
~Fort Besselat~

L"We were ordered to handle this matter by the commander of the Blackram Knights. As you know, that makes our leader vassal to Duke Goltanna. Unless you were ordered by another vassal, or the Duke himself, I suggest you leave this matter to us."

Mediator<Hmm...fair enough. Here. I drew the directions to the cave on this.>

*She hands Lilith a piece of paper.*
---------------------------------------------------
R"I'm not hungry."
==========================================
~Riovanes Castle~

*Everyone finally gets off of the roof. First, they investigated the dungeons, but Alma was nowhere in sight. Giving up, they took to the room from before, with all of the dead bodies. Ramza approaches one of them, a young man in blue armor propped sitting against the wall.*

Ramza<Ser Isilud.>

Rapha<You know him?>

Ramza<I fought with him once, at Orbonne Monastary. But who could have done this? It certainly wasn't the Duke's forces.>

Marach<The church sent 3 Templarate Knights, & no more.>

E"Wait, what about the Gryphon Knights?"

Marach<Riovanes Castle has employed Gryphons ever since Brigade rebellion.>

Ramza<One was Wiegraf, whom I killed. The second was Ser Isilud. And the third?>

Marach<I cannot say for certain, but I believe it was Folmarv Tengille, commander of the Knights Templar. Another thing...I am certain they had Alma in the castle, but where she is now, I cannot say.>

Rapha<My brother & I owe you our freedom & our lives. Please allow us to repay the favor by helping you find your sister.>

Rhea: <O-Okay...>

Reiter: <I hate sitting around waiting. Hope we hear from Lilith and Zac soon.>

Noct looked at Euryale, "Wasn't Folmarv the one you had a bad feeling about, back when we were at Mullonde?"

--

"Alright the, lets mosey."

~Riovanes Castle~

Ramza<I appreciate your offer, and would be glad to have you at my side.>

E"Yes, he was."

*He turns to Euryale.*

Ramza<It is wise to be wary of him. It is my belief that he is a Lucavi as well. And his body is conspicuously absent.>
====================================
~Fort Besselat~

*Lilith & Zac enter the caves. As I said before, they are on the other side of a small mountain overlooking Besselat, about midway up. You take a narrow path to get there, & then the path into the cave itself is sloped & littered with monster egg shells.*

R"What did you find out?"

L"Just that they planned to raid this place. We took control of the operation, but it isn't safe here."

R"How could they have possibly found out about it? It's difficult for a soldier to even get up here, Dad had to use a specially trained group."

L"All I was told is that they were tipped off by an anonymous man with a black beard & rusted armor."

"Sound familiar?" Zac asked.

--

"I have no plans to return to Mullonde anytime soon anyway," Noct said. She then looked at Euryale, "So, what now?"

~Fort Besselat~

R"No. Why, is he to you?"
========================
~Riovanes Castle~

R"Well, there's no sense going to my hometown anymore. Or even staying in Fovoham. Are we still planning to contact that guy in the church?"

Agrais<Speaking of which, what of us?>

Ramza<There is one man my late Lord Father always regarded as a close ally, and a true friend. The Thunder God, Count Cidoflus Orlandeu. I will go to Zeltennia, and try to meet with him.>

"Not particularly," Zac said, "Then again, black beard and rusted armor doesn't narrow down things much."

--

Noct shrugged, "I don't know. I just said I wanted to avoid Mullonde."

"True, but Senthose may still come after me," Mortal said, "He is still on contract."

"Speaking of, why did he not attack you during the battle we just had?" Iliad asked, "Would have been an easy way to kill two birds with one stone."

~Riovanes Castle~

E"He is stalling. He wants the secret to Mortal's transformation, and does not believe that he will get it if she is killed. And I believe that he is scared. That he has finally come to suspect that we might kill him."

Ramza<I have frequent encounters with the church. I would be happy to deliver a veiled message, if it were in my power.>
====================================
~Fort Besselat~

R"These caves are my only base in the region. If I abandon them, where will I go?"

L"One moment."

*She strolls over to Seraph.*

L"We were also told of a mage recruiting for this order. You wouldn't happen to be hiding anything from us, would you?"

S"Hey, there are a lot of mages in Ivalice."

*She grabs him by the collar.*

S"Whoa, I didn't know you liked the rough stuff."

"No games, Seraph," Zac said, "Tell us the truth."

--

Mortal looked at Ramza, "Would you be able to deliver word that Mortal Talea would like to meet. I'm not sure what his name was, but if I remember correctly he was a Celebrant, and I believe he would be on the look out for a message concerning myself."

~Riovanes Castle~

Ramza<I will do my utmost.>

E"But where does that leave us? Don't we sort of have to tell him WHERE to meet?"
==============================
~Fort Besselat~

S"The truth is that if I were 40 years younger, I'd bend you over & go to town, but things don't really work right down there anymore."

L"About the Evil Eye! Tell us, or we'll--"

S"You'll what? Kill me? Why don't you? We've already seen that my magic can't harm you."

"Oh, yea, that might help," Mortal thought for a second, "How about Lesalia? It is my home after all."

--

Zac just let out a small sigh, "Listen, no one wants to hurt you; well, actually... My point is, all we want to know is the truth, I don't see the harm in being honest."

~Fort Besselat~

S"You want the honest truth? It might have been me, it might have been someone else, or it might be a complete rumor, something that never even happened. Them's pure facts right there!>
=========================================
~Riovanes Castle~

E"That sounds good."

Ramza<May we meet again.>

"No it isn't. Maybes are not truths, that is," Zac shook his head and let out a humorless laugh, "I'm not going to argue semantics with Seraph of all people. I'd like to stay sane." With that he took a few steps back then leaned against the wall.

--

Everyone waves good bye to Ramza and co.

"Well, do we start heading home?" Mortal asked.

~Fort Besselat~

S"Do it. It's what the late Baron would have done."

*Lilith quickly drops Seraph, who rolls around, laughing.*

S"I know your type. Make one comparison to someone you don't like, & you go to pieces! The only question is, do you become frightened or violent?"
======================================
~Riovanes Castle~

E"Unless you have something you want to do before we head out. I do believe I've heard tales of monsters on the farm belt between here & Lesalia."

"Hey, you're not Grimms, Lilith. You don't have to get upset over it," Zac said.

--

"What of it?" Iliad asked, "Monsters have posed no problem before."

~Riovanes Castle~

E"I'm just letting you know. In case you need, like, supplies or something. I know you rely a lot on those bombs. But, if not, let's go."
====================================
~Fort Besselat~

L"You're right...how silly of me."

S"Really? Someone explain it to me, because I fail to see the difference. She's hunting down the Order of the Evil Eye, she's threatening people who won't help her, &...aw, I see now. She's not the same because she's just a lacky. If she wants to be the genuine article, she'll have to kill ol' "Alphie."

"Oh yea, I should restock on those," Iliad said, "Thank you for reminding me."

--

"No, she isn't because she isn't cruel," Zac answered, "Having the same job doesn't make you the same person. A thief who steals bread to feed his family is not the same as a cutpurse out to fill his wallet."

~Fort Besselat~

S"What hypocritical garbage. A knight is a knight whether he fights for the Northern Sky or the Southern Sky. A thief who thinks he's a better person for 'only' stealing to feed himself is just a tool who deludes himself into thinking that his own cowardice somehow makes him the better thief. You know what you do with guys like that?"

*He takes some bread & throws it on the ground, stomping on it & twisting his foot.*

S"You grind their sorry faces into the dirt, & then...you kill them! Destroy them! Burn & shred their remains! They either show how weak & pathetic they truly are, or they man up & fight dirty!"
=================================
~Riovanes Castle~

*They are now walking between the item shop & the armor shop.*

"It's been really dry lately. It's hard to believe that it's almost April."

"You have some seriously fucked up world views, Seraph," Zac said, "I'd prefer a world where people didn't have to steal to stop from going hungry in the first place. I don't think you need to try and kill someone to get that." Zac let out another chuckle, "I'm extending my previous statement though, I'm not going to argue with you about anything, not just semantics."

--

Iliad already left to go and restock.

"Is it?" Sab asked.

"Yes," Noct said, "Why?"

"My birthday is April first, I usually only realize it has come a few days after it passes. No one really keeps up with birthdays at the church."

~Riovanes Castle~

E"Odd. Mine is at the end of the month. I tell people not to get me anything."
=======================================
~Fort Besselat~

L"That is wise. He's just like those closed-minded crazies at the Office of Inquisition."

S"Now yer gettin' it."

"Oh... did you not want anything?" Mortal asked.

Sab looked at Euryale, "It isn't that I want anyone to get me anything, but it is always nice when people remember."

Noct nodded, "Says a lot that even you forget then."

Sab furrowed her brow, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, I meant no disrespect."

--

Zac nodded his head, "Right, right."