Symbol of Rebellion

[Aidan Lowell]

It wasn't a long walk, but somehow time seemed to slip away all the same. The morning sun the promised to shine over their journey had vanished and left the waxing moon in it's wake. The darkness covered the land with an inky blackness that made it hard to even see a few feet in front of you. A thick shadow overcast their movement through the forest, the canopy refusing to let anything but the smallest fractions of pale moonlight into tangled overgrowth.

At the front was a small flame, a lantern that was their light in this blackness. It was in the hand of an archer, their guide. Aidan followed closely behind, a torch in his hand as well. They weren't supposed to be leaving at the time they did, the real time of departure was the next morning. However, the fiasco in town forced their hand.

Their path was slowly but surely changing, from the thick grass and plants the softened their steps to the rugged stones that proved to be much more effort to walk through. Aidan knew the area, but only slightly. He used to have a home in the area, the southern mountains. Never did he hear about a castle in the area however, much less one inhabited by the less then sane. But even in the distance, looking into the night's distance, the distinct burning of torches illuminated the stone walls of such a manor. They were far, but yet so close. He turned to look at the others. They remained close, as the lack of light force them to be. The unfamiliar faces, and those of his comrades. He was both grateful and hesitant for their help.

"We're almost there." The archer said what Aidan was thinking. Finally coming free of the thick woodlands and allowing the low hanging moon to illuminate the sky. He was impressed that this man could find his way even in such darkness. He must of known the land well, which is why he was chosen to be their guide. This was important, far more important then Aidan's mind has come to grasp. It was slowly dawning upon him as the castle came closer into view. They said it was a rumor, but they all wanted it to be true. Hoped it to be true. If it was true, if they were successful, this could change... change everything.

He turned his head once more. "Ready everyone?"

[Saturos Prox]

Saturos had been marching lazily at the back of the pack, keeping an eye on the newcomers as they all walked ahead of him. The group had gotten a fair bit larger since he, Aidan, and Syana had set out from Castle Bern, and had gotten quite eclectic at that. First walked their guide, a quiet, sullen man with a veritable knowledge of Bernese terrain and landscape, a valuable skill for, well, a guide. Second walked Aidan, their illustrious, if gruff, leader, marching them through the moonbeamed forest. Then walked Syana, her red hair still visible in the darkness of the late night, followed by the newcomers.

The myrmidon could vouch for Iorran, as the man had saved him from a horde of angry Illians, but regarding Ralph and Blaise, he could not be sure.

Ralph was interesting. He moved and spoke in a weird way, as if listening to everything rather than looking at it, and moved just as ably in the dark as he did in the light. He also wore a pair of dark red glasses despite the fact that it was night out. Perhaps he was blind? If he was, he was good at hiding it. A less observant man might notice nothing.

As for Blaise, well, he was a complete unknown in Saturos's book. Aidan had said something about the man pledging himself to the cause, which was well and good, but he seemed little...off, like he wasn't all there. Whether that meant he was consistently deep in thought, or slightly deficient in the head, the Etrurian couldn't be sure.

"Ready everyone?"

Aidan's growling voice cut through the silence of night, the monotony of crunching leaves and marching boots, and as the small band exited the forest, the leaves and twigs peeled back from around them to reveal a grand but ancient looking castle built into the foothills before them. It was a sight to behold, and the majesty of the old citadel only instilled more determination within Saturos's heart. If Aidan was to end the rebellion, the would have to find the Fire Emblem. Hopefully the rumors were true.

"Ready, boss."

[Ralph Meglane]

Ralph moved along with the group, listening to armor and weapons clinking together, though as silent as they could muster. He felt like he was a young boy again, following Matis through Etruria and Sacae. Someone was doing something heroic that he could once again fight for. His eagerness to help his country only grew with each step.

Aidan's voice rang through the darkness, asking if they were ready. Ready for what? What was ahead of them? [red]"Sir Aidan, um... what is it we're doing?"[/red] Ralph didn't even know what they were looking at. He needed to know something about what they were doing, at least. Infiltration, combat, even a social event of some kind for the rebellion, he needed a hint at least.

[Aidan Lowell]

Ralph's voice signaled him, making Aidan remember that he had yet to clearly explain their goal to these men. He shook his head in the dark, silently chiding his self. He was so focused on the ordeal, that it failed to dawn upon him that these new men might be in the dark. It was simple when it was just him, Saturos and Syana. They all knew what they were to do, what their roles were, but with these new men he realize that it would be his duty to describe their objective clearly. He spoke so much in silence, some times he forgot to use words.

"Of course Ralph. We should be safe now." Relatively at the least. "In the castle that lays ahead of us there is potentially a symbol. A powerful symbol of Bern, of it's freedom, of it's history. A symbol that can inspire courage in even the most timid of hearts. It is the pride of the Bernese. Their strength." He turned, staring straight at the castle. He didn't know if it was there, but he surely, dearly hoped that it was. This could change everything.

"Inside this castle is a following. A cult of men who call themselves the Sons of Bern. These sons are said to hold a most dear relic in their fort, the Fire Emblem. They wait for one worthy to have it, and while I do not dream myself of being the one, this is far too precious of a chance to pass up. Our mission is one of peace, for now. The rebellion believes I may be able to enter because of my nobility. However, right now, what we need to do above all else is to confirm if they actually have it. Avoiding battle if possible, we are dearly outnumbered and they have a fortification of great strength. If we start a fight, we will not win." He spoke, his voice full of a strange sort of confidence. He knew they would succeed, somehow. He wasn't sure how, but it was a feeling he had deep inside.

This place will change everything.

He turned back to Ralph, looking at him with intense eyes. "We need to be careful. We need to be ready for whatever happens. And if it comes to it, we need to be able to flee. A symbol means nothing if there's no one to believe in it."

[Ralph Meglane]

Ralph's face was visibly startled when the Fire Emblem was mentioned. The Fire Emblem! Symbol of Bern... do I really want to steal it just for my sight to return...? It doesn't matter, they don't even know if it's here. Ralph calmed himself down before noticing that he probably had an odd expression on his face.

[red]"I... wasn't expecting this kind of mission. I will be fine though, don't worry about me."[/red] Ralph briefly wondered if he too was a noble, like Aidan. He never was able to learn about his family ever since he left. All that remained was the now-terribly worn cloak he had since that night he had to escape. Ralph no longer remembered if it had any noticable writing on it, or if it was even still red.

[Blasius]

"Ready everyone?"

Blaise took in a quiet, shuddering breath, thankful when the crisp air hit his lungs. He was still nervous, going around with a group so varied and unresearched as this. Most of them seemed familiar with one another, though Blaise expected that much. It seemed that the only other unknown was the other man, Ralph, who had joined with them soon after, and Blaise was thankful for that. Having another unknown element meant it would be easier for Blaise to stay under the radar and collect information.

"Ready, sir," Blaise echoed the teal-haired man's confirmation. He was already swimming in information that could be useful to Etrurian Intelligence, so Blaise see the need to push. Time seemed to be on his side, as Aidan didn't mind spilling a bounty of information every now and again. And while Blaise had collected a fair amount, he was grateful when the other new man, Ralph, asked what they were doing. Clarification was always great, though what Aidan spoke of was more than that...

This must be why Intelligence wanted to know about the Sons of Bern, the mage thought, absorbing the information Aidan was telling them. While it was bare bones information, Blaise was intrigued by Aidan explaining the involvement of the Fire Emblem; Blaise hadn't imagined that the Sons of Bern and the Fire Emblem would be connected, but the connection could mean big things for the intel he brought back to his superiors in Etruria.

However, this revelation didn't change the fact that what they were about to do was extremely dangerous, and Blaise couldn't help but feel a bit fear crop up in him. "Well," Blaise spoke up, hoping that making his voice heard would help stifle his trepidations, "I'll make sure to do whatever I can to help you get the Emblem." He paused for a moment, his eyes dropping to the ground before he looked back to Aidan. "And to help protect your friends, sir."

[Aidan Lowell]

The red haired man and the knight stayed silent, but Aidan did not fault these men. Syana was always quiet as well, she preferred action to words, as she always had. At times she'd make comments, generally sarcastic ones, but most of the time she remained silent and followed his lead without a word. After Lyar had went his own way, he was grateful for the new recruits, having lost a lot of their raw power. Aidan was a strong man, but he was far more inclined to a more defensive style of combat, and Saturos was nimble and skilled but lacked the sheer force behind his strikes that the giant had. Not that he was going into this situation hoping for a battle, but it was always something to have in mind, be prepared for every situation. Things may go awry, and battle may be the only way out. It wasn't a desired scenario, but fortune favors the prepared.

With a small shake of his head, he took the heavy silence as an answer. If they weren't ready, they would speak up. Aidan was not a man of many words, he understood the kind of silent determinism in the air. It may have been for different reasons, all of them following this path for their own desires. Though there was one common string to all of it, one singular thought, they were going to follow Aidan for now, and Aidan? He would not let them down.

"Let's go." His voice sliced through the silence filled night air like a beacon in the night, strong and determined. Whatever trials await them ahead, he would be ready and meet them head on. Nothing could waver his resolve, Bern was his home, a home he had forgotten for so long. A home that it pains him to see in such a state. A home that he would help take back, as long as breath remained in this body.

Aidan took a few steps forward, his footfall clearly resounding in the silence left in the wake of his voice. The crushing of blades of grass underfoot, the snapping of twigs unable to support the armored man's weight. The castle gates loomed in the horizon, the large structure growing ever large, ever more impressive, as they neared. Features began to form and shift in the darkness, slowly showing their form as they neared close enough to behold it. The rafters, the narrow holes in the side of the towers that allows snipers to strike from the inside of the fortified building... If they got into a battle, it would not be one they could win unless they were already inside. Even then, it would be nigh impossible.

Aidan moved without hesitation, swallowing his worries down and turning them into fuel for his determination.

[Vince Altus]

Vince had remained silent, personal input wasn't one of his strong suits, and he had already promised the other knight his lance. He marched in step behind Aiden, the combined force the two armored men exerted on the terrain left divots in the grass behind them. Vince couldn't help but smirk, if their enemies investigated where their attackers had come from, it may not be too hard with this many people.

[Saturos Prox]

Saturos nodded his head as Aidan ushered them forward, a silent confirmation of the order.

Falling in behind the knight, the swordmaster looked up at the castle before them. At the top of the ramparts he could see the flickering of burning torches, the fires illuminated the walls of the castle and the face of the rock the construct was built into. And as he continued to look, Saturos swore he could see the movement of dark figures atop the castle battlements, though he couldn't be sure whether the figures were the denizens of the castle, watching the motley rebel group from afar, or merely shadows cast upon the rock.

One could never be too careful, the dark skinned Etrurian thought to himself, sidling up behind Aidan as he did.
"I think we're being watched," he said in hushed tones. He looked back up at the castle. Carved into the high stretching cliff-face, it really was quite the impressive construction, and from the weathered look of it, it was quite old. "Best be careful."

[Blasius]

Blaise gave a short, barely noticeable nod as Aidan began to lead them to the castle. As they approached, Blaise couldn't help but think they was in a bit over their heads, the castle looming over them like a towering enemy. He understood the Emblem was important, but was it so important they couldn't just amass more people and take the castle by force? Sure, Blaise was an Intelligence officer, used to working undercover and often alone. But this operation... it was starting to cause a bit of worry to crop up inside of the mage.

As Saturos whispered his warning to the group, Blaise couldn't help but give yet another swift nod, keeping himself for looking about for those who might be watching them. It was funny, though, thinking that, potentially, no one was watching them, but that the man's concern would still be valid. After all, I'm here, aren't I? Blaise wasn't sure how the aftermath of this would all play out, but he was sure it wouldn't be very easy.

Whatever the case, for now he followed silently and obediently. There would be plenty of time to consider options once they were closer to their ultimate goal.

[Syana Flamberge]

Syana gave a soft little chuckle. "You only think we're being watched?" She shook her head. "You're losing your touch, old man. Of course we're being watched." She whispered to the blue-haired swordsman, giving him a playful poke. Everyone was being so serious right now, it's like they had never snuck into a highly guarded building to steal a valuable relic before. Oh, wait, they probably hadn't. Huh.

[Aidan Lowell]

"Syana's right. We've been watched for a long time now." He craned his neck back to look at the others through the darkness. How could they honestly expect to sneak up without being known? They weren't stealth experts, Aidan least of all. Syana, perhaps could manage such a task, but they had discovered them and watched them for at least the last half an hour. Their stalkers, however, chose to keep their presence unknown. It wasn't a concern however, they weren't infiltrating, they were coming in peace and they would make themselves known when they were ready.

This wasn't a simple castle, this is a castle that has endured over five years of Ilia's occupation. It was a place of great strategic value, yet remained out of their hands. That alone spoke one thing, these sons of Bern were not ones to be trifled with. Strong enough to repel all invaders, but not so strong that Ilia has to launch a campaign. They were a bother, but only so much that it was not worth wiping them out. The losses would outweigh the gains, and so they simply let them be. This fact alone speaks a great deal. They were a group that would annihilate their ragtag posse if they so wished, but would be a great help if Aidan somehow convinced them to join their cause.

Not that this was his mission, his mission was to confirm whether or not these men possessed the FE, and to secure the item.

"Stop now, you dirty this earth with your presence." The words cut through the night like a crisp knife, and suddenly the feeling of dozens at eyes began to pinprick at Aidan. So they finally decided to make themselves known. They weren't far from the walls now, and they must of known that the group was aware of them. No point in hiding anymore it seems. In the misty blackness, a figure rapidly solidified, stepping into their brief light. Staring at them from behind a mask, their eyes catching the light and almost shining in their glare. The form was masculine, but covered from head to toe except for a small slit at the eyes, and it was nearly impossible to make out a single detail. Their garb was a dark color, one that would blend in with their surroundings with no trouble at all. They knew how to wear the shadows like a second skin, these weren't just scouts, they were assassins. Ready to kill them all if they would prove themselves unworthy.

"We're not here for conflict. We come on behalf of the Bernese Rebellion." Here comes the negotiations. It was time for Aidan to prove his self, hopefully his somewhat gruff words were good enough. There were so many other people so much better at this then him, but of course it all came down to him. Other people simply had too many plans for him. He just wish he knew what they were his self.

"Pointless fighting in a pointless war. Without the true king of Bern, there is no point." The garbed figure shook their head, somewhat muffled words tempered with a sort of sorrow. "We REFUSE to enter this childish conflict without the true king leading us. We shall not aid you, messenger from the rebellion, nor will we aid Ilia. You may leave now, only the sons of Bern may pass."

"Who is this true king" Aidan cocked his head a bit, curious. This wasn't the first time he had heard this, in fact their archer friend told him this first hand when he first learned of these men. However, he had never been told just who this King was.

"The true king of Bern... They say the last King of Bern died with no heirs... Life lost in the bandit war... We saw this is a lie. The True king of Bern, he never died at all." That was a rather... wild claim. The serious tone of their voice and the glint in their eyes show that it is no small matter. This person believed every word that came from their mouth.

"But his body was found and buried. Did he somehow survive it?" Not that he believed them, but he couldn't deny it was so wild a claim that it interested him.

"No, don't you see? Isn't it obvious? The king of the Bandit war... Was never the king to begin with!"

[Saturos Prox]

Saturos had remained still, calm even, as the shadowy figure decided to make himself visible, all the while mentally cursing himself for not noticing the cloaked men sooner. Syana and Aidan were right. Of course they were being watched. Strike one against Saturos.

The swordmaster let his eyes drift from side to side, attempting to get an accurate idea of any potential enemy placement. There was one, right up in a tree behind Aidan, probably ready to throw a knife or loose an arrow in case a fight broke out. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that, though. Their group had come here peacefully, to investigate this lead about the Fire Emblem, but if Saturos's gut instinct meant anything, these men weren't the peaceful type. If they were, the swordmaster would have heard about them before. No, these men struck him as more of the "leave no men left to tell the tale" types, which he couldn't exactly blame them for, but it didn't necessarily bode well for Aidan's little band of misfits.

"That's quite the bold claim," replied the Etrurian, his eyes identifying yet another man, standing practically in the shadow of the first. Clever, and there were probably five more like him, too, but Saturos couldn't seem to place bead on any of them. These guys were good. He gave a small bow. "Would you happen to be willing to grant us any more information on the nature of this false king, or are you just playing with your food before you kill it and eat it?" The swordmaster straightened up. "Because I'd rather this not come to blows. I don't like fighting."

[Aidan Lowell]

Aidan was shocked, not by the implications but by how... outlandish of a claim it was. That's like saying that Kraft was actually some drunk bandit. Not that it wasn't an impossible idea, but it was just so out there and removed from a normal person's thoughts. Whether it is true or not, does not particularly matter in all truth, all that matters is that these people believed it was true. It wasn't as if there was a Bern left to be king of.

Saturos spoke, speaking Aidan's mind for him.

"Some may say it's bold. Some may say it's treason, but I say it is truth." The person brings their long and deadly looking dagger up to their face. A serrated blade, looking perfect for rending flesh, no doubt countless blood has been spilled by such a weapon. They didn't bring it up in threat, however, but instead turned their attention to it. Almost like they were... toying with it. It was an arrogant gesture, since they knew that even if they weren't paying attention, they were in no danger. One sudden movement and an unknown amount of assailants descend on them. They may be strong, they are strong, but they could not hope to fend off such a force. Especially in such dark where they could not hope to see a single man, while they could all be seen clearly with their torch aloft. This was their field, and if they so desired, they would never leave this place alive.

"I cannot speak of it, not to outsiders such as you. You would not understand." They let out a small laugh before moving suddenly, thrusting their knife into the air in front of them, Pointing it Aidan's head, they were a good few feet apart but Aidan could feel the bloodlust from there. "All I can tell you is to leave. Not. If you do not, you will not live to see the morrow. This is our land, and we will not have it tainted by the likes of you."

The air was so tense that it pierced even Aidan's heavy armor. Prickly over him like a thousand needles. They couldn't leave, not like this, but if they didn't... what to do?

"Wait." Another voice broke through the air. A new voice, sounding demure but masculine. Like that of a priest, but with a sort of airy quality to it. "This man. The one in steel. Argyle wishes to see him."

"What!?" The assassin turns their head suddenly toward the source of the voice. The flickering flame of the torch barely traces an outline of the man, but his face was still shrouded in the darkness. "This man, are you sure?"

"Do you doubt Argyle?" He responded, simply but it felt like there was such a weight behind the words. Like when a man chides his pet for doing wrong.

"Ung... no..." Defeated, the arrogant air fades like a pompous balloon being deflated. "Fine, you're coming with us."

They didn't have a choice in the matter, just as they were almost forced to leave, now they were forced come. This was a step in the right direction at the least, he didn't know what this Argyle person wanted, but that would undoubtedly be revealed in time. "Follow" They didn't request, but demanded.

[Saturos Prox]

Saturos's lips settled into something halfway between a smile and a frown as the exchange took place between the gatekeeper and the near invisible figure behind him. Clearly the newcomer had a sort of peerage with the gatekeeper, in fact he might even be the man's superior, but from what the swordsmaster gathered, the authority of the dark outline came not from any power he held, but from the name of the man, Argyle, whose commands he carried.

As the ragtag band of Bernese rebels were admitted to the castle, Saturos could practically see the gatekeeper deflate, but he quickly recomposed himself, once again assuming an authoritarian tone. Whoever this Argyle was, he was not requesting their presence. No, they were being ordered to enter into the castle, which in light of the deathly secrecy of only a few minutes ago, didn't exactly inspire confidence in Saturos that they weren't going to be dragged inside and decapitated like wastrels. The swordsmaster put a hand around his throat instinctively as he pondered the thought. Ugh, what a way to go.

"So, who's Argyle?" said Saturos, not bothering to participate in the hush hush.