Well...
May 25, 2006 9:49:41 GMT -6
Post by Kyo on May 25, 2006 9:49:41 GMT -6
This is a story I had on gamefaqs before I lost it to the purge monster. Then, the great Orange Juice fiasco burnt out my computer and I lost the rest of it. D:
So, I'm posting what little of it I have up here. I'll probably finish it one of these days. Enjoy.
`
A sprawling ocean of green loomed before a lone traveller. He had come far, from countries- nay, continents- away. The grass bent to his commanding footsteps, he had the air of authority strewn about him. A gale of wind passed through the area, it seemed like the grass bowed to him. His spear, passed down through countless generations of his family... The spear of legends, Reginleif. The wind blew the tattered, brown hood of his tattered, brown cloak from his head, revealing shockingly natural blue hair. Looking at the world, five feet and ten inches from the ground, and from behind blue optics, he saw nature. And in nature lies beauty.
As much as he would have enjoyed to stop where he was, stare at the sky, and watch the natural order of things be exaggerated, he couldn't. No, his quest was far too important. He had travelled far, upturned every stone along his path, and bought information as a means to his end. And yet, he still couldn't find it. The thing that housed terrible evil. The thing that stood between order and chaos. The Fire Emblem.
---
Not too long after his spectacular view of the vast plains, the protoganist stumbled upon a town, nestled quietly among the rousing calls of animals. The time was approaching twilight. The sun painted upon the horizon beautiful splotches of various colors: Vibrant reds, glittering golds, and outstanding shades of orange. Looking down upon the village from the peak of a hill, that extended towards the sky about fifty yards, he was pleased to note that the villagers seemed to approve of the aesthetic value of this moment.
As they gazed in awe at the sunset, he saw fit to make his way down the gentle slope, and into the boarders of the town. The sun- it set in the west on this particular night. The sun set on a different compass point each night, which meant in rose on a different compass point each morning. However, the sunrise couldn't quite compare to the sunset, watching the sun recede was a favorite way to spend his hour, alone.
As he neared the village, the scent of the fresh grass was replaced by more alluring odors. The strong smell of freshly baked cinnamon (Most likely in a pie, although he couldn't be too sure of that) assaulted his nose, and he took a deep whiff delightedly. He hoped that maybe he could find some solace among these people, a night of rest before his ongoing journey was to continue.
And then, his foot entered the village's soil. Many people looked on him, maybe they were awed that he even found the out-of-the-way village. Maybe they were unaccustomed to strangers. Maybe he had something on his face. He reached up with his hand, quickly wiping his face just to make sure.
"Excuse me?" His question was directed towards a young girl who happened to be passing by. The voice that came from his mouth certainly held a quality that was quite unlike any other. It was hard to pinpoint exactly what the attribute was. The best way to describe it... His voice was full of life. He was one of those people that could be taken to, just like that. "Is there possibly an inn around here?"
The little girl looked at him for a second, before replying meekly. "Um... Yes, sir." She lifted a finger, and pointed down the main road a little more. "It's right up there..." and then she spread her arms. "It's the reeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaally big building!"
A smile crossed his face at the little girl's accentuation to her description of the building. "I see. Well, I extend my thanks to you."
The little girl giggled, and replied "You're welcome!" before skipping away, presumably towards her home to tell of her exploits, and the aid she gave to the `strange new man`.
Meanwhile, the man had started down the path, towards the place of rest and relaxation that he so needed at this particular point in time. He soon found the building that the girl was referring to. It was, indeed, a large building, with music pouring out of the open door, and both of the windows. Sounds of chatter could be heard from inside, and glass could be heard clinking together. It seemed that this particular inn doubled as a pub for the denizens of the town to unwind from their daily stressors. He smiled, this would definitely be a good place to spend the night.
Upon entrance, an old woman quickly made her way to him. "A stranger, eh...? We haven't had a visitor in quite a while. Would you care for a story of valor, of olden times? Of the legendary King Ephraim, and his twin sister the Queen Eirika?" Meanwhile, the other townspeople poked fun at the old lady. "Madame Storyteller's at it again!" and "Hahaha! She doesn't let up!"
The man put on a smile, and looked down upon the woman. "I'll hear your story." The old crone's eyes lit up, as she settled into a nearby chair. Everyone, in spite of their recent jibes, gathered around to hear the story being told again. This was a favorite of theirs.
"A long time ago..." She began, "...On the continent of Magvel, there existed six countries. Renias, the country of the plains. Frelia, the country of the sea. It is said that pegasi originally came from this place. Jehanna, the desert country. Rausten, the country blessed by the light of the gods. Grado, the military country. And, lastly, Carcino, the merchant country. These six countries coexisted with each other in relative peace.
"However, one day, that peace was shattered. Grado started to invade the other five countries, using their vast military powers to bring all the countries to their knees. At this time, the King of Renias was slain, leaving Prince Ephraim and Princess Eirika as the heirs of a country. However, they needed to solve the puzzle of the invasion. Renais and Grado were allies. Why would Grado turn on Renias?
"As it turns out, the Prince of Grado, Lyon, had been taken over by the demon king, Formitiis. Prince Ephraim and Princess Eirika both toiled endlessly to curb this menace. They gathered an army of soldiers of all social classes and ethnic backgrounds. Eventually, Prince Ephraim's army and Grado's main army met in the Castle of Grado. After a long battle, they had slain the king, yet Prince Lyon lived on...
"Lyon fled into the borders of Rausten, to a place called the Dark Woods. Inside these woods was a shrine, dedicated to the Demon King Formitiis. They clashed with Prince Lyon inside the walls of this shrine. After they had killed Prince Lyon, the Demon King somehow found a way to regenerate itself. However, it was only a partial job. Prince Ephraim dealt the final blow himself with the divine lance, Reginleif. They then sealed the demon king inside a stone, called the Fire Emblem."
A silence had draped itself over the occupants of the inn, it grew steadily, smothering the room until the hero spoke. "The Fire Emblem. I'm looking for it. Have you any clue as to its whereabouts?"
The old crone gaped at him. "Knowing the Demon King is sealed inside such a stone, you would try to gain it?!"
"Yes, Madam. I cannot let the stone fall into the wrong hands. Fortune tellers predicted the return of the Demon King, unless some action was to be taken. I set out to find it, and prevent disastor from occuring."
"Child, where the Fire Emblem is located is a mystery. There's no easy way to find it." The old woman looked over him, examining him.
"Please, don't call me child. I'd much rather be called by my proper name, Noah. You have no inkling of where the Fire Emblem can be found?"
"Well... No, child. I do not."
"I see. Well, then, who might I be able to ask to get a room at this inn?"
"I'm the owner of this fine establishment, child."
"Please, just Noah."
"Yes, right..." She handed Noah a key. "Well, your room is the second door on the left, just up those stairs."
"Thank you, Ma'am."
`
Warmth. It caressed his face, causing him to stir from underneath his sheets. He shifted from his current position, flat on his back, to his side, resisting the sun and the urge to get up. As it stood, he didn't want to remove himself from the bed. He had no intention of getting up so early, and yet the sun beckoned. And he had no choice but to answer its call.
So, here he was, at the earliest hour in the morning, to witness the sun just after it had risen. He looked to the sky, the sun had rose in the south. He still couldn't shun his amazement, the fact that the planet had such an odd rotation to make the sun rise and set on different compass points...
He didn't have time to stare at the sun, however. Tearing his gaze away from the window, he slowly rose from the bed. The cover slowly slid down his frame, revealing his bare chest. Across it was an obvious darker pink gash, a remnant of earlier wounds. It extended from his left shoulder, down to about the bottom of his ribcage on the right side.
He swung his legs over the left side of the bed, too early in the morning to remember the bad omen that getting up on that particular side of the bed usually brought to the day. He crossed the room to the corner where he had left the upper half of his garments, while he slept with the lower half on. He quickly dressed, sliding his shirt over his head, latching on the light armor that he wore, and slid on his beaten, brown travelling boots, before donning the matching cloak.
He reached out, grabbed the handle on the door, turned it, and pushed open the door. Stepping out into the hall, he did not hear the chatter of voices that was so apparent last night. He reckoned they were sleeping, and after staying up that late, who could blame them? He probably should still be in bed too, but he was dragged out by Mother Nature herself.
Rubbing his eyes groggily and making his way down those stairs, he smelled those quaint, homely aromas, an emulation of the ones the previous night. His stomach reacted to those smells, and saliva built up in his mouth. He remembered that he had gotten nothing to eat the previous night, going to sleep immediately in a silent retaliation to the innkeeper, who obviously knew something of the whereabouts of the Fire Emblem.
However, his voracious appetite had gotten the best of him, and Noah decided that it was nigh time to get something to eat. Therefore, when he reached the main room of the inn, he walked up to the counter, and asked for something to fill his stomach. The clerk, a young lady with a benevolent face, happily obliged, putting bread into some weird mechanism.
"What are you doing?" Noah asked, curious.
"Oh, well, I'm toasting your bread, honey. It's good, trust me!" Deciding to put his faith in the stranger, he sat down at a nearby table to wait for his food. Soon enough, the odd mechanism made a noise, much like a timer going off. Humming a tune, the clerk took the bread out carefully ("It must be hot," Noah decided) and started spreading butter on the top. That was usual, he buttered his own bread back at home.
The clerk delivered the food to his table and he accepted it graciously. Taking a small bite of the bread, he immediatly decided that he liked it. The rich butter had subtly exaggerated the crispiness of the bread; it didn't take him long to devour the rest. Rising for the second time in about twenty minutes, he strode towards the counter, leaving behind a pile of gold. "For the room and the food."
Before the girl could protest about the food being free if you had gotten a room, he was already walking away. As he reached the door, however, another townsperson hurried in, bumping into Noah. The man who had bumped into his must have seen the lance and made the inference that Noah could fight, because he stammered out, "P-P-Please help us! M-Monster in the s-square! It's going after Anne!"" The clerk gasped, and Noah just looked at him. "Lead the way, sir."
The man escorted Noah with all due haste towards the center of the city, which happened to be pretty out of the way. Noah was glad the person had escorted him, Noah wouldn't have found it otherwise. And that would have been bad. The other townsperson stopped, even as Noah charged directly into danger.
He quickly assessed the scene. Noting the person screaming was actually the little girl who had helped him out earlier, Noah saw she was pointing at something that he wasn't focusing on. Her little hand trembled, and her eyes were filled with the purest form of fear.
Quickly following the invisible path her finger left, Noah's eyes rested upon what could have been the most evil thing that he had ever seen. It resembled a dog, and yet, it seemed like it was something more. It chilled him to the bone. A shaggy patch of gray fur on its neck contrasted with the rest of its fur, which was a sort of pale blue. Its eyes were full of vicious intent, enough to make even the men with the most hardened nerves shiver.
Sometime during this assessment, Noah had no idea when, his trusty spear had left his back and was tucked comfortably into his right hand. It was pointed at the rabid dog, his stance seemed much like someone would stand as if he was using a sword. His left hand rested comfortably at his side, Noah seemed completely at ease against this vicious intruder.
The monster that could be most accurately described at this point as a rabid dog either didn't notice him or didn't care about him. Well, he could quickly remedy either of those two situations in a variety of different ways, but only one option was clear as the dog got on its haunches, seemingly ready to pounce.
He sprung into action, moving as fast as his feet would allow, getting in front of the little girl that was in question. "Flee," Noah hissed through his teeth. Scared, the little girl complied, first finding her feet, and then sprinting as fast as she possibly could away from the area. The dog, annoyed that its original meal had gotten away, focused all of its attention upon Noah. Perfect.
And, already in the position, it launched itself in the air with blinding speed. Its claws were set to tear Noah's throat away from his body, rendering him unable to breath as it ate his warm flesh and drank his warm effluence. That was the only thought in the monster's mind, however, it would never get a chance to re-enact that imaginary situation.
Still holding his spear in his right hand, he stepped forwards. Of course, this was taking a step towards the monster with the bloodlust, however, the monster would never get a chance to even lay a finger--- or, in this case, a claw--- on Noah.
Thrusting his spear forward, the sharp tip of it entered the gaping maw of his adversary. it continued to penetrate at a rapid pace, puncturing several of the supposed dog's vital organs. There was no way it would be able to survive such a blow, it would bleed internally until it died, either from the lack of vital blood to its organs or strangling from the hole in its esophagus, or even a puncture to its heart. However, no matter how quickly or slowly it died, as he stood, the body of the dog was still flying through the middle of the air, and was on a direct crash course with Noah. Those claws were still quite the problem.
However, because the dog was flying through the air, it enabled Noah to make his next move. With precision and speed only a combination of hard work and talent could ever hope to accomplish, at the right moment, he pushed the spear upwards, sending the dog with it. And then, doing something that normally wouldn't be done by a respectable warrior, he let go of his weapon. The dog, still impaled, flew through the air, crashing into a building with a grotesque snap. Its neck was most definitely broken. If it hadn't died instantly, it had sure died by this point.
And then he felt a sharp pain on his arm. He wasn't quick enough on that draw. Still, a claw had pierced his left arm. However, it was only a flesh wound, and it didn't require immediate treatment, although it did sting. Applying pressure to the wound with his right hand, he was doing his best to cut down the bleeding for the moment. And then, before he knew it, his arm was enveloped in a green light.
He paniced for a second, before realizing that someone was trying to heal him. Wincing at the uncomfort of having his skin knitted back together through magical means, he removed his right hand from his former wound, noting that, instantaneously, his injury was indeed better. No scars or anything.
He turned around to see his kind benefactor. It was the little girl whom Noah had saved earlier, just before he had taken on that dog. What was her name? He couldn't remember it for the life of him. Oh well, she'd probably tell it to him if he asked.
"Are you okay?" Noah asked the little girl, obvious concern in his eyes.
The little girl giggled. "I was just about to ask you the same thing! That wound looked bad. It's a good thing I know how to heal!"
"Yes, it is." He stretched his arm out, moving it around to make sure all of the pain was gone. Of course, it was. He walked over to the dog, his legendary spear was still lodged inside of it. He deftly pulled it out, his face twisting into a disgusted look. He would have to clean Reginleif as soon as possible.
"C'mon, Gramma, don't do that!" Anne squealed. "I can't breathe!" Noah quickly turned around in amazement, he hadn't even heard the old lady-- the innkeeper, nonetheless!-- come close. He decided that he must not have been paying attention, and shook his head.
The innkeeper approached Noah, sizing him up once again. "Thank you, chi... Noah. You saved my granddaughter. To repay you for your deeds, I will tell you all I know about the location of the Fire Emblem. It is only a riddle, but it should still serve you well. Take it to memory, Noah."
<I>The creation of fire may be closer than you think,
Held the most dear to you, always.
or it could be far away, always.
continents, cities, worlds.
How you act is your trial,
How you treat people special to you.
paving the way to your own success
is your heart.</I>
"... That tells me where the emblem is?" Noah asked, dumbfounded.
"Yes." The old crone said, before she continued. "Also, I'd like you to take Anne with you."
This left both Noah and the little girl in awe. Simultaneously, the said "But Grandma!" and "But...!"
"These old bones aren't fit to take care of her anymore, and her grandfather isn't in any better of a position. After her parents died, I took her in, but... I can't support her anymore. Besides, it would be good for her to see the world, and she can help you with those exceptional healing powers that she has." Noah couldn't refuse the request of the lady, for she had provided him with a hint, no matter how vague.
"... Okay. I'll take her with me." Anne, of course, didn't say anything.
"But..." Anne started, and Noah looked at her. However, instead of finishing, she just averted her eyes. "Okay. I'll go."
The old lady spoke again. "She already has everything she needs. I'll take care of..." She nodded towards the animal Noah had just slain. "So, go to the northwest, and talk to the man named Duril. He should be more helpful to you than I."
Noah rested his hand on Anne's shoulders, and together, they set off towards the northwest, unaware of the the grand journey that this less than fateful encounter started...
So, I'm posting what little of it I have up here. I'll probably finish it one of these days. Enjoy.
`
A sprawling ocean of green loomed before a lone traveller. He had come far, from countries- nay, continents- away. The grass bent to his commanding footsteps, he had the air of authority strewn about him. A gale of wind passed through the area, it seemed like the grass bowed to him. His spear, passed down through countless generations of his family... The spear of legends, Reginleif. The wind blew the tattered, brown hood of his tattered, brown cloak from his head, revealing shockingly natural blue hair. Looking at the world, five feet and ten inches from the ground, and from behind blue optics, he saw nature. And in nature lies beauty.
As much as he would have enjoyed to stop where he was, stare at the sky, and watch the natural order of things be exaggerated, he couldn't. No, his quest was far too important. He had travelled far, upturned every stone along his path, and bought information as a means to his end. And yet, he still couldn't find it. The thing that housed terrible evil. The thing that stood between order and chaos. The Fire Emblem.
---
Not too long after his spectacular view of the vast plains, the protoganist stumbled upon a town, nestled quietly among the rousing calls of animals. The time was approaching twilight. The sun painted upon the horizon beautiful splotches of various colors: Vibrant reds, glittering golds, and outstanding shades of orange. Looking down upon the village from the peak of a hill, that extended towards the sky about fifty yards, he was pleased to note that the villagers seemed to approve of the aesthetic value of this moment.
As they gazed in awe at the sunset, he saw fit to make his way down the gentle slope, and into the boarders of the town. The sun- it set in the west on this particular night. The sun set on a different compass point each night, which meant in rose on a different compass point each morning. However, the sunrise couldn't quite compare to the sunset, watching the sun recede was a favorite way to spend his hour, alone.
As he neared the village, the scent of the fresh grass was replaced by more alluring odors. The strong smell of freshly baked cinnamon (Most likely in a pie, although he couldn't be too sure of that) assaulted his nose, and he took a deep whiff delightedly. He hoped that maybe he could find some solace among these people, a night of rest before his ongoing journey was to continue.
And then, his foot entered the village's soil. Many people looked on him, maybe they were awed that he even found the out-of-the-way village. Maybe they were unaccustomed to strangers. Maybe he had something on his face. He reached up with his hand, quickly wiping his face just to make sure.
"Excuse me?" His question was directed towards a young girl who happened to be passing by. The voice that came from his mouth certainly held a quality that was quite unlike any other. It was hard to pinpoint exactly what the attribute was. The best way to describe it... His voice was full of life. He was one of those people that could be taken to, just like that. "Is there possibly an inn around here?"
The little girl looked at him for a second, before replying meekly. "Um... Yes, sir." She lifted a finger, and pointed down the main road a little more. "It's right up there..." and then she spread her arms. "It's the reeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaally big building!"
A smile crossed his face at the little girl's accentuation to her description of the building. "I see. Well, I extend my thanks to you."
The little girl giggled, and replied "You're welcome!" before skipping away, presumably towards her home to tell of her exploits, and the aid she gave to the `strange new man`.
Meanwhile, the man had started down the path, towards the place of rest and relaxation that he so needed at this particular point in time. He soon found the building that the girl was referring to. It was, indeed, a large building, with music pouring out of the open door, and both of the windows. Sounds of chatter could be heard from inside, and glass could be heard clinking together. It seemed that this particular inn doubled as a pub for the denizens of the town to unwind from their daily stressors. He smiled, this would definitely be a good place to spend the night.
Upon entrance, an old woman quickly made her way to him. "A stranger, eh...? We haven't had a visitor in quite a while. Would you care for a story of valor, of olden times? Of the legendary King Ephraim, and his twin sister the Queen Eirika?" Meanwhile, the other townspeople poked fun at the old lady. "Madame Storyteller's at it again!" and "Hahaha! She doesn't let up!"
The man put on a smile, and looked down upon the woman. "I'll hear your story." The old crone's eyes lit up, as she settled into a nearby chair. Everyone, in spite of their recent jibes, gathered around to hear the story being told again. This was a favorite of theirs.
"A long time ago..." She began, "...On the continent of Magvel, there existed six countries. Renias, the country of the plains. Frelia, the country of the sea. It is said that pegasi originally came from this place. Jehanna, the desert country. Rausten, the country blessed by the light of the gods. Grado, the military country. And, lastly, Carcino, the merchant country. These six countries coexisted with each other in relative peace.
"However, one day, that peace was shattered. Grado started to invade the other five countries, using their vast military powers to bring all the countries to their knees. At this time, the King of Renias was slain, leaving Prince Ephraim and Princess Eirika as the heirs of a country. However, they needed to solve the puzzle of the invasion. Renais and Grado were allies. Why would Grado turn on Renias?
"As it turns out, the Prince of Grado, Lyon, had been taken over by the demon king, Formitiis. Prince Ephraim and Princess Eirika both toiled endlessly to curb this menace. They gathered an army of soldiers of all social classes and ethnic backgrounds. Eventually, Prince Ephraim's army and Grado's main army met in the Castle of Grado. After a long battle, they had slain the king, yet Prince Lyon lived on...
"Lyon fled into the borders of Rausten, to a place called the Dark Woods. Inside these woods was a shrine, dedicated to the Demon King Formitiis. They clashed with Prince Lyon inside the walls of this shrine. After they had killed Prince Lyon, the Demon King somehow found a way to regenerate itself. However, it was only a partial job. Prince Ephraim dealt the final blow himself with the divine lance, Reginleif. They then sealed the demon king inside a stone, called the Fire Emblem."
A silence had draped itself over the occupants of the inn, it grew steadily, smothering the room until the hero spoke. "The Fire Emblem. I'm looking for it. Have you any clue as to its whereabouts?"
The old crone gaped at him. "Knowing the Demon King is sealed inside such a stone, you would try to gain it?!"
"Yes, Madam. I cannot let the stone fall into the wrong hands. Fortune tellers predicted the return of the Demon King, unless some action was to be taken. I set out to find it, and prevent disastor from occuring."
"Child, where the Fire Emblem is located is a mystery. There's no easy way to find it." The old woman looked over him, examining him.
"Please, don't call me child. I'd much rather be called by my proper name, Noah. You have no inkling of where the Fire Emblem can be found?"
"Well... No, child. I do not."
"I see. Well, then, who might I be able to ask to get a room at this inn?"
"I'm the owner of this fine establishment, child."
"Please, just Noah."
"Yes, right..." She handed Noah a key. "Well, your room is the second door on the left, just up those stairs."
"Thank you, Ma'am."
`
Warmth. It caressed his face, causing him to stir from underneath his sheets. He shifted from his current position, flat on his back, to his side, resisting the sun and the urge to get up. As it stood, he didn't want to remove himself from the bed. He had no intention of getting up so early, and yet the sun beckoned. And he had no choice but to answer its call.
So, here he was, at the earliest hour in the morning, to witness the sun just after it had risen. He looked to the sky, the sun had rose in the south. He still couldn't shun his amazement, the fact that the planet had such an odd rotation to make the sun rise and set on different compass points...
He didn't have time to stare at the sun, however. Tearing his gaze away from the window, he slowly rose from the bed. The cover slowly slid down his frame, revealing his bare chest. Across it was an obvious darker pink gash, a remnant of earlier wounds. It extended from his left shoulder, down to about the bottom of his ribcage on the right side.
He swung his legs over the left side of the bed, too early in the morning to remember the bad omen that getting up on that particular side of the bed usually brought to the day. He crossed the room to the corner where he had left the upper half of his garments, while he slept with the lower half on. He quickly dressed, sliding his shirt over his head, latching on the light armor that he wore, and slid on his beaten, brown travelling boots, before donning the matching cloak.
He reached out, grabbed the handle on the door, turned it, and pushed open the door. Stepping out into the hall, he did not hear the chatter of voices that was so apparent last night. He reckoned they were sleeping, and after staying up that late, who could blame them? He probably should still be in bed too, but he was dragged out by Mother Nature herself.
Rubbing his eyes groggily and making his way down those stairs, he smelled those quaint, homely aromas, an emulation of the ones the previous night. His stomach reacted to those smells, and saliva built up in his mouth. He remembered that he had gotten nothing to eat the previous night, going to sleep immediately in a silent retaliation to the innkeeper, who obviously knew something of the whereabouts of the Fire Emblem.
However, his voracious appetite had gotten the best of him, and Noah decided that it was nigh time to get something to eat. Therefore, when he reached the main room of the inn, he walked up to the counter, and asked for something to fill his stomach. The clerk, a young lady with a benevolent face, happily obliged, putting bread into some weird mechanism.
"What are you doing?" Noah asked, curious.
"Oh, well, I'm toasting your bread, honey. It's good, trust me!" Deciding to put his faith in the stranger, he sat down at a nearby table to wait for his food. Soon enough, the odd mechanism made a noise, much like a timer going off. Humming a tune, the clerk took the bread out carefully ("It must be hot," Noah decided) and started spreading butter on the top. That was usual, he buttered his own bread back at home.
The clerk delivered the food to his table and he accepted it graciously. Taking a small bite of the bread, he immediatly decided that he liked it. The rich butter had subtly exaggerated the crispiness of the bread; it didn't take him long to devour the rest. Rising for the second time in about twenty minutes, he strode towards the counter, leaving behind a pile of gold. "For the room and the food."
Before the girl could protest about the food being free if you had gotten a room, he was already walking away. As he reached the door, however, another townsperson hurried in, bumping into Noah. The man who had bumped into his must have seen the lance and made the inference that Noah could fight, because he stammered out, "P-P-Please help us! M-Monster in the s-square! It's going after Anne!"" The clerk gasped, and Noah just looked at him. "Lead the way, sir."
The man escorted Noah with all due haste towards the center of the city, which happened to be pretty out of the way. Noah was glad the person had escorted him, Noah wouldn't have found it otherwise. And that would have been bad. The other townsperson stopped, even as Noah charged directly into danger.
He quickly assessed the scene. Noting the person screaming was actually the little girl who had helped him out earlier, Noah saw she was pointing at something that he wasn't focusing on. Her little hand trembled, and her eyes were filled with the purest form of fear.
Quickly following the invisible path her finger left, Noah's eyes rested upon what could have been the most evil thing that he had ever seen. It resembled a dog, and yet, it seemed like it was something more. It chilled him to the bone. A shaggy patch of gray fur on its neck contrasted with the rest of its fur, which was a sort of pale blue. Its eyes were full of vicious intent, enough to make even the men with the most hardened nerves shiver.
Sometime during this assessment, Noah had no idea when, his trusty spear had left his back and was tucked comfortably into his right hand. It was pointed at the rabid dog, his stance seemed much like someone would stand as if he was using a sword. His left hand rested comfortably at his side, Noah seemed completely at ease against this vicious intruder.
The monster that could be most accurately described at this point as a rabid dog either didn't notice him or didn't care about him. Well, he could quickly remedy either of those two situations in a variety of different ways, but only one option was clear as the dog got on its haunches, seemingly ready to pounce.
He sprung into action, moving as fast as his feet would allow, getting in front of the little girl that was in question. "Flee," Noah hissed through his teeth. Scared, the little girl complied, first finding her feet, and then sprinting as fast as she possibly could away from the area. The dog, annoyed that its original meal had gotten away, focused all of its attention upon Noah. Perfect.
And, already in the position, it launched itself in the air with blinding speed. Its claws were set to tear Noah's throat away from his body, rendering him unable to breath as it ate his warm flesh and drank his warm effluence. That was the only thought in the monster's mind, however, it would never get a chance to re-enact that imaginary situation.
Still holding his spear in his right hand, he stepped forwards. Of course, this was taking a step towards the monster with the bloodlust, however, the monster would never get a chance to even lay a finger--- or, in this case, a claw--- on Noah.
Thrusting his spear forward, the sharp tip of it entered the gaping maw of his adversary. it continued to penetrate at a rapid pace, puncturing several of the supposed dog's vital organs. There was no way it would be able to survive such a blow, it would bleed internally until it died, either from the lack of vital blood to its organs or strangling from the hole in its esophagus, or even a puncture to its heart. However, no matter how quickly or slowly it died, as he stood, the body of the dog was still flying through the middle of the air, and was on a direct crash course with Noah. Those claws were still quite the problem.
However, because the dog was flying through the air, it enabled Noah to make his next move. With precision and speed only a combination of hard work and talent could ever hope to accomplish, at the right moment, he pushed the spear upwards, sending the dog with it. And then, doing something that normally wouldn't be done by a respectable warrior, he let go of his weapon. The dog, still impaled, flew through the air, crashing into a building with a grotesque snap. Its neck was most definitely broken. If it hadn't died instantly, it had sure died by this point.
And then he felt a sharp pain on his arm. He wasn't quick enough on that draw. Still, a claw had pierced his left arm. However, it was only a flesh wound, and it didn't require immediate treatment, although it did sting. Applying pressure to the wound with his right hand, he was doing his best to cut down the bleeding for the moment. And then, before he knew it, his arm was enveloped in a green light.
He paniced for a second, before realizing that someone was trying to heal him. Wincing at the uncomfort of having his skin knitted back together through magical means, he removed his right hand from his former wound, noting that, instantaneously, his injury was indeed better. No scars or anything.
He turned around to see his kind benefactor. It was the little girl whom Noah had saved earlier, just before he had taken on that dog. What was her name? He couldn't remember it for the life of him. Oh well, she'd probably tell it to him if he asked.
"Are you okay?" Noah asked the little girl, obvious concern in his eyes.
The little girl giggled. "I was just about to ask you the same thing! That wound looked bad. It's a good thing I know how to heal!"
"Yes, it is." He stretched his arm out, moving it around to make sure all of the pain was gone. Of course, it was. He walked over to the dog, his legendary spear was still lodged inside of it. He deftly pulled it out, his face twisting into a disgusted look. He would have to clean Reginleif as soon as possible.
"C'mon, Gramma, don't do that!" Anne squealed. "I can't breathe!" Noah quickly turned around in amazement, he hadn't even heard the old lady-- the innkeeper, nonetheless!-- come close. He decided that he must not have been paying attention, and shook his head.
The innkeeper approached Noah, sizing him up once again. "Thank you, chi... Noah. You saved my granddaughter. To repay you for your deeds, I will tell you all I know about the location of the Fire Emblem. It is only a riddle, but it should still serve you well. Take it to memory, Noah."
<I>The creation of fire may be closer than you think,
Held the most dear to you, always.
or it could be far away, always.
continents, cities, worlds.
How you act is your trial,
How you treat people special to you.
paving the way to your own success
is your heart.</I>
"... That tells me where the emblem is?" Noah asked, dumbfounded.
"Yes." The old crone said, before she continued. "Also, I'd like you to take Anne with you."
This left both Noah and the little girl in awe. Simultaneously, the said "But Grandma!" and "But...!"
"These old bones aren't fit to take care of her anymore, and her grandfather isn't in any better of a position. After her parents died, I took her in, but... I can't support her anymore. Besides, it would be good for her to see the world, and she can help you with those exceptional healing powers that she has." Noah couldn't refuse the request of the lady, for she had provided him with a hint, no matter how vague.
"... Okay. I'll take her with me." Anne, of course, didn't say anything.
"But..." Anne started, and Noah looked at her. However, instead of finishing, she just averted her eyes. "Okay. I'll go."
The old lady spoke again. "She already has everything she needs. I'll take care of..." She nodded towards the animal Noah had just slain. "So, go to the northwest, and talk to the man named Duril. He should be more helpful to you than I."
Noah rested his hand on Anne's shoulders, and together, they set off towards the northwest, unaware of the the grand journey that this less than fateful encounter started...