Welcome to Adventu, your final fantasy rp haven. adventu focuses on both canon and original characters from different worlds and timelines that have all been pulled to the world of zephon: a familiar final fantasy-styled land where all adventurers will fight, explore, and make new personal connections.
at adventu, we believe that colorful story and plots far outweigh the need for a battle system. rp should be about the writing, the fun, and the creativity. you will see that the only system on our site is the encouragement to create amazing adventures with other members. welcome to adventu... how will you arrive?
year 5, quarter 3
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[attr="class","captions"]Where The [break] Lost Ones Go
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Torensten, home to the rich and powerful and to the nation's armed forces. Its larger marketplaces made it a far more lively city than Provo, a fact that made Ace all the more uneasy. It was too crowded for his liking, too familiar with its patrolling armed guards and snobbish nobles. But he'd live; he'd have to if he wanted to learn more about this world. After all, it'd be a step towards getting home and to finding everyone else. The question was, would he be lucky enough to come across anything useful, or would it be like the past few days, a bust? [break][break]
With a sigh, Ace rested his forehead on the back of his hand, quickly considering his various options. He could go to the marketplaces. As packed as they were, traders and merchants always had a tale to tell, whether it was a past experience, an incident on one of their many journeys or a simple fairytale. Alternatively, he could see if there was a library hidden away somewhere - that'd be the jackpot. If it was anything like the Crystarium in Akademeia, there'd be rows upon rows of bookshelves, each filled to the brim with books. Surely there'd be something there that would provide answers - and surely the city wouldn't be without one. Else, how did the residents supplement their studies? [break][break]
Ace hummed; a library would be the best bet, he figured. He'd search for one within the walls of the city, all the while listening to any interesting bits of gossip or news as he conducted his hunt. For all he knew, there could be something important not written down anywhere but passed solely by word of mouth. It was a possibility, so he'd spend some time on the streets just in case, even if all he really wanted to do was find a nice, quiet place to think everything over. Honestly, he really needed that. That, and someone to share his thoughts with - it was getting lonely in this world; he sorely missed his siblings. Without them, nothing felt complete - he even missed Nine's generally foolish comments, remembering with a fond smile when his brother had been asked by Kurasame to name the four Crystal-states. [break][break]
Would he ever see them again, alive? Or only in death would they be reunited? The questions troubled him, but before he could give them much thought, he pushed them aside. When it was safer - when he was alone, where it was quiet and peaceful - he'd entertain them. But for now, he had something he wanted to do, something he needed to do. Rounding the street corner, he kept his ears open and his eyes peeled, scanning the grounds for the best place to go next. Within seconds he found it - a travelling bard, regaling a gathering crowd with his upbeat tunes and dramatic tales of adventure. While it was unlikely that any were true, Ace had come to know that there was some truth in every tale, every song. [break][break] Perhaps he'd find what he was looking for there, a clue as to what to do next.
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
It had been a long time since Faris had been back to the city on the river. A long, eventful time full of misadventures, regret, and nightmares. Still, he knew he’d have to come back eventually. His conscience wouldn’t let him off the hook.
Torensten. The city he’d first found over a year ago. Torensten. The city he’d helped defend but not quite well enough.
Parts of it were still in ruins from Chaos and the fires, though there were obvious attempts to rebuild. Half-stacked stone walls where there had once been rubble. Freshly sprouted grass where there’d once been nothing but dirt and ash. He tried not to look too closely at anyone here. He could stand out in a crowd, after all, and he knew the rumors had spread into legends in this place. Stories of a band of heroes driving off that great, horned fiend from their greatest destruction -- of a knight with a resolution like the sun and a crimson dragoon with a fiery nature and tangled violet hair.
Faris didn’t look anything like that now, and he refused to wear that cloak they’d given him. Instead, he traipsed through the streets in his usual blue tunic and scarf, eyeing the look of this place just as a matter of curiosity. He’d never been much for building anything. Just come in, take what you can, and move on wherever the winds might take you. But there was something almost inspiring about the change only a year could make after complete disaster. It lit something in his chest that was warmer than the storms that had brewed there lately. Something pleasant. Hopeful, almost.
Or maybe he was just going soft.
As he left the ruined side of town, there was something almost cheerful to his step. He felt like doing something while he was here. Something brave and reckless all at once -- something he didn’t need to do but wanted to all the same. His eyes fell on passing civilians. That worn-down woman didn’t look like she’d want to hear his stories, and that man on the other side of the street didn’t look like the adventuring type. There were always bars, but he was sick of drinking and brawling all the time. There was a fire lit inside of him and he couldn’t contain it. He needed something to do. Something impulsive. Something crass. Something with…
Music.
He heard it several streets down. The sound of lyrics sung sweetly over lute strings. Faris paused for only a moment before charging straight towards it.
He didn’t know what possessed him to call on the crystals then. He didn’t know exactly what he was doing at all until he spotted the bard through the parting crowd and pushed his way forward, feeling the light of the crystals engulf him even as he walked. His blue tunic melted into olive green. Light twisted around his arms into flowing white sleeves. He held out his hand and a golden lyre appeared there in a flash of white.
He was going to challenge the bard to a battle of song.
His fingers tingled with magic as they swept their way across the lyre’s strings. The notes came like petals on air -- light, quick, and beyond his control. The fire crystal had taught him everything he needed to know about the profession, and his notes had a kind of power all to themselves. He knew ballads that could rejuvenate a broken heart, choruses that could turn away evil, and erratic melodies that could send enemies into a broken-minded fury. He felt all eyes turn on him as he took his place beside the common bard and showed the man a thing or two about the power of music.
He sang about the call of the sea and its dark, raging storms. He sang about the crystals’ call and the power they’d given him. He sang about the destruction on his world -- of wind, fire, water, and earth in turn and of the rise of a great evil from beyond space. His voice was its usual husky self -- not quite masculine but not womanly either. It was just him, and while he’d never had the best of voices, the crystal’s power held it in a kind of trance and his fingers carried it on the harp strings. He lost himself in his own tale -- not in a city far from home, but on the deck of a pirate ship or fending off the devilish fiends of another world. The fight of it all welled in him like the crystal itself -- courage. The crystal he'd chosen.
Once he’d finished, silence fell on the crowd around them. Faris glanced between them all before lifting his harp triumphantly. He offered them all a sly half-grin.
”And that, lads,” he said. ”Is how you play the bard.”
[attr="class","captions"]Where The [break] Lost Ones Go
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Aside from the quiet murmurings about the bard's performance, some praising, some criticizing, the crowd was, on a whole, silent. They listened attentitively, ears perked and eyes wide, not unlike young children enraptured by a teacher's fairytale. It was fasinating, but Ace knew better than to get too close - he lingered on the sidelines, just near enough to hear and see the bard, but far enough that he wasn't part of the growing crowd. Gaze trained on the performer, his concentration only faltered when gasps of wonder and shock reached his ears; he turned to the cause of the commotion, in time to see a man weave his way up to the performer with clothes that changed in the glow of light.[break][break]
Whoever that man was, he had Ace's undivided attention, and evidently that of the crowd's. The star of the show no longer was the bard who started it, for with the appearance of the newcomer, all eyes were on him. The air was thick with anticipation, each member of the crowd eagerly awaiting what would come next - would this man, so obviously blessed, different from them, amaze them as they'd hope? Or would he flounder and fail, making a fool out of himself? There was an eerie hush that befall the crowd as they waited with bated breath.[break][break]
... [break][break] ... [break][break] He sung, fingers dancing over gilded strings, creating light melodies that filled the air. It was pleasent, unearthly so, and commandeered everyone's attention. For the time he took the stage, it was just him and his song, and even the critics of the former performer fell silent, as did the man himself, as they stared in awe at the singer. He sung, uninhibited, about a world and its crystals - and Ace thought, wasn't that strikingly familiar? - of the sea and of destruction. It was a song that spoked volumes about its singer - of the man's passion and of his loves and his fears, of his dreams and of his friends, of the battles he'd been theough and the hardships he'd face. It was familiar and the new bard didn't seem to be singing for the crowd- he seemed to sing for himself, of what was dearest to him.[break][break]
It was captivating, and Ace found himself wishing for more when the curtains came to a close - but then, he noted, he always loved song. There was just something about it that made it...magical. A small smile found its way to his lips and he resolved to speak with the bard once the commotion died down - the moment the man addreased the crowd at the end of his performance, the people went into an uproar. "Do you have anything else?" "Will you play again?" Everyone wanted to know more about this strange man with the golden intrusment and questions were thrown at him left and right. It was too rowdy, so Ace hung back, waiting patiently until there was a safe opening when he could catch the bard alone; getting smothered by a crowd for simply being too close to the man they currently seemed in love with wasn't on his bucket list.[break][break]
It was a while but, eventually, the crowd dispersed, and what was left that pestered the man was nothing more than a small group of children, eager to hear more adventurous tales. But soon, they too left the man alone - called away by apologetic parents. There was his chance and Ace, despite his wariness, made his way over to the man. For a moment, he simply stared, unsure of how to begin. What should he say, what should he do? Introduce himself or begin with a question? He fumbled for the words in his mind, before giving a sigh and incling his head to the singer. "That...was a...nice song." He muttered, hands stuffed in the pockets of his uniform, eyes briefly meeting the stranger before ducking away then nreturning. "Was this...something you experienced? Or a tale you made?"
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
For a moment, there was only Faris at the center of the universe, held in rapt attention by the world. Then he blinked and the moment had passed. The crowd erupted into thunderous applause.
There was a flurry of faces and brightened eyes, all asking the same things. Would he play again? Did he have anything else? Who was this mysterious man with the golden lute and a magical touch? Part of him wished he’d tried this months ago, but another shrank away from the attention. As much as Faris loved acts of bravado, his place had never been the stage. He was much more at home with a sword in his hand or barking orders from the top of a windswept mast. Still, the people seemed to like it. And if he owed anyone anything, it was these people who he’d saved and left behind.
So he grinned at their requests, told them, ”Aye, I’ve got enough songs to last ‘til dawn!” and played for as long as his patience would allow. He played ballads that strengthened the spirit and marches that inspired the warrior within. He played songs that quickened the rhythm and one particularly useful rhyme that they’d learned from an odd man with a penchant for the piano. Still, while he could certainly play until dawn, his audience could not. They slowly filtered out as obligations called them, and finally he was left with only a handful of faithful listeners -- most of which were children. Still, he didn’t mind answering their questions and telling them everything he knew. From his adventures on the high seas to his battle against the evil warlock, Exdeath to the several times he’d flown on the back of a dragon. They stared at him with eyes as wide as gil coins, and only one of them thought to call him out on it.
”No way! There’s no way he really flew on a dragon!” the boy said, and Faris just caught him in a half-grin.
”Course I did,” he said. ”Haven’t you ever heard tell of the Warriors of Light?”
They hadn’t, but he didn’t have the time to tell them about it. They were dragged away by their mother just minutes later, and Faris left about where he started. Alone, bored, and aimless. He sighed and held up his lyre to the rays of the setting sun. How long had it been since he’d used the bard class for anything? He’d always berated Bartz for trying it in the middle of a rough fight. But then again, he always liked to hide and try to play his songs from the bushes.
"That...was a...nice song."
”Eh?” Faris almost could have missed the compliment for how quietly it was muttered, but it looked like he wasn’t alone just yet. There was another boy still waiting there, just a little younger than himself it seemed with scruffy blonde hair and clothes that looked like they’d been pressed that morning. He kept his hands shoved deep in his pockets and only barely dared to look at him.
”Was this...something you experienced? Or a tale you made?" He was a timid one, that was for sure. Even now, Faris could barely hear him, but he thought to humor him anyway. Anyone could rise up to a fight if they needed to, and he had a debt to pay the people of this town.
”It’s my life, sure as the sun rises.” Faris put a hand on his hip and cocked his head to the side. ”I’m from beyond these shores if you hadn’t figured it out. A place called Tycoon originally, though I’m a pirate by trade. And a Warrior of Light if the situation calls.” The boy looked so uncomfortable that Faris didn’t know exactly what to say next. Just that he should probably keep talking if he didn’t want the silence to suffocate him. So he nodded to the boy and said, ”I’m Faris. Captain Faris Scherwiz, if a name be important to you. I’ve been in these kingdoms for about a year -- maybe more. And I don’t have amnesia if that’s your next question. I don’t know what knocked the sense out of the others that landed here, but it missed me. Scared, I reckon.”
With that said, Faris cast the boy a dry grin. ”But here I am going on without a word otherwise. You must’ve had your own stories to tell. We’ve all got adventures, after all.” Even if most weren’t anything that Faris found exciting enough to bother with. It was something, at least. ”Why don’t you tell me a few of yours?”
[attr="class","captions"]Where The [break] Lost Ones Go
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There's relief as soon as the man begins to speak and his eyes fluttered shut in contemplation as he ran Faris' words over and over again in his mind - Tycoon, Pirate, Warrior of Light - no, he'd never heard these terms nor the man's name before. It was disappointing, but he supposed it was still better than nothing; at the very least, it seemed as if this person was in a similar situation as he was. Well...similar enough. If he took the man's words to be true, then his song told of his life and so it could be derived that he wasn't from this world, same as Ace. [break][break]
That alone was comforting, knowing he wasn't the only one in such strange circumstances, but the length of the man's stay was worrisome. There was something about the prospect of being stuck there - for so long without any familiar faces - that set him on edge. For the length of his stay here, would he be alone? Would he find his siblings, friends or anyone at all that he knew? Was it even possible to return home? He wondered - frowning at the questions he had no answer to, to the questions he feared to be answered - until he was addressed by the other.[break][break]
"Why don't you tell me a few of yours?"[break][break]
Sapphire eyes open, slowly, blinking once, then twice, before meeting emeralds. With the conversation now shifting focus to him, Ace fidgeted uncomfortably, unsure of how to respond. He didn't think he could tell the man much of the truth - it didn't help that it was something he was used to, keeping secrets and evading questions - but he knew that some measure of it was required. He just needed to say as much as was necessary, as he always did, and it'd be fine; it wasn't as if this stranger was someone he knew and liked - someone he could relay his worries and troubles to.[break][break]
"Adventures? ...I've never had any similar to yours." Ace replied with a hum, shaking his head. "Only war. Pirates, warriors of light - I've never heard of them. What are they?" He questioned back, shifting his stance to match Faris'. "...I'm not from here, either." Of his origin, Ace would admit, but he'd let the man reply first before revealing anything else. After all...if he didn't have to, then he didn't need to. "...Orience. That's the name of my world."
I'm so sorry. I'm corrupting your poor, innocent baby
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
The boy hummed and shook his head. He didn’t have any adventures to tell of, at least none like Faris’. ”Only war. Pirates, warriors of light - I've never heard of them. What are they?"
”You’ve never heard of a pirate?” Faris asked so he didn’t have to comment on the first part. What kind of boy only knew war? It was something too sensitive to ask and too sad to think about. ”A sailor, lad. A less than law-abiding one.” Faris crossed his arms and tossed his head to the side. ”It means standing on your own two feet and carving your own path, rules be damned. There’s a freedom to it, but it’s not easy. And of course you need a ship.”
Faris eyed the horizon in longing. Would he ever feel the uneasy sway of a ship deck beneath him again? Maybe if he got ahold of one, he could sail it straight out of this place and back to Tycoon. Maybe.
"I'm not from here, either."
The boy’s confession came so sudden that Faris could only blink in surprise. ”Eh?” He glanced him over and cocked his head. He certainly wouldn't have guessed it himself. He was used to the way that the foreigners like him looked, and this boy wasn’t it. He was too put together. Too…well-mannered for it, but he supposed they came in all sizes. Not all of them could be knights, scoundrels, and warriors.
The boy called his world “Orience,” though Faris had never heard of it. Honestly, he’d have been surprised if it had, but just the thought that they shared a thing in common lit him with a spark of flame. ”No kidding,” he said, grinning at him. ”Why, we’re two of a kind! There’s not enough of us running around, I’d say. It’s like being the only sober one at a party.”
He tossed his hair over his shoulder before appraising the boy eagerly. ”Well, you’ve no choice but to sit down and talk with me now, lad. We can swap stories and tales of home. Have a round of drinks if you’re able or…” He paused. His thoughts were still on the sea and the freedom of the waves. He longed for it like a lost lover, but it was beyond him now.
Or was it? Hadn’t he heard tell of a harbor not far from here?
His eyes set on the boy as he nodded his resolution. ”Aye, I’ve a better idea.” He gestured towards the a southern road with his chin and started off, gesturing for the boy to follow. ”I’ve not been to this town in a while, and that calls for a special occasion. I’ll show you a ship if you’ve got the time for it. Take it for a whirl around the bay. You wanted to know about pirates, didn’t you?”
Yes, that was it. He’d hijack a ship and sate his longing and his boredom in one fell swoop. And the kid could come along too if he wanted. It would be fun for him, he thought. Faris had been about half as old when he’d been apart of his first ship-jacking, and it’d been a night to remember.
[attr="class","captions"]Where The [break] Lost Ones Go
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That...didn't help anything. Faris' answers only served to create more questions - a sailor? What was that? His brows furrowed slightly in his confusion, a light frown settling on his lips as his stance shifted again. Knee bent, hand to chin, Ace's gaze turned to the ground as he as he tried to piece bits of information together. First - Faris was a pirate; a pirate was a sailor who didn't always follow the law, something Ace figured he could overlook. Second, this was Faris' life and Faris had spent a good deal of time at sea if his ballad was anything to go by. Third, Faris had said that to be a pirate - and thus a sailor too needed this - one needed a ship. By that logic, a sailor was a man of the sea, someone who lived off it, spent their time in a ship that did not sail in the sky, and a pirate was its criminal brother. ...Probably.[break][break]
Still, this whole pirate thing was interesting in its own right - he pictured people on ships, travelling, adventuring, experiencing as exciting a life as Faris sung about. To be free, without a care in the world except for what they needed and wanted, brushing aside suffocating rules and protocol, he supposed there was a charm in that. But he also supposed a lot of harm came out of it - he'd seen the worst of humanity as far as he was concerned and doubted that many men who were given that freedom could live a 'good' life. Possibly, they killed on a whim, stole and tricked, wrecking havoc wherever they went - a wary look he gave to Faris at the thought. He could live with lawbreakers, just as long as they still were sensible.[break][break]
Faris gave a surprised grunt in response to his admittance and Ace, in return, straightened his posture - had he said something wrong? Should he have admitted that? Those were valid worries - unlike the world he left which they'd been prepared for by their mother, there were no rules here he knew to play by, no lines he knew not to cross. He was concerned that, by revealing himself to a stranger - nevermind said stranger having come from another world, same as he - he'd get in trouble, the sort that required killing, something he hoped to avoid where possible.[break][break]
He was cautious until the man smiled, but his relief was replaced by confusion yet again as Faris continued to speak. "Sober...at a party?" Ace couldn't help but ask - nearly forgetting to commit to memory that, oh thank heavens, they weren't the only lost ones here. That meant that, if this guy didn't have all the information he needed, there were still other people out there who could answer his queries. Hopefully though, this man wouldn't be as interested in swapping stories as he seemed, else he'd never get anything useful![break][break]
After the initial offer and the pause that followed, Faris jutted his chin out towards a road, Ace's gaze following the motion and studying the path in question. "...Yes..." He replied carefully to the question, sensing that somehow, this mightn't turn out too well - he just had the feeling that whatever Faris wanted to do, he wasn't going to like it. Yet, this was his only current lead, so he'd risk the dangers. "It's not as if I have anywhere else to be."
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
The boy didn’t have anywhere else to be.
Perfect.
”Aye, not much to do around here unless you go hunting for trouble. Though just staying alive’s a chore for some I’ve seen. Being dropped here without a friend or a gil to your name? It’s like a babe falling straight into the sea. There’s nothing to do for it but swim unless you feel like drowning.”
Faris sighed. He could still remember the crash of the ocean waves if he thought hard enough. He thought he’d die, lost alone in those icy waters without so much as a piece of driftwood to keep him afloat. And then the pirate ship had found him. The rest had been history.
”You know, this isn’t my first time tossed into the waters.” His boots treaded a steady rhythm across pavement as he walked. He glanced towards the boy before continuing. ”That’s how I turned out to be a pirate. I was lost at sea until they pulled me from the depths. Didn’t know a thing about myself for ages. So I can’t complain much now, I think.”
They’d reached the riverside now and the canals edged with merchant boats littering the water like street stands. The air carried a musty smell like fish and old wood rot, but it wasn’t entirely unpleasant. It smelled more of mud than the salty tinge of the sea, but water was water and Faris loved it all the same. He couldn’t help a smirk as they passed a boat selling wickerware and baskets. He’d spent one of his first weeks in this place hijacking a boat just like it and sending the town guards on a boat chase after him. Time had a way of passing before you knew it.
”Do you have a plan? Anything you want to do?” It wasn’t a question he asked often, but the boy seemed lost. Maybe some direction would do him good. ”It’s best to have something in mind. I’ve seen too many people adrift just hoping a friend’ll run into them by chance. It’s not a way I can take.”
No, instead Faris had spent his time chasing adrenaline and villains alike. Not that he’d had much luck on the latter. He hadn’t seen head nor tail of Chaos since Torensten had caught ablaze, and as for the dragons…
Well, he didn’t know what to do about those right now.
”You’ve got a name, don’t you? I’ve been talking for ages and I still don’t know a thing about you.” Faris glanced back at the boy and raised an eyebrow. ”So what is it? Tell me something new.”
[attr="class","captions"]Where The [break] Lost Ones Go
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"...Ace." It's a short name compared to many others, even lacking a surname. But for as long as he could remember, that's what his name was, even if it was unusual. "As for a plan, no. Nothing concrete at least." He responded, gaze shifting away to take in the sights of the harbour. "For now I'm simply looking for information - anything to tell me about this world and why I'm here. As for friends..." Family, really, unless he counted Izana, his brother and Rem. While the latter two were part of his class, the relationship between him and them was still different when compared to the others, who he'd been with for years. Yes, they were all friends, close-knit, but there were still some things he felt more comfortable sharing with someone like Deuce, for example, as opposed to Machina or Rem.[break][break]
"Well, if they're here, I'll find them." He was sure of it. Eyes flit back to meet Faris'. "...I can take care of myself." He'd been doing fine so far - jobs here and there, foraging and living in the wilderness when he couldn't take the city life. To be honest, he preferred it out there at times - nature's embrace was comforting and not all its creatures were predatory. It was pleasing to see the friendly wildlife run amok, to be able to have some time to himself without too many disturbances. There was also the fact that since he seemed quite young he'd been getting a lot of help...which he didn't need though he'd admit he'd be in a worse state if the elderly couple hadn't aided him - but he'd like to remind everyone that he was perfectly capable of standing on his own two feet.
[break][break]Being young didn't mean being unable to care for yourself. Besides, he was an Agito cadet! If he couldn't even survive here, it'd be an embarrassment. "How did you end up in the sea?" Ace inquired.
Oh good. He's being less of a horrible influence than I thought.
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
The boy, Ace, didn’t have a plan, but he wasn’t entirely lost. He wanted information, it seemed. He didn’t even say he was looking for his friends, just that he’d find them if they were here and he could take care of himself. Faris nodded his appreciation. ”Aye. A man has to stand on his own two feet,” he said, but that still didn’t give him much. He wondered if he’d heard a single other person with the same ideas -- not looking for their friends, but just continuing forward on their own. It was admirable. Even Faris couldn’t do it on some days -- not when he thought about what might have happened to his crew without him and not when he thought about Lenna. His sister was a strong girl -- one of the strongest he knew -- but she had a habit of getting herself into trouble. And unlike Faris, trouble wasn’t usually where she wanted to be.
For once, Faris was the one caught quiet and unaware by a question. ”How did you end up in the sea?” Well that was an easy one and not one he minded retelling.
”Why, I fell in!” he said. ”When I was too young to even have a full set of teeth. My papa, he took us out for a flight on his dragon. The wind must’ve caught me because the first thing I remember is the pull of the waves. I didn’t know a thing about it until I found my sister as a Warrior of Light. But here I am. I clawed my way from the sea and I’ll claw just about anything else that tries to drag me under too!” There was a fire in his words as he finished. Something about that story always lit him with confidence, but it was easier to pull yourself out of the sea than to find your way back home. It took him just about fifteen years to do it last time and he’d come back with a different name, a different face, and was just about the opposite of the innocent daughter his family’d lost. How long would it take him this time? And would anyone recognize him when he managed it?
”But that was a long time ago.” Faris looked up to the sky and watched the clouds drift into the violet light of dusk. ”It’s funny, the things that can change you. If I’d never fallen off the dragon, I’d’ve never turned out a pirate. Instead, I’d’ve…” He touched at his scarf and felt the bulge of the pendant beneath it. His family’s pendant -- the one clue he’d ever had to them. His sister’s had looked just the same when he’d taken her hostage. A princess would’ve fetched a high price from the king if it hadn’t turned out they’d all shared blood.
The wind sharpened as it swept from the loose locks of his hair. Salt. He could’ve recognized the smell of the sea from a half mile away.
”Here we are. Close now.” Faris glanced back at Ace and nodded confidently before hurrying ahead. He’d be there soon on the docks of a well-worn harbor. He could already see it in the back of his eye -- a dozen ships rolling in the bay, the crash of the waves into rocky banks, the scent of salt and fish to strong his tongue curled with the flavor. His heart pounded with the familiarity of it all, and as he turned the corner onto the harbor’s edge, he wasn’t disappointed.
”There it is.” The words tumbled out almost of their own volition. ”It’s just like home.” He felt his knees weaken with the force of it. Of the ships and the hollering and the sailors packing and unpacking their cargo. This was a lawful port -- there were no pirates here -- but it was a sight as familiar to him as his own childhood. This is what he’d been missing all this time. This was everything he’d wanted and more.
He took a step towards the bay. The rolling tides called to him. ”If I could just take a ship…” There were so many here with towering masts and polished hulls. The kind that could take you across the world. ”...Do you think I could sail back home?”
They couldn’t know, could they? Not unless they tried? What if Tycoon was only just an ocean away. What would he say to Lenna if she knew he’d wasted so much time?
To their right, a band of sailors edged past them and started into town. They barely glanced at Faris as they passed, and Faris turned to watch them go. He wasn’t among a band like that. Not a crew, not anyone. It would take dozens to man a ship like that at the very least, and Faris…
He was very much alone.
”Well.” His voice came out husky under his breath. He tried not to look at anyone. ”There’s no use asking questions that can’t be answered.” His eyes wandered past the ships again -- about eight in working condition, but they wouldn’t be helmed by only two people. They were too much for that. Faris sighed. ”Aye. You want to see what it’s like to sail?” he asked and then muttered, ”I think I’ve still got the gil.”
There wasn’t any use in trying for crimes he couldn’t pull off, and he wouldn’t go breaking laws and property if there wasn’t anything in it for him but the thrill. He started forward without glancing back. ”Come on,” he grumbled. ”There ought to be a sailboat we can use.”
