Beliefs

[Zerrif]

The trek to Izlude proved quite pleasant for the three, the small party growing to know each other better. "So the two of you met in Prontera, huh?" Gerik asked, as they headed south east towards the Swordsman's City. "How'd that turn about?"

"Well, I found B here when he was still relatively new to magic, even though he's not that far along now." The Blacksmith said, though it wasn't anything condescending, just factual. "I offered to help him a little, and gave him some cash to help him start out. As much as he rejected my help, I forced him to take it anyway, and ever since then, I've just seen him around a lot. We hung around each other for a while, until eventually... well. It just sorta happened."

"What about you?" Bascht asked from behind his mask. Gerik had to wonder if he took that off while sleeping or showering-- and laughed a little internally at the thoughts of wearing that 24/7. He was probably really pale, considering he was almost fully covered."No one special in your life, male or female?"

Gerik shook his head. "Ever since I can remember, I have lived inside the Prontera Church. As soon as I was old enough, I started to do work around the church, and paid rent for my sleeping quarters. Before that, my parents and I lived in Alberta. It's hard to get anyone special when you're working day and night, and are poor. People are... oddly materialistic at times. It's hard to find the ones that aren't."

"Ah, keep at it, you'll find one. But that aside, you're from Alberta? So this is going home for you, then! You should have said something earlier, I'd let you prepare a letter for your parents or something." The Blacksmith said, before thinking. Gerik winced a little at the words, and he raised an eyebrow. "Er, sorry? Not good relation with the parents?"

"They... died. A long time ago. Protecting me from monsters summoned from a Dead Branch." He mumbled, before he laughed sourly. "Ironic, isn't it? The people that are close to me seem to be having to die to protect me. I hate feeling useless-- so I want to become stronger. So people can rely on me."

There was a slight silence as they walked, the Mage adjusting his mask, and finally speaking. "Dead Branch? Was it by cloaked figures in yellow and brown, by chance? Skull and crossed branches as a logo?" The three of them stopped walking, and Gerik stared, nodding silently. He held a look of utter stupefaction on his face. "As I thought. it's unfortunate, but your parents fell to the hands of the Deadly Botany Faction."

"The... Deadly Botany Faction?" Gerik asked. The name sounded incredibly stupid. "What on earth, or better yet, who on earth are they? And what the hell are they doing just cracking Dead Branches everywhere?"

"Deadly Botany Faction. More like Dead Branch F***ers if you ask me." D said, with a scowl. "They're just a gang of thugs. Go around and attack the world at large with massive amounts of branches. It's random, really, just like their attacks. They might spawn a ton of incredibly strong monsters, or like that one time they spawned a ton of Geographers, and it was just like weeding. They've nothing better to do really, than harass the general populace."

"They're comprised of a bunch of wisened, veteran adventurers. So not only are they able to defeat the monsters they summon if they're bored, but they're hard to pin down themselves, as well as capable of fighting off many assaults on them. That, and they're nomadic. In constant motion. You never know where they are, really, until the Kafra make a worldwide announcement of an attack. It's pathetic." Bascht added, as they crossed the bridge into Izlude.

"A group... that's just out to wreak havoc? The same group that..." Gerik began to think. He stopped as they headed over the bridge, and his two acquain-- no, his two friends, stopped and looked back at him. "Is something wrong?" D asked, and Gerik just shook his head. "I know it's a lot to take in but--"

"No, sorry." Gerik quickly cut in. The Blacksmith blinked, and he could tell the mage was staring at him too. But now that he knew this... there would be some information to get once they were in Alberta. "Let's just get a ship, and get ready. It's almost night-time. No ships will sail at night, we'll have to wait until morning." The other two just nodded, and continued inside.

"Vengeance? No, not vengeance. It's just... wrong. I can't let this keep going. Other people... will end up like me."