Final Fantasy Frontier ((REMAKE: SIGN-UP ONLY))

((Welcome back Peps! This post is lacking a little since I've got midterms and shit this week but it should be enough to get everyone started!))

5 Years Ago

Blood splashed across the floor as his blade cleaved through the traitor's throat, the hate in the young Paladin's eyes burned as he stares down a man he once called brother. The treacherous knight let out a weak cry and spat blood from his mouth, the gash in his throat almost made his head fly right off yet he still breathed. Not for long however. The young Paladin raised his blade once more, the traitor's own blood trickling down the hilt and dripping onto the face of his brother.

"Wait," a voice echoed behind the Paladin. "Axel, do not be so hasty." The Paladin turned to see his general, still breathing but wheezing very heavily. "Sir Julien!" The Paladin called, lowering his blade and rushing to the side of his friend. Julien Harvey sat up against the wall that lead to the throne room, his blade held against his side and his hand covering the cut on his chest. Blood escaping his body, the general was sitting in a pool of his own blood. He raised his head towards the young Paladin, the young lieutenant he had raised and smiled. "You... would raise your blade? Against your own kin?" Julien coughed again, sounding closer to death, and spat out a large amount of blood. "You shouldn't speak Sir, we have to get your wounds closed. I-I can help!" Axel yelled. His hand started to glow white, his MP levels were reaching their end but he had enough for one Cure spell. "It's not much but I can close the wound and get you to a medic!" Axel leaned in to place his hand on Julien's chest when the general grabbed Axel's hand and forced it away from his body.

"How dare... you... You sacrifice the little energy you have for a dying old man when your own brother lies behind you. The lad... Will die if you don't help him." Axel tried to shake Julien's hand off, his eyes starting to swell up. "Never! The man behind me is not my brother! My brother would never raise a sword against not only his family but to his King! King Adam is dead and it is his fault!"

The traitor gagged, his hand holding onto the wound on his throat. Tears were rolling down his face for the fear he felt was nothing like this. Julien's grip got tighter and he looked directly into Axel's eyes. "My time... is over Axel... And you must lead our glorious city to victory... It would not matter if you healed me or not, I wou-" Julien gagged again his grip getting a little weaker but he still kept the spell from reaching his body. "Save your brother, Axel. My final command... Help those who need it and protect our city." Julien threw Axel's hand away and gripped his sword, looking at the traitor who's breath started to sound worse than his. Axel gritted his teeth and saluted his General, a single tear rolling down his cheek. He quickly ran to the bloody body of his younger brother and gripped his neck, the Cure spell quickly sealing the wound on the traitor's throat. The Traitor coughed and sucked the air in through his mouth. He looked to his brother and held onto where the wound on his neck was and felt the horrible looking scar that laid there. His eyes furrowed and he opened his mouth to scream but no sound could be made.

"So I muted you?" Axel said as he stood up. His voice cracked, trying to hide more tears. "You don't deserve this, you deserve to be buried 30 feet into the ground but a great man let you live. But as far as I can tell, my brother died way before this battle. Only the hollow shell that had him is still walking." Axel turned his back to his brother and sheathed his sword as he walked towards the doors. "Leave. While you still can. And never come back..."



Daybreak. The sun shone through the window of the Library as the young General sat up from his bed. A trumpet was heard outside the walls and a call was heard. "Damn," the General groaned as he started to put on his armor. "Wake up!" Axel called through the shelves and stacks of books as the few loyal Ajorian guards started to arise. Some moaned in pain but that didn't stop Axel from shouting. "I want everyone outside the library in 10 minutes. Grab what ever food you have to go and line up for inspection. The Toads are out collecting taxes today so we must make sure nothing bad happens in town. Axel started to head towards the doors, looking at the solders as they started to sluggishly stand, strapping their swords and armor on. The library had become the only place the Ajorian guard could even sleep in anymore. It was a safe haven for the knights who still believed their home was worth fighting for. The walls were lined with flags of St. Ajora as well as notes and sketches of some of the leading Odemir warriors. "Remember to keep an eye out for these ones!" Axel said pointing to the sketches. "These ones usually cause the most problems. If they start getting edgy with the people, do whatever you can to stall and make sure nothing happens to the people but don't start a fight. I don't want any more blood on our hands, is that clear?" No one responded at first. "I said is that clear!?" This time, the soldiers responded with a loud, "Yessir!" Axel nodded and opened the front doors.

((Yup for the most part. Some things are changed around as well but we never got far with the last one so...))

The guard stood straight in the busy streets, the sound of construction never seemed to end since the Wall's destruction. Buildings and monuments were destroyed for the most part after Odemir's invasion. Almost all statues and buildings that practiced in teaching the ways of Ajora were banned, the King finding that believing in a 'false god' to be pointless. Faith was hard to come by in the streets but the people were still diligent enough to keep their homes. Some homes were crudely put back together. 2x4 just hammered into where windows used to be and doors made from what ever materials they could find. Some homes were put together using the armor of some of the dead soldiers after the Wall’s attack.

It was rare to see the sun that day, yet it was still cloudy enough that there was no glare. Axel took a deep breath in and turned to see the guard rushing out of the doorway and standing before him in a vertical line. The soldiers gave him a salute, some more half-assed than others and winced. “There’s less of you than yesterday.” The young General pointed his finger out and pointed to the guards, moving his lips but whispering. “fourt-fo… fifteen… Fifteen men are still here?” Axel said. “Edgar and Delita are by the castle gates sir.” One soldier said, stepping forward then back into line. “Seventeen then. That’s still less than yesterday. So far our troops are now at a staggering 176 men and women. That’s pathetic!” The guard flinched but remained quiet. Axel took another deep breath and pointed to four of the guards. “You, head to the castle gates and join our brother’s who are still loyal. Make sure that everyone is remained safe until I make my way there. You,” Axel said pointing to another guard. “Take 7 of us and go throughout town to find any stragglers who are not at the castle gates. It’s hard for the elderly to get to the gates without being stepped on by the crowd. Collect the taxes in gil or of anything that’s equal. I don’t care what it is. If someone can’t pay, then give them a loan. If our collection seems low, put in whatever gil you’ve got and put it in the bag.”

The guards then started to get loud, one even shouting, “Ridiculous!” “You would rather watch your people be slaughtered!?” Axel shouted. “I hate to ask of you this but you must trust me. Our people are more important than our pay. I promise you.” The guards still looked at the General with hate but saluted him and the 12 men who were given positions were spread out. “You three will be joining me today. We have some important business to discuss. I trust you three to be my back-up. Today, I must meet with a representative from Odemir. Chancellor Aldrich will be there too.” The guard seemed surprised. Once the Chancellor to God King Adam, he had left the city after the Wall’s collapse and defected for Odemir. He was promised power and received it, giving away many of Ajora’s secrets to King Ricard. “That man is no better than your brother.” One guard said. “Why is he going to be at the castle?” Axel didn’t know how to react first, the thought both Aldrich and his Brother made his blood boil. He looked at each of the men, straight in the eye. “He will be taking the throne in Odemir’s name.”

(So, we're taking this slow just like before right?)

"Every strike though may appear the same, has different strength in it." said the Master as Cyan sat quietly, listening to every word. The fire at the atelier wasn't lit, but the weather was hot enough to make the young man sweat profusely. "I already knew that, Master. That's the first thing you taught me when I started training."

As if he didn't hear the boy's interruption, the Master continue on and on with all the basic of forging and the blacksmith's ethic. Giving up, Cyan stop saying anything and do his best at listening all of it without falling asleep. Though he fail miserably at it. A few minutes later he already drifted off to the dream world.

When he did woke up, the sky is already dark. Rubbing his eye slowly, he noticed that his master is already gone. Standing up quickly, he ran outside and found his master standing alone at the beach. "I'm sorry, Master! I didn't mean to-"

"Yes, I know. Though I hope, the reason for your sleep is that you already understood all of this by heart." the Master said with a very calm voice. Something that surprises him, since the old blacksmith usually reprimand him for falling asleep in the middle of his speech. Scratching the back of his head, Cyan step forward to stand beside him. "I sure hope so."

Sighing slowly the Master took out a piece of paper, "Then, I believe that you are ready." Taking the paper, Cyan look at it and recognizing it as a map with small letter inscribed in it. "What is this map for, Master?"

"So that you won't get lost. This will be the first time you'll be outside of this island alone." answered the Master.

Cyan's eyes lit up, "Does this mean... You finally recognize me as a Blacksmith?" Grunting slowly, the Master turned to look at the boy, "Yes, I suppose you are ready. You have all you need to know, and what you lack is experience. That is why I'm banishing you from this island until you learn what can be learn from the world."

Jumping with excitement, Cyan hug his Master tightly, "Thank you, Master! I'll prepare for my departure immediately!" Without hesitation he ran back to the main house where he live with his master and prepare for the journey he know he'll have tomorrow.

The Master Blacksmith gazed into the sea with a soft expression. He realized that he is already quite old to live all alone in the middle of nowhere like this, but he won't let his only disciple to decay with him because of his own weakness. Never once did he tell the boy anything about himself. Not even his name. Now that the boy does not need him anymore, he would give him everything he has and pray that the boy would not make the mistake like he did.

(I'm sorry for changing a name ;P)

Ignis entered his poor house.
His mother was sitting in an old leather couch. Just like her son she had black hair. Her face looked older than she actually was, probably because of their poverty after her husband's death.
As always, Irene was glad to see one of her children come home. The war had left serious scars in her family, but she still had Dusk and Ignis.

Ignis was looking rather dejected. It had been a several weeks since he managed to catch something for meat. He didn't manage to catch something this noon either and his family needed money or natura to pay taxes with.
Even though he really liked hunting, he had learned to respect nature and life and not to take more than needed.
The welcoming smile of his mother made him feel slightly better.
"It's allright, hun." Irene was still smiling. She knew what her son was thinking about. "Yes, but we have to pay taxes today. Now we even don't have game to give". His mom remained calm, "Dusk went to the plaza. She managed to sell a few things earlier this morning. It's not much, but I hope it will do."

He still felt guilty, but he knew he couldn't do much about it. He took a cup of bad coffee and silently took a seat next to his mother. "I promise we'll get away from here someday. We'll have enough money to effort a journey to a better place." Irene was a bit worried about his ambitions, but was proud at the same time. "Don't worry. I know"

The streets were filled with people trying to get from one place to another. As the sun was out it was a busy day in the Falrod market place. The city had seen it's better days and today seemed like one of those. As Lahn passed each stall she could only wonder of what ingredients she would need for her next white spell. She had many ingredients that had helped her to maintain her Cure spells but she needed something much more stronger for what she had planned. She remembered the day her brother Kina had given her the recipes for White Magic spells she would need on her conquest.

"You have to put the root in with the water to create the highest potency for your magic to increase it's effect" Lahn had stared at Kina as though she knew what she was doing but, she had a long way to go to get as good as Kina was. He was a master of Black Magic who delved in to that of White Magic, he knew more than Lahn would ever know about magic and she too was going to learn all this one day--she needed to.

As Lahn thought about her brother giving her the recipe list she walked past each stall with her cloth boots making a faint tapping on the pavement below her. Her hair wasn't tied in the usual plaited knot she had worn everyday, now it was flowing around her shoulders as the light wind that was blowing around her shuffled every strand of hair.

She came to a stop ahead of her where a stall with a red and white sheet had been placed over a wooden foundation to keep the weather from effecting what the stall may hold inside. She gazed over the stall as it sold many and various flowers that she may need. She brushed her hand across a few Gysahl Greens to take with her along with some Kupo Nuts that may aid her in later recipes.

"50 gil please" announced the stall holder--Lahn had noticed it was Trian who lived a few houses away from her--as Lahn placed 50 gil in to his palm and walked away from the stall with a bag full of new ingredients.

The path was loitered with people she knew from different homes around the city. The pavement was made from some highest form of concrete, flat and plain as anything else around Falrod. The only part of Falrod that was highly decorated was the Castle. Falrod wasn't acquainted to letting strangers in to their city, not with what Falrod was teaching about their form of magic arts. Lahn had always been opposed to this and with her new style of White Magic she was going to teach Falrod a lesson one day. She hadn't gone very far and suddenly noticed a woman looking around the market place in an unrequited way, Lahn assumed this woman wasnt from Falrod and took a closer step towards her to greet her.

Ami's stomach twisted in nervous knots as she wrong her hands trying to find a person who was NOT pretending she did not exist.

she moaned at her own indecision before a young Woman acknowledged her and she practically jumped with surprised.

Falrodiens did not take to strangers... and Ami was one hell of a stranger...

she took a step forward and smiled giggling nervously, " such a pretty young lady... can you help me find that third gate... im... im lost again "

Ami giggled nervously at the girl. her black hair framing her body as she moved just a little closer liking the interaction... she had not been able to talk to many people on her trip.

" please, i can compensate you if needed " she said calmly. the woman seemed different then the others...