Chapter 2 - Chapter 1: Old Friends Reunited

Nina rushed to finish packing the last of her stuff. On the one day she needed to be ready on time, she had slept late. She checked to make sure she had everything she would need for her week in Ilia.



“ I think that is everything. Oh wait I can't forget my tomes! How silly of me!” She grabbed two black books. “I think I should carry one with me just in case. Flux should be good, I'll just put my Nosferatu with the rest of my stuff.” She put one of them inside the suitcase and closed it up. Nina threw on her black robes, which matched her long dark hair perfectly. “Mom, dad, I'm leaving now!”



“Okay dear. Have fun and be careful.” A voice called out from another room.



“Don't worry mom I'll be fine. See you in a week!” Nina picked up her suitcase and rushed out the door. A few moments later, the sound of wings filled the air. Nina turned her brown eyes toward the sky. Down came a Pegasus and a Wyvern and landed not too far from her.



“Nina!” The girl riding the Pegasus called out. Her green hair came down to her shoulders. She had aqua colored eyes. The girl hopped off her Pegasus and hugged her friend. “It's been what, 2 years since I last saw you?”



“Selinia I'm so glad to see you! I do believe so. Is that your brother over there?” Nina turned to the man on the Wyvern. He had short brown hair. There was a scar on his left cheek just below his brown eye. He was older than her and Selinia, probably about 25. The Wyvern he rode also had scars across its body. It was apparent the two had been in many battles.



“Yep. He was able to come with me to get you.”



“It's nice to see you again, Cadoc.”



“You too Nina.” He responded.



“Are you all set to go Nina?”



“Yep.” Remebering they would be flying on a Pegasus, Nina tied her hair back into a ponytail.



“You can just give your suitcase to my brother to hold. You will be riding with me on Ilmatar.”



“ Alright.” As Selinia got back on Ilmatar, Nina handed her suitcase to Cadoc then hopped on Selinia's Pegasus.

“All right let's go!” Selinia said as Ilmatar took off into the air.



“Let's go Draco!” Cadoc and his Wyvern followed. “ So Nina, how old are you now?”



“I just turned 17.”



“Ah yes. I forgot you and Selinia were the same age.”



“So how are you two doing? Last time I saw you, Cadoc, was seven years ago when you joined with Bern's Wyvern Riders.”



“My brother is now a high ranking Wyvern Lord! He is one of the King's most trusted leaders!” Selinia broke in.



“Wow! Congratulations Cadoc!”



“Thank you Nina.”



“I'm not of a high rank in Ilia yet. Hopefully soon I can become a Falco Knight.”

Ilmatar suddenly swerved and an arrow narrowly missed her.



“What was that?!?” Selinia asked, surprised.



“There are archers down there and they are aiming for us! Quickly, hide in that forest!” Selinia obeyed and followed her brother.



Nina knew arrows were a threat to winged creatures such as Pegasi, and became a little nervous. “Why are they aiming at us?”



“I don't know.” Cadoc watched the three of them as one of them let another arrow fly, and easily dodged it. “This won't be very difficult. I will distract them. Selinia you sneak up on them with Nina and stop them. Go!” Cadoc commanded and flew out, getting the attention of the archers. Selinia manuevered her way around the trees until she was behind the archers. Nina jumped off Ilmatar and got her magic tome ready. She began to chant and cast a Flux attack at one of them. They seemed surprised by the attack and turned around just as Selinia came at them, and they were knocked against a tree. Cadoc flew down and they trapped the archers. Nina ran over as Cadoc jumped off of Draco and grabbed one of the attackers.



“What do you think you are doing?”



“W…we were simply doing a job! We are mercenaries and we were hired to take out a Pegasus and a Wyvern that would be coming from Etruria!”



“Who hired you?”



“Do you think we would tell you and ruin our reputation?



“You failed to complete your job, your reputation is already stained. Now you can tell me and leave with your lives, or lose them as well.” Cadoc raised his lance threateningly.



“He didn't tell us. He gave us gold, and we said we would do it. If he finds out we failed...ooooh I don't even want to think about it.” Cadoc pushed him down to the ground and the startled mercenary rushed to his feet. The three archers dropped their weapons and fled.



“Why did you let them go?” Nina wondered.



Because I know that they will flee. They had bad accuracy, and were poor mercenaries. They will be too afraid to return to their employer. If they are smart, they will go into hiding. Whoever hired them seems clever, and if they want to live they will not return to him. But if somebody is after us, we should move quickly. Keep an eye out for any more arrows.” The three mounted their steeds and took off.



“I can't think of anybody who would be after us. They knew exactly where we would be, where we were going, what to aim for. It's creepy.” Selinia said.



“We will discuss it when we get back. For now we can just hurry and get to Ilia.”



“Good job dodging that arrow Ilmatar.” Selinia said as she pet her Pegasus.



“You did a good job training her Selinia.”



“We have been working very hard. It would help if I had a Delphi Shield, but they are rare and can't afford to be given simply to soldiers like me. By the way that was a cool flux attack back there. You seemed to have cast it quicker than I have seen most shamans. But why did you choose dark magic? I would expect somebody like you to use Light or even Anima.



“Well, it seemed to come most natural to me. I tried using Fire and Lightning, but when I picked up a Flux tome, it was as if I had been using it all my life. Also, Elder magic is the most powerful and can do things Light and Anima magic can't. Take Nosferatu for example. It drains energy from the enemy and gives it to the attacker. Luna negates enemy resistance, and Eclipse always takes half. Anima and Light magic don't have effects like that.”



“Good point. What tomes do you have?”



“I only bought Flux and Nosferatu. I haven't tried the rest yet, although I want to. Some of them are really expensive because they are rare.”



“It is beginning to get dark. I don't think we should travel any more today. We can stop at an Inn and rest there for the night. If we are attacked in the dark, we won't be able to see the arrows coming.” Cadoc said. Ilmatar and Draco flew closer to the ground and they found a small Inn where they could rest for the night.

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