An Asnean Odyssey: Bastien
Chapter Eight

Eight

- “If they’re pirates, why don’t they just use a boat...?”

“We’ll leave in the morning,” Randgris stated.

“Why not now?”

“I imagine you haven’t slept yet,” Randgris pointed out.

“You’re not wrong...” Bastien avoided her eyes.

“I’m assuming Duke will be accompanying us?”

“Right you are, milady,” Duke smiled and gave a thumbs up.

“Your every word repulses me.”

“I guess I’ll catch up with you guys in the morning then.”

“Please,” Randgris gestured to the door. Duke waved to Bastien before exiting the tower.

“Why do you dislike him so much?”

“That woman loved him,” Randgris clenched her fist. “And he killed her. I can’t forgive him for that.”

“I don’t think he can forgive himself either.”

“Good, he deserves to suffer.”

“You killed your father,” Bastien retorted angrily. “How is that any different?”

Randgris’ eyes lit up with burning rage for a moment, but the spark was quickly replaced with a dull glow. “Come with me.”

Randgris gently grabbed Bastien’s hand and led him up the staircase. Once they had reached the top, Randgris ascended the ladder and Bastien followed. She flipped the hatch open, allowing the moonlight to spill onto her pale skin, causing it to glow. The pair emerged atop the tower on a small platform. There was a roof held up by four pillars above their heads. Randgris sat down against one of the pillars and gestured for Bastien to sit next to her. He chose the opposite side.

“My father was not a good man,” Randgris explained.

“Who was he?”

“Do you see that?” Randgris pointed to the silver disk bobbing in and out of the clouds.

“The moon?”

“People said he fell from the moon,” Bastien wasn’t sure, but he thought that she was smiling. “I don’t know if I believe it myself, but his name was Siegfried. The black armor that I keep was his. It bears his name as well.”

“Does that make him evil?”

“I never said he was evil,” Randgris corrected. “Perhaps he just made some bad choices. He was the leader of the Holy Guard, like myself, so he was always away on business. I never really knew him, honestly. I don’t even remember his face. Leinhardt looked after me in his stead. Leinhardt educated me, trained me in the art of swordplay, employed me. He should have been my father.”

“That’s kind of harsh...”

“When I became a knight, I pledged my allegiance to Leinhardt. One day my father came back from a mission and threatened him. I defended my king. No more, no less.”

Bastien slid around the pillar until he was beside Randgris. Her skin felt warm in the cool air. “Does that mean you’re from the moon?”

Randgris giggled, “No, of course not! People just said that because Siegfried possessed ‘inhuman’ skills.”

“I think some of your skills would be considered ‘inhuman’,” Bastien joked.

“Perhaps.”

“Should we head back inside?” Bastien asked.

“Let’s stay out here for a while,” Randgris raised her hand and placed the moon between her fingers. “I don’t come up here very often, I’d like to savor it a little longer.”

The duo gazed out over the skyscape until they eventually fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Bastien awoke to replace that he had been placed in front of the fire in his usual spot. Duke was sitting at the table with a bowl of assorted fruits.

“I thought you might be tired of eating meat every day,” Duke chuckled.

“I don’t mind,” Bastien replied. “I never seem to get hungry anyways.”

“That’s odd.”

“I guess I just eat enough to tide me over until my next meal.”

“Sure...” Duke wasn’t convinced. Bastien began to eat the fruit as Randgris entered the tower.

“I see you let yourself in,” Randgris remarked with a displeased tone.

“The door was open.”

“Don’t you need an invitation?”

“There you go again with those myths,” Duke smirked.

“It’s more like a common courtesy.”

“When are we leaving?” Bastien interrupted.

“Why are you in such a hurry?” Randgris inquired.

“I want my memories.”

“Boy’s got a point,” Duke agreed.

“I’m not against leaving immediately. I’d like to get my hands on Gage,” Randgris pointed out. “I just wasn’t expecting you to be so enthusiastic.”

“Let’s go then,” Bastien gathered his equipment and headed towards the door. The group left the capital and headed for the coast. It took most of the day, but they arrived without incident. The rail car was easy to replace and they boarded it immediately.

“Do you think this is safe? Bastien asked.

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Well, it’s going to be suspended over the ocean...if it falls in, we’ll sink.”

“Randgris will sink,” Duke corrected. “We don’t have armor.”

“I’ll drag you down with me,” Randgris glared at Duke as she flipped the lever next to a control panel to start the rail car. The bronze box lurched forward, slowly making its way across the massive expanse of ocean between them and the island.

“I was expecting it to be faster,” Randgris commented.

“As was I.”

“Have you guys been on one before?” Bastien asked.

“No,” they both responded in unison. The trio gazed out over the ocean and watched as small fish swam beneath them. When they had almost made it to the island, Bastien heard the sound of beating wings coming from behind them.

“That’s a rather large bird.”

“What?”

“Behind us,” Bastien pointed to a winged animal approaching the rail car.

“That doesn’t look like a bird,” Duke pointed out.

“That’s because it’s a manticore,” Randgris exclaimed. “Everyone get on the roof!”

“How are we supposed to do that?” Bastien asked, but Duke had already climbed out the window. Randgris grabbed Bastien by the collar thrust him out the window, then threw him up onto the roof, after which she climbed up herself.

“Are we supposed to fight it?”

“That’s the plan, yes.”

“That doesn’t seem like a good idea to me.”

“They’re weak,” Randgris explained. “If it gets hurt it’ll just run away. We just need to scrape it.”

The manticore had almost reached the rail car. Randgris drew her sword and prepared to strike. The manticore swooped at Bastien, to which Randgris responded with a swift downward slash. She caught the manticore in the chest, tearing open its body and causing it to crash into the rails below. The tracks that they were riding on began to collapse behind them.

“Now you’ve done it,” Duke hopped back into the rail car.

“I was protecting us!”

“It doesn’t matter. We need to speed this thing up,” Duke responded as he began fiddling with the control panel. After mashing buttons wildly, the rail car began to speed up significantly.

“You mean we could have been going faster this whole time?” Bastien remarked.

“We’re still not fast enough,” Randgris pointed out. The track split ahead. “How well can you throw, Duke?”

“Pretty well, why?”

“Do you think you could hit that lever?” Randgris asked as she pointed to a small lever positioned beside the second rail.

“Yeah, sure. Easy.”

“Alright, here, use this,” Randgris produced a rock-hard loaf of bread about the size of her fist from her pouch.

“You actually eat that?” Duke asked as he lined up the shot. He threw the bread and it knocked the lever down, causing the rails to switch over.

“What’s wrong with it?” Randgris asked.

“It’s disgusting is what.”

“Vampires probably don’t have taste buds”

“Another my-” Duke stopped mid-sentence. The rail car had begun to travel sideways.

“I think you were a little late, Duke...” Bastien observed. The front wheels had remained on the original set of tracks, while the rear wheels shifted to the new set.

“I wasted my snack for nothing,” Randgris sighed.

"That’s what you’re worried about?!” Duke shouted. “Not our impending doom?!”

“We’ll just jump when the car’s about to fall off. We’re basically at the island now anyways.”

“Then why did we bother trying to switch tracks in the first place?”

“It would have be-” Randgris was interrupted by the rail collapsing and throwing their car into the ocean. Bastien felt the warm water of the ocean wash over his skin as the sunlight faded from view.

“I’d have thought you could swim, boy.”

Duke was standing over Bastien, who was lying on his back on the beach. There was a small fire beside him, which had mostly dried him off. He brushed off as much of the sand that stuck to him as he could as he stood up. “Did you save me?”

“No, that would be lady Valk. She’s surprisingly nimble in all of that armor.”

“Thanks.”

“That’s not necessary,” Randgris allowed herself to smile.

“How do you think we should go about replaceing the fortress?” Duke asked as he peered into the vast expanse of jungle that lined the beach.

“I think I know,” Bastien pointed to an enormous wooden ship that was floating through the sky overhead.

“Oddly quiet, don’t you think?” Randgris pointed out.

“Yeah, you’d think something that size would make at least a little bit of noise,” Duke agreed.

“So... are we going to follow it?”

“Yeah, might as well,” Duke replied.

“Might as well?” Randgris sounded annoyed as she ran into the jungle. “This is our only lead!”

“Why are you mad?” Duke called out as he followed her with Bastien close behind. “It’s not like I said no!”

As soon as Bastien entered the jungle he felt a pain in his head as he dropped to the ground and fell into unconsciousness.

When Bastien awoke, he was laying sprawled out on the floor of a dingy stone cell. He immediately ran to the rusted bars and tried to push and pull them open, but they were shut tight.

“If it were that easy, I’d be out of here already.”

Bastien turned around to see a man sitting in the corner of the cell. He was wearing a blue overcoat that was much too large for him. His face was sharp and young, no older than sixteen.

“Why are you here?” Bastien inquired. “You’re just a child.”

“You think pirates care about age?”

“Good point.”

“Why are you here?”

“I’m looking for someone.”

“Yeah?” the man smirked. “Who could you be looking for?”

“Gage.”

The man smiled. “You mean Gage the big boss?”

“I suppose so,” Bastien replied as he sat in the opposite corner of the cell.

“Most people don’t go looking to get robbed.”

“He hurt one of my friends. I was trying to get revenge.”

The man struggled to contain his laughter. “Great job you’re doing, ay?”

“Yeah...”

“They ransacked my home, decided a prisoner would be nice,” the man commented as he ran his finger along the stones of the floor. “My name’s Trev, by the way.”

Bastien forced a smile. “Have you seen any others?”

“Maybe. What did they look like?”

“One of them is pale and sickly looking with dark hair, while the other is clad in armor with red hair.”

“Hmm...” Trev stroked his hairless chin. “Can’t say I have.”

“I wonder if they got away...”

“I’d say it’s possible but it really isn’t.”

“Why?”

“You took the tram, yeah?”

“How’d you know?”

“That’s the easiest way onto the island. It’s also constantly monitored.”

“I guess that makes sense...”

“They probably got ready for you the second you set foot on it.”

“Damn it...”

“What exactly did Gage do to your friend?”

“He turned one of her soldiers into a demon.”

“A demon? Really?”

“I wouldn’t have believed it either if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.”

“That’s insane,” Trev looked through the bars. A large, rugged looking man with an eye patch and a regal cloak approached the cell accompanied by two smaller pirates.

“Not even gonna bow, eh?”

“Why would I bow to you?” Trev asked.

“Because I’m the king of the damned pirates!”

“There are a lot of kings for such a small province,” Bastien chuckled to himself.

“Yeah, well I’m the real king around here.”

“That would be Gage, by the way,” Trev commented.

“Do you know each other?”

“Well...kind of.”

“He’s my son,” Gage unlocked the cell. “And a piss poor one, I might add. Come with me, both of you.”

Trev followed without question, as did Bastien. The two were bound and led through a stone hallway into a massive chamber and up onto a stone stage, where they were forced to their knees in front of a cheering crowd of ruffians. Beside them on the stage were Duke and Randgris, who had been stripped of her armor.

“Are those your pals?” Trev asked quietly. Bastien nodded. “Doesn’t look like they made out too well.”

“Bastien!” Randgris cried out. “I won’t let anything happen to you! You got that?”

“You’re not really in a position to say that, miss,” Gage announced as he stood at the center of the stage. “These boys want a show. Who’s first?”

“First for what...?” Duke asked.

“For the execution, of course!” Gage yelled and gestured at his neck with his hands, causing the crowd to go wild.

“I don’t mean to be a buzzkill, but you can’t really kill me,” Duke pointed out. “It’s not that I’ll resist, it’s just that you don’t possess the means to.”

“Well, we won’t know until we try, now will we?!”

“Ah, yes, quite right,” Duke looked at the ground, immediately regretting his decision to speak.

Gage approached Duke brandishing a small knife in his right hand. He grabbed Duke by the chin and pulled his head back with his left hand, exposing his neck. Duke blinked seven times in rapid succession, to which Randgris responded by launching herself at Gage. She collided with him, knocking him to the ground. Duke quickly leaped after them, sinking his teeth into Randgris.

“You were supposed to bite him, you bastard!” Randgris cried out as Duke drank her life nectar.

“You think I’m going to pass up this chance?” Duke responded while he tore free from his restraints. He tossed Randgris aside and lifted Gage over his head, throwing him into the rampaging crowd before undoing the restraints of his party. A wave of pleasure swept through his body as he descended upon the pirate horde. “I have to say, your blood is divine!”

Duke began to rip and shred the pirates with his bare hands, completely ignoring the multiple blades that sliced and pierced his flesh. Whenever he would feel fatigued, he tore open one of their necks and gorged himself on blood.

“Should we help him...?” Trev asked hesitantly.

“No,” Bastien replied. “I think he needs this.”

Randgris suddenly charged into the crowd, knocking aside anyone that got in her way. As soon as Bastien saw this, he ran after her, followed by Trev.

“Where are you going?”

“I can’t let Gage escape!” Randgris called back. Bastien could hear Gage’s heavy footsteps ahead of them as the trio charged through the maze after him. After many twists and turns they reached a large clearing at the surface of the jungle. The airship was sitting in the center of the clearing and Gage was already climbing aboard.

Bastien felt a sharp pain in his chest as he watched Randgris run through the field. He looked down to see a bloody blade protruding from his torso. He tried to take a breath, but was unable to.

“You’re too trusting, mate. ’Spose it doesn’t matter if I tell you now,” Bastien could feel Trev’s warm breath in his ear. His accent had changed. “I’m Gage. I killed your friend’s mate’s sister’s daughter or whatever, and I had a jolly time doing it. Now I’m ’bout to kill you lads too. I wonder, think ye’ll live long enough to watch her die?”

Bastien fell to the ground as Gage removed the blade from his chest. The blood filling his lungs gurgled whenever he tried to breath as he watched Gage approach Randgris from behind. The ship had begun to take off when a bright light blinded Bastien before his vision faded into nothingness.

When Bastien awoke, he was laying in Randgris’ bed. The gaping hole that had once enveloped his chest was no longer there. Randgris was lying naked next to him.

“What happened?”

“Don’t speak,” Randgris placed her finger over his lips. “It’s my fault you were hurt.”

“No, it wa-” Randgris cut him off.

“This is my apology.”