• Tales of Xalthia

    Chapter 9: Streets of Water


    Tsuki and Lynette have successfully arrived at Briswater, or more specifically, Briswater's outpost which serves as one of the outer entrances to the city. Unfortunately, their journey through the unholy forest didn't go as smoothly as they wanted it to be. Just as they were approaching the outpost, one of the Razgriz demons suddenly came out and attacked them. Lynette made it to the outpost safely, but Tsuki wasn't so lucky. He caused a minor explosion of electric energy to briefly distract the demon so he could reach the outpost but caused some self-inflicted injuries to himself. Upon reaching the safety of the outpost and it's protective barrier, the demon left and hasn't reappeared since.

    Tsuki and Lynette have been in the outpost since they arrived. Tsuki was resting in the soldier's barracks while Lynette was healing the injuries that he had inflicted on himself. Thankfully, the injuries were only minor as he was smart enough to use only the amount of Mana needed to distract the Razgriz but not enough to cause severe injuries. He's been unconscious for about an hour since he impacted against the outpost walls and blacked out.

    After an hour had passed, Tsuki was finally regaining consciousness. Once he opened his eyes though, his vision was a little blurry. He could barely see anything with his own two eyes. As he was looking around, almost blinded, his vision was slowly starting to come back at him. As his vision was coming back, he heard a girl's voice calling out to him. Just how his vision was blurred, his hearing was also muffled a bit. It was almost like he was blind and deaf. He could barely see or hear but standing next to him was Lynette. She could see that something was wrong with him.

    Lynette was looking at Tsuki with a worried expression. He was awake but wasn't responding to her. It was almost like he was in some sort of trance, cut off from the real world. "Tsuki, are you okay?" she asked him. She waited for a few moments but still couldn't get a response out of him. She then looked over her shoulder to a man in white robes who appeared to be a doctor. "Doc, what's wrong with him?" she asked.

    The doctor approached Tsuki and examined him. He then sighed and looked over to Lynette. "He's fine. Since he was at the center of that explosion of electric energy he caused, his vision and hearing are impaired a bit. The effects aren't permanent, however. If the explosion had more Mana put into it, the results would of been much different though. The effects should wear off pretty soon." he said. He then walked over to a table with notebooks set out and wrote something in them.

    Lynette let out a sigh of relief upon hearing the good news. "That's good to hear" she said. She was concerned that they may have been some permanent damage to his body.

    After several minutes, Tsuki's vision and hearing cleared up. As he could now see and hear, he noticed that he was in a soldier's barracks. He then covered his face with his hand, groaning a bit. "Ugh...my head. Where am I?" he asked, still a bit dazed.

    The doctor finished writing his notes then walked back to Tsuki. He then did a short check-up on him to see what his condition was. "You're in the barracks of Briswater's outpost. That was a pretty foolish thing you did back there, causing an explosion of electric energy with you right in the blast zone" he said, almost scolding him.

    Lynette looked at Tsuki and kept her worried expression. Since he was hurt, it was only natural for her to worry even if he appeared to be just fine. "You've been unconscious since you got here" she said. On top of his condition, she was also worried that the demon from before would come back. If normal weapons didn't harm it, then chances are that normal Artes won't either. If they did, then Briswater would of dealt with it already. Instead, they leave it prowling around their forest.

    Tsuki looked at Lynette, trying to learn what he has missed. "I see...at least we got away safely" he said. He then stood up slowly but stumbled a bit as he did so. He had to use Lynette to keep himself on his feet so he wouldn't tumble over.

    The doctor looked at Tsuki and shook his head. "You really shouldn't be moving around. Your body still hasn't fully recovered from your little stunt" he said. He advised that Tsuki should remain in bed to fully recover but he knows that isn't possible. He knows what position Tsuki was in since the outpost was informed that they should expect company. He then looked towards the door for a moment. "Come in, sir" he said.

    Several minutes later, a man in black armor with silver lining walked through the door. He seemed to be a high ranked individual. Although, he didn't appear to be Maxwell because of how young he looked. If he wasn't Maxwell, then who was this person?

    The man walked up to Tsuki and Lynette then saluted them. "First, I like to welcome you to Briswater. I understand that you two met many perils along the way. My name is Frey Ladour. I'm second-in-command of Briswater and work as a liaison for the General" he said.

    Tsuki saluted the man back and tilted his head. "Thanks for all of your help. We would of been in trouble if it wasn't for you" he said. He had heard rumors about Maxwell's second-in-command. The rumors were that his second-in-command was Briswater's finest. He was able to single-handedly stall an entire army so that his comrades could escape. His talents were not to be taken lightly.

    Frey examined Tsuki and Lynette, studying them for a bit. He wanted to make sure the information he received was accurate. "We've been expecting you, Tsuki. Although, our intel didn't include anything about this girl. So, mind filling in the blanks?" he asked. Since no one was aware that Tsuki picked up a traveling partner, it was only natural to be suspicious.

    Tsuki looked at Lynette then back at Frey. "This is Lynette Suzaki. She's my traveling companion. She joined up with me not long after I left Eresseas" he said. He still hasn't informed anyone that someone has joined up with him on his little journey which was a mistake on his part.

    Frey examined Lynette more closely. "Hmm...I see. Well, who am I to judge who you travel with?" he asked. He then stepped back and looked at them both. "So, what do you think of our outpost?" he asked them both.

    Tsuki looked at Frey once he stepped back. "It sucks. We got lost in the woods, attacked by a bloodthirsty demon and my sword broke" he said in a jokingly manner. Despite what has happened, he has a great deal of love for Briswater. It's one of his favorite cities on Cayhill.

    Frey laughed a bit from his answer. "Don't you worry. We'll compensate you for your troubles, on behalf of Maxwell. It is our fault that you had to come all the way out here, after all" he said.

    Lynette tilted her head a bit. She just realized something. "Wait, you said that you were expecting us...well, Tsuki actually. How did you know?" she asked. Tsuki had already known that Briswater was expecting them but Lynette was unaware of that.

    Frey then held up a folded piece of paper with what appeared to have a seal on it. "We received a letter of notice from Her Highness a few days ago. She informed us that Tsuki was making his way to our beloved city to request access to Basilwell. I expect you received a seal of approval to reach Maxwell?" he asked.

    Tsuki nodded, reached into his bag and took out a seal. "Yeah. We were told to give this to the guards when we meet him" he said before putting the seal away.

    Frey nodded when he looked at the seal. "Yes. That's the seal you need to access his chambers" he said. He then leaned up against the wall, staring at the two some more.

    Tsuki looked at the door before his attention went back to Frey. "Speaking of which, when can we meet the General? I'd like to get back on track with my mission as soon as possible" he said. He was sick of being derailed. It was becoming a major bother but it's not like he could do anything about it. Things tend to never go as planned.

    Frey went silent for a second then sighed heavily. "I know you're probably sick of this, but the General is out in the field right now. A problem occurred in one of our mines and the General went to investigate the situation himself" he admitted. He knew that Tsuki was derailed from his mission. He didn't want to admit it himself but it's true.

    Tsuki shook his head and sighed, obviously frustrated. "Seriously? Man, this is getting a little ridiculous" he said, annoyed. Now, he had to wait for the mine situation to resolve before speaking with Maxwell. His mission was full of complications.

    Lynette rubbed the back of her head, chuckling a bit nerviously. "Wow...fate isn't being kind to us recently. Maybe we just have a ton of bad luck?" she asked. Once again, another obstacle has occurred that continues to block their path.

    Frey had a confused look on his face from both of their reactions. He wasn't aware of the multiple distractions that they had gone through. "This doesn't come up as much of a surprise. What's happened during your travels anyway? he asked. He was now quite curious to know what they've gone gone through.

    Tsuki and Lynette looked at each other then back at Frey a few moments later. They then started to tell Frey what has happened so far on their journey starting with the whole issue with the Moonlight Flower back in Crescentia. It was quite a story to be told. They talked for almost two hours. It was already lunchtime by the time they finished their story.

    Frey listend to their story with interest and ended up a little surprised when they got to their whole ordeal with Prophet Castle. "Wow. That's quite an unbelievable story. I still can't believe that there are two survivors of the Tomoha Tragedy after so many years have passed. I wish I could give you some answers about that tragedy, but it's above my pay grade" he said. To discover that Tsuki and his childhood friend, Nagi were living survivors of Tomoha is an incredible feat. Though, it would be best that it remains hidden from the public, for both of their sakes.

    Tsuki shook his head and gave a slight smile. "I appreciate your offer but I want to learn more about the Tomoha Tragedy through my own discoveries. It's personal, so I'm sure you understand" he said.

    Frey held up his hand and nodded. "Of course. I fully understand your reasonings. Tomoha was your hometown, after all. Anyone would want to find answers about their hometown on their own" he said. He then pushed himself off the wall and headed to the door. "Alright, let's go out for a change of scenery. I'll show you guys around the city since Maxwell is unavailable at this time" he said before walked out of the room.

    Tsuki and Lynette nodded and followed him out of the room. Since Tsuki still could barely walk, Lynette had to help him walk. The three of them soon left the soldier's barracks. They walked through the outpost until they reached a channel of water that leads into a rather long tunnel. In the water was the prime method of transportation for Briswater: a type of speedboat powered by Water Artes. The roads of Briswater were actually channels of water instead of your average gravel or chiseled stone.

    Frey stood in front of the speedboat and faced Tsuki and Lynette. "This is how we get around the city. Since our roads are canals of water, it makes these types of things handy" he said. He looked at both of them before setting foot into the boat.

    Tsuki already knew about this, unlike Lynette. He's made several trips to Briswater in the past but never actually met any of it's government officials "It seems that the boats had an upgrade from paddle boats" he said. Briswater used to be a small, bustling city with no government power of it's own outside of the outer forest. They had no need for speedboats. It was only until two years ago that they had established a fully working government that had power of it's own outside of the city. This was the first time Tsuki had been in Briswater since the new government was formed.

    Lynette took in as much information as she could. She had no relations of ties to the governments of Cayhill other than Tsuki. She was never the type to bother with politics of the world. "Interesting...I had heard about Briswater's geographical location but have never seen it for myself" she said.

    Frey chuckled a bit as the two spoke. "Well, you could say that Briswater has evolved over the years. Since Briswater resides over sacred grounds, we did our best not to desecrate the holy grounds" he said. He then leaned down towards the rear of the boat and muttered a few words. Seconds later, the water near the rear started to bubble up as if there was an actual engine in the water. He then stood up, brushed his hands together and looked at the two once more. "We're ready. Let's begin the tour, shall we?" he asked. He then sat down and waited for them to get in the boat.

    Tsuki and Lynette soon stepped into the boat. Once they sat down, the boat sped off moments later, spewing out a trail of water from behind. A long tunnel system connects the outer outpost to the city. Since the outpost was used strictly by government and military officials, civilians weren't allowed to use this tunnel system except for emergency evacuations. The entrance to the actual city was elsewhere in the forest. They were in the tunnels for about give minutes before sunlight pouted into the tunnel's opening. They were then shot out of the tunnel and found themselves in Briswater's government district. The boat slowed down a bit because they were now within the city. Trees were scattered all around the city and the buildings were laced between trees. The sky was almost blocked by tall trees with massive canopies. Sunlight seeped through the leaves, keeping the city well-lit though until dawn comes when street lights to fill the darkness. Briswater was also known for it's romantic spots. In fact, a lot of couples make the trip to Briswater just to propose or marry.

    Frey took Tsuki and Lynette around almost every canal throughout the city. The only place they didn't get to see was an area in the government district that is strictly off-limits to those who aren't granted access. Thankfully, they had no reason for access though. Eventually, they came up to a much larger tunnel system where people were entering and leaving the city.

    Frey stopped the boat and held his arm out, pointing in the direction of the tunnel. "Welcome to Briswater's main entrance. This is where people enter and leave the city, obviously. You guys were quite off from the entrance" he said. The main entrance was basically on the other side of the city from where the outpost was.

    Tsuki gave him a blank look. "Well, excuse us. Next time, maintain your forest routes so we don't end up somewhere else" he said. He knew from the moment he saw the outpost in the forest that they were in the wrong place but given their situation back then, they didn't have much of a choice.

    Lynette puffed her cheeks out a bit. It was almost like he was mocking them. "We were chased by a demon while following a forgotten trail. It's not our fault we ended up at the wrong entrance" she said.

    Frey laughed a bit. "I'm kidding! Boy, tough crowd..." he said. He then started up the boat again with his Water Artes and continued driving the boat downstream.

    It took about two hours to see everything that was needed to be seen. They eventually ended up stopping the boat in front of a large, luxurious building. The sign above the building's entrance said Ritz Hotel. Due to how the building looks, it appears to be a five-star hotel.

    Frey stepped off the boat and stretched. Using something simple as basic Water Artes to move the boat for an extended period of time can wear a person out. "On behalf of Maxwell, he has reserved you a room in our prestigious hotel hotel since he made you come all the way out here. Just tell the clerk your name and they will set you up. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to check in on the General in the mines" he said.

    Feeling the strain of his body gone, he was able to move around on his own again. He then stepped out of the boat and examined the hotel from top to bottom. It was indeed prestigious as he said. "Thank you for showing us around. A lot of things have changed since I was last here" he said. He then turned around and held out his hand to Lynette to help her out of the boat.

    Lynette looked up, took his hand and climbed out of the boat. She then bowed at Frey. "We appreciate your help. Tell the general we said good luck" she said. She then went on to look at the building herself. She had a sparkle of excitement in her eyes. She hasn't been in a five-star hotel so she couldn't wait to go inside.

    Frey listened to their words of gratitude and nodded. "I'll give him the message. I'll be back with an update when one becomes available" he said. Once the two got out of the boat, he walked back onto it and sat down again. "Stay out of trouble now" he added. Moments later, he sped off and disappeared around the corner.

    Once Frey was gone, Tsuki and Lynette made their way inside the hotel. They approached the clerk, gave Tsuki's name and were escorted up to the high level floors to one of the wealthy suites. Once they got to their rooms, they walked in and closed the door behind them. The room was quite big. They had a decent-sized living space with two beds and had a great view of the city outside. Part of the walls in the living space was basically glass so it wasn't just a small window. All they could do now was wait for the situation with the mine to be resolved. They couldn't leave the city until they talked to Maxwell. They had no idea how long they had to wait for.

    To be continued...