Chapter 9: Zipz

I helped the old men finish loading up their boat. It was a small fishing ship, nothing worth mentioning. As we loaded I learned more about them. The two men were called Phil and George. They were fishermen by trade, though back when they were younger they were adventurers. Which brought them to the first reason why they were looking for Captain Foreange. About twenty years before they were treasure hunting in Vlandstar Proper. At one point they blew up a hill and ended up freeing the Captain from an Angry mob of Gnomes. The Captain promised to rewarded them, but they hadn't found her since. But thanks to that adventure they gained their nickname, the Hillbusters. I was about to inquire about the Girl, when we finished packing up the Ship and Phil said, "Time to eat." We went to a nice inn, where we ate and played cards. It wasn't until we left late that night that I realized she hadn't been with us that night. And by then it was too late to ask about her. We returned to the boat, where we drew lots for who was sleeping where. I got the poop deck, where I quickly fell asleep.

Something sat on me and I woke up. The sun was just rising over the horizon and already I was being sat on by a pig. It was a little black and white pig, like a Dalmatian. George came over to me.

"So Jimbo here sat on you, 'aye. Well get up 'cause we leave in five minutes," he said. I stood up, much to the annoyance of the pig, and went over to the cabin situated the center of the deck. There I learned the plan.

"So how good are you with the crossbow?" Phil asked me.

"Umm, okay," I replied, puzzled. "Why do you need to know?"

Phil just laughed. Goerge replied, "You didn't really think that we were going to sail, did you?"

"Well actually I did," was my answer.

By then Phil had recovered. "Don't be silly. Were gonna shoot this grappling hook into one of the ships and have it pull us," he said.

"Oh," I replied, wondering how I ended up on a ship with a bunch of cheaters. They cheated at cards too. Then the massive ships of the Marenas set sail. I quickly shot a grappling hook into the boat and off we went.

The first few days were boring. There was nothing but water and waves. But it started to get interesting once we reached our first island...

Chapter 7: G'bork

I stepped of the Magus and onto the ground. I was outside the main gate into G'Bork. The gate was the only way through the massive wall into the city. Now all I had to do was get through those gates and find the captain. Then maybe I would be able to go home.

I walked up to the gate with a sign over it that said 13-18 year olds. On each side of it was a short man carrying an axe with a gun strapped to there back. I walked up to them and asked them to open the gate. "What will you give us?" the one on the right asked.

"The joy of helping an adventurer," I replied.

"Nope. Not good enough. Try again," the one on the left replied.

" A stale crust of rye bread," I replied.

"Getting better, but no," the right one said.

"How about I beat you guys up, take the key, and open the gate myself," I said angrily.

"Oo. a challenge. In say we should accept. What about you Fred." said the one on the left.

"I say yes Jim. Lets do it!" Fred replied. Suddenly two dwarves (for that was what I learned they were) charged toward me axes in hand. I grabbed my sword and prepared to fight them. Then when they were only a few feet away from me I realized I had really pulled out my staff. Not having time to do any thing better, I hit one of them with my staff. He flew more than twenty feet and had sparks flying out of him. The other dwarf looked at me and ran away, unlocking the gate while he was at it. I walked through the gate and entered G'bork.

There were buildings all around. Between the buildings were narrow alleys and streets. People were everywhere, doing many things like shopping, and talking and stealing, and fighting. It was much different from the quiet fishing village I am from, or the small towns I passed through to get here. No this was a full blown port city, complete with drunk sailors, thieves and vendors all around. I followed the signs that said market place -> and soon enough I was at the market place. It was a square surrounded by buildings with a single entrance on each side. Throughout the square there were stalls, carts, vendor, guards and people buying stuff. I went up to an entrance and tried to walk through. The guard standing next to the entrance suddenly took his spear and blocked the entrance. "Marketplace Pass, Please," he said.
"Huh? What is a marketplace pass?" I asked.
"The only way we can let you enter the market place." the guard said in a monotonous voice.
"Well how do I get one?" I replied.
"Go to the Machnu Headquarters and apply for one. Then six to eight weeks later you will receive notice about whether or not you were accepted. If you were accepted then you can go back to the HQ and pick up your pass," he said without expression.
"What! I don't have that sort of time. Just LET ME IN!!!!" I yelled.
He only replied, "I may not do that."
Then I had an idea. So I asked him, "Do the other gates ask for a Marketplace pass?"
He replied," I do not know. They are not controlled by the Machnu." with that I left to find my way to another gate. Soon I found another gate. There was no guard at it so I just walked right through it and into the market place.

I was hungry from my adventures so I walked up to a fruit vendor. He only had one apple left so I took the apple, seeing that nobody would buy only one apple and therefor I would be doing him a service, and walked away. All he did to thank me was call for the guards. Suddenly I had four guards chasing after me. I ran for the nearest exit and saw that some guards were putting up a barricade. So I did the only idea that popped into my head. I ran toward it, jumped right as I was about to hit it, put my hands behind me and pushed off the barricade, sending me flying. The guards were stunned at watching me do that , giving me a head start. But soon they started chasing me again. Suddenly an arm grabbed me and pulled me into an alley. All the guards passed me and then I turned around to face my savior. It was a girl. She looked no older than fourteen and seemed as if she had many hardships throughout her life. "Why did you save me?" I asked.
"Because you were in trouble," she replied as if she thought that would be everybody's answer.
"Well then, can you tell me where I can find Captain Minni Foreange?"
"In a way. Follow me" she replied. So I followed her to the harbor, where she led me to two old men loading up a small boat. Then she told the men that I was looking for the captain. One of them said in response to the girl, "Well then your in luck Mr Kid, 'cause we are gonna follow the ships of the Marena's in hope of finding her. Now help me load up this boat." As he was talking I saw the ships he said we were going to follow. The were big.

Chapter 5: The Journey to G'bork

I left my village at 5:45 on the 26 of April (note: Earth Equvilent). I did not know when I would see it again. I just knew that it is 127 leagues (381 miles) to G'bork, or about a 12 day journey. I walked through out the day. I stopped at noon to eat the lunch I had packed the night before and then I continued my journey. I arrived at the hamlet of Yupytz around 16:07. At their only inn rented a room, bought some food for the next day, and plotted my course to the next hamlet of reasonable distance, Fliggity-flooper. It was about ten leagues away so it would be about the same as today. Then I had a dinner of pork and beans and went to bed, remembering to tell the innkeeper to wake me up at 5:30.

A skeleton in a cloak was sitting on a throne of bones. In front of him was a tall man dressed in a white cloak holding a sword.
"Alin, I want you to send messengers to each Sylvanic Country telling them to send their five best assassins to the temple of Sylvanir by noon, on the First of June. Tell them that these assassins must be prepared to capture, but not kill, a dangerous enemy," the skeleton told Alin.
"What if they refuse?" asked Alin.
"Simply tell them that if they refuse their kingdom will be destroyed by this man's army."
"Well then I must go now." Alin turned around and prepared to leave the throne room.
"Wait I forgot. Remind them that they may not bring food inside the temple, since Sylvanir, being the god of Life, will not approve of it," said the skeleton.
"Yes Lord Xi-Xi," Alin replied. He then left the room.

I woke up with the innkeepers teenage daughter shaking me. Where had she come from I thought. Then I realized she must be my wake up alarm. I got up and went down stairs to eat breakfast. By 6:00 I had left Yupytz. I wondered what that dream was about. I guessed that my quest must be to warn this dangerous enemy that h or she was going to be assassinated. I reached Fliggity-flopper by 14:30. My days were all like this until I got to the major village of Kaben at 15:48 on May 1. There i saw an ad explaining the Magus X-11. It said that there was a day and a half from Kaben to G'bork leaving at 7:00 on May 2. That was the next day. So I bought a ticket and at 7:00 I was flying over to G'bork. I rode 50 leagues the first day stopping at 17:00 (5/lph) and 17 leagues the next day arriving in G'bork at 10:24 of May 3. It was good finishing my journey so quickly. Sure the Magus was crowded and I had never been to a city larger than Kaben, which was larger the Walla-Weep, but now all I had to do was find Captain Minni Foreange.

Chapter 2: The Teen and his Oracle ( Franco Diangle)

Franco had a good life. He was the son of the mayor of the fishing village Walla-Weep. Not only was his father the mayor, but he also owned the plaza and the marketplace, making him the richest and most powerful person in the village. But the other people did not hate the family. In fact they were the most loved family in the whole town. Now back to Franco. He was intelligent, strong, generous, kind, etc. But his life was uneventful, until he turned 15 years and 216 days old.

It was a dark and stormy night when a loud knock was sounded on the door. I, being in the entry-hallway at the time, rushed over and opened the door. Standing in front of my was an old man wearing nothing but a loincloth and a ragged cape. He was bent over and carried a large staff with a wonderstone on the top of it. I let him inside, and since supper had just ended, invited him to eat something. He said that he didn't have time and that he must find someone named Franco Diangle. I asked him why and he replied, "I am the Great Oracle of Serah. I am to die in 3 hours and must deliver my final message to Franco Diangle."

I replied, " I am Franco Diangle. What do you need to tell me."
"The message I must give to you is, To Fulfill Your Destiny You Must Find Captain Minni Foreange. To aid you on your journey here is a sword, a dagger, a buckler, a hunting knife, and the handbook of the Former Empire of Vlandstar. "
"What must I do to find this Captain Minni Foreange?" I asked.
"I do not know. All I know is that she has been missing for 5 years and was last seen in the port of G'Bork. Ask about her there. Also I have one final request. Let me die outside."
"Thy will shalt be done," I replied. I then took him outside.
"Wait. I forgot. Take my staff with you. It can shrink to the size of a pencil, can't be lost, and is really powerful once you learn who to use it." Those were his final words. he closed his eyes and died a few hours later. His body was never found.

The next day I left my home with 1483 pezicoes, the clothes on my back, a package full of food, and the items the oracle gave me. Headed south to G'Bork, my adventure beginning.