~1571 - South Thanalan~
The following weeks were the some of the strangest and most enlightening of his life. Leading the seven Vipers in both training drills and missions had redefined the soldier's definition of the word impossible. Each one with their unique skills, they were a sight to behold. The time found them and their Lieutenant under fire, a band of bandits, mostly archers, seemed intent on ending them. From behind the large boulder they all hid behind, Erik called out, "Marcella, Lucus, head back a hundred fulms to get out of range, then get on that ledge and strafe them. Cronna, Michael, when they react and take cover from Marcella, unleash your magic to further their fear. Once shell shocked, Gloria, Wildfire, and I will rush their position. Fiona, support us as we do. You all know your jobs...... Advance!"
All that could be seen was Lucus as he ran south as he was ordered to, Marcella had vanished, making his way up to the ledge, his linkpearl hot and tuned to his eyes on the ground. Lucus stopped outside the range as ordered and his eyes shined deep purple as he saw the auras of his enemies, unobstructed by boulders, sand or distance, "Mar.... one hundred twenty fulms from your position, spread of thirty fulms from left to right... healers at tenth and second bell.... wind is set to seven knots, east sharp." Marcella was already on the ledge, his first two shots were true, both healers fell with holes to their heads. As planed the shock stilled the bandits for a moment, all the mages needed to unleash their aether on the remaining. The tables had turned as the men coward behind cover. One brave soul looked out only to see a Roe, Highlander, and a mix of the two, all baring down on them. Within a few moments of slaughter it was over. All but one lay dead. The last bandit found himself on his back, Erik's blade at his throat, "Do you yield?" The little man pleaded, "Yes.... yes... I yield..... please." Erik sheathed his sword and stood strait, "We will return with you to Ul'dah, the Magistrate will see to your fate. Since you surrendered it will be far better then your companions." The man scrambled to his knees, "Thank you..... you?" He looked in the direction of the seemingly uninterested Lalafell, "You.... I know you.... GODS! How are you here!?!" Erik watched, partly confused, partly concerned, "Cronna.... How does this man know you?" The Lala stopped staring blankly into the distance, looking equally uninterested at his commanding officer, "No Sir.... or maybe yes.... I know so many people." The bandit had fallen to the ground scooting back swiftly, like a man encountering a Primal at random, there was fear in him, "My brother... he was one your experiments... You.... you....." Cronna looked at the man now looked at the man with a slight interest, "Ah... I see. Well then...." He said as he stepped toward the terrified bandit, "By what creeps, what crawls, by what does not... Let all that grows, recede and rot." As the lala whispered his spell, the bandit screamed in pain as he began to rapidly age. Years in seconds, the fear filled man stared at Erik for help as he reached easily a hundred and thirty years old, dying as he aged. Cronna looked at Erik, little to any emotion on his face, "I am sorry Sir, but I do not know anyone that old." Erik stared in silence at the body, like staring into the seven hells.
~Present Day - Ul'dah~
He had said his goodbye, Cronna was no small threat. The yelling that morning could be heard by all outside the Hall of Flames. Erik had been called in to be given his orders. "This makes no sense Sir! Why in the Seven Hells would I send Askier off alone against Cronna? And not tell him what to expect.... Are you trying to kill my engineer?" Ryder sat at his desk, calm in the face of Erik's anger, "It isn't my orders Captain, they come from above. To be honest with you, your engineer has never been trusted by the Command, and his recent recklessness has not gone unnoticed." Erik fumed, "So send him to the slaughter? These orders even tell me not to tell him what he is up against. Cronna could raze an army if they did not know what they were fighting." Ryder raised his hand, "I know, that is why they want the Garlean to deal with him. They seem hopeful your Askier will manage to at least kill the little bastard." Erik stood and turned, "Marcella is still on the loose, as are the other three, four if you count Fiona. I need my men alive, I need them sharp. These idiots are stupid enough and prideful enough to face us one at a time, thank the gods for that. But they are not to be underestimated, even alone. I will not fulfill the wetdream of some asshole in Flame Command who wants Cronna and Askier to kill eachother. I will be seeing to Cronna myself Sir." Ryder stood.... "Erik... I have known you a long time. Hells, the things we know in this office would cause a riot in the streets with mobs looking to put you personally on the block. You are pushing your luck every time you run off like this. You may have everyone fooled.... trapped in mid teleport indeed. Even that sister of your's the one that raised you... even she doesn't understand fully. I am your friend Erik.... I really am, all rank aside, you are like a son to me." Erik stopped, "If that were, then why was I not told of Tietra? I had some records.... procured. The Flames knew she was alive." Ryder sat, his face fallen, "When you become a Sworn.... it is the job of this office to investigate every initiate. We discovered she was alive in Doma." Erik turned now, his face sharp, "That was nearly six years ago Sir." Ryder nodded, "Yes, but it was decided that if you knew it would interfere with your duty. And the last thing we needed in those days was the Sworn of the people to say fuck it and leave. The calamity was all to fresh, and besides... Juliette asked me not to tell you. And what do you mean procured?" Erik smiled, glad to have someone like her to get him what he needed, "I suppose secrets can be a good thing.... Sir, unless you want to call the guards and have me arrested.... something my Wings may not like, you will let me go and deal with this problem of my own making. Tell Flame Command that if they want to survive the storms approaching, they should plot against someone else. The Red Wings are busy making Ul'dah safe from the shadows. Tell them to go back to counting their money and leave us to our business.
~Later that day - South Thanalan~
Landing his airship miles out from the cabin mentioned in the reports, Erik unloaded Fury and readied for what was coming. The air was not cold, just cool, the ride would not be hard on the bird. He turned to the ship's wheel house, looking at his mammet through the window as he spoke over his pearl, "Return the ship to Forgotten Springs, and wait for my call Montblanc." He then turned to his Chocobo, mounted the creature, and rode north.
The following weeks were the some of the strangest and most enlightening of his life. Leading the seven Vipers in both training drills and missions had redefined the soldier's definition of the word impossible. Each one with their unique skills, they were a sight to behold. The time found them and their Lieutenant under fire, a band of bandits, mostly archers, seemed intent on ending them. From behind the large boulder they all hid behind, Erik called out, "Marcella, Lucus, head back a hundred fulms to get out of range, then get on that ledge and strafe them. Cronna, Michael, when they react and take cover from Marcella, unleash your magic to further their fear. Once shell shocked, Gloria, Wildfire, and I will rush their position. Fiona, support us as we do. You all know your jobs...... Advance!"
All that could be seen was Lucus as he ran south as he was ordered to, Marcella had vanished, making his way up to the ledge, his linkpearl hot and tuned to his eyes on the ground. Lucus stopped outside the range as ordered and his eyes shined deep purple as he saw the auras of his enemies, unobstructed by boulders, sand or distance, "Mar.... one hundred twenty fulms from your position, spread of thirty fulms from left to right... healers at tenth and second bell.... wind is set to seven knots, east sharp." Marcella was already on the ledge, his first two shots were true, both healers fell with holes to their heads. As planed the shock stilled the bandits for a moment, all the mages needed to unleash their aether on the remaining. The tables had turned as the men coward behind cover. One brave soul looked out only to see a Roe, Highlander, and a mix of the two, all baring down on them. Within a few moments of slaughter it was over. All but one lay dead. The last bandit found himself on his back, Erik's blade at his throat, "Do you yield?" The little man pleaded, "Yes.... yes... I yield..... please." Erik sheathed his sword and stood strait, "We will return with you to Ul'dah, the Magistrate will see to your fate. Since you surrendered it will be far better then your companions." The man scrambled to his knees, "Thank you..... you?" He looked in the direction of the seemingly uninterested Lalafell, "You.... I know you.... GODS! How are you here!?!" Erik watched, partly confused, partly concerned, "Cronna.... How does this man know you?" The Lala stopped staring blankly into the distance, looking equally uninterested at his commanding officer, "No Sir.... or maybe yes.... I know so many people." The bandit had fallen to the ground scooting back swiftly, like a man encountering a Primal at random, there was fear in him, "My brother... he was one your experiments... You.... you....." Cronna looked at the man now looked at the man with a slight interest, "Ah... I see. Well then...." He said as he stepped toward the terrified bandit, "By what creeps, what crawls, by what does not... Let all that grows, recede and rot." As the lala whispered his spell, the bandit screamed in pain as he began to rapidly age. Years in seconds, the fear filled man stared at Erik for help as he reached easily a hundred and thirty years old, dying as he aged. Cronna looked at Erik, little to any emotion on his face, "I am sorry Sir, but I do not know anyone that old." Erik stared in silence at the body, like staring into the seven hells.
~Present Day - Ul'dah~
He had said his goodbye, Cronna was no small threat. The yelling that morning could be heard by all outside the Hall of Flames. Erik had been called in to be given his orders. "This makes no sense Sir! Why in the Seven Hells would I send Askier off alone against Cronna? And not tell him what to expect.... Are you trying to kill my engineer?" Ryder sat at his desk, calm in the face of Erik's anger, "It isn't my orders Captain, they come from above. To be honest with you, your engineer has never been trusted by the Command, and his recent recklessness has not gone unnoticed." Erik fumed, "So send him to the slaughter? These orders even tell me not to tell him what he is up against. Cronna could raze an army if they did not know what they were fighting." Ryder raised his hand, "I know, that is why they want the Garlean to deal with him. They seem hopeful your Askier will manage to at least kill the little bastard." Erik stood and turned, "Marcella is still on the loose, as are the other three, four if you count Fiona. I need my men alive, I need them sharp. These idiots are stupid enough and prideful enough to face us one at a time, thank the gods for that. But they are not to be underestimated, even alone. I will not fulfill the wetdream of some asshole in Flame Command who wants Cronna and Askier to kill eachother. I will be seeing to Cronna myself Sir." Ryder stood.... "Erik... I have known you a long time. Hells, the things we know in this office would cause a riot in the streets with mobs looking to put you personally on the block. You are pushing your luck every time you run off like this. You may have everyone fooled.... trapped in mid teleport indeed. Even that sister of your's the one that raised you... even she doesn't understand fully. I am your friend Erik.... I really am, all rank aside, you are like a son to me." Erik stopped, "If that were, then why was I not told of Tietra? I had some records.... procured. The Flames knew she was alive." Ryder sat, his face fallen, "When you become a Sworn.... it is the job of this office to investigate every initiate. We discovered she was alive in Doma." Erik turned now, his face sharp, "That was nearly six years ago Sir." Ryder nodded, "Yes, but it was decided that if you knew it would interfere with your duty. And the last thing we needed in those days was the Sworn of the people to say fuck it and leave. The calamity was all to fresh, and besides... Juliette asked me not to tell you. And what do you mean procured?" Erik smiled, glad to have someone like her to get him what he needed, "I suppose secrets can be a good thing.... Sir, unless you want to call the guards and have me arrested.... something my Wings may not like, you will let me go and deal with this problem of my own making. Tell Flame Command that if they want to survive the storms approaching, they should plot against someone else. The Red Wings are busy making Ul'dah safe from the shadows. Tell them to go back to counting their money and leave us to our business.
~Later that day - South Thanalan~
Landing his airship miles out from the cabin mentioned in the reports, Erik unloaded Fury and readied for what was coming. The air was not cold, just cool, the ride would not be hard on the bird. He turned to the ship's wheel house, looking at his mammet through the window as he spoke over his pearl, "Return the ship to Forgotten Springs, and wait for my call Montblanc." He then turned to his Chocobo, mounted the creature, and rode north.
![[Image: Emblem%252520by%252520Rhea%252520Zaheela%252520x50.png]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5YSh8yMniHU/VlLStr_7SSI/AAAAAAAAIQ4/qLoOmtz-Jdg/s100-Ic42/Emblem%252520by%252520Rhea%252520Zaheela%252520x50.png)
