An Archer Escort

No matter what time of year, Hargeon Port was always a busy place. The same holds true for the town. Being the largest port town on Fiore, a lot of the country’s good pass through here as they are to be shipped off elsewhere, making a giant, thriving marketplace, with inflated prices which people still pay for they need that which is being sold. This market place cared not if it was rain or shine, it was busy regardless, from the townspeople buying food for meals, to travelers stocking up for their journey, to mages looking for that one magical artifact that is from a far off land, there was something here for everyone, and someone there all the time.

This dreary morning, with a thick fog covering the port town, only a few people were walking about. One person in particular, that stood out even in this fog, was not doing anything but simply looking for someone. With her azure blue eyes scanning the stalls, she had no need to walk over to a stall unless she saw something she needed. The vendors looked longingly at her, and the woman could feel their gaze falling upon her odd features, mainly her ears and her tail. She also felt some curious stares at the bow she had strapped upon her back.

The wind picked up. Sinon’s garbs blew in the breeze around her slender frame. The air was getting colder each day, something Sinon would prefer didn’t happen, as while she did not care what the weather was, last year Sinon experienced how harsh a winter could be in Fiore. Flicking her tail, she spotted what she was looking for. Walking over to the vendor, whom did not notice her approach Sinon waited at the front of the stall. The vendor turned around. “Oh a customer. I am terribly sorry though I am closing up now and heading off to another town today.”

A smirk came across Sinon’s face. “It’s okay Rovan. Remember me? I was going to escort you to Clover. We talked about it yesterday.” The middle aged red headed tradesman looked at Sinon for a moment, then his eyes flashed to her bow and back to her face. “Oh I remember you. Perfect timing. I am ready to leave now, if all goes well we can get to Clover before noon.” He said this and hopped up into the wagon he had behind him. The horse was already there to pull the cart, and Sinon nodded her head, “Well then, let’s get going.”

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Rovan started carefully navigating the streets to the town exit, with Sinon walking right beside. They remained in silence, for there was no need to talk. Sinon took this time to think a bit. She had gotten her bow modified for magical use here in this world only a few months back. After that had finally been done, Sinon was at a loss for what she should do. She still knew so little about this world. She was technically not legal, she had no paperwork which showed proof of citizenship, and she was afraid to get that, for it would be saying that she knew she would never get home, which while true, is something she doesn’t want to admit to herself. So to bypass the guards, which had been increasing even in the smallest farm town, Sinon had taken to escorting other traveler’s and joining their entourage to avoid confrontations. She had gotten to see a lot of Fiore this way over the pass couple of months, and it was keeping her busy, but she was getting bored with it. She was used to fighting, being on the frontlines in all out war, and now if she is lucky, she just gets to play with a few wayward bandits from time to time. She wished something would happen, but she doubted it would.

They soon arrived at the gate. The fog was starting to clear up with the further they got from the sea. They went through the gates without much trouble, though Sinon noted that the guards were scrambling about in a mild state of panic. She was curious as to what was happening, but she was on the job now. She looked up to her client, Rovan, whom started whistling a tune to himself. He looked focused on getting to Clover as swiftly as possible, which was fine by Sinon.


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The morning went by without much trouble. They had only about thirty more minutes before they would have arrived at the destination. Then Sinon’s ears twitched and her hand passively went to her bow. Grasping it she whipped it out to in front of her, with practiced ease. The other hand in the same moment whipped out an arrow from the quiver around her waist. Rovan noticed her quick movements and brought his wagon to a halt, and started to look around fearfully.

Years of practice and repetition, Sinon did what she does best. She drew back the arrow on the bow and took careful aim, and released it in such a manner that it would seem she didn’t even release an arrow in the first place, for another arrow was already strung and ready to fire before a soft thud of the arrow embedding itself into a tree on the other side of a bush she just shot through, and the yelps of a couple of men. “Leave now or the next one goes between your eyes.” Sinon said firm faced and with no remorse. She heard some laughter, but she did not let that faze her. Two dark figures stepped from behind the bush. They were masked, and Sinon could not make out much details about them. They were brandishing gorish knives, though they held them poorly and obviously inexperienced like.

“You should be the one leaving little missy. Though you did startle us. If you and that man over there just give us all of your money, then we will leave you be and forget about the whole thing, otherwise..” the thug that was speaking made his knife glint in the high sunlight “we may have to get, violent.”

Sinon said nothing and instead she just rushed forward. The men chuckled to themselves and rushed towards her. Sinon was not daunted by them, and she continued forward, right as was in their face and the first man’s knife was coming her way. Sinon dropped with cat-like agility. Down in a crouch, Sinon placed her right hand on the ground, and brought her left leg out and made contact with her opponent’s legs, causing him to stumble back and fall down. The second one stood back to prevent the same fate, he then pointed his palm towards Sinon, instinctively Sinon moved. She got back on her feet keeping her eyes on the thug still standing. Once she got up she saw it, something was being launched from his hand. They were mages. At least this one was. Sinon couldn’t move in time, and she took the hit. The blast of sharp wind left a cut on Sinon’s right arm.




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It hurt, but it was then Sinon realized that if that was all that they could do, then she would not have trouble. She was standing just outside of arms reach of her opponent, if she acted fast she could hit him, and possibly scare him off. She brought the bow in her left hand up and focused her magic ability, unlocking the lacrima inside she needed for what she wanted to do. She quickly aimed it at him and noticed that he was going to move right, and she charged up the bow with magical power. A magical arrow started to appear, and three slots that Dante installed in her bow started to glow. See took stance and started to release the arrow. The thug started to move just like she thought, and at the last second she aimed it to where he would be. A giant arrow sprang forth from her bow, with great speed over the short distance the hit was almost instant. Sinon knew that would not be enough to scare them off. She took aim, as she charged up another magical arrow almost immediately, this time it was just a normal magical arrow, unlike her rail stinger overlarged arrow she just shot, but while she held it strung, they looked the same.

The thug looked up at her holding his shoulder where the spell had made contact. He then turned tail and started running, bobbing and weaving side to side, in hopes to maybe throw off Sinon’s aim. By this time, the one she had knocked down was getting back up and he too decided to flee. Sinon aimed her bow upward and fired the built up magic power into the air. A waste of good magic some would say, but it served its purpose. Sinon shouldered her bow once more and turned to Rovan, to see the red headed trader staring at her open jawed. She smirked once more and said “let’s continue shall we?”

With that the two continued in silence to Clover town. The rest of the travel was uneventful, until they got to the gates of Clover town. The guards were thick, and they looked rather strict. Sinon knew something had to be going on then. As they started to examine the contents of the wagon, Sinon saw a notice right on the other side of the gate. With her sight she could make out that the Magic Council, which was from what Sinon had gathered, reformed and was what helped bring this country out of a war not too long ago, was attacked. It also said that any non guild mage has one week to join up with a guild. Sinon was stopped dead in her tracks, and then Rovan shouted to her saying that they were free to head in now. Sinon followed him, and she led him to the inn, where he paid her and they parted ways.

Sinon knew something was going on in this world now,  and yet she didn’t know how to get involved. She didn’t want to go just join up with a guild just because someone is telling her to for safety. She also didn’t think joining up with them would be the best way she could help out if the country was in serious danger, and Sinon is not one to idly sit around and do nothing. She wants to be active, but this world seems intent on only letting that be possible if she joins up with some group, all of which she knows little about. Sinon would prefer to keep her freedom, and wait until she feels the time is right for her to join up with a group.

Exit~
Word Count 1809/ 400

MP spent:30
MP remaining: 70
Spell Used:

Rail Stinger: