NOVEL NEXT 84 l In Search of the Truth
They wasted no time traveling south toward the Skyfire Locks. Keeping to the paths the trio could ill afford any side ventures as an innocent man may be on the line. Not to mention the witness of the ship they’d need if Azlyn wanted a leg up against Garuda. Mjnt pointed to the observatorium in the distance, and the camp that was built around it.
“This is where we train as dragoons. When we have free time, perhaps I can show you what it is we do.”
Azlyn nodded, turning left at the fork to head up to Skyfire Locks. “When we’re not pressed for time, you mean?”
Alphinaud tapped his chin in thought. “Dragoons, huh? That would be a most interesting site to see. Mayhap we should take her up on her suggestion later Azlyn? Maybe you could also learn to be a dragoon!”
The Au Ra chuckled. “It sounds like heights will be involved.”
Mjnt confirmed her fear with a simple fact. “Dragoons specialize in mobility and jumping. One must have enough strength to propel oneself in the air, and then plummet down using the lance or spear as the focal point. It takes many years of dedication and practice to prefect these forms.”
“I think I’ll leave the jumping to the experts then.” Azlyn chuckled. She fixed her hood so that it stayed overtop her head.
“I believe sir Rickeman will be inside.” Mjnt moved past the two, making her way inside the barracks of House Hallienarte. It had a cozy atmosphere, the same that Azlyn had been welcomed to just the previous night. “There.” She pointed to him.
Alphinaud waved over to the man sitting at the table. “Good morning! Are you sir Rickeman of House Hallienarte? I believe you might oversee the checking of parcels and goods imported or exported, correct?”
The man nodded. “Yes, for House Hallienarte. What are the three of you looking for exactly?”
Azlyn stepped up to explain what Lord Haurchefant wanted them to do. “We believe someone is trying to set up House Hallienarte, and in turn Lord Francel. We believe someone has been tampering with the deliveries to the house, so we wanted further information on the delivery routes and who else might have access to those deliveries.”
Mjnt crossed her arms over her chest. Her ruby eyes narrowed some as she looked down to the man sitting at the table.
Rickeman started to sweat under the group’s eye. “Someone tamperin’ with shipments? Fury strike me down, if all them rosaries found in our people’s possessions were planted—Hey now, don’t you give me that look.” He shook his head at Mjnt’s accusingly silent glare. “I’m a House Hallienarte man through an’ through. This heresy nonsense is bad for me an’ my family too!”
Alphinaud agreed. “I daresay the man has the right of it. Now who else would oversee customs?”
“Porters would be my first guess.” The older man explained to them thoroughly. “Now I ain’t sayin’ the porters what were bringin’ the shipment did it. I know most of them what work the trade routes, an’ I’ve never had cause to question their faith. But if it wasn’t them neither, then your guess is as good as mine. After all, most every shipment is thoroughly inspected before it—” The man gasped at the revelation.
Everyone also happened to catch what he was about to say.
Mjnt uncrossed her arms. “But the inspectors to check are usually Ishgardian knights and inquisitors.”
Rickeman shook his head, mostly in disbelief. “It can’t be them. As if they’d ever turn their cloaks. Reckon that means the porters are your most likely suspects. Hate to think it, but maybe you three should question them. There’s a crew comin’ to Camp Dragonhead from Whitebrim Front this early this afternoon. Maybe consider havin’ a word with them.”
Azlyn nodded, bowing her head to the man for his insight. Alphinaud remained silent, keeping his thoughts to himself as they exited the barracks. Mjnt turned back to the trail and went northward back to Camp Dragonhead.
“I have a feeling the porters aren’t involved.” Alphinaud replied when they were out of earshot of Skyfire Locks. “While he might find it strange to think Ishgardian Knights and Inquisitors turning coats—I for one am not convinced.”
Azlyn agreed. “I think there’s something weird going on—but all we can do is follow the trail. Lord Francel—and the location of the ship is counting on this.”
“Let us hope the Ishgardian Knights and Inquisitors are not the perpetrators.” Mjnt replied coolly. “The last thing this nation needs is contention between brothers.”
“But they’re the ones causing that contention.” Azlyn pointed out. “And I won’t standby while they do as they please to hurt others.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Alphinaud reminded her, his blue eyes reflected a relative calm demeanor. “For now, let us see what the porters have to say—peer through their ledgers—and then report our findings with Lord Haurchefant.”
They agreed to end their conversation there, for lack of evidence and their immediate approach upon the gates of Camp Dragonhead. Azlyn could see the knights of House Fortemps regulating the defenses, checking people as they came and went. Mjnt was waved in after one recognized her, and with her the pair had been granted access back into the camp.
There was a giant Aetheryte located in Camp Dragonhead on the upper landing, however one needed permission by the Lord governing the encampment to attune. Given they were pressed for time, she had yet to ask Lord Haurchefant for the permissions to use it, so she hoped once these allegations were cleared they would be free to.
Mjnt pointed to the western gate, where the knights of House Fortemps started to allow in the wagons of deliveries to be made. “There are the porters for this run from Whitebrim Front. Let us go and see what they have to say.”
Azlyn followed the Viera’s lead, while Alphinaud was a few steps behind her. Together they approached the rolling wagons and to the one that looked in charge. It was a slightly older man, dressed head to toe in warm clothes and head-wrap. His ears were covered to help keep warm.
“What is it? Can’t you see that we’re busy getting the deliveries made?” He went to shoo Mjnt away, only for her straighten herself.
“Forgive our insolence—however we have cause to believe the porters are tampering with the parcels and planting draconian rosaries in House Hallienarte’s parcels.”
The man’s eyes bulged at the accusation. “Excuse me?! You think we were the ones who planted the draconian rosaries in House Hallienarte’s shipments? What nerve!” He glared to each of them before shaking his head. “If you truly believe such nonsense, search our parcels and ledgers—see for yourselves what you’ll find!”
Azlyn smiled from underneath the hood. “We shall, thank you for your time.”
Alphinaud jumped straight into the paperwork, diving into the numbers and linguistics. Which left Azlyn and Mjnt to scurry through all the parcels and shipments in the wagons. They searched through all the house’s shipments—first was the Dzaemal’s—then the Fortemps—and after thirty minutes of thorough searching they were at last with the house of Hallienarte’s shipments.
Mjnt narrowed her eyes, as she stared at one of the boxes. “This looks as if it’s been opened. You can tell by the slight chip of the lid.”
“The same with one of these boxes for the house as well.” Azlyn opened the shipment, peering into the fabric folded neatly. As if wanting to be found a draconian rosary had been haphazardly dropped on top.
She pulled it out to show Mjnt. “Look what I found.”
“As with mine.” She produced a similar looking rosary from the box she found.
“I think we’re going to have a long day ahead of us.” The Au Ra replied, shaking her head. “Let’s head back to the porter and show him.”
Mjnt smirked, holding out the rosary to add to Azlyn’s collection. “He’ll deny it, of course.”
“Of course.”
Together they walked back to the porter, Alphinaud had been halfway through the ledger as he sat upon the front of the wagon.
The porter saw them coming back from the wagons and crossed his arms. “Are we finished? If so, I would appreciate an apolo—"
He paused mid-sentence as they showed the porter the rosaries.
“I think we have some questions for you after all porter.” Azlyn sweetly smiled to him, who widened his eyes in alarm at the sight.
“But—but that’s impossible! Once the Ishgardian knight at Whitebrim Front concluded her inspection, I loaded the parcels into the wagon myself! And if I had been the culprit, I would have never allowed you to search my shipments! Say what you will to Lord Haurchefant—I will not be held accountable for this!”
Mjnt heavily sighed, looking down to her companion. “He is speaking the truth, I fear.”
Alphinaud stopped reading the ledgers, walking over to the girls who watched the porter recheck all the shipments once more. He was thoroughly checking his shipments shouting to the other porters that they needed to do a better job at securing the shipments.
“We should head to Lord Haurchefant’s barracks. We need to report what we have found.” The Viera’s ears flexed as she turned to the barracks located east of the aetheryte. “My Lord will know what to do.”
The three of them walked over just as the door opened to reveal the lord himself peering out. He looked to the shouting porters behind them and then he looked at the three of them approaching. He smiled at their coming, holding the doors wide.
“Did something happen outside with the porters? It’s odd to see him be so vocal—last I thought he was more on the apathetic side. No matter—come in, what did Rickeman have to say?”
They stepped inside the warm barracks. When the doors were closed behind them Mjnt was the first to report. She bowed her head to Lord Haurchefant. “My Lord, we learned that the porters who brought in the shipments heading for Skyfire Locks to be in possession of draconian rosaries. And only in House Hallienarte’s shipments.”
Azlyn brought out the rosaries for the lord to see. His blue eyes widened at the sight of the beads, and then he narrowed them. “More draconian rosaries!? In every single parcel bound for Skyfire Locks? That beggar’s belief! Even the Inquisitors must acknowledge that this is no more than a cross-attempt to sully House Hallienarte’s reputation. Whoever is responsible has overplayed his hand.”
Alphinaud nodded. “The ledgers of the porter stated that an Ishgardian Knight checked and confirmed all the shipments heading out from Whitebrim Front.”
Mjnt interjected. “My Lord, I must also inform you that the porter was not lying when he told us that he had no clue these were in the shipments. Which makes me believe someone in the inspections might be playing a cruel jest.”
Lord Haurchefant brought both of his hands together. His complexion darkened at the thought. “We must tread lightly with heavy accusations like those. Let us look to what we know—from the very first, I knew it could not be that so many members of House Hallienarte were heretics. Having discovered someone has been heinously placing draconian rosaries in their shipments to ruin them. We shall not abide to this. We will give the lie to these poisonous allegations and put an end to this travesty.” He walked straight to his desk to sit, drawing papers from his drawers with his ink and quill. He started to dip his quill feather into the jar before he started to write. “I will need to prepare a formal statement regarding these developments for the Holy See. In the meantime, I would like you three to bear my words to Inquisitor Brigie. Tell her that House Fortemps asks—” He stopped writing as he thought of a better word. “Nay demands that Lord Francel’s trial be postponed until a full investigation has been conducted! Mjnt, I saw Inquisitor Brigie upon the upper landing of the wall. Check there first before heading to the inquisitor’s office.”
Mjnt curtly bowed to him. “Yes, my Lord!”
Azlyn and Alphinaud bowed their heads to him, as he went back to scribbling upon the piece of parchment. From what she could see, the calligraphy he made was beautiful and flowed from one word to the next. It reminded her of Sharlayan, and the professor’s back home.
“Azlyn!” Alphinaud snapped her attention away, as she looked over her shoulder to see Mjnt was already holding open the door for them. “We’re leaving!”
“Right!” She ran after them, giving both an apologetic nod as they ran up the steps of the barracks to the upper landing. There was a woman standing by the edge. She had her hand up to her chin in thought when they approached.
“Good afternoon are you Inquistor Brigie?” Alphinaud called to her.
“Indeed I am. What can I do for you my child?” She dropped her hand from her face to gauge the three of them.
“Lord Haurchefant demands the inquisitors to postpone the trial upon Lord Francel’s allegations until a proper investigation is held.”
Inquisitor Brigie widened her eyes, and then turned away to look out to the snowy plains. Her face held a look of worry. “Lord Haurchefant would have the inquisitors… but that is not possible.”
Mjnt stepped forward, her ruby eyes flared. “What do you mean that is not possible?”
The Elezen Inquistor quickly explained. “Inquisitor Guillaime presides over Lord Francel’s trial at Witchdrop even as we speak. He advanced the timing of the trial, saying we must needs keep the peace of the people.”
The three of them gaped at this new set of information. “It’s happening right now!? But I thought it was being held this evening!” Azlyn looked up to the afternoon sun that was still very much close to noon. “Why is Inquisitor Guillaime pushing through with this!?”
“Fear not, if Lord Francel is indeed innocent, he shall walk in Halone’s halls with the fallen heroes of Ishgard.” The Inquisitor then bowed her head to them before slowly walking away.
“You have got to be kidding me! You’re condemning a man to die even if he’s innocent!” She shouted in the cold, brisk air.
Alphinaud bit his thumb. “Azlyn, we don’t have time to argue. I shall go back to inform Lord Haurchefant. You and Mjnt should run as fast as you’re able to Witchdrop and see if you can stop him.”
The pair could only agree to this plan. It was all that they could do to stop this crazy event from getting worse. Mjnt grabbed Azlyn’s forearm to start their mad dash out from Camp Dragonhead. They took the stairs two to three steps at a time, Azlyn had to watch herself as she tried to keep up with the Veira’s pace.
They sprint northeast, running through the snow plains and off the paths to cut the distance shorter. Mjnt skidded to a halt at the top of a hill when she caught sight of the proceeding. Azlyn tried to catch her breath as the Viera pointed out Lord Francel on his knees.
“Lord Francel yet lives. We must try to reason with the inquisitor—but if his guards judge us a threat, we must also be prepared to defend ourselves.” Mjnt brought forth her lance.
Azlyn brought out her book, holding off on her summoning rites until it came down to violence. “I can’t just sit by and watch someone die for insufficient evidence. It’s madness.”
Mjnt nodded. “I agree. Lord Haurchefant will put an end to it. Until he gets here we must keep Lord Francel safe from harm.”
“Understood.”
Together they jumped down the hill, letting their entrance be a noisy one to the trial. They were still a good distance away, but they could see the Inquisitor’s men surrounding Lord Francel and his men. They were being edged to the drop as they approached. Azlyn yelled out to them. “Stop!”
Mjnt narrowed her eyes to the guards, keeping an eye for any hostilities. She called out to them as they were running over. “My Lord is coming to speak with you Inquisitor! It would be wise to wait for his arrival before continuing.”
The Inquisitor sighed, choosing to ignore them. He turned back to Lord Francel and grabbed the man by his collar, dragging him up from the snow. “Joacin Charlemend Francel de Hallienarte—you stand accused of heresy against the Holy See of Ishgard. Is there aught you wish to say in your defense?”
The young lord shouted back as his emotions carried his voice. “Hear me, brothers—these charges are false! The men and women of my line have ever opposed the Dravanians, and I am no different! Since the very birth of our nation, we have gladly shed blood in service to the Holy See! Condemn me and you will strike a blow for the enemies of Ishgard!”
Azlyn and Mjnt continued their approach.
Inquisitor Guillaime gave an annoyed glance over his shoulder, and then turned back to Lord Francel. “It is for Halone to judge if you speak the truth. Prove your innocence in the eyes of gods and men. Leap from the cliff an entrust your fate to the Fury.”
“Are you deaf Inquisitor Guillaime!” Azlyn yelled, just as she reached the first line of his guard. They started to draw their weapons.
“The righteous shall take their place in Halone’s halls, while the wicked shall reveal their drachen forms and be put to the sword!”
Mjnt bellowed to the guards and the inquisitor once more. “In the name of House Fortemps, I beseech you to stay your hand!” She drew her lance as she angrily looked upon them. “Do not pretend we are not here!”
Azlyn called out from the guards blocking her path. “The lord has uncovered evidence that suggests the charges against Lord Francel are without merit! We’re asking that you suspend the hearings until a full reexamination of the facts has been conducted!”
The inquisitor stepped away from Lord Francel, who nervously stood by the canyon’s edge. The guards however did not move away, keeping their weapons pointed to him. It was evident that they wanted him to jump off into Witchdrop.
“Lord Haurchefant has allowed his personal relationship with the accused to cloud his judgment. That he should harbor private doubts, I might have allowed—but that he would dare interfere in legal proceedings sanctioned by the Holy See, I cannot. To defy the will of an inquisitor is to commit heresy! A crime for which there is but one punishment!” Inquisitor Guillaime pointed to the two of them before issuing his knights to attack.
Azlyn gritted her teeth as she brought out her Ifrit-Egi. The explosion from the heat knocked back the two knights that were about to grab her. “It seems to me that you do not act in the interest of preserving the peace inquisitor! How can you be judge, jury, and executioner?! Who has the right to govern over whether someone should live or die! That is not, nor will it ever, be your right!”
Mjnt called out to the Au Ra. “Azlyn, we must hold them off until Lord Haurchefant arrives. Remember, no harm can come to the inquisitor.” She brandished her lance, whipping it to the side with grace. “But we will defend ourselves if we have to.”
The first of the knights charged to Azlyn, one drew his blade and slashed to her. She stepped out of the way just as the blade cut through the air. “Ifrit-Egi, knock that guy unconscious!” She watched as her familiar raced forward, and with its talons curled inward it punched the guy in the face. The knights watched as the man went flying from the impact, rolling over numerous times in the snow before staying still.
Mjnt battled with her own set of knights, but not before calling out to them. “Your shield bears no sigil, ser! Do you serve the Holy See or one of the High Houses?”
The Knight spat in her direction. “I serve a higher power!”
The fight continued, as the inquisitor took several steps back toward the prisoners he held at bay. Azlyn knocked one knight out, and then moved on to the next one. Her familiar did most of the work while she supplied the support. Mjnt contended with the mysterious knight before she maneuvered around to jump high in the sky. The knight had looked up to see where she would land—however the glare from her armor and the sun blinded him.
Azlyn watched as Mjnt eloquently slammed herself into the knight, using her spear to break his shield and then swung her body to kick him hard in the ribs. “The Lord is coming!” Mjnt yelled as she moved out from combat.
A chocobo came rushing into combat, with a well-armored knight running toward them. They watched as the man hopped off the chocobo with ease, as a knight from the inquisitor’s side came charging to him. Lord Haurchefant brought his shield up, bashing the knight to the side—and then shouted for the whole canyon to hear.
“In the name of House Fortemps, I demand that you lay down your arms!”
The knight that had been battling against Mjnt cursed at him. “Ishgardian scum! Today you shall answer for your sins!”
Azlyn drew several magic formulaes to smack the knights with. She released one ruin spell after the other at him. Faltering him in his attack against Lord Haurchefant. “Aren’t you supposed to be on the same side!”
Inquisitor Guillaime shouted over to Lord Haurchefant who went to defend Azlyn and Mjnt from the knights attacking them. “By this deed, you do disgrace your line, Lord Haurchefant!”
Azlyn gritted her teeth, why was this inquisitor trying his damndest to kill these lords? What did they do to him? They were as devout a man from what she could see... her thoughts were interrupted by the clash of swords of the knight who refused to yield against Lord Haurchefant. The man jumped away, as Mjnt went to protect the Lord from the other knights drawing in.
He lifted his right arm up in the air as he bellowed. “Deal with this scum!”
A piercing cry caught their ears, as more rallied into the field. Except they brought with them a wyvern. Lord Haurchefant regrouped to Azlyn, standing at the point while Mjnt joined them on the other side. They went back to back as they fought off the knights.
“A wyvern!? But there were no reports of Dravanian activity!” Lord Haurchefant yelled over the roar.
Azlyn bit her lip, deciding it would be best to summon her bow and arrows. Her Ifrit-Egi disappeared from her side, as she summoned her bow. Notching several arrows, she fired them one after the other at the Wyvern. “Lord Haurchefant, I request you take care of the knights! Mjnt and I shall contend with the wyvern!”
Mjnt jumped once more, easily spearing the wyvern in the back with her lance. The creature yelped in pain, as it thumped it’s wings haphazardly. She continued to stab the creature until she was blown away. The wyvern roared in anger, about to blast Mjnt with a fireball when Azlyn shot several arrows into the open maw of the beast.
It shifted its head to the side, as blood started to fall in thick droplets.
Over the roar of battle, the inquisitor behind them came up with an even ludicrous story. “You would call upon your allies to save you!? At last, your treachery is laid bare!”
The Au Ra snapped her head back to the black haired Elezen. “Shut the hell up, you stupid idiot! These are your people bringing in this wyvern!”
Lord Haurchefant knocked out several knights—including the unmarked knight with no sigil to his shield. When the knight dropped to the ground, a draconian rosary had been shown wrapped around the wrist. Almost as if a connection had been severed, the wyvern screeched in pain and started to fly away. Mjnt went to follow after it, and Azlyn started to fire more of her arrows into the fleeing creature.
It got out of reach when it flew up the mountain, and westward.
Lord Haurchefant put away his sword as he approached the inquisitor. He spoke civilly, despite having taken down four men just a few moments prior. “It is not our intention to defy the will of the Archbishop. But this trial—like many others, I fear—has been orchestrated by enemies of House Hallienarte. They have used you and your fellows to sow discord. Inquisitor—to set brother against brother, that we may tear ourselves apart.”
“The fevered imaginings of a desperate man. What proof have you of this?” He argued.
Azlyn flared in anger, catching the end of their discussion. She trudged through the snow to them,but before she could interrupt Mjnt caught her arm. “Leave this to Lord Haurchefant.”
“…alright.” She was an outsider to their customs. It wasn’t her right to interfere—even if she thought this was wrong.
“Direct your attention to the knight who failed to yield. Wrapped around his wrist, as plain as day, is a draconian rosary. One in which he used to summon the wyvern!”
The Inquisitor looked to the unconscious knight before he widened his black eyes. “What!?”
Azlyn couldn’t tell if this was some play that she was seeing or not at this point. Something told her that the inquisitor was behind this who thing—but without evidence there would be no way to prove it. The best they could do would be to save the Lord of House Hallienarte from the fate he was being condemned to.
“…A heretic in the ranks of the Temple Knights. This has grave implications.” The inquisitor finally acquiesced. “Your claim—would appear to have merit, Lord Haurchefant. I shall withdraw my charges against Lord Francel, pending further investigation.” He was reluctant to admit it, but it appeared that Lord Francel was saved for a time.
Azlyn drew a long sigh of relief, but not before the inquisitor turned to her.
He stared at her hidden under her robe and hood. With the slightest hint of a threat in his voice, he called out to her. “I trust you have not lost sight of that which first brought you to Coerthas. Pray, locate your errant airship…and use it.”
The girl narrowed her eyes at that open threat. “Good day to you inquisitor.” She reluctantly called to him, to which he silently left.
Lord Francel, as well as his men, ran over to Lord Haurcefant.
“Lord Haurchefant, I have not the words to express my gratitude. But why would you risk your reputation to save mine?”
The man with pale blue eyes and blue hair smiled. “Because I know you, boy. You’re too loyal to betray Ishgard, and too devout to question your sentence. Had we been any slower, you’d have jumped of your own free will.”
The young Lord looked down. “I—I would have done whatever it took to redeem House Hallienarte.”
Azlyn and Mjnt watched as Lord Haurchefant stepped up to him, patting him on the shoulders with a warm smile. “Praise Halone it did not come to that. But it profits us little to dwell on what might have been.” Lord Francel nodded, finally giving the Lord a smile.
Haurchefant turned to the two of them then, as he nodded his appreciation. “Alphinaud will be worried if we do not return soon. Pray, let us quit this place.”
The group agreed that leaving this place would be in all their interests. They hoped that another wyvern wouldn’t show itself as they traveled the snowy plains back to Camp Dragonhead.
“May I say what a pleasure it was to fight alongside such fearless and skillful warriors? Mjnt is one of our finest knights—but Azlyn your skill in tactfully changing from arcana to ranged martial arts is quite extraordinary!” Lord Haurchefant friendly bantered to them on their way.
“I’m sorry there wasn’t more I could do.”
Mjnt chuckled. “My Lord is as excellent with his words as he is his sword. They do not call him Lord Haurchefant of the Silver Fuller for nothing.”
Haurchefant grinned. “A title is all that it stands—I am but a man who serves his country and men to the best of my capabilities.”
“You’re quite modest Lord Haurchefant.” Azlyn smiled up to him. “Thank you.”
He shook his head. “Were it not for you and Mjnt’s presence, Lord Francel would surely have died defending the honor of his house—and I might well have perished at the hands of a heretic and his wyvern.”
Mjnt shook her head. “It would never come to that my Lord.”
Lord Haurchefant smiled to her. “My heart is warmed by your reassurance Mjnt. Azlyn, House Fortemps and House Hallienarte shall never forget your service. Isn’t that right Lord Francel?”
The young lordling nodded his head enthusiastically. “Yes! We shall not forget this deed!”
Azlyn smiled back to them all. “It’s alright—if you can help us with locating the Enterprise, I think we can consider ourselves even.”
Lord Haurchefant chuckled. “Most excellent. Without further ado, we shall return to the matter of your missing airship!”
