Old Memories and Ancient Grudges.

Legacy slowed the carriage as they neared the city. Yasac lifted his wet hood to see a bright city before them. Scarlet then opened the carriage door; rain water fell off the door and onto the ground as it had rained almost all day. Scarlet then grasped the top of the carriage and swung herself on top behind Legacy. Scarlet stood up and stared at the city shining in the night. It had been a whole day since their flight from Southern France. They all had gone without food and were famished. Jane was fast asleep on Ayafre's shoulder in the carriage. Revloc slept on Chives horse. Which was an amazement in and of its self as Chives never seemed to quit in his complaints of Revloc's slumbering on Chives back.

"Well my dearys, Bienvenue Paris La Ville-lumière." Scarlet announced.

"City of Light" Yasac murmured in translation

"I know people here that will know who and where those ship thieves are." Scarlet continued

The carriage and two horses passed through the city gates into a city still busy after nightfall. The group parked their mounts at the nearest tavern and dismounted. Jane yawns as she slowly is helped out of the carriage by Ayafre. While Chives pushed Revloc off his horse and onto the street. The crew entered a bright and noisy tavern. Revloc is almost immediately awake at the scent of various foods and...perfumes.

"Oh nice! Tell me we still have money Captain!" Revloc said excitedly.

Scarlet rolled her eyes and announces to the whole crew.

"Ayafre found us a nice sack of gold in those stables we all each get a share for the night. We will all be staying here tonight but you're free to run around the town if you like, I am going to visit some friends who can help us but I only want Chives to come, Understood?" Without waiting for an answer Scarlet continued "Ok Ayafre distributes the booty and we will all meet in this pub by late mornin aye?"

The crew all speak in unison "Aye!"

Scarlet pointed Chives to the horse.

"It's a bit far mate and I can't ride no horse," Scarlet hinted to Chives.

Chives nodded and hopped on a horse. He lifted Scarlet up behind him. Chives gave the horse a good kick and trotted away down the street. Ayafre began to give out the money. Revloc quickly seized his share and bounded off to the bar and almost immediately began conversation with the lady bartender.

"Well I'm going to bed, come on Jane," Sally said poked the sleepy eyed Jane in the belly, who moaned and followed her to the innkeeper.

Legacy, Yasac and Ayafre were left in the doorway.

Yasac stared around the tavern dreamily as he did not have much of a liking of large noisy crowds. Ayafre tugged on Legacy's arm.

"Come on Legacy let's get some food." She said cheerily.

Yasac Ayafre and Legacy all sat down at a booth and look around for a waitress to take their order of food. Ayafre spied Revloc who instead of at the bar was flirting with a pair of waitresses. Ayafre raised her eyebrow and picked up a small tea cup. Ayafre threw the cup at Revloc. The cup broke on Revloc's head, who fell to the ground. The two waitresses both laughed and went back to serving their customers. A waitress then attended the three at the booth and they order some roast chicken.

            "Mmm I guess the one good thing about not having the ship is I don't have to cook." Ayafre stated

Yasac and Legacy nodded quietly.

            "Fine stay quiet ya pair a pigs!" Ayafre shouted

            "Eh, Oh sorry heh were you expecting conversation." Legacy immediately responded

            "Well not from Yasac over there I guess."

            "I shall attempt to amuse you if you would like."

            "Sure, so what your story arena man?" Ayafre inquired with a giggle.

            "Mmm that's a long subject but I said I would amuse you. Well I come from a remote village in Siberia. Some might call it a pagan tribe we were only a simple people. We followed a strict code of pacifism never allowed to wield any weapon of any kind. Ironically the village's most valued relic was a weapon; our priests had been charged with its protection years ago. It was the village's sworn duty to defend the relic. And so every child was taught how to defend it without raising arms. We trained our bodies to feel no pain and to withstand mighty blows. We were taught how to shape the earth with our bare hands to defend ourselves. Other villages and raiders feared us because of our alleged invincibly. But other than that we were peaceful herders. I was only a boy when it happened; strange men black cloth and black veils attacked our village. Our strength was nothing compared to the sharpness of their swords." Yasac immediately sat up at hearing this. "They were inhuman, we had no chance the normal bandits who would sometimes attack rarely had blades and the clubs and maces could never harm us. But those wraiths slaughter everything breathing. The last remaining gathered in the temple with the enemy trying to break through the large wooden doors. It was terrible even though we were being slaughtered the priests told us we must not fight back. I pleaded with the priests to use the weapon but they tossed me aside like I had betrayed them. Soon the black clothed ones broke through and killed the last of the villagers. I was the last I had hid behind the alter that held the weapon. But the invaders approached the weapon, it was the weapon they had sought the whole time, it was utterly horrid, we had died for something that we would never use even in the most desperate of times. And so I boldly took up the Zanbatou upon the alter and killed several of the black clothed wraiths but even with the weapon they were formidable so I escaped with the weapon. I had broken my vows to the village, and I fled far away from Siberia. Soon I could not help but seek vengeance upon whoever those men were. I traveled the world seeking them out. I eventually learned that such creatures sometimes seen at underground arena events. And with the Zanbatou I entered the arena as a combatant in search of those creatures, and eventually became champion. I was last in England because I heard their arenas had sported those dark creatures. And here I am now.

            "Wow quite a tale, is that why you call yourself Legacy?" Ayafre asked amazed.

Legacy nodded slowly.

            "Not really much of a legacy to your people though, entering the arena where every event is a death match. You are also seeking revenge, if you were truly a legacy wouldn't it be the opposite?" Yasac accused

            "Yasac!" Ayafre shouted

            "I only kill when it is necessary to my vengeance. I uphold the teachings of my people. So everyone will know their legacy." Legacy retorted.

            "You're pathetic; you hide behind your vengeance because you know you already have broken your village's teachings."

            "You be silent! I don't know you well but I can tell you now. You don't know anything of the pain and sorrow I felt, you don't know what it's like to lose everything you ever knew!"

Yasac drew back with an all knowing scowl. Yasac then removed himself from the booth as the roast chicken is delivered to the table.

            "Huh so that's how I get him not to hop all over food," Ayafre said angrily. "I'm sorry about him, he is quite uncouth. I think your ideals, and want to keep them alive are wonderful."

            "Thank you, but I think I'm the one who should be apologizing to Mr. Yasac. I think we have more in common then I had first expected." Legacy said softly.

Ayafre raised her eyebrow unsure what he meant. The two ate their foot, chatting with each other, as Yasac slumped at the bar deep in thought. Revloc was talking it up with one of the female patrons while ordering drinks nearly by the flagon; however it seemed Revloc was doing most of the drinking. Revloc then held up his finger at one of the lady's questions, as he digs in his pocket. Revloc smiled as he attempted to explain his lack of funds. The lady quickly dismissed him and left the tavern. Revloc soon stumbled over to Ayafre's booth.

"Hey! Guys! Listen Ayafre you dun look like...you usshed much of your money could ya help a friend out? I seem to have gone a little low." Revloc said slowly.

Ayafre sighed at her interruption of conversation with the Legacy.

"Revloc I think you have had enough, now please excuse me we were in the middle of conversation." Ayafre said appalled at Revloc's interruptions.

            "Heh when did you get all proper? Fallin for the knight in armor aye?" Revloc said with a smirk and then rushed over to Yasac at the bar before an infuriated Ayafre could answer.

 Yasac glanced at Revloc who plopped down beside him and sighed.

"Alright I'll buy ya a few." Yasac said in defeat.

 "A rum for me and...a bottle of wine for my friend,"

Yasac glanced at Revloc teetering on his stool and then taps the barmaid on the shoulder and whispered into her ear.

"Make it just plain grape juice actually."

The maid smiled and then snorted in quiet laugher.

"So Yasac what ya think of this...line of work?" Revloc asked.

"Huh?"

"Oh you know, this...uh mercenary stuff, Spanish to pirates I mean that's your job right?"

The barmaid plopped the drinks down in front of the pair and turns to the rest of the customers. Revloc sniffs his bottle and shakes his head. Revloc playfully hit Yasac in the shoulder as he stole Yasac's rum and slides the bottle in front of Yasac in a trade.

"Ya I guess that's what one would call it. Not the best job in the world, I mean I don't think I've really been paid for this one yet and I think I've nearly died enough times on that blasted Mañana to be worth something."

"Well you do tend to piss of the captain now and then."

"True but you're looking at the glass the wrong way,"

            "I don't get it Yasac."

            "You should be looking at how many people I haven't pissed off."

            "Oh! Who would that be? Me? Sally maybe, but I don't think Jane cared for either of us from the start. Ha, in speaking of that did you ever think that you're the cause of all the troubles on this boat?"

            "What do you mean? I was the one that gave it to Scarlet."

            "Well yeah but the Caribbean troubles, Jortunde's betrayal and now this missing ship, it can't just be all bad luck on Scarlet's part."

            "I dunno Revloc, what are you trying to say?" Yasac said suddenly getting sterner.

            "Nothing just sayin."

            "Right..." Yasac said looking away from the bar.

"You know that whole time back in the day of you being captain. You me...your cousins were trying to fight the Yakuza but you were still searching weren't you. You really think you'll ever see Acharis again, is that what you really still think now?" Revloc asked.

Yasac froze and almost mechanically drank his bottle.

"Obviously not because if you remember right we all were looking for a way to undermine my dear brother. Just shut up Revloc you're drunk and your stink horribly."

Yasac firmly placed his bottle back onto the bar and got up from his stool.

"I'm going for a walk." Yasac said quietly.

Revloc looked at the ground seeing his failure of word choice.

"Yasac I didn't mean..." Revloc started but Yasac had already gone out the door.

Meanwhile Scarlet and Chives arrive at a dark beaten old house. Scarlet hops off with a smile on her face despite the obvious dreariness of the area. Scarlet kicked the door in and revealed a windowless fire lit room filled with rough and shady looking types. Chives entered in behind her as Scarlet placed her hands on her hips.

"I'm back!" Scarlet shouted with a bright smile.

The crowd in the room all turn their heads and recognize Scarlet. A group in the corner of the little pub cheer Scarlet's name and beckon her over. Scarlet and Chives take a seat in the corner with the little group. The group involved a scrawny man with crooked and dirty teeth, an old man who has seen his days of seas, an old woman who clung to the old man and a few other pirates who were hanging around.

The old man smiled and spoke up over the cheers of the group "Now it's good to see you my Scarlet rose how did your little adventure go?"

"Oh swimmingly papa I'm actually not finished yet, its very fun! I should have some money for you all when I return again." Scarlet says warmly

"Oh we never cared if you brought us money deary it's just nice to see you again, in fact we weren't sure you would have time to visit us." The old woman spoke softly.

"Well...I actually came because I need some help. I was able to get a ship...but I lost it" Scarlet says with some embarrassment. "So Smoky you think you can help me find her?" The man with horrid looking teeth smiles and replies

"Anything for family what can I do for you Scarlet?"

"Well my ship the Mañana  was hijacked by some brit mercs around Sardinia. Any idea where those damn brits may be?" Scarlet explained.

Smoky stroked his dirty fuzzy chin in deep thought.

"Ya know what! You're in luck girl, I know just the guy who would know, now excuse me I'll get right on that." Smoky exclaimed in a raspy voice.

Smoky slid out of the booth and jogs upstairs.

"Oh Scarlet your sister left some things behind for you when she left to marry that one handsome boy the son of that merchant, you know that one that would visit you kids to play oh that was such a long time ago oh my." Scarlet's mother said warmly remembering her young daughter.

"I missed her wedding?! Aww maybe I'll get to visit her later I'll go see to that box" Scarlet left Chives with the group and headed into a backroom filled with crates. Scarlet easily found her sister's chest and opens it up and starts rummaging through it.

Suddenly Smoky bursted into the room

"Rosy I already found em!" Smoky exclaimed

Scarlet got up almost immediately Scarlet nodded and picked up the chest. She followed Smoky to a table in the middle of the pub.

"Ok listen up Scarlet! Your ship was stolen the dread pirate Captain White of the Queens-marrow. She works mainly for England she's known to be ruthless and crazy. Last my informants have heard is she was sailing with two ships threw the Strait of Gibraltar. However her second ship gave her trouble as apparently it has a bad reputation with the Spanish in that area, sound familiar? Anyway White should be in England in two days or so. There's a barge that connects France and England's trading, that should take you right to London, where I'm pretty sure White is going to be heading."

Smoky handed

 Scarlet a map "You should get going it's about a day and a half of traveling to that barge if you want to catch White with your ship you better move quickly."

Scarlet smiled knowing that her beloved ship will be back in her hands soon.

"Thanks Uncle. Well I wish you all well family! I have a ship to get back Tootleoo" Scarlet removed her hat and gave a bow before leaving.

"You're family seem to be doing well," Chives said.

"Well yes, but I'm not going to let them rot in an old Paris alley way for the rest of their lives.

"I'll follow where you lead captain," Chives said as he picked her up onto the horse.

"I know Chives, thank you. Now let's get back and find my ship."

The night was cool as Yasac walked aimlessly about the streets of Paris. He had quickly forgotten his anger at Revloc but the words still haunted him. Yasac stops all the sudden and looked at his feet. Yasac then lifted his head and looks up at the sky.

"Too many lights in this city can't even see the stars." Yasac said to himself. "How far have I walked anyway?"

 "Will I ever see her again? Hmm I need some food getting flustered over that thing at the bar probably was a bad idea after all. Must be getting late I suppose I better return."

Yasac turned around and began to walk back to the tavern. As Yasac walked along he heard soft footsteps behind him. Yasac quickened his pace and listened as the footsteps quickened. Yasac suddenly stopped just before a streetlamp. The footsteps then turned to running. Yasac spun around and franticly with his left hand he lifted his cutlass just barely five inches out of its sheath, just in time to block a sword slicing at his belly. The very force of the attack pushed Yasac backwards all the way to into the streetlamp pole. The enemy then released the pressure of his sword and jumped backwards before being revealed in light of the streetlamp.

"Yasac, Yasac my my. You can't keep running forever Yasac." Said a voice from the darkness. "We will find her and then you WILL come to us."

Yasac gritted his teeth and growled. Yasac leapt at the darkness and swung his cutlass down. Sparks lit up the air just for a moment as Yasac's blade connected with another blade. The unknown opponent pushed Yasac back to his spot under the streetlight and walked into the light. A man dressed in black with black hood and veil stood before Yasac with a sword similar to Yasac' katana but much smaller and less curved.

            "I see your skills have decayed over all this time." The man said with a devious chuckle.

Yasac looked at his cutlass in horror to see it had a huge crack in it.

            "How unfortunate, in your prime you would have killed me about five minutes ago.  However, I was not sent to kill you. In fact it was really to my surprise to find that you were helping that Legacy fool. But Yessek did tell us that if we ever found you to give you this message."

Yasac stood unmoved sword still on guard.

"I'm listening messenger but you know what they say about the bearer of bad news" Yasac growled threateningly.

"Straight to the point I see, well my message to you is that Yessek wishes to invite you to join him once again. Much has passed and I suppose you know about the current situation in the east. We have so much power but no focus for it. Yessek believes he would be much more efficient with you at his side. Obviously all pursuits of important individuals would end if you did so.

"I would die before I would serve anyone of you." Yasac said without hesitation.

"Well that is our policy you know, and you know who will be at stake. You all will die eventually; do you know how easy it was for me to find you? It only takes a well placed dart, a keen arrow, a slight fall. You're getting sloppy covering your tracks. You're just lucky Yessek would rather to fight you himself, but I think I would enjoy hunting the other one, Yessek has no care of how she one dies, I remember her well. I will eagerly listen to her screams as my blade strikes rii..."

Yasac dropped his blade and roared. Suddenly all in one lightning fast instant motion, Yasac reaches over his shoulder under his cloak, unsheathed his katana and lunged at the man. Yasac sliced right threw the man's blade snapping it, and continued his swing right to the man's neck.

The body and head fall to the ground. Yasac whiped his blade in the air shooting blood droplets from it. He then wiped his katana with a cloth at his belt. Yasac slid his elegant katana back into its sheath on his back and picked up his dropped cutlass. Yasac stared at his cutlass for a long time, looking at his reflection in the horribly cracked blade. Yasac ever so gently touched the blade, and it cracked into pieces. Yasac sighed and dropped the hilt, wincing at the clang it made when it hit the ground. Yasac then removed the cutlass sheath and dropped it on the ground as well.

"It would seem I won't be able to stay with them much longer, less they incure the wrath of my past mistakes" Yasac took his sheathed katana from under his cloak and placed it at his left hip where his cutlass had been. Yasac continued his walk back to the tavern.

On his way back Yasac spotted movement in a dark alley. The movement continued until a crash was heard and the movement stopped.

"Curse you winky!" a voice said.

"I recognize that curse" Yasac thought to himself.

Yasac strolled over into the dark alley.

"Who's Winky?" Yasac asked.

"He's invisible, blind, parrot, mind your own business creep," Said a young voice. Suddenly Yasac jumps forward and tackles the unknown person. The person struggled and whined as Yasac wrestled him until Yasac found his head. Yasac put the man in a chokehold and brought him to his feet. Yasac while squeezing hard, marched the man under a street lamp. He was not a man at all he was only a seventeen year old boy.

The boy had short blond hair and a young round face. He was fairly muscular but clumsy. He wore torn white pants with muddy worn brown boots, along with a black tunic and leather vest. He had simple cutlass and two pistols at his belt.

"I thought I told you to stay in Nassau," Yasac rebuked playfully while holding the boy's head in the lock. The boy chokes and Yasac loosened his grip to let him speak.

"Ok ok I'm sorry, gosh I saw Ettan ok?"

Yasac immediately lets go.

"So what Ettan got to do with this? Eh Tradon?" Yasac inquired.

The boy rolled his neck and smirked.

"Well you see about a month ago I spotted our cousin in good ole New Province searching for you. Naturally I told him you were in Europe. He tells me he followed you over to the Caribbean but lost you in a storm. He then gave me a letter to give to you and told me to go to Europe to find you while he looks in the Americas for you. Sooo I go to Europe cause Ettan said it was pretty important. I make it to London, and that's when the weird stuff started happening,"

"Weird stuff?" Yasac questioned.

"Yasac...I spotted the Umbra. There was three of em talking to some female pirate captain or something. When I heard your name spoken, I got closer to hear. They said something about a deal apparently the captain agreed. They said something about an ambush. One of the Umbra soldiers went with the Captain the other two went into France, something about a key. So I followed the French bound ones. It was a long haul but I managed to secretly follow them until they found you helping that knight. Apparently after that, they kept their distance following you and your crew. They followed you into Paris and that's when they figured out I was following them so I've been spending the whole day trying to keep hidden from them. Ever since nightfall I've been trying to find you." Tradon explained.

Yasac pondered this for a while, his eyebrows knitting and unknitting. 

"Well you don't have to worry about one of em anymore...But the other one...You better come with me just in case." Yasac said.

"Really?" Tradon said surprised.

Yasac sighed "Well, apparently you're kind of useful at the moment so you're better off living." Yasac said not trying to sound to emotional.

Tradon chuckled. "Oh I almost forgot. This letter it's from Kanarf. He says he wants to try to get into...well ambitious for the impossible just like you. He wants to get into The Vault of Totus Animaderto, for information on the Yakuza." Tradon grabbed the letter out of his pocket and handed it to Yasac. Yasac turned it over and sees Kanarf's already opened seal which was the rune . Suddenly Yasac slaps Tradon on the forehead.

"You read my mail!" Yasac shouted.

"Ow! Geez sorry!" Tradon said rubbing his forehead.

Yasac sighed "Let's go, stupid."

Tradon then followed Yasac to the tavern.

Yasac and Tradon returned to the Tavern just as Scarlet and Chives arrive.

"Ahh Yasac you're just in time..." Scarlet paused as she noticed Tradon. "Hello there, friend of Yasac are you?" Scarlet asked politely.

"Tradon, pleased to meet you milady, I'm actually Yasac's cousin." Tradon said as he bows with as much charm as possible. Scarlet quivers at the esteemed greeting. Chives eyed Tradon carefully as Scarlet dismounts but still unsure how to return Tradon's respectful greeting.  Yasac then spoke

"He's managed to get himself into some trouble like always, I hope you don't mind if he tags along with us."

"Why of course as long as he can work, you know how strapped for crew members we are," Scarlet answered.

"Seriously! I can be in your crew!" Tradon exclaimed. Scarlet proudly smiled and nodded.

"So where's your ship!" Tradon asked.

Scarlet choked and the smile from Scarlet's face immediately falling off.

"Ugh he is related to you isn't he Yasac," Scarlet said while recalling her first meeting with Yasac.

Yasac merely smiled.

"Well Tradon, you and Yasac should get some rest we are leaving first thing at dawn I'll explain on the way to the barge. We know exactly where the Manana is going to be found." Scarlet explains proudly

"Does she normally misplace her ships?" Tradon whispered to Yasac.

"Only sometimes."

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Keyword: Yasac Sword Legend

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