"heh met him on my travels years ago strong fighter I'll tell ya what, made me work in the ring but still never beat him haha.",
"you, you knew my old man? But of course, he was a great fighter, it was his passion. He taught me to fight after all haha, so you knew him pre your awakening? I'd guess anyway",
"what no I awakened days after the transformation iv been honing my skills for century's but this was what uh 100 years post-transformation ha, your old man was one of the strongest desolate I ever fought alongside of, before he joined the war effort he was with me for a couple of months of travel. We took on a couple raids looting some of the rich and powerful who were abusing their new powers for evil, for as rocky as he was that geezer had some soft spots that's for sure.
Isaac takes a long moment absorbing all of this, Yvil has a subtle surprised look on his face but he turns away to face the lake. Isaac looks up to lance, "you call him geezer and old how much older was he than you? I knew he was there for the transformation but he told me he was only in his 40s when he became a gargoyle? And when he died in battle he was 521 about half a gargoyles lifespan.
Lance smirks "no no we were similar aged but he always acted old, he was so damn wise, if I could be honest to you boys? I'd almost call him an impromptu father for those years I knew him. He just knew what to say and how to do it all. I was caught up in battle last night and didn't have time to slow and ask ya, which by the way I am sorry for but I returned your arm while you slept, and cured your friends here ailments,"
Yvil feels around his eyes and speaks "what was that anyway, that magic. It was very strong, we stood no chance"
Lance taps his bicep and giggles "well thank ya kindly I'd say 500 years of honing these powers certainly helped haha, but my powers are focused on the body, and the darkness that lie within it, I'm not too happy with what I got, I'm better at despair and hopelessness, and considering my personality is in opposition of such I feel a little cheated but I would be lying if I didn't think they saved my life countless times. Let's see I manipulate your bones like they are flower stems, I can uh heal rapidly from slicing attacks, a little slower to bludgeoning, broken bones heal slower for me, uh shit sorry for that one I pulled on you Isaac I call that a ghouls eye, I essentially called on your weaknesses and amplified them to an extreme degree, no one ever truly kills them self but they are certainly taken out of combat briefly. For my last two, one. I can force an ailment on you such as blindness or deafness with my touch, and I can enter a pocket dimension which I create by stepping through dark areas and I can reappear in a dark area connected to the previous point. Impressed? Haha"
Isaac feels he wants to be impressed but replies with a plain tone, "sorry I do, but you see I just don't see my powers in a good way, I mean so far all they've done for me is hurt a bunch of standbys, I at least don't like using em, after all I can't fight in the ring anymore, my dreams have been crushed by this damn awakening. I heard u say my old man was a desolate, to, and well look where it led him, I'd still have my father if he never fought in the war. I just don't see my powers as anything good for yet."
Yvil nods and speaks "yes the first thing I agree with, these powers seem undeserved, a sick joke even, do you know what they are, Vellemy believes us to be drops of a great beasts power, a connection of some sort."
Lance raises an eyebrow " first, your powers may seem accursed but there gift in the right moments, what if you both truly planned to slaughter everyone here? Luckily I have my strength, it may have caused grief in my past but it's saved more lives than it's taken, for what I know about the powers well, they say the Lich Queen understands the desolate, her chronomancy bullshit allowed her to discover it but I'm not sure, but I can see some truth in what Vellemy has said, us desolate may be strong but we are pebbles in the giants shadow. Iv heard tales and rumours that this reality ain't even the first since the start of the transformed era, they messed up in a battle a while ago and reset time or something. But it is just rumour, still id totally believe that a great beast possesses such strength." Lance walks past the boys before turning and pulling a trinket from his pocket, "now I want y'all to stick together, a battle is coming I can feel it, whether you stay or leave it's in your best interests to fight alongside each other being thrown in the same boat, Isaac, take this here relic" the object looks like small black orb, "it's a sort of compass It senses a beasts intent, a gift given to me by your father Isaac, it glows with a colour that corresponds to emotion, whilst holding this as a person speaks to you, it gives you general alert of hidden intent, used it on you to be frank, but it does not tell you the truth but rather guides you to it. I want you to use it next time ya talk to Vellemy, maybe that'll speed your decision up, when or if you leave, then... come find me in stone grove. I'll be waiting to train you boys and your powers." Lance walks away and begins rounding everyone up, they all begin packing tents away and gathering belongings.
The boys walk home, Yvil surprisingly keeping back with Isaac until he speaks.
"Isaac?"
"Yea man?"
"What did you uh, take from all that, I myself, well… I think that we don't confront Vellemy, I think we inform him of their disappearance, I don't care what your plans are but depending on what your little gadget says will determine my course of actions, I want to trust in our king, I want to believe this was all a grave misunderstanding. But personally Isaac, I'm…" Isaac sees yvil is having some trouble speaking his heart, Isaac too feels some contention, it's strange to touch bases with someone he not long ago felt severe bloodlust toward, a severe high he's still recovering from. "I'm worried even if that device senses that he truly was not aware of the refugees then what does that mean, we continue to kill other people? guilty or not I'm not a murderer, I think you can agree isaac we fight for our own reasons but murder is not one, I'd hope that it is not of you to kill either.
Isaac stops walking and Yvil turns to look at him. "Yvil I haven't got much left for me here in Graygard, but I have my friends, you said something about your family, you said you had unfinished business, I think... we must make a decision now, I have no place in my heart for the regret that will look over me in old age, I do not plan on a life of wishing for change, I must be my change before it is wished for. Lance.. he told us to stick together, I think we cut ties to this city we meet together in two days, with everything we need for a journey and I say we take Lance up on his offer!, or just leave, either way what do you say?"
Yvil flabbergasted stands toward Isaac, he faces the wind, his feathers ruffling quickly. He stands for a moment before reaching up his hand (predator handshake style). Isaac smiles with great honour.
Yvil stands back, "Isaac I hope you know this is simply business, I had plans to journey south, make my name in bandits cove fighting someday. I hope you understand… not to be rude. But im using you essentially.
Isaac with a surge of adrenaline, sorrow, happiness and depression, he simply nods and turns away, inside he aggressively is trying to tame these foreign feelings, they battle equally sided on terms of good and bad. The final result is a war of fear and courage.
The boys walk straight to Vellemys grand castle. They approach his throne room. standing at the precipice of this daunting cave they step inside. Seated in the centre as always is vellemy, his attire slightly lighter. As they approach he gestures for both to be seated. "I presume you handled the mission accordingly boys?"
Yvil responds first. "Yes my sire, the camp has disappeared at your command of course."
"Good, good hahaha. I must commend you both, soldiers like you have a spot in my heart, I would not expect the newly enlisted to rid my land of refugees so easily"
Isaacs heart skips a beat and responds hastily "uh your majesty you said they were spies if I recall"
"Hm oh did I haha, yes I'm mistaken, they are spies. if I may beg for forgiveness you are right.
The relic pulses, Isaac reaches for it keeping his hand hidden.
"now my, In terms of reward it will be in due time for you receive so, but for now I have other important matters, in four days I have gotten word of a coup in the town of Easeldot, it homes our spies that we send into Croixmont it is of utmost importance you, some of my most trusted soldiers must tend to, in 2 days make your way there, remain for 1 day and report back with all you discover.
Isaacs pocket buzzes furiously, something is definitely misguided in what he is saying. But he knows not what it is.
"You are both dismissed, oh and may I remind you, we had forgotten last time, but it is important to keep you desolate status under wraps, I hope you have not blabbed to often. I think having a form of fallacy in our operations is important so I'd ask at least from now on to not speak of it to anyone. Goodbye"
As Isaac stands to leave sunlight glimmers off Vellemys crown and he spots something peculiar, the gems in his crown have changed order, now, ruby, topaz, sapphire emerald then diamond. The sapphire and Diamond had swapped, but Isaac is sure this the same crown, the king must of arranged his jewels, he softly shrugs and bids goodbye to Vellemy with Yvil.
They walk far from the castle before speaking.
Yvils voice cracks and he collects himself and speaks "So did it catch anything?"
"Yea well the relic, there wasn't a moment it wasn't going off if I'm honest, I don't think a single thing he said had any truth to it, it scares me honestly but I guess it is only expected."
"Well I definitely expected a reaction when he had slipped and mentioned refugees but the whole time? This is worse than I had thought. But I believe we are in luck despite all of this, he has given us task to leave graygard!" Yvil walks away excitedly and turns to Isaac. "It's the choice lance mentioned, surely it is fate?" Yvil stcratches at his head "Or is it merely to coincidental, a trap even?'
"Hm I think your right but I suppose there could be a possibility he has something awaiting us in Easeldot, he surely knows not of our plan to leave?." Isaac attempts a brave tone but even he knows it's a weak facade.
"Hopefully, well like we agreed cut those loose ends do what you gotta do, we'll set out early morning in 2 days. Cya then Isaac.".
Yvil takes to the air, he seems in a hurry, "and let me know if anything arises, this plan of ours is already of brittle nature."
Isaac nods "Yvil wait a moment!" Yvil stops and turns. "my father told me once, 'the crop your cut from is never the crop you die with.' I think we should live by that for a while!" yvil smiles and puts a thumb up before Both boys turn and go their ways.
'Knock knock knock' isaac awaits at Z's door, "damn where is this kid, fuck! 'What am I expecting last couple years he's been like this, wish I asked him what was up to though wasn't really concerned til now, some days I won't see him some I do' guess I'll go see synth, she might be busy but I'm worried."
Isaac jogs his way to the fields of Graygard, warm sun beats down as he wades deep into the tall grass to the west, until he arrives at a pond, surrounding it is 10 or 20 Flowans all similar looking to Synth basking in the sun, Isaac calls to them "have any of you seen synthia?"
A tall female Flowan stands, her petals glistening from the pond water she had just been wading in, "synth has been by the ocean, we believe anyway, she arrived one day before she set foot in direction of the coastline. I'd say two days ago"
Isaac thanks her and takes off toward the coast. ,That cold ocean breeze, I don't understand she hates wind? She hates salt water, what's she thinking, Isaac feels a knot in his heart as he worry's for her. Salty air fills his nostrils and sand fills the gaps of his feet, he walks about the beach line for an hour before catching site of a fall flowan sitting amongst some grass on sand line, but as he approaches the knot of his heart grows tighter until finally he stands over this women. Synthia werthen, her petals wilted and her body dry. She stared plainly into the horizon but as Isaac shadow encroaches her she looks to him and a brief moment is had before tears well up in her eyes and begins to speak
"Hey... Isaac I thought you'd find me eventually."
Isaac reaches to hold her, she accepts but remains to hold the cold demeanour as tears continue to clind down her cheek. "Synth what happened I, I've been gone a couple days?"
"Isaac that day you fought, I did as they say, I strayed to close to the sun and I… burned" she raises a hand and it's visibly charred she attempts to laughed but quickly breaks, and her weeps become a sorrowful cry.
She continues to try speak "dont, do not blame yourself Isaac I really should have known not stick so close, Z disappeared that day and I couldn't face my sisters like this. But you were fighting for something...something I too felt so involved with, those things he said about your father I too felt those words, they... cut so deeply." she is hard to understand but Isaac is fixed on her as guilt finally pulls the knot to tightly and he to feels tears wet his stony skin.
"Synth I... I can't fix this can I?"
"Give me a couple months maybe the colour will return, I'll need a lot of time to heal, I may yet recover but I can't feel the suns warmth as I did before. I feel...sick."
Isaac has a moment he never expected to share with her, nor one he ever wanted.
They stand together and Isaac holds her head close and speaks "im leaving Graygard, I can not tell you why yet but I have to make this up to you, if I leave I won't get that chance, I was planning on asking this regardless, will you leave with me, I've been looking for Z too, I want both of you to leave with me. There's no life for me here all that remains are you guys."
Synthia wipes her face "isaac? Of course, we're your guys you know it. I may have had a strange rivalry with you for so long but...now? me and Z, we see a nice future in staying friends with you. Either way my race are big on migration anyway I'll follow the heat of the sun, and Isaac I'll tell ya now you can get pretty fuckin warm you asshole." she attempts a laugh but her sobs spike between breaths
"Isaac?, you remember when we were little, you and Z came down to the pond and Z shifted to look like a hot flowan, an he started to hit on me to make my damn sisters jealous, heh I knew that was your idea Isaac, couldn't handle to see me bullied by older sisters could ya? Z told me later, he was… pretty embarrassed to do it but loved ya idea, I would of thanked you earlier but you were a dumb ass little shit most the time, couldn't bring myself to do it hm" synthia smiles warmly.
Isaacs heart mends a little. he continues to consolidate Synthia before she speaks "Z has been missing since that day, he made sure I was alright and just before he disappeared like Z does. He said something about helping you, and he was going to see an old friend in west Graygard, their name was Payden, I think. don't worry about me btw, I got something to do before I leave Graygard. So you say we're meeting in 2 days that morning? it's agreed."
"Thanks synth, I hope your right about him joining us, you guys… truly are fuckin spectacular." Isaac begins his jog back to the city, determined to find his friend. His brother even.
Author note
To me I hear leorio from hunter x hunter whenever Yvil speaks. There not so similar in personality but listen to when leorio is serious in the anime, it think it suits.