Heroes To The Challenge!

[Silence Sei]

(Note: This takes place after Facade Inc has been established)

Radasanth was a great place to visit, but an even better place to live. No person thought this truer than the 'Hero of Radasanth' himself, 'Silence' Sei Orlouge. The mystic had lived in Radasanth ever since he had moved out on his own, finding sanctuary in a tomb that was disguised in a cave that was in and of itself wrapped in a local park. How many memories did the mute have in this city? Oh there too many to count.

It was where Sei had discovered love, found out what a broken heart was like, and was the current location that the mute was raising his daughter. Sei and Anita had seen most of the civilized Althanas world by this time, what with being the interim leaders of Facade Incorporated. It was no wonder that the mute would be out today with his daughter, strolling the streets of Radasanth merrily.

Anita, however, was much more worried than anything else, "Papa, we don't have enough true warriors," she said nonchalantly. Sei looked to her with a blink, and as if the girl could read the youth's mind she continued "There's you, General Tulfried, and a few others who currently either have the potential to establish a name for themselves, or already have. We need to do something to allow more focus onto the company. We need something that will recruit more warriors."

Sei looked to her and nodded in agreement, proceeded by a shrug of the shoulders as if to say 'What're ya gonna do?' and continued on his merry way. However, after a few steps, Sei noticed that Anita was no longer with him, and the mute turned around to see his daughter starring at a poster. The mute walked over to Anita and looked at the poster barely hanging on the wall. It was an advertisement for the upcoming LCC, a tournament Sei had placed thiurd in last year.

"Papa, that's it!" Anita exclaimed, "If you can find Blinke again, we have a really good shot at winning this year!" Anita smiled brightly, much to the dismay of the mute. The telepath knew why this brought Anita into high spirits, and it was not because of the fact that entering the tourney would draw attention into the Facade.

Last year, as Sei tried to fend himself off in the semi-finals, his assailants kept attempting to strike at his daughter. Anita was no more than a severe liability for Sei back then, and now that she had gained some training with her sword, she thought she would be ready if something were to attack her during this LCC. Sei shook his head as he tried to predict what was running through that thirteen year old girl's head.

"Very well, Anita," Sei said, "But my partner shall not be Blinke. It shall be another person who needs to make a name for themself. It will kill two birds with one stone if I can find an up-and-coming hero to aide me in winning the LCC this year." Sei turned and walked away after saying that, Anita left in awe that Sei would attempt two years in a row to win a tournament with an unknown.

[Fen Rirbal]

Fen had never been to Radasanth before. His gaze was transfixed upwards towards the towering buildings that made up the famous city as he stood just outside the front gate. The youth had never seen anything like this before, and his felt his bottom lip part from his upper, his jaw dropping slightly. The rumors had to be true about a place like this. Heroes of all sorts surely called this great city their home.

An old man pulling a wooden cart passed him, before stopping to rest. As the elderly man took a cloth from his waist and patted his dripping forehead, he noticed Fen and spoke up with a wide grin. "What's the matter, boy? Ain't you ever been to Radasanth before? Hee hee." Fen could hardly break his gaze and he simply shook his head at the old man, who was probably a merchant. His cart was filled with all kinds of exotic items that were unknown to the bright-eyed youth.

"Heh hee, she's a great city. Ain't what she used to be though...or maybe she is! Ahhh...takes me back," the old man continued, before lifting his cart up again by its handles and making his way through the gate, which was guarded by two armored soldiers holding tall, sharp spears. Fen took one last glance upwards at the imposing structures before him and then followed the merchant into the city. His ears were filled with the hustle and bustle of the town's many inhabitants. The youth tried to keep his sight on the path before him, but he couldn't help but glance around frequently at the countless wonders he had never seen before. The smell of fresh-baked goods filled the air, and suddenly he was very interested in grabbing a bite to eat.

First things first though; he needed to ask around and get some leads on whereabouts of someone who could help him. He wanted help learning how to help others. His dream was still to become a knight in some foreign land, and serve the people, but he wasn't ready yet.

Children playing with a ball ran out in front of him, and Fen stopped and smiled. Everything seemed fine here...maybe all the heroes would have gone away? His first visit to Corone wouldv'e meant nothing, except for the sights.

"I suppose a break wouldn't hurt...there's so much to see and do here..." Fen thought to himself and glanced around at all the people in the marketplace. The slight noise his sandals made on the cobblestone streets was completely drowned out by bartering and haggling, and the jingling of gold pieces passing between customer and merchant.

A merchant in a brown cloak with piercing, ice blue eyes bumped into him, obviously on purpose to anyone else. To him though, it seemed entirely his own fault. "Oh, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" The naive Fen asked, sincerely worried.

"Aye! I'll be fine. Can I interest you in something though, stranger? Got some RARE things on sale," the merchant spoke in a raspy, menacing voice, opening his cloak to reveal all kinds of strange herbs and containers.

"Um, no...I'm not here to buy anything, and I don't have much on me..." Fen stated apologetically, backing away slightly.

"Ah, thats okay! It's all on sale; very cheap, stranger!" The merchant persisted. Fen backed up between two people by accident, dressed in strange, colorful garments that covered their entire form, save for their eyes. He used this opportunity to lose himself in the crowd and avoid the man from before.

"What an interesting place this is..." he thought, squeezing his way through a sea of people. If he didn't make it out of here soon, he'd die of suffocation. He finally pushed himself out into an open space, brushing his clothes off and looking around. He was in a darkened alleyway now. "Maybe it would be better to take the back streets..." Fen said to himself, under his breath.

"'Tis a bad choice, friend," a deep voice said from beside him. A very large man wielding an equally intimidating dagger stepped out from the shadows. He had a large grin on his ugly, unshaven mug that showed his crooked, rotting teeth. Fen raised a brow and backed away a little, feeling himself bump into another person.

"Ha ha, aye, what he said!" Two more thugs surrounded him, these two with knives of different size and shape. "You just ran into the mostly lowly pack o' thieves in all the city, lass!"

Fen glared at the lot of them, his fingers slowly making their way towards the blades at his waist. The one he bumped into, wearing a mask bearing a poorly drawn skull, shoved him into the first thug. "Nuh uh, we won't have none o' that now, will we, boss?" The youth bumped into the 'boss' and bounced off, falling on his behind, his braid almost coming undone. The youth got into a kneeling position and grit his teeth.

"What's wrong, missy? Don't wanna come home with us?" The large man said, letting out a booming laugh. His lackeys snickered themselves, following their leader's reactions. Fen clenched his fists and stood up, glaring at the boss with a determined look in his bright blue eyes. "The only problem with that is..." Fen reached behind his back and pulled his hair loose, letting it fall straight against his back of his baggy, orange shirt. "...I'm a boy," he said, matter-of-factly.

The boss looked dumbfounded, and then slowly as the fact began to settle into his little brain, his expression turned to anger and embarrasment. "Hargghhh...! KILL HIM!!" The bandit leader brought down his giant knife, and Fen rolled out of the way, sweeping his leg against the man's knees, using his own displaced weight against him to make him fall against the other wall of the narrow alleyway, nearly crushing his own henchmen. Fen stood up with clenched fists and an unbreaking determined look, his white hair framing his young face. The two lackeys looked to their boss for a moment, unsure of what to do on their own. They acted against Fen in confusion, coming straight for him. "You little...KID!!"

They weren't exactly geniuses, especially if they were taking orders from the man who had just done a face-plant and knocked himself unconcious. Fen stepped past their blind rushes and brought his elbows deep into their sides. He might've been a long-range fighter by expertise, but he had learned to protect himself against bumbling fools like these. The youth sighed and brought their heads together, knocking them out as well. It was even obvious to Fen that they weren't the thieves they said they were. The youth brushed his hands against each other and shook his head, before making his way back out of the alleyway and into the market.

[Silence Sei]

Even in the bristling crowds, even with all the buzz going on about the touyrnament, and despite the fact that he was in a childs body, Sei could feel it. He had grown accustomed to this feeling, learned to embrace it, to nuture it. He sensed danger, and he knew that it was near. Somebody was or might already have needed the 'Hero of Radasanth' to come and save the day. Anita had stopped when her father surprisingly paused in the middle of the road again.

"Where is it?" Anita asked her father, as if she could sense it as well. Sei did not reply, not even through telepathy, and ran towards the alleyways. With an incredible burst of spped and agility, Sei was jumping off of walls so he could gain entry to the rooftops, where he began to pick up his pace. When he arrived at the alleyway he had sensed the danger, he saw somebody being corner by several men. Sei looked down at the lone, surrounded warrior, and raised his eyebrows.

He heard the conversation between them. Apparently they thought this person was a woman, but Sei knew otherwise. Through the vampyric senses he had gained while he was turned, Sei could smell the scent of a male. He kneeled and watched from above as the warrior revealed to them what the hero already knew, and then watched as he dispatched them with cold and calm efficiency. Sei grinned as Anita joined his side, panting from finally finding what building her father was on top of and climbing all those stairs to get to him.

"You had to pick a four floor shop, didn't you Papa?" Anita asked as she blinked at the renewed expression on her father's face. "Papa? I know that smile, are you going to---" Anita could not even finish the sentence before Sei went into action. He had to make sure this person was worth his time. The mute sprung off the rooftop and towards the man, who was attempting to meld back into the marketplace. Sei was going for a simple tackle from the air, something easily avoided and countered. Sei did not care though, he had to know if this man was going to be his partner for Lornius.

[Letho]

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