Argent

New Land Arc, ep5

Episode 5: The Plea
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When morning came, Tristan and Marielle set out for sword practice. Once at the training camp, Tristan went to practice with his friend Jeremy and Marielle joined the camp captain Gerald in the main practice team.

- Gerald: Well guys and girls! Today we will be testing eachother's parrying and dodging skills blindfolded! You will go in teams of two and--

- Everyone: Blindfolded!?!

- Gerald: It might sound a bit dangerous..

- Everyone: A bit?!

- Gerald: Calm down you, I was just joking--

- Marielle: I'm down, let's do it!

Everyone turned towards Marielle, who was just smiling.

- Marielle: It would be fun.

A few minutes later, the stage was set, except instead of real swords, wooden practice sticks were used. Marielle stood in the centre of the dueling ring, blindfolded and with a wooden practice stick in hand. 3 opponents surrounded her, wearing no blindfolds. At that time, Tristan and Jeremy came to watch.

Just as the captain gave the signal, the 3 soldiers swung at Marielle. She then shocked everyone by avoiding all 3 swings and one by one, bring her 3 opponents to the ground.

- Gerald: Damn.. she's good.

Meanwhile Tristan spoke with Jeremy and another comrade of theirs - Elaine.

- Jeremy: She's quite the soldier, this one.

- Tristan: Indeed.

- Jeremy: Where is she from?

- Tristan: Oh, uhm.. Lakeshire!

- Jeremy: There's no way, I'm from Lakeshire too and I know no such person there.

- Tristan: Uh..She was born there but moved to Darkshire afterwards.

- Elaine: Marielle cannot be from Darkshire. My aunt Lisa - who has been captain of the Darkshire militia, likes to compare me to her trainees. She never said something like "If you were like Marielle....".

- Tristan: Fine, fine, she's.. from the kingdoms to the north!

- Jeremy: Ah, that makes more sense now.

- Elaine: She's good at kicking people's butts, though..

- Tristan: Not only people's..

- Elaine: What?

- Tristan: Oh hahah nothing, dropping my stupid jokes. Oh look, it's the ice cream selling guy!

- Elaine: Huh? Where?

Elaine turned around and Tristan escaped the scene.

- Jeremy: Elaine, you stupid thing..

The day went on. Tristan and Marielle were enjoying the sword practice, until Marielle's tracking device alarm sounded from her pocket.

- Marielle(thinking): What? During daytime?

Her soft smile immediately vanished and was replaced by a serious facial expression as she looked at Tristan.

They quickly left the camp and rushed towards the destination on the map, where the forest devil was tracked.

- Tristan: I thought they didn't come out during the day?

- Marielle: They don't. They shouldn't. I don't know what's going on.

- Tristan: Where is it?

- Marielle: Deep in the forest, at least nobody should see us there.

Upon reaching their destination, Marielle and Tristan saw a forest devil, who was chasing the ghost of a dog. Tristan unsheathed his sword and his Argent knight powers were activated.

He was about to charge towards the forest devil, when Marielle yelled "Wait!". The forest devil exploded and then evaporated, leaving Tristan and Marielle unable to comprehend what was happening. When the smoke from the explosion cleared, a familiar face appeared behind the ghost of the dog. It was Bernard, and he was holding a crossbow.

Ep5.p2

- Tristan: You.. Bernard.. What's going on here?!

- Bernard: I should ask you the same, Tristan. Why are you with her? - Bernard asked as he aimed his crossbow at Marielle.

- Marielle(thinking): Another one?!

- Tristan: It's a long story.

- Bernard: I assume it is..

Bernard then put the crossbow away.

- Bernard: It's nice to meet you, lady. My name is Bernard.

- Marielle: Nice to meet you, I am Marielle, knight of the Argent Dawn.

- Tristan: How did you kill that Forest Devil? What was it even doing here in the first place?

- Bernard: I called it here.

- Tristan&Marielle: What?

- Bernard: Yes, I wanted to speak with the mysterious argent knight and I knew the only way to get her to come was to use a forest devil.

- Tristan: How did you get it to come here and at this time of the day?

- Bernard: Forest devils are attracted by the essence of innocent souls. This dog over there is not a real spirit, it's an illusion that I created. It replicates a spirit so well, that this foolish creature could not resist the urge to attack it. I originally planned this whole thing to sprout at night, but this stupid beast came out of the shadows during daytime unexpectedly.

- Tristan: This is insane.

- Bernard: Lady Marielle, I believe you are the only person, who can help me. Up until now I've only seen you at nighttime, killing the forest devils.

- Marielle(thinking): He's seen me before!..

- Bernard: The forest devils are beings from outside this realm, which led me to the conclusion that you also are. Am I correct?

- Marielle: Yes.

- Bernard: I also know your purpose.. You don't kill just any forest devils, you kill those, who threaten to consume innocent spirits. After which, you help the spirit pass on. You are related to the afterlife, are you not?

- Marielle: I am.

- Bernard: I was right then. Lady Marielle.. You are the only person, who can help me.. help me find my sister..