What had once been the quaint little hamlet of Toto was now a ruin of ashes and crumbled buildings. Without thinking, she broke into a run, ignoring the cries of the Highland soldiers that were with her as well as the curse of one as he noticed the ruins, sprinting down the pathway and across the white stone bridge as fast as possible.

She slowed once she was amidst the buildings, her gaze drifting about the ruins, filled with sadness and bewilderment. She’d known conflict might come, yet experiencing its toll was another thing entirely. Suddenly she wanted to be anywhere but here; far, far away from here, on the other side of the world, away from a place that had fallen to the common decadent trends of humanity.

Dimly she sensed the two Highland soldiers coming up behind her. One of them walked up beside her, gaze scanning the surroundings with the practiced ease of a trained veteran.

"Let me guess," the other soldier spoke, clenching his fists. "Ruka Bright." He spoke the word acidly, teeth clenched.

"Him and his extremist party will be the destruction of Highland yet!" the other soldier hissed. "Why, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was responsible for wiping out the Unicorn Brigade and had it arranged to be blamed on Jowston!"

What happened here?

"This may not be Ruka’s work, though," the soldier who had spoken first said after a few moments of thought. "Remember what happened with that Atreides kid and President McDohl in the shrine?"

"Yes," the other responded.

"Don’t rule out Runic power and/or the supernatural from the equation," the Highland soldier stated. "This most likely was our Prince’s work, but let’s not place blame on that maniac if we don’t have to. As much as I’d prefer to see someone take steps to restrain him, I don’t like it when people take unnecessary blame."

"So the question now is… Do we search the shrine or continue after Young Master Atreides."

"Hrm…" The soldier who had spoken first tapped his chin thoughtfully. He finally turned and looked at Eilie. "Maybe you will be useful after all. How good are you at tracking? For Runic residue, something hidden among rubble, et cetera?"

"Decent, to my knowledge," Eilie answered.

"Good. I want you to search the shrine in the northeast section of this town for anything that could be classified as ‘combat incindiary’. Report back to the south gate in one hour or you will be left behind."

Eilie nodded. Regardless of what she might want to do, she had to at least survive if she was to do that. She wouldn’t, really, of course. Not with her sister and brother, the last she knew, in Jowston City-State.

"Are you sure this is wise?" the other soldier queried.

"If this was Ruka Bright’s work, the top brass can handle it," the former said back. "If this was the work of some other kind, its out responsibility as Highland Imperial Guard to discover the nature of what has happened here to the best of our ability, and bear tidings of it back to his Royal Majesty, Agares Bright of Highland. Is that understood?"

"Agreed."

"We’ll meet at the southern gate of Toto in sixty minutes. Move out!"

Eilie muttered a curse and kicked at the door to the shrine again, jamming her knife into the wooden doorway as it creaked slightly inwards, and cutting away more wood. With the wood weakened enough in one particular place, a few sharp kicks sufficed to smash a good portion of the door, leaving a hole large enough for her to fit through. She squirmed through and was on her feet.

Amazing. This place appears to be fully intact.

That the door hadn’t been damaged had already suggested this place hadn’t been injured. If this had been an army, someone had done a sloppy job, someone(s)/something(s) had managed to protect this shrine, or both. She ventured into the darkness, eyes that had often practiced seeing in the darkness adjusting to the situation she was in quickly.

The two Highland soldiers met at the inside of the southern gate.

"Nothing," one of them announced. "No trace of any form of Runic residue, Rune, weapon, armor, and/or anything that might’ve been used in combat."

"It doesn’t matter," the other soldier said. "Its most likely obvious who did this."

"I know," the soldier who had spoken first said. "We both knew who most likely did this. Nevertheless it was necessary to search for evidence this wasn’t our handiwork and/or concerning any other possible threats, just to be on the safe side. With lack of evidence to any contrary we mayaswell go back to assuming that this was Highland’s work.

"We do, however, have sometime left by my estimate. Do you want to search further?"

"Negative. Let’s just wait for our ticket."

The one who had spoken first snarled something under his breath. "This mission is really turning out well for us and for peace! First that McDohl fellow, then that Atreides kid, now this! We should’ve left him at Kyaro, but you decided it was better to play cowardly dog, fawn all over him, and submit to him just so he wouldn’t say anything bad about us to the Toran Republic! Yeah, I decided the same thing, and we both agreed to keep it up throughout the remainder of the trip when we had a chance to talk over why each of us was acting the way we were, but…"

"Would it have really made a difference? Heck, McDohl cleared that mist monster. That could’ve delayed us unnecessarily if we’d had to deal with it."

"Don’t remind me," the other grumbled. "Him and that Atreides kid dealing with dangerous situations multiple times because we were too concerned with our reputations to even fight… Ergh, I can’t believe we made ourselves do that!!"

"So? What’s done is done. Its all irrelevant now."

"Indeed." The other hissed between his breath. "Here we are, tottering on the brink of conflict yet again."

"Why don’t we use our esteemed good reputation to request McDohl aid us?"

"I’ll disregard that as the sarcasm I hope it was. Even were we to have time to spare to locate him, it would be foolhardy to get a mere boy involved in our disputes. All he is was a boy who ended up inheriting another woman’s dream. Besides, what guarantee is there that he’d help us. He disappeared from Toran so he quite possibly might not want to bother with matters like country situations anymore. He might not’ve even wanted to bother with the lot dealt him in the first place."

"That fool Atreides." The soldier clenched his fists. "What the heck does he think he’s doing? We may not have been able to prevent Toto but thanks to him one or more civilians and/or civilian centers may meet a bad end. He’s risking countless lives, and if he doesn’t have an extremely good reason for it… Ergh, he makes me really angry!!"

He spoke through clenched teeth.

"You had better be right in that he is possibly heading home for Kyaro."

Eilie padded through the dim corridor of the shrine on silent feet.

The darkness of the inside of the shrine enhanced the empty feel of the outside. That darkness stretched out behind her, darkness from which she had ventured into and now returned from, finding nothing the like of what she had been asked to search for. The plaque with writings on it on the back wall had piqued her interest, but it didn’t concern her at the moment.

Her mission accomplished, she was heading for the rendezvous point with the Highland soldiers.

She crawled through the hole in the doorway and got to her feet, walking out into the ruined streets of what had once been the village of Toto, posture subdued, feeling weary, and filled with a sad acceptance.

"Have you heard the latest news? Jerona has supposedly delivered an ultimatum to Bludowov. According to the news, if Bludowov does not withdraw all its forces from the five river intersection at its northeast border, it will activate its Super Rune and destroy the whole country in an ever-expanding donut-shaped ring of pure energy."

Eilie sighed. These and many other words she’d heard from her family and/or others flitted through her mind mercilessly.

It seemed that as soon as one or more conflicts were settled in one/more nations one or more others began. That had been going on for years in many nations on the known continent. Some lived in states of peace, free from wars and civil unrest, but for every one that did it seemed that two others were in a state of common conflict, peacetime perhaps around ten years at most in between.

She looked around at the ruins that surrounded her.

Eilie saluted the two Highland soldiers respectfully.

"I couldn’t find anything," she stated.

"We suspected as much," one of the soldiers replied. "Let’s move out!"

"If I may be permitted to ask, where exactly are we heading?"

"Highland. Not for you, but due to circumstances our responsibilities dictate we need to respond to."

So we are at least going to Highland. Good.

Location: North Sparrow Pass

"Halt!"

The Highland Imperial Soldiers came to a halt. "Yes?"

"We’ve recently received word that Toto Village was burned to the ground by Highland forces," one of the two Jowston men standing guard at the Jowston entrance to North Sparrow Pass spoke. "No traffic is permitted to and from the Jowston City-States to Highland by way of North Sparrow Pass. Especially not you scum."

"We are delegates from Highland that came here to hold audience with Jowston’s Lady Anabelle," one of the soldiers spoke.

"I’m sorry, but the young man matching the qualifications of Jowy Atreides already passed through here, along with three others. A young lady, someone who appeared to be a boy but I’m not so sure about in terms of gender, and an infant girl."

Infant girl? Could it be the child in the village?

A glance at his companion showed he appeared to be thinking the same thing as his comrade.

"One of our men let them through after being threatened by the young lady," the other Jowston man added. "He lost his job for it, of course, as did the other on duty for also submitting to the woman’s threats. Shortly after, though, we verified that the young man was the same as the Young Master Atreides that had arrived here to seek audience with our Lady Anabelle. Because of this suspicious situation, readmission to your home country has been ordered denied to you."

Darn that young Atreides.

"We have authorized licenses here," the other Highland soldier said, taking two papers out of his knapsack with his right hand.

"Their legality in Jowston has been revoked," one of the Jowston men said.

So we were right to bring along a diversion.

The Highland soldier with the licenses strode forwards, lifting the hand holding them as if to shove them in the faces of the two Jowston men angrily.

This, at least, was the gesture the two Jowston men expected. Thus they were completely unprepared when the other Highland soldier grabbed the girl nearby him and dragged her close, enfolding one arm around her before she could move, pinning her arms to her side with that arm, wrapping one leg around her legs, pulling her head forward with the hand from the arm around her, and taking a knife out with his other hand, putting it to the back of her throat.

"Its wetted with a fast-acting liquid capable of inducing a coma of the type that will give you the appearance of no longer being alive," the Highlander whispered to her during the moments her head was against his at an angle in which he could whisper without lip movement being seen, before he dragged her head forward. "It ought to last for about two hours at the most. All I have to do is prick you with it to activate it. If you must, struggle, but do not break free if you possess the ability to."

Eilie, who had tensed for combat immediately upon being grabbed, now, with the practiced ease of a circus performer, changed her plans from sliding her hands up out of his armlock to attempting to lurch forward out of his hold, all the while keeping her body from betraying her thoughts and feelings. "What are you doing!!??" she cried. "Let me go!!"

The other Highlander ceased moving, bringing his hand and arm back to his side.

"You’re jeopardizing Highland peace," the Highlander holding Eilie said to the Jowston guards, who had not opted to sound an alarm. "I’m sorry to have to resort to this, but the security of our country takes precedence here. Let us through or I slit her throat."

"Why you-" one of the Jowston men began.

The other clapped his hand down on his companion’s shoulder. "We’d never reach them in time. Let them through. More blood will only make this worse."

The Jowston man who had spoken first reluctantly nodded. Turning to the Highlanders and their ‘captive’, he spoke through clenched teeth.

"You may pass."

The Highlanders did so, and once out of sight released Eilie.

One glance at Eilie and they could see her eyes that she’d figured out the truth. That the real reason they’d let her accompany them was because she could be useful as a backup measure for gaining passage back to Highland in case Jowston gave them trouble.

"Well, gentlemen," Eilie spoke acidly, stepping back a good distance away from them, and crossing her arms in annoyance. "Do you suppose you could have warned me first about this?"

"And risked you changing your mind? I’m sorry, but no."

Eilie clenched her hands into fists. While she wanted to find some reason to stay angry at the two Highland soldiers for this she realized there really was none. She sighed and let her hands hang limply at her sides.

"So what’s my status with you two now?"

"You served us well, so we’ll grant you safe passage to Kyaro," the other Highlander responded. "Its the least we can do as thanks."

"Out of curiosity, what has become of the rest of our deal?" she queried.

"Unnecessary," was the answer. "For you to return to the City-States now on our behalf could lead to further trouble. If we can find any use for you before we have to part company and you help us, you will be rewarded. We’ll make sure Highland helps you get a good start in whatever you wish to do if it lie within our power to do so.

"We will ask this time, though."

That would be nice. Eilie weighed her options and saw nothing wrong with this plan, so she nodded. "That would be quite helpful, thank you."

Although I’d much prefer to be away from both your country and Jowston. I can’t even consider that, though, until we get somewhere we can rest, so I guess I’ll just have to tolerate your company for a little while longer, eh?

Location: Kyaro

Eilie’s breath caught as she walked through the southwest entrance into the city of Kyaro. The place was beautiful!

The gentle breeze from behind seemed to blow through the entranceway she had just passed through. Cobblestone streets intertwined among well-kept buildings, people passing to and fro about their business and/or their lives. The atmosphere of the place was what made the town so beautiful, though. The air of Kyaro was more crowded and alive than a small village such as Banner, yet not as crowded as the city of Muse.

"Hello, newcomers!" a young man called, walking towards them at a rapid pace, taking a thick paper cylinder out of a sack strung over his left shoulder. "Have you heard the lates-"

He paused abruptly at the site of the two Imperial Guard, bowing quickly. "I’m sorry, dear sirs! I meant no disrespect!"

"At ease," one of the Imperial Guard said. "What is your business?"

"Have you heard about Marcel Atreides?" the young man asked. "Just last night he was assassinated." The guards’ attention was immediately fully upon the young man. "The identity of the culprit is unknown, and the only people known to be in Marcel’s room when this occurred were his sons Jowy and Marcel Atreides."

The two Highland Imperial Guards exchanged meaningful glances.

"How far to the nearest inn?" one asked the young man.

The young man gave them directions.

"That will be all," the other Imperial Guard stated, gesturing for the young man to remove himself from their presence. The young man complied swiftly.

"Follow us," the Highland soldier who had spoken first indicated to Eilie. "We may have use for you soon enough."

Eilie nodded.

"Well, what do you think?" one of the Highland soldiers asked. His helmet was off, unveiling short-cropped black hair drenched with sweat. The other Highlander had disheveled copper hair. "Do you think Marcel’s unfortunate demise has something to do with Jowy’s return?"

"Perhaps," the other agreed grudgingly. "It does seem like too much of a coincidence. However, if Jowy came here bearing that little girl from Toto, I find it hard-pressed to believe that he was the responsible one."

"I never said he was," the black-haired soldier answered. "True, the infant girl could have been a decoy, but why go to the time to create subterfuge? He could be long-gone from here if he had such plans; he wouldn’t need to resort to subterfuge. That’s out. The Jowston guards we have to assume told us the truth, so we’re not counting the possibility that any of them lied."

"So what do you propose we do?"

"We find out what’s going on and respond accordingly. If Young Master Atreides is here, we take him prisoner. After that we take him to His Royal Majesty King Agares as decided."

"What should we do with the girl? What did you mean by ‘We may have use for you soon enough’? Should we send her out to gather information?"

"If necessary. This is none of her concern, provided she doesn’t already suspect. If we have to we’ll get her involved in gathering information, but if we don’t have to entrust this to a third party we’re most definitely not going to.

"Let’s take it one night at a time. For now, the plan’s this. We gather information, but unless there’s the chance of young Atreides slipping through our fingers we don’t worry about it until tomorrow. If we don’t gather enough information to be able to plan anything we take the next day as it comes, and so on. The girl will be considered when/if necessary. Any objections?"

"None. Although what happens to the girl if we don’t need her?"

"Then we bid farewell to her company. We will mention her to King Agares, though. What she did for us at the Jowston-Highland Border at North Sparrow Pass is deserving of a reward."

"Very well."

Eilie stood at the window, gazing out at the bustling city outside.

The Highland soldiers were still busy downstairs, discussing who knew what. Probably something concerning that Atreides person she’d heard mentioned multiple times.

Two dark-haired people, a male and a female, passed by across the street, the similarities among them so great she could guess that they were siblings. She felt a pang in her heart as the sight of the two reminded her of Rina and Bolgan, the siblings she had left behind in Jowston.

Rina, Bolgan…

The war looming on the horizon…

Her loneliness and her urge to go crying to her sister along with her desire to prove she could function by herself merged with the feeling of oppression of existing so near what could soon become a site of war, swirling around and about her, dancing and dancing and dancing and dancing until she just wanted to scream and smash something.

She collapsed to the floor, fighting the urge to curl up into a ball and cry.

Crying is for weaklings… I will not be a weakling.

She wanted the safe confines of her sister’s arms. For Rina to hold her close and tell her everything would be all right, reassure her it was okay, promise to protect her. She wanted to be able to run into Rina’s arms, away from the river of raging rapids that her life had become. She felt as if she had been tossed about by a torrent of flood waters for the past several days, stripped from control of her own life and whisked along towards a destination she knew not where.

Now, maybe she could finally make the start she had wanted to since separating from her siblings. She could ask around and see if anyone was willing to hire, maybe see if there were any carnivals and/or festivals about.

Or wait to see if the Highland soldiers can help. What do you want to do?

She might have a better chance if she waited, but waiting might also bring her nothing. There was the side of her that didn’t want to wait, for waiting would mean relying on one or more people besides herself, but she didn’t listen to that side. Logic was more important right now.

Here you are, without any knowledge of what to do or where to go from here. You’re reduced to mere survival.

She bit off a wail.

She wanted Rina.

No!!!

She forced away all thoughts of Rina and Bolgan and war and anything else damaging and tried to focus on her options. The answer came soon enough. She would wait one more day to see if the soldiers had anything for her by then. If not, she would take leave of their company, and go back to trying to make by by herself.

That will be it. No regrets now.

She sat back against the cabinet, resting her head back against the wood, intending to wait for a bit to see if the Highland soldiers would come up, and if not go in search of food.

It only took moments for reality to sink in again.

Loneliness knifed into her from all angles, chilling her to the bone as the knowledge of just how many miles she was from Bolgan and Rina manifested themselves once more. That she’d come to rest at a safe haven also finally fully sank in at that moment, but did nothing to help her. She was a stranger in a strange land hundreds of miles away from the people she loved, washed up on the beach after being tossed about by raging rapids. All of this and the memories of her loved ones, both living and no longer living, along with the oppression of being near a conflict situation and the feeling of being carried away by a raging torrent all cascaded onto her and began whirling about and around her faster and faster and faster and faster whirling whirling whirling whirling whirling…

Rina help me help me I’m lost and scared and alone and I don’t know what to dooo…

She forced herself to her feet and left the room in search of food.

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"Eilie" and "Suikoden 2" are (C) Konami. This chapter was posted on May 1, 2000