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"Highland Hawks Arrive" (South Window) Well, Freed wandered off into the night. He had to return to South Window to discover what was going on. He had enjoyed the time spent with his wife but his mission had divulged no valuable information. He passed many trees and bushes. He thought about his time with Rikimaru. Traveling with another person sure did shorten the journey. Well at least it felt shorter. Then Freed concentrated real hard on Schtoltelheim Reinbach IV. That boy reminded Freed of someone. He walked past a tree. There was a wanted poster on it. It was Schtoltelheim Reinbach IV! He read the name under it and soon discovered what an idiot he'd been. It was Lord McDohl, the evil Emperor of Toran! Freed didn't buy this republic nonsense. It was all a scam. Toran has always been and always would be an evil empire bent on world domination. He hit himself on the forehead contemplating all the things he could have done with Lord McDohl! Especially he felt guilty considering he'd failed Lord Granmeyer. He grumbly began his walk back to South Window ready to face punishment. Then a sudden sense of duty came over him. He knew what he had to do. He had to capture Lord McDohl for Lord Granmeyer! He would hunt down this fiend! Freed rose his shoulders ready for his new mission. When a sudden fright came over him. Where was McDohl? Freed had turned north. After a day or two he entered Kuskus town. Maybe he could get some info around there. There was a blacksmith's shop nearby. Freed thought he ought to sharpen his sword. He asked a passing villager if that shop was any good. "Sir, that is the finest blacksmith shop on the continent. It's run by a man named Tessei. He's fantastic." Freed thanked the man and entered the shop. He saw a huge man in the corner. Freed instinctively knew that he was Tessei. "Excuse me, sir?" Freed asked. "What I need is a true weapon!" Tessei said out loud to no one in particular. Freed looked around the room. "Sir?" he asked with a confused expression. Tessei looked at him. "I can never find any truly good swords anymore." "Well, sir would you care to sharpen my sword?" Suddenly there was screaming and yelling coming from outside. Freed rushed outside. There were 6 or 7 men running around town with swords and carrying torches. "We're going to burn this town!" one of them yelled. He was apparently the leader. Freed drew his sword. "Who are you all?" Freed yelled. They all rushed at him. Freed ducked behind a wall and fought them off. However he was not good enough to beat all of them. He managed to kill two before his sword broke. He climbed up on the roof of the blacksmith shop. Two of the men followed Freed up. The leader sown below yelled up at him. "I am Ardvarkas! 2nd in command of the Highland Hawks!" Freed thought the name sounded rather like a sports team but shrugged it off while dodging blows from the soldier trying to cut him. He jumped to a different roof. The two men jumped after him. Freed knew he was in trouble. But he knew he couldn't let himself die. Not when he had failed Lord Granmeyer. Also the thought of leaving Yoshino alone bothered him greatly. A sword slashed his left arm. Freed thought to himself that he better concentrate on the fight. Just when all looked bleak Tessei exited his shop with a very sharp looking sword. He slashed down two of the Hawks outside his blacksmith shop and then threw his sword to Freed. "There!" he yelled. With a new sword Freed turned the tide killing his two pursuers. Freed jumped down from the roof to meet Ardvarkas. "Why are you attacking this village?" Ardvarkas sneered at him. "We are a civilian unit. We personally made the decision to come. We need to get revenge for our Youth Brigade." "We didn't have anything to do with that!" Ardvarkas laughed. "Well it doesn't really matter, I'm just along 'cause I hate Jowstaners!" Ardvarkas raised his sword and he and Freed began a furious duel. Tessei's blade was in much better shape then his old sword. However it was still unfamiliar. Ardvarkas was good too, to compound the problem. During the fight, Freed managed out a question. "How did you get to Kuskus?" Freed yelled to this vicious man. Ardvarkas laughed. "We snuck on board a trading vessel of that merchant Shu!" Freed suddenly got some ugly suspicions. He continued to fight but he had to rely on every inch of skill he had reserved. Luckily for Freed, Ardvarkas was similarly fighting with everything. Finally Ardvarkas broke off from the fight. "Another time!" Ardvarkas yelled as he left into the river. Freed collapsed from exhaustion.
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