Realistic or Modern ~The Key to the Flame~

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The Key to the Flame

The Venezia family were once very renowned for their skill with fire. Some would say they had the blood of dragons, while others claimed they contracted a fire demon. In reality, the Venezias had learned to tame fire to bend to their will. As long as their intentions weren't corrupt, the fire would obey. Another family, the Cornerdells, were extremely jealous. For generations, friends preferred to visit the Venezias and attend their parties. Thus, the Cornerdells vowed to take down the Venezias.

One night, during Lord Venezia's birthday party, the Cornerdells and a band of mercenaries attacked. Lord Cornerdell performed a dark spell which stole the Venezias' power and locked it away. However, Lord Cornerdell's youngest daughter, Lady Gwendolyn Cornerdell, who opposed her father's actions, also performed a spell which prevented the Cornerdells from accessing the stolen power. She transferred the access to the power to Lady Emmica Adryan, the only daughter of the Venezia family's longtime ally. Lady Cornerdell and Lady Adryan then attempted to save the Venezias. Only the middle daughter, Adalyn, survived.

The three girls fled and started a new life far, far away. Lady Cornerdell's descendants formed a group to bring justice to the Venezias. Lady Adryan's descendants hid the key to the Venezia family's power, and hid themselves. And Lady Venezia's descendants? They hide among the Venezia Alliance, waiting for the day when an Adryan will come to help them bring back their family's power.

Centuries later, the heir to the Adryan key has been found, and she must set off on a quest to release the fire power of the Venezia family. Along with the best swordsman of the Venezia Alliance, Fang, she will face many dangers, including mercenaries of the Cornerdell family. Will she be able to fulfill her task, or will the Venezias lose their family right forever?

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Lucinda "Luci" Adryan

Lucinda Adryan sighed as she stepped outside of the Venezia Alliance HQ entrance. It was nothing more than a simple little shack in the middle of nowhere housing an elevator that led to the underground facility where the Alliance had apparently been hiding for nine years. Nobody had told her specifically why they were underground, but she'd heard someone mutter about an attack nine years ago on the previous base. She hadn't bothered to ask for details, though. After all, she was really nothing more than a tool for the Alliance to achieve their objective, no matter how much they sugarcoated it.

She carried nothing but a simple backpack, filled with some changes of clothes and some spare bullets for the pistol strapped to her hip. Luci glanced up at the rising sun, her stomach writhing anxiously. Her whole life she'd known she was in danger, but she'd never expected to be directly approached by Cornerdell mercenaries, which was exactly what had happened two weeks ago. Though she'd been armed with a pistol provided by an old friend, she was still outmatched by the mercenaries. That is, until Ravan Fischl swooped in and saved her. She'd been staying at the Alliance ever since.

Her companion on this journey was the Venezia Alliance's best swordsman, Fang. He hadn't provided a surname, nor did he seem to want to do so, but even so, she couldn't help but wonder why it was him coming on this mission, and not Ravan or Ani Pugh, the girl who had welcomed her to the Alliance. What exactly was his deal? He was apparently very high up in the Alliance, yet everyone treated him with a different sort of respect. Almost like he was somehow more important than she would ever know. In any case, she had to focus on the mission at hand.

Turning fully around and giving him a nervous smile, Luci asked, "Uh...shall we get going, then?"

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Francisco "Fang" Venezia

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Fang stepped out into the open air, sniffing in the crisp, damp air of the morning and feeling a breeze bite at his neck. There was something comforting being outside in the morning. It felt refreshing in a way. After all, being stuck underground for most of the time took its toll on a man. Humans weren't supposed to live underground for so long in such an environment. Then again, humans weren't also supposed to be hunted down by other humans either. It was funny how the morality of the world changed as frequently as the weather did.

Fang glanced over to Lucinda, her backpack slung over her shoulders, looking as if she was ready to go on some sort of field trip than a mission in his opinion. He carried his own pack full of items he would need on this mission, and his sword encased in his sheath on his belt. He knew that they had to be prepared for whatever would be coming their way. He had trained up for this his entire life. He hid away for this reason, not only to protect himself but to bring honour back to his family name once again.

The young man stared at Lucinda for a moment, almost as if he had to take in her question. But he nodded slowly, his expression blank and motionless as he made a move. He walked on ahead - though, not too far. After all, Lucinda was the key to ending this strife and battle that had raged on for so long. He wasn't going to let an opportunity like this slip away so easily now.

"We better make some distance from the HQ," Fang explained, not looking back at her. "We can't let anyone know we came from here."

 

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Lucinda "Luci" Adryan

Luci blinked up at Fang, waiting for him to respond. Exactly as she thought, he chose not to speak, but to walk ahead instead. But he explained himself (who would've thought she'd actually get to hear his voice?), so Luci felt a bit less awkward about being left behind the slightest bit. She hurried after him, noting that he carried himself with a sense of purpose. If only she could do the same. But how were you supposed to know your purpose, when you were seen as nothing but the key to someone else's freedom?

When she caught up with him, she kept a small distance between them. Glancing up at Fang out of the corner of her eye, she wondered how he commanded such high respect from everyone else in the Alliance. He seemed jaded, somehow, which added years to his apparent nineteen years of age. Did he see her as useless, as nothing but a teenager girl caught up in something bigger than herself? Was he only here because General Olive told him to come to protect her? It wasn't like she could ask these questions out loud. He probably wouldn't answer them, anyway.

Almost inaudibly, she mused, "General Olive suggested we make our way to the closest town by nightfall and plan our route from there." She had no way of knowing if Fang already knew this, but she could at least attempt conversation. After all, the closest town was a day's walk away. Something besides cloud-watching had to pass the time.

But Luci didn't have much faith in any conversation happening between them.

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Francisco "Fang" Venezia​

Fang could hear the girl's soft yet quickening footsteps behind him, obviously attempting to catch up to him and to keep behind him. He didn't think the 'key' would be so eager, considering what she was meant to do. But as much as he hated to admit it, he needed her too for this to work, if their family was to be restored to their former glory with their power once again...all he had to do was just protect her and get to where they needed to be. Then it would be all over...

Fang was so caught up in his own thoughts that at first, he hadn't realised that she had opened her mouth and spoken again. He thought he heard the distinctive chirp of her voice, and so he glanced around to her, finding her eyes on his, waiting for an answer from him. He too stared back, until he realised what she had said. But he didn't show the unsure thoughts on his face, the thoughtfulness that had taken over his mind. Instead, he just nodded to confirm he did hear her, before he answered her.

"Of course..." Fang murmured back to her, glancing up to the clouds above them. "It'll take us some time travelling there, so it'll be late by the time we arrive," he explained, knowing that Luci was probably briefed on all of this beforehand anyway. He wasn't used to speaking so much with people on missions such as these. He didn't mind some conversation but he felt like one should only speak until one needed to. Fang found that the void of silence between two people was as awkward as it was trying to fill it.

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Lucinda "Luci" Adryan

The girlier part of Luci was extremely nervous at how long Fang stared back at her. Perhaps he hadn’t heard her? But then he said his piece and went back to being silent. Luci supposed that was the best she could hope for. If he didn’t want to chat, then she would entertain him. The last thing she wanted to do was annoy him; that certainly wouldn’t reflect well on the Adryan name, now, would it?

They walked for a couple hours in silence. Luci’s thoughts drifted back to the Alliance. What would they be doing as Luci helped them achieve the goal they’d been working toward for so long? A part of her couldn’t help but feel used, but at the same time, her family had willingly done this for generations. Maybe it wasn’t so bad. She could probably stop worrying about her life being threatened once this was over and done.

They were perhaps a few miles from the closest town when they came across a man. He seemed too chipper to be traveling in the middle of nowhere. She and Fang didn’t have much excuse either, but it was still odd. Luci refrained from reaching for her gun. Her mother had taught her to investigate the situation before immediately assuming things. With a fake saccharine smile, she called, “Hello there! Are you also going to Callamazu?” A weird town name if there ever was one, but who was she to complain?

A swift onceover told her the man was unarmed, but he had a backpack, which could hold any number of small weapons. She wasn’t buying the innocent air this man was putting on, not one bit. He cheerily replied, “I’m just heading out of it myself. A romantic hitchhiking adventure, I take it?”

Luci didn’t dignify that with a response, instead flapping one hand awkwardly, as if staving off the question.

“Well, have a fun stay! Callamazu is a wonderful town!” he said before setting off down the path.

Watching him over her shoulder as they continued walking, Luci’s tense shoulders relaxed, but not by much. She muttered to Fang, “I didn’t buy that act for a second. Did you?” Even as they entered the town, Luci was on edge, waiting for Cornerdell mercenaries to jump out and shoot at her. “Let’s just find an inn somewhere and go to sleep.”

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Francisco "Fang" Venezia​

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Fang had mostly been thinking to himself along their silent walk, not minding that the girl wasn't chirping at him every five minutes or making small talk. If there was one thing he utterly despised, it was small talk. He hoped it wouldn't become a regular thing with her but as he discovered with everyone else, it usually did.

Though, Fang felt himself tensing as he watched another man walking down the same path as they, only, walking towards them. He, too, had to stop himself from reaching for the sword in his sheath and immediately putting up a defence, but he kept a cold look in his eye, watching him carefully for any sudden movements he might make. He wasn't surprised that he didn't, most people didn't think of attacking two people on the road if it was just one person on their own. But Fang knew not to take any chances. There was too much to risk. Anything could have happened.

He was surprised that Luci greeted the man but he supposed it was to keep up appearances, not give anything away. He took looked over the man with some scepticism, keeping silent during their exchange before he was out of their sight. Again, he was surprised at Luci's comment to him. Impressed, by all means, but he didn't show it. Fang glanced over to her, mumbling, "Not a bit. It's a crime to be that cheery."

Even as they entered the town, his shoulders were still tense, his fingers tapping at his side, ready to unsheathe if the moment called for it. He took Luci's comment into account and he nodded, though, not to the latter half. "I'll keep an ear out." Even if he would sleep, it would be with one eye open. Thankfully, there was an inn near the edge of Callamazu that they could easily get a room in. Once receiving their key after paying, and an odd exchange from the girl behind the desk telling them to have a wonderful night with a wink, they finally got into their room. Fang was tempted to lock the door as soon as they entered but he refrained from it. Even then, even if he didn't look it, he still felt tense, ever on his guard as always.

Fang turned to Luci as he took off his jacket and undid the ties keeping his sheath attached to his belt. "If anything happens, you stick by me, alright?" He told her, more of an order than anything else. Soon enough, he walked over to a chair and set his sword down on a table, sinking down into the chair as he sighed.

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Lucinda "Luci" Adryan

Luci could only slightly tell that she’d surprised Fang with her sudden change in attitude. But she was Adryan, so of course she’d been raised to be suspicious of just about everything. Her family had been the target of the Cornerdells for generations, so one always had to be ready and alert for danger. Relaxing your guard would only cost you your life. It was a miracle that she’d made it this far.

Nearly snorting at Fang’s response, she followed him into town, her fingers twitching slightly, aching to slide her pistol into her hand. Even though she hated the idea of hurting another human, she always felt safer when her gun was in her hand. Probably came with the territory of being a member of the Adryan family.

Once again, Fang spoke, if only to acknowledge her nervous plea to find somewhere to sleep. They found an inn on the edge of town. She waited patiently as Fang got them a room, but her nervous scowl turned into an embarrassed blush at the clerk’s comment. Instead of dignifying the girl’s wink with a response, she silently followed Fang up the stairs to their room.

They entered the room, but Fang didn’t lock the door, though Luci half wished he would. Locked doors and closed curtains were better than nothing at all. She sat heavily on the bed, looking up as Fang turned to her. Nodding in agreement, she murmured, “Will do.” Taking off her backpack, she dug around in it until she found a power bar. Man, was she hungry. Though she ate silently, she was keeping her guard up, as usual. Thankfully, the curtains were already closed, so she wouldn’t have to worry about that, but the unfortunate thing about that was that any threat on the other side would remain hidden to them.

As Fang sank down into a chair, Luci dug out something else from her backpack. It was a picture of her mother and father, smiling up at her from the porch of their old house. She wondered if her parents had fled town as soon as the Alliance had found her. Did General Olive know where they were? If so, had she sent someone to protect them? Then again, she was probably the only one that mattered to the Alliance and the Cornerdells. She had the key, after all. Great.

Luci laid down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Just her luck that she’d be the sole target of two organizations who had probably failed to realize that she was just a teenage girl. Sure, she’d known all her life that she’d have this huge responsibility, but that didn’t make it any easier. It wasn’t like she could voice that to Fang; he didn’t seem a fan of small talk, and for all she knew, he saw her as nothing more than a tool for the Alliance’s goals as well.

There was a creak in the hallway.

Luci shot up, staring at the closed door, slowly withdrawing her pistol and cocking it toward the door. She slid to the other side of the bed, farthest from the door, and kept her gun and her body facing the door. No way was she taking any chances.

“Fang,” she hissed through her teeth. “Is there anyone outside?” If there was someone in the hallway, there was bound to be someone waiting for them outside, should they jump out the window.

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Francisco "Fang" Venezia

Fang watched Luci silently eat for a few moments before he peeled his glance away from her. He probably should have decided to eat something too, though, he found his appetite had waned significantly lately, even though he knew it was important for him to keep a good diet. Once he was told that they had found the Key, he hadn't been quite as calm as he had been before. He paced his room and the hallways, thought of the moment he would confront the Cornerdells and take back the power they had so wrongly stolen from them. As well as all the lives that had been stolen over so many years... Fang had been training vigorously from the day he had been told. He wouldn't waste this opportunity.

The man seemed to have let his mind wander for several moments, for the next thing you know, he heard the floorboards creaking outside. Already Luci shot up with her pistol in hand and was already on the other side of the door. He slowly rose from the chair, grabbing the sword out of his sheath as he carefully crept towards the door, leaning down to peer out through the lock. It was dimly lit. Usually he'd be able to make out shapes of people, but he couldn't make out anything. Fang slowly slipped his sword out of the sheath, muttering, "There's doesn't seem to be anyone there...but I'm not taking chances..." He muttered as his hand reached towards the door, soon quickly opening it and aiming his sword at whoever was out there.

But he was met with a hiss and a bearing of fangs in his direction. The swordsman scowled a little at the hostile cat, who was fat and pale in appearance. "Shoo. Outta here." He directed, flapping his hands at the feline to send it on its way. He was met with another hiss before it turned, its tail swaying pompously. He never liked those things. They never seemed to take a liking to him either. Fang took a quick look up and down the hallway, not seeing anyone else in sight. He had heard no doors close, no sudden footsteps, nothing. It unnerved him slightly but he closed the door over and locked it this time, sighing.

"Just a damn cat." Fang muttered. He wasn't at all peeved by Luci's paranoia; if anything, he felt the same. They could never be too careful now that they were finally on their way. He turned to Luci, murmuring, "There was nothing to indicate anyone was in the hallway. But I can't say that means no one was there."

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Lucinda "Luci" Adryan

Luci watched as Fang crept toward the door and opened it, his sword poised and ready for whatever was waiting on the other side… but it was only a cat, and an angry one at that. Her shoulders slumped and her face slammed down onto the bed. Reddening in embarrassment, she muttered, “I made such a fuss… over a cat…”

Thankfully, Fang didn’t seem to mind her paranoia—having been trained by the Alliance, he was probably well-skilled in the art of it. He locked the door and sighed, and Luci crawled back onto the bed, her nerves shot and exhaustion overtaking her. She hadn’t really gotten any sleep last night because she’d been nervous about starting their big mission.

She nodded at Fang’s assessment of the situation in the hallway. “Right. I’m going to get some sleep before I freak out over a dog. Good night…Fang.” Saying his name didn’t feel very natural, probably because they had spoken but never addressed each other directly.

Putting her backpack on the floor, she crawled under the bed’s thin blanket and almost immediately fell asleep.

~ ~ ~

It was barely dawn when Luci woke up, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She threw her legs over the side of the bed and walked over to the window, peeking out of the curtain. Even though there weren’t any signs of Cornerdell mercenaries, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched. It made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

Needless to say, she couldn’t wait to leave.

She pulled another granola bar out of her backpack and ate it quickly, anxious to leave. Glancing over at Fang, she asked, “We should get going soon, right? Too dangerous to stay in one place too long?”

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