Bandit Wars (Zack/Job)

Job:

One step, two steps, three steps, and he almost hit his fourth before Ignite slammed into him from up front, knocking him down groaning before a piece of paper landed on his face. Well, today was a record, he was given a chance to go more than a couple of steps. Nothing too out of the ordinary either, but it was something at least. Damn it Ignite, if I had my older magic, I would... *Sigh* He knew he would have not done anything. Hiding behind the fact that he was not used to his new magic was not quite the best choice, and the She Phoenix would call him out for it anyways. So instead of saying something so stupid, he kept his lips sealed before placing his head back against the wood. Just one day, one day of peace without going on a job is what he would like. This occurrence was getting old and annoying.

Once that wake up call in the morning was done, they would be prepared to go on the job already. It was S ranked, she had expected him to find someone. By this point in time, he knew better than to fight her to object this stupid idea. Trying to stop armies of 1500 with just a blade and fire was not too bright of an idea. Then again, The blade cuts through the toughest of materials, and with his heavily enhanced speed, he could kind of scissor his way through. Maybe this was not too bad of a job, but the fact that he had to take on that many people was kind of irritating. The goal was to stop them, but would they be stopped so easily? That was probably why only S ranked mages went on the job. Elyx was A rank. Ignite was unconfirmed. Cassie was the Guild pet. The Magic Council didn't know about his lineage... Great job.

A grin on his face would then show as he then remembered something. There were connections that he had before that recently matched up to his potential, right? Heck, one of them being Ven, who was not even in his guild, yet he was still on a team with! Then again, how would he be able to locate her throughout the whole... Land of Fiore. Seems like he didn't think that one through, but there must be someone! Trying to enter through Infinity Hydra was not a good idea either unless he wanted to be at someones mercy. That went down the trash chute. But then, what next? Regardless of the answer, it was not like it was not something that he could not solve later. So that was what he would do, just simply save it for later in the near future.

"Ya know being a guildmaster really isn't all its cracked up to be." a voice said loudly high atop a rooftop. Not talking to anyone in particular it seemed, but still loud enough for a lot of people to hear. For those who were familiar with the tone of speech and the sound of his voice it was obvious that the man talking was the current Blue Pegasus guildmaster, a man known as Zack Rose. There was a deep sigh before he continued seemingly talking to himself or perhaps just to anyone who wanted to listen to his griping. "I mean...sure you get to make decisions and shape the guild...heck you even get to order people about which can be fun sometimes, but seriously...the paper work is just...urgh. I wonder if its as bad for independants or darks. Probably not. I mean who do they have to do paper work for? Ah Life's a bitch and we all know that"

The sound of an acoustic guitar began to ring out over the sound of the street below followed by the sound of excellent singing in the rock style. "If it's easy then you're not trying
Now stop
Which way's the right way to turn?
Just ignore it go wherever yea here we go

There are things that we can't have
Things that will all fade away
Is there a reason that I must push my heart upon them? (Oh)
You know I never tried to understand
I force it all to go my way
I'm no better than those who put me down"

The song continued for a little while and then the figure jumped down. He was clad in black clothes reminiscent of a ninja, but the weapon he carried at his waist was anything but stealthy. It was a large zanabto similar in style to that of a kunai and yet it was also different. He began to look around and then paused. "Man...why did I even come to this area anyway?" he said and then a small orb of light emerged from his pocket and floated up near his ear. After a few moments of what seemed like rapid whispering from the orb he nodded and the orb returned to its place. "Now...where is that building..."

He began to wander through the streets seemingly about to bump into people many times, but as soon as it seemed to happen he was suddenly behind them. His movements seemed fluid and yet erratic. There was no clear pattern to his movements nor any clear reason why he suddenly stopped every now and then. Nor was it clear what exactly he was looking for. Zack in truth was a rather peculiar individual.

There was some area with a cute little and not at all deadly area called the Serene Cliff. If one had to guess, it was probably not the best idea to just walk around casually. Being a cliff, anyone can fall down if they did not watch their step, and being a cliff, it was very likely that they will not get away from the impact to come. Caster Seal and Swordsmanship were not going to bail him out of a situation like that one. A smile would then emit on his face as he would then think of himself and Ignite falling off, flailing with small bodies that looked adorable as they panicked. This was not meant in a cruel evil way that liked seeing himself and his friends suffer, but it was just a cute little thought seeing them flail. With that sort of luck, the both of them would probably hit a trampoline since the world seemed to side itself with the things in life that were adorable.

Elyx and Ignite would find themselves in town, away from the guild, which is exactly where he wanted to be. The guild was a place that he felt had people that he should avoid and stay away from. It seemed like no matter what he did, he would get a scolding or a shaking of the head. Little use did he feel like he was giving to the guild, he felt it was better to just push himself away from the things in life that depressed him. Just for a while, his house was still there and his living could still be made there. The only ones who knew where his mansion was were the both of them, Elyx and Ignite. Kakuma, naturally. He didn't know how she looked upon him, and honestly would not prefer to guess, since he might come up with some horried results. There was that Zack guy as well, the one mage responsible for destroying his house, which he ended up getting a mansion back instead. There was also Azalea and Izayuki, both he ended up making rooms for. That was about it in all honesty.

The boy would then notice one of those familiar faces in the crowd, he seemed to be bumping into people. Not looking too busy actually, just strolling through the town. Then again, couldn't the same be said to him? Regardless, why not meet up with the guy again? On their last job, he hung out more with Kakuma than with Elyx, so they didn't really know each other too much. The boy even had an excuse to ask Zack so he could start a conversation. Making an attempt to approach him from up front, he would put the paper out before greeting him. Hey Zack! Fancy meeting you here, I have a job that requires a partner for me to venture on. I'm only A rank, and Ignite is not considered an official mage... So...

Zack paused when Elyx addressed him suddenly. He recognised the guy from the time he'd...well...demolished the guys house. It hadn't really been his fault. He'd been fighting a dark celestial spirit or 'eclipse' celestial as they preferred to be called and the battle got a bit hectic. He'd been sent flying through the building at speed and with a lot of force and the building itself hadn't been super strong. Heck, if he recalled correctly a large amount was glass. They'd also gone on a job together afterwards. Not so much due to being buddy buddy, but so that he could pay back Elyx in some small way. It was community service really. Though they had got on fairly well most of the conversations had been with Kakuma, because they were both guild masters, and most of it about alliances. Zack had kindly replaced the house with a rather substantially larger, more expensive and a lot more resistant to damage. More of a friendly gesture than anything else.

Still, to be approached here of all places and by Elyx nonetheless it was rather surprising. What's more he was being invited on another job. It seemed mostly because he wanted to take it, but can't do it solo or with his buddy Ignite. It was probably one of those tougher jobs that the council or the requesters wanted higher ranked mages or at least a small group to go. There were few members of the magic council or anywhere in Fiore that would turn Zack away when it came to him wanting to take a job. He was not only a guild master after all. He was a wizard saint and not just an ordinary one. No, he was one of the four gods of Ishval. That supposedly made him one of the four top mages on the entire continent. He even had the number two spot. Though whether that put him above number three and four in terms of power he wasn't sure.

He considered the task he was in town for and whether he had time for a job that could take weeks, months or even years. Could he risk the time? Well, considering at worst it was gonna be an S class job it probably wouldn't take too long for him. He'd done 100 years in a few days before so this couldn't be too bad. "What's the job bud?" he asked out of curiousity. He didn't know Elyx too well so the job could be anything. It could be a stealth job, some complex play, an assasination, fighting giant monsters. It really could literally be anything. So of course it was a good idea to look into what exactly the job was before he decided to accept it. It would be foolish not to.

Elyx would then attempt to hand the paper over to Zack so he could read it for himself, just for safety measures. Still though, he would then begin trying to summarizing it while he read if he accepted the paper. This was just a precaution just in case he did not accept the letter and just relied on him alone. Being the Guild Master of Blue Pegasus, that was highly unlikely, but anything was possible. All right, so apparently there are some Bandit groups, two of them, who had some sort of long rivalry that probably matters to no one but them. However, they seem ready to unleash, so it is our goal to stop them. The rewards are hefty for the both of us, we get an even share and probably live another months rent. What do you say, up for the challenge? He would ask, a bit of joke in the last part. Seeing Zacks power from the Hell to Pay Hunting job, this would be a snap. They would be intimidated so quickly, the boy would just imagine both of them at his mercy. Yes, this man in front of him possessed that much power, to make Elyx's power look like nothing. In actuality, Elyxs strength in magic is about 6 times less. But not to mention the magic cost and the power behind each spell, physical abilities are clearly outmatched. Whatever Zack did to train, Elyx wanted to do as well. Maybe after the job, if the job were accepted, he could ask the Guild Master about how he become so strong. I know you are busy, but this job would definitely help the both of us a lot. Not to mention Ignite. She feeds off of my wallet so quickly. There is no hard feelings since the incident had been cleared and paid for. No Rune Knights had to come onto the scene either since you were so nice. So I feel I could ask of you a favor. Elyx would explain before scratching the back of his head in a bit of embarrassment. There were not too many times that he had the chance to be humble. Not because of arrogance, the Violinist hated that a lot, but just simply because no one would let him. They normally looked up to him, not the other way around. Ignite watched with a smile on her face, a casual one, and let the boy do all the work. Such a lazy girl. That smile showed that she had words that she could say to help, but did not let them empress since she did not feel she had to do any more than what she is now. So much like Izayuki, it hurts. That was the last thing he needed in his house, another girl with as much arrogance and pride as the Tanuki girl. Where did he go wrong?

Whilst he did take the slip and read it he also listened to the explanation provided by Elyx. Two large bandit groups, each 1500 people strong were about to go to all out war. The council wanted them stopped before innocents got caught in between. Wars were never good for anyone. However, the magic council would rather a battle did not occur and instead wanted it settled peacefully. They weren't against it being ended via force, but the peaceful method was preferable. Now that was particularly interesting. It was then that he considered an idea. Recently, Devon, his companion, had gone through a rather interesting changing. The celestial spirit king seeing her dedication and strength granted her the gift of Lupus and Luna, the wolf and the moon. Her form changed drastically and her power increased exponentionally. IT was probably on par with Zack now. She'd renamed herself Tikaani to show her new form and was very different physically. Nobody of her race would recognise her now, but to him she was still Devon. His cute little, badass, fairy buddy who had a go at him for flirting. However, her new powers could be ideal for this job. Particularly an ability she simply named the Wolf Moon. With it an entire battle could be drastically altered in their favour. Against such large numbers it would be ideal. Particularly if said large numbers were strong because of those numbers. Ah, the fun it could be. Especially as she didn't need to reveal itself to do it. That could cause confusion as well as making herself look a lot more intimidating.

"Money isn't really an issue when you're a guildmaster, unless your guild is destroying towns like fairy tail." he said with a chuckle. Though the rewards were pretty substantial. That made it tempting, but what really interested him was the challenge and a chance to show off his power and that of Tikaani. It was going to be a rather interesting job. "I've never really seen myself as the negotiating type, but I'll certainly give it a shot. Besides, i'm not the type to not help a friend if they need a hand." He handed the flyer back with a smile on his face. No, not a smile, more of a devlish smirk. He was really looking forward to this job. "I'm up for it. Got a few tricks in my pocket that should make this rather interesting. Let's get going before those bandits get a beatdown from someone else."

He paused though as something came to his mind. "Do you think perhaps we should go get some more...intimidating or ambassadorial style clothing?" he said looking at his own attire. In combat it was great and it provided a lot of abilities, but it wasn't exactly the look for an ambassador or peacekeeper. He was geared for war, not for peace.

You know, somehow, I do not doubt that you did that. Elyx would explain before chuckling. Even Ignite understood the joke, she laughed a little bit more than the boy though. She was not as calm and mellow as he was, it was easier for her to laugh, and when she did, she was usually louder as well. A smile would emit on of his lips as Zack then continued to explain further. From there, Ignite took the wheel. Thanks man, glad to have you come along. This job alone would not too be easy. Being A rank and all, plus, 3000 people to control. Now that you have come along, we can have a lot of fun WRECKING THEM! Ignite would exclaim, a little bit way too loud for the trio. Elyx eyes shot up quickly before slamming his palm over her mouth so she would shut up. That was going to bring a lot of attention onto them. Ignite, we are going to try to be a bit more civil than that. The goal is to simply stop them, fighting and bloodshed in self-defense is a last resort. Fighting isn't a game, it's a matter of survival. So don't try to risk your life over it. He would explain before uncovering her mouth. He knew that not a single word went through her ears. There was no way to control her extreme nature. She just loved to destroy things for fun. That itself already made her a lot like Izayuki. The thing was, she used fire, and that was something that he can't completely control. Ice was a much easier element since it was solid. Fire was something on a different level.

Go for intimidating. Seeing the Wizard Saint in a pissed off mood might knock some sense into them without causing any problems. Elyx would explain before Ignite nodded her head in agreement. She seemed fond of the idea for some reason. Then again, she did like clothes a lot. Many times she had tried to change his fashion since she thought he was a bit too old fashioned. However, the boy still had many people that liked it, and even had a few people who tried going at him. However, though he can feel emotions now, he still does not have a problem with rejection. Any way we can get to the Serene cliff quickly? He'd asked before tilting his head. It was a simple question with about no answer whatsoever, and that sadly was not so rare among many questions either. Hopefully Zack would have one, being an H ranked Guild Master of one of the top legal guilds if not the top one. It was based on perspective, and in all honesty, he had seen about five guilds in the same light. None too powerful compared to another.

His eyes closed at the response a smile playing upon his lips. He seemed to blur momentarily at those words and when he stopped his clothing had changed. He now wore a long white coat with fur trim at the base, wrists and neck. Upon the shoulders were gold epaulets both emblazoned with the symbol of the wizard saints. On his back was the Wizard Saint Emblem, but with the Blue Pegasus emblem emblazoned over it. This showed his affiliation to both the Blue Pegasus and the wizard saints. Beneath this he kept his usual attire. A sword was now at his waist and in his hands was a large ornate spear. Along its length, near the top a snake curled around it and the blade of the spear extended from its mouth. Another symbol of who he was. He was the serpent bearer, Ophiuchus. Though this was a fact not known by many. In fact, he doubted whether anyone in his guild other than Akryn and perhaps Shuhei knew of his true self. Aiyana also did or he hoped she did as she had peeked his interest as another celestial.

What wasn't perhaps as obvious though was that these clothes were not real. He was bending the light around him with tiny amounts of focus to condense and form into actual clothes. They would even feel semi-solid to the touch. He looked over at Elyx with a stern expression. "Intimidating enough do you think?" he asked with no sense of humour in his voice. In truth he was struggling to keep himself from laughing, but he could be serious when needed. "Or do you think the shoulder pads could use spikes or something?"

He looked at Elyx. His clothing was a tad more formal than Zack's and a bit more old fashioned. It would probably be suitable as it was. It was going to be an interesting mission to say the least. "Let us proceed to the Serene Cliffs with haste. We cannot let that war start before we have a chance to stop it, through force if necessary." Serious Zack was quite different to regular Zack. It didn't suit him as much, but that just seemed to add a different sort of intimidation. IF you managed to push Zack so much he got this serious then you knew you had done something wrong. Of course, in this case it was an act. If someone seriously pushed him to this limit then they might not survive much longer. If they pushed him further then it was unclear what he might do. He'd almost wiped out Clover once in his rage and he'd taken down an entire huge tower with a single blow once. He was not one to trifle with.

Well, that was the thing about Caster Magic, one did not have to be forced to stay with a certain attire, they could stand still and completely change, which is something the boy would like to do. Maybe he could take up a third magic when he hits S rank, when he body was ready for it. Those clothes looked like the clothes of a Wizard Saint, it even had the symbol on it. If that were not scary enough, the shoulder pads made him also look very professional. Before given the chance to comment on it, he would ask if that looked intimidating enough. Elyx certainly felt the strength of Zack and was not even the enemy. Ignite took over before anything else could happen, an extreme comment as much as it was speed. Nah, add some spikes! Huge ones! You would look like such a beast! Maybe on your cape too! Yes, especially the cape! She would exclaim happily, placing her palms against her cheeks in excitement. Elyx in the meantime looked down, his hair covering his face in shame as she had exclaimed that. Such a dangerous girl, this was a good thing though, she had ambition and wanted to stop them. At least she was not the enemy, otherwise, he'd have a very hard time facing off against her. It would actually be a decent match though, their training matches were okay. But neither were actually trying to hurt each other. You are good Zack! Ignite here just wants to see you with a bunch of painful metal on. She is a She Phoenix, born from fire basically, so please excuse her rude and very unprofessional manor.

With that, he'd tilt his head to the side. Elyx was not currently too intimidating right now. Though the answer is most likely no, he could not help but ask. Besides, Wizard Saint attire is so rare! Hey Zack, do you have any extras for me and Ignite? Though I'm pretty sure you don't bring feminine clothing for her, but it was just a thought. Currently, I look like I just became an adult... Barely. He would explain. Naturally, Ignites eyes would spark up happily as she heard those words, she wanted to wear such clothing as well. It was nice to see that she was happy. But she might be heavily disappointed, because the chances of that happening were rather low. The boy must have had a bit of hope though since he had asked, so he could not talk like he were acting any better. Still though, it was not like either of them were bugging Zack about it, right? Not Even the She Phoenix would whine if there were no Wizard Saint clothing for them.

"If a beast was the look I was going for I could do a lot more than just spikes. I want to look like a wizard saint with a bit of anger behind them rather than a barbarian chieftain." he paused after saying this digesting the words that Ignite had said. One line in particular stuck out and he shook his head. "Besides, spikes on a cape? That would just look ridiculous."

The words that Elyx said were perhaps correct though. His own attire was probably fine now, even if it was just an illusion and whilst Elyx's looked decent it wasn't exactly suitable. He did look quite young and inexperienced despite his high level of power. Well, high compared to most. His own attire was easy for him to maintain because it was attached to him. Maintaining the attire for others was not something he had tried. "My own clothing is not so much me summoning up the clothes as bending the light around me to create the illusion of clothing. For example..." he focused and suddenly for a brief moment he appeared to be standing there in a red sequin dress. However, as soon as it had appeared it was gone to be replaced with the wizard saint like attire. "...i've never tried it on someone else though." he paused again and looked around. "Besides, neither of you look like any of the wizard saints." Then he spotted a shop and an idea came to mind.

"There are two main options which can be accomplished in two ways. We either make you look impressive...or we make you look less impressive. Like a wife and son perhaps." he said and then raised a hand as if to forestall any comments they might make. "After all, if I am confident enough to bring people like that to such a meeting then it could make them worry more. Though it could also show that i'm not taking it seriously enough." It was a difficult choice in truth. Having them as impressive individuals could show the magic council was taking this very seriously or that they were afraid to come alone. It could go both ways. If he trusted Ignite more and had seen some seriousness from her then perhaps he could of had them as ambassadors, one for each side, and then he could be there as more of a threat. He'd be the weapon and only be triggered if things went badly. However, right now he could not trust Ignite for this.

"I could easily afford to buy clothes from the shops nearby or I could bend light, but that would require greater focus and you two would have to stay close and any distractions could cause the illusions to fail." Yet maybe it might be appropriate for the three ambassadors for the magic council to remain close to each other creating a more formidable presence. It would also work if they posed as a family as even if he was confident enough to bring them along he would want to keep them close.

Once again, Ignite was able to jump the gun before Elyx could, so her statement was able to come out before his about the choice that they could make. They both had opinions about the situation. The boy wanted to have the former of the two choices given the them, and not the latter. For one thing, he would be the son. Second, Ignite would look like a teenage mother. Zack looked young, sure, but that only added salt to the wounds. Something that told people "How did these people screw up their lives?" Ignite on the other hand thought it would be a lot of fun, and she was a shameless She Phoenix, so she could not care less about her reputation. Elyx could however, he was sensitive the recent events given to him at Black Rose, constant scoldings and having others hate him when he hated the work. No one wins, which is why he tries to keep as much distance from his home, it was sad, but he was not quite comfortable in it now like he used to be. In fact, sleeping even felt like a chore. But none of this was the point.

Lets get some clothing for a mother. I want to see how they dress. Ignite would explain before looking over to the violinist, a smile on her face as she looked at his. From there, she actually did kind of notice his baby face, he looked so young. Just his age, sure, but still very young. So you are going to be my son, eh? Does that mean you can't tell me what to do? She would ask with plenty of taunt on her face. It was in good humor, and that good humor got her a slight hit on the back of the head with his palm. Not one that hurt, just one that just kid of put her head down only, almost like her just pushed it. Lets buy some closes, with that many people, we can not take that many chances with these bandits. They are skilled, which is why this job is for S ranked mages only. Lets handle them... As a family...

And with that, he would then begin to walk into the shop, Ignite would follow right behind him. Hopefully Zack would join them. If he did, they can search for clothes together without much problem, jewels were not a problem with him around. For one thing, his wallet will not be attacked by a certain She Phoenix. Zack also can go on any high paying job, it was a miracle that he even agreed to go with them on this job. Then again, this was Fiore, not Shadelle. There is actually mercy here.

Of the two plans, or four depending on your perspective, they had gone for one which in his opinion was the most likely to exist. It didn't have to rely on his ability to bend light. That meant they didn't have to stay almost unnaturally close together. It also meant he could focus on his own clothing and didn't have to worry about his focus being interrupted and the facade falling away. It also meant they didn't have to rely on the intimidation of the pair for this. No, instead it would rely purely on his own intimidation. Hopefully, they would take him bringing his wife and son as a sign of his confidence rather than a sign of stupidity or disrespect. That could make the plan fail entirely and force a fight. It was a risk, but it had the highest rate for success.

Zack followed the two into the shop and paused as he walked into it. Ignite wanted to get clothing suitable for a mother. However, Zack had no memories of his mother. He'd been kidnapped, literally, when he was baby by the sky emperor. He had been raised from his youth as a warrior. There had been no maternal figure for him. He didn't know if Elyx or Ignite had better memories. In fact, did Ignite even have parents as a phoenix? Devon, or Tikaani as she was now calling herself, did, but her race were warriors. They weren't exactly 'mothers'. Well, they were but they weren't typical mothers. Most mothers didn't train their daughters in combat after all.

"I don't think i'm going to be much help here except as a bank account." he said jokingly taking a seat on one of the chairs in the store. He didn't need to buy any clothing. Though perhaps it might be better to do so then he wouldn't have to focus at all on maintaining his attire. Then again it was unlikely they'd have the sort of clothing he was wearing and he wasn't paying to get it made. "Go find what you like...my treat, but try not to take too long. Try to make yourself a little older Ignite and the opposite for you Elyx. Sorry about this bud, but its probably our best shot at success without too much force being used." The orb flew out of his pocket again and once more there was frantic whispering from it.

"Another time maybe though i'm not sure if you even need clothes nowadays." The orb seemed to flare up red briefly before returning to its hiding space. He sighed deeply. He'd have to do something about that later, but for now he was content with continuing with the mission.

He sighed when he had heard Zack speak to him, but he nodded his head in agreement before looking through the shop. Ignite in the meantime seemed to be having a lot more fun with this. Well, she got to look like an adult, and it was clothes shopping, could one blame her. As she looked through the store, she ended up finding a pair of glasses that matched the color of her hair, followed by a long red coat as well. It was extremely long, and under it was a tag with a few instructions. As she read, she smiled when she read the part that she did not have to worry about others seeing her in a terrible way since it was that long, almost touching the ground. From there, she would put on the jacket from that moment before looking at herself in the mirror. Then she would place her glasses on, and just like that, she truly did look older than she did before. Way older one might say, but a young lady regardless. It seemed she had the whole mother look down.

Elyx in the meantime, naturally, was a bit slower with finding clothes. He had to find closes in the teenagers section so that he would not be a complete dork. Well, he might have been a dork already, but it was an amount that he could live with. Now his goal was to look like a child! Such a stupid task, but if it put less work onto the group of them and they could stop a whole war from breaking out, then why not? Besides, free clothes in the end for future disguises. For now though, they were going to need it. He continued to walk through the store before he then picked up a Black T-Shirt. Nothing on it. From there, he continued by placing some skinny jeans into the fray, which were the color blue. Black boots were also provided as well, so he could not afford to miss that as well. Finally, he found a golden necklace with a music note on it. This was going for the plain, "I'm a typical anime teenager sort of character" sort of guy. Not as bad as he expected, so he accepted it.

From there, they would go back to Zack and approach him, both of them saying the same words at the same time, perfectly as well. I am ready. They would say towards him, and that was the truth. They were now prepared. If Zack were to approve, hopefully they could go and make the purchase. It was going to make a nice test run to see if they blended in with the crowd. Elyx had a bit more confidence that he would not end up looking stupid and being laughed at. In fact, he didn't seem too bad.

The outfits that been chosen were certaintly suitable. Ignite looked like an older woman, still young, and about the sort of age you'd expect someone of Zack's apparent age to go for. Elyx had managed to find clothing that made him look a bit younger. It was perhaps a little bit of a stretch to have Ignite as his mother, but it was the best chance they had. He nodded and walked over to the counter and slided a small plastic card across a scanner. "All paid for. Shall we get going then my dear?" he said taking Ignite's arm and then looked over at Elyx. "Come on kiddo we don't want to be late ." He was trying to get into the role of 'father' without coming across as too overbearing, too lenient or too chummy. It was a tricky task, but one that would certainly test all of their action skills.

When they got outside he lead them over to another store. This one rented magically powered vehicles with drivers. They were cheaper if you could provide the magic yourself and Zack had that in spades. Even if he didn't he had an A rank mage and Tikaani with him. There would be no shortage of magic. As such he hired one of the more impressive looking vehicles and a driver, but said he would power it himself. Once more the plastic card came out and was scanned. He opened the door for Ignite and helped her in and then waited for Elyx to get in. Once the two were seated he got in and tapped a panel which slid down to reveal the driver.

"To the serene cliff and step on it. My family and I have a rather important appointment." he said calmly. "Once we disembark I want you to leave as quickly as possible ." The man nodded and Zack slid up the panel so he could talk to the two privately.

"I think as i'm meant to be the representative here, and the father, that I should do most of the talking. Elyx feel free to interrupt me at points in a typical childish way like 'But daddy you could beat up all these guys couldn't you?' and things like that." he said laying out the plan. "I want to try and do this without a direct threat or show of power, but if it comes to that then I must warn you one of the tricks I have will probably hurt you. Its a powerful technique and great for this sort of thing, but its an AOE using gravity so its hard to discriminate." He felt it was appropriate to warn them of that particular ability as he didn't want to come as a shock. "Any questions or suggestions?"

So basically, all he would have to do was act like the child version of Ignite. Way too easy, if only she could be the child who just had to act like one, it would be better. But Elyx had to face it, he had a baby face and a little bit childish of a personality. Well, childish in the sense of how shy and timid as well as sensitive. This was going to be an easy task for him to do, though he did not have much experience with interrupting people in between their sentences. The boy just did not like to be rude about it. As the driver drove towards the cliff, he would nod his head as he then listened to the spell. They were able to prevent that easily, and Elyx would need is a warning and the both of them would be successful in avoiding that spell, assuming it were a spell and not and ability. The Violinist would then look at the mage before he then decided to add in a little bit after the spell was explained. Just give us the warning when you are about to use it. I need some sort of signal, something like a whistle with the mouth. Or my personal, the hand whistle. I have an ability that allows us to avoid that danger. Well, it saves me, then I can save Ignite. He would explain before then placing his palms together to create an airtight seal to show Zack the exact position his hands should be in to do that hand whistle.

The Hand whistle is a bit more unique and easier to pick up on. Almost no one was able to do this, in fact, it was taught back in my previous Tribe. Not once have I seen any mage use this sort of technique. Elyx would explain before aligning his thumbs together, leaving a little tiny slit of the two thumbs. His fingers would somewhat move to the side so Zack could see the line, then he'd place his hands back into the Hand whistle formation. From there, the boy would place his upper lip on the top of the thumb that was bent. The lower lip was pressed against the opening of the hand before he would let out a little bit of air, a song sort of sound was made from his palm. We used this call to bring birds to our aids, or just simply make music. It takes a little bit of practice, but once you learn, it never leaves you. It is a useful tool, try practicing while we are on our way, all right? That is what our signal should be when the attack is coming.

So Elyx had a way to avoid this attack that could also protect Ignite as well. That was a fairly impressive trick and he was curious as to how that was to be accomplished. All he needed was a warning and he'd decided, by himself, that it was to be a hand whistle. What's more he seemed to think that Zack would require much practise in order to do it. He smiled slightly and without hesitating raised his hands in the correct position and then blew into it moving his hand slightly as he did and played a short song that was reminiscent to the famous song from Flute of Ages, a popular lacrima game. "When it comes to sound...well air anyway...there is little I don't know." he said with a wink. Though Elyx may not know it at one point in time Zack had been known as the 'Sky Emperor' much to his chagrin. He had been kidnapped at a young age by the true 'Sky Emperor' Shangdi. A man who had fused his soul with that of the 13th key and trained him to be a sky demon slayer. However, that part of his past was far behind him though a confrontation with the Sky Emperor was definitely in his future. Yet it was this same training that had given him an affinity for the air in both flight and in terms of using it for various purposes. Sound was always one of his favourites and he'd managed to master many musical instruments. "Though I much prefer the guitar."

"Still its an appropriate choice for a signal I suppose though it might be a little obvious that I am up to something if I just randomly play a note on a hand whistle. A hand whislt seems more appropriate if I was hiding and wanted to mimic a bird to alert you of something" he said thoughtfully. It wasn't exaclty the most subtle of signs. "How about instead I say something that could be considered a threat to them, to try to ward them off. Something like 'together you will stand, but divided you will fall.' Its pretty appropriate for the trick I have planned." He sighed deeply. "Though I honestly hope I don't need to use it. If I did it means our negotiations have failed and many lives may need to be taken...or at least two severely injured."

He considered other options in his head. Potential options that might allow them victory over their opponents. "Perhaps I can challenge them to some sort of contest...their mightiest champions versus myself....if they lose they agree to peace...if they win then my head is theirs. Think they'd go for that?" It was an honest question though in truth even if his head was cut off he'd still be able to fight. It would make things harder though and if he 'died' and was sent back to the realm of the celestial spirits then ELyx and Ignite would likely be slaughtered. No, Tikaani could get them out of there. Yes, that would be a good back up plan and she would do it without him even asking. She knew what he was like.

Do you think they would fall for that though? I mean, if our gimmick works, they will believe that we are a couple and a child. Even if we were three mages in their mind, and even with the clothes that you wear, I don't think they will believe you can divide them, even if you actually can. The She Phoenix would explain. This was not the first time she had ever been this smart, but why now out of all chances? This was a battle strategy though, what better is she than compared to preparing for battle? Not only was she strong, but she was incredibly smart as well. Apparently, she thinks she can also restrain herself long enough to do the whole loving mother play for the bandits to fall for. If she were able to do that without busting the whole scene, Elyx might let her handle some more fun and better responsibilities. Now Zack, I know this battle probably is something that is the easiest for you to handle. But your head? Isn't that a bit big of a risk factor? The boy would explain, ignoran to Zacks power, it's not like he needed a head, little did Elyx know that. Plus, what else would make them take the deal? Provided that the Wizard Saint won, and he had doubts that Zack would lose, then how can they guarantee for the bandits to stop fighting? It only took about a few seconds for Elyx to get his answer, and his white teeth were then revealed in a smile. Say you did win, and they made the deal. Doesn't that count as a warrant for the Magic Council to do whatever they need to if even the smallest of bloodshed occurred between them? Since they have the agreement held against them, that would be like an arrest and or death warrant.

What he meant to get at was the fact that the Magic Council would not need a warrant to stop the bloodshed and arrest with this agreement. All they would have to do was witness the bandits fighting against each other, and boom, they earned a few years in arrest if things did not go too bad for them. It was an easy path to take, and all that Zack would have to do was win a fight. In the meantime, Elyx and Ignite were going to have to look over the other... 2999 other the other fighters to make sure they do not get involved. Sure, they had Cassie and Frostfire to help them. They even had Celestial Spirits, but 2999... That was going to be a lot of time consumed. The boy was not worried about losing, he had doubts that they would be able to win. It would just take a while for them to be put under control.

Ignite had a point. That was certainly true. Even with his physical and magical might combined with that of Tikaani it was quite a large amount of people. He was fairly confident, around 70% sure, that between the two of them they could do it. Combine their power with that of Elyx and Ignite and it became a bit more certain. However, that did not mean that the opponents would be intimidated by it. In fact, it might prove to be an unwanted provocation or they might just not take him seriously. They might think he was acting all tough for his 'son's' benefit. He did not reply immediately and instead waited incase she had more to say. It turned out that Elyx was the one who had more to say. He wasn't 100% sure that Zack could handle this situation. He wasn't aware of Zack's strength nor of his accomplishments, which was perhaps understandable. On their previous job Zack had not been forced to go all out and he doubted details of his exploits got as far as Silvermoon City, at least not yet anyway.

However, what was perhaps more important and more poignant than his doubt of Zack was his thoughts on the political side of things. Politics and legal ramifications really weren't his strong point. Now that he thought about it Elyx was probably right. If they agreed with peace through the result of some kind of contest they'd have made a promise. Due to Zack's connection with the magic council as a god of ishval any agreement they made with him could be taken as an agreement with the magic council. With his guildmaster status it also worked as an agreement with Blue Pegasus. That meant if they broke their promise Blue Pegasus would be able to bring them in as would the magic council with their rune knight army.

"You both make a fair point. Ignite, in terms of the 'divide' bit it was more a fact of if the two sides remained against one eachother then they would fall. It was a more of a classic saying than an actual threat." he said and then paused considering it a bit further. "But I can see how it could be taken as such. We need something more subtle." He thought for a moment and then an idea struck him as he looked at his spear. "How about this...when i'm preparing for it the snake's eye on my spear will close? Though you'd need to keep an eye on it without really staring at it otherwise they might guess we're up to something. Or I could make one of my epaulettes display a countdown of sorts...maybe make the emblem slowly lose colour. Any preference?" He then turned his gaze to Elyx.

"Politics really aren't my strong point and I can't 100% for sure say that's how the magic council would take things, but its definitely possible. So i'll save the challenge as a last resort because I don't like putting things in a cage." he said with a nod. Freedom to him was the right of every sentient being. He didn't like the idea of putting people in prison or in cages or anything like that. Besides, if they were trapped how could they ever come back for a rematch? He enjoyed fighting the same opponent's again as it was always fun to see what tricks they would come up with to fight him. "Even if it is one of promises rather than a literal cage its still a cage. Personally, I'd like to find out the meaning behind this war. There must be some reason for two large bandit groups to suddenly come out with armies to fight one another. If we can find out that reason...and rectify it somehow then perhaps we can stop the war entirely." he sighed deeply. Politics and negotiations weren't his strong point and he didn't want to become the sort of person who used their power and influence to intimidate and control people. That was Ophiuchus' style, but it wasn't Zack's own. Now that might be an odd thing to say considering Zack was not for all intensive purposes Ophiuchus. However, deep in his mind he could always feel a second presence. A part of his mind that wasn't his own. It had taken him over a couple of times in the past and made him do things he wouldn't normally do. It was hard to control because it was like fighting yourself. It knew everything you could do. Plus as Ophiuchus was a millenia old spirit it knew its powers far better than Zack did.

"Stay out of this today Ophiuchus. Bloodshed must not occur unless there is no other choice. IF you take over me today...I will find a way to remove you even if it means losing my own power."

Elyx tilted his head to the side, it was a little bit of an odd plan. Odd as in, was it possible? Visual is key in communication, and if he had to constantly look at something like, the back of his palms for example, they would notice that he was looking at something he was paying too much attention to. From there, they would try to look at his palm, possibly forcibly. If they do that, it was either he revealed what he had on the back of his hand, or he resists. Both of which will then cause them to go hostile if it is foreign, or worse, recognizable. Well, just as long as it is not in a place too obvious. By any chance, is there some way to feel the mark or whatever would be placed on us? Looking would be too obvious regardless of where it is placed, but feeling it faint away for example might give us a warning that time is almost up. Elyx would explain before leaning back against the seat, hoping that he was understood. There was just something about the way he chose his words that confused other people. It was the studying, reading dictionaries over and over again until he memorized their wording. Or maybe he studied a bit too much on the foreign languages and mixed their transitions and phrase into his own. Maybe even the older version of English was what caused them to throw the whole lot of his words off. Regardless, what had been said had been said, so all that the boy could hope for now was that Zack understood. Elyx meant to say that if they used a visual tactic, things might get suspicious. If there is some mark that they can feel fading, then maybe that would be the better option. But some things just were not meant to happen, and this might be one of those cases.

So you propose we solve the problem? To do that, we would have to keep them seperate and gain their trust. One of us will keep the both of them away from each other, then I can interview one side while you interview the other. From there, we could come back together and tell each other what they know. Being one mage each, they will think we are weak and we can act as their "Guests" that don't intend to harm. Then he would turn over to Ignite, so formally dressed, but possibly for nothing if this plan were to be the one that they go with in the end. So I stay in the middle? And what happens if one of them tries to cross to the other side? She would ask, tilting her head. The answer was easy for Elyx to answer. Use as much fire neccessary to keep them back on their side. He would answer back to her, giving her permission to go all out if she needed to. It was expected that the She Phoenix would face off against many opponents.

Yes, a visual symbol was not perhaps not ideal. Even if it was something not obvious if they were forced to keep an eye on it then it would look suspicious. There had to be something. A key phrase that he could slip into conversation easily? That might be it, but what sort of phrase. "I think a phrase is still best. If I say the words 'my boy' during the conversation then that will be the phrase...should be easy enough to slip in without it seeming odd." Yes that would work well in his opinion. With Elyx posing as his son it would make sense for him to use the term at some point. Yes, that was probably the best he could do. Or at least something along those lines. "Perhaps we should agree a few key phrases and if any are used then thats the signal that its about to get...serious."

He listened carefully to Elyx's next words. The idea of them splitting up to discuss with both sides at once was a good one, but having Elyx be the negotiator would not work in this case. "Unfortunately, with our disguises as they are it wouldn't make sense to send you as the negotiator for this. They might see it as insulting if we send what appears to be a child for it." he said with a shake of his head. Their disguises in this case would be to their disadvantage. Perhaps he should of dressed them as saints or at least rune knights instead. Then again he'd have to maintain that with his light bending as the shops around here wouldn't sell those kind of uniforms. "Perhaps we can arrange to have them meet in the middle, the leader and a few of their representatives with a promise that they will be safe during the talks."

He thought about this and then considered what was best to do in this situation. They were heading to the cliffs and it wasn't like there was a safe area like a house or something there that they could use. Perhaps if he circled out an area with a line down the middle. One side on each side of the line. If either crosses the line then negotiations would end. However, would that work? Would they agree to it? He'd have to show himself as a force to be reckoned with or persuade them some other way. "This...ambassador job is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I don't want to threaten them with sheer force, but I might not have a choice in this case." he sighed deeply and stared at the roof of the carriage wondering what was best to do in this situation. There had to be a way forward.

Elyx would then smile, now that was something that could work perfectly. In fact, because of his current clothing, he was able to think up of a fitting phrase that could show when Elyx wanted the move to be done, and that he was prepared to save both him and Ignite. With Effect Control, gravity would no be a problem, since he would be immune to negative effects. Such a beautiful ability, and one that both the Lerale Mages and the Swordsmen are able to share together. Such a fun set of magic he had now that protected him, battles are not that much of a threat anymore. Going down the dark path was not what they should end up doing though, so that was why they were thinking so hard about it. It seemed that Acting as a father, a mother, and a child was a good idea. If only Elyx could use his shadows spell, where he can split himself into four. Actually... He still had his previous clothes from before... I have an idea... All righty, maybe a bit more than one actually. The first one, since they think I am a teenage child, I could just blatantly whine and say something like "Dad, I'm bored". Naturally, I would never do that in an actual talk, so you would know that I am asking for the spell. He would explain before looking down at his clothes, they were fitting for that all right. His thin yet muscular body might have helped for once instead of looking bad and tough. Underestimation is a factor that might actually help them in this case. The boy finally found purpose for his child sort of resemblance when it came to his body. A smile would then emit as he was the able to reveal the second part of the amount of plans he had. In the bag he had, he would be holding the old clothes that he had. I have a spell that allows me to split into four versions of myself, all of them able to talk and fight just like myself. But they don't inflict as much damage. Imagine I place one of the clothes on one of them and have them work for interrogation on one side. Meanwhile, the three of us hand out on the other side of the field with one tribe. The clones do not last too long though, but whatever information that they are able to get will then transfer to me, then we are able to continue with a lot of knowledge. He would explain. Haruki's Shadows definitely was a useful spell, it took him so long to think of it as well, he would not even begin to think of excuses as to why. That was not what mattered now.

So they both had a key phrase. One for when he felt it was necessary and one for when Elyx ready to do whatever he had in order to prepare for it. Yes, that would work nicely. It wasn't perfect of course, but it would certainly do for this situation. He hoped it wouldn't come to him using that particular trick. He'd rather keep Tikaani's overall power a secret for the time being. However, perhaps Tikaani might be an ideal second negotiator for this situation. Then again they did have Ignite as well, but Zack had no idea how suited she was to negotiating.

It was then that Elyx came up with an idea. Splitting himself into four in order to give them three extra people to act as a deterrant against the bandits. OF course, it might look like he had brought a lot of children with him and that Ignite and himself had been rather....busy...in their relationship. However, it was certainly an interesting concept. It also gave him an idea. He had an ability that was very similar to that, but his versions weren't physical clones. No he split himself into two entiities like yin and yang. The question was whether he could trust the dark side of himself. That form had a lot more influence from Ophiuchus and for this sort of situation Ophiuchus was the last thing they needed. Zack also had another option though one that would prove a little trickier. He could be in both places at once or appear to be via his after image ability. It would look rather impressive to some extent. However, it would be tricky to maintain and rather exhausting. There might also be some gaps where he didn't seem to be saying anything. His speed was high, but not that high. It was time to reveal his potential trump card. There was no need to keep her hidden from Elyx and Ignite. However, it would of been useful to have her hidden from the bandit armies.

"I also have an ability like that, but I don't think its suitable. The other option is Tikaani." he said and with that the orb emerged from his pocket once more before rapidly expanding to form a 5ft6 feminine figure with a strange blue metallic skin and silver armor. Upon its knees were large crescent moons that appeared to be sleeping and extending from its head, shoulders and back was more metallic blue. "She is the trick I had up my sleeve...who will trigger the spell I had in mind, but she could also serve as a negotiator. That way we preserve your magic power incase its needed. Though whether they will see her as suitable or an insult is another question"

Well, unless you want to claim that you did it that much with this Phoenix girl right here, I guess we would have to use her. Both in this case would be a help, an insult would be able to redirect their hate. Elyx would explain before Ignite gave him a smack to the back of the head, causing him to go forward and hit his head against the head of the seat, a cushion fortunately, but the back of his head was not in the best state. I am a great person, thank you very much. Now shut up before I send you over to your room with no supper. The She Phoenix would joke before sitting back once again and a smile would then be on her face. She was able to fit into the role well enough for a She Phoenix, it was enough to convince people that they were related for sure. It would be a weird mixture to claim that he had brown hair while Zack had Black hair and Ignite had orange hair. But that was an oddly specific detail, and if that question were given, he could use his snobby teenage voice while saying something as annoying as "Now why would you care, does it matter to you?" Either one of his "parents" would have to pretend to hush him so they don't take too much insult from the question, but that was going to get the question off of them. From there, he looked out to see the cliff soon approaching. They were not too far from their location, and they would have to figure things out soon before they arrived. Unfortunately, they would have to execute it with the best of hope, only one shot at this. If this was going downhill, they would have to prevent war via the duel between Zack and whoever was the tribes strongest members. That would not be worth the trouble, he can't have his "father" fight against two members and possibly kill them by accident. The fight should be avoided, they did not need to go for a battle to resolve a war. They were H and A ranked. Still though, the exception to this was the fact that they might be messing with the bandits, and they might not rely so much on logic. Regardless of what we do in the end, if bad becomes worse, then it will be a duel. Ignite and I can handle one of the bandit tribes while the other side tries to fight against you. We can handle their champion, right Ignite? He would ask before patting her head, causing her to close her eyes and smile. She would nod her head before he let go of her head, in which she would then put her head back.

It was as these words were said that the coach drew to a halt and Zack stepped out. He looked at the two sides who were standing glaring at eachother. It seemed they had arrived just in time. That or perhaps their arrival had caused them to pause wondering what was happening. 1500 people on each side sounded like a lot of people and indeed it was, but it seemed even more so when facing them. He walked slowly into the center, his cape billowing in the wind, and slammed his spear down causing the ground to shake. "Members of the Pyjacks and the Buzzards. My name is Zack Rose." he said amplifying his voice by magic so it boomed over the crowds. "I am here as a representative of the magic council." There were jeers and boos at this, but one voice, sounding smarter, called out above the rest.

"Aye I recognise ya Rosie, but who be ye companions? I dinnae ken seeing or hearing of 'em before." it said and Zack remaining stern spoke his reply.

"My wife and child. My son wanted to see his father, the famous wizard saint, in action. In case things get out of hand my wife Jean came along to keep him out of danger." There were murmurs about this. Murmurs like those he had expected. They thought it an insult or him a fool for bringing people close to him. ]"As for the third she is my ally Tikaani, an envoy of Malkariss, who has decided to travel with me for a while."

"So what business does the magic council have with the likes of us?" called out another voice from the other side. He wondered if these were the leaders speaking or some random members of the group. He glanced over at the group from which the first had spoke. They had claymores on their backs and dirks at their side. Their clothing was sparse consisting of kilts and heavy boots. However, the rest of their bodies were covered in tatoos dying their skin blue. The second group were a bit more dressed. They were wearing leather armor. Rough gear but durable.

"The magic council have heard of your quarrel and the war that you seek to begin. They do not want it to happen. Too many lives will be lost and the battle could spread and take out the nearby towns." he said loudly his voice able to boom over the crowds with little effort. "I wish to speak with the leaders of your clans or a representative. Will you speak with me and my ally Tikaani?" He said and then waited for a response. He wondered what was going to happen next. Would they accept his words? Or would they try to start a fight. He tapped his fingers on his staff.

Ignite would wave with her right hand and her eyes closed, a smile on her face when she was introduced as Jean. Jean Rose, it was a name that she could go by. An easy one for sure, though maybe not as elegant as she would have expected. Oh well, it was not a name that she felt she could complain about, with the brief amount of time given to think about it, they would be able to have a whole set of names. Elyx as well seemed to have a name dillema. hen again, he was given the freedom of choosing whatever name he wanted for later, since he did not intend to use his real name. To help try to give off the impression of him being a teenager, he would cross his arms and turn his head away in an annoyed sort of manor. Like he was just some random rebellious angry teenager that did not want to go on this job. His clothing helps give off that impression for sure. Seems like they were not going to have him clone himself into four different versions of himself. To do that would probably give them a heads up that he was a stronger mage than the average teenage mage would be. A smile on the inside though, this was an act. Acting always had been a fun thing that he did back in Shadelle, he would remember playing as a few of the Commanders fighting off Dragons with their instruments. It would always be fun until an instrument ended up getting broken. Seems like this was not going to be a different sort of act, and if acting in Fiore was like acting in Shadelle, he would have a lot of fun with this. Playing his role well, he would look back to them with his eyes half closed, his lips in a straight line and his hands placed down in his pockets.

Now when the request for the leader of either of their tribes have been made, he would then close his eyes and make a sigh of annoyance, just for show. Dad, we don't want them to be hurt, right? You can get them to bow to you with just a snap of the finger, they best do what you ask, right? He would ask. That was a rough attempt at acting like a son who looked up to his father as a powerful man. But it was an attempt regardless, an okay one at best if he did say so himself. Ignite would then turn to him with a smile on her face before ruffling Elyxs hair. Don't interrupt daddy, Kyler. He is working. She would say. Did she just pick a name for him!? Great, and one that did not even sound like it matched. Kyler Rose... Such a stupid name.