A Message

A strange visitor in an old inn.

Chapter 1: A Message
"And that is how I defeated General Nottap at the Battle of Negahnepoc." The young mercenary boasted. His eager audience of former soldiers, other mercenaries, and quite a few of the beautiful women Acirema is famous for cheered and clapped after he finished his epic tale. He beamed proudly, showing off brilliant white teeth. "Innkeeper!" He hailed, voice a slightly accented tenor. "Another round of that ale, on me!" 
The storyteller had bronzed skin, signaling his heritage from the southern parts of Ocixem. Bright turquoise eyes shone like the seas of the island city of Second Sun. His face bore strong arrogant features giving him an appearance like the heroes of old. Silver flames flickered along the hem of his sable shirt and pants. Simple black boots meant for travelling completed his current attire along with a sword, long and curving, sheathed in a black scabbard inlaid with gold at his hip. 
The innkeeper, an aging old man, hurried over with several tankards of ale which were received enthusiastically by his patrons. 
“What about the time you defeated the Three, Akatsuki?" A golden haired woman next to him requested. "Someone of the age of twenty can not possibly destroy three trained killers."
"About that," he quaffed the remainder of his beer, "I haven't defeated them yet. There's a large amount of tracking that's involved, and the fact that nobody has caught them in millennia. They're elusive little b******s. There’s a reason they’re known as the best." A broad grin split his face at the thought of avenging Ikasagan's murder. “But, with a little help from a magus that helps me with that part, and my amazing fighting prowess, it should be done the day that I find a location!”
Moments after this was said, a man in the blue robes of a mage appeared on the upper landing. He looked to be around the same age of Akatsuki with fair skin and a bored expression. His hair was a deep royal blue streaked with equally deep purple. Green and black swirled in his eyes creating twin yin-yang symbols where iris and pupil should be. He turned his abnormal gaze to the boastful mercenary, eyes only showing weariness. 
"Elphie!" exclaimed Akatsuki, "Any news?"
Elphie nodded, mildly irritated of the fact that Akatsuki was bragging again. "I have a general location. They are in a heavily wooded area south of here.”  
"Great! We leave tomorrow," He turned to his audience, "Sorry I can't regale you with my tales of conquest any longer, but I need to rest. One can’t kill murderers if one doesn’t have enough sleep." He smiled pleasantly then scampered to his room next to Elphie's. The old pine door creaked open eerily and what Akatsuki saw was astonishing.
It was a hooded figure, male and younger than Akatuski. A loose fitting white robe shrouded his slender frame from head to toe, embroidered with a crimson pattern that danced along the cloak like fire. It was trimmed in gold and a red sash was tied around his waist, the ends hanging loosely off of him. Golden bells dangled off of the sleeves and the sash's ends, tinkling musically, yet solemnly almost like funeral bells. The mysterious figure's lithe hands were hidden by white gloves and his feet were in similarly colored boots, the toes curling in an eastern style. A scarlet scarf was drawn tight around his nose and mouth, concealing his face. Above the scarf, stark white skin and deep crimson eyes were the only visible features. A large ruby on a thin silver chain hung around his neck. Two swords were sheathed at his hip and a dagger was strapped behind his shoulder. The smell of the sea wafted off of him.