>>5913644The road ahead was clogged with scores of people. And not all of them were pilgrims either. Among the mix, you could see merchants, adventurers, and even the occasional wealthy looking traveler. Even if you thought Zanado was nothing more than a barren wasteland, you understood why one would come there for religious purposes. But what purpose could these fools have to venture out this far? As you walk the line of carts in awe, you overhear some of their chatter.
“Holy water! Blessed by the Goddess herself! Get some before the big ceremony!”
“I can’t wait to see Zanado! It’s unfair that the Church wouldn’t let anyone visit for so long,”
“I know right? I bet there’s all sorts of awesome things there.”
Scammers! Scammers and peddlers and people seeking a thrill, hoping to explore previously forbidden lands. And all of them were marching to their death happily, none the wiser. You refused to stand behind these fools when you came all this way to try and save them. Fuming, you jump atop one affluent looking noble’s carriage, yelling at the top of your lungs to attract attention to yourself.
>“Get this trash out of the way!”“Who the hell are you?!” The man whose carriage you jumped atop asks, taken aback. “Get off there! I won’t move a single inch!”
>“I wasn’t talking to you.” You say, jumping back down to the ground. As you do, the rest of the members of your company spring to action. Without much word, the Blackwings begin pushing the travelers out of the way. Carts are pushed aside, their contents falling to the ground in droves. Tents are kicked out of the way, as are their inhabitants that offer any protest. “W-who do you think you are?!” One young looking adventurer complains. He looks to be a mercenary, and one who doesn’t appreciate how he and his travelling companions are being treated. He draws his blade, looking for a fight, only for Theo to quickly punch his lights out. The man goes down with a single hit. Seeing how he was treated, any other notions of resisting the Blackwings are quickly suppressed.
“Please!” A woman pleads with you, grabbing onto your cape desperately. “Don’t you understand what you’re doing! The Goddess is coming back to Fodlan! She’ll be in Zanado any moment now. We need to be there so that we may be saved! You’re condemning us!”
Bennett and Anacharsis had done a number on these folks indeed. It was hard to believe that they bought all this. Shaking the woman off you, you address the crowd once more, all eyes turned towards you.
>“Listen up! This road is now closed! Follow at your own peril. Any who we find trailing our route will be dealt with accordingly.”“What gives you the right?!”
“If you don’t like it, try and stop me yourselves.” You brandish Gungnir towards the crowd. “This trail now belongs to the Blackwings! Any who come following us will die!”
