Wakfu: Aeri The Eliatrope

Chapter 32: The Contest

Our Heroes were looking for a harbor which, because of the Chaos of Ogrest, was underwater. They decided to find an inexpensive Inn as Ruel wasn't in a spending mood. They soon found one called Chaos Inn. It was a nice little place. They saw a note about a singing competition called Y Factor. Shiro couldn't have cared less about it, but Amalia thought she might have a chance in it. She began singing a song, in her sweet voice. ;"Take it from a pro Amalia, give up, you don't stand a chance." Ruel said. He told them that he used to be a famous bard who stopped because of 'artistic differences.' Whatever it meant. When they were booking in, Ruel didn't exactly agree on the cost with the worker. ;"eighty kamas per person!? Are you mad? That's ten times as expensive as in Brakmar, and I already had to deal with that!" He yelled, demanding to meet the owner. Apparently he was seeing to the singing competition, there was a stage near by, which had several different singers on one by one. He seemed interested in a man singing in baritone, when suddenly another man appeared. He wore a long brown coat with a covering red and white hat. He took something from his pocket, a bottle. He opened it and blew the contents on the singer, who coughed because of the powder. He soon found out, that he had lost his beautiful singing voice, which was replaced with a high pitched tone. The mystery man soon ran away laughing in a harmonic tone. Percedal thought it was all part of a show. The others watched just as weirded out. ;"What just happened?" Shiro asked. ;"I think that man just lost his voice but.." Evangelyne said. ;"None of you even tried to stop him!" The owner said angrily turning to face them. Ruel immediately knew who he was ;"Phil Harmonic??" He asked. ;"Ruel Stroud?!" Harmonic yelped.

They went to his office to talk about things, the man was just giving instructions to hid nephew Ardwin who apparently tried to catch the Voice Thief but got hurt in the process. Ruel marched in to meet Phil who was sitting in his chair fanning himself. ;"So you came back?" Phil asked, eyeing Ruel suspiciously. ;"And I see you haven't changed a bit." Ruel said, looking back at Phil in an annoyed way. There was a picture of the two from their Bard years on the wall of the office, they used to be in the same band. ;"Um what was your band called?" Yugo tried to ask to de-escalate the situation. ;"Ruel and the Comets." Ruel said. ;"Phil Harmonic's Orchestra!" Phil said. The two went back and forth like this for a good while. ;"Mhm, artistic differences, I see." Eva said. Ruel managed to make a deal with Phil, his bill over catching the Voice Thief.

And that's how the investigations began. Shiro and others enjoyed their meal downstairs, Amalia also asked for two of their finest rooms as well as baths, and to treat them like royalty. Percedal was just happy getting something to eat. He shoveled up the food like no tomorrow. Afterwards Ruel, Yugo, Shiro and Percedal along with Junior Ruel's Drheller, they began to look for clues. They checked the stage, and the close by area but couldn't find anything. Then began the interrogations. They began by asking all singers about their alibis. Most of them weren't exactly helpful. One of the singers who was a small girl seemed interested in Yugo when it was hid turn to interrogate. ;"Has anyone told you that you're cute?" She asked, Yugo blushed, embarrassed. Shiro was trying hard not to laugh at his brothers situation. When he interrogated a Sadida woman in turn she seemed to be flirting with him, which Shiro couldn't take at all, switching with Ruel hurriedly. He was as red as a tomato. Percedal tried to interrogate the cook, but he wouldn't even make a peep. The list of the suspects was wide, and they had no idea who the Voice Thief could be. They heard a scream upstairs which gave them a little hope of catching him, but unfortunately he had already got away. He had attacked Amalia who was singing in the bath, her sweet voice was now a low growl, she could barely speak because of it. Ruel thought of a plan after, he gave each other group members beewax earplugs to use during the competition. That's when they'd catch him.

The competition began without a hitch, the singers appeared one by one. Shiro nearly got a heart attack when the beautiful Sadida woman blew a kiss towards him. He hid his face ashamed. Yugo in turn got a wink from the little girl singer, which made him blush. It wasn't until the last singer, the former baritone one appeared, that the Thief came to view as well. He used a specialised gun he had to stop everyone in place. It looked like a megaphone but smaller. No one who heard the wavelength could move. ;"You should've ended the competition Phil Harmonic!" He said in a singy song voice, holding a big bottle of powder with him. He threw it up in the air, and waited for it to hit the ground, but it never did. Yugo used his portal powers to catch the bottle. Shiro dashed onwards towards the Voice Thief, who quickly kicked him off of him, and began running away. Shiro grew his dragon wings to fly after him. When the Voice Thief destroyed the bridge after he had crossed, Shiro flew over it, Yugo portaled over it, Ruel had tried to chase him too until the bridge collapsed, but was saved by Amalia's powers. ;"Come back you scoundrel!" Shiro yelled after him. He spat fire at him, which the Thief agilely avoided. Shiro cursed under his breath. The Thief used his gun at him, which thankfully Shiro avoided as well, as it could break through a solid wall if necessary. Yugo hopped in after the Thief as well, using his Wakfu blast against him, while he used his gun, the two collided and caused and explosion to happen which sent the Voice Thief flying towards a building. He fell in through the roof. Yugo thought it was over, but it wasn't until Evangelyne shot a freezing arrow that the Thief finally stopped. Just as he was about to shoot Yugo and Shiro with his wavelength gun.

The now thawed Voice Thief was unmasked in front of everyone and it was none other than Phil's own nephew Ardwin. ;"You never gave ME a chance! You truly have no taste in music or singing!" He spat. Phil was outraged, but made him work for what he had done. Ardwin had to fix the broken bridge, as well as the houses he had broken with his wavelength gun. He had a ball and chain on his ankle. And that is how Ruel got a free dinner, a good night's sleep, and got totally out of huge debt he would've had, had they not gotten the Thief. Amalia's voice was still kind of wonky, but it would turn to normal in time.

At the same time, in Sadida Kingdom, King Oakheart had sent summons for the other Kings and Queens in order to get the Council of Twelve all together. Aeri was on a walk with Qilby at the gardens. Everyone looked at them as they walked. ;"Look it's the King of Eliatropes." They whispered amongst themselves ;"Have you gotten a full night's sleep Aeri?" He asked. Aeri shook her head. ;"I guess I worry about Shiro, we've never really been apart for too long and now, while he isn't alone his still.." she explained. Qilby nodded understanding. ;"I understand that you're worried of your brother, but if you can not focus on other things as well it's a problem." He said. She nodded. ;"Now, how about that Stasis training I promised you?" He asked. Aeri seemed to get some of her energy back after hearing that. ;"Yes please." She said. They sat down in the middle of the gardens, and focused only on each others presence. ;"Now focus only on my voice. And try to mix your Stasis with my Wakfu." Aeri did as told. Her red energy began enveloping her as his blue energy did him. The two collided, but didn't cause a bigger reaction, it was as if they had accepted each other, they mixed together well creating a spot of purple energy in the middle of them. ;"Interesting reaction." He said. Aeri stared at the purple ball of energy mesmerised. Qilby took her hand in his. ;"Aeri, do you.. really not remember anything? Not about, how we used to be?" He asked in a worried tone. ;"I only have bits and pieces, but none of them seem to go together. I wish I could remember more. I'm sorry." She said sadly. He seemed to understand what she was feeling, like it was his own pain, despite the two not being twins. "But.. what do you mean 'how we used to be?'" She asked him, when a guard showed up. ;"Your majesty Qilby, King Oakheart wishes to speak with you." He said. ;"Of course I'll be right there. I'm sorry Aeri, we have to leave the training for later." He said, walking towards the castle, leaving Aeri confused about the past.