Suikoden VII

Chapter One: Part Eight

Note: I'm going to start uploading character images for Suikoden VI to my deviantart gallery in addition to Suikoden VII. This morning I uploaded a redo of Daunte, along with Arin, Roen, and Felicity. I'm planning on updating my galleries every Monday. I'm taking requests on characters featured in Suikoden VI, so if there's a character you would like to see next feel free to drop a comment here or on my deviantart page, and I will move the name up the list. I've already received requests for Gunther, Sloan, Keiran, and Mihr so they will be next.

As a reminder, Poll #6 closes tomorrow at 5 PM GMT. I will post the results of that poll in the next chapter.

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Chapter One: Part Eight

"The True Wind Rune?!" King Franz launched from his chair and stood straight up at his desk. "Astraea has the True Wind Rune?! My daughter has a True Rune?!"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Albert said, his hands clasped tight behind his back. "The True Wind Rune was once a treasure of the Holy Kingdom of Harmonia that went missing 11 years ago. It appears to have been...hibernating. On the island where the Massacre of Innocents occurred."

"Do you know where the True Rune was prior to this, Albert?"

Albert nodded. "The Grasslands on the Northern Continent, Your Majesty."

King Franz leaned his hands against the surface of his desk. He looked down at his hands, as though in contemplation. "So," he said after a moment. "Another True Rune has decided to take refuge here in Zelant."

"Indeed, Your Majesty," Albert said.

King Franz looked up. "This is the second True Rune, Albert. It did not choose me, as the first did not."

His tone had lowered, sounding menacing. But Albert wasn't intimidated. "It was a blessing that the first one didn't choose you, Your Majesty," he said calmly. "And while it is a great shame that the True Wind Rune was discovered by Princess Astraea and not you, it is lucky that Her Highness was chosen by the Rune. She is still young and she is your daughter, which means that you can exploit the power that she holds."

"You said the first one could not be removed by a runemaster or runemistress," King Franz said. "Is it the same for this one?"

"...I'm afraid so, Your Majesty," Albert said. "Not just any ordinary runemaster or runemistress can remove a True Rune. Why, if the tales of Lady Norma and Ernst are true, then not even cursed runes can be removed by any ordinary runemaster or runemistress!"

King Franz nodded, locking his jaw. "I have heard that Lady Norma was able to remove her husband's cursed rune with ancient magic, and the aid of a wizard named Levi."

"Levi's reputation reached as far as Harmonia," Albert confirmed. "While he did not reach the immortal status of Crowley and Mazus, he was still a genius."

"But he is dead," King Franz said.

Albert nodded. "I had heard he died roughly ten years ago, Your Majesty."

"But the other two you mentioned—Crowley and Mazus—they may be alive?"

"Oh, they are most certainly alive," Albert said. "But their current whereabouts are unknown."

"But it IS possible to remove the True Rune from Astraea?" King Franz said.

"Technically, yes," Albert said. "It is possible to find a runemaster or runemistress powerful enough to affix True Runes to people. The Holy Kingdom of Harmonia has been doing it since...well, for a long time. And we could ask Lady Norma about the technique she used to remove Ernst's rune, but..."