The Honorable League of Swastika

Isidore Crane was not your ordinary Priest. For one thing, he did not look like a Priest. He was one of Pronteras 100 Hottest Men for the year. No wonder he would be in such a catalog if he didnt have the looks.

Hes tall, reaching a towering five feet and eight inches height. He had round, imploring eyes that always suggested lethargy and drowsiness even though he was wide awake. A mop of messy, blonde hair was perched on his head, and he did not even care a single bit to fix it in any way. Much more, the girls liked his dirty look.

Isidores face could be compared to a gods. He was handsomeextremely handsome, if I can say so. Many women were disappointed because they could not lay their itching hands on him. Isidore was a serious Priest and took great lengths to obey the laws of the Church.

Another reason why Isidore did not look like a Priest was because of his manners and the way he projected himself. He was bubbly, easy going and always liked to laugh. And yes, the charm. That irresistible charm that sent hundreds of girls swooning whenever he passed them.

Isidore had a golden earring hanging from his left earlobe. He also had another piercing on his tongue, topped off with an exquisite silver ornament. Punk, wasnt he? No, Isidore definitely changed a lot ever since he was made a Priest. He was a lot worse in his Acolyte dayshe had piercings on his eyebrows, on his nose and on his navel. But he removed the ornaments now and allowed the wounds to heal.

Isidore was suavehe had a softly clipped voice that suited his polished manners. And if you were lucky enough to hear him singing Gloria or Impositio Manus, you can die and go straight to heaven.

You would only recognize Isidore for his job when you notice his robes and the golden cross choker hanging from his neck.

"Why does it have to be me?!" Isidore grumbled one Sunday morning. "Its Aduliss turn to Mass todayIm not due until next week! I dont know his sermons! This is his job, damn him!"

"You cant go against the archbishops orders, now can you?" said Katrina, a Priestess. "Our dear Adulis seems to spend lots of time in Payon these daysI wonder what he found in those woodlands that it distracts him too much"

Isidore moaned and buried his face in his hands. Another Priest entered the kitchen, a Romantic Gent in his hands. His name was Orion Blair. His eyebrows shot upward when he saw Isidore.

"What happened?" he asked. "Did I miss something? Did Isidore finally realize that he's too good to be a Priest? Is he going to Job Change now?"

Katrina laughed heartily. "Orion, you joker. Adulis isnt aroundyet again. Isidores just been ordered to hold the Mass."

"Really?" said Orion, turning to Isidore.

"Shut up." Isidore snapped even before Orion could say something.

"Its all right, dearest." Katrina spoke, standing to butter some toast for Isidore. "Youre just going to do a single Mass for todayit cant be that bad. Here, eat thisIll get you some hot chocolatehurry up, go on, the Mass will start one hour from now"

Isidore stood up and crammed the toast into his mouth. "Ifh mheahn, duhh Ifh havhe twoo?"

"Bad luck, mate." Orion smiled as he sipped from his own mug of hot chocolate. "Aduliss favorite substitute is you. "

Isidore rolled his eyes and grumbled impatiently. Even though he was a fully pledged Priest he hated giving Mass. Especially if most of the people were women.

Two hours later, the silver bells of the Great Pronteran Sanctuary tolled loudly, announcing the end of the second Mass for the day. A thick crowd of people started piling out of the great church, chattering away about the Priest who gave them the sermon.

The people were pleased that it was Isidore who faced them. But on the contrary, Isidore got grumpier than ever.

"Whats the problem?" Orion laughed. "The Mass is over! Whyre you still puke-faced?"

"I told you I hate giving Mass when it is NOT my turn." Came the disgruntled reply.

"I cant believe you." Orion shook his head. "Youre so weird!"

But Isidore shrugged off this comment as he went out of the Sanctuary from the back door in the kitchen. He came upon the vineyard and the barn, where thirty Acolytes were working hard to harvest grapes, water the plants, feed the animals and clean the corners.

"Good morning, Father Isidore!" the Acolytes greeted immediately.

Isidore inclined his head politely as he passed by.

Acolytes always served the Sanctuary if they wanted to become Priests. It was a hard life, since they toiled from dawn to dusk. Often times the labor was backbreaking. But the Acolytes believed their work was just a test to their faith and devotion.

An Acolyte was eased of his labors only when he became Priest or left the Sanctuary. Priests were treated with the utmost respect, and working under them as a charge was considered a great honor. But Priests were a great mystery for the Acolytes. They knew of deeper divine magicks, and their faith was unshakable.

"Going somewhere today, father?"

Isidore spun around and came face to face with a young Acolyte named Wealthow Eyre. She was a young woman of 18 years, with a motherly air. Her lilac eyes were a wonder. She was also under Isidore, working for him as his fifth charge.

"Yes." Isidore answered. "Im going to meet my party today."

"Swastika?" Wealthow said excitedly. "Its my dearest wish to become part of it somedaybutwell, Father, take care!"

"Yes, someday." Isidore smiled. "Thank you."

Isidore continued his pace until he entered the bustling world of Prontera. The capital and most powerful city-state, it had superb buildings and the thickest crowd of peoples. It was also a melting pot of different cultures; here Morrocans, Izludians, Geffenese, Payonese and Albertans mingled with the native crowd.

It was a busy day today (well, when was it that Prontera did not become busy anyway?). Merchant and Blacksmith shops flecked the streets like gnats, and people swarmed about like ants. Novices ran from place to place in their recognizable uniform, knives and swords swinging loosely from their belts.

"My, mythis thick crowd is making me dizzy." Isidore said as he elbowed his way through the crowd. "I wonderoof, sorry, I didnt meanuh, excuse me? Oofwatch out, will you!"

People had always been the problem in Prontera. It was too much crowd. And Isidore hated crowds because 90 out of 100 had the tendency to chase him, asking for free Heal that they didnt deserve.

"A Priest over there!" a Magician shouted, spotting Isidores black robes. "Father! HEY, FATHER! FATHER!"

"Oops" said Isidore, bringing out his Book of Billows ready. "Not today, Im telling you! WARP PORTAL!"

A portal popped out infront of Isidore. Before the Magician and his partymates could reach the Priest, hed already pitched himself in the portal and warped to somewhere else.

Octavian Mishtarl was the typical Assassin. In the Honorable League of Swastika he was the quietest one, preferring to lurk in the corners listening to his partymates conversations. He was tall, roughly the same height as their leader, Isidore Crane. He had a shock of white hair that grew this way and that, deep-set blue eyes that gave him that haunted and deadened look. His face could not be described yet, because it was always hidden beneath the cover of his ninja suits veil.

"It is unusual for Isidore to be late." Octavian commented.

Kiara Gail, the partys Blacksmith and Prima Donna, looked up from her map. She was a beautiful woman, with long blue hair and chestnut colored eyes. She was also the Goggle Girl. A cigar never ceased to smoke from her lips.

"Maybe hes still asleep." She said. "But I wish hed hurry up, the heat is killing me."

Octavian raised his eyebrows at her. "The heat is killing you? But you are sitting under the shade of a tree."

"Its still hot. And dont you dare start one on me, Octavian." Kiara replied coolly, tossing back her hair.

Octavian rolled his eyes. A few more of Swastikas members arrived: Matilda Teilhard, Haja Szilard and Richard Holbein.

"Isidore not yet here?" Richard inquired, shifting his cowboy hat.

"What a miracle, hes never late." Matilda wondered.

"Do you think hes all right?" Haja asked.

In Swastika, Haja was the only one still in the First Job. She was a Magician. Like Kiara she had long blue hair, but hers was much shorter and she kept it into two separate and low pigtails.

(Authors note: If you know the MTV of Slapshock, the song Without You, youll have a pretty good idea on what Haja here looks like)

"Oh, hell be all right." Octavian answered. "Look, there he is now."

A Warp Portal appeared out of nowhere and Isidore came tumbling out of it. Upon seeing his party, Isidore smiled and walked toward them. Kiara was the only one who did not return that smile.

"And where have you been, Father?" Matilda asked. "It is unusual for you to be late."

"I had to do the Mass." Isidore answered. "Adulis Alighieri has gone to Payon again."

Richard suddenly became alert. "Is that Adulis a Priest with long blue hair? The one who always wears a Circlet on his head?"

"Yes. Youve seen him?" Isidore frowned a bit.

"In Payon? Of course!" Richard nodded. "Hes always with this young Archera pretty one with pink hair and a crossbow. Oftentimes I see them alone in Bigfoot Land. I wonder what they do there"

"Are Priests allowed to go out on a date?" Kiara piped up. "Isidore?"

"Of course not!" Isidore exclaimed. "Thats the ultimate sin for us! But Adulismay the Lord forgive himonce the Archbishop hears of this I hate to think what will happen to that Archer!"

Haja stepped up. "Enough of all these date business, okay? Isidore I thought were going to my hometown? If we head there right now well be luckyGeffen is holding its annual PVP Tournament."

"Ive heard of that one. Isnt it where you fight as many enemies as you can and when you knock the most enemies without a single loss you win?" said Matilda, scratching her chin.

"Yes. And a prize of one million zeny will be waiting for you." Haja smiled.

"Lets go, Isidore!" said Matilda, brandishing her spear. "We can make Octavian and Richard join!"

"WHAT?!?" Octavian and Richard burst out, shocked.

"Just kidding!" Matilda winked. "Ill join that PVP tournament! All you have to do is watch me take that prize money and beat everyone! Ha!"

"I wont be so sure though," said Haja. "Youll be in luck if he does not join."

"He who?" Isidore asked Haja as he readied himself to open a Warp Portal. He did not need any Blue Gemstone anymore because he owned the powerful Mistress Card. "Just who are you talking about?"

Haja looked at her companions as if they were mad. "You dont know him? You dont know Geffens greatest child?"

"How will we know if you keep glaring at us?" Kiara mumbled impatiently. "If you tell us his name, then thats when well know him right?"

Isidore touched Kiaras forehead. "You dont have a fever, but why is your head so hot?"

"Dont touch me!" Kiara snapped, slapping off the Priests hand.

"With a temper like that Im amazed you still have us as friends." Richard commented.

"Change the topic." Isidore spoke before Kiara could throw another furious diatribe. "So who is this he youre talking about, Haja?"

At this, Octavian voiced out his mind. "I think I have heard his name. Nerva alThor, first non-Geffenese to achieve the title of Premier Wizard at the age of nineteen?"

Haja nodded. "He never fails to amaze me. Hes an Izludian and yet he earned the highest title of Wizards in my hometown."

"So what difference does it make if this Nerva joins or not?" Isidore went on, looking from Haja to Octavian.

"When he joins he never fails to sweep the tournament." Haja explained. "Ever since he was still a Magician, he always won the prize. Even Hunters and Assassins could not harm him. But there are times when hes too busy with his Runes and magic that he forgets his favorite pastime."

"I see." Isidore said thoughtfully. Then he extended his right hand. "Warp Portal!"

A second portal popped out on the ground, gleaming brightly. As usual the ever-impatient Kiara went in first. Octavian, Richard, Matilda and Haja followed her. Isidore was the last to pitch in before the portal vanished.

800 kilometers from Prontera, a Warp Portal popped out in one of Geffens tight streets. .