Akagi = the name of the Hero, as always for my stories
Eltrio leaned against the mountain as he did not have the strength to hold himself upright any longer. Breathing heavily, he watched the wispy clouds break apart and reform among the jagged teeth of the mountain range. "Xia," he panted.
The word was the only thing that kept him going. Over many weeks the meaning of it changed.
At first, the word was a name given to the most lovely creature he'd ever clapped eyes upon. Although it should have put him off, Xia being a Dragovian didn't deter him in the slightest. On meeting eyes with her the first time, Eltrio knew he'd found the woman who'd proudly wear his Argon's Heart. He didn't know exactly how to break the news to his younger brother or the citizens of Argonia. Firmly wrapped in the bonds of love, Eltrio knew he and Xia would find a way to make their dreams come true.
The appearance of Xia's father changed all that. They'd been enjoying simply being together, wrapped together in a blissful haze of shared love, when the shadow darkened their world. The dragon alighted on the ground and changed into the form of an old bearded man with a strip of white hair down the middle of his otherwise bald pate.
Chen Mui, the old man, snarled his accusations at the lovers. The two races were incompatible, he'd said. How in the world did they expect to live together anywhere? Surely Eltrio really didn't think the Argonians would accept having someone inhuman be their queen? His mind still stumbling to form answers, the old man's form changed again. He'd seized Xia in his massive talons and flew off into the sky.
With that, the name changed from something of beauty to a soul deep wound of loss. Bewildered at the abrupt loss of his love, Eltrio grew despondent. Not long after the kidnapping, he took with him all the supplies he could muster and turned his back on his kingdom. From the stories his beloved told, he knew the portal to the Dragovian Sanctuary stood at the height of an immense pillar of rock.
"Xia," he breathed. The name gave him strength to aid him on his impossible task. Many times he would have slipped from the rock to his death, but he kept the name close to his heart. It gave him the courage to try again and again. At the top of the pillar, he rested and bound herbs into his wounds.
Amazingly, he'd gone this far and all on his own. He would do this for love. He would find her and make her father understand. They would succeed where others would fail.
The portal didn't take him immediately to the Sanctuary, but rather to a dank cave. Very well, Eltrio told himself. He would take on this obstacle as well. He felt confident in his ability to fight off any monsters that might tangle with him. He whispered the name of his beloved in the darkness, as though it would shield him from all harm.
When he could fight, he fought. When running proved the best option, Eltrio opted for that. The cave seemed endless, twisting around itself and confusing the Argonian prince. Paintings along the wall depicting ancient Dragovians seemed to mock his progress. His beloved lay somewhere, but where?
Monsters of all shape and size dwelt in the maze. Though Eltrio was quite the swordsman, each fight slowly sapped away his stamina and supply of life giving medicines. Upon reaching an outdoor path among the mountain peaks, his heart soared. Surely now he'd find the Sanctuary soon?
Undeterred by the light of day, the monsters dogged his trail and rode him down. A demon with a pitchfork batted away Eltrio's weak sword swings and skewered the man in the leg. Screaming in pain, he sliced his sword across the monster's eyes. Mewling and wailing, the demon removed his pitchfork and fluttered off, clawing at the bloody mess of his eyes.
Using Xia's name like a mantra to keep back pain, Eltrio ripped a sleeve off his shirt and bound a tourniquet around his injured leg. Wincing, the Argonian prince used the mountain as his crutch and hobbled the way up the path.
Until he simply could go no further. Eltrio's eyes grew half lidded. Tiredly he looked down at himself. His trousers were wet with blood. He'd idly wondered what that squishing sound was when he'd tried to walk. Trying to get a better look at his wound, Eltrio slid down to his backside. There. Now he wouldn't leave a blood trail because he couldn't move any longer.
From his vantage point, Eltrio viewed a stunning view of the wide blue sky. But nowhere could he find the Dragovian Sanctuary. He'd given everything he'd had to try and find his love again and despite this, it simply wasn't enough.
Maybe the old man had been correct. Maybe they really couldn't have been together. Wrapped up in the haze of love, it seemed like a dream now. Or an illusion of something he'd wanted so badly. The reality was, he'd never see her again. He'd leave nothing behind save a younger brother who would be forced to take up the throne.
All that effort and sacrifice ultimately wasted on someone he'd only known for a handful of weeks. "Xia," he whispered with his last breath. With his last thought he regretted not being able to give his beloved anything to remember him by. Exhausted beyond all endurance, the Argonian prince slumped over in death.
Nearly twenty years later...
The travelers gasped for breath, not adapted to the thin mountain air. "Just a few more steps. Around this bend here and...there, we've lost that demon," rasped Akagi.
"'Sright...guv...we lost 'im," wheezed Yangus. "Nearly took me hatchet, that beast did."
"Goddess, I'm just glad...that last spell...distracted him." Jessica bent over and braced herself with her hands on her thighs.
The fourth member of their party didn't have the energy to voice any opinion at all. Angelo collapsed on his hands and knees and retched up blood.
"Bloody 'ell!" Yangus exclaimed, his curse an accurate portrayal of what he saw.
"Get him sitting upright!" Akagi fished through their packs for emergency healing supplies. In his delirium, the Templar fought weakly against Yangus and Jessica as they sat him against the mountain. "I think I have enough magic left here." Placing both hands on Angelo's torn shirtfront, Akagi slammed a healing spell directly into his friend's chest.
"All right, choirboy. Drink this," Jessica ordered, tipping the waterskin into the Templar's mouth. Angelo took one mouthful before removing his lips. He swished the liquid around and spat out the disturbing pink tinged liquid.
"Don't do that, you git! Drink!"
Yangus finally fished out some spare cloth from their packs and pressed it tightly to the wound on the Templar's chest. Akagi stripped the mantle from their companion's clothes and bound the compression tight. "Here. Eat this then drink. Three bites and one swallow and no arguing at all! And keep doing just that." Akagi's voice sounded harsh in his own ears over the concern of his friend.
Angelo bit into the oddly colored healing cheese for the proscribed three bites and then swallowed water. His companions awaited anxiously, but it seemed that with each bite, Angelo's pallor regained some color so he didn't look as grey as his hair.
After a few minutes, he pushed the cheese away. "Goddess have mercy," he whispered.
"You still with us, Angelo?"
"Yes, Yangus. I greatly wish otherwise at this moment. Goddess, these monsters are like nothing we've ever seen before."
Angelo spoke the truth. Hidden inside the mysterious cave were beasts willing to rip them apart. They nearly did so time after time but for the fighting skills of Akagi and Yangus, the fierce magic of Jessica and the healing spells of Angelo. Their teamwork, honed after weeks of journeying together, served them well.
Even with that, they were frequently outclassed by the denizens of the mysterious place. It grew so bad that frequently someone needed serious healing or a quick grab from the jaws of death. Angelo had dragged himself along from sheer stubbornness as he either needed to heal someone, be healed, resurrect or be quickly resurrected himself.
All four of them would have abandoned the cave entirely, save they'd seen the location in a dream shared together. Dogged by the feeling he'd regret not searching the location, Akagi convinced his friends to follow him. They put aside their quest to take down Rhapthorne and followed their leader.
They grumbled, but in the end acceded to Akagi's wishes. Only their shared respect kept them going in what proved to be a ridiculously dangerous path. Suspended between heaven and earth, none of them could accurately guess where they were. "We can't stay here," Angelo said. He grit his teeth and tried to stand. "Those things will come after us if we linger."
His effort got him no where as Jessica shoved him back down with one hand. "If you don't sit there and rest, I'll set your hair on fire! Then let's see the ladies flock to you then!" Jessica threatened. "I still have enough magic to do that much!"
"Hah! She's got ya there, mate!"
"Yangus, I swear once I have the energy, I'm shooting my next arrow straight up your--"
Akagi smiled a little. If Angelo could argue and bluster, it meant he was definitely on the mend. "Everyone, look over here. It looks like we were the lucky ones on this path."
Jessica and Yangus walked over to where their leader pointed. Angelo, still unable to move, craned his neck. "What is it? I can't see it from here."
"'S a grave, mate. Looks like this place chews up a lot of people." Yangus removed his spiky cap and scratched his patchy head. "Sorry 'bout not bein' respectful," he apologized to the solitary gravestone.
"'Here lies buried Eltrio'" Jessica read aloud. "Eltrio. Eltrio. Why does that name sound familiar? Where have we heard it before?"
"Argonia."
"What's that, guv?"
"Argonia." Pacing in a circle helped Akagi try to remember. "In town, didn't you remember hearing about someone named Eltrio? He'd left years and years ago on some adventures and never returned."
"Right," seconded Angelo, taking up the narrative. "He was the older brother of the king. Lost and never returned, like you said."
"So wot is a bloke like 'im doin' all the way up 'ere? Dyin' and all."
"That's it!" Jessica slammed a fist into her palm. "There -is- something here. If there was nothing, all we'd see is a skeleton of the poor prince. But this is a gravestone. Which means..."
"Which means there had to have been someone to bury Eltrio!" The Trodain guardsman felt life stir in his veins once again. "Think about it! There must be a town hidden in the mountains. That's what the dream meant for us. To find the town!"
"I would give anything to find a town here," Angelo said. "Perhaps they have beautiful women willing to wash my wounds..."
A slap upside the head courtesy of Jessica's hand stopped that train of thought. "Obviously the loss of blood has addled your mind. I think finding food and shelter for us all is FAR more important."
"Yes, mother." The men of the party spoke at the same time, looked at each other and cracked up.
"Angelo, do you have any magic left?" Akagi asked. Bringing the conversation back on track seemed the smartest thing. What with Jessica seeming to get a fire spell ready and all.
"No. I'm absolutely tapped. I'll stay awake as long as I can, but that's about all I'm good for now."
"All right. Jessica, Yangus, take point. We can't tangle with any more monsters and it'll be up to you two to get us to safety." Akagi grunted as he lifted Angelo to his feet and slung an arm over his shoulders. He was only person close to Angelo's height, thus the only one who could be a steady crutch for his injured friend.
"You got it, guv."
"Any monster along will get a face full of fire." Jessica and Yangus crept cautiously ahead. Angelo stayed silent, concentrating on one foot in front of the other.
Akagi cast a look back at the lonely grave. He wondered at the tenacity of the prince. The four of them were barely functioning. But this one man managed to make it this far before dying. Did some dream move him along like it did the four of them?
The Trodain guardsman paused to shift Angelo against him before following his friends up the path. How sad for Eltrio, Akagi thought. He'd probably never know what he was searching for.