Chapter One: It Begins
I smiled happily as I stood at the bar and waited to be server by the bartender. I tapped my feet to the music, leaning over the bar and smiling at the young attractive bartender. I felt so good; my heart was just bursting with glee. I turned my head to look at Kane who was sitting talking to Alexander and Lillith in a booth, Hinata was dancing on the dance floor to the music and Darum was speaking to a Huntress. 'Typical,' I laughed to myself, drawing the bartenders attention and ordering the drinks.
"Hey Faia!" shouted Darum from across the room, "get this Huntress a Grape Juice!". I rolled my eyes and turned around and ordered a grape juice. I bit my lower lip and pulled at that annoying piece of hair that always seemed to stick out at an odd angle. I tugged at the scarlet hair before giving up and tucking it behind my ears, my grey eyes flushed with frustration. I straightened my headband and flatted my white Sage outfit.
'Wow, Comodo is busy tonight," I thought, collecting the drinks and looking around the room to see a variety of people and classes all from a variety of places in Rune Midgard. I walked over to Darum and smiled at him, handing him his drinks before walking over to my booth and snuggling up next to Kane, kissing his cheek and placing the drinks on the table.
"What are we talking about?" I asked cheerfully, taking a sip of my drink and looking at Hinata as she danced with a Rogue. Alexander smiled at me warmly, his messy white hair hanging over his forehead, his blue eyes twinkling. "We were just discussing the rumor about a ghost in Geffen that swallows souls."
"Oh, happy as ever then?" I laughed. Lillith smiled at me before excusing herself to head to the bathroom, her blonde hair in ponytails falling down her back, across the soft red material of her priestess outfit. She looked back at me and gave a wave, although her normally bright green eyes were tired.
"She's a bit tired," I commented to Kane and Alexander but they were deep in conversation again. 'Great, leave me on my own' I thought. I picked up my drink and took to studying Hinata instead. The thing with Hinata was, every time you looked at her, you noticed something different. She was beautiful, yes, but in a cold manner. You felt like if you touched her, she'd shatter. Her hair was short in a bob, framing her face and black as coal. Her eyes seemed to change colour, from teal to sea green. I mean, even now, I notice how well she moves her body. She wore the normal wizardess outfit, although she wore fluffy white boots as an addition. She claimed they were made from dead Lunatic's, but we choose not to believe her, or were too scared to. Suddenly, she turned and slapped the Rogue around the jaw and shouted some obscenity before storming over. Oh yeah, there's that too, her raging temper. I giggled at her and handed her drink, she glaring at me furiously.
And then finally, there's Kane, my Kane. I turned and looked at him and smiled. He was still deep in conversation with Alexander but I was content with just looking at him. His brown hair, which was quite light, seemed to flick out near the ends making him look quite trendy. His green eyes were deep and seemed filled with whispered secrets, they were very soft. He wore the blacksmith's outfit, his slacks brown and his white shirt opened from the third button. He was altogether, gorgeous. I loved the bones of him and told him so on a regular basis. We'd been together for eight months now and I felt unbelievably happy. All those worries and insecurities I'd created from past relationships seemed to just melt away, I felt safe, I felt secure.
Alexander spied me staring at Kane and he nudged Kane and laughed. Kane turned to me and smiled warmly, leaning forward and kissing me softly and there it was, that instant electrical sparkle that sent shivers up and down my spine, that warmed my body.
"Are you alright babe?" he asked, his deep voice full of concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine" I replied, looking at him, drinking him in with my eyes again. 'Mine' I thought.
"We'll go outside and watch the fireworks in a moment" he said, winking at me before turning back to Alexander.
I stood outside the club, the sea breeze from Comodo Sea blowing in and whistling past my ears. Kane had his arm around me and I was snuggled into him, my arm around his waist and resting my head on his shoulder, staring up at the sky as it exploded in a variety of colours.
"It's so beautiful," I whispered, not wanting to speak louder incase I destroyed the moment.
"I know," he replied, kissing my cheek again.
I felt so loved. We watched as another firework went careering into the sky before imploding sending hundreds of coloured sparks cascading down upon us and I turned to Kane and whispered in his ear, "I love you". He looked at me warmly, pulling me closer by the hips and into his arms, kissing me gently, those sparks coursing through my body before whispering, "I love you too." I stared up at him as the fireworks exploded behind us and rested on his chest, him resting his head on mine, swaying us gently with the wind.
As we walked down the stairs back into the club, Alexander, Lillith, Darum and Hinata were sitting around a table talking, as they seen us come in they smiled, Darum smiling at me a lot. I threw him an inquisitive look before going to buy another drink. Kane went over to the table to speak to them all. Me, Kane and the others had been in a party for three months now, we'd done a lot together. In general, we'd done quite well by each other and I got to know them all pretty well. I walked over to the table and put down my drink and smiled at everyone, Darum still smiling at me. I crumpled my brow in a mock mad face before laughing.
Lillith stood up and pulled me to the side, "want to dance?" she asked, her voice soft.
"Sure," I replied, Lillith taking my hand and dragging me onto the dance floor. I swayed to the music, moving my arms and legs anyway I felt. Lillith was quite good at dancing for a Priestess and I pulled her forwards, and almost shouted in her ear so she could hear me, "Are you sure you should be dancing? Isn't this like a Sin or something?" Lillith looked at me before laughing and shook her head, she leant forward and replied, "Probably not, but I'm not interested if there's a God, only using his powers". She turned her back to me and continued to dance. I laughed inwardly, Lillith was a divine disgrace, I even caught her kissing a married man once.
As I continued to dance with Lillith, I heard an uproar behind me and turned around and gasped in shock to see Alexander and Kane arguing loudly, Darum behind Alexander. I couldn't believe they were arguing, I'd never seen them argue. I turned to Lillith and grabbed her wrist and pulled her over to the others. Alexander's face was deepening in shade as his anger bubbled over.
"Hey Hey!" I shouted, stepping between the two. "What's this all about?" The pair of them looked at me but none said a word. Darum opened his mouth to say something Alexander lifted a finger to silence him.
"We're all adults here, come on, we're friends, can't we get along?" I said pleadingly, keeping the two at a distance. The pair squared each other off, their eyes flashing warning signs to the other, daring them to start something before they both relaxed a little.
"Of course nothing's wrong," said Kane.
"Yeah," replied Alexander, patting my shoulder and squeezing it gently. "We just got a little out of hand, that's all!"
"Good," I said and smiled weakly at them.
Things died down rapidly, but as I turned to go back with Lillith to the dance floor I saw Hinata standing against the wall, she had her foot up against the wall and her back, her head dropped a little but I could see her eyes, they were narrowed and black. I stared at her for a second before Lillith pulled me away. The rest of the night seemed to go on uneventfully, Alexander and Kane seemed as friendly as ever and Darum had another girl in his arms, this time a female Knight. Hinata was at the bar most of the night, talking to the Rogue she had slapped earlier. Me and Lillith floated around, danced, chatted, or occasionally joined in with Kane and Alexander.
As the bar emptied and the fireworks slowed but didn't stop, we realised it was time to go home. I cuddled in with Kane as we all head for the steps, as we neared the top Kane swore loudly.
"Fuck!" he said, his tone full of agitation.
"What?" I said, thinking he'd hurt himself or something.
"I forgot my Zeny Bag." He replied, looking at me. "Would you nip back and get it for me babe?" I nodded and he kissed me on the cheek and thanked me. I trotted down the stairs, my red hair flying wildly and walked over to our booth, checking the table and the seat. 'That's strange' I thought, it's not here. I double-checked, running my hand between the seats and checking the floor before going to bar and asking if they'd picked up a Zeny Bag to which they said no.
I sighed inwardly; 'Someone's stole it' I thought and slowly climbed up the stairs. I reached the top step and a firework burst forth in the sky, illuminating me in emerald light. I looked around and couldn't see anyone anywhere. 'Hmm,' I thought and waited for a few moments. 'They'll come back for me' I thought. I waited and looked out to the sea as more of the fireworks exploded, giving the ocean a pink, purple and then yellow hue, tinting the crests of the waves. After five minutes I started to get impatient and began to walk around the bar, looking for them but there was still no sign. I started to panic incase something had happened to them. Then as I turned a corner I saw the looming figure of Alexander and the others. I shouted their name and ran forwards but as I got closer I saw there was a body on the floor.
My heart beat faster as I counted only four people standing up, I picked up my pace and ran forward as the four people parted like drapes to let me get a clear view of the body on the floor. A small groan of pain escaped my mouth as I ran forward and dropped onto my knees next to the blood stained figure, his now scarlet shirt opened from the third button, his brown slacks stained crimson.
"Kane," I whispered, holding onto him. His breathing was shallow. "What happened?" I demanded, staring up at them but their faces were blank. "Please? What happened?" I said, clutching onto Kane's head, resting it in my lap. "What Happened?" I shrieked, my voice shrill and loud, my eyes burning. Then I noticed it, the blood dripping coolly from Duram's Katar's, the blood on Hinata's robes and boots. "You.." I whispered, my voice now hoarse as the wind was knocked from my lungs by the sheer amazement of this realisation. "How... why?" I asked, staring at them. At this, Duram stepped forward and ran his finger over my chin, me flinching at his touch. "To protect you," he snarled, pulling his finger away as if he'd touched some disease-infested Fabre.
I stared down at Kane, who was struggling to breath, his body slashed and beaten and tears prickled my eyes. I ran my finger gently over his eyebrows and whispered, "It'll be okay, just stay with me. Everything'll be okay". My tears trickled down my face and from my neck, splashing onto my hand and his forehead. I looked up at Lillith, "do something!" I pleaded, begging for my lover's life. She stared down at me, her eyes cold and cruel. "DO SOMETHING!" I screamed, my voice reaching new pinnacles of panic as Kane coughed, turning to his side and blood trickling from his mouth. I stared at each and every single one of them, each without remorse. Lillith, my friend, our friend, not moving an inch. Hinata, with a seemingly sick sense of enjoyment on the edge of her mouth, almost a smile as she looked down at me cradling my dying lover. Alexander, expressionless as usual and then Darum, with those lustful eyes.
I watched in shock as all four turned on their heels and left me, heading towards the beach.
"Wait!" I cried after them. "Don't go! PLEASE!" I shouted, my voice breaking up as my own emotions overwhelmed me. "Do something! DO SOMETHING! PLEASE!" I begged, the last syllable becoming whispered. The four figures vanished into the night and I sat there left with the cold harsh reality of what was about to happen. The initial pain crashed through my system and I let out a sob, leaning over Kane and whispering his name. "It'll be okay, I promise! Just stay with me." I continued to pet his eyebrows as his breathing became shallower. "Please Kane?" I looked down at him as his eyes rolled away and he let out a final breath, and then he was gone.
"Kane?" I whispered. "Kane?"
There was no reply, no movement. I stared down at him in disbelief before letting out an animalistic cry, a howl, screeching through the night, tears running down my face as I cradled him, rocking back and forth. "I love you! Don't leave me!"
Seven hours later, I was pulled away from him by three Knights. I don't recall, I was told I fought with the furiously, scratching and biting and shrieking loudly. My white clothes were covered in his blood. They dragged me away to the local inn were a sleeping draught was administered to me and I slept for sixteen hours. Two weeks has passed since that night and I have remained in my bed since, my eyes raw from the tears. It's Kane's funeral tomorrow in Prontera Sanctuary and I will go, but until tomorrow, I will sit here like I have done for fourteen days, with the faces of those who did this to him swimming across my vision and dreams.