Disclaimer: I own nobody and nothing.
Author's note: Lavitz is my favorite character in Legend of the Dragoon. So of course I was sad when they killed him off on the first disk. So this is my little memorial to Lavitz and the friendship he had with Dart.
And for the flashbacks, "..." is Lavitz's narration and '...' is someone speaking in the memory. * * * *
Darkness had settled fast. The three travelers had decided to camp in a small clearing for the night. With a little effort, a small fire had been started, giving the swordsman, the Serdian knight, and the young woman enough light to watch for any danger that may try to approach them.
Shana had been the first to fall asleep. Her head was resting on her pack as a blanket was gently laid on her sleeping form.
Dart made sure she was properly covered before slowly getting to his feet, pushing against his left knee to force his weary body upwards. He then turned and traveled the one and half steps to where his other companion sat cross-legged near the fire. He slowly lowered himself to the ground, slowly crossing his legs so he would be more comfortable. Once settled, he relaxed and gazed into the fire. It comforted him, for some strange reason he was just unable to understand. He felt calm and relaxed whenever he felt the heat of fire.
It was the same with his companions. Whenever they reached the top of a windy hill, a small smile would always appear on Lavitz's face as the wind ruffled his hair slightly. It was almost as if the feel of the wind brought him peace of mind for the moment he felt it.
Shana was almost always cheerful and full of energy during the sunny mornings. Her smile was the first to greet him every day. It was almost like she drew her happiness and energy from the light itself. That would explain how she could have survived in Hellena for as long as she did.
Lavitz glanced at Dart out of the corner of his eye, a small, amused smile appearing. "A penny for your thoughts," he said quietly.
Dart's head snapped around, almost as if breaking out of a trance. He blinked owlishly at the sudden change of light. "What?"
Lavitz shook his head, the amused smile still present. "Never mind. It looked like you were doing a lot of thinking."
Dart nodded slightly as he looked back into the fire. "Yeah..." he drifted off, caught in the trance of the fire once again.
"What were you thinking about?" he asked. He probably shouldn't have asked, but he wanted to know more about Dart and how he thinks. Besides, there wasn't much else left to do or say.
Dart didn't say anything at first, then finally spoke after a few moments. "... Shana."
Lavitz said nothing. His amused smile had faded.
Dart continued. "There's something about her, something that has changed since the last time I saw her. I know how much she's grown up; I've seen that when we rescued her from Hellena. But I still feel that I need to protect her. I just can't..." He paused, then sighed and shook his head. "I can't keep these feelings hidden. I don't know how." Dart felt embarrassed, as he was pouring his heart out while Shana lie sleeping just a few feet away. The horrifying thought of her waking up while he was exposing his inner feelings crossed his mind, but he forced it back as he looked at Lavitz. "Have you ever felt that way before?"
Lavitz was still facing him. A solemn expression had taken over his features. The fire had cast a shadow upon his face and reflected off of his armor, almost giving him an eerie look. An almost sad, haunting gleam came into his eyes, and Dart began to wonder if he should have kept his mouth shut. "I have, actually. Once..."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked-"
"No, it's okay," Lavitz interrupted, closing his eyes and facing the fire, opening them again after a moment. The look in his eyes remained. "I suppose I should tell someone eventually, seeing as how I've kept it to myself for so long."
Dart watched his friend intently and kept silent. It was not often Lavitz talked about himself, and now that he was willing, Dart was more than ready to listen.
"I met her many years ago, two years after the war had started..."
*Flashback Begins*
A young Lavitz and his mother are shopping in Bale, his mother buying some fruit from the vender. Young Lavitz is obviously bored and low on patience.
"I was five back then. I was also very cocky, since my father was a famous Serdian knight."
He begins tapping his foot, which gets boring quickly for the young child. He begins to wander off.
'Lavitz!' his mother calls. 'Don't go too far!'
'I won't mom!' he calls back, then turns and begins to find his way through the crowd. It isn't long before he hears giggling, and is plowed over by another body as he turns to look.
'OW!'
'OW!'
"She ran into me. Literally."
Both children slowly sit up, rubbing their heads. Lavitz looks up to see a young girl sprawled on the stone road nearby. She is wearing a regular tan dress. Her brown hair is slightly wavy and tied back in a lose ponytail. She appears to be the same age as Lavitz.
'Why don't you watch where you're going?' he complains as he climbs to his feet, dusting off his clothes.
The girl gets to her feet as well. 'Sorry,' she mumbles as she dusts off her dress.
There is the sound of approaching feet as four other children run up, two girls and two boys. They all appear to be the same age as Lavitz. One of the girls, who has long blonde hair tied up in two pigtails, runs to the girl's side.
'Ana! Are you okay?'
'I'm okay,' Ana replies.
The attention of the five children turn to Lavitz. 'What's your name?' asks a boy with short brown hair.
Lavitz strikes a heroic pose, both hands on his hips. He stands as tall as his five-year-old body would allow. It would be amusing if it wasn't so adorable. 'I am Lavitz Slambert,' he says, trying to make himself sound heroic as well.
'Wow! So does that mean you live on Slambert Square?' a girl with red hair asks.
'Yeah!' says Lavitz, quickly forgetting the hero act and dropping the pose.
'Do you want to play tag with us Lavitz?' asks Ana.
'Yeah,' says the other boy with black hair. 'Jenny's it!' He points at the blonde girl.
'Lavitz!'
All six children turn when they hear the call. Lavitz's mother comes walking up, a basket full of purchased goods hanging from her left arm.
'Lavitz, it's time to go.'
Lavitz looks up at his mother, a pleading look in his eyes. 'Mom, can I stay here and play with my friends? Please?'
She looks down at her son and smiles. 'I suppose. But be home by supper, or I'll send your father out after you.'
Lavitz beams and hugs his mother's legs. Jenny walks over to him and taps his shoulder.
'Tag! You're it!'
The other children turned and ran, giggling. Lavitz quickly turned and gave chase, giggling as well.
'Be careful!' his mother calls after him.
*Five years later*
Ten years old Lavitz and Ana are sitting on the fence in the stable beside Lavitz's house. Ana is wearing a pale green dress and her hair is in its regular loose ponytail. Both are turned slightly so they can watch the horse currently housed there. Lavitz is reaching over and stroking the muzzle of the animal.
"Ana and I grew up together. She lived near the castle. We met up with each other almost every day. We were growing closer, but never fully realized what it could have resulted in adulthood."
'This is my dad's horse, Raleigh,' says Lavitz, still petting the horse's nose. Raleigh, apparently enjoying the attention, closes his eyes in apparent bliss.
'He looks fast,' comments Ana.
Lavitz nods. 'He is. I've seen my dad ride him before. I'm surprised the other horses could keep up.' There is a hint of pride in his voice.
'Your dad must be a very strong knight if he can keep on a horse that fast,' she says, gently petting the horse's back.
Lavitz nods. 'And someday, I'm going to be a great knight, just like him.'
Ana cocks her head to one side at a forty-five degree angle as she looks at Lavitz, a thoughtful look on her face. It almost looks like she is examining him, trying to decide if what he was saying is possible. After a few moments, she speaks. 'I could see it happening. I think you could be a knight like your dad.'
Lavitz smiles then jumps off of the fence and lands in front of Ana, facing her. 'Let's go visit Jenny at the doctor's! Maybe her arm is feeling better!'
Ana smiles. 'Okay!' She jumps off the fence as well; the smile quickly disappears from her face as her right foot lands wrong, her ankle giving out and twisting from the momentum. She cries out from the sharp and sudden pain. She falls forward, Lavitz "catching" her just in time. In all actuality, she falls into his arms, surprising him just as much.
The force of her falling into him nearly knocks him over, but he manages to stay on his feet. He carefully lowers her to the ground, where she promptly begins to hold her ankle. Her face is contorted with obvious pain. Lavitz kneels down beside her. 'Ana! Are you okay?!'
'My ankle... It hurts...'
'Hang on!...' Although it isn't a life or death situation, it is still a fairly frightening scenario for someone their age. Lavitz doesn't know what to do. Every time he gets hurt, his mother always knows what to do.
An idea suddenly appears in his mind like a flash of lightening. 'I know! Mom knows what to do!' He slips one arm under her knees while the other goes around her shoulders. With a grunt of effort, he manages to lift Ana off the ground.
She gives off a small squeal of surprise as she is suddenly lifted. Now being unable to hold her ankle anymore, her hands are left resting on her knees. 'What are you doing?!'
'Carrying you. What does it look like?' he retorts as he began to walk out of the stable. His pace is slow, as he is finding it difficult to walk with the extra weight.
*Five years later*
Nearly a mile away from the city, a few hours after noon, a patch of long grass skirting a small clearing shakes, then Lavitz and Ana, both at the age of fifteen, come bursting out. Both are trying to laugh and gasp for air simultaneously.
"We got into plenty of trouble together. But when we were fifteen, we made the biggest mistake of our lives. I was at that age where I began to have feelings for Ana, I just hadn't realized until it was much too late."
'I can't believe we got out of the city so easily!' laughs Lavitz between breaths for air.
'And no one even noticed us!' Ana adds in a similar fashion.
Both teenagers manage to calm themselves after a few minutes. They sit down to rest.
"We had managed to sneak out of the city one afternoon. We thought there was nothing wrong with doing a little exploring; little did we know."
'Won't our parents be angry at us for leaving the city?' she asks, a hint of worry edging her voice.
'I don't think so,' he replies calmly. 'As long as we get back before supper, we'll be fine. They won't even know we left the city!'
'So, how many more times do you think we can get away with leaving the city?' she asks as she absentmindedly straitens the folds of her dress, which had fanned out on the ground when she sat down.
'Hmmm...' says Lavitz as he casually leans back on a tree. 'I'd say as long as our luck doesn't run out.'
'Guess what, kids-'
The sudden voice made both teenagers jump in surprise. Their eyes immediately focus on the source of the sound: three knights of Sandora, fully armed with spears, stand at the other side of the small clearing. The one that spoke stands just a little bit in front of the other two. He is obviously the leader, as he has bigger armor. He finishes his earlier statement.
'-It looks like your luck just ran out.'
"We were ambushed by three Sandorian knights about a mile away from the city. We were both unarmed and unable to protect ourselves."
The two other soldiers level their weapons and surround Lavitz and Ana on the sides. Both jump to their feet, Lavitz boldly putting himself between Ana and the soldiers. The soldier to their right grabs Lavitz's arm, pulling him away from Ana and twisting his arm behind his back. He flinches, but makes no sound. The other soldier takes hold of Ana's left wrist and pulls her toward him, but he doesn't twist her arm. Instead he just keeps a tight grip on her wrist with his free hand. Ana lets out a small scream as she is pulled, then immediately begins to struggle.
'Let her go!' yells Lavitz. 'You can take me, but let Ana go!'
The commanding soldier turns to face Lavitz. 'Well, well, what do we have here?' his rough voice says. 'It looks like we've got ourselves a hero. Who do you think you are kid, trying to order us?'
'My name isn't "kid"!' yelled Lavitz as he began to struggle in anger. 'My name is Lavitz Slambert!'
Even though they can't see his face, they know the commanding soldier is thinking. He temporarily freezes at the mention of the name Slambert. After a few moments, he blurts out an order. 'Let him go, Santers.'
The soldier holding Lavitz prisoner, now known as Santers, distorts his face into a confused look. 'Let him go? Why?'
'Just do it,' he replies sharply. 'Unless you want Servi coming for your throat.'
Santers gives Lavitz a glare, then shoves him away and moves to the other side of Ana. The commander walks over to Lavitz, who gives him a glare of hate. By the sound of the commander's voice, it sounds like he is smirking.
'Consider yourself lucky kid. We're letting you go.' He gives a signal to the other two soldiers, who begin to drag a struggling Ana away. 'We'll just take your girlfriend.'
"They let me go because of the name Slambert, but they took Ana away."
Ana struggles against her captors, who simply drag her along by hooking her arms in theirs. She struggles by trying to get her arms free and trying to push her way opposite of the direction the soldiers are dragging her, but to no avail. Yelling at the top of her lungs, she continues to struggle. 'Let me go!'
'Ana!' With a sudden surge of emotions, doubled with adrenaline, Lavitz bursts into a run, his path a straight line to the young woman being dragged off. He doesn't see the butt of the commander's spear jump in front of his feet until it is too late. After the blur of the moment, he finds himself sprawled out on the ground, his face flat in the dirt.
'Lavitz!' Ana yells, in fear he was hurt. She begins to struggle even harder, yet still to no avail.
A quiet 'Uh...' escapes Lavitz's throat as he forces his arms to lift his upper body off the ground. He quickly looks up to see Ana being dragged away. She was nearly to the tree line. If they passed that point, Ana would disappear from his sight and Lavitz would never see her again. The very thought terrified him to no end.
'She's a feisty one,' comments Santers. 'We should probably put her in Hellena. That'll calm her down.'
'ANA!' The scream almost sounds agonized, but the sound of rage masks it. Lavitz jumps onto his feet, sprinting towards the one he cares for so much with an adrenaline-induced mania gleaming in his eyes.
"I tried to protect her, but they struck me down with the butt of a spear. The last thing I remembered was Ana screaming my name."
He sprints two steps before a sharp pain shoots into his head where the butt of the commander's spear has swung around to hit him hard in the right side of his skull. He vaguely feels the sensation of flying, and the sharp pain in the side of his head dulls. He lands as he hears a female voice screaming his name. His mind numbly recognizes the feeling of something warm running down the right side of his face as he forces his arms to lift him again. They only get halfway before they give out, his consciousness leaving him completely as he falls limply back to the ground.
*Hours later*
The land had grown dark. The sun was halfway set, and the forest-like area had grown dark much faster than the rest of the country. This was no exception for the small clearing where the still form of the teenager lay undisturbed. A tiny collection of blood, which was halfway dry by this time, had collected underneath him where the blood from the wound on the right side of his head dripped off his face. He still showed no sign of regaining consciousness.
"It was hours before my father had found me. When neither Ana nor I had come home for supper, he searched the entire city before coming out into the woods to look for us."
The silence of the forest is disturbed by a clear voice calling with an urgent edge.
'Lavitz?'
The smaller birds are frightened from their perches and fly away. The owls, however, keep their position in the trees.
'Lavitz?'
A man emerges from the foliage surrounding the small clearing, the owls finally deserting and fleeing. He is alone, save a spear at his side. One glance into the clearing and Servi Slambert knows his search is over.
'Lavitz!'
He quickly runs to his fallen son's side, getting down on both knees before rolling him onto his back. His eyes deepen with worry and fear as he notices the circular gash on the side of his head. Holding up Lavitz's head and shoulders with his left arm, he tries to wipe away some of the dry blood from his son's face as he tries to revive him by gently shaking him. 'Lavitz! Lavitz, wake up! My son, what has happened to you?!'
There is no response from the still form in his arms.
Left with no choice, Servi gently picks up his son and begins his way back to the city. He was weary with worry and searching the city of Bale and the forest. But he never stops running until he enters the door of the hospital, out of breath and about to collapse from exhaustion.
*Flashback Ends*
"The doctor had to order my father to go home and get some rest, and even then he hesitated. He didn't want to leave me, but he didn't really have a choice. I woke up the next day and had to tell Ana's parents what had happened to her. It was the most difficult thing I have had to do in my life. I had to tell her parents that Ana had been captured by Sandorian soldiers and taken to Hellena. And it was my fault. Because I had decided to sneak out of the city, and had taken her with me." Lavitz paused to sigh and continued. "It was a few weeks later my father was betrayed, then killed. I lost two of the people I cared about most within a few weeks."
Dart knew what that had felt like. He had lost both of his parents- heck, his entire hometown- in one night.
"I was in my darkest hour when I realized it. It was the night after we had learned of my father's death. I still hadn't gotten over the loss of Ana, and now my mother and I were grieving over my father. Anyone coming into our home would have been able to tell what we were feeling; a gloom seemed to have covered what used to be a happy household. But as I lay there that night, I realized what that feeling deep in my heart was telling me. I had fallen in love with Ana. I knew it was nearly impossible for someone my age, but she had meant the world to me, and by then she was most likely dead. The very thought tore at my mind and heart alike."
It was at this time Dart had noticed Lavitz's hands, which had been clenched into fists ever since he had gotten to the part where Ana was taken, were now shaking slightly. His eyes had a definite shine, but no moisture welled or escaped. Dart felt a surge of pity for his friend, but didn't know how to comfort the man.
"We could go back."
He just blurted the words out. The oppressing silence that had settled in had made him uneasy, and he unknowingly made the suggestion.
Lavitz turned his head to look at him; one eyebrow arched with confusion mixed with curiosity. "What?"
"Go back to Hellena. Maybe we could find Ana and break her out." Even now Dart knew how stupid he sounded, and was mentally slapping himself for it. And it was the reason why he wasn't surprised when Lavitz looked at him like he was crazy.
"Dart, that's ludicrous. I looked for her the entire time I was there, and I didn't find her. Besides, it happened so long ago that she was probably thrown down to that monster at the bottom of Hellena years ago."
Dart shrugged his armored shoulders. "It was just a suggestion."
The oppressing silence settled in again as Lavitz looked back at the fire. Both of the men were very tired, as they had escaped from Hellena and the grasslands with very little rest. They were on their way to Bale, but they had to go though the Limestone Caves, where a supposed Guardian didn't like humans going though. They didn't know what the Guardian was, or what kind of a fight they'd put up. Either way, they would need to be rested for the caves because of the monsters that live there.
"I'll take the first watch," offered Dart. "You can get some sleep."
"No," said Lavitz, shaking his head. "I'll take the first watch. You can take over for me after a few hours."
"You need your rest more than I do. You're injured, remember?" Dart gestured at the bandage around Lavitz's left leg.
"It's just a scratch," argued Lavitz. "I'll be fine for a few more hours."
"It didn't look like a scratch back in the grassland."
Lavitz shot a glare in Dart's direction, then sighed, defeated. He picked up his spear, which had been sitting next to him, and leaned on it as he stood up. His knees were stiff from sitting so long, and his wounded left leg didn't help any. Walking to the other makeshift bed was slow going. Once Dart was about to get up to help him, but he quickly assured his friend that he would be fine and made his way to the blanket. Using his spear, he slowly lowered himself to the ground and unfolded the blanket over him. He then pulled over his pack and rested his head on it, laying on his left side and facing the fire.
Dart waited until Lavitz's eyes closed and his breathing became slow before forcing himself up onto his feet. He was surprised how much his feet hurt. He thought he would be used to it, considering he nearly walked all over Endiness for years. "Not enough sleep," he mumbled to himself as he rubbed the blur from his eyes. He turned and walked over towards where Shana lay sleeping, getting down on one knee by her still form.
She was lying on her back with the blanket halfway up her chest. Her right arm was lying across her waist while her left lay at her side. A stray strand of her brown hair had fallen into her face. Dart gently put it back in its place with his unarmored hand.
"I saw that."
He visibly jumped, his armor clanking slightly with the sudden movement. His head whipped around to see Lavitz still laying on his left side, right eye halfway open and a small, tired smile on his face. The look on Dart's face made the smile grow a fraction of an inch.
"You're not asleep yet?!" He asked, being sure to keep the volume of his voice low enough not to wake Shana.
Lavitz closed his right eye. "Just making sure you were staying alert." With that, he rolled onto his right side, his back facing the fire.
Dart sighed as he got to his feet, running a hand though his hair. Lavitz was acting different. He usually wouldn't be teasing Dart, or anyone for that matter. He was a Serdian knight; they had strict codes of honor. 'Lack of sleep does that to people,' he thought to himself as he sat down by the fire.
After a few minutes, he scooted a little closer to the fire. The heat was warm and inviting. Despite the comfort it gave him, he still kept his eyes and ears open for any sound of attack, whether it be from human or monster.
~
Dart awoke with a start. He quickly looked around to see the sky just starting to light up in the east. The fire had reduced in size greatly and was now just big enough to cast shadows.
He had fallen asleep during his watch!
He mentally cursed himself. How could he have let something like this happen? He was wide-awake one moment, and now he had just woken up.
Berating himself, he got onto his feet and turned towards the east. There was no sun yet, but there would be soon. He was relieved to find his two companions just as he had left them: Lavitz with his back to the fire, and Shana lying on her back.
He carefully stepped over their sleeping forms as he walks away from the fire, not wanting it to distort his view of the sunrise in anyway. The deep dark blue of the night sky was replaced with a deep violet, then a shade of rose pink, followed by orange. He usually didn't watch the sun rise, but then again he never really understood how beautiful it really was.
It was that moment that his attention was drawn from the sunrise to the sleepers behind him, a small squeaking noise reaching his ears. As he turned he couldn't see the faces of his companions; they were still silhouetted by the fire. But then, as he fully turned around, the sunlight that had been racing across the landscape had caught up with him. When the golden rays lit up what the fire had cloaked, Dart let out a choked scream.
The half of Shana's face he couldn't see before was now perfectly lighted. About five little bugs, no bigger than his thumb, were crawling all over her face. They had short legs underneath a solid black protective shell, and had two long black antennae protruding from their heads. One crawled out from Shana's empty eye socket and crawled down her partially revealed cheekbone, then joined three others that had begun to rip flesh from Shana's neck, since they didn't have any left on the dark side of her face. Skin was missing from the entire right side of her face: from her hairline to her ear to her neck. The final bug was in her mouth, squeezing itself between her exposed jaws, dragging what Dart guessed to be a piece of her tongue.
Lavitz had nearly twice as many on him. All the flesh on his face was gone. There was one bug flailing on the ground, pinned underneath an eyeball that had been forced free from its socket. This was the bug that had squeaked when the eyeball had fallen on it. The culprit of the deed was still perched up in the left eye socket, waiving its antennae up in the air as five other bugs raced to the fallen organ, seemingly mocking the horrified young man before them. Three of the remaining bugs ate away at the skin of his neck, ripping away a piece at a time before devouring it and biting off another piece. The remaining bug ran along the grin of the skull, trying to find an entrance. Despite all this, not a drop of blood stained the ground. The insects had drunk every drop.
Before Dart could react again, the fire that had been slowly burning itself out suddenly exploded. The flames suddenly shot up into the sky, becoming so bright Dart had to shield his eyes. The fire expanded, engulfing him, the bodies, and the bugs. He was blinded by the light of the flames as he heard the squeaking screams of the bugs as they were burned alive around him. He felt one land on his right shoulder, and he quickly clamped down on it with his left hand, to squish it...
... Only to clamp down on a hand. It was gloved, but nevertheless a human hand...
"Dart?"
... Belonging to Lavitz.
Dart's eyes snapped open, this time truly awake. He could feel his heart was rammed in his throat, beating nearly a mile a minute. His breathing was fast and irregular. He was leaned forward and sitting dangerously near the fire; if he would have leaned forward any further he would have fallen face first into the flames.
"Dart?"
He swallowed his heart as he heard someone kneeling beside him, forcing his breathing to slow and even out. The nightmare had seemed real, as most do.
"Dart, are you all right?"
He slowly turned his head to face the voice that was indeed Lavitz; he was on one knee beside him with his left hand on his shoulder, concern showing in his eyes. It was apparent he had gotten enough sleep to break the unusual state he was in before.
Dart forced himself to nod until he managed to speak a few moments afterwards, thankful that his friend looked more worried than angry at the fact he had fallen asleep during his watch.
"I'm fine. Just a nightmare."
"What was it about?"
"It's... strange. I'll tell you in the morning."
Lavitz nodded once, then said, "I'll take over until sunrise."
He nodded as he forced himself to his feet. "Wake me up before then."
A nod was his only reply as Lavitz sat down a safe distance from the fire, facing the heat of the flames.
Dart slowly settled himself under the blanket, the ground still warm from when the knight had slept there. As uncomfortable as it was, he didn't dare try to sleep without his armor. The possibility of a sudden attack, either from local monsters to Hellena guards, was still in his mind. He wanted to be ready should anything happen.
As his head settled down onto the pack, his gaze shifted to the form silhouetted against the fire. He couldn't help but to like Lavitz. They had a lot in common when they met in Hellena, and quickly became friends. The Serdian knight was wounded by an arrow during their escape into the grasslands, and they had helped him. Now they were all walking down the same path, heading for Bale and were planning on arriving together.
The final thought to cross Dart's mind before sleep overtook him was how their friendship could last a lifetime, maybe even beyond.
* * * *
Author's note: *sigh* Little did he know that his journey would take him far beyond Bale, and Lavitz would only be with him for a short time. Sorry for the lame ending, but I really wanted to get this done so I could work on my other LoD fic. Let me know what you think, then I'll put up the first chapter to the other fic as soon as I finish it.
Author's note: Lavitz is my favorite character in Legend of the Dragoon. So of course I was sad when they killed him off on the first disk. So this is my little memorial to Lavitz and the friendship he had with Dart.
And for the flashbacks, "..." is Lavitz's narration and '...' is someone speaking in the memory. * * * *
Darkness had settled fast. The three travelers had decided to camp in a small clearing for the night. With a little effort, a small fire had been started, giving the swordsman, the Serdian knight, and the young woman enough light to watch for any danger that may try to approach them.
Shana had been the first to fall asleep. Her head was resting on her pack as a blanket was gently laid on her sleeping form.
Dart made sure she was properly covered before slowly getting to his feet, pushing against his left knee to force his weary body upwards. He then turned and traveled the one and half steps to where his other companion sat cross-legged near the fire. He slowly lowered himself to the ground, slowly crossing his legs so he would be more comfortable. Once settled, he relaxed and gazed into the fire. It comforted him, for some strange reason he was just unable to understand. He felt calm and relaxed whenever he felt the heat of fire.
It was the same with his companions. Whenever they reached the top of a windy hill, a small smile would always appear on Lavitz's face as the wind ruffled his hair slightly. It was almost as if the feel of the wind brought him peace of mind for the moment he felt it.
Shana was almost always cheerful and full of energy during the sunny mornings. Her smile was the first to greet him every day. It was almost like she drew her happiness and energy from the light itself. That would explain how she could have survived in Hellena for as long as she did.
Lavitz glanced at Dart out of the corner of his eye, a small, amused smile appearing. "A penny for your thoughts," he said quietly.
Dart's head snapped around, almost as if breaking out of a trance. He blinked owlishly at the sudden change of light. "What?"
Lavitz shook his head, the amused smile still present. "Never mind. It looked like you were doing a lot of thinking."
Dart nodded slightly as he looked back into the fire. "Yeah..." he drifted off, caught in the trance of the fire once again.
"What were you thinking about?" he asked. He probably shouldn't have asked, but he wanted to know more about Dart and how he thinks. Besides, there wasn't much else left to do or say.
Dart didn't say anything at first, then finally spoke after a few moments. "... Shana."
Lavitz said nothing. His amused smile had faded.
Dart continued. "There's something about her, something that has changed since the last time I saw her. I know how much she's grown up; I've seen that when we rescued her from Hellena. But I still feel that I need to protect her. I just can't..." He paused, then sighed and shook his head. "I can't keep these feelings hidden. I don't know how." Dart felt embarrassed, as he was pouring his heart out while Shana lie sleeping just a few feet away. The horrifying thought of her waking up while he was exposing his inner feelings crossed his mind, but he forced it back as he looked at Lavitz. "Have you ever felt that way before?"
Lavitz was still facing him. A solemn expression had taken over his features. The fire had cast a shadow upon his face and reflected off of his armor, almost giving him an eerie look. An almost sad, haunting gleam came into his eyes, and Dart began to wonder if he should have kept his mouth shut. "I have, actually. Once..."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked-"
"No, it's okay," Lavitz interrupted, closing his eyes and facing the fire, opening them again after a moment. The look in his eyes remained. "I suppose I should tell someone eventually, seeing as how I've kept it to myself for so long."
Dart watched his friend intently and kept silent. It was not often Lavitz talked about himself, and now that he was willing, Dart was more than ready to listen.
"I met her many years ago, two years after the war had started..."
*Flashback Begins*
A young Lavitz and his mother are shopping in Bale, his mother buying some fruit from the vender. Young Lavitz is obviously bored and low on patience.
"I was five back then. I was also very cocky, since my father was a famous Serdian knight."
He begins tapping his foot, which gets boring quickly for the young child. He begins to wander off.
'Lavitz!' his mother calls. 'Don't go too far!'
'I won't mom!' he calls back, then turns and begins to find his way through the crowd. It isn't long before he hears giggling, and is plowed over by another body as he turns to look.
'OW!'
'OW!'
"She ran into me. Literally."
Both children slowly sit up, rubbing their heads. Lavitz looks up to see a young girl sprawled on the stone road nearby. She is wearing a regular tan dress. Her brown hair is slightly wavy and tied back in a lose ponytail. She appears to be the same age as Lavitz.
'Why don't you watch where you're going?' he complains as he climbs to his feet, dusting off his clothes.
The girl gets to her feet as well. 'Sorry,' she mumbles as she dusts off her dress.
There is the sound of approaching feet as four other children run up, two girls and two boys. They all appear to be the same age as Lavitz. One of the girls, who has long blonde hair tied up in two pigtails, runs to the girl's side.
'Ana! Are you okay?'
'I'm okay,' Ana replies.
The attention of the five children turn to Lavitz. 'What's your name?' asks a boy with short brown hair.
Lavitz strikes a heroic pose, both hands on his hips. He stands as tall as his five-year-old body would allow. It would be amusing if it wasn't so adorable. 'I am Lavitz Slambert,' he says, trying to make himself sound heroic as well.
'Wow! So does that mean you live on Slambert Square?' a girl with red hair asks.
'Yeah!' says Lavitz, quickly forgetting the hero act and dropping the pose.
'Do you want to play tag with us Lavitz?' asks Ana.
'Yeah,' says the other boy with black hair. 'Jenny's it!' He points at the blonde girl.
'Lavitz!'
All six children turn when they hear the call. Lavitz's mother comes walking up, a basket full of purchased goods hanging from her left arm.
'Lavitz, it's time to go.'
Lavitz looks up at his mother, a pleading look in his eyes. 'Mom, can I stay here and play with my friends? Please?'
She looks down at her son and smiles. 'I suppose. But be home by supper, or I'll send your father out after you.'
Lavitz beams and hugs his mother's legs. Jenny walks over to him and taps his shoulder.
'Tag! You're it!'
The other children turned and ran, giggling. Lavitz quickly turned and gave chase, giggling as well.
'Be careful!' his mother calls after him.
*Five years later*
Ten years old Lavitz and Ana are sitting on the fence in the stable beside Lavitz's house. Ana is wearing a pale green dress and her hair is in its regular loose ponytail. Both are turned slightly so they can watch the horse currently housed there. Lavitz is reaching over and stroking the muzzle of the animal.
"Ana and I grew up together. She lived near the castle. We met up with each other almost every day. We were growing closer, but never fully realized what it could have resulted in adulthood."
'This is my dad's horse, Raleigh,' says Lavitz, still petting the horse's nose. Raleigh, apparently enjoying the attention, closes his eyes in apparent bliss.
'He looks fast,' comments Ana.
Lavitz nods. 'He is. I've seen my dad ride him before. I'm surprised the other horses could keep up.' There is a hint of pride in his voice.
'Your dad must be a very strong knight if he can keep on a horse that fast,' she says, gently petting the horse's back.
Lavitz nods. 'And someday, I'm going to be a great knight, just like him.'
Ana cocks her head to one side at a forty-five degree angle as she looks at Lavitz, a thoughtful look on her face. It almost looks like she is examining him, trying to decide if what he was saying is possible. After a few moments, she speaks. 'I could see it happening. I think you could be a knight like your dad.'
Lavitz smiles then jumps off of the fence and lands in front of Ana, facing her. 'Let's go visit Jenny at the doctor's! Maybe her arm is feeling better!'
Ana smiles. 'Okay!' She jumps off the fence as well; the smile quickly disappears from her face as her right foot lands wrong, her ankle giving out and twisting from the momentum. She cries out from the sharp and sudden pain. She falls forward, Lavitz "catching" her just in time. In all actuality, she falls into his arms, surprising him just as much.
The force of her falling into him nearly knocks him over, but he manages to stay on his feet. He carefully lowers her to the ground, where she promptly begins to hold her ankle. Her face is contorted with obvious pain. Lavitz kneels down beside her. 'Ana! Are you okay?!'
'My ankle... It hurts...'
'Hang on!...' Although it isn't a life or death situation, it is still a fairly frightening scenario for someone their age. Lavitz doesn't know what to do. Every time he gets hurt, his mother always knows what to do.
An idea suddenly appears in his mind like a flash of lightening. 'I know! Mom knows what to do!' He slips one arm under her knees while the other goes around her shoulders. With a grunt of effort, he manages to lift Ana off the ground.
She gives off a small squeal of surprise as she is suddenly lifted. Now being unable to hold her ankle anymore, her hands are left resting on her knees. 'What are you doing?!'
'Carrying you. What does it look like?' he retorts as he began to walk out of the stable. His pace is slow, as he is finding it difficult to walk with the extra weight.
*Five years later*
Nearly a mile away from the city, a few hours after noon, a patch of long grass skirting a small clearing shakes, then Lavitz and Ana, both at the age of fifteen, come bursting out. Both are trying to laugh and gasp for air simultaneously.
"We got into plenty of trouble together. But when we were fifteen, we made the biggest mistake of our lives. I was at that age where I began to have feelings for Ana, I just hadn't realized until it was much too late."
'I can't believe we got out of the city so easily!' laughs Lavitz between breaths for air.
'And no one even noticed us!' Ana adds in a similar fashion.
Both teenagers manage to calm themselves after a few minutes. They sit down to rest.
"We had managed to sneak out of the city one afternoon. We thought there was nothing wrong with doing a little exploring; little did we know."
'Won't our parents be angry at us for leaving the city?' she asks, a hint of worry edging her voice.
'I don't think so,' he replies calmly. 'As long as we get back before supper, we'll be fine. They won't even know we left the city!'
'So, how many more times do you think we can get away with leaving the city?' she asks as she absentmindedly straitens the folds of her dress, which had fanned out on the ground when she sat down.
'Hmmm...' says Lavitz as he casually leans back on a tree. 'I'd say as long as our luck doesn't run out.'
'Guess what, kids-'
The sudden voice made both teenagers jump in surprise. Their eyes immediately focus on the source of the sound: three knights of Sandora, fully armed with spears, stand at the other side of the small clearing. The one that spoke stands just a little bit in front of the other two. He is obviously the leader, as he has bigger armor. He finishes his earlier statement.
'-It looks like your luck just ran out.'
"We were ambushed by three Sandorian knights about a mile away from the city. We were both unarmed and unable to protect ourselves."
The two other soldiers level their weapons and surround Lavitz and Ana on the sides. Both jump to their feet, Lavitz boldly putting himself between Ana and the soldiers. The soldier to their right grabs Lavitz's arm, pulling him away from Ana and twisting his arm behind his back. He flinches, but makes no sound. The other soldier takes hold of Ana's left wrist and pulls her toward him, but he doesn't twist her arm. Instead he just keeps a tight grip on her wrist with his free hand. Ana lets out a small scream as she is pulled, then immediately begins to struggle.
'Let her go!' yells Lavitz. 'You can take me, but let Ana go!'
The commanding soldier turns to face Lavitz. 'Well, well, what do we have here?' his rough voice says. 'It looks like we've got ourselves a hero. Who do you think you are kid, trying to order us?'
'My name isn't "kid"!' yelled Lavitz as he began to struggle in anger. 'My name is Lavitz Slambert!'
Even though they can't see his face, they know the commanding soldier is thinking. He temporarily freezes at the mention of the name Slambert. After a few moments, he blurts out an order. 'Let him go, Santers.'
The soldier holding Lavitz prisoner, now known as Santers, distorts his face into a confused look. 'Let him go? Why?'
'Just do it,' he replies sharply. 'Unless you want Servi coming for your throat.'
Santers gives Lavitz a glare, then shoves him away and moves to the other side of Ana. The commander walks over to Lavitz, who gives him a glare of hate. By the sound of the commander's voice, it sounds like he is smirking.
'Consider yourself lucky kid. We're letting you go.' He gives a signal to the other two soldiers, who begin to drag a struggling Ana away. 'We'll just take your girlfriend.'
"They let me go because of the name Slambert, but they took Ana away."
Ana struggles against her captors, who simply drag her along by hooking her arms in theirs. She struggles by trying to get her arms free and trying to push her way opposite of the direction the soldiers are dragging her, but to no avail. Yelling at the top of her lungs, she continues to struggle. 'Let me go!'
'Ana!' With a sudden surge of emotions, doubled with adrenaline, Lavitz bursts into a run, his path a straight line to the young woman being dragged off. He doesn't see the butt of the commander's spear jump in front of his feet until it is too late. After the blur of the moment, he finds himself sprawled out on the ground, his face flat in the dirt.
'Lavitz!' Ana yells, in fear he was hurt. She begins to struggle even harder, yet still to no avail.
A quiet 'Uh...' escapes Lavitz's throat as he forces his arms to lift his upper body off the ground. He quickly looks up to see Ana being dragged away. She was nearly to the tree line. If they passed that point, Ana would disappear from his sight and Lavitz would never see her again. The very thought terrified him to no end.
'She's a feisty one,' comments Santers. 'We should probably put her in Hellena. That'll calm her down.'
'ANA!' The scream almost sounds agonized, but the sound of rage masks it. Lavitz jumps onto his feet, sprinting towards the one he cares for so much with an adrenaline-induced mania gleaming in his eyes.
"I tried to protect her, but they struck me down with the butt of a spear. The last thing I remembered was Ana screaming my name."
He sprints two steps before a sharp pain shoots into his head where the butt of the commander's spear has swung around to hit him hard in the right side of his skull. He vaguely feels the sensation of flying, and the sharp pain in the side of his head dulls. He lands as he hears a female voice screaming his name. His mind numbly recognizes the feeling of something warm running down the right side of his face as he forces his arms to lift him again. They only get halfway before they give out, his consciousness leaving him completely as he falls limply back to the ground.
*Hours later*
The land had grown dark. The sun was halfway set, and the forest-like area had grown dark much faster than the rest of the country. This was no exception for the small clearing where the still form of the teenager lay undisturbed. A tiny collection of blood, which was halfway dry by this time, had collected underneath him where the blood from the wound on the right side of his head dripped off his face. He still showed no sign of regaining consciousness.
"It was hours before my father had found me. When neither Ana nor I had come home for supper, he searched the entire city before coming out into the woods to look for us."
The silence of the forest is disturbed by a clear voice calling with an urgent edge.
'Lavitz?'
The smaller birds are frightened from their perches and fly away. The owls, however, keep their position in the trees.
'Lavitz?'
A man emerges from the foliage surrounding the small clearing, the owls finally deserting and fleeing. He is alone, save a spear at his side. One glance into the clearing and Servi Slambert knows his search is over.
'Lavitz!'
He quickly runs to his fallen son's side, getting down on both knees before rolling him onto his back. His eyes deepen with worry and fear as he notices the circular gash on the side of his head. Holding up Lavitz's head and shoulders with his left arm, he tries to wipe away some of the dry blood from his son's face as he tries to revive him by gently shaking him. 'Lavitz! Lavitz, wake up! My son, what has happened to you?!'
There is no response from the still form in his arms.
Left with no choice, Servi gently picks up his son and begins his way back to the city. He was weary with worry and searching the city of Bale and the forest. But he never stops running until he enters the door of the hospital, out of breath and about to collapse from exhaustion.
*Flashback Ends*
"The doctor had to order my father to go home and get some rest, and even then he hesitated. He didn't want to leave me, but he didn't really have a choice. I woke up the next day and had to tell Ana's parents what had happened to her. It was the most difficult thing I have had to do in my life. I had to tell her parents that Ana had been captured by Sandorian soldiers and taken to Hellena. And it was my fault. Because I had decided to sneak out of the city, and had taken her with me." Lavitz paused to sigh and continued. "It was a few weeks later my father was betrayed, then killed. I lost two of the people I cared about most within a few weeks."
Dart knew what that had felt like. He had lost both of his parents- heck, his entire hometown- in one night.
"I was in my darkest hour when I realized it. It was the night after we had learned of my father's death. I still hadn't gotten over the loss of Ana, and now my mother and I were grieving over my father. Anyone coming into our home would have been able to tell what we were feeling; a gloom seemed to have covered what used to be a happy household. But as I lay there that night, I realized what that feeling deep in my heart was telling me. I had fallen in love with Ana. I knew it was nearly impossible for someone my age, but she had meant the world to me, and by then she was most likely dead. The very thought tore at my mind and heart alike."
It was at this time Dart had noticed Lavitz's hands, which had been clenched into fists ever since he had gotten to the part where Ana was taken, were now shaking slightly. His eyes had a definite shine, but no moisture welled or escaped. Dart felt a surge of pity for his friend, but didn't know how to comfort the man.
"We could go back."
He just blurted the words out. The oppressing silence that had settled in had made him uneasy, and he unknowingly made the suggestion.
Lavitz turned his head to look at him; one eyebrow arched with confusion mixed with curiosity. "What?"
"Go back to Hellena. Maybe we could find Ana and break her out." Even now Dart knew how stupid he sounded, and was mentally slapping himself for it. And it was the reason why he wasn't surprised when Lavitz looked at him like he was crazy.
"Dart, that's ludicrous. I looked for her the entire time I was there, and I didn't find her. Besides, it happened so long ago that she was probably thrown down to that monster at the bottom of Hellena years ago."
Dart shrugged his armored shoulders. "It was just a suggestion."
The oppressing silence settled in again as Lavitz looked back at the fire. Both of the men were very tired, as they had escaped from Hellena and the grasslands with very little rest. They were on their way to Bale, but they had to go though the Limestone Caves, where a supposed Guardian didn't like humans going though. They didn't know what the Guardian was, or what kind of a fight they'd put up. Either way, they would need to be rested for the caves because of the monsters that live there.
"I'll take the first watch," offered Dart. "You can get some sleep."
"No," said Lavitz, shaking his head. "I'll take the first watch. You can take over for me after a few hours."
"You need your rest more than I do. You're injured, remember?" Dart gestured at the bandage around Lavitz's left leg.
"It's just a scratch," argued Lavitz. "I'll be fine for a few more hours."
"It didn't look like a scratch back in the grassland."
Lavitz shot a glare in Dart's direction, then sighed, defeated. He picked up his spear, which had been sitting next to him, and leaned on it as he stood up. His knees were stiff from sitting so long, and his wounded left leg didn't help any. Walking to the other makeshift bed was slow going. Once Dart was about to get up to help him, but he quickly assured his friend that he would be fine and made his way to the blanket. Using his spear, he slowly lowered himself to the ground and unfolded the blanket over him. He then pulled over his pack and rested his head on it, laying on his left side and facing the fire.
Dart waited until Lavitz's eyes closed and his breathing became slow before forcing himself up onto his feet. He was surprised how much his feet hurt. He thought he would be used to it, considering he nearly walked all over Endiness for years. "Not enough sleep," he mumbled to himself as he rubbed the blur from his eyes. He turned and walked over towards where Shana lay sleeping, getting down on one knee by her still form.
She was lying on her back with the blanket halfway up her chest. Her right arm was lying across her waist while her left lay at her side. A stray strand of her brown hair had fallen into her face. Dart gently put it back in its place with his unarmored hand.
"I saw that."
He visibly jumped, his armor clanking slightly with the sudden movement. His head whipped around to see Lavitz still laying on his left side, right eye halfway open and a small, tired smile on his face. The look on Dart's face made the smile grow a fraction of an inch.
"You're not asleep yet?!" He asked, being sure to keep the volume of his voice low enough not to wake Shana.
Lavitz closed his right eye. "Just making sure you were staying alert." With that, he rolled onto his right side, his back facing the fire.
Dart sighed as he got to his feet, running a hand though his hair. Lavitz was acting different. He usually wouldn't be teasing Dart, or anyone for that matter. He was a Serdian knight; they had strict codes of honor. 'Lack of sleep does that to people,' he thought to himself as he sat down by the fire.
After a few minutes, he scooted a little closer to the fire. The heat was warm and inviting. Despite the comfort it gave him, he still kept his eyes and ears open for any sound of attack, whether it be from human or monster.
~
Dart awoke with a start. He quickly looked around to see the sky just starting to light up in the east. The fire had reduced in size greatly and was now just big enough to cast shadows.
He had fallen asleep during his watch!
He mentally cursed himself. How could he have let something like this happen? He was wide-awake one moment, and now he had just woken up.
Berating himself, he got onto his feet and turned towards the east. There was no sun yet, but there would be soon. He was relieved to find his two companions just as he had left them: Lavitz with his back to the fire, and Shana lying on her back.
He carefully stepped over their sleeping forms as he walks away from the fire, not wanting it to distort his view of the sunrise in anyway. The deep dark blue of the night sky was replaced with a deep violet, then a shade of rose pink, followed by orange. He usually didn't watch the sun rise, but then again he never really understood how beautiful it really was.
It was that moment that his attention was drawn from the sunrise to the sleepers behind him, a small squeaking noise reaching his ears. As he turned he couldn't see the faces of his companions; they were still silhouetted by the fire. But then, as he fully turned around, the sunlight that had been racing across the landscape had caught up with him. When the golden rays lit up what the fire had cloaked, Dart let out a choked scream.
The half of Shana's face he couldn't see before was now perfectly lighted. About five little bugs, no bigger than his thumb, were crawling all over her face. They had short legs underneath a solid black protective shell, and had two long black antennae protruding from their heads. One crawled out from Shana's empty eye socket and crawled down her partially revealed cheekbone, then joined three others that had begun to rip flesh from Shana's neck, since they didn't have any left on the dark side of her face. Skin was missing from the entire right side of her face: from her hairline to her ear to her neck. The final bug was in her mouth, squeezing itself between her exposed jaws, dragging what Dart guessed to be a piece of her tongue.
Lavitz had nearly twice as many on him. All the flesh on his face was gone. There was one bug flailing on the ground, pinned underneath an eyeball that had been forced free from its socket. This was the bug that had squeaked when the eyeball had fallen on it. The culprit of the deed was still perched up in the left eye socket, waiving its antennae up in the air as five other bugs raced to the fallen organ, seemingly mocking the horrified young man before them. Three of the remaining bugs ate away at the skin of his neck, ripping away a piece at a time before devouring it and biting off another piece. The remaining bug ran along the grin of the skull, trying to find an entrance. Despite all this, not a drop of blood stained the ground. The insects had drunk every drop.
Before Dart could react again, the fire that had been slowly burning itself out suddenly exploded. The flames suddenly shot up into the sky, becoming so bright Dart had to shield his eyes. The fire expanded, engulfing him, the bodies, and the bugs. He was blinded by the light of the flames as he heard the squeaking screams of the bugs as they were burned alive around him. He felt one land on his right shoulder, and he quickly clamped down on it with his left hand, to squish it...
... Only to clamp down on a hand. It was gloved, but nevertheless a human hand...
"Dart?"
... Belonging to Lavitz.
Dart's eyes snapped open, this time truly awake. He could feel his heart was rammed in his throat, beating nearly a mile a minute. His breathing was fast and irregular. He was leaned forward and sitting dangerously near the fire; if he would have leaned forward any further he would have fallen face first into the flames.
"Dart?"
He swallowed his heart as he heard someone kneeling beside him, forcing his breathing to slow and even out. The nightmare had seemed real, as most do.
"Dart, are you all right?"
He slowly turned his head to face the voice that was indeed Lavitz; he was on one knee beside him with his left hand on his shoulder, concern showing in his eyes. It was apparent he had gotten enough sleep to break the unusual state he was in before.
Dart forced himself to nod until he managed to speak a few moments afterwards, thankful that his friend looked more worried than angry at the fact he had fallen asleep during his watch.
"I'm fine. Just a nightmare."
"What was it about?"
"It's... strange. I'll tell you in the morning."
Lavitz nodded once, then said, "I'll take over until sunrise."
He nodded as he forced himself to his feet. "Wake me up before then."
A nod was his only reply as Lavitz sat down a safe distance from the fire, facing the heat of the flames.
Dart slowly settled himself under the blanket, the ground still warm from when the knight had slept there. As uncomfortable as it was, he didn't dare try to sleep without his armor. The possibility of a sudden attack, either from local monsters to Hellena guards, was still in his mind. He wanted to be ready should anything happen.
As his head settled down onto the pack, his gaze shifted to the form silhouetted against the fire. He couldn't help but to like Lavitz. They had a lot in common when they met in Hellena, and quickly became friends. The Serdian knight was wounded by an arrow during their escape into the grasslands, and they had helped him. Now they were all walking down the same path, heading for Bale and were planning on arriving together.
The final thought to cross Dart's mind before sleep overtook him was how their friendship could last a lifetime, maybe even beyond.
* * * *
Author's note: *sigh* Little did he know that his journey would take him far beyond Bale, and Lavitz would only be with him for a short time. Sorry for the lame ending, but I really wanted to get this done so I could work on my other LoD fic. Let me know what you think, then I'll put up the first chapter to the other fic as soon as I finish it.