So I have recently reread the Seven Soldiers Story ark. Okay, that's only half true. I only read the parts that had Klarion in it. It inspired me, and I looked it up and I'll be the first one to make a Seven Soldiers's version of Klarion in this sort of context…thingy…okay, I'll be the first to write a Klarion story during the Seven Soldiers Arc. Yay!

Here's the summary: Klarion lives in Limbo Town, constantly questioning the beliefs of the town. He leaves one night, much to Constance Ann's displeasure. When he comes back, she's relieved. When she finds out that he came back with utter chaos and the possibility of the destruction of Limbo Town, her feelings of betrayal and grief pull down on her heart. But when he saves the town from utter destruction and goes to fight as a soldier? How will she feel then?

"Ah, Teekl," Klarion sighed, looking out the window where the towns folks were raising the newest grundy. "Teekl, my cat. One day, they will bury us too." He pauses. "Then my children will raise me up and work me until I crumble."

I laugh, standing in the corner. Klarion turned swiftly towards me, a question forming on his lips, but I cut him off. "We all will die, eventually," I said softly.

"You think that I don't know that?"

"I know you know that, Klarion," I said, smiling at him. "I'm telling you because it's part of our life. Technically we'd deserve it-"

"But you wouldn't have to," Klarion interjected. "You're a girl. When you die, they will not raise you up. Girls are too weak to be worked, even before death. Even before they begin to crumble."

"I am not weak," I shouted. I saw him wince, and instantly felt regret. Lowering my voice, I continue: "Klarion, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you, I just-"

"It's fine," Klarion replied. "It's just how the town sees witch-girls and witch-women. You know I don't believe any of it. The witch-men are just considered the dominant race…"

"Yeah," I nodded slowly, smiling as Teekl started swatting a fluorescent green bug-like creature.

"What were you saying," Klarion asked. "Before I interrupted you? About us deserving something?"

"Hmm…" realization hit me like a slap in the face, which I've often felt for insolence and disobeying the witch-men. "I was saying we deserved to be brought up from the dead and worked until our second deaths because we did it to our fathers before us."

"It seems that you have thought about this for a while," Klarion commented.

"Well, I've found myself questioning where my loyalties lie as of late," I looked down, ashamed, but I knew that no matter what, Klarion wouldn't criticize me. He wouldn't because I know that he has the same feelings of our town that I do. The only difference was that Klarion wasn't afraid to say anything about it.

He smiled. "Really? Someone like you, so sweet and innocent, doubting our home's goodness and purity?"

"It's just, we're going to die anyway. When you and the other boys pass on, you'll just be dug up and worked to death by the next generation-" I said, walking over to him, sitting beside my life-long friend. We looked out the window for a moment in silence before Klarion broke it.

"Why even bother being born," he looked at me. "What's the point of it all, Constance?" he hissed. "Such a horrible, horrible world…"

I opened my mouth to respond, but was cut off by a voice from the doorway. "And don't think you can escape it either," we turned to see none other than Klarion's know-it-all, goody-two-shoes sister, Elizabeth Hope. "I've seen you, Klarion, hiding stuff in a sack. I suppose you think that you think that you can follow father beyond high market and never come back." She stopped for a moment, giving us time to let it sink in. "Think again, Klarion! Submissionary Judah is coming to brand the grundy's head and you have to be there."

Elizabeth Hope was very beautiful. If she wasn't such a stick in the mud, we could have been great friends, instead of me and Klarion. She's really really pretty. I really hope when I'm her age that I'll be as pretty as her. Her hair was long, black and glossy. Her skin was the same shade of blue as Klarion's, and she had a flawless complexion. Her gown was filled in perfectly.

Klarion stood up sharply, and pointed an annoyed finger at his older sister. "Is that right? Perhaps I'll just 'be there' because I want to be there."

"You think?" Elizabeth Hope snapped. "You'll be there because the book of shadows says you'll be there."

Fifteen minutes later, we were standing in the square. Submissionary Judah was preparing to brand the grundy. The newly undead man yelled something that sounded vaguely like "Don't brand me!"

The whole town had gathered to watch. I stood next to Klarion whose face was impassive. When Submissionary Judah raised his hands above his head—a blue light forming around them—i couldn't watch. I hid my face behind Klarion. He knew how strongly my mother and I felt about this. Everyone knew how my mother felt, that's why they terminated her. That's why I haven't told anyone.

Klarion looked down at me sympathetically. He had a good six inches on me. He bent down so that his mouth was next to my ear. "It's over," he whispered, as a chorus of "Croataon abides" erupted from all around us.

I looked up at him. "Thank you," I said quietly.

"Klarion, Elizabeth Hope, and Constance Ann, come, stay close to me," Klarion's mother said, gesturing for us to follow her. She approached Submissionary Judah. "Fresh from our mills, Judah. Blessed be." She said, handing him a pie.

"Blessed be, Mistress," he replied, taking the pie from her hands. While Elizabeth Ann stood beside her mother stating proudly that she had helped make the pastry, Klarion and I stood behind them. A man stood a little off to my left, looking distraught. My guess was that the grundy was a relative of his.

I decided to speak with him. walking the few paces it took to get to him, I noticed Klarion following me. "Sir?" I said.

The man looked up. "Hello, young miss," he said glumly.

"Sir, if you don't mind me asking, was that grundy…related to you in some way?"

"Yes," the man said. "He was my father."

"I'm sorry, sir," I state my condolences.

"It's not your fault, young lady."

"I know, I just feel horrible for the sorrows it causes us," I turn away. "Have a good night, sir."

"And to you."

"What was that about?" Klarion murmured. "Are you trying to get killed? Do you not remember what they did to your mother?"

I felt tears prick at my eyes. "Of course I remember," I whispered. "I saw it with my own eyes, Klarion. I-TEEKL, what are you doing?"

"Hm?" Klarion looks around. "Here, Teekl." The cat automatically jumps into Klarion's arms. "By the way, where's Armondo?"

"Oh, the silly thing," I laugh. "He's probably at home with Father, eating his heart out, and chasing the livestock."

"Wait," the voice of none other than Submissionary Judah came loudly through the night air. "What's that you have there? There! In its jaws!"

` the two of us look at Teekl. In her mouth is the same fluorescent green insect-like thing she was chasing earlier. "Give it here," the man said.

Klarion complied. "What is it?" he asked.

"Croatoan preserve us!" the man gasped. "An abomination of the Sheeda! Pollution! Pestilence! Our sins have found us out!" he now addresses the man that I had spoken to just moments before. "See now! Let your witch-man parliament debate while Croatoan falls, Brother Ezekiel!" he held up the Sheeda. "I will think on this omen."

Klarion cleared his throat. "Excuse me, sir," he said, addressing Submissionary Judah. "I've never seen a real Sheeda before. Can I touch it?"

Submissionary Judah turned to face the witch-boy that is my best friend. "Would ye be submissionary?" he asked. "Would ye bear burdens of knowledge heavier than the rock of mountains?"

Klarion seemed to mull this over for a moment before replying. "Possibly," he said finally. "It's the sort of work I'm sure I'd find very rewarding."

"I dislike ye mocking tone, boy," Judah snapped, getting in Klarion's face. For Klarion's credit, though, he didn't flinch, but then again, I did for him. "Thy teachers speak well of thee, but I say too much learning makes a proud palace for the ten thousand enemies of Croatoan. Trouble thine elders and betters no more and let yon fleabag cat hide, lest my draaga makes a fine supper of her."

I snapped, stepping in front of Klarion and Teekl. "Excuse me, sir," I said. "But I must insist that you do NOT insult my friends."

"You dare speak back to me, little girl," he raised his hand, prepared to hit me. I flinched.

"Don't you dare touch her," Klarion growled. Teekl hissed.

Submissionary Judah lowered his hand and cleared his throat. "Well, then I should be off."

I stayed where I was, frozen to the spot. Klarion came up behind me. "You okay?" I nodded.

"It's not like he did hit me-" I began.

"He was about to though," klarion interrupted.

"You wouldn't have let him," I said, calmly, starting to turn around.

"I can't believe him: threatening Teekl and then you," he shook his head. "He has the nerve…"

"It's fine," I said, putting my hand on his shoulder. He looked down at me with compassionate eyes. "I'm fine."

"When's your father supposed to return?" Klarion asked, changing the subject even though I could see he wanted to persue it further.

"Tonight," I smiled.

"That's great," he returned my smile. In his eyes, I saw sadness.

Over to our right we saw Ezekiel watching his newly risen father. We approached him. "My poor old man; he thought he'd sleep for at least a hundred more years before they dug him up and put him to work," he said, then addressed Klarion. "At least your own true dad won't be unburied and turned into a grundy, boy," he turned away. "Now, there was a rebel. We could use more like him."

"One would be enough for me," Klarion said, turning his head, looking away. "But he never returned."

"Klarion…" I looked at him. I couldn't bring myself to say anything more. Any consoling words would make him even more upset.

"Aye, well," Ezekiel said. "As for the rest of us, we can't die fast enough to supply the grundies we need we need to work our rock fields. The labors of the day allow the living to praise Croatoan, i know, but to see family turned to this…"

"It seems so insane," Klarion pouted. "Why are there such rules? Why must we do as the Book of Shadows says?"

My eyes go wide. I've never heard him speak like this before. "Klarion! You shouldn't speak like that."

"The girl's right," Ezekiel said. "There are draagas about…"

"We do as the book says to preserve Croatoan against the taint it was that condemned our fathers here to Limbo Town for their sins," I said. "I don't like the rules any more than you do, Klarion, but you should really hold your tongue."

"There are so many things in that book that doesn't make sense…" Klarion said, sitting down on a big rock—commonly called boulders.

Ezekiel grabbed Klarion's shoulders, startling him. "Don't let the submissionaries hear you talk like that, boy. Soon you'll be a witch-man, and you'll know all the secrets that they withheld…how long until you're baptized as a witch-man, Klarion?"

"One hundred and sixty-seven bells," Klarion replied. "Just as the book says-"

Ezekiel shushed him. "I wish to show you two something. When I went past the gates, a food vendor gave this to me. I went against the submissionaries and ate it. I was sweet and delicious and rapped in a non-perishable wrapper. Here, I'll show you." He dug in his inner coat pocket and pulled out a piece of plastic. It was red and had the words "Kit Kat" on it. Was that some sort of spell? I'd have to try it out later.

"What kind of man made this?"

"Now…give it back," Ezekiel said, snatching it from the witch-boy. "You were blessed boy. With wits and curiosity. You'll make a fine witch-man one day…but until that day, keep your rebel tongue locked. 167 bells," he shook his head.

Just then a number of bells went off. "You hear that," I asked. "They're calling us to Sabbat. They must have come to a decision."

"Right you are, little girl," he nodded. "We should head back."

As we got near the end of the cave we were in, Ezekiel started speaking again. "I heard one of the submissionaries speaking about closing the gate once and for all. Stopping trade. They say that if we wait until the Sheeda storm passes, we might return from Limbo Town to Blue Rafters—where our forefathers had come. Where all of our sins will be wiped out and we shall inherit wonders-"

"What sin?" Klarion asked. "I haven't the chance to commit any sin yet."

Ezekiel and I laughed. "Yes but someone along the way did, and we must pay for their mistakes," the witch-man replied.

We had parted ways with Ezekiel the Witch-man, and joined the crowd in front of the Sabbat. Submissionary Judah was giving a very heartfelt speech about keeping pure and closing the gates. When he finished there were "Blessed be"s and "Croatoan abides"s from all around us. Klarion looked uncomfordable.

Klarion's mother had offered for me to come over for a while. I think she likes me, or at least likes the fact that I keep her son out of trouble. I agreed, much to Klarion's pleasure. Elizabeth Hope and Klarion's mother began hanging things on the walls of Klarion's room, seeing as they had finished all the other rooms. "These hexes will ward off any unnamed folk should any more arrive," Klarion's mother was saying.

"They can't close the gate," Klarion whined. "This means that I'll never get to High Market let alone Blue Rafters! I'll die in this dark rainy hole!"

"No exploring for you then, eh?" Elizabeth Hope taunted. That's another reason why I don't like her, she's always giving Klarion a hard time. "Look, mother, Klarion was planning to run away."

"Klarion wouldn't leave," their mother snapped. "He has too much here."

"Like what, Mother? He hates it here, he just said do!"

"Like Constance Ann," she smiled.

Klarion, Elizabeth Hope, and I looked at her with similar looks of confusion on our faces. "What do you mean, Mother?" klarion asked, but as soon as he had opened his mouth Elizabeth Ann's face broke out into a grin, like she had some big secret that we didn't know about.

"Oh of course, Mother," she said, exaggerating how obvious it apparently was. "Because Klarion likes the girl."

"What?" Klarion stood up. "I do NOT! Mother, tell her she's delusional!"

"Klarion, you shouldn't lose your temper like that," his mother scolded.

"Of course, Mother," he murmured. "I'm sorry, Mother."

Fifteen minutes later, Elizabeth Hope came into the room again. "Dinner's ready."

we filed out of Klarion's room, and into the dining room. On the table was one and a half loafs of bread—half the one loaf having been cut and had one piece on each plate. And a cooked chicken.

Klarion's mother sat at the head of the table, Elizabeth Hope on her right, me on her left, and Klarion on my right. After a few minutes and only each a slice of bread, Klarion's mother spoke up. "Are you feeling alright, dear? You barely touched your food."

"Yeah," Elizabeth Hope cut in. "Didn't you like the chicken? I made it myself."

"Hmmm…" I looked up. "Oh yeah, I was just wondering what time it was?"

"Oh, I'd say a few minutes until six bells," Klarion's mother replied. "Why dear?"

"Oh, it's just my father is coming home today, and I promised him that I'd meet him at home two minutes after the sixth bell," I said standing up. "So I have to be going. Thank you for dinner it was delicious. Good-bye, everybody."

"Good-bye, dear," was Klarion's mother's reply.

"Bye," Elizabeth Hope.

"I'll walk you home," Klarion stood up.

"You don't have to, Klarion," I smiled at him.

"I want to make sure you get home alright," he said.

"Well, okay," I said, still smiling.

On our way out I heard Elizabeth Hope say "You know, they'll marry eventually, Mother. You know I bet they already lost their innocence to each other."

"Elizabeth Hope!" her mother gasped.

"What? Do you see how they look at each other?"

"That's enough," her mother snapped. I heard her stand up. "Clear the table."

Klarion walked me home. We were completely silent. No doubt Klarion had heard what his sister had said. That probably made it more awkward between us. When we got to my door, the bell just chimed for the sixth time in a row. "Well, have a good night," Klarion said, turning to walk away.

"Klarion," I stopped him. He turned to me. I smiled at him, not knowing quite what to say, but knowing I had to say something. I stepped towards him.

"What's wrong," he walked to me, closing the distance between us two. I put my arms around his torso and lean my head against his chest. Klarion stiffens, but pats me on the back awkwardly.

I pull away, looking up at his face. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

He nods and silently walked away. I groaned. Why did I do that? There was no way he would like someone like me. No way what-so-ever.

Sooo, there's the first chapter. It's like three/fourths of the first comic. So I'll post soon, and when I get inspiration for Complementary I'll post again, and I have another Klarion/OC comic I'm about to post. Gosh, why can't I finish one story?