Rain continued to pour over the trio, as they continued their adventure towards Mistral city. Puffs of steam emanated from their mouths as they advanced towards Mistral City.
"So …" Xephos murmured, breaking the awkward silence between them. "How's everything here, old man?"
"Not so well." Peculier responded. "Everything was fine until about a week ago." Honeydew strolled on, not taking notice of the two he was leaving behind. Xephos stared at Honeydew's back.
"Oh really?" He replied, turning his attention back towards Peculier. "How so?" Peculier sighed deeply, and rubbed the back of his neck.
"In some places, lava replaced water. In others, never ending thunder, never ending snow or rain. The rain responding into floods." Peculier rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. "Daisy's back and all, but I won't rest until I know that we're all safe." Xephos smiled.
"So how are you and Daisy now?" He took a slight turn on the other dreary subject. Almost immediately, Peculier's dull expression was replaced by, what seemed like, a different person.
"Daisy and I?" He smiled, looking into the distance. "Oh, I proposed to her, as I planned." Xephos started to grin.
"Really!" He chuckled. "I'd ask what she said, but I already know, judging by your face." Peculier chuckled at this. "So, when's the date?"
"We haven't decided yet." He replied. "Whenever this rubbish stops."
"Who was it?" Honeydew said quietly in front of them, his head was hung slightly, and he was carrying his pick over his shoulder.
"Who was what?" Peculier murmured. Honeydew's black eyes closed for a moment.
"Who was the person from Stoneholm who went … missing …" He replied ever quieter. Xephos felt sympathy for his pal. Honeydew had always had strong feelings for the dwarves.
"Oh …" Peculier said softly. "I think her name was Tarja."
"Torja." Honeydew corrected. "I bloody knew it."
"But how?" Xephos asked, astounded by his companions abilities. "How did you know?"
"For starters," Honeydew grumbled. "There's no one in Stoneholm called Tarja. For seconds, Torja is my distant cousin. She's the sort who would get herself into trouble."
"Cousin?" Peculier cocked his head to the side. "But distant, right?"
"Right." Honeydew nodded. "Such a distance that our blood is hardly even the same." Peculier raised his head in acknowledgement. Ahead of them, the spires of Mistral City loomed up in front of them, but in front of the gate, stood a pale figure in a black suit.
"You!" Honeydew yelled, launching himself at Israphel. Israphel didn't blink as Honeydew swung his sword towards him. Honeydew growled as he landed, and turned, looking at Israphel's back. Israphel's head was turned, and it appeared as though he had an eyebrow raised – If that were possible for him. That was when Honeydew realised. This wasn't what he remembered at all. He looked around his surroundings - nothing was squared. He looked at Israphel, who was a slim character, his suit clung to his upper-body, but flared at the bottom. His arms appeared strong, but his hands were small and dainty, seeming very gentle indeed. Honeydew then looked into Israphel's scarlet eyes – they weren't lifeless, like he has expected. They were full of life, and almost seemed to smile at him. Israphel was pale, almost as pale as his rather light grey hair. Honeydew stood up straight, blinked, and Israphel was gone. The trio stared into the area Israphel had just disappeared from, and then Honeydew looked at Xephos and Old Peculier.
"Well." Peculier gasped, not able to find his voice. "I certainly wasn't expecting that."
Later on that evening, Honeydew and Xephos were sat on their borrowed beds in a new hotel in Mistral. Honeydew looked up at Xephos and sighed.
"I didn't think Israphel would look that that." He said. Xephos appeared to be spacing out, but he was listening.
"Yeah." He frowned. "He smiled too." Honeydew's eyes widened a little.
"I was looking at his eyes. They appeared to be smiling as well." He pondered, and Xephos looked at him strangely. "It's an expression. Like if I were to smile and mean it, my eyes would look warmer or something."
"Oh right." Xephos murmured. "Got you now." Honeydew laughed.
"So, do we go looking tomorrow?" He asked.
"No," Xephos replied, sorting out his bedclothes. "Tomorrow we talk to people and catch up. The day after we'll go look around." Honeydew nodded.
"We'll need like, tents and stuff too." He added.
"Yeah…" Xephos agreed. "Well, I'm going to sleep now." He smiled at Honeydew who yawned.
"Yeah …" Honeydew's eyelids dropped a little. "Me too. Night Lewis." Xephos chuckled at his dwarven friend.
"Night Simon."
The next morning, Xephos awoke to the pacing of Honeydew's footsteps across the wooden floor. Xephos yawned, and rubbed his eyes, before glancing to his friend.
"What's up pal?" He murmured, his eyesight a little blurry. Honeydew jumped, startled by his companion.
"What's up?" He repeated. "I had a horrible dream." He muttered, staring frantically out the window. "I'm scared Lewis, scared."
"Why's that, pal?" Xephos swung his legs over the bed and stretched his arms above his head.
"It was more like a nightmare, actually." Honeydew shuddered. "Israphel was there. So was Torja. But Israphel wasn't as we saw it. He snuck around, he turned, took my blade …" Honeydew's eyes suddenly glazed with moisture. "I'm worried, Lewis. I don't know if I can wait until she's safe." Xephos chewed his lip, as Old_Peculier appeared at the stairs.
"What's the matter, Heroes?" He murmured. Xephos's Sapphire Blue eyes looked into Peculier's.
"Honeydew has a bad dream." He murmured. "I don't think we have time to look around." Across the room, Honeydew was pulling his armour on. Peculier looked over at Honeydew. Honeydew's slim fingers were trembling as he put his armour on, his eyes were glistening with tears, and he kept blinking.
"I understand." Peculier murmured.
The sun began to reach midway in the sky. Xephos looked down from it to the back of Honeydew, who was marching along, sword in hand. Honeydew walked past a tree with a figure leaning on it, but he didn't notice. He kept walking along, his face concealed in determination. Xephos stopped at this tree, and looked into the blood red eyes of Israphel, shrouded between silver locks of his hair.
"What are you doing?" Xephos murmured reaching for his sword, by nay, Israphel stayed silent. Israphel's eyes were calm and isolated, but not like they weren't showing any emotion. It almost appeared as though he was staring straight through Xephos. Xephos swallowed a lump of bile down his throat.
"Where's Torja?" He murmured, his hand clasping on the handle of the sword. But again, Israphel did not reply. Israphel stood up from the tree, elegantly, and began to walk towards Xephos, but walked straight past him, missing his eye contact as he did so. Xephos's body turned when Israphel had walked past, but the man had gone.
"Xephos, are you lagging? Or is your brain lagging again?" Honeydew murmured, walking back towards Xephos. Xephos looked up at Honeydew. Honeydew had a smile on his face, one he hadn't had for a while. Xephos laughed nervously, and rubbed the back of his neck.
"My brain, I think." He paused. "But I saw Israphel again. Either that or I'm going mad." Honeydew grumbled under his breath.
"Well. Let's not waste any time." Honeydew sighed, and turned away from Xephos. Xephos followed Honeydew slowly, wondering why Israphel kept appearing around them.
From behind them, the silver haired teen saw sat against a tree, a piece of hay in his mouth, watching the duo curiously. He cocked his head to the side, his red eyes filled with interest. He was going to keep a close eye on these two.
A/N:
OMG. I'M SO SORRY.
This chapter is so long. D:. In contrast to the rest anyway …
This is also a little gift for those on my DeviantART. My DeviantART is Lux-u-ray for those interested. :3
