Ch. 2

Rane opened his eyes, for the final time, if I black out again I'm never opening them again, he thought to himself as he looked around. He noticed a shape leaning on the bed, probably asleep.

"Mom," Rane said raising up slowly, he could still feel the spot on his hand were...what happened to me?, he thought holding himself up on his elbows. As he spoke the figure stirred and then rose looking at him. What's Arra doing here in my room!?

"Oh, hi Rane, I was just...um...keeping an eye on you until your mom came back." Arra said raising awkwardly.

She's so beautiful when she blushes, Rane thought with a smile.

"I guess that means that you feel better now?" Arra said smiling at him.

"I...uh...I...yeah, yeah I feel fine now." Rane stammered trying to regain some of his composure. Arra giggled slightly and felt his head.

"You feel ok, I'll go get your mother and let her know that you're ok." Arra said turning.

Rane smiled slightly, "Thanks for watching over me Arra."

"You're welcome," Arra said, Rane chuckled slightly, which made her blush again and leave the room quickly. Rane laid back down and grinned, I wish I could wake up to that everyday.

Arra came back leading Rane's mother, along with his father. "I hear you're feeling better son," Burne said smiling.

"Yeah," Rane said sitting up in the bed. His mother put her hand behind him to hold him up. "I'm fine mom, really, I am" Rane said standing up and stretching. He then looked around to a room full of curious even slightly worried faces. "What?" He said looking at each one.

"Thats what I want to know, thats what we all want to know." Rane's mother said looking from Rane to her husband.

"I didn't want to say anything without him being awake to confirm it," Burne said defensively.

"Teran doesn't seem to have any problem with that, it seems as though he's already told half the village, most of them didn't even believe him, but I' worried someone might think it's an omen or something." Rane's mom said gripping her apron tightly.

"He wouldn't tell anyone that he thought would be dangerous, the boys a bit slow but he's not stupid, don't worry Lily, we've done fine this long, this wont change anything." Burne said putting his arm reassuringly around his wife.

"What happened Mr. Burne," Arra said.

"Well, I only know from that I saw and from what I heard from Teran, so I'll have to let Rane fill in the blank spots." Burne said sitting in the chair next to Rane's bed. "From what I heard Teran was being his usual self and yelling at the cows more than necessary. One of the bull's got mad and charged at him, this spooked his horse which threw him to the ground and ran off. Teran said that he saw Rane jump off of Dash in between him and the bull. Rane then told him to go and get help and he crouched down like he was planning on wrestling the bull to the ground by himself. The next thing I know I'm looking down at my son and in front of him was the bull lying on the ground in a broken heap."

Rane ran his fingers through his hair, " I don't really remember a whole lot, other than seeing the bull and then seeing Teran and Father looking down at me." He said then he felt weakened suddenly.

"Whats the matter Rane?" Arra said rushing to his side.

"It's nothing , I'm just still tired." Rane said laying back down.

"Lets let the boy rest." Burne said ushering the everyone out of the room. He then turned to look at Rane who was already fast asleep. "Sleep well my son," and then he left the room shutting the door behind him.

Rane set his feet on the floor, he'd slept well, but for some reason now he couldn't lay comfortably, it just seemed to be an annoyance to lie down and stay still. Rane stood up and walked to the table and reached into the bowl and threw the water onto his face. The cold water made him catch his breath, but it woke him up and helped him to regain his senses. He looked around his room, noticing that it was still very late, but he didn't think he could go back to sleep again that night. So instead he changed from his sweat soaked clothes and walked outside. He'd often walked around the field at night, when he couldn't sleep. His father had warned him against it when he caught him outside once, but Rane did it anyway, he was just sneakier about it.

The night air was still warm from the hot day, but it was also free from the sticky feeling of the heat of the sun. The wind was still and there were only the noises of the usual nightlife to keep him company. Rane followed the path up to the cow field, walking at a leisurely pace, absorbing the warm air. When he made it to the field he went out into the middle of the pasture, where a hill stood where he could see all of the village and his house as well. When he made it to the top, he sat down beside a huge oak tree that had grown right in the middle of the hill. He sat down and looked up into the clear night sky, the stars shown brightly everywhere thousands of bright balls of light dotting the night sky. He loved night like this, still, and peaceful, nothing in the world to bother him.

Rane stood in the woods alone in the middle of a clearing. It was dark, not yet night but not light enough to see anything more than a few feet in front of his face. He wasn't sure why he was here but he was and it seemed to a natural occurrence. Then he heard a very slight rustle of a leaf. He turned to see a huge wolf walk out from behind a tree. Its mouth was full of smiling fangs.

Rane stepped back trying to find a way to escape, but his feet weren't moving right.

"You can't escape."

Rane heard a growling rumble of a voice issue from somewhere unseen. Then the wolf's mouth opened in a hideous grin showing all of its fangs, and then it leapt for him with it's mouth opened wide.

Rane jerked and turned his head towards the village, he wasn't sure what had made him look, but when he saw, he didn't care.

Flames were lashing out at the might sky coming from the homes of all the people he knew and cared for. He jumped to his feet and turned to run back towards his house when he was stopped in his tracks. Flames shot out from his home as well, vicious tendrils licking clawing at the night sky with angry rage. He ran down the hill and followed the path to his house. He skidding to a halt outside the front door, the fire had consumed the entire building, and what wasn't engulfed in flame was already fallen and smoldering. How could this have happened, I wasn't gone that long, how could I have not noticed? Rane yelled angrily at his stupidity, he should have never left the house. "Mom! Dad! Jenny!" He called out desperately hoping that they'd made it out ok. He called again, and still no response, he had to find them. Rane prepared himself to dash into the house but something kept him from doing so. They're not in there… he heard an echo from his mind. He instead ran to the side of his house, looking for his family. When he found them his mother and father where both sprawled out on the ground. Rane walked to them slowly, but when he could see them clearly he fell to his knees, his father had a long gash running from his right shoulder down to his stomach and his mother had a cut across her throat.

He slammed his fist on the ground fighting back tears, Why, why would anyone do this? He suddenly jumped to his feet and ran to the front of the house, Not Jenny too, please gods not her too! When Rane stood in front of the house he wanted to scream out in agony and anger. The front of the house had already collapsed into itself barring his only entrance into the house. Tears streamed down his face, he didn't know what to do, nothing had ever happened that had even compared to this. His knees grew weak again but something kept him from falling.

The town! He turned and ran down the road leading to the town. Rane dove into the streets paying no heed to the people running every which way. He was after one person, Arra. He fought through the swarms of people, shouting her name, he noticed a few armored men chasing the townspeople, he was confused, I thought knights were meant to help people, then, he heard a familiar voice scream, he raced into an alley and into a dead end. He saw Arra on the ground in front of an armored man. "Arra!" before Rane could stop himself he yelled her name, he then stood there looking at the man, who had turned to se this intruder.

"What is this eh? Your hero?" The man said looking down at Arra and smiling evilly. The man looked back to Rane and started walking towards him. "You're nothing but a stupid farm boy, what do you think you can do?" the man laughed and raised his sword. Rane was at loss he knew that he should've stayed put and been quiet but he had no choice, the man was going to hurt her.

And now he's going to hurt you, unless you let me help you.

What?

Just sit back and injoy.

He then stopped; Rane was looking at him straight in the eyes grinning. "You find somethin' funny runt?"

"I'm going to enjoy this." Rane said smiling. The man brought his sword down but as he did Rane grabbed him by the throat, the soldier drew a dagger tried to plunge it into Rane's side. But Rane jerked just in time and was only scratched slightly by the blade. Rane drove his fist into the man's gut and recovered the man's sword, then without a moments pause he sliced the soldier across the chest.

The man stood silently staring in surprise at Rane, he then fell in a crumbled heap to the ground. Rane dropped the sword and made his way to Arra, who looked at him as if she thought that he was about to hit her. " Arra, it's me, I'm not going to hurt you, I came to help you."

Arra looked at his hurt look a moment longer and dove for him wrapping her arms around his neck. "Rane! I'm so glad you're here, there's no telling what that man would've done had you not shown up." Then looking towards the man laying on the ground, " You killed him."

"I had no choice, he would've killed me and then come after you, I couldn't let that happen." Rane said.

"We were taught all our lives that all life is sacred."

"It is sacred, which is why we must do things sometimes that may not seem right, so that we can defend those lives that are precious to us." Rane said. He then grabbed his side and grunted.

"Are you ok?" Arra said looking up at him.

"I'm fine," Rane said checking him, but as his hand passed over his ribs he winced, "I think."

"What do you mean you think?" Arra said looking at him.

"It's nothing." Rane said.

"You're bleeding!" Arra exclaimed pushing Rane's hand away as he tried to stop her from lifting his shirt. Eventually he gave in and let her have her way. Rane had a large red bruise on his side the middle bleeding heavily. Arra ran her fingers gently along his side checking for any further damage.

"What are you doing?" Rane asked staring at her with a confused look.

"I'm looking for breaks, now hush." Arra commanded.

"As you wish your highness," Rane chuckled, beginning to bow but thinking better of it. Here and I thought that she'd never notice me, now she's checking me. "Ow!" Rane growled.

"Oh stop it, big baby," Arra said glaring at him.

Rane grinned, "Am I going to live?"

"You may if I don't get angry," Arra said hiding a smile, "You have a bad cut, but everything is still whole."

Gods but her eyes are beautiful, Rane thought to himself looking at the girl's deep blue eyes. Rane felt his face suddenly growing hot. He was about to looking away when he noticed movement in the shadows behind Arra.

Rane had just heard the bowstring as he wrapped his arms around her, throwing her to the side. He then gasped as the arrow slammed into his chest burying itself deep. Rane gripped the sword of the slain man and stood to his feet slowly and awkwardly.

The soldier was slightly taken aback by this show of will, but he merely drew his blade and charged at Rane. Who quickly raised his blade, barely glancing the blow to the side. Rane gripped the man's sword-arm and drew him in close kicking him in the chest, and knocking him back. Rane then swung his blade aiming for the soldier's middle. His blow was easily blocked and returned on him, Rane stepped back quickly to avoid being gutted, he almost fell over, but steadied himself. He could hear Arra scream, faintly, as though it were a whisper. His senses were failing, his eyesight leaving, I have to end this or he'll have no problem with me or…

He glanced toward Arra who looked back at him with terrified eyes, I can't lose, and I have to protect her. Rane held his sword up and turned back to the soldier; he spat the blood out of his mouth and charged at the man. Rane hacked and slashed, beating the man back, but not landing anything on him.

Rane closed his eyes searching in himself for anything he could use to help fight this soldier. He looked deep within himself; he was surprised to find a light in the middle of the darkness. As he came closer he saw that the light was a cage. What can this mean? He thought coming closer. As he stepped towards the cage to pools of light appeared within its bars, the lights became eyes, golden eyes with red pupils…a beast's eyes.

But to Rane's surprise he wasn't afraid of the behemoth creature in the cage. He actually felt a connection with those eyes, and then the creature's mouth opened to reveal glowing white teeth, huge fangs encased in a malevolent grin.

"You have come to seek help." The deep voice was more of a long growl than actual speech.

"What are you?" Rane asked looking into the cage.

"I am you; I am what you were meant to be." The beast growled its answer, "I can give you the help you need, but not from within these bars, I will have to be released."

"Why are you in the cage?" Rane asked.

"There are those who fear what we will become if we are joined."

"Why?"

"They fear what they do not understand, as all humans do, you'd best be quick in deciding, your enemy will not wait forever."

"I am in charge of my body and mind, and it will stay that way." Rane said

"As you wish," the beast's grin seemed to grow showing even more deadly fangs. Rane raised his hand looking for a door when he heard a click and the bars swung open. As soon as there was room the beast roared and lunged at Rane with his mouth opened wide.

Rane opened his eyes, his red and yellow eyes and bared his teeth at the soldier charging at him. His grip on the blade tightened and he let the sword tip drop to the ground. His gaze never left the soldier and he advanced, when the man came just into range Rane raised the blade in a smooth fluid motion cutting straight through the soldier's blade and through the man behind it. Blood sprayed and bone fragments flew and the blade cut through the man's shoulder to his chest. Rane turned to face Arra who gasped at the blood completely covering the front half of his body.

Arra was terrified and disgusted by what she'd just witnessed; she'd just seen the one person that she'd known all of her life; the boy who never picked a fight, the one who would always let the other boys pick on him, and then he would smile and go on his way. Rane would play dolls with his baby sister, who he'd never let any come to harm. The boy who always had something to cheer everyone up or just to make everyone smile; kill two men right in front of her, and he was now covered in their blood. Then she noticed something that terrified her even more, Rane's eyes were yellow and red, she'd always known him with one eye golden, but it wasn't anything too noticeable, but now, he really did look like a demon.

"Are you ok?" Rane asked dropping the sword and walking to her.

"Y…yes I…I'm ok." She said trying not to look at his face. "Are you ok?"

"As long as you a…" before Rane could finish he collapsed, the loss of blood from the arrow finally taking its toll on him. "I guess not." Rane said trying humor but found that it was just too hard to laugh. Arra knelt beside him tears rolling down her face. "Don't do that, please, I never could handle you crying." Rane said brushing a tear from her cheek with a shaking hand.

Arra wrapped his hand in hers tightly, "Don't leave me, I need you."

"You never needed me; but I should've been there for you so many other times." Rane said.

"I always needed you; I was foolish and never let you know how much you do mean to me. I'm sorry Rane, I have always cared for you, and ...I...love you."

Rane smiled gripping her hands, he opened his mouth but no words came out, he mouthed his last words to her, "I love you", he then closed his eyes and his body went limp.

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