A Curse of Life and Love

Chapter 1: A Journey Begins

Nash was preparing to leave as quickly as possible. It was not an easy task. Why did Bishop Sasarai always have to give him the most difficult missions? 'Find the True Wind Rune, it's probably in the Grasslands,' was all that Nash got for an instruction. He sighed as he checked over his preparations.

"Why are you leaving this time?" a voice asked from the doorway. Nash spun around to meet the questioning face of his wife.

"I have to search for the True Wind Rune in the Grasslands," he explained.

"Why does he always give you such vague missions?" she asked, frowning. "Why can't he give you a reason why he wants you to find it?"

"I guess it's just for reasons of his own," Nash shrugged. "I'll be back soon, okay?"

"Fine," she said, glaring at the wall. "I don't know why I'm married to you if you're always gone."

"Don't say that," he said. "I haven't been on a mission in two years."

"So?" she asked. "Why can't you be part of the regular army? That way I'd know when you'd be on missions and such. It's always so predictable when we're going to war."

"The spy thing suits me better," he explained. "Don't give me that look. I guess I like the snooping around."

"I'm sure you do," she said, showing her vampire teeth as she smiled. Nash almost forgot why he married the old hag. He remembered at times like this, she could be emotional, even though she put on the façade of a tough vampiress.

"Sierra, you have to understand that I have to be able to do what I want when I've got the chance," he told her. "I don't live forever like you do."

"Maybe," she said. "Find the rune quickly so you can come home. Like you said, you don't live forever."

"Easy for you to say," he sighed.

"I know," she said smiling in a very cocky manner.

~*~

"Are you all prepared?" Dios inquired. Sasarai had not come to see Nash off but sent Dios to do it instead.

"Yes," Nash answered. "I'm ready. How long do you think this mission is going to take?"

"Who knows?" Dios replied, shrugging. "You're going to have to figure that one out alone."

"Thanks," Nash replied sarcastically. "I'll write you when I've figured it out."

"All right," Dios said, not getting the sarcasm. "You do that. Sasarai wants you to hurry up, though. He doesn't want it to find a new bearer."

"Yeah, I know," Nash said. "Do you have any clue where it would be in the Grasslands?"

"Not a clue," Dios said.

"Well, I guess I'll be searching everywhere," he said unhappily. "I'll say 'hi' to those girls from Alma Kinan for you." Dios blushed a shade of scarlet.

"That was just—" he started.

"Sure," Nash said. "See you when I get back." He walked off and left Dios stammering.

So he was to find the True Wind Rune and bring it back to Sasarai… How was he supposed to do that? 'Great,' Nash thought. He was going to be walking to the middle of the Grasslands without a clue to where he was going. Not the easiest mission in the world. Maybe he'd write to Sierra this time…

~*~

Two weeks had passed and there was still no sign of the Wind Rune. Nash had not the slightest idea where a rune might be hiding either. He'd stopped by the Safir, Chisha, and Alma Kinan Clans already (Yumi and Yuiri were more that delighted to hear that Dios said 'hi'). He figured it might be somewhere closer to civilization, but he had to try.

The rune could be anywhere, it could have gone all the way to somewhere like the island nations, it had been two years after all. 'Dammit!' Nash cursed. Why can't I ever do anything easy? Oh, well… that might take the fun out of the job. He'd finally reached the Duck Clan. He doubted anyone there had seen it, but maybe that Sgt. Joe character had heard something. He did seem to be on top of things quite often.

The Sergeant had recently remarried (or so Nash heard) and was raising kids, but he still might know. Nash chuckled at the thought. He never really found any kind of duck as a family man. Nash found his sources to be correct, though it was an odd sight. The wife was obviously away, for Sgt. Joe, instead of his usual battle attire, was wearing a green t-shirt with an apron. A very odd sight indeed.

"No," the Sergeant replied when Nash questioned him. "I haven't heard anything about it. I thought you Harmonians confiscated it right after the war two years ago. We never get any good news here in the clan anyway. Try the Karayan clan, Hugo might know something."

"Thank you," Nash said. "So how's married life?"

"Not all it's cracked up to be," Sgt. Joe replied.

"I know exactly what you mean," Nash told him.

~*~

Hugo did prove more informative. He had heard of a disturbance growing near the Lizard clan and had sent some fighters to check it out. Of course, the Lizard Clan! That was where they fought the last battle. He should have guessed that right off the bat, but he'd figured Sasarai would have already gone to check that out.

Upon arriving at the Lizard Clan he found that the guards at the gates had been doubled and four lizards now stood to welcome friends and foes. When they saw his arrival two of them ran towards him while the other two barred the gates with their spears.

"Who goes there?" one asked. "Friend or foe?"

"An old acquaintance of Chief Dupa's," Nash replied. "I wish to speak with him about current events that have yet to take place." The lizard looked at him quizzically.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, raising his spear.

"I mean that I believe some things have happened near the clan that will lead up to something that could possibly be more threatening to you all."

"Really now," the lizard said. "We have no proof that you are an acquaintance of Chief Dupa's."

"If you'd like to find out for sure," Nash said, his patience leaving him. "Then why don't you ask him yourself?"

"I can't leave you…"

"There are three other guards," Nash reminded him. "I assure you that they will not let me sneak in."

"Very well," the lizard decided. "What is your name?"

"Nash," he replied. "Nash Clovis."

"Fine," the lizard said. "I'll be back. Don't try anything."

"You have my word," Nash said. The lizard left and returned shortly after looking sulky.

"Fine," he said. "You can pass."

"Thank you ever so much," Nash said, over exaggerating. The lizard shot him a glare but said nothing and moved back to his post.

Nash had never really been inside the lizard clan before, but found the descriptions he had heard were very accurate. Dark and gloomy, right on target. When he got to the main hall the lizard named Shiba greeted him.

"Welcome," he said. "I shall lead you to the chief's room. Follow me Mr. Nash." Shiba led him through the main hall, up a ramp and to the middle of the top floor. "It's in here, Chief Dupa is waiting for you."

"Thank you," Nash replied. He walked in to find it even darker than the entrance hall, probably because it was farther away from the sun.

"Greetings," Dupa said, beckoning for him to sit down. "It's been a while."

"Two years no doubt," Nash confirmed. "It has been a while."

"I was told you wanted to meet with me," Dupa reminded him. "So let us get right to the point, shall we?"

"Yes," Nash said. "That does seem most fitting. I am searching for the True Wind Rune. I have heard of some disturbances near your clan, but I'm not sure what it was, could you confirm this?"

"Yes," Dupa said. "We have had some disturbances, that is why our guards have been doubled, but it turned out to be nothing every time."

"Every time?" Nash asked. "You mean to say there has been more than one?"

"Yes," Dupa nodded. "We have found nothing each time. I'm not precisely sure on what it means."

"Neither am I," Nash told him. "I suppose I'll go check it out. Where is it?"

"In the back," Dupa said. "Have Shiba take you. It was near the Cyndar shrine where we fought that crazy mage, Luc, two years ago. You might find what you are looking for there."

"That I might," Nash said. "Thank you for your time, Chief Dupa. I do hope we meet again in the future." Nash rose from his seat. Dupa nodded to him and he left.

Shiba was only too happy to lead Nash to the place of the disturbances. He voiced that maybe Nash would be able to figure out what had been going on. Nash himself highly doubted that, but there was no harm in trying. It was indeed very close to the Cyndar Ruins; Nash figured he would have a look around inside. Shiba said that he would like to accompany him, but Nash figured it would be easier to go alone. Shiba nodded and went back to the clan.

After searching for quite a while Nash gave up. It was pointless to sift through the ruins by himself. Maybe he should have accepted the help from Shiba, but he soon realized he would need the entire Lizard Clan army to clear out all the rubble and get a good view of things. He decided, however, that he would come back. Something about the place made him uneasy. Maybe it was the fact that someone had died there, but he doubted that. No, it was something else. Something was oddly eerie about the place. Something that he just couldn't put his finger on quite yet.

END

Good grief. I normally don't write this much in the span of one hour. I guess I'm really bored. I hope you all like it so far. Is it too boring? Too serious? Too silly? Any constructive criticism? Please review!

Love always,

Lily