Chp. 4. Things are progressing slowly, and I'm sorry for this but I really don't want to rush things. Anyways, hope you guys enjoy. r&r please =P

Chapter 4. Gathering

The Urak Tapa denizens were surprised to see the return of their guardian,"Garr....?" many said with looks of confusion upon their visage. "We thought you were to enter the stone sleep?"

The guardian only shook his head to their questions, making along his path to visit the village elder. Upon reaching the large boulder barring his path, the guardian used his deity blessed strength to move,what onlookers would say, a mere pebble to the masculine being.

"Ah, welcome Garr. Quite a surprise to see you haven't went into your stone sleep yet." the Elder spoke while contently puffing on an aged oak pipe, the aroma was welcoming and soothing.

"I've been awoken to see that a foreboding evil doesn't plague or ravage this land." he sits cross legged before the elder, looking to him with an intense stare of respect. "I have come, for I need guidance. Haven spoken with our Goddess, I now realize how blindly and foolishly we slayed the Brood."

The elder merely laughed at the guardian's words, his brittle bones nearly rattling within their fleshy coffin. "Garr, you have held onto your guilt for far too long. I cannot give you words of wisdom regarding the Brood or the matters of their undoing." He paused a brief moment to puff on his pipe, eyes falling shut. "Follow your friends, vanquish this evil and put to rest your guilt and grief along with the beast. I'm sure you will find your way."

The guardian fell into a quiet prayer, taking this time to meditate and collect his thoughts for the upcoming battle.

"Yeah." Rei said with an awkwardness in his voice, he wasn't too good at the whole love and romance sort of thing. To offset his unease, the tiger took to walking about, a little chuckle here and there as he looked through Momo's belongings.

"Rei, thank you." Momo said in a gentle voice, her fragile side exposing itself for once. She felt a warm rush overtake her body, her cheeks the first indicator as their turned a rosy red.

"Wha..." Rei looked to her in confusion and bewilderment, he himself feeling somewhat overtaken and overpowered by the situation and sudden empowerment of his softer emotions. "Yeah..." He scratched the back of his head and looked about with a grin.

"Rei, you can stay here with me tonight." Momo said as she slid further under the covers, an inviting smile teasing her lips. "Just not in the same room. Honey will take you to your quarters for tonight."

With a laugh Rei just nodded understandly, "Alright. Thanks. I was going to take off but some rest would do me good."

And with that, Honey led Rei off to his sleeping quarter for the night.

The Wyndian Princess found herself out on the balcony over looking all of Wyndia. She had perched her elbows upon the marble baluster, eyes taking in all the beauty of the flickering stars speckled within the night. Somehow, she always found comfort in looking at the stars, it made her feel weightless and her imagination soared. "....Ryu." she cried out, more so to herself for it was a quiet whisper filled with longing and care.

Something caught her attention, and she looked from the night sky down further along the balcony. It was just in time for she caught a pair of majestic wings seemingly shatter into a thousand mirrored shards and dissipate from existence. And in the wake of reflective dust a man stepped forward, and her heart fluttered. "Your back..."

Ryu stepped forth and oustretched a hand, gliding his fingers along her slender neck and through her silky hair. "I never left you." he spoke with his haunting voice. It never failed to send rippling shivers of ecstasy down her body and put her in a state of bliss and serenity.

She melted into him, absorbing his affection and wishing to become one with him. His eyes spoke to her in ways words couldn't. "They're so beautiful..." she murmured tenderly, gazing into the blue sparkling ocean that were his eyes.

Holding onto her, she felt safe and at home within his arms. To him, she was the most beautiful thing to grace this world. Her flowing blonde hair swaying like a whipping curtain, undulant dress gradually giving way to reveal her petite but womanly contours. He wanted to stay with her and protect her for all his worth and more, and he would never fail her.

Tomorrow they would set out for Dragnier, tomorrow they would set out to once again prove their worth...and protect everyone dear to them.