Chapter 3: Sinbad's Lament

"Thank you for helping us with those thieves!" said the woman to the fourteen-year-old boy. He had long dark purple hair, bound in a band, in a low ponytail. He looked at her with his amber eyes and smiled.

"No problem, I don't like it when filth like them try to hurt beautiful women like you….Although I do wonder why you haven't hired a bodyguard for your carriage." said the young Sinbad.

"Well, all of the men have been sent to war….so we have to do all of the work ourselves…." said the woman holding the younger girl by the hand.

"In that case, you could hire me as a guard, I could escort you until you get to the next city!" Said Sinbad enthusiastically.

"Oh, well we must decline. We're taking the sea route, but thank you for the offer. But you did help us so please accept this bag of fruits!" said the woman smiling.

"That's too bad, but I'd love to have some of your fruits!" accepted Sinbad, despite being a bit sad that he couldn't accompany them.

Moving to the back of the carriage the woman opened the lid to find a man with blonde hair sleeping in the barrel.

"P-Please don't open it without knocking…." said the man as he closed the lid. Sinbad and the woman freaked out, there was a strange man inside of a barrel!

After Sinbad calmed them down and received his fruits, he and the man who was known as Yunan were on their was to Tison village.

"By the way, is it really alright for me to stay at your house?" asked Yunan, he was feeling a faint presence coming from the village, but he couldn't remember where he had felt it from.

"Yeah, It's only natural to give a hand to a person in need!" he pointed ahead, "And that right there is Tison Village, my home."

A group of women stood at the outskirts of the village, they were working on moving bundles of straw. One of the older women noticed the pair as they approached.

"It's Sinbad!" she announced catching everyone's attention. At first, they seemed to have a darkened mood, until the older woman slung her hand around Sinbad, smiling.

"Welcome back Sinbad!"

"Yeah Sin, Welcome back!" called a little girl.

Each of the villagers greeted him as he and the older woman discusses his work. Yunan watched the interactions with a curious eye. He still felt the presence, it was gentle, very similar to the one he felt whenever he entered the sacred palace when he died.

Sinbad led Yunan to his house. Inside was a woman lying in bed and a girl sitting by her side. The blue-haired girl had a golden stave lying next to her. Sinbad stiffened, he had never seen the girl before nor had he ever heard his mother mention her. She wasn't from the village either.

"Mother I'm home!" said Sinbad pretending not to notice the strange girl in his house. She wore white robes lined with gold, her long hair tightly braided and had an expensive looking necklace around her neck.

"Sin...welcome back…." said the woman smiling. He sat next to her and held her hand.

"Sin, meet Elizabeth. She's a traveling magician," she said gesturing to the petite looking girl.

"A pleasure miss!" said Sinbad cheerfully.

"Greetings…" she tilted her head, "...a singularity?….." she mumbled the next part, Sinbad couldn't make out anything else other than those two words. He wondered what she meant but decided not to pry.

"Sin, Elizabeth has done an examination on my illness." said his mother. Sinbad felt his heart drop. If the girl in front of him had good new his mother certainly wasn't rejoicing.

"W-What were t-the r-results?" Managed Sinbad after a short pause. He couldn't hide the fact that he was worried.

"Sin...the medicine isn't working," said Esra, Sinbad felt tears in his eyes. He couldn't save his mother, she was going to die and leave him all alone. Elizabeth looked at the boy, he reminded her so much of Tess. Always cheerful, kind and gentle. Tess was loyal and enthusiastic, but just like Sinbad….he was naive, small minded on things he considered the norm and yet there was a strength hidden in their eyes. Both of them had the potential to be great. Sinbad, however, had a chance. One that she was going to make sure he got.

"Why cry?" asked Elizabeth feigning confusion.

"Elizabe-" started Esra as she was cut off by Sinbad.

"What do you mean, why cry? My mother is leaving…..I-I will be….alone…." he said as a tear fell from his face.

"Rukh….she will join them…...with your father….." she said, hearing the term father Sinbad looked at the blue-haired girl.

"W-what did you say?" he asked as he stopped crying.

"Her Rukh is white….they follow you….and so will she…." said Elizabeth giving him a gentle smile. Yunan's eyes widened, he knew who sat in front of him. It was the woman who granted him the ability to keep his soul and be reborn into the Great Rift. That was why her presence was so familiar. However this just caused him more confusion, why would she be outside the sacred palace?

"She's right you know," said Yunan smiling, setting aside his confusion about the girl.

"Right about what?" asked a young Sinbad.

"About the Rukh. They are around everyone, the Rukh are the souls of the people who have passed on. One or two always follow each person around, especially family members or people that you were close too." explained Yunan, hoping that Sinbad wouldn't ask too many questions.

"How do you know all of this?" he asked the Magi.

"Simple, I am a traveler. I hear and learn things," replied Yunan.

"And you Elizabeth?" the future king asked.

"...I can see them…." she simply stated.

"But only Magi can see them?!" cried Yunan pretending that he couldn't see them. Sinbad looked at the girl with a curious look in his eyes.

"No…...powerful magicians too….anyone can, there just needs to be a large amount…" she responded, not adding in the part that the reason she can see the Rukh is that she was not only a descendant of King Solomon but one of the main people who created this world. Of course, she wasn't lying about her explanation either. She was indeed a powerful magician and they really could be seen by everyone when they were in large clumps.

"Where do you plan on heading next?" asked Sinbad.

"Where the Rukh takes me….." she responded.

"Then join me, together we could help everyone in the village out!" said Sinbad holding out his hand, Elizabeth smiled. This miracle child would really be something special.

"Okay!" she responded giving a close-eyed smile and taking his hand. Sinbad felt his cheeks heat up as a bright shade of pink barely shone through.

Sinbad felt the memory fade, he smiled fondly at their first meeting. He was utterly devastated that his mother was going to die, but after a talk that night he and his mother made peace with it. While it hurt knowing that she would be gone, she told him not to dwell on it and live his life to the fullest and do everything she could not do in her lifetime. To that he swore, an oath he kept even to this day.

As he gazed out onto the sea he prayed to whatever god that was out there that Yamuraiha could figure out what happened to Elizabeth. While he didn't doubt Yamuraiha, magic had its limits, and he knew that Elizabeth was equally a powerful magician. If she was truly the one who had sealed her own magic, then it could be near impossible for normal magicians. Thankfully, Yamuraiha was not a normal magician. On the thought of magic, he also recalled her being a good fighter despite using only her stave.

"Sin, bend your knees a bit and keep your shoulders back." commanded the blue-haired teen. She and Sinbad were currently in the middle of a sparring match however before they began, Elizabeth made it a goal to correct his swordplay.

"Relax Lizz, I'm sure I can take you on," said Sinbad cockily. He had defeated Drakon and the princess Serendine, there was no way he was going to lose to his magician friend. Magicians mostly focused on magic, magicians aren't physically as strong as fighters.

"Pity…." she said disappearing in the blink of an eye.

"What-" began Sinbad as he felt a kick to his side. He was thrown onto the floor as his sword flew out of reach.

"H-How?" he choked out catching his breath as the wind was knocked out of him.

"Stand up….you made her a promise…..live to keep it…." she said. Looking up at the girl who was shorter than him Sinbad felt intimidated. Not that his pride would ever allow him to say it out loud, but truthfully the kind, cryptic girl that he knew was terrifying when it came to battle. But, what promise? To who? What was he talking about? He wondered as confusion spread across his face.

"A mother's final wish, a son's mandated oath," she said as he finally figured out what she meant. He needed to get stronger to survive so that he could keep the oath to his mother. He needed to last against her if he wanted to live, he had never officially learned swordplay. And it was clear that she at least learned something or she knew about it.

Sinbad chuckled to himself, he was an arrogant and ignorant brat sometimes. If he remembered correctly, and he did, he never was able to beat her. He might be on the same level if he used one of his djinn equips but no, he doubted he could beat her. He was grateful for her lessons, he only wished she had told him exactly where she learned it instead of just saying because of her travels.

She never talked about her past. He found that odd, then again she always spoke cryptically and only truly go to the point during a negotiation. And even then it was hard to understand her. However what he remembered most were those times when she showed signs of being a normal person. Not someone who spoke in riddles, or cryptic messages. Not someone who was could go from intimidating to gentle in the blink of an eye. However just listening to her during some of these times, gave his bits and pieces of her past. One that he desperately wanted to know, and from what he could tell. It wasn't a happy one either.

One night he caught her out on the deck of the ship. She was looking out onto the waters and sometimes looking up into the sky. Sinbad heard footsteps from his door, he hadn't expected the person to be her. Nor did he know that she had such a wonderful singing voice.

"Sing with me, my dear,

And have no fear

For I am always near.

Rest now, your sweet head,

And in your cradle, as you fall asleep

The gentle crown princess will weep,

With you so small and waiting for me

As our dearest mother falls at my feet

Don't cry, now that the queen is dead

Beside her king, now here she rests

And little crown princess who tears, she dries

Remains here, right by your side

Little Prince, how time does fly

Oh how I wish,

You were here by my side

Forgive me for leaving you so alone

But I now must take my throne.

Yet let it be now known,

This little princess is now the Queen

Now that Princess,

With azure blue eyes,

She looks to the sky.

Remembering times far away,

A broken world left for her to mend

And a tiny, poor baby left for her to tend

With her azure blue eyes, she sings to you tonight,

A new flame burns brightly,

For a chance at new life.

In your palace, there may you stay

As your guardian and I set the stage.

Sleep now little Prince, for this Queen

Is just fine."

When she finished the song Sinbad felt like there was more to the song than it just being an infant's lullaby. He heard her speak, her voice was different than normal. It wasn't monotone like it had been recited many times over. It was gentle and sweet. Like every word that flowed out of her mouth was melodic, like everything she said was only part of a song. He yearned to hear her speak like this all of the time, he admitted that she was the most beautiful girl in the world. He had to control himself to keep from going to her and embracing her in a hug. She was graceful, elegant and proper. She was kind, wise and gentle. She was….

The woman he helplessly found himself in love with, and he knew it. Thinking about it, the only reason he was ever called Lady's man of seven seas or womanizer of the seven seas, was because he knew that his heart would never change and it hurt him. She cared for others, but falling in love? He heard her say it herself. She would never fall in love.

"Such a pity…." he heard her say from the top of the deck. He was on the main deck while she was on the higher one at the front of the ship.

"Love…..will I ever fall in love?" she asked herself. Elizabeth knew the answer, she was just afraid to admit it out loud.

"No….never….." She finally said after a period of silence. Sinbad felt his heart drop, had he really just heard her say that?

"If only….." then the last thing he heard before he left. He couldn't stand it, it hurt. The feelings he felt for her he knew were real. As a teen, one could always say that it was the changed one went through, but this went beyond a single crush or slight infatuation. Heading into his quarters he thought it over. He knew he would never be able to move on from her, in his eyes, she was just too perfect. Even if she never fell in love with him, if she was happy that he was more than happy to be by her side.

To this day, his words, he knew were still true. He wanted a peaceful world, but for this woman, he would give up everything. No matter what, he couldn't lose her. He wasn't okay when she wasn't around. And when she left….

'Where is she?' thought a young Sinbad as they searched the ship after they arrived in Sasan. Everyone searched the ship, but Elizabeth was nowhere to be found. Her basic stuff was gone, she didn't have very many clothes left in her drawers, not even her stave was left leaning against the wall like usual.

Sinbad felt dread sink into the pit of his stomach. His best friend, the girl he fell in love with, and the one who seemed to have advice for everything was missing. No one could find the cryptic girl anywhere.

That was until they also noticed something else. Ja'far wasn't up yet, but he was usually the first one up. Rurumu whilst searching also disappeared. Walking to Ja'far's room he heard the sound of light sobbing. Peeking through the crack of the door he saw Ja'far crying his eyes out as Rurumu comforted him. He was a mess, sitting on the floor next to him was a piece of paper.

Sinbad passed by his room on the way back up deck when he noticed a piece of paper on the floor. He must have thrown it off when he got out of bed because he didn't recall it being there before. Picking it up, he read it. Only for the feeling of dread to increase tenfold.

Dearest Sin,

Due to my goals, I must leave. I will miss you all.

Lots of love,

Elizabeth

Sinbad fell to his knees, she was gone…..she was gone…...he couldn't stop the tears from falling down his eyes. She had just left them...she had left him. There was no pain greater than this.

He was hurt, but she had a good reason. She always did. He knew that even then he knew. She would never abandon her friends. There was always a reason. Walking into the room where she lay trapped in her enchanted sleep, he caressed her cheek. A tear fell down his face, landing on the woman's sleeping face. She looked so peaceful like she was in fact just sleeping, and she could wake up at any moment if too much noise was made. She hurt him more than she would ever know. But he still loved her, because to him she was his light. One that could keep him from falling into darkness. Seeing her like this, hurt him. Why would she seal off her magic? Was she trying to hide from someone? From him? Or was it someone else? If it was someone else….there was hell to pay.