"So let me get this straight" said Raven after Yuri finished explaining. "Duke Wants ta fight you because he doesn't agree with your feelings?"
"It's a little more complex than that but you're basically correct" Judith chimed in.
"And for some strange reason he wants you ta meet him in that freezing hell hole this evening?"
"Right..." Yuri groaned.
Silence momentarily filled the room as the trio attempted to come to terms with this shocking development; they could hear their leader splashing around in the water.
"Are you going to go?" asked Judith.
"Of course I am! Who knows what'll happen to Karol if I don't"
"True enough" said Raven "Are ya gonna tell him about this?"
"What choice do I have?" he muttered. "I don't want to but it's not like we can ask him to go back to Dahngrest for no apparent reason while I take care of some business. Besides, he's our leader after all..." A little smile formed after he reminded himself of that fact.
"It might be a lot for him to take in but on the other hand...it shows that you trust him enough to inform him of such a dilemma before it happens" The Krityan smiled.
"I guess..."
"Whatever happens Yuri, we're here for you and if you want a helping hand to take Duke down then I'm more than willing"
"Me too kiddo"
"Heh, thanks guys but I think this is something I might have to do myself..."
The two adults hesitantly nodded understandingly as the hero fretted over the inevitable fight. It was then that their leader startled them by swiftly opened the doors leading to the hot spring. Yuri's eyes widened when he turned to face him. His wet towel was stuck to his lower frame, his torso dripped with water and sweat; steam resonated off of his body. It was a beautiful sight to behold.
"Are you guys coming in or what? I'm getting bored!"
"Haha, sorry captain we'll be out in a second"
"Okay, don't be long" he grinned before quickly running back to the water.
I can't tell him yet guys. I'm gonna wait until we're back in the ship"
"Good idea. Let the boy enjoy this rare treat a little while longer" she suggested.
"Agreed, let's all enjoy it!" Raven stated. "Put ya serious heads on when we leave"
"I'll try..."
The three adults then left the room to disrobe and wrap their towels around their waists before join the contented boy. It wasn't long after their relaxing morning dip that breakfast was ready. Rita and Estelle joined them after unnecessarily preening themselves and everyone conversed happily apart from Yuri who was too busy worrying. Fortunately he chimed in every now and then so the younger ones didn't realise.
By the time they had finished their meals and gathered their belongings it was already mid-afternoon. Once their time at Yumanju ended the crew reluctantly exited the prestigious inn and waited as Judith summoned Ba'ul then boarded the ship.
"Where are we going anyway?" Karol asked before they left the ground.
The three adults looked at each other hoping one of them would pluck an answer from thin air.
"We've chosen nowhere specific" said Judith. "I suggest we travel until we decide on a destination. Is that alright with you, oh-fearless leader?"
"S-Sounds fine to me" he blushed.
Yuri breathed a sigh of relief even though he knew he would have to come clean very soon. Karol seemed to accept her words and flitted off to the side off the ship, ready to be awestruck at by visual pleasures of the world that would soon be beneath him. Once Ba'ul took flight Yuri casually walked towards Karol and rested his arms against the side of the ship, feigning interest at the landscape as they passed it by at a blinding pace. They looked at each other; Karol smiled that adorable smile and turned his head back to the view in front of him, almost too quick for Yuri's liking. The hero knew now was as good as time as any.
"Karol..."
"Hmm?"
"Can I speak to you...in private?"
"S-Sure"
The boy knew something was wrong but because of his position as leader he felt compelled to listen to his hero's problems even though he was slightly anxious. They descended down to the lower deck of the boat where Repede was sleeping soundly. Yuri sat down on the lower bunk bed and waited until his leader did the same.
"I-I don't really know how to say this..."
Karol placed a gloved hand over Yuri's.
"Whatever it is...you can tell me" he said putting on a brave facade.
"Okay...you know how things have changed between us the last couple days?"
"Y-Yeah..."he blushed.
"Well..."
He felt himself unable to continue, purely because he didn't want to frighten the boy. It was then that Karol squeezed his hand and flashed him that beautiful smile once more. Yuri stared deep into his eyes and thought he saw a hint of maturity. Maybe he was worrying needlessly; maybe Karol could handle the news.
"Okay I'm gonna come out right with it" he sighed nervously. "I-I had a run in with Duke when you were sleeping"
"D-Duke?"
"Yeah...he's not happy...about us"
A small silence followed once Karol received this information.
"...How does he know?"
"I have no idea...I think he's been stalking us"
"But...what's his problem with...you know...us?"
"He thinks I'm tainting and manipulating you to fulfil my own desires...I dunno...maybe he's right" he replied in a defeatist tone.
"I-I don't understand"
"Basically he thinks I tricked you into everything we've done. He thinks that you don't know what you're doing and I need to be punished for it..."
"Th...That's crazy! I-I wouldn't have done those things with you unless I wanted to!" he shouted, making Repede's ears prick up.
"Don't be so sure captain...I could've instigated the whole thing without knowing it"
"Yuri...don't be a dimwit. If I had a problem with this then I would have let you walk away after I caught up to you outside Dahngrest!"
It was clear that the raven haired hero was not convinced. A little angry and upset, Karol grabbed Yuri's shocked face and smothered his perfect lips over his. It wasn't an overly passionate kiss as he didn't have the confidence to initiate one yet but it was proof in his mind that he had freewill over his actions. Once he broke the kiss he had his serious, but still cute face on.
"All I know is that I don't want to go back to how things were, I like the way things are now...I think I know my own mind better than anyone else, and...And you should trust that"
"Karol...I-I do...I'm sorry...it's just that..."
"Tell me..." he almost whispered.
"H-He's convinced you don't know what you're doing, and...He wants to fight me...this evening"
Karol's hazel eyes widened in shock and fright, he knew that even just Dukes demeanour screamed superiority, let alone his skill in battle.
"Yuri that's crazy! You can't fight him by yourself"
"I've got to captain...I have to make he's realise he's wrong" he said looking down at the bedspread.
"No you don't! J-Just don't turn up and we can lay low for a while" there was a hint of desperation in his voice.
"Sorry I can't take that risk. Who knows what he'll do if I don't go...and your safety is my number one priority so it's not like I have a choice"
Not receiving an immediate response he looked up and his heart sank when he saw a tear trickle down his smooth cheek. The boy then wrapped his arms around Yuri's arm and rested his head against his chest.
"I-I'll be okay" he stammered. "Please don't fight him Yuri...he looks really, really strong"
"Heh, I'm pretty strong too y'know. Don't worry, I'll try and talk some sense into him and hopefully...he'll listen"
Karol knew he wouldn't be able to change his idol's mind, he felt completely useless. He didn't care about his own safety; if anything happened to Yuri life wouldn't be worth living in his mind. As there was nothing else he could say to try and change his mind quietness filled the room once more apart from the occasional sniffle. The hero gently lifted Karol from the bed onto his lap and gave him a comforting embrace.
"It's funny..." he said quietly. "Duke almost convinced me that it would've been best for you if I carried on walking away, but...hearing your words just now, washed all of those concerns away" he smiled to himself as he rested his chin on the boy's shaggy hair.
"Nothing and no one can change my feelings for you Karol...if I lost you I know that I'd never be truly happy again. That's why I have to do this, so we can be happy in peace. If I don't go we'll be constantly looking over our shoulders and I don't want you to ever be worried or frightened"
The boy remained silent. Before Yuri continued talking he gripped his wet chin and lifted his tear-streaked face until they were gazing into each other's eyes.
"I know this a lot to take in and I'm truly sorry for that but I hope you understand now why I have to meet him"
"...I do"
Yuri smiled at him and kissed him on the forehead before wiping away the tears under his eyes.
"Ready to face the crew?"
The boy took a deep breath, wiped his face and nodded. He shuffled off of Yuri's lap so they could both stand and they began to walk up the stairs, hand in hand.
Judith and Raven were conversing near the side of the ship whilst Rita and Estelle were chatting away in the corner. When the pair opened the door to the deck nerves clutched at their abdomens when they noticed the eerie pinks and oranges of inevitable dusk; their destiny would be decided very soon. Repede shadowed his master and sat beside him when they stood in front of everyone, still holding hands. Yuri went to speak but the little powerhouse beat him to it.
"C-Can everybody listen to me for a minute please?"
They all glanced at each other in concern as they gathered around to hear what he had to say.
"Judith?" said Karol.
"Hmm?"
"Can you tell Ba'ul to take us to the blades of Zopheir please?"
"So you told him everything?" she asked looking directly at Yuri.
"Yeah...no going back now"
"Umm, excuse me!" the mage butted in. "What the hell is going on? Why are you holding hands and why are we going back there?"
The princess remained silent as did Raven but for different reasons. She was beyond confused and he could only think of the unholy temperatures he would have to endure again. Yuri looked down at the boy awaiting confirmation to spill the beans, he then nodded silently.
"Okay...long story short...me and the captain here have feelings for each other, Duke disagrees and wants to beat the crap out of me so I have to meet him very soon to change his mind or die trying..."
Karol involuntarily squeezed his hand at the last part of his sentence as he stared down at the wooden floor. He said it so casually and quickly that he received stunned looks from the young girls.
"You're...You're joking right?" asked Rita.
"I wish he was" Karol uttered. "A-About the Duke thing I mean!"
Estelle still had her hands clasped together resting on her dress and said nothing; her expression went from stunned to blank. Judith played the role of the unfazed adult and placed her hand on Karol's shoulder.
"Don't worry, Yuri's a big boy, he can handle himself"
"Yeah, no need ta get so down kiddo" Raven chimed in. "It's not like we're just gonna drop him off and go somewhere else, I dunno about anyone else but I wanna ring side seat for this meeting!"
The old man glanced at everyone expectantly and received mostly solemn expressions.
"Nothing could stop me from coming" smiled Judith.
"Urghh" whined the genius mage. "You'll probably need me there if things get bad"
All eyes were on the naive noble who had never looked so serious.
"...You might need my healing artes so...I shall come too"
With that said she turned and casually walked towards the far end of the ship. Yuri thought he would be more concerned about her uncharacteristic actions but the truth was, he really didn't care. Like he said, Karol was his number one priority.
"Right..." said the Krityan. "I'll tell Ba'ul to head there now"
By the time they reached the freezing wasteland it was starting to become dark. The bitterly cold air seeped through the gang's skin and hugged their bones.
"Did he say where he'll be?" asked Karol.
"Nope, we'll just walk towards the aer krene. I'm sure we'll spot him eventually"
"I-I h-hope so" Raven shivered.
"You know you can just wait in the ship old man" said Rita.
"Wh-What, a-and miss this? N-Not on your l-life missy!"
Whilst ignoring Raven's incoherent ramblings about being cold, they all soldiered on through the icy winds and light snowfall. Yuri led the way, his sword hand at the ready just in case they were ambushed. He noticed a figure holding something that had a deep red glow hovering close to the ground in the distance and once he took a few more steps forward he knew it was Duke.
The war hero remained still as they all approached him, his sword hand at the ready also. Once Yuri was a couple metres away from the recent bane of his life their gaze pierced each other's souls.
"Are you ready to face your demise?"
"Duke, please listen to what I have to say"
"I will allow you to speak but it will change nothing"
"Y-Yuri" Karol interrupted.
"Don't worry captain, I have to do this myself" he winked and turned back to the stoic male.
"Listen to me. I thought you were right Duke, I did! You almost convinced me that I was wrong...but Karol brought me back to my senses and that fact is that he feels the same way and not because you think I'm manipulating him but out of his own free will!"
Duke said nothing as his gaze went from Yuri to the quivering boy.
"I-It's true. I swear!" Karol stammered.
"Listen to me boy" the white haired warrior said solemnly. "The only thing on this degenerates mind is to destroy your innocence so that his perverted desires can be fulfilled. Are you telling me you are willing to let that happen?"
"...I-I don't understand" he whimpered.
"You don't know what you're talking about!" Yuri shouted over the increasingly heavy snowfall. "I don't know why you refuse to believe that it's more than lust and I really don't know what the fuck your problem is but if I have to make you change your mind I will!"
"Hmph...Do you always try to rationalize your audacious actions?"
"Shut up! The only reason I came here was to make sure Karol would be safe!"
"Rather idiotic considering I could kill him where he stands"
Instinctively, Yuri stood in front of Karol so he would be out of Dukes vision.
"If you even so much as swing your sword in his direction I will not hesitate to kill you" he seethed.
"You are welcome to try but I highly doubt that you would be successful" he replied in the same solemn tone.
"Heh, overconfidence can screw you over if you're not careful"
"You would do well to listen to your own advice Yuri Lowell"
The warrior raised Dein Nomos and pointed it in Yuri's direction.
"You may have convinced your friends that your emotions are genuine but you have yet to convince me. Now is your chance"
The hero turned his head to his quite audience and then directly to Karol who's eyes were wide with anxiety. He turned his back to Duke and got down on one knee in front of the boy. Even though Duke seemed stubborn Yuri sensed honour in the man so he was not worried about an unexpected attack for the moment.
"It's alright Karol" he winked. "I'll make him change his mind"
"B-But what if..."
"Nothing is gonna happen to me. I'll be done before you know it"
"Please Yuri...Promise me you won't die"
Yuri was slightly taken aback by that but did not let it show, instead he leaned forward a placed a delicate kiss on the boy's cold lips.
"I promise..."
Once he stood again he smiled at the rest of the crew, nothing needed to be said. Judith placed her hands on Karol's trembling shoulders as the others looked on when Yuri began to walk towards his patient opponent. Repede attempted to follow but once his master ordered him to stay the dog reluctantly obeyed.
"How touching" Duke said in an uncharacteristic snide tone of voice.
In response, Yuri removed the sheath to the gleaming sword Second Star and tossed it behind him. His raven hair wildly whipped at his face as the impending blizzard moved ever closer.
"Shall we begin?" asked Duke.
Without saying a word Yuri dashed forward, reverse side of the blade resting on his shoulder, ready to strike at the unmoving enigma, ready to defend against Dein Nomos and ready to face his destiny.
