AN: Well, I would have had this chapter up sooner, but because I had somehow hurt my knee, I've been rushed in and out of hospital and doctors for the past week. Something is blocking the pulse in my leg and it is extremely painful. At least it gives me an excuse to sit on my ass in front of the computer all day.

Anyway, yay, another filler chapter. Thanks so much to TaintedBloodLily for so faithfully reviewing! I really appreciate it. Enjoy!


Chapter 9:

The sun was starting to set when Lynus staggered home, exhausted and hungry. He was feeling fulfilled and satisfied, though. It was something he hadn't felt in such a long time. When he was forced to heal Taksony, he was left with a sense of bitterness, his hands numb and cold.

But it was different now. His hands felt warm, although slightly tingly. The people that he had helped today really needed it and were grateful for any and every healing they had received.

"I'm back," Lynus said as he walked back into their rented room.

"Lynus!" Lirit greeted from his bed where he had been practicing with his lute. He was the only one inside the room surprisingly. "Welcome back. You were gone for a while."

"Um, yeah, sorry about that," Lynus said as he shifted his medical bag from his shoulder and dropped it unceremoniously onto the foot of his bed. "I managed to get a job at the hospital straight away."

"You've been working ever since?" Lirit questioned, tilting his head cutely to the side, slightly surprised.

"There was a ship-wreck just off the coast of here," Lynus enlightened as he placed his hand on his shoulder, rolling it to ease out the cramps. "So not only did they have injured explorers, but travellers, too."

Lirit winced in sympathy. "Tough first day."

"It's fine," Lynus said as he gave a half chuckle. A busy day was better than a slow one. "Nothing I couldn't handle. How about you? Did you have fun looking around town?"

"Yeah, I did, actually," Lirit said, his expression brightening. "There's a few strange people, but they seem nice enough."

That shouldn't be much of a surprise. Explorers were notorious for being quirky. "That's good to hear."

"I found a place where I can sing," Lirit told him happily, seemingly pleased that he could contribute to their new fresh start. "The owner said it was alright to keep the patrons entertained. That way, you won't have to work so hard."

Lynus smiled softly. It was touching that Lirit was worried about him. But it was more reassuring that Lirit was relishing in their newfound freedom and hadn't been scarred about singing again. Out of the four of them, Lirit had only been under Taksony's control for a very short time, so it was no surprise that he was able to adapt so easily.

Still, it was good to see.

"Have you've eaten anything?" Lynus asked, changing the subject.

"Not yet. I mean, I've eaten during the day," Lirit was quick to justify when Lynus turned to give him a slight look of parental disapproval. It was ok for Lynus to skip meals during the day, but he refused to let anyone else do the same.

"Supper is starting soon, though."

Good. He was starving.

"Let's go get something to eat then," Lynus said as he headed toward the door, indicating for Lirit to follow him. But before that, he better check on Binah and Becky. Hopefully the young girl's fever would have dissipated by now.

"Have you seen Binah?" Lynus asked as they walked down the stairs.

"She's with the Inn Keeper's daughter," Lirit answered. "She's been there all day, from what I understand."

"Good," Lynus nodded, sincerely pleased about that. "At least she hasn't been lonely." Like she would have been if she stayed cooped up in their room all day long. "Still, I better go check on her. Why don't you wait in the dining hall? I won't be long."

"Sure," Lirit dutifully replied before moving to join the crowd of explorers looking for something to eat while Lynus went in the opposite direction.

Reaching the door at the end of the hall, finding it slightly ajar, Lynus gave a light knock before pushing the door open. The moment he did, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist once more. The arms were familiar, yet they weren't subtly trembling with fear like so many times in the past.

"Lynus!" Binah greeted happily.

"Hello Binah," Lynus said with a smile as he gave Binah a soft pat on the head. He then turned to Becky, who was still sitting in bed. Her pale appearance when he first seen her was replaced with a healthier flush. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling better," Becky was quick to answer. She placed her hand on her forehead and then pushed her hair back. "See?"

With Binah having released her grip on him, Lynus stepped forward and touched Becky's forehead with the back of his hand. "Your fever is gone. That's good," he said, pleased. "Have either of you had anything to eat?"

"Mama's been bringing in food all day," Becky answered as she allowed her bangs to fall down when Lynus removed his hand.

"Chocolate chip cookies," Binah suddenly muttered with a dreamy look on her face. "I've never had anything so tasty…"

Lynus gave a soft laugh. "I see."

A moment later Matron entered the room with a tray full of food, no doubt supper for the two girls. "Meal time, sweeties!" she cooed before realising that Lynus was also there. "Oh good, you're back! Supper is commencing in the dining hall, but I have a special meal just for you!"

Once again Lynus found himself releasing a sincere laugh. "I'm looking forward to it."


To say that supper was a treat would be an understatement. Lynus had never eaten so much in his life. When Matron said she was going to fatten him up, she wasn't kidding. He did get a lot of envious looks from the other patrons, though, which Lirit found rather amusing.

Lirit and Binah had retired to their room after eating. But Lynus had opted to stay up a little longer. Neither of the two had seen Rahas all day and Lynus was worried. He hoped the Dark Hunter wasn't doing anything reckless, placing himself in unnecessary danger. Honestly, wasn't being under constant watch by Taksony's cronies enough? There was no need to actively seek trouble.

Despite being tired, it was near midnight when Rahas finally staggered through the doors, trying to move as quietly as he could. Lynus heard him, though. He was waiting for him in a small room near the reception area, so there was no way Rahas could get inside without him seeing.

Unless, of course, he climbed in through a window somewhere.

If Lynus didn't get through to him tonight that he didn't have to be so harsh on himself, then Rahas may resort to just that.

"Rahas," Lynus called out from where he was sitting on a large plush coach. There was a sense of disapproval in his voice and his posture.

Rahas spun around to face him, slightly surprised. But that was quickly overshadowed by a look of defiance. "What?"

"Were you training all day?"

"Yeah," Rahas answered sharply, folding his arms over his chest.

Lynus sat there in silence, studying him. He could see some minor scrape and cuts on his arms, obvious signs that he had been training harshly. And he seemed to have a very slight limp. Something easily missed by the untrained eye. And from what Lynus could see, he didn't like.

"You shouldn't push yourself like that," Lynus said with a sigh as he heaved himself to his feet.

"I have to get stronger," Rahas muttered with a lingering sense of defiance.

Lynus found himself sighing again. "But Rahas, you don't have to push yourself so harshly," he said as he walked over to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Listen, I've managed to get a job at the hospital. Binah has made a new friend with the Inn Keeper's daughter. And Lirit has found a place that will allow him to sing. We're safe here."

"But what if we're not?" Rahas practically hissed.

"We-"

Before Lynus could offer some words of gentle reassurance, Rahas' eyes flashed dangerously. He moved with amazing speed to snare both Lynus' wrists in his hands. What felt like a split second later, Lynus felt his back slam up against the wall behind him with his wrists pinned on either side of his head.

Lynus sucked in a deep breath of air, holding it when he found himself staring straight into Rahas' eyes. There was an emotion deep within their depths that he hadn't seen before, let alone describe.

It was slightly frightening, if he were to be honest.

"I wasn't strong enough before," Rahas said, his voice low, barely above a whisper. "I couldn't protect you from that bastard. And because of that, you…"

He then paused, a flash of pain appearing in his eyes and across his face. He looked off to the side for a moment. He seemed to be having some sort of mental struggle. Lynus quickly realised what he were referring to, about how he had to…kill Taksony.

He hadn't realised how much it was affecting Rahas.

"It's not going to happen again," he said, abruptly turning to look directly into Lynus' eyes again. "Avith won't let go so easily. I know he won't."

"R…Rahas?" Lynus breathed shakily, feeling both vulnerable and small.

"I'll protect you. And the others. No matter what." As abruptly as he had pinned him to the wall, Rahas relinquished his grip, letting Lynus go. He took a step back, this time refusing to look into eyes. "I'm going to bed. I'm going be training again tomorrow."

He then quickly disappeared, fleeing up the stairs.

Feeling strangely weak, Lynus slid down the wall to the ground and sat there for a moment to catch his breath. It was not from fear, though, but from something else. He felt helpless. The pain that Rahas was experiencing wasn't something he could heal.

There…there was nothing he could do.

And that made him feel useless. What good was a healer if he couldn't heal someone's pain and suffering?


As leaves of autumn, brown and gold, rained down around him, Axel felt his eyebrow twitch in minor annoyance. Sure, the scenery was beautiful and instilled a sense of awe, the second stratum vastly different to the first. But it was hard to enjoy it as the explorer he had just rescued began to squirm in his grip.

Glancing over his right shoulder, he looked down at a fellow Landsknecht, a slightly older man with blue hair and red eyes. "Would you stop squirming?" he chided, tightening his grip on the collar of the guy's shirt, literally dragging him backwards through the winding pathways.

"Hmph!" the other Landsknecht muttered, folding his arms over his chest, trying to look strong and defiant, despite the way his heels were leaving impressive drag lines behind him. "You're still my rival. Don't think that's changed after you saved my life."

Axel only sighed in exasperation.

This was something that was common for Axel and his team. Guild Cosmos, as they called themselves, were considered a rival team, although Axel didn't see them as rivals as there were only three members. He found them annoying, especially Simmons, the Landsknecht he was dragging.

He would appear out of the blue, demanding a battle between two mighty warriors, only for Axel to easily kick his ass. You see, every time Simmons would 'challenge' him, he would be in the mood not to deal with any shit.

Damn idiot had the worst timing. And luck. His whole guild did, actually.

"I can't believe we got saved by the Guardians again…" A blond haired gunner whined from where she was being carried like a sack of potatoes over Hamza's shoulder. She was covered head to toe in dirt and was wearing a look of pure disgruntlement.

"Maybe you shouldn't be so reckless," Hamza said, his voice stern.

"We're getting tired of saving your asses," Axel added.

"We didn't ask you to save our asses."

Axel turned to look over his left shoulder, looking down at another gunner. An older man called Gerald, who had a five o'clock shadow and a look of utterly distain on his face. That look was because Axel was dragging him in the same way he was dragging Simmons. And he was doing it effortlessly.

"Oh, ok, how about we go back and you finish that Trigourd by yourself?" Axel asked him with a rather malicious grin on his lips.

"That won't be necessary!" Tiffany, the only female of the group, practically squeaked. She seemed to gather herself after a moment, coughing into her hand. "I mean, there's no point, since we've come all this way."

"A wise choice," Hamza murmured, jostling her onto his shoulder.

"Here's the Geomagnetic Field," Axel said with relief as they entered a grotto where a stream of pink light circled skyward. Coming to a stop, he pulled Simmons around and lifted him up off the ground. "In you go."

But instead of simply pushing him in, he kicked him in the ass, booting him into the pink light. Simmons released a sound that was almost like a "Wooo!" of pain before disappearing in the sparkling light. A still incredibly disgruntle Gerald followed closely behind with Tiffany, the two insisting that they could carry themselves and didn't need any assistance.

"Our turn," Hamza said as the three disappeared from view, turning to face his guild members.

"Finally."


AN: Please review and let me know what you think of it so far!