Author's Note:
Here's the next chapter. It tuned out a bit long...
The Shahgna quickly took them to Faria; it was almost nightfall by the time they reached the city. They walked through the streets towards the only lodge.
"Helena do you remember where the Ark showed the Knight was?" Eldore asked her. She nodded quickly.
"Y-yup… I can easily f-find the place…"
Eldore continued to talk to Helena as they walked and Helena couldn't keep herself from stammering. Leonard smiled knowingly; she really did melt when Eldore was around.
When they rounded a corner, they were met by the Archduchess. She smiled when she saw them.
"I saw your airship land in the Lost Forest. What brings you here to Faria?" She asked. Eldore stepped forward and began to explain their business.
Meanwhile, a small pale green lizard drew Caesar's attention. He bent down to take a look at the creature.
"Aw, aren't you just the cutest little thing…" He grinned and patted the lizard on the head. He scooped up the lizard in his palms to get a closer look at it. Kara glanced over at him and her eyes widened.
"Caesar! Put that down!" She snapped. "That lizard is highly poisonous!" Caesar cringed at the sound of her voice and glanced over at her.
"Fine, fine, I'm putting it down…" He muttered a few things to the lizard as he set it back on the ground. The lizard scurried away into the brush.
"You can all stay in the tower tonight," Miu offered. "It is the least I can do for the saviors of my country."
"Thank you so much Archduchess," Leonard bowed politely.
That night Kishan found himself suddenly wake. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. He looked around and blinked sleepily. In the light of the moon, he saw a pale green lizard scuttle down from Leonard's bed and under the door.
Kishan furrowed his brow and silently followed it. He pushed open the door and peered around for the lethal reptile. He saw a green tail disappear underneath the door to where the girls were sleeping. He hurried over to the door and pushed it open quietly.
The lizard stood in the middle of the room, illuminated by the moonlight. It glanced up at Kishan and tried to scurry underneath Kara's bed. Kishan cut if off. He grabbed Kara's sword and brought it down in an arc.
The lizard let out a squeal of terror before it was sliced in two. Kishan sighed in relief. He carefully placed Kara's sword back.
"…Kishan…?" Kara muttered as she sat up. She blinked her tired eyes.
"It's nothing just go back to sleep," Kishan gently commanded. She nodded and settled back against the pillows. Kishan smiled at her for a moment before scooping up the carcass of the lizard and leaving the room.
After he disposed of the corpse, he started back to his room. He heard a crash and he spun on his heels. Kishan hurried down the hall to where he had heard the sound. A few guards had beaten him to the scene.
"What's going on?" He asked one of the guards.
"Somehow a fire lizard got into the tower, it's nothing to concern yourself with," The guard replied. "Sorry if the noise woke you."
"Alright, it's fine," Kishan nodded and walked back to the room. After that ordeal, he just wanted to sleep.
"Leonard get up you lazy bum!" Yulie yelled. Leonard moaned and pulled the blankets over his head. Yulie let out a huff of annoyance.
"You do realize that everyone else it up and ready to go, don't you?" She told him.
"…don't be so loud…" Leonard muttered. He didn't want to get out of bed at all. Yulie frowned she didn't like the way his voice had faltered.
"Leonard aren't you feeling well?" She was suddenly concerned.
"…I…I just want to sleep…"
"Yulie did you get Leonard out of bed yet?" Caesar leaned against the doorway.
"No," She shook her head. "I think he might be sick or something…"
"Sick? Really?" Caesar furrowed his brow and walked over to Leonard's bed. He took the covers and pulled them off Leonard.
"H-hey!" Leonard whimpered as he shielded his eyes from the light. Yulie gasped when she saw the enflamed bite marks on his wrist. She bent down and took his wrist in his fingers.
"What in the world could have bit him…?"
Helena burst into the room.
"Yulie! Something's wrong with Eldore!"
"What?" Yulie gasped.
"He-he was looking pale and I ask him if he was feeling okay, but he just blamed it on his age so I wasn't worried about it! But then he just collapsed! Yulie you have to see if he's okay!" Helena begged her.
"Eldore's been bitten by the Yudoku Lizard," Kara strode into the room. After her came Kishan who was helping Eldore to walk.
"The what?" Helena blinked. Helena fretted over Eldore as Kishan helped the older man back into bed.
"It's a highly poisonous lizard that lives only in the Lost Forest. They're rare and usually don't bite unless provoked." Kara explained. "There should be some antidote in the infirmary, I'll go retrieve it."
"Kara you better get more than one, I think Leonard's been bitten too," Yulie told her as she pulled the covers back over Leonard. Kara nodded and then hurried out of the room. She furrowed her brow, as she got closer to the infirmary. A group of soldiers was in front of the door.
"What happened here?" Kara's question instantly commanded their attention. She was still a general of Faria after all.
"General," One of the soldiers quickly saluted. "A fire lizard got into the tower last night and destroyed the infirmary. All medical supplies have been lost. We're investigating the matter now."
"All the medical supplies have been lost?" Kara's eyes widened. "There isn't anything left."
"No general."
"Damn it," Kara hissed as she turned on her heels and ran back down the hall. She stopped in the doorway of the room. "Okay, new plan."
"What do you mean 'new plan'?" Helena tore her eyes away from Eldore.
"We don't have any antidote so we're going to have to find some." Kara hurriedly explained, "We need to find a little blue flower with red thorns. It's leaves are almond shaped and it grows in the summer and spring parts of Lost Forest. We need to start searching, now. Eldore and Leonard won't last past sundown."
"So if we can't find that flower before sundown they're as good as dead?" Caesar glanced down at Leonard.
"That's what I said, now come on!" Kara motioned and started away. The rest of the group reluctantly left Leonard and Eldore to follow Kara. The group hurried through the city.
"Maybe someone in the market has some antidote," Yulie offered. Kara shook her head.
"No, the flower is rare and we keep any antidote made in the tower."
"Oh, this is going to be hard to find isn't it?" Helena bit her lip.
"Sounds like it," Caesar sighed. "We've got quite the search ahead of us, don't we Kara?"
"Damn straight."
They exited Faria's main gate and entered the lush expanse of Lost Forest.
"Okay, Kishan, Kara, and I will search summer, Helena and Yulie you two go search spring," Caesar instantly took charge. No one argued, they needed to find that plant and fast. The group dispersed and began to search. It was slow going because of the biodiversity of the forest.
Half the day had gone by, but with no results.
"Yulie, I'm going to check up there," Helena told her, "You keep looking down here alright?"
"Alright," Yulie nodded. "I just wish I could look faster! But if I do I'm afraid I'll miss it."
"I know what you mean," Helena smiled as she climbed up the ledges to the area above. She continued to search when she reached the top. The sun continued its path across the sky, unwilling to slow for anyone.
"It's almost sundown…" Helena bit her lip as she looked up at the sky. "That flower has to be around here somewhere…" She looked over and saw a little poinsettia like flower poking up from the grass. She hurried over to it and smiled when she saw it was blue with little red thorns.
Just as Helena bent down to pick up the flower, she was knocked over by a blast of wind. She tumbled across the ground and looked at her adversary. A fire dragon had knocked her off her feet when it had landed in the clearing.
It roared and blasted a jet of fire in her direction. Helena's eyes widened and she rolled out of the way.
"I don't have time for you now!" She exclaimed as she drew her sword. The dragon let out another jet of flames and Helena moved out of the way once again. Helena waved her hand and cast her spell. An orb of water appeared above the dragon's head and crashed down upon it.
The dragon roared loudly and thrashed about. Helena just managed to get out of the way of the rampaging dragon. The dragon flew away after its tantrum. Helena sighed in relief and looked for the flower.
Her heart caught in her throat. She slid to the ground next to the charred remains of the plant. She carefully scooped the crushed petals into her hands. The burnt ends fell away as ashes. Tears bubbled into her eyes as the hard realization hit her. She bent her head as she began to sob.
The beautiful tree in front of her began to shimmer softly. The white wood was in the shape of a woman; her arms were the branches of the tree. Glowing green leaves arched from the arms and over her head. The light intensified and a soft voice spoke.
["Why are you crying child?"]
Helena slowly lifted her head and her eyes widened.
A woman in a glowing white gown stood in front of her. A silk scarf was draped around her arms. She smiled gently down at Helena and her golden eyes were warm. Her long green hair floated around her as if lofted by an unseen breeze.
"My-my friends…they're going to die…" Helena breathed through her tears.
["You're love for them is strong. Stronger than any devotion I've seen in centuries."] She held out her hand. ["My child you have my necklace, don't you? Your heart is strong and your love unwavering. Make a pact with me, child."]
"Then you're…" Helena whispered. She quickly pulled the pendant from her pocket. "I'll make a pact with you, if you can help my friends."
The woman smile's widened.
["Yes child that was my intent."]
Helena smiled back and took her outstretched hand.
["Helena, unto you all my power I bequeath."]
Warmth filled Helena's chest and strengthened every fiber of her being. The woman glowed and dissipated into the pendant. A bond was formed between deity and pact maker. Once the process was complete, Helena knew just what she needed to do.
"Oh Gaea, emerald mother, lover of all things and guardian to the ancient world, grant me your power…." Helena slipped the pendant around her neck. Gaea's presence filled her.
["Child let me take it from here."]
"Damn it, the sun's about to go down!" Caesar cast his eyes to the sky. "We're too late!" Kishan sighed as he looked up at the fading light.
"…I guess we should go back to the tower then…"
"What a way to go…" Kara muttered as the first of the stars began to blink into the star. The three started back towards the gate. Caesar stopped.
"Wait… Do you hear that?" He glanced towards spring.
"Hear what?" Kara stopped to listen.
A serene calm had fallen over the forest. Suddenly the plants around them began to glow a soft green light. The sound of a soothing aria filled their ears. The earth around them hummed with energy.
"What kind of magic is this…?" Kara looked around in awe, "I feel so at peace…"
Caesar clutched his chest and his knees buckled.
"Caesar!" Kara exclaimed, "What's wrong?"
"Th-that song!" He hissed through gritted teeth. "Make her stop!"
Kishan and Kara glanced at each other. The song was bringing them strength, but it seemed to be having the opposite effect on Caesar.
"I can't tell where it's coming from," Kishan looked around, "Can you Kara?"
"No…" She shook her head, "It's as if the entire forest is singing." The two couldn't do anything but watch as Caesar hunched over in pain. He gripped his arms as he shoulders trembled violently.
As suddenly as the song had began the last note faded away. The heavenly glow of the forest faded away with it. The night was filled with a silent peace.
Kara tried to help Caesar up, but he pushed her away and struggled to his feet on his own. He was unsteady as he took a step forward. Kishan had to steady him so he wouldn't fall.
"I'm fine," Caesar pushed Kishan away. He unhooked his lance from his back and leaned on it heavily. "I can manage on my own."
"If you say so…" Kara frowned at his stubbornness as she watched him hobble forward.
End Note:
...yes that might have been a Shrek reference...and anyone that caught it knows what I'm talking about.