Erk, Serra, Priscilla - The Triangle of Love
By Davis(Davis3 on FFN)
Chapter 10: The Man with the Dark Heart.

Note: This chapter takes things to a new perspective in terms of Point of View. Here, the chapter will focus on Serra's POV as she and Priscilla deal with Erk's absence. It won't be pretty as they may end up doing something they'll live to regret later.

Erk's POV as usual will also be featured, yet he gets to meet the only true original character this story gets to have. Yeah, I'm going down that path, but only to an extent. This one character will have several appearances as the love triangle is going to be tested to the point of pure insanity....and regular insanity.

I'll be sure to mention where the POV changes so that you don't wind up getting confused and/or lost.

Erk, Serra, Priscilla - The Triangle of Love

It had been merely 3 hours since I saw that mind reader and the mountains became quiet....too quiet for me to handle. The dead silence that filled the air made my very spine shiver. I hated being here, but here I must be thanks to Hector. As I stared at the notes I was making, it was there that they had caught my attention. Instead of a report about the surroundings, I had unknowingly written a love poem for both Serra and Priscilla. This love triangle was really getting to me, not to mention the absence I was feeling.

As I stared at the poem, it reminded me of how I met up with Serra and Priscilla again months after the final battle against the dragon. I had just happened to be in the same town as you were, I said to them at the time, but they both thought otherwise. From there, the small group marched onward, and as we went, the rest of our group from before, in addition to the tactician found us and we became one again. Of course, I knew the real reason as to why we are still a group today.

It was because of that man....the one whom Hector mumbles about under his breath. I heard Hector call him the "Dark Warrior" although such a name sounds rather ridiculous. Yet, such a name was given to him by the people, due to him being covered from head to toe in armor as black as the night itself. Stories of this man were common in villages for he was known as a heartless killer who killed anyone that got in his way. They say that bounty hunters continue to hunt him, yet none of them have ever returned to tell the tale. All of them have died by his hands one villager said and it was hard not to believe.

Other rumors from the villagers say that the man is responsible for severe tragedies in over 50 noble houses, the majority of them being ruling houses. I shudder at such a notion yet I had trouble believing that one man could do so much. The most difficult rumor to believe was about his age. Villagers say that he has lived for many a century, yet how can that be and how does he achieve such longevity if it is true. I remember Lord Pent telling me about this man and what he has done and I listened ever so well to his words. Many innocent people have had their lives taken due to this man. I asked Lord Pent as to why they did not run away or stay and fight....his answer was grim. They were too fearful to run away, yet I asked as to why this was the case. " His Eyes" Lord Pent said to me, were the reason. His eyes glowed a bright yellow, yet staring into his eyes was like staring into the eyes of death! This was the last thing the victims of this man ever saw before his deathblow struck.

That is how I met Serra and Priscilla again as I too was searching for the Dark Warrior as I wanted to know more about him. My thoughts turned to my love for Serra and Priscilla and that in turn has lead to this very moment. I ought to thank the Dark Warrior for it was his very appearance that has me in this love triangle. If he had never appeared, I would be elsewhere and out of the hearts and memories of those who truly love me.

I decided to get back to my mission and try my best to complete it else face Hectors' wrath again. As I began to walk onward, I felt a jolt of wind behind me followed by a large shadow. I thought at first that it was the mind reader again so I turned around to face my mysterious acquaintance....and then I froze in place. Standing before me was not the mind reader, but rather the man that I was thinking about....the man who is the talk of many villagers....I was face to face with the Dark Warrior himself.

He stood there, with a calm demeanor and I was a nervous wreck. His eyes were glowing the yellow of death yet he did not move at all. Was he waiting for me to lose my mind? Did he wish for me to scream in fear? I was unable to say anything, but it looked as though he was about to say something.

" You....I have seen your face before." He voice was so soothing, yet dark, mysterious....and pure evil. " Ah yes....I remember you now. The young mage who I saw near the town of Badon some months ago." My heart sank as I was hoping he would not remember me. " I did not expect to see you here of all places....such bravery upon your part and at the same time....such foolishness."

Why was I unable to say a word? I was thinking of running, but his eyes were preventing me from doing so. Lord Pent was right about them, but does this mean that I am going to die by his hands, or live about it?

" As you were before, even now you are all alone." I finally had the nerve to say something to him.

" I am not alone!" I said quickly.

" You are not alone? How can one as simple as you claim such a concept when you are with no other companion. Is it because they abandoned you? Or is it because you abandoned them? Or is it because you were sent here by the order of a lordling?" Dark Warrior asked so slowly. I was ready to run away screaming the moment he finished. " It is the third option isn't it? I can see it in your expression. Your face turned limp as soon as I had mentioned it to you....I enjoy seeing the fear upon your face young mage. It is the same look that all of my other victims have given me before I killed them. You are the sort of person who does not fear things so easily, yet you are showing tremendous fear towards me. You have reverted to one of the basic stages of the people of this time....how ironic and at the same time....how delicious."

Now he really was starting to freak me out. I mustered up courage and was able to say something else.

" I do not wish to have any business with you so I will be on my way, good day to you." I turned and quickly walked away without looking back. I stopped a few meters away to look back and I discovered that he was gone. I breathed a sigh of relief and turned to face forward....only to find the Dark Warrior standing before me once again.

" That was not very nice of you to leave in the middle of a conversation you know. I see that you have other things on your mind besides me. What say we find out just what that is?"

" What do you mean?" I asked.

" You might say I have a knack for seeing into the souls of other people to see what is on their minds. I enjoy watching them writhe in pain when I look into their thoughts. Now....be still and it will only hurt for a moment." I felt his cold presence in my head and I was helpless to stop it from happening. " What is this? You are caught between two women who pledge their eternal love to you yet you are unsure of which to choose....your life is in shambles because of this and it threatens to tear you apart from within. I can easily relive you of such troubles and I do not mean by killing you. If one or both of the two who love you were to die, then you would be free of such troubles."

That shocked me to the very core. I did not wish for either Serra or Priscilla to be hurt by this man so I decided to drive him away. Unfortunately, due to my lack of training my first spell did get his attention, but not in the way I was hoping for. " So....you wish to fight me with such primitive weapons? I pity you for you lack the skill to use your magic. As I look upon you, I laugh at how pathetic you really are. I think I will let you live as you pose no threat to me and killing you would be a waste of my own talents....and who knows when next we shall meet young mage...." I watched him back away into the shadows and disappear the moment his body had been immersed.

This event was a reason as to why I did not want to do this mission in the first place. I think Hector wants to do me in one of these days, but I cannot blame him for I did not expect to find the Dark Warrior here in these mountains. I sat down on a nearby rock, thinking about what had just taken place and my mind was filled with more images of Serra and Priscilla. Was that man really going to kill them? I was unable to think straight as I was worried about them, more than I was moments ago. Yet, how were they faring without me?

Serra's POV

It had been an entire morning and maybe a bit of the afternoon since Erk left for this so-called mission he's been put on. I had the urge to yell at Lord Hector for doing this to him, but shouting would have gotten me nowhere. So, here I am in my tent with the jewel given to me by Erk. When I gaze upon it, I am reminded of him and how much he really means to me. Priscilla is also upset over Lord Hectors' harsh decision, but she did not complain about it. How can she so calm and collected whereas I am on the verge of losing my mind.

Everyone else sees this decision by Lord Hector as one for the group as I hate to admit it, but my lord is correct. Because of the three of us and our love triangle, our company has been nothing more than ridicule among the locals and we're seen as an army that is so unorganized, other armies would laugh and not even fight us as we're fighting amongst ourselves....well, kind of. My arguments with Priscilla are part of the problem and Erk caught between which of us to love is the other part. I wish I had gone instead of Erk, but Lord Hector has ordered that Priscilla and I not be allowed to leave the camp at any time, with or without an escort. He doesn't want any more trouble from us, but I personally think that he is being too mean for his own good. Why does he have to do this to us?

I had written in my diary some ideas on how to get back at Lord Hector. My ideas weren't dangerous or life threatening, but I believe that he has been abusing his power as of late and took that abuse out on Erk. I asked if Priscilla wanted to help me with this plan, but she politely refused. I understand her opinion for she and I teamed up and ended up getting caught....I hate to think what will happen if that did occur.

I'm not considering getting back at Lord Hector as a means of revenge or anything, I just want him to feel guilty about sending Erk on such a mission and without anyone else to comfort him. My heart is divided into two sides because of this. On the one side, I am being told to forgive Lord Hector and understand how he feels about making a hard decision. He had no other choice but to do this. On the other side, I am being told that he did this just to make me and Priscilla really upset and this is his way of being mean to me.

As the afternoon continues on, I gazed at the sun and then at the mountains where my true love is all-alone. On thing was certain....if something happens to Erk....I'll never forgive Lord Hector and I just may have to resort to revenge....but I am hoping that will not be the case and I also hope that he returns to me and Priscilla. There is one last option and that would be Priscilla and I leaving without anyone else knowing about and going to find Erk in the mountains. Of course, getting back would be difficult and making everyone believe that we were in camp instead of being away would be difficult, but doable. Sigh....now I know how Erk feels when it comes to being caught in the middle. I'll wait until tomorrow morning before I come up with a decision....and I pray that I make the right one and not live to regret it for the rest of my days....

End of Chapter 10.

Note: Not bad for doing a POV with Serra. I ought to do one with Priscilla some time if it is accepted. Next chapter, Erk will return and things will go back to normal, except that Serra is going to do something that gets her in more trouble than she has ever been in....but she always does things like that, but it will be rather amusing. Priscilla on the other hand, will show why she really missed Erk and it may involve some tears of happiness....all other information after that is top secret and shall not be revealed....until the next time.

One last thing. I did this chapter now as tomorrow is my birthday(July 9) and I didn't want to spend my b-day typing this. Turning 22 makes me feel old....oh well.

And another tiny thing. Dark Warrior is one of my better OC's, but don't worry....he only appears in this story a few times so he won't cause the flow of the story to stray away from itself.

Please R&R

--Davis--