Standard disclaimer: I no ownies… Standard disclaimer: I no ownies…
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AN: well, nothing really witty. Very tired right now. It's been a verrry long day. Um, this chapter is probably going to be devoted to a little more character development, or something like that. Heh, was the last chapter too violent? I couldn't help but think it was when I was writing it, but I wanted to show that the Seeker fellow was a giant prick. And in case anyone didn't catch it, Sari DOES have the crystal disease. Seeker infected her with it.
Well, anyway, here's the reviews:
RougeKaiser: Yup, Nina can dish it out. Heh, yeah. Don't exactly want someone like that to be running around, huh? Nina's power? Controllable? Yes and no. It's like Ryu's dragon transformations in a sense. Nina's power came out as a self defence thing. Now that's its been unlocked, she will be a ble to use it. After some training, but that's another story. Yeah, Garr's babysitting. Too bad he's not getting paid for it. Um, about your question. It DOES seem a little kid-centric… um, Sari was the last child member to join Ryu's group. Jin and Bunyan might join up with Ryu's party soon, though.
Anime Monkey: Yup, Jin was the cloaked figure. Um… he purified the dead corpses that were infected with the disease. He was trying to keep it from spreading to people that handled the bodies. He can't cure people of the disease… well, not in a way that you would think. He DOES have something to do with Ryu being able to regenerate his body though. Ah, the coloseum fight. You are close. The fight with be in a couple of chapters. This chapter has some character development and what leads up to the coloseum fight.
Thanks guys for reviewing!! I am sooo happy that you did! It was a bad day and now it's a good day!! THANK YOU!!
Well, anyway, here's the next chapter. Enjoy.
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Twisted Bridge
Nina blinked as she opened her eyes. The air smelled of decaying flesh. She jerked her body around and screamed. The rotting bodies of the missing children of Tantar staggered towards her, their lifeless eyes all staring at her, accusing her.
Nina held her head and wailed. Even though their lips uttered no sound, the corners of her mind echoed the same mantra:
Why didn't you save us?
Why did you let us die!
Who do you think you are?!
Princess…
Damned one…
Hero…
Savior…
Maiden…
Destined one…
Nina…
Nina screamed as the voices grew louder in her mind as the corpses advanced on her. She could feel their bony hands claw against her forearms that she was shielding her face and head with.
The power that she felt when she attacked the Seeker was no where to be found. She was powerless. Had it just been a fluke? Why… why was this happening?!
Nina…
Nina tried to fight back, but the undead just swarmed around her like roaches. She couldn't breathe. She cried out to Ladon to let this just be a nightmare, but the scene didn't change. No hero to come rescue the princess in her hour of need.
No light to push back the darkness.
And somewhere, high above her, she could hear laughter. The sounds of chimes echoed throughout the darkness and echoed off the dark, stone walls.
Nina looked up and saw a figure bathed in a blinding white light. She couldn't tell if the figure was male or female, but she was able to make out a pair of massive white wings outstretched from the figure's back.
Like an avenging angel, the figure launched holy lightning at the hoards of the undead and vanquished them in one fell swoop. Nina looked around and saw the world beneath her feet. The figure regarded the world, and Nina.
The figure floated over to Nina and cupped her chin with it's glowing hand. The figure stretched out it's hand and gestured to the world below them. With that same hand, the figure launched lightning down to the world below, burning everything in sight.
Nina screamed and jerked back. She shook as tears welled up in her eyes. Nina heard a mighty roar behind her. She turned around and saw a massive, gold scaled dragon staring back at her with bright green eyes.
The figure pushed Nina out of the way and launched an attack at the dragon. The dragon roared and shook the very foundation. Nina screamed as she left herself start to fall…
"NINA!" Nina's eyes blinked opened at the sound of her name. She sat straight up and quickly jerk her head from side to side. She had fallen asleep on the grass, under a giant tree.
Yup, she knew she was going to regret that adventure last night.
After figuring all that weird stuff was just a dream, Nina calmed down and slumped her shoulders. She looked over to the person that called her name. Ryu was standing a few feet away from Nina, a concern look in his face.
"You okay?" Ryu asked as he shouldered a makeshift fishing rod. "You were screaming in your sleep."
Nina rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and gave Ryu a weak grin. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just a bad dream, that's all."
Ryu didn't look convinced. He walked over to Nina, placed the rod on the ground, and sat down beside her.
"Wanna talk about it?" Ryu asked, grinning slightly.
Nina blushed a little. For some reason, she felt a little nervous being so close to Ryu. Oh, it's not like she had never been this close to boys before. Even though her parents were really strict, she still got to play with some of the nobles' children that came to visit very once in a while.
It's just that Ryu was… well… special. The way he grinned, or the way his eyes lit up when he laughed, or…
Oh, Ladon! Was she falling in love with him?
No, of course not. She was ten years old. She didn't know what love, true love, really was. But… there was almost like there was a need in the back of her mind… no, it was more like a yearning, a desire, to be around him. To have him near her. She wanted him, no she needed him…
WHERE THE HELL DID THAT COME FROM?!
"I…" Nina suddenly stood up. Ryu stared up at her in a confused stupor. "Need to go…"
Nina quickly took off in a sprint towards the stream. Ryu shrugged.
Women…
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Garr closed his eyes as he sat in a meditative stance. He did not like to dwell on what was to come. It was already hard on him to carry out this mission, but his goddess had given the order. And Jin Uzuki…
They are in danger.
Garr's eyes opened. They were in danger.
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Nina splashed her face with cold water. She had no idea what had come over her. She blushed slightly when she thought of that goofy grin that Ryu gave her just a few moments ago.
Good lord, she had run off and all he wanted to know was she okay.
Nina looked around, just to make sure that there was no one around. She sighed and leaned back and looked up at the bright blue sky. Why was she even here? True, she wanted to help Ryu and Yuki, but could there be some other reason for her actions?
She noticed a cloud that looked a little like a bird. The wind picked up a little and blew the bushes and reeds around the small creek. A small fish jumped out of the creek and caught a bug in its mouth and jumped back down into the water.
The Wyndian Region was very beautiful. She just wanted the peace around her to last forever. No more running. No more fighting. No sick madmen killing innocent children. No power-crazed dictators trying to marry her…
Nina shuttered at the last thought. She couldn't go back to Wyndia, not yet…
"Yo! Nina!"
Nina's head jerked around. She looked up in one of the nearby trees and noticed Yuki sitting on one of the lower branches, just swinging her feet. Yuki grinned in amusement. Nina rolled her eyes and walked over to the tree.
How did Yuki…?
"How long have you been sitting there?" Nina asked.
"Oh, not long. Just got here," Yuki grinned.
Nina placed her hands on her hips. "Oh, really?" Nina looked at Yuki skeptically. "I don't believe you."
"Suit yourself," Yuki laughed as she jumped down. She started to walk away, down the small narrow path that led back to the area where Ryu was.
Ryu…
"Hey, Yuki?" Nina suddenly called. Yuki turned and looked at her. "Have you… ever had a crush on a guy…?"
Yuki looked confused. "Yeah. Well, there was this one time at band camp…"
Nina rolled her eyes. "Forget I even asked."
"No, really," Yuki said. "He played the drums. Nice guy. A little nerdy. I kinda thought he was cute. Turned out that he had a girlfriend though," Yuki shrugged. "Why'd asked?"
"No reason," Nina said.
"Hey…" Realization dawned on Yuki. "HEY! You have a crush on Ryu?" Nina blushed. "OMG! You DO!!" Yuki danced around Nina and pointed at her. "Nina's got a crush on RYUUUUUU! Nina's got a crush on…"
Nina slapped Yuki in the back of the head to get her to quit. "Yeoch! Okay, okay. I get it! So, what's the problem?"
Nina looked down at the ground. "Um… I'm not really sure what I should do…"
Yuki wagged her pointer finger in front of her face. "Don't worry about that! Yuki-sensei, the red ninja of LUV will help you out!"
Nina sighed. "That's what I'm afraid of…" Nina stopped in mid-sentience. Yuki gave her an odd look. She turned around and spotted a woman with red hair, and several armored men behind her.
"What's this about?" Nina asked.
"Dragoons?!" Yuki wailed. "What…?!"
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Ryu glanced in the direction that Nina took off in. He shook his head. He just couldn't figure out why Nina had taken off. All he asked her was what was wrong. What was wrong with that?
Ryu leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes. His arm suddenly twitched. His eyes flashed open and he looked down at his arm. The sunlight reflected off of the crystal before his arm flashed again and returned to flesh.
Ryu grabbed his arm and groaned. How long before whatever that guy did wore off? He wasn't even sure what that guy did. He had healed him, yeah, but how long would that spell last? It had been four years since then…
"You have it, too," a soft voice said from behind Ryu.
Ryu turned around and spotted Sari looking at him, her eyes full of pity and sadness. Ryu shook his head. What had she said?
"What do you mean?" Ryu asked, his voice guarded.
"Cymosion," Sari said. "You have it, too."
"Y-how do you know about it?" Ryu asked.
"Your arm," Sari pointed to the arm that Ryu was holding. "It was crystallized. But I don't understand something…" Sari walked over to Ryu and sat down beside him.
"Yeah…?"
"How did it change back?" Sari finally asked after a moment of silence. "And… since it crystallized… does that mean you are a dragon?"
Ryu's eyes widened slightly. "How did you know about that?!" Ryu hissed.
"The Seeker said that only dragons crystallize. Do your friends know about this?"
"No, and I'd like to keep it that way…" Ryu said. "Hey, what do you mean that 'I have it, too?'"
"I am also infected by the Cymosion," Sari said.
"But… you… how?" Ryu asked.
"The Seeker infected me after he captured me and my friends. He said that he was amazed that I haven't died from it… yet…"
Ryu looked down at the ground. "There's no cure, huh?"
"I don't know," Sari admitted.
"So," Ryu said in an attempt to change the subject. "How are you feeling?"
"I am doing better," Sari said. "But I still feel tired."
"I understand," Ryu said. "When I first got… sick, all I wanted to do was sleep all the time. Ladon, I hated it."
"How are you still… whole?"
"Uh, I really don't know," Ryu said. "It's a long story."
"We have time, don't we?" Sari asked.
Ryu nodded. "Yeah, I guess. Okay, four years ago, I got sick with this crap. My father took me to this place that was I guess experimenting on a cure or something. The doctors there were able to stop it for a little while… but ah…" Ryu paused. This part was always too foggy to really remember.
Images of a small girl with dark brown hair holding aster daisies filled his mind.
"For you, so you can get better soon and then we can play!"
"I'm not really sure what happened…" Ryu said. He placed his head in his hand.
"Oh," Sari hung her head apolitically. "I'm sorry!"
Ryu shook his head. "Nah, you're fine. It's just that, well, I really can't remember. The next thing I know is that I am back to normal and…" Ryu looked up. He sniffed the arm and made a face. "Something's really wrong!"
Sari jumped behind Ryu. They saw Yuki and Nina walking down the small path with some lady right behind them. Then they saw several armed Dragoons. Ryu paled. This was not going to end well.
Yuki growled and suddenly jerked around and tried to attack the woman. Nina ducked behind the red-haired woman and tried to get away. One of the Dragoons grabbed Yuki around the waist and another grabbed Nina and slung her over his shoulders.
"YOU BASTARD!" Yuki screamed.
Ryu had no idea what was going on. Ryu saw…
"Salla?" Ryu asked in a shaky voice.
"Ryu," the redhead said evenly. Demus had ordered her to capture Nina and bring her to Collosia and Ryu was supposed to follow. She couldn't follow through. It had been far too long since she last saw Ryu. She would not allow him to get away this time.
Sari poked her head out from behind Ryu. "You know each other?"
Ryu shook his head. "She's…"
"YOU WILL NOT HARM THEM!" All turned en masse to see Garr fly in out of nowhere, halberd drawn. He swooped down and slammed his spear against Salla. Salla flinched, but that was about it.
"Noble Garr," Salla said. She balled her right hand into a fist and slammed it right into Garr's gut. Garr grunted and staggered back. "Noble Guardian Garland. Slayer of Innocents." Salla spun around and kicked Garr upside the head. Garr jerked around and grabbed Salla's armored boot and gave it a twist. She yelled as she was slammed into the ground.
Ryu tried to run over to the two, but another Dragoon stopped him. The Dragoon grabbed a kicking and screaming Ryu up. Sari was more or less held in place by one of the more gentle Dragoons.
Salla barked out a command, and the Dragoon that held Ryu placed a dagger by his throat. Garr halted in movement and eyed Salla dangerously.
"One more and he dies," Salla said, trying to keep her voice even. "We are leaving now, with the children. You will not follow. If you do, they die. Understand?"
Garr's eyes flashed red, but he dismissed his halberd. "I understand perfectly. May you rot in hell, you sick bitch!"
Salla smirked. She turned to her men and the captives and smiled. She nodded and her and her unit vanished with the children, via warp spell. Garr roared and slammed his fists down on the ground.
"DAMNATION!" Garr roared. Garr flinched when he spotted a light out of the corner of his eye. He turned around and spotted a small girl with red hair in a white dress. The girl looked like a transparent ghost.
"What…" Garr started to ask.
"They are heading to the battle city," the girl said in a soft whisper. "You must stop Demus, before it's too late…" and on that note, the girl vanished.
Garr shook his head in anger and annoyance. Collosia, huh? He better be getting overtime for this crap…
To be continued…