Chapter Fourteen: Returning
The humid forest air caused the man's clothing to cling to his body, restricting his movement partially. Each step became a difficult task as he continued down his chosen path to the Calm Lands, the place where he hoped to find men and women whom thought like him. The more people he gathered, the better chance the uprising could be accomplished.
Peitro reached a light incline in the wooded trail and began to ascend the leaf-strewn road. The fatigued man staggered to his left and shot his arms out to slow his fall. He was surprised to feel the cool, smooth texture of a stone wall where there should have been nothing but draping foliage. Pietro straightened himself up and stared at the area that hindered his drop. He brushed away the overgrown fern and ivy and saw the slate grey plinth of stone that peeked through its cover. Intrigued at his discovery, Pietro ran his hand across the next ten feet of the trail and found the entire section to be lined with the rock.
The man jogged up the slope, ignoring the pain in his bones, guided by the granite border. As he crested the apex of the hill, his eyes were greeted by the orange light of the evening sun. He had arrived at the peaceful savannah. "Did the humidity of the forest so addle my mind, that I did not realize I was so near my destination?" Pietro questioned himself as he looked upon the gently swaying grasses stretched out before him.
He exited the burdening atmosphere of the woods, reveling in the cool breeze blowing past him. He stood a few feet way from the portal to the sylvan lands, letting the exhaustion of his journey leave his body with each passing gust of wind. The man's eyes traveled across the lush greenery of the land, searching for the small rest area located near the center. Finding the barricaded shop, he judged the distance to it to be three miles.
A short half-hour trip at a leisurely pace, yet the sun would soon be drawn down past the canyon walls, enveloping the crater-like land in darkness. Even with the exhaustion lifted from his body, his joints still ached from the arduous march through Macalania Forest. "I won't be able to make it, even at a run. My legs are bound to give out half way there," the man commented to himself. "I can't rest out in the open, since the area is rife with fiends of all kinds."
His thoughts were cut short as he heard the telltale sound of a chocobo nearby. He whipped his head in every direction, looking for the source of high-pitched cry. As his turned to the right, Pietro saw the golden bird lurking by the valley wall. The man watched as the muscles in the bird's legs rippled under its feathers as it walk towards him, admiring the inherent grace that it employed with each movement. The bird was soon by his side and nipped at his hair playfully.
Startled by the affection it showed him, Pietro stuttered, "Miaka?" The golden chocobo replied to the name by rubbing her head across Pietro's cheek and cooing softly in his ear. "You've been waiting for my return all this time, Miaka?" the former crusader asked the yellow avian. The bird took two steps backwards and stared at the man, slowly nodding her head. "Thank you, you may have helped prolong my life with this act," he said, petting the bird on her neck.
He mounted his avian friend and urged her forward to the rest area held within the grasp of the basin. The journey was swift as the chocobo ran to her intended destination. Each stride Miaka took would have equal four of the man riding atop her. Within a matter of minutes, the two were standing outside the fenced off section of the savannah.
Pietro dismounted his loyal steed, taking the reins in hand and leading her to a small holding pen located behind the rest area. Once he had secured her within the safety of its enclosure, he walked around the barricade of the shop to its entrance. Sitting around the confines of the shelter were the likely sight of Al Bhed and travelers with their bodyguards. Near the back of the enclosed territory stood the trainer that had given Pietro Miaka, taking care of the chocobo warking in the pen.
Seeing as there wasn't any more security than there was before, Pietro walked to the reception and inquired, " Where can I rest my head for the night?"
The woman behind the desk pointed to her left, where another man was sitting upon a spread of blankets. Pietro thanked the young lady and strolled to the appointed place. When he got nearer to the man, he noticed the man red hair cropped close to his head and wore blue pants.
"Don't I know him from somewhere else?" Pietro asked himself. As he entered the sleeping area, the red-haired man turned his head and smiled at Pietro. Shocked by the face looking at him from the bed, Pietro muttered one word. "Luzzu…"
To be continued…
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A/N: I planned to write this chapter after I finished watching Fellowship of the Ring, but I sort of fell asleep near the end. For fourteen hours! Needless to say, I won't try to go a week on only 24 hours of sleep for awhile. Anyway, here it is a day late, but at least I did it. Miaka's back, the chocobo trainer made a slight appearance, but best of all, Luzzu's back for a little bit. I found a way to work him back into the story, and he should prove to be of some importance later on. Hope you enjoy it, I do try to fulfill the requests you make. Anyhoo, now that I think about it, this will quite a long arc, as ideas keep coming to me. You have been warned. (Note: insert maniacal laughter here) Until the next time, farewell. ^_^ (August 12, 2002)