Bonjour! Here's another chapter. I hope things haven't been to obvious as to what's going to happen in the story but even if it is...what do you expect? It's a fanfic. You're supposed to use already existing characters and things (possibly including backstories) and we already know who getting together with who so...yeah. I'm just saying because I realized (after re-reading the story and some comments) that it is quite obvious where things are headed but hay, who actually watches or reads things for the ending? We already know who wins, it's just the journey, right? Well, that's what it's like for me.

Anyway, I might be taking a bit longer to upload chapters because I'm going to be going to a place that has no internet (except for the library) and I'll have to work on my senior project. I'm writing a book! I just hope it'll work out to be as awesome as I imagine it.

So, have fun reading! There's more movement in the plot so it won't be so...depressing this time. Hope y'all like it. :D

Chapter 21

MEMORIES AND A RESTORATION

Fakir was staring at the ground. He was just staring. One hand was mindlessly rubbing the wound on his chest while the other was balanced on his bent knee and he balanced his chin on his fist. He was sitting silently next to the tree that Duck had found him during his break down and he had finally calmed himself into a blank peace. Duck sat off a bit to the side, watching him with worry filled eyes and she waited to see if he wanted her to leave. She didn't want to leave him in the state he was in but if he wanted to be alone then she would comply with his wishes.

He was breathing slowly and it looked like he was trying to completely forget about what had happened or think of something to say and Duck waited patiently. He looked over at her slowly and finally sighed.

"Sorry," he said, nearly inaudibly.

Duck was taken aback by the sudden sound of his voice. "Huh? Sorry? For what?"

He looked back at the ground before answering and said, "I didn't mean to worry you."

She didn't know what to say. How do you explain that he didn't need to be sorry? If she wanted to worry about him then it's up to her, he doesn't need to apologize.

She looked at him as he placed his head on his fist again and he said, "I couldn't control myself. I feel so stupid."

"You're not stupid," she said and smiled a little. "I know how hard it is to keep emotion and stuff trapped inside and when it gets to a certain point you just can't stop it from breaking out. It's not fun."

"Yeah," he said and sighed. "The thing is…this hasn't been…the first time."

"Huh?"

"I've been through this before and each time it gets worse," he said and looked over at her. "I still can't control it."

"What…um, what happened that…causes this?" Duck asked, unsure if he would get mad. She didn't want to interfere with his memories if they hurt him too much but she wanted to know.

"The Raven…" he said and looked up. "The Raven destroyed my parents and could have just as easily killed me. I guess you could call me lucky but I think it's been a curse that I got to live but my parents didn't." He looked away and his hand covered his face, "God, why didn't I die with them?"

Duck could see it was painful for him and she slowly moved closer. She reached his shoulder and said softly, "If you don't want to talk about it, I understand."

He looked at her from the corner of his eye and gently grasped her hand. He took a deep breath and said, "I need to tell someone. I can't keep this to myself anymore." He looked at her and asked carefully, "Do you…do you know about the knights?"

"Um, Rue told me that they had this magical armor or something and that the Raven found a way around it and…" Duck noticed the look on his face and finished slowly, "they were all destroyed. Why?"

"My father was a knight," he said and let her hand drop.

"Oh my…I'm so sorry Fakir," she said in stunned shock.

"He was killed when all the other knights were slaughtered but…until that night I had no idea what he did. We lived on the outskirts of the city near the forest and I thought he worked as a merchant or something because he always brought back these big metal plates that he would make into armor or something. My mom never told me anything about it either so when he gave me his sword the night…the night they came I was stunned," Fakir began to explain. "I was only eight and so when my dad told me to run…that's what I did and it was the dumbest thing I could have done. I should have pushed the sword back at him and stayed by his side but no, I was a coward and ran off. I looked back only once to see my home getting destroyed and my parents were still inside. I…I could feel the rage and hatred build in me and…I ran back with the sword slicing anything it could touch."

Fakir stopped and covered his face again. Duck touched his arm again and noticed that Fakir had started to cry again.

"Fakir?" she whispered with worry.

She watched as he tried to calm down again and he clenched his fist in anger.

"I was a monster. I…I was so mad that I just killed without ever thinking and…all I can remember was the blur of fighting off the soldiers," he said and looked back at Duck almost as if he were pleading to her. "I couldn't stop. I couldn't get the anger out of my mind and it drove me…it made me…I just couldn't…I…it still haunts me. I…I even hurt the innocent people that lived nearby. There was nothing I could do."

Duck suddenly realized why he was always so upset when she or any of the others got hurt without reason; it reminded him of the night he just couldn't stop. Her eyes were wide and she felt so sorry for him. It all made sense now. He got so upset when he accidentally hurt her because he felt the pain he still remembers from all those years ago.

She reached over and hugged him. He was startled just a bit and soon he was calm enough to continue. Duck sat back as he continued but she kept his hand in hers, making sure he knew that she was there for him.

He carefully rubbed the stains from his cheeks and began to talk once again, "I blacked out not long after and the next thing I knew I was lying in a bed with Altor and his dad looking down at me. They told me I was found on the side of the road unconscious and hurt with only the clothes on my back my father's sword. After that day I knew that I was a knight but actually being one was a different story." He stopped and took in another breath. "I knew that it was the knight's duty to protect but no matter how hard I tried I could never protect anyone but myself. I eventually gave up on protecting others and I only used the sword when I needed help. I know it sounds selfish but…I swear, I really tired."

He looked at Duck once more and she smiled saying, "It's okay, I believe you Fakir."

He looked down and said softly, "Duck, I'm the very last knight of Gold Crown. My sword is the last surviving piece of armor that the knights wore but it can't protect anyone but me and Charon said that I was the only person who could stop the Raven. I know I have to, I've known that sooner or later someone besides me or Altor would figure out who I was but I just don't think I could ever fight the Raven alone. He took out hundreds in one blow, how is just one supposed to fight him?" he leaned his head on his fist and said, "It's hopeless. I'll never be able to do it."

"Yes you will," Duck said kindly and he looked up. "You won't be alone. You've got us, we'll be there for you whenever you need us."

He looked into her big blue eyes to see only truthfulness and caring and it was obvious that a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders. He wrapped his arm around her and said, "Thank you."

Duck smiled and hugged him back. She was very happy she was able to comfort him successfully. She didn't know how she did it but whatever she did worked and she was very proud of herself, well, that and a bit reluctant to except that she did it herself.

They could have stayed there for a much longer time just content to be by the other but suddenly they were grabbed from behind and a hand was flung over each of their mouths. Fakir looked and saw that their captors were a band of thieves and there were at least four. He tried to fight against the two that were holding him when they put a knife against Duck's neck.

"You make a sound or try to get free and the girl gets it," the one holding the knife said nastily.

Fakir could see the fear grow in Duck's eyes and he clenched his fists to keep himself from going ballistic. They soon were dragged from the area and it was pretty obvious the thieves were wary of their surroundings because they were looking around constantly. They got to an area where there was a rocky incline and they were taken inside a large cave. They were put back to back to a stalagmite and tied tightly with a rope.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" Fakir asked only to get a gag wrapped around his mouth.

The same thing was done to Duck and the next thing that happened was Fakir's sword was taken by the man with the knife.

"This is a nice sword. It could come in handy," the thief said and tossed it to his partner. He turned back to Fakir and looked at the two teens. "Now, what are two kids like you doing out in the forest this late at night? You could get hurt."

All the thieves laughed and he walked over to a fire ring that had been started. Fakir was getting pissed again. He could easily take on all of those thieves but he knew better. He knew he had to wait for the perfect moment to untie the ropes then attack because if he did it any sooner he would be defenseless without his sword and Duck might get hurt.

Speaking of Duck, she was so sacred she was trying to keep from whining like a frightened puppy. She was also beginning to shake and Fakir could feel it on the ropes that bound them. He pulled slightly against the bonds to get Duck's attention and he gave her a reassuring look. She felt just a bit safer knowing that Fakir was there and that he knew what to do but she was still afraid of what was going to happen to them. Surely Rue or Altor would get worried and a search party would go out to look for them.

It wasn't long before a fire was started and the entire cave was visible to all present. The thieves were just chilling by the fire with no interest in the cave but not Duck. She was very curious about the cave. She had never seen anything like it before and she was intrigued by all the new sights she saw. She looked at the strange rock formations and suddenly saw something that didn't look like it belonged. It was a strange red light that was nestled in the rocks and it soon seemed to begin glowing.

She tugged at the rope to get Fakir's attention and he looked at where she was looking. He also saw it and looked over at Duck in confusion. What was it? It didn't belong there, did it? Why was there a light in a cave and a red light for that matter?

Eventually their behavior caught the attention of one of the thieves and he walked over to the two kids.

"Hey, what are you two doing?"

Fakir and Duck looked back at the thief in surprise and the thief soon began to threaten Fakir.

"What are you two doing? Are you trying to escape because if you are you know exactly what will happen," he said, a dagger under Fakir's chin.

Fakir just looked down at the thief with a silent dare to hurt either himself or Duck but she decided to take the attention away from Fakir. She started pulling against the rope and making muffled sounds so the thief would go over to her. It worked. He left Fakir and went to see what Duck was doing. She made more muttered sounds and pointed in the direction of the red light with her head.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked then looked at Fakir. "You do know your girlfriend is having a seizure right?"

Fakir rolled his eyes. What a moron.

Duck continued to point at the red light and the thief finally looked in its direction. He walked over to it and said, "Huh? What's that?" He picked it up and it was a red jewel. He went back over to his pals, patting Duck on the head as he passed and said, "Thanks kid, you just made us rich."

"What you got there?" the leader of the gang asked as he looked up.

"It looks like a ruby," another thief said.

"Whoa, where did you find that?" the fourth asked.

"Let me see that," the leader said and held out his hand.

"No, I found it, it's mine."

"I'm you're superior so hand it over," the leader said.

"Make me."

As the thieves fought amongst themselves Fakir untied himself and Duck from the stalagmite and he told her to keep quiet. He snuck up behind the rock that had his sword and he grabbed it, hardly making a sound. He was just about to run when he realized that Duck wasn't next to him. He looked back to see that Duck was transfixed on the ruby.

"Psst, Duck," he called in a whisper.

She didn't respond. She took a step forward and then another, getting closer to the fighting thieves and her unquestionable recapture. Fakir ran back over to her and tried to grab her only to get pushed away by the strange magic.

"Duck, don't do this now," he whispered roughly.

"It needs me," she said as her hand rose.

"Hey, how did those kids get free?" the leader asked when he finally noticed Duck and Fakir.

"Get them!" the third thief cried.

They raced at Duck, except for the second thief with the ruby, but Fakir jumped in their way, blocking them with his sword.

"Don't touch her," Fakir growled.

He stared them down and they stopped for a few seconds, a bit startled by his death glare. They pulled out their daggers and went at him only to get knocked off one by one.

Duck continued toward the ruby as Fakir fought and the second thief pulled out his dagger, pointing it at the girl. She got closer and closer and he was about to plunge the blade into her chest when it melted in his hand. He dropped it in surprise and looked at Duck with fear. How did such a small girl do something like that without even trying? He stepped back as she got closer and soon his back was against the cave wall.

Fakir looked over at her just in time to see her touch the ruby and the bright light glow all around her. He lifted his hand to his eyes so he could try to see what was happening only to see the same thing he saw when Duck touched the box at the hardware store. She again was more mature and her feathers were long locks of hair and she had a beautiful white dress on. She lifted her hands into the air and the ruby disappeared into little red specks, fading into the air. The light faded and she began to sway once again.

Fakir ran up to her and helped her stay on her feet. This time she didn't pass out entirely but she was still very drained and he had to hold her carefully so she didn't fall. He looked up at the thief, who was petrified against the wall and shaking like crazy, and he picked Duck up in a cradled fashion.

"What is she?" the thief asked, his voice shaking just as much as his body. "Who is she?"

"I wish I knew," Fakir said and left the cave without another word.

He walked carefully back into the forest and slowly made his way back to the village with Duck barely awake in his arms. She grabbed his shirt and made herself look up at him and she smiled weakly.

"Part…part of Mytho's heart is back," she said and Fakir's jaw dropped. "He can now feel."