Author's Note: This message is yoinked from deviantART's Tales of Change; I know Sieghart isn't the role of father; hell, he may not even be related to Elesis at all! I don't know how he ended up being father, but if I change it now, I'd have to change a lot of the story in the future, and I don't want to do that. Plus, it's funner this way, seriously. Well, for me, at least. Not sure 'bout you guys. . . But hey, Sieghart's here now.

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The rain stopped the next day. Ryan had fallen unconscious, unbeknownst to me. He woke up, soon after the rain stopped. His wound had scabbed over, the one Ronan had given him. I repressed a cry of disgust as I walked over to Ronan and nudged him with my foot. He was talking in his sleep.

As soon as I nudged him, Ronan's eyes flickered open and looked up at me tiredly.

"You okay?" I asked. Ronan looked down at Elesis, then back at me, before he nodded once.

"Ronan, I'm not sure if she's. . . you know. . ." My last words were a small whisper. He looked away.

"I-I'm sorry. . . if she isn't. . ." I whispered.

Finally speaking, Ronan said, "It's fine." His voice cracked, as if he hadn't used it in days. I looked away.

"I w-wish I could do s-something. . ." I said, my voice still a whisper.

"It's fine, Arme." Ronan's voice sounded a bit better.

"No, i-it's not fine," I told him, my voice beginning to quiver. "I'm supposed to be able to heal you guys and. . . I failed. . ." Ronan didn't say anything. I thought I saw something move at the edge of my vision. Ronan's eyes widened.

"I wish. . . I was a better healer. . ." I continued, then I saw the movement again. Red. "D-Did she move?" I looked over at Ronan. He nodded.

"T-That's good then. . . at least she's a-a-a-a. . . alive. . ." I almost couldn't say it, I was so happy.

Then Ronan began to cry. He was happy, and held Elesis close to him.

"I'm happy for you, Ronan," I whispered.

"Lass is awake," he said. I turned in Lass' direction.

He yawned, standing up.

"You're awake?" I asked. Lass nodded. I went over to him and wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tightly.

"Huh? What?" Lass asked, confused. "Did I die?"

"No, of course you didn't die!" I told him.

"Just wondering why you're hugging me, but I guess it's since you love me." Lass smiled and hugged me back tightly. I felt him kiss the top of my head.

"Of course I do, Lass," I said, hugging him even tighter. I hoped I wasn't choking him.

"Good, because so do I. . ." he said, voice full of endearment.

"How do you feel right now?" I asked.

"I'm well, how about you?" Lass asked back.

"I'm fine," I replied, "and happy, as long as I'm with you, Lass."

"And you. . ."

"Aww," I heard from behind. Looking to see who it was, I saw Ryan gawking at the two of us playfully. "How touching." I glared at Ryan, sharply enough that he flinched.

"I hope," I muttered changing the topic, "that Elesis is alright soon."

Lass glanced over at Ronan. "He's really happy that she's okay, for now."

There was some movement at the edge of my vision so I turned to it. It turned out to be Ryan, who had gotten up. He tried to hide the wound, which was scabbed over, but it was enormous, and a little purple. Gag.

"Eeeew. . ." I said, loudly enough for Ryan to hear.

"Shit, what?" Ryan asked, though he probably knew the answer already.

"Your wound. . ." I muttered. "Lemme try and heal that a bit." I tapped my staff on the wound a bit.

"It's already dried up and healed," Ryan told me, "just a bit infected." He poked it slightly and flinched.

"Yeah well, I'm trying to get rid of the infection and stuff. And don't poke it!" I yelled. I used Cure again, and soon the purple faded away. The scab was still huge, but at least it didn't look as disgusting. I wonder how dirty that tyrfing was?

"Was the cut really this big?" I asked. Ryan nodded, and I muttered, "Glad you didn't die of blood loss or anything. . ." Ryan paled slightly.

"Ronan, how is she so far?" I asked, out of the blue.

"She's breathing," he answered. Ronan looked more like his old self. "And her heartbeat is fairly normal. . ." I was glad Ronan sounded more like his confident self, when we first met him.

"I wonder when she'll wake up," I wondered aloud.

"As long as she wakes up," Ronan said. I went over and nudged Elesis, saying gently, "Hey, wake up."

"Maybe you shouldn't wake her up so early," Ronan warned.

"If she doesn't wake up today, though. . ." I said. It always worried me when one slept too long.

"Don't worry Ronan so much, he's going to get gray hair," Lass told me, then added, "A-And my hair's silver!"

"Sorry, sorry!" I cried. Then said, "I just hope she wakes up soon. Then I can ask her how she feels internally and see if I can help her."

"Thank you, Arme," Ronan said.

"You don't have to thank me," I said softly. "After all, you're my friends, and I care for all of you.

Ronan smiled before looking back at Elesis.

"Has she moved any since last time?" I asked.

"Only her breathing," Ronan answered.

I guess all we can do is wait and see.'

Two days passed uneventfully.

On the third, Lass had went fishing piranhas, and was roasting them over a fire. I told him that it might not be safe to eat them. He simply nodded.

Soon after, Lass headed back to the river, cooked fish in tow, and I followed him. When he reached the river, Lass tossed the cooked fish into the river, where the other piranhas were.

"Eat up!" Lass yelled, as I watched in silence. Okay, what the hell?

The piranhas were in a frenzy, eating the cooked fish, apparently unaware of what they were eating, until Lass said, with a laugh, "You just ate your mom!"

The piranhas seemed to look at each other before trying to eat each other.

"You just turned them cannibal," I said grimly.

"And I love it," Lass told me.

"At least you got your revenge. . ." I muttered. Sometimes I wondered about Lass.

"Victory is mine!" Lass cried out, as he ran away.

I stayed behind to watch the. . . feeding frenzy. Eventually, only two fish were left, just staring at each other. They both bared their teach at each other and charged. Both managed to chomp on the other's tail and tear it off, thus making it so that they couldn't really move. I swore they were throwing insults at each other, before a shark came out of nowhere, jumped out of the water, and landed on the two piranhas, eating them up. The shark then swam upstream.

"Holy crap!" I nearly shrieked, falling backwards.

Then I heard Lass calling me. "Hey Arme, I think Elesis is waking up!"

"Really?" I called back, running back. This was great!

As I saw the others past the foliage, I saw that Elesis was indeed waking up. Ronan's eyes had widened, and he was a bit away from her, as to give her some room. Elesis coughed a little.

Ronan brushed some of her hair away from her face before asking, "Are you alright, Elesis?" She simply let out a small sound in response.

Turning to me, Ronan asked, somewhat randomly, "So, since I asked Elesis to marry me. . . Doesn't that mean I have to ask her dad's permission?"

"Er. . ." I thought about that. Did he? I think so.

Ronan looked at a picture of what appeared to be some possessed human with black hair, and an almost-all black outfit. His eyes scared me. "I'm scared," Ronan muttered.

"Who is her father anyway?" I asked. Ronan simply showed me the picture.

"Where'd you get that picture anyway?" I asked him.

"Ryan found it in Kaze'aze's Castle." I nodded slightly as he continued. "He looks nothing like her. Nevertheless, I don't think I'd want to be talking to him." Ronan tried to look calm, but his eyes betrayed his fear.

"I doubt that is her father though," I told him, trying to calm Ronan. I mean, really, I didn't see the similarities.

"We should ask her. . ." Ronan said.

Just at that moment, Elesis said, in a small voice, "Daddy. . .?"

"Dad. . . dy?" Ronan squeaked, before fainting.

"Call the medics!" Lass yelled.

"Er, I don't think she meant you, Ronan. . ." I muttered, before jabbing my staff into his side. Ronan stood up and rubbed his head. "Oh."

"She might be dreaming," I told him.

Lass snatched the picture out of Ronan's hands and nearly fell over. "Whoa, psycho."

"You have to wonder about that. . ." I said.

"Oh, I also found this picture," Ronan said.

"Stalker pictures!" Lass yelled, though Ronan didn't even take a picture out. Yet. "It's not safe around here!" Lass ran around. I wanted to smack him.

"Where the hell did you find it?" I asked, referring to the other picture.

"In the Castle, I said." I knew that. "And I took this one with a secret camera." Ronan pulled out another picture, this time of him, making a weird face.

"What the hell? I should smack you for taking such a stupid picture," I said.

"Well. . ." Ronan began, scratching his head a bit, before taking out another one. "What about this one? Kaze'aze's Castle again, don't ask again." I didn't say anything this time as he showed me yet another stupid picture, and took it back quickly.

"Well, I wonder what Elesis' dad really looks like?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Maybe he has a beard," Ronan pondered, as he rubbed his chin. "And he's nice?"

"We can ask Elesis," I said, adding, "who is now awake, it seems."

"Uh. . . huh?" Elesis asked groggily, having heard her name.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty!" Lass said, sarcasm dripping off his words.

"Good morning, asshole," Elesis muttered.

"How you feeling?" I asked.

"Sore. . ." she answered.

"E-Elesis!" Ronan called, nervously. "What does your father look like?"

"M-My father?" Elesis asked, surprised a bit by the question. "I haven't seen him in awhile now. . ." Great. "But I remember that he has black, spiky hair," she added. Double great.

Ronan fell over, unconscious.

"R-Ronan?!" Elesis said, worried.

"He's knocked out," Lass said. "Well, I'd be like that too if-" he began, before stopping.

"What?" Elesis asked, as I nudged Ronan.

Shaking his head, Lass said, "Nothing." Then he kicked Ronan in the head.

"Don't hurt him. . ." Elesis said.

"Oops, I think I kicked his head," Lass said innocently. There was a trail of blood that began to leak out of the wound that was on Ronan's neck.

"I'm going to kill you Lass. . ." Elesis threatened.

"Lass, don't do that again," I said, as I bandaged up the wound. Lass simply turned invisible. I sighed.

Poking Ronan lightly, I said, "Up at at 'em!"

"Uh?" Ronan asked.

"Quit doing that," I told him.

"Sorry," Ronan muttered, rubbing his head.

"So, guess we should see if we can find him?" I said.

"Find who?" Elesis asked.

"Your father."

Ronan shivered.

"My father. . ." Elesis said thoughtfully, before asking, "Ronan, are you cold?"

"Maybe we should try killing Kaze'aze first, eh?" Ronan said, with a nervous laugh, then answered, "Oh, no I'm not. Actually I feel kind of bare without my armor." He added the last sentence in a smaller voice, as if not intending for us to hear. Then Ronan added something else, but it was too inaudible.

"What?" Elesis asked. Ronan said it again, but it was still too hard to hear.

"Um, I can't hear you Ronan. . ." Elesis said.

"Uh, nothing," Ronan said.

"Are you sure?" Elesis asked. "It seems as if you're worried about something. . ."

"Ah, no, I'm fine."

As Ronan stood up, Elesis persisted. "Are you sure?"

"Ye-Kinda," Ronan said.

"Please, tell me what's wrong. . ." Elesis sounded a bit irritated.

"I. . . You. . . Your. . . Dad. . ." was all Ronan said.

"What about my dad. . .?" Elesis looked confused.

"I have to ask him. . . about marrying you. . . right?"

"Oh, you're right about that, but. . ." Elesis hesitated. Ronan tilted his head to the side slightly.

"Thing is, I have no clue where my father is. . ."

Ronan looked a bit happy, but I said, "I could always try this new locating spell to find him."

"Yes, please. . ." Elesis said. "I want to find him." Ronan laughed a bit, quite nervous.

"Ronan, is something the matter?" Elesis asked.

"Nope, nothing," he answered.

"Please, tell me what's wrong."

"Well. . ." Ronan looked like he wasn't going to answer. He held his neck. "He might not like me. What if he kills me?"

"He wouldn't kill you!" Elesis seemed surprised by the very idea. "What makes you think that?"

"I'd worry about that too," Lass said, from somewhere. Ronan didn't say anything, but took out his previous picture of the psycho dude.

"W-Where'd you get that?" Elesis asked.

"Kaze'aze's Castle."

"Well, it makes sense. . ." Elesis muttered. "I guess. . ." Ronan didn't answer; he put the picture away.

"Where is he. . .?" Elesis asked, after awhile

"Well, based on the picture, to start, I think he is at the Xenia Continent," I said.

"There? Why there?"

"Dunno, but that's where the spell points to as well."

"Guess we go there then. . ." Elesis said, before she tried to stand up. "Ow." Immediately, Ronan was at her side, helping her up.

"Thank you, Ronan. . ."

"Uhm, maybe you shouldn't move yet," I told Elesis.

"But what can I do then?" Elesis asked.

"Uhm. . ." I thought for a second. "Let Ronan carry you?"

"I'd rather not burden him though."

"It's fine!" Ronan said.

"But. . . you'd get tired of carrying me," Elesis argued. Ronan just smiled, before he picked Elesis up, holding her around the shoulders with one arm, and under her knees with the other. It reminded me of how a groom would carry his bride.

Hugging his neck, Elesis murmured, "Well, if you want to, Ronan."

With that settled, I said, "Let's go then."

"A'ight," Ryan said. "Lire? Are you okay?" He looked around. Lire was underneath a tree, snoring away. Ryan went over and nudged her gently.

"No, I don't wanna go. . ." Lire said, in her sleep.

"Come on, Ryan," Lass said, visible again.

"Must be a dream," I said.

"I shouldn't disturb her," Ryan said, before he picked Lire up.

"Please. . ." Lire seemed to beg. "Let me marry him. . ."

Ryan looked startled. "It must be about her parents. . ."

"No. . ." Lire seemed to answer.

It took us a few hours to arrive at the Xenia Continent, once again.