Part 49.

Seth was pacing around in his room, trying to figure out how to satisfy his beloved with her in such a mood. He finally decided to leave the bedroom and come downstairs, only to find that the entire Romaly Palace was empty except for Taro and Angelo. They had set up a game of chess in the reception hall.

"Have you seen Alicia anywhere?" Seth asked them. "I can't seem to find her or Tara anywhere in the palace."

"They might have gone to town and check out the shops," Taro suggested, finally moving his knight piece in front of Angelo's bishop.

"Alicia hates shopping," Seth said as he rolled his eyes.

"Maybe they wanted to get some air," Angelo said, using his rook to take out Taro's knight. "Boom, check."

Taro blew air out of the side of his mouth, making a fake farting noise. "Do what, you perverted priest?" he asked, moving his queen piece to protect his king. "Not anymore."

Seth watched the game between the two for a minute before saying, "Isn't that funny, how the queen is the most powerful piece on the board. All the king can do is make movements based on where the rest of his men are, just to keep safe." He then shook his head. "Guys, please, where are Tara and Alicia?"

Angelo shrugged. "Nope."

Taro laughed loudly, "I gotcha now, mofo, check that out! Checkmate!"

Seth grunted loudly. "Guys, why are you ignoring me? Where are the girls?"

Angelo looked up at him from the table. "I'm just buyin' them time, dude," he said quietly. "I know they're in trouble, but I promised I wouldn't say anything."

Seth went into a mild panic. "Oh HELL," he swore. "You two, come with me. This isn't going to end well, you know they're going to just start trouble over there."

Taro shook his head. "I'll keep watch here. You two go. Someone has to make sure that no one tries to take your spot while you're gone, if you know what I mean." He then shrugged. "You'll be fine."

Seth and Angelo went outside and used a chimera wing, flying themselves out to the gate that used to lead to Batzoreg. They found horse tracks, but no trace of humanity except a fire down on the other side of the plains. They didn't have much of an option, so they headed over there.

Meanwhile, Tara and Alicia had found a small tent pitched up in the center of all the tribespeople. Since it seemed like it was mostly ignored, they decided to step on in and see what they could find.

Before they opened the flap to go inside, they both heard voices inside.

"Chief Batzarat, please," it was Art's voice. "I know she had a nightmare. She's not used to being seperated from family. You can't just seal off her memory completely."

"You city man come seeking peace and new life," the chief replied. "You beg for love, we give you everything. You disrupt our peace but want to stay? Memory of all but you, unborn, and tribe go."

"With all due respect, I don't believe this is how you should do it," Art insisted, as if he was on the very verge of crying. "We must teach her the ways of the tribe to move forward, not take away what she was from her."

"Why you sad? Your woman remember you, listen to you. She love you. That not change," the chief said. "We take her to the water now. I go say the prayers. Move."

"Sir," Art called to him, "Wasn't it your own stories that told that ones experience made a person who they are? Suzuri will be nothing but a blank slate without her memories. What's the value in loving me if she doesn't remember how that came to be?"

Alicia and Tara hid to let the Chief pass, then jumped in the tent themselves. They found Art on his knees, struggling to keep himself from crying, and Suzuri sitting there on the floor completely still with a blank expression on her face.

Art looked up. "It's you?" he asked.

"You damn right it's me," Alicia said. "I mean... us! What in the hell are you doing?"

"Trying to make a new life for us, thank you very much," Art said, getting up. "Get out of here."

"No, we're taking Suzuri home," Tara said sternly. "We can't even function without her, and we came all this way. So, either you come along peacefully or come along forcefully."

Art walked over to Suzuri. "Love," he said, catching her attention. "Are you listening to me?"

"Yes," she replied softly. "Anything you say, I will listen to. I am your wife."

He sighed. "We need to go. Come with me." Art took her hand just to make sure she was following him. It was dark magic that Batzarat used on her to bring her to sleep the previous night, and whatever it was, it was powerful. "You have to hold my hand, all right? Do not let go of my hand. I need to know where you are at all times. Don't... don't let go."

Suzuri nodded. "Understood. I will hold your hand."

"She sounds like an automata," Tara said. "Like her mind's been wiped clean."

"In a way, it has," Art said, causing Tara to go into a mild shock. "That's why I'm against it in the first place. To prevent her from having further nightmares like the one she suffered last night, Batzarat used magic to clear her memories of anything that doesn't pertain to the life with the tribe. But that spell isn't permanent. When she wakes tomorrow, her memories will come back. With this ritual, he can make it permanent, and that... that's what scares me." He started to walk out with the three girls behind him, but was stopped by Batzarat himself.

"You bring your woman at good time," Batzarat said with a smile. "Bring to river. Been blessed."

Tara and Alicia stayed hidden in the tent, watching. They had to wait until the moment was exactly right to strike.

Art gently led Suzuri to the water, kissing her forehead before telling her to go in. "Now it's okay to let go, Love," he said sadly. "I love you."

"I love you," she said back, even though it sounded extremely empty. "I want to keep holding your hand."

"I'll be right here," Art said. "The moment its over, you'll come right to me. Please, don't make this harder than it has to be. Sit on the riverbank. I'm here with you, right behind you." He sniffled a few times. "I will remember you as you were. I could never forget." Art forced her to let go of his hand and pushed her into the river water, sitting her on the bank. "See?" he asked, "Right here with you. Always right here with you. Don't... don't be scared."

"You sound like you are scared," Suzuri said, keeping her eyes forward. "Like you are scared because of me."

"No, no," Art said, finally breaking down, "I'm not scared because of you, Love, I'm scared for you."

The chief lifted his arms, calling up magic from the sky. "Like a river, time flows. Things come and go, like the sun and the moon each cycle. Let the waters of this mind become like the river, and allow the cycle to start anew."

"SHINING SHOT!"

As he lifted his staff, several shining arrows appeared from the sky, shattering the dark clouds and knocking the chief from his feet. When Tara looked to see where they had come from, Angelo was there on his way down.

"Now, move it!" Angelo screamed.

Alicia used her whip to gather Suzuri and Art and grabbed onto them. "Tara, use a chimera wing!" The magic gathered all four of them and sent them back to Romaly, and Angelo and Seth arrived just seconds later.

"What in hell were you doing out there?" Alicia yelled at Art. "Don't you realize that... that... well, we're a family, aren't we?"

Art just hung his head in shame. "I just wanted peace," he said. "For my wife, for my unborn."

Alicia rose her hand and slapped him hard. "You want peace, big brother, you fight for it. You want love? You fight for that, too. You don't run away from it."

Suddenly, a shining light appeared above their heads and fell before Alicia.

"Alicia, you have completed your personal trial. To congratulate you in your task, I must give you this." Celestria's voice said inside all of their minds. "Take this, along with the Moon Harp, to the Spring of Bravery, and you will find what you seek."

In her hands sat a magical cloth that changed color or texture with her thoughts. But that's not what Alicia wanted. She didn't care for Celestria anymore, considering what her church was doing to the rest of the world. She wanted some answers.

"Celestria, why do you allow the Church of Loto to act like they do?" Alicia asked. "I need some answers."

There was no reply.

"The Goddess does not answer the prayers of her 'few chosen ones'," Art said sternly. "Why would she answer a daughter of the Orochi?" He looked at Suzuri, feeling her forehead. "Oh, Love," he breathed out. "You look positively tired."

Suzuri nodded. "I am tired," she said, still without emotion or infliction. "But our yurt is not here. We must go back to sleep."

"No," Art said. "Seth, please, give this woman a bed."

Seth ran into the castle. "Follow me, brother, I got your back."