Felinis: SO here's a bit of irony. My mom has asked me why I haven't gone to the therapy counseling my school provides to deal with my anxiety. My answer was because I'm to anxious... haha. The more I write fanfic the more broken I realize I am

"Damuron why don't you like me?" Lowell asked he followed the young man through the street.

Damuron's cold blue eyes glared at him. "I don't trust you. That's why. I don't trust you near Hanna. I don't trust you with the knights. Hell, I don't trust you near a stove."

Lowell pouted and leaned into his arms. "I didn't mean to cause a fire."

The young man thought his blood might boil over. "You were making a sandwich!"

"To be, fair I've never cooked before, but I thought Hanna might be impressed if I could cook." Damuron couldn't tell if the man was sincere or not. Nobody was that hopeless, but then Lowell seemed to always prove him wrong. He didn't know what to think of the man.

"She might be impressed." But, not for the reason, the Krytian was hoping. The fool just kept smiling. What a moron. Or maybe, that was his ploy. "Or she'll think your pathetic."

Lowell seemed to think for a minute. "Then why don't you teach me?""

"No."

Lowell pouted. "Please?"

"No."

Lowell pulled him to a hug. "Please!"

Damuron struggled to pull out of the hug, "No! Get off me!"

Lowell smirked and hugged tighter. "I'll let go if you promise to teach me!" Damuron tried to pry himself out, but the Krytian man was stronger than his body portrayed. "Well?"

He huffed. "Fine."

Hisca and Chastel watched Yuri dote on Repede while they waited for Flynn to return. The twins looked at the halfer and thought the sight was rather sad. For someone who didn't like animals, he seemed to be very torn about the matter. Niren watched the young man go about with the dog on his heels. The captain wasn't a man to delve in feelings too much, but he understood. There's a pain in killing someone that you never wanted to. It's bitter, long, and never quite heals right.

Yuri pat Repede's head softly as he lay inside the common area. The puppy cuddled into his chest content just to be spoiled. He smiled bitterly as the puppy asked once again to know where his father was. Yuri tried to explain, but how do you kindly explain death? He wasn't sure. When Finath had died they'd just been sad. Heroes and knights weren't supposed to die. That's what Yuri thought when he was a kid. But, then the letter came.

One little letter and suddenly death faced them. It was confusing and bizarre. They both hadn't believed it at first and had almost hoped death was a fairy tale. Of course, it isn't, but kids can dream. Repede, while a dog, was still young and couldn't understand the loss of his father. It would take time and Yuri was certain the puppy would be furious with him. He'd deal with that when it came time.

Hisca approached him slowly. "You know, animals aren't allowed inside."

"Whatever." He muttered.

Chastel huffed. "If you're going to go spoiling Repede do so outside."

Yuri just turned his head. "Who cares? It's one dog."

"You can't just make exceptions whenever you feel like it!" Repede barked and snorted. Yeah, Chastel is a drag. Hisca stopped her sister and shook her head. Chastel groaned. "Fine do what you want." She stormed off.

Yuri glanced at Hisca who stood fiddling with her hands. "I think that it's nice that you care so much. But, don't push your luck! You're already on thin ice just for being… you." And, she was gone.

Repede barked. "Yeah, I know. People are really weird about their rules." Yuri lay about with the puppy till he insisted on wanting to walk around. "Fine by me. Lead the way."

As they wandered around they eventually reached the library. Repede was apparently fascinated by the weird acidic smell of ink. Yuri warned him not to touch the books and let the dog roam. He stood by and heard someone walk in. His face scrunched. Great him.

"Ah, Yuri," Garista said as he eyed Yuri. "What brings you here? I thought you said that you weren't fond of reading."

"I'm not." Books didn't do anything for Yuri. "I'm just walking around."

Garista nodded. "I see." Yuri started to head towards Repede, but the man placed a hand on him. "There's a matter I've been meaning to discuss with you for some time now.

"And, that is?"

"I was wondering who taught you ancient Geraios."

Yuri raised his brow. "Geraios?"

The man chuckled. "That language you started speaking during one of our appointments. It's an almost forgotten dialect, but you speak it fluently." Yuri stayed cautious. "I only picked up on the fact because of my research into ancient formulas. It was fascinating." Garista adjusted his glasses. "You just slipped into it without thinking. Who taught you? Your mother? Your father?"

Yuri did his best to subtly distance himself. "Neither." So, that 'nonsense' Flynn was always talking about was a language? Even if Garista had some idea on what Yuri might be dodging the topic was best. Didn't matter if the man believed him. If he managed to get out the problem a bit longer that was fine. "There was a weird old lady at the church I grew up in. She taught me. I always thought it was just nonsense."

Garista looked disappointed. "I don't suppose this woman is still around?"

"No. Olive died a few years ago." Hopefully, this jerk would buy that excuse.

"My condolences. She must have been a spring of knowledge." There was no remorse. "These days only a handful of researchers and Krytians can speak it." So, it was a Krytian thing? No, that couldn't be it. Yuri knew for a fact that whatever he was he wasn't Krytian. The horns gave it away. Repede was looking at him from the rows. "Do you know of the mythos on the birth of the Krytian people."

Yuri shrugged. "A bit. I grew up in a church so I got the gist. Krytians were born of demons that the Goddess cast from hell and lost their powers, but they couldn't become humans so now they're freaks."

"That's almost it, but not quite." Garista went to a shelf and pulled out a book. "They say that the gods of old that stood alongside the Goddess. Once powerful and mighty beings. But, there was discord between them and the Goddess cursed them to demonhood." He leafed through a few pages. "She pitied the few though who still held onto their morals. Even as a deity she could not restore them to their old selves, so instead she made them into humans. The sin still remained so the form was tainted with some of the power of hell. And, with that power came the language of Geraios." Garista finally seemed to find what he was looking for. "That's one of the reasons historians refer to it as the language of demons. Only those with the blood can properly speak it." He handed the book over and Yuri stared at the page. Whatever was written there clearly wasn't any language he knew. The letters didn't even seem real. "Can you read it?"

"Nope."

"Too bad. It would give you something of value to add to the brigade." Right, he got it. Yuri was a monster. A freak. Something that didn't belong.

Repede was now at his feet and Yuri used this an opportunity to get away. "Hey, how did you get in here? Let's get you back outside." Repede barked in confusion and Yuri gave him a look. The dog nodded and Yuri scooped him up. "Excuse me." Yuri only sighed in relief once outside. Creep. But, he stopped to think. Maybe, Yuri was a demon? But, the idea of that was so stupid. Even, if he had some sort of inherent 'hell speech' the idea that something like demons was lame.

When Flynn returned home, Yuri was just finished feeding the remaining dogs. Flynn looked at him bitterly. "Nice cushy job you got taking care of the dogs."

Yuri turned to him and growled under his breath. "What? Oh, I have a cushy job huh? I'm sure it was real tough for you standing around at the ceremony."

Flynn shoved him as he walked by. "Get out of my way." Yuri couldn't stand the attitude. Ever since they got here Flynn kept getting more and more uptight. Snapping when his father was brought up and sometimes almost looking ashamed of Yuri. "I'm too busy for you."

Busy with what? Being an ass. Flynn had every right to be proud as a knight. Yuri was just lucky to be here. "And, it must be nice getting pampered just because your Daddy was a knight too." Flynn snapped and punched Yuri in the jaw knocking him to the ground. So, that was how it was gonna be? Fine. "Screw you. I guess being a jerk's the one thing you're good at!" He lunged to tackle Flynn's waist and the blonde beat at his back.

Yuri punched Flynn and Flynn kicked back. They tossed punches at each other till Yuri grew tired and tackled Flynn to the ground attacking his face in a barrage of hits. He was flipped to ground a similar process repeated. Yuri bit him and they tussled back and forth in a similar fashion back and forth. He could hear Repede crying for them to stop, but he couldn't give less of a fuck. He was sick of it.

Flynn's better than though attitude that he'd been slowly growing. Yuri could see it in the way he avoided him and heard it the whispers from the other troops. Flynn was normal and his Dad had been a knight. Everyone was going to look at him like he was fucking wonderful. Yuri hated that. He was a freak. There was no way around it, but Flynn wasn't supposed to think better of him. They were equals!

Yurgis pulled him into a vice grip from Flynn. "What the hell is going on here? Yuri, what are you doing?" Yuri spat the blood from his mouth. Of course, it was his fault. Flynn glared at him as he stood up from the mud. Yurgis looked between them and sighed.

They walked in silently. A single phrase laid unsaid.

"That's thirteen."

Niren sighed. "How many times am I going to see you two in here like this? Go take a bath you stink. We'll talk after that."

"How can you so relaxed with everything that's happening? We have to do something!" Yuri yelled.

"We can't for now," Flynn said stalely. "He's not sending anyone till after the ceremony. His orders are for us to hold the fort. I'll bring the documents to you later."

Niren nodded. "I see. Very well."

Yuri clenched his fist. "Did you even explain everything that's been going on here!"

"Yes!" Flynn said. "I can't help whatever headquarters decides to do."

"Wait until after the ceremony…" Yuri boiled at the idea. In just two days, things had gone from bad to worse around here. "So, what we sit around and do nothing?"

"Don't you think I said the same thing! They just don't see us as a priority." Flynn's voice raised higher. "There's nothing we can do!"

Yuri grabbed his shirt. "People have died Flynn!"

Flynn shook him off. "I suppose you think I didn't try hard enough!"

Niren snapped. "Quit your arguing." He looked to Flynn. "It looks like I gave you unpleasant task Flynn. I'm sorry, that was inconsiderate."

Yuri couldn't believe this! "You're sorry?"

Niren silenced him. "This situation is only getting worse. If it keeps up the town will be in danger. So, tomorrow we'll investigate the ruins."

Flynn's eyes widened. "But, sir if we do that people will die! We can't just disobey and order-"

He stopped and Yuri saw Flynn's jaw clench. "Thinking of your old man?"

"Yeah, I am." There was so much bitterness. "He liked ignoring orders too." Flynn could remember the letter. That dreadful note talking about his Father's disgraceful fall in battle and disobedience. "Headquarters had stopped the attack…"

Yuri looked at him sourly. When they were kids he hadn't been very privy to details, but he'd learned that far off battle had been in the Lower Quarter involving a terrorist group. "Have you forgotten people in the Lower Quarter were dying? He died protecting citizens and his family."

Flynn didn't care. He knew all that. It still didn't change what he'd done to their family. His Mom had changed after that. Something about her got harder and he was certain it was her heart. "My Father died disobeying the orders he was given. Did you know they never found his body?" Because it had been reduced to ash… "I am never going to make the same mistake that my father did."

Niren stood and walked towards the rain-stained window. "Our job is to protect the people who live in this town. That's my duty as a knight and I take it very seriously. Flynn, stay a knight a little longer before you decide if what you Father did was a mistake or a commitment to sacred duty. We leave first thing in the morning! Garista inform the others, would you." The tactician gave a nod. Yuri left first and Flynn was stopped by Niren and gave him a brief synopsis of what happened. "Don't give him a hard time about it." Flynn nodded and went on his way.

Flynn got out later and he noted that as always Yuri had made a mess, but he couldn't find it him to be angry. He kept thinking of his Father. The kind man who he'd always looked up to. His Father had always seemed like a shining beacon of justice, but here in the knights, he was a disgrace. A name to mock. His father, his best friend, his upbringing to this system it was a joke. Flynn sat on the bed. "I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't know Lambert had died." Yuri would never say it, but Flynn was certain that was cutting deep into him."

Yuri shook his head from the other bed. "No, I'm sorry. I'm was just shocked they refuse us outright."

Flynn swallowed. "My Father's body never got a proper burial. They only gave us a few personal effects." He grabbed the sheets of his bed. "Once you die it's over. Nothings left that matters." Nothing. And, who would mourn for them? No one.

Yuri sighed and sat up. "The monsters are practically at our door. I'm with the captain. We have to do something."

Flynn huffed. Why couldn't Yuri see this was suicide? "The whole reason we asked for help was because it was too much for us to handle. We should wait."

"If we don't do something more people will die. I've seen enough death." And each time he'd been useless. With Lambert, with Norien, Olive. All the people over the years he'd seen die from one thing or another. "I'm ready to start fighting back!" He was sick of playing it safe.

"If we die who protects them?" Flynn said.

Yuri put on his boots and walked out. "I'm going to see Repede."

The dog was happy to see him and Yuri smiled. Now that the rain had cleared a walk seemed like a good idea. They went through the town and Yuri kept his head down just in case. Last thing he needed was a flare.

"Repede?" The dog looked at him. "I'm not human?"

He shook his head. "No. You smell totally different."

Yuri smiled and looked at the trimmed claws. "What do you think? Is that good or bad?"

Repede barked. "Doesn't matter if you ask me."

They stopped at the wall just above the tavern where he'd had his brawl watching the bald jerk vomit his guts out. He looked up at the sky. The stars where bright tonight underneath the light of the barrier. He looked at the full moon and leaned into the view. Fuck it. If tonight was his last chance to look at the night sky, then Yuri was going to take in the view.

Felinis: This chapter was a chore. I didn't want to jump straight to the fight, because there's a lot of emotion dealt in this act of the film. The problem is that I pretty much had to restate a lot of scenes and a add a few embellishments. Which is booooooorrrrrring. But, I felt even if I was restating a lot there is too much in those scenes to just skip them entirely, but the dialogue is almost word for word. I would have changed it if it wasn't for the fact I didn't want to mess with anything too much. This whole think is like a balancing act and I'm trying to figure it out.