Chapter 4: The Metal Demons and Runes
Kashiko woke up to the light of the moon streaming through the window. He slowly opened his eyes. He tried closing his eyes and falling back asleep, but for some reason, couldn't. He sat up slowly and walked over to the window. The moon was nearly full. He smiled at the silver light that made him look like he was glowing.
Suddenly, he was aware there was somebody else around him. He turned around. To his much surprise someone was behind him. It was more like a ghost… you could see through her. And she was floating, about half a foot in the air. She had long gentle, flowing hair, and angel-soft wings.
"Who…who are you?" Kashiko asked. The ghostly figure said nothing, and did nothing.
"You must protect her, Selryam!" It said. Kashiko edged back at how the figure knew his name.
"H-how do you know my name?" Kashiko stammered, nearly terrified.
"Protect her. She has something they want, and they know it," It replied, without answering his question.
"Who are 'they'?" Kashiko asked, confused, and afraid.
"The Metal Demons," She finally answered. "Belselk is coming. You must leave! And now!" She started to fade away.
"No! Wait!" Kashiko said, reaching out to the figure.
"Protect her!" It last said, before she faded completely away.
"…'Protect her'?" He repeated. "Leave now?" Kashiko tried to shake it off. I must be seeing things, he convinced himself. Protect her… Linea? Is that who she was talking about?
A voice in his mind said, Listen to her! YOU MUST LEAVE NOW! Belselk is almost here! PROTECT LINEA!
Kashiko wasn't sure… could he really listen to a-a… ghost? He decided he would try and get them up to leave.
"James, Trett!" Kashiko said, shaking the two. James mumbled and pulled the covers over his head. "Get up, now!" James turned and looked at Kashiko.
"What?" He asked yawning. Kashiko sighed.
"We have to get out of here," Kashiko replied.
"Huh?" He lazily said.
"GET UP NOW!" Kashiko said, almost yelling.
"Alright! Alright!" James finally got up and stretched. He didn't know what was going on, and didn't know what was up with Kashiko.
"Try and get Trett up, I'll go get Linea." James nodded. Kashiko walked through the door of his room, and went to Linea's room. "Linea, get up!" He whispered. She opened her eyes lazily.
"Kashiko! What are you doing in here?!?!" Linea said, sitting up straight.
"I don't have time to explain! But we have to get out of here!" He replied. "G–," before he could finish, there was a loud explosion heard outside. He looked out the window. What he saw was horrible. They had broken through the gates of the city. "Get dressed, and you better hurry!" He ran into James' room.
"What the hell was that?!?!" James yelled.
"They got through the city gates!" Kashiko said. James gave a quizzical look.
"'They'?" He asked. Kashiko shook his head to say 'no time to explain'. Trett and James were already packed and were ready to leave and run. BAM! Another explosion occurred. Trett looked out. They exploded a small building in the market place. Linea ran inside the room.
"Uh, are we going to go or what?!" Linea said. "C'mon!" They all ran out of the room and downstairs. They ran out of the Phoenix Fyre Inn and got onto their horses. A huge green monster stepped in front of them. He wore black pants, and no shoes, revealing clawed feet, and a purple vest. The horses reared up.
"Well. Linea, a pleasure to see you," He hissed, and laughed. His laugh was deep and rich with evil.
"How do you know my name?" Linea yelled out at him. He laughed again. Linea noticed people peeking out their windows of their homes.
"Because we have been watching you, very closely. You have what we want Linea," He replied. The green hideous beast turned to Kashiko, who was up in front of Linea and them. "Give me the girl, and I will spare your lives." Kashiko grinded his teeth. Linea looked at Kashiko.
"Never!" He screamed. Linea looked at the beast in front of them. The beast chuckled.
"Then DIE!" He screamed, and got in an attack position.
"You wish!" James drew his sword from its sheath, and Trett took out his bow and arrows. Linea held her staff, and Kashiko had his. They all got off their horses, and stood in front of the beast.
"Belselk of the Metal Demons always wins," the monster replied. "It's useless to fight me!" He laughed again.
"Well, now you're going to be Belselk of the Dead Demons!" Trett screamed out, putting an arrow to his bow and aiming at Belselk. He fired. "What?" He whispered. The arrow had bounced off of something in front of Belselk. "A shield! GAHHH!" Trett drew his sword instead. Belselk chuckled at Trett.
James charged at Belselk with his sword, ready to ram it in his stomach. Belselk quickly blocked him with his own sword. They clashed swords a few times, and James got slashed in the face.
"FlameThrower!" yelled Linea, aiming her staff at Belselk. A spiral of flames hit into him, coming from her staff tip.
"Gah!" He yelled in pain. He looked up at Linea, and yelled, "Vortex!" A tornado of air span towards Linea. Kashiko looked her way. Protect her! A voice said in his mind. Kashiko ran in front of Linea, seeing it, and he instead got hit. The debris in the tornado slashed up his face and arms.
"Kashiko!" Linea said. "Are you okay?" Kashiko nodded, and tried his best to stand, though he had blood tripping from his cheeks everywhere, and blood spilled off his arms.
"So, she has feelings for that human, 'Kashiko'," Belselk mumbled, and grinned evilly. "Dark Blast!" He screamed. Kashiko was hit by a ray of black, and gasped, grabbing his stomach while being flung against the ground from the impact. Linea gasped and faced Belselk. "Give us what we seek!" Belselk screamed in his deep tone of voice. Linea growled angrily.
"Never!" She said, walking in front Kashiko. She closed her eyes and held her staff out in front of her horizontally. "Water Rune!" She raised her staff upward over her head. A huge creature came from behind Linea. It craned its long neck out and roared. A tidal wave roared up in front of Linea and smashed into Belselk, knocking him on his back.
"She has the runes!" Belselk screamed, furious. "You'll see me again, COUNT ON IT!" He ran off with his minions behind him. Linea ran back up to Kashiko.
"Kashiko! Kashiko, are you alright?" Linea asked. She held him up firmly in her arms. James and Trett walked over to her.
"I'm… fine…" He murmured. Linea shook her head, looking at all the scars and cuts he had. She used her sleeve to wipe the blood off of his face and arms. Linea couldn't heal well, but she would give it her best shot.
Linea lifted her palm upward, and a little purple orb was spinning above her hand. It began to grow till it was almost a foot wide. She moved her palm over Kashiko and moved her hand away. The orb split into two and fell softly on Kashiko's arms, and the wounds on his arms shrunk until they disappeared. Linea moved his hand from his stomach and gasped in horror at what she saw. His stomach was bleeding badly.
"I can't heal this…" She mumbled. She picked up Kashiko gently. James helped her hold Kashiko up, and Trett helped too. "I need my bag, hold him up Trett." Trett took over where Linea had held up Kashiko and Linea rushed to get a bag on her horse. She got it and ran back. "Let's take him to the room," She ordered. They walked back inside the inn, and saw that the innkeeper was so terrified he fainted. They reached the room and Linea said to put him on the bed. Kashiko's eyes were barely open.
"Kashiko, hang in there," Trett said worried. Linea went downstairs quickly and stole a goblet of water and came back up. She dipped bandaging in the water and cleaned off Kashiko's wound. It hurt to see her friend wounded so badly, and know she couldn't heal well. After she finished cleaning his wound she put bandaging around his stomach.
"Let him lay down, he needs to rest and recover," Linea said. James and Trett could hear the worry in her voice. Before they knew it, Kashiko was already asleep.
Selryam…
"Who said that?" Kashiko asked, looking around and finding nothing but darkness.
Selryam… the Chosen one…
"What?" Kashiko asked.
Selryam, the Chosen one, chosen to protect the Innocent One…
"What are you talking about?" Kashiko was starting to get irritated.
You are chosen to protect Linea, the Innocent one, to protect th—
Before the voice could finish what it was saying, Kashiko's eyes flung open. He blinked several times. "The… Innocent One...?" he muttered.
"What?" Linea asked. Kashiko was unaware she was sitting next to him. He sat up, but her hands pressed on his shoulders to lay him back down.
"Uh… nothing," He said. Linea nodded.
"You've been out quite a while… almost two days," Linea said with a worried look. Kashiko could barely remember what happened.
"Two days?!" He whispered. Linea nodded again. "Was I hurt that badly?"
"You were hit by a Dark Blast," Linea explained. "Normally it wouldn't be that bad, but he was stronger than others, especially since he's of the dark kind. And what are the Metal Demons?"
"I… don't know…" Kashiko answered. "What is that water rune you used?"
Linea grinned, and said, "They are guardians. They get summoned from the runes. Water was Stoldark." Kashiko nodded. "I also have Gurdijeff, Fangalon, and Moa Gault. Earth, Wind, and Fire. The four basics are all I have right now, but there are defiantly more." Kashiko smiled, and looked at Linea. "Where were you that whole time, Selryam?" She asked quietly.
"I had gone to another city to train… My father forced me to," He explained. "I tried to visit several times, but my father always made excuses for me not to go." Linea nodded softly at his explanation. James walked in the room with a tray of water and some fruit.
"I see you're awake Kashiko," James said, smiling. Kashiko grinned back.
"Yes… I heard I was asleep nearly two days," Kashiko said. James nodded.
"We were worried," Trett said walking in. Kashiko looked over at him. Trett most likely overheard them outside. Kashiko smiled.
"Worried eh?" Kashiko said. Linea grinned at him.
"Yes, worried." She repeated, nudging him playfully. Kashiko looked at Linea. Her eyes… are so… soft, and beautiful… he confessed through his thoughts. He shook his head softly and looked away. I won't like my best friend, Na-uh, no way. He convinced himself.
"I'm gonna get some rest," Kashiko said, turning on his side towards a window. Linea nodded, and left with the others. She took a side-glance at Kashiko before shutting the door behind her.
Kashiko woke up to the light of the moon streaming through the window. He slowly opened his eyes. He tried closing his eyes and falling back asleep, but for some reason, couldn't. He sat up slowly and walked over to the window. The moon was nearly full. He smiled at the silver light that made him look like he was glowing.
Suddenly, he was aware there was somebody else around him. He turned around. To his much surprise someone was behind him. It was more like a ghost… you could see through her. And she was floating, about half a foot in the air. She had long gentle, flowing hair, and angel-soft wings.
"Who…who are you?" Kashiko asked. The ghostly figure said nothing, and did nothing.
"You must protect her, Selryam!" It said. Kashiko edged back at how the figure knew his name.
"H-how do you know my name?" Kashiko stammered, nearly terrified.
"Protect her. She has something they want, and they know it," It replied, without answering his question.
"Who are 'they'?" Kashiko asked, confused, and afraid.
"The Metal Demons," She finally answered. "Belselk is coming. You must leave! And now!" She started to fade away.
"No! Wait!" Kashiko said, reaching out to the figure.
"Protect her!" It last said, before she faded completely away.
"…'Protect her'?" He repeated. "Leave now?" Kashiko tried to shake it off. I must be seeing things, he convinced himself. Protect her… Linea? Is that who she was talking about?
A voice in his mind said, Listen to her! YOU MUST LEAVE NOW! Belselk is almost here! PROTECT LINEA!
Kashiko wasn't sure… could he really listen to a-a… ghost? He decided he would try and get them up to leave.
"James, Trett!" Kashiko said, shaking the two. James mumbled and pulled the covers over his head. "Get up, now!" James turned and looked at Kashiko.
"What?" He asked yawning. Kashiko sighed.
"We have to get out of here," Kashiko replied.
"Huh?" He lazily said.
"GET UP NOW!" Kashiko said, almost yelling.
"Alright! Alright!" James finally got up and stretched. He didn't know what was going on, and didn't know what was up with Kashiko.
"Try and get Trett up, I'll go get Linea." James nodded. Kashiko walked through the door of his room, and went to Linea's room. "Linea, get up!" He whispered. She opened her eyes lazily.
"Kashiko! What are you doing in here?!?!" Linea said, sitting up straight.
"I don't have time to explain! But we have to get out of here!" He replied. "G–," before he could finish, there was a loud explosion heard outside. He looked out the window. What he saw was horrible. They had broken through the gates of the city. "Get dressed, and you better hurry!" He ran into James' room.
"What the hell was that?!?!" James yelled.
"They got through the city gates!" Kashiko said. James gave a quizzical look.
"'They'?" He asked. Kashiko shook his head to say 'no time to explain'. Trett and James were already packed and were ready to leave and run. BAM! Another explosion occurred. Trett looked out. They exploded a small building in the market place. Linea ran inside the room.
"Uh, are we going to go or what?!" Linea said. "C'mon!" They all ran out of the room and downstairs. They ran out of the Phoenix Fyre Inn and got onto their horses. A huge green monster stepped in front of them. He wore black pants, and no shoes, revealing clawed feet, and a purple vest. The horses reared up.
"Well. Linea, a pleasure to see you," He hissed, and laughed. His laugh was deep and rich with evil.
"How do you know my name?" Linea yelled out at him. He laughed again. Linea noticed people peeking out their windows of their homes.
"Because we have been watching you, very closely. You have what we want Linea," He replied. The green hideous beast turned to Kashiko, who was up in front of Linea and them. "Give me the girl, and I will spare your lives." Kashiko grinded his teeth. Linea looked at Kashiko.
"Never!" He screamed. Linea looked at the beast in front of them. The beast chuckled.
"Then DIE!" He screamed, and got in an attack position.
"You wish!" James drew his sword from its sheath, and Trett took out his bow and arrows. Linea held her staff, and Kashiko had his. They all got off their horses, and stood in front of the beast.
"Belselk of the Metal Demons always wins," the monster replied. "It's useless to fight me!" He laughed again.
"Well, now you're going to be Belselk of the Dead Demons!" Trett screamed out, putting an arrow to his bow and aiming at Belselk. He fired. "What?" He whispered. The arrow had bounced off of something in front of Belselk. "A shield! GAHHH!" Trett drew his sword instead. Belselk chuckled at Trett.
James charged at Belselk with his sword, ready to ram it in his stomach. Belselk quickly blocked him with his own sword. They clashed swords a few times, and James got slashed in the face.
"FlameThrower!" yelled Linea, aiming her staff at Belselk. A spiral of flames hit into him, coming from her staff tip.
"Gah!" He yelled in pain. He looked up at Linea, and yelled, "Vortex!" A tornado of air span towards Linea. Kashiko looked her way. Protect her! A voice said in his mind. Kashiko ran in front of Linea, seeing it, and he instead got hit. The debris in the tornado slashed up his face and arms.
"Kashiko!" Linea said. "Are you okay?" Kashiko nodded, and tried his best to stand, though he had blood tripping from his cheeks everywhere, and blood spilled off his arms.
"So, she has feelings for that human, 'Kashiko'," Belselk mumbled, and grinned evilly. "Dark Blast!" He screamed. Kashiko was hit by a ray of black, and gasped, grabbing his stomach while being flung against the ground from the impact. Linea gasped and faced Belselk. "Give us what we seek!" Belselk screamed in his deep tone of voice. Linea growled angrily.
"Never!" She said, walking in front Kashiko. She closed her eyes and held her staff out in front of her horizontally. "Water Rune!" She raised her staff upward over her head. A huge creature came from behind Linea. It craned its long neck out and roared. A tidal wave roared up in front of Linea and smashed into Belselk, knocking him on his back.
"She has the runes!" Belselk screamed, furious. "You'll see me again, COUNT ON IT!" He ran off with his minions behind him. Linea ran back up to Kashiko.
"Kashiko! Kashiko, are you alright?" Linea asked. She held him up firmly in her arms. James and Trett walked over to her.
"I'm… fine…" He murmured. Linea shook her head, looking at all the scars and cuts he had. She used her sleeve to wipe the blood off of his face and arms. Linea couldn't heal well, but she would give it her best shot.
Linea lifted her palm upward, and a little purple orb was spinning above her hand. It began to grow till it was almost a foot wide. She moved her palm over Kashiko and moved her hand away. The orb split into two and fell softly on Kashiko's arms, and the wounds on his arms shrunk until they disappeared. Linea moved his hand from his stomach and gasped in horror at what she saw. His stomach was bleeding badly.
"I can't heal this…" She mumbled. She picked up Kashiko gently. James helped her hold Kashiko up, and Trett helped too. "I need my bag, hold him up Trett." Trett took over where Linea had held up Kashiko and Linea rushed to get a bag on her horse. She got it and ran back. "Let's take him to the room," She ordered. They walked back inside the inn, and saw that the innkeeper was so terrified he fainted. They reached the room and Linea said to put him on the bed. Kashiko's eyes were barely open.
"Kashiko, hang in there," Trett said worried. Linea went downstairs quickly and stole a goblet of water and came back up. She dipped bandaging in the water and cleaned off Kashiko's wound. It hurt to see her friend wounded so badly, and know she couldn't heal well. After she finished cleaning his wound she put bandaging around his stomach.
"Let him lay down, he needs to rest and recover," Linea said. James and Trett could hear the worry in her voice. Before they knew it, Kashiko was already asleep.
Selryam…
"Who said that?" Kashiko asked, looking around and finding nothing but darkness.
Selryam… the Chosen one…
"What?" Kashiko asked.
Selryam, the Chosen one, chosen to protect the Innocent One…
"What are you talking about?" Kashiko was starting to get irritated.
You are chosen to protect Linea, the Innocent one, to protect th—
Before the voice could finish what it was saying, Kashiko's eyes flung open. He blinked several times. "The… Innocent One...?" he muttered.
"What?" Linea asked. Kashiko was unaware she was sitting next to him. He sat up, but her hands pressed on his shoulders to lay him back down.
"Uh… nothing," He said. Linea nodded.
"You've been out quite a while… almost two days," Linea said with a worried look. Kashiko could barely remember what happened.
"Two days?!" He whispered. Linea nodded again. "Was I hurt that badly?"
"You were hit by a Dark Blast," Linea explained. "Normally it wouldn't be that bad, but he was stronger than others, especially since he's of the dark kind. And what are the Metal Demons?"
"I… don't know…" Kashiko answered. "What is that water rune you used?"
Linea grinned, and said, "They are guardians. They get summoned from the runes. Water was Stoldark." Kashiko nodded. "I also have Gurdijeff, Fangalon, and Moa Gault. Earth, Wind, and Fire. The four basics are all I have right now, but there are defiantly more." Kashiko smiled, and looked at Linea. "Where were you that whole time, Selryam?" She asked quietly.
"I had gone to another city to train… My father forced me to," He explained. "I tried to visit several times, but my father always made excuses for me not to go." Linea nodded softly at his explanation. James walked in the room with a tray of water and some fruit.
"I see you're awake Kashiko," James said, smiling. Kashiko grinned back.
"Yes… I heard I was asleep nearly two days," Kashiko said. James nodded.
"We were worried," Trett said walking in. Kashiko looked over at him. Trett most likely overheard them outside. Kashiko smiled.
"Worried eh?" Kashiko said. Linea grinned at him.
"Yes, worried." She repeated, nudging him playfully. Kashiko looked at Linea. Her eyes… are so… soft, and beautiful… he confessed through his thoughts. He shook his head softly and looked away. I won't like my best friend, Na-uh, no way. He convinced himself.
"I'm gonna get some rest," Kashiko said, turning on his side towards a window. Linea nodded, and left with the others. She took a side-glance at Kashiko before shutting the door behind her.