Chapter 5: What do you mean, 'lost'?
Linea woke the next morning and stretched out. She got on some new clothes and her boots, and walked downstairs to the bar. Down there she found Terra and Zynat talking. Terra noticed her and walked over to her.
"Hey Kaneko!" Terra said. "So, are ya'll leaving today?"
"Yes, I think so," Linea replied, sitting down in front of Terra. Terra leaned her head against Zynat's shoulder sleepily.
"So what's your journey all about?" Terra asked. Zynat leaned his head on Terra's. I wish Selryam were here to cuddle me… thought Linea to herself. She suddenly realized what she was thinking and shook her head.
"Well, it's to find the Ultimate Power. And I'm not really who I am. I'll explain later," Linea told them with a slight smile. Terra took her head off Zynat's shoulder, made a curios look, and nodded. "I'm gonna go see if the men are awake. Be right back." She left the table and went upstairs to check on them. Just as she was about to knock, Kashiko opened the door, startling her.
"Whoa, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Kashiko grinned out. Linea hit him in the arm playfully.
"Well, are the other two awake?" She asked. Kashiko nodded, as Trett and James walked out of the room. "Good, because we're getting ready to go." They all walked downstairs to the bar, and Linea introduced Terra and Zynat. They ate and went outside to get on their horses.
"Where are we going to again?" Terra asked.
"Fire Temple. We probably won't find the Power there, but maybe some clues," Kashiko replied for Linea. They mounted their horses, and Trett started rambling on to Mace, which lately was a usual thing for them.
"I wonder if we will find anything," James wondered out loud. Zynat shrugged.
"We can only hope, and the Gods and Goddesses know hope is strong," Linea said with a grin, leading them through the town gate and to the forest. About 30 minutes later, Linea heard a rustle in the bushes. She turned around to see two red eyes gleaming at her. "You guys," Linea started. "RUN!" Everyone obeyed quickly and started getting their horses running as fast as they could on the trail. When Linea turned around, she saw large wolf creatures running after them. Linea yelped out quietly and looked back ahead. Are they… after me?! She thought. "Keep going! I'll go a different way!" Linea yelled to them, trailing off onto a different path. The wolves seemed to ignore the others and chase only Linea.
"AHHH!" She yelled. "C'mon Myst!" She urged the horse on. The wolves started gaining on her. Linea got out her sword from her back and had it ready to fight. A wolf was beside her and the horse, nearly as tall as it. She slashed at it, still riding on. Her palms started to sweat as she slashed at more wolves. Then one from the side jumped onto Linea on the horse. They fell to the ground and Linea was starting to be attacked by them. Her sword had fallen about a foot from her hand. "AGHHH!!" She screamed as a wolf bit into her shoulder. She kicks one off her and grabbed her sword, violently stabbing each one in the heart to death. When they were all killed she couldn't move. They had bitten her legs, arms, and even part of her neck. She lied there on the ground, sweating and gasping. She leaned her head back on the grass. She was about to pass out. Then Kashiko rode up to her.
"Linea!!" He gasped out, looking at all the dead wolf bodies. He mounted off his horse and kneeled by her. "The others are going to meet us at a guard tower they found a bit off. Are you alright?" His look of concern made Linea wish she could say yes, but she shook her head. He lifted her up and mounted his horse carefully, placing her in front of him. Linea was in too much pain to think about what Kashiko was doing. He grabbed one rein with his and hand and the other held her up around her stomach. His warm touch seemed to comfort her. Kashiko rode quickly through the path and towards the guard tower.
"Agh…" she moaned. Her arms were in more pain from the trees scrapping against them. She tilted her head on his shoulder. Kashiko smiled, but Linea didn't see because her eyes had been closed. She looked down at her bloody arms, staining her outfit. She finally could think to herself and wondered about Kashiko. Like why he was holding her so close? Although she enjoyed it… *wink, wink.*
"Uh… hmm…" Kashiko mumbled, looking around confused. Linea didn't open her eyes, she wanted to rest. Before she knew it, she fell asleep. Kashiko didn't notice and went on a left trail on a fork in the road. "Grrrr, I can't remember which way…" He looked down at Linea who was sound asleep. He saw a clearing and decided they would stop there until someone found them, since it was still about morning.
He mounted off carefully then took Linea off. He got a blanket from the loads on Nimoshan and laid it on the ground, setting Linea on it to rest. She was badly beaten. He saw a small nearby stream and took a washcloth to rinse off Linea's wounds. What was she thinking going off alone? She could've got killed! He thought to himself while wetting the small cloth. Let's hope this doesn't happen again… He walked over to Linea and rinsed her arms off in the cool water. All her clothes were stained with blood. She had claw marks from the wolves all on her face as well. He gently caressed the wet cloth over her cheek. She stirred at the cold feeling of the water then relaxed. I hope she'll be okay, he continued through his thoughts. He dipped the now-red cloth in the stream and rinsed it and walked back to Linea. She had woken up and was trying to sit up.
"I'm all dizzy…" She said. Kashiko pushed her down, careful for wounds, by the shoulders. "The wolves… they all chased me… why?"
"I don't know…" he said, rinsing off the remaining wounds on her cheeks. Her cheeks would have turned a bright red from shyness, had the cold water not been there. Kashiko finished, rinsed the cloth once more, and put it with the load on the horse. "I don't know where we are," Kashiko finally said. Linea looked at him with a surprised face.
"Where are they?" Terra said worryingly walking around the guard tower. "They should have been here by now. I hope Linea's okay, all those wolves chased her and not even one followed us." Zynat circled around Terra, stopping to think every now and then. James leaned on the tower with his arms crossed.
"They better be back soon, because I'm not going back there," James said. He shivered some and then lowered his head down to keep sun out of his eyes. He sighed.
"I hope they find their way," Trett spoke up. "I wanted to ask Kashiko some battling tips, and perhaps some magic." They all looked up at the sun that was straight up in the sky to show it was noon.
Hours passed and they still weren't found. Kashiko had fallen asleep leaning on a tree, and woke to hear a wolf's howl. He looked up and saw it was getting dark. Linea was sitting upright and just looking around and thinking to herself. Kashiko walked over to her.
"How are you feeling?" He asked, his voice gentle as the wind. Linea looked up at him.
"I'm feeling… better," She replied. "I hope the others will find us soon…" She sighed softly. Kashiko sat down beside her.
"Hm…" He mumbled. "I wonder why the wolves only chased you?" Linea shook her head.
"Maybe they were shape-shifters working for Belselk," She replied, shrugging. Kashiko lied back on the grass.
"What a disaster…"
"I guess so. I just decide to escape from the castle and I came to this."
"Heh… If we have confidence, we'll make it through." Kashiko grinned. Linea returned his grin with a lovely smile.
"I hope we will find the Power, and heal my land… Maybe Belselk is behind the dying of it too." Kashiko stopped smiling. "What's wrong?"
"I didn't tell you something…"
"Well, what is it?"
"I actually am a prince… Selryam of Jasgoa. I left so long ago to go to Jasgoa, so I could help my father. And… Jasgoa is dying too…"
"You're… a… WHAT!?!?!?" Yelled Linea. Kashiko sighed.
"I am… sorry if it seems unbelievable. But I think this is all connected somehow, and I escaped also! I escaped from Jasgoa castle to find the meaning of this, and I found you, and realized who it was, and decided to help you and join you!" Linea looked down at the grass. "Please don't get mad at me… I know… I should have told you a long time ago. I'm sorry. I can't help but be who I am."
Linea didn't speak. She didn't know what to think. Suddenly there was a growling sound behind them. Kashiko slowly turned around and saw about 7 wolves. It was the kind that had attacked Linea.
Linea turned around and jumped up. Kashiko stood, unsheathing his sword. Linea took out her sword slowly. "Kashiko…" Kashiko got in an attacking stance.
"Go, take Nimoshan," he said. Linea stared at him.
"Are you crazy?! You won't live! I refuse to run and leave you alone to fight!" She replied.
"Well in that case, I am crazy," Kashiko said to her. Linea stood still.
She pulled a small flute from her pocket and played a tune. Myst came riding up out of nowhere. She put the flute back in her pocket and mounted Myst.
"Linea…" Kashiko looked up at her.
"…I still refuse to leave you here alone to fight." She grabbed Kashiko by the arm and drug him towards Nimoshan. The wolves edged closer as she went slowly farther from them. "Get on." Kashiko looked at Linea's stern look, and reluctantly mounted. "I don't want you getting yourself killed. Understand me, okay?"
"I… was going to do it to protect you."
"I know. But I am going to protect you now. I won't let you get killed, and I won't let me lose you forever this time. Not again… Never. This is in return for protecting me from Belselk that time." Kashiko stared into Linea's soft eyes. He understood the pain she felt when he had to leave many years back. He felt that same pain inside himself…
"You can't fight them alone again!" He finally said. "I don't want that pain I felt when I had to leave Sidhe. The pain of leaving my best friends behind… the pain of leaving you behind. I'll stay to fight with you." Linea was silent for a second or two before nodding and clutching her sword and charging at the running wolves.
She slashed upward at a wolf, cutting its chest open. And stabbed down on another through the back and killed it. Kashiko stabbed wildly at 2 wolves surrounding his horse, killing them. 3 wolves remained, but they saw the strength of Linea and Kashiko and fled.
Linea turned to Kashiko, who was panting some. "I wanted to thank you for offering to protect me in the first place…"
Kashiko shook his head. "No, I should be thanking you. I probably would have been dead, had it not been for you." Linea smiled.
"Hey Kashiko… I…" Linea started. She shook her head. "Never mind."
"No, what?" He said.
"Nothing."
"You don't say 'Never mind' for nothing."
"…Let's get going," Linea rode off through a small, barely-visible path in the forest. Kashiko sighed. Stubborn like she used to be, he thought with a small grin, following her.
About an hour later they found the others at the guard tower asleep. Terra was sitting against the tower, leaning on Zynat's shoulder. Trett was leaning against the tower standing up with his arms crossed asleep, and James was the same. Linea smiled at them, glad to have found them. She dismounted and slowly woke Terra.
"Wha… huh?" Terra said sleepily. "Kaneko!" [Remember she doesn't know who Linea really is.] "You're okay! Oh my… look at all those scratches though…"
"I'll be okay Terra," Linea said smiling. "We got lost when trying to find our way back." Kashiko caught up with them and mounted off the horse, and went up to James to wake him. He lightly shook him and James instantly awoke, startled.
"AHH–… Kashiko! DON'T DO THAT!" Kashiko smiled. "I'm glad you're okay, but don't scare me like that, I nearly had a heart attack." Kashiko chuckled. Linea, overhearing them laughed a little too.
"What's so funny?" Terra asked. Linea shook her head. James, Trett, Zynat, and Kashiko all walked over to Linea.
"So, you restore her back to health with a smooch?" James whispered to Kashiko, winking at him. "OW!!" Kashiko hit him with his elbow in the stomach. "That hurt! ;_;" James said. Trett tried to hold in his laughter. "You're lucky Linea didn't hear me…"
"So where are we going? We were caught off the trail," Trett said. Linea turned to Trett and shrugged.
"Let's camp here, and then in the morning we'll discuss it," She replied. The group agreed and got their tents off the horses.
"Um…" Kashiko mumbled. "You guys, we're missing a tent… One of us is gonna have… to share… one…" Kashiko looked at Linea. Linea blushed deeply and looked away.
"How about… hm…" started James, "Kashiko and Linea?" He made a huge grin. Kashiko and Linea both bopped him on the head. "Ouch! ;_;"
"How about just James and Kashiko," Trett suggested. James' eyes widened. Kashiko grinned wickedly and nodded. "Okay then." They set up the tents and crawled in to sleep.
"Why do you have to make so many comments about me and Linea?" asked Kashiko to James.
"Because you know you like her," He replied. "Just admit it."
"…"
"Oh c'mon. You're running from your feelings. I bet she likes you too."
"… Okay. I do like Linea… but only as a friend."
"Liar."
"No I'm not."
"C'mon! You know you like her." ~_^
"I'm goin' to bed. G'Night." Kashiko lazily turned on his back and looked up at the top of the ceiling.
"Hmph. Night." James said, falling asleep instantly.
How could anyone understand how I feel about Linea? It's a weird feeling… I wonder why I wouldn't let myself admit it…Kashiko thought. I… wonder if she feels the same… At that last sentence Kashiko's eyes fluttered shut, and he fell asleep.
Linea woke the next morning and stretched out. She got on some new clothes and her boots, and walked downstairs to the bar. Down there she found Terra and Zynat talking. Terra noticed her and walked over to her.
"Hey Kaneko!" Terra said. "So, are ya'll leaving today?"
"Yes, I think so," Linea replied, sitting down in front of Terra. Terra leaned her head against Zynat's shoulder sleepily.
"So what's your journey all about?" Terra asked. Zynat leaned his head on Terra's. I wish Selryam were here to cuddle me… thought Linea to herself. She suddenly realized what she was thinking and shook her head.
"Well, it's to find the Ultimate Power. And I'm not really who I am. I'll explain later," Linea told them with a slight smile. Terra took her head off Zynat's shoulder, made a curios look, and nodded. "I'm gonna go see if the men are awake. Be right back." She left the table and went upstairs to check on them. Just as she was about to knock, Kashiko opened the door, startling her.
"Whoa, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Kashiko grinned out. Linea hit him in the arm playfully.
"Well, are the other two awake?" She asked. Kashiko nodded, as Trett and James walked out of the room. "Good, because we're getting ready to go." They all walked downstairs to the bar, and Linea introduced Terra and Zynat. They ate and went outside to get on their horses.
"Where are we going to again?" Terra asked.
"Fire Temple. We probably won't find the Power there, but maybe some clues," Kashiko replied for Linea. They mounted their horses, and Trett started rambling on to Mace, which lately was a usual thing for them.
"I wonder if we will find anything," James wondered out loud. Zynat shrugged.
"We can only hope, and the Gods and Goddesses know hope is strong," Linea said with a grin, leading them through the town gate and to the forest. About 30 minutes later, Linea heard a rustle in the bushes. She turned around to see two red eyes gleaming at her. "You guys," Linea started. "RUN!" Everyone obeyed quickly and started getting their horses running as fast as they could on the trail. When Linea turned around, she saw large wolf creatures running after them. Linea yelped out quietly and looked back ahead. Are they… after me?! She thought. "Keep going! I'll go a different way!" Linea yelled to them, trailing off onto a different path. The wolves seemed to ignore the others and chase only Linea.
"AHHH!" She yelled. "C'mon Myst!" She urged the horse on. The wolves started gaining on her. Linea got out her sword from her back and had it ready to fight. A wolf was beside her and the horse, nearly as tall as it. She slashed at it, still riding on. Her palms started to sweat as she slashed at more wolves. Then one from the side jumped onto Linea on the horse. They fell to the ground and Linea was starting to be attacked by them. Her sword had fallen about a foot from her hand. "AGHHH!!" She screamed as a wolf bit into her shoulder. She kicks one off her and grabbed her sword, violently stabbing each one in the heart to death. When they were all killed she couldn't move. They had bitten her legs, arms, and even part of her neck. She lied there on the ground, sweating and gasping. She leaned her head back on the grass. She was about to pass out. Then Kashiko rode up to her.
"Linea!!" He gasped out, looking at all the dead wolf bodies. He mounted off his horse and kneeled by her. "The others are going to meet us at a guard tower they found a bit off. Are you alright?" His look of concern made Linea wish she could say yes, but she shook her head. He lifted her up and mounted his horse carefully, placing her in front of him. Linea was in too much pain to think about what Kashiko was doing. He grabbed one rein with his and hand and the other held her up around her stomach. His warm touch seemed to comfort her. Kashiko rode quickly through the path and towards the guard tower.
"Agh…" she moaned. Her arms were in more pain from the trees scrapping against them. She tilted her head on his shoulder. Kashiko smiled, but Linea didn't see because her eyes had been closed. She looked down at her bloody arms, staining her outfit. She finally could think to herself and wondered about Kashiko. Like why he was holding her so close? Although she enjoyed it… *wink, wink.*
"Uh… hmm…" Kashiko mumbled, looking around confused. Linea didn't open her eyes, she wanted to rest. Before she knew it, she fell asleep. Kashiko didn't notice and went on a left trail on a fork in the road. "Grrrr, I can't remember which way…" He looked down at Linea who was sound asleep. He saw a clearing and decided they would stop there until someone found them, since it was still about morning.
He mounted off carefully then took Linea off. He got a blanket from the loads on Nimoshan and laid it on the ground, setting Linea on it to rest. She was badly beaten. He saw a small nearby stream and took a washcloth to rinse off Linea's wounds. What was she thinking going off alone? She could've got killed! He thought to himself while wetting the small cloth. Let's hope this doesn't happen again… He walked over to Linea and rinsed her arms off in the cool water. All her clothes were stained with blood. She had claw marks from the wolves all on her face as well. He gently caressed the wet cloth over her cheek. She stirred at the cold feeling of the water then relaxed. I hope she'll be okay, he continued through his thoughts. He dipped the now-red cloth in the stream and rinsed it and walked back to Linea. She had woken up and was trying to sit up.
"I'm all dizzy…" She said. Kashiko pushed her down, careful for wounds, by the shoulders. "The wolves… they all chased me… why?"
"I don't know…" he said, rinsing off the remaining wounds on her cheeks. Her cheeks would have turned a bright red from shyness, had the cold water not been there. Kashiko finished, rinsed the cloth once more, and put it with the load on the horse. "I don't know where we are," Kashiko finally said. Linea looked at him with a surprised face.
"Where are they?" Terra said worryingly walking around the guard tower. "They should have been here by now. I hope Linea's okay, all those wolves chased her and not even one followed us." Zynat circled around Terra, stopping to think every now and then. James leaned on the tower with his arms crossed.
"They better be back soon, because I'm not going back there," James said. He shivered some and then lowered his head down to keep sun out of his eyes. He sighed.
"I hope they find their way," Trett spoke up. "I wanted to ask Kashiko some battling tips, and perhaps some magic." They all looked up at the sun that was straight up in the sky to show it was noon.
Hours passed and they still weren't found. Kashiko had fallen asleep leaning on a tree, and woke to hear a wolf's howl. He looked up and saw it was getting dark. Linea was sitting upright and just looking around and thinking to herself. Kashiko walked over to her.
"How are you feeling?" He asked, his voice gentle as the wind. Linea looked up at him.
"I'm feeling… better," She replied. "I hope the others will find us soon…" She sighed softly. Kashiko sat down beside her.
"Hm…" He mumbled. "I wonder why the wolves only chased you?" Linea shook her head.
"Maybe they were shape-shifters working for Belselk," She replied, shrugging. Kashiko lied back on the grass.
"What a disaster…"
"I guess so. I just decide to escape from the castle and I came to this."
"Heh… If we have confidence, we'll make it through." Kashiko grinned. Linea returned his grin with a lovely smile.
"I hope we will find the Power, and heal my land… Maybe Belselk is behind the dying of it too." Kashiko stopped smiling. "What's wrong?"
"I didn't tell you something…"
"Well, what is it?"
"I actually am a prince… Selryam of Jasgoa. I left so long ago to go to Jasgoa, so I could help my father. And… Jasgoa is dying too…"
"You're… a… WHAT!?!?!?" Yelled Linea. Kashiko sighed.
"I am… sorry if it seems unbelievable. But I think this is all connected somehow, and I escaped also! I escaped from Jasgoa castle to find the meaning of this, and I found you, and realized who it was, and decided to help you and join you!" Linea looked down at the grass. "Please don't get mad at me… I know… I should have told you a long time ago. I'm sorry. I can't help but be who I am."
Linea didn't speak. She didn't know what to think. Suddenly there was a growling sound behind them. Kashiko slowly turned around and saw about 7 wolves. It was the kind that had attacked Linea.
Linea turned around and jumped up. Kashiko stood, unsheathing his sword. Linea took out her sword slowly. "Kashiko…" Kashiko got in an attacking stance.
"Go, take Nimoshan," he said. Linea stared at him.
"Are you crazy?! You won't live! I refuse to run and leave you alone to fight!" She replied.
"Well in that case, I am crazy," Kashiko said to her. Linea stood still.
She pulled a small flute from her pocket and played a tune. Myst came riding up out of nowhere. She put the flute back in her pocket and mounted Myst.
"Linea…" Kashiko looked up at her.
"…I still refuse to leave you here alone to fight." She grabbed Kashiko by the arm and drug him towards Nimoshan. The wolves edged closer as she went slowly farther from them. "Get on." Kashiko looked at Linea's stern look, and reluctantly mounted. "I don't want you getting yourself killed. Understand me, okay?"
"I… was going to do it to protect you."
"I know. But I am going to protect you now. I won't let you get killed, and I won't let me lose you forever this time. Not again… Never. This is in return for protecting me from Belselk that time." Kashiko stared into Linea's soft eyes. He understood the pain she felt when he had to leave many years back. He felt that same pain inside himself…
"You can't fight them alone again!" He finally said. "I don't want that pain I felt when I had to leave Sidhe. The pain of leaving my best friends behind… the pain of leaving you behind. I'll stay to fight with you." Linea was silent for a second or two before nodding and clutching her sword and charging at the running wolves.
She slashed upward at a wolf, cutting its chest open. And stabbed down on another through the back and killed it. Kashiko stabbed wildly at 2 wolves surrounding his horse, killing them. 3 wolves remained, but they saw the strength of Linea and Kashiko and fled.
Linea turned to Kashiko, who was panting some. "I wanted to thank you for offering to protect me in the first place…"
Kashiko shook his head. "No, I should be thanking you. I probably would have been dead, had it not been for you." Linea smiled.
"Hey Kashiko… I…" Linea started. She shook her head. "Never mind."
"No, what?" He said.
"Nothing."
"You don't say 'Never mind' for nothing."
"…Let's get going," Linea rode off through a small, barely-visible path in the forest. Kashiko sighed. Stubborn like she used to be, he thought with a small grin, following her.
About an hour later they found the others at the guard tower asleep. Terra was sitting against the tower, leaning on Zynat's shoulder. Trett was leaning against the tower standing up with his arms crossed asleep, and James was the same. Linea smiled at them, glad to have found them. She dismounted and slowly woke Terra.
"Wha… huh?" Terra said sleepily. "Kaneko!" [Remember she doesn't know who Linea really is.] "You're okay! Oh my… look at all those scratches though…"
"I'll be okay Terra," Linea said smiling. "We got lost when trying to find our way back." Kashiko caught up with them and mounted off the horse, and went up to James to wake him. He lightly shook him and James instantly awoke, startled.
"AHH–… Kashiko! DON'T DO THAT!" Kashiko smiled. "I'm glad you're okay, but don't scare me like that, I nearly had a heart attack." Kashiko chuckled. Linea, overhearing them laughed a little too.
"What's so funny?" Terra asked. Linea shook her head. James, Trett, Zynat, and Kashiko all walked over to Linea.
"So, you restore her back to health with a smooch?" James whispered to Kashiko, winking at him. "OW!!" Kashiko hit him with his elbow in the stomach. "That hurt! ;_;" James said. Trett tried to hold in his laughter. "You're lucky Linea didn't hear me…"
"So where are we going? We were caught off the trail," Trett said. Linea turned to Trett and shrugged.
"Let's camp here, and then in the morning we'll discuss it," She replied. The group agreed and got their tents off the horses.
"Um…" Kashiko mumbled. "You guys, we're missing a tent… One of us is gonna have… to share… one…" Kashiko looked at Linea. Linea blushed deeply and looked away.
"How about… hm…" started James, "Kashiko and Linea?" He made a huge grin. Kashiko and Linea both bopped him on the head. "Ouch! ;_;"
"How about just James and Kashiko," Trett suggested. James' eyes widened. Kashiko grinned wickedly and nodded. "Okay then." They set up the tents and crawled in to sleep.
"Why do you have to make so many comments about me and Linea?" asked Kashiko to James.
"Because you know you like her," He replied. "Just admit it."
"…"
"Oh c'mon. You're running from your feelings. I bet she likes you too."
"… Okay. I do like Linea… but only as a friend."
"Liar."
"No I'm not."
"C'mon! You know you like her." ~_^
"I'm goin' to bed. G'Night." Kashiko lazily turned on his back and looked up at the top of the ceiling.
"Hmph. Night." James said, falling asleep instantly.
How could anyone understand how I feel about Linea? It's a weird feeling… I wonder why I wouldn't let myself admit it…Kashiko thought. I… wonder if she feels the same… At that last sentence Kashiko's eyes fluttered shut, and he fell asleep.