___Chapter 42___
~~~NOTE- Back. Well, act 2's about over now, there's not going to be much longer. And the death's not over either. I was listening to the album "Recovering the satellites" by the Counting Crows while writing this chapter, so if any of you have it, just pop it in on #9 while reading this if you'd like. Ciao! ~~~
Frost flew at the front of the group in a melancholy silence. Comet was still shaking, and Zite flew beside him, talking to him quietly. Arcos' face showed more than a hint of fear as he glanced around at the dark sea and darker sky, jumping whenever the thunder cracked. Ratal followed at the back to make sure noone fell behind, doing his best to ignore the bad feeling he was getting from the whole situation. Swift was shaken, but firmly set on getting to safety.
Only Bolt did not seem afraid. As a matter of fact, he was smiling. But noone was looking his way, so noone noticed.
---
Tritoch knew something was up when he got a sinking feeling at Katass' return. Where was Palidor? But his father wouldn't answer, only avoided the question and flew off, quickly followed by the others.
Tritoch stayed behind, though. He could catch up in his own time.
{{I just wanna see where he went.}} he thought to himself as he rounded the bend.
And stood stock-still, only opening his mouth to scream.
---
It didn't take Katass long to notice Tritoch was missing.
His heart was screaming at him to go looking for the child, but his head told him that if he left these ones, they would all die. Tritoch might be able to handle himself alone...
Katass' thoughts were interrupted when the bundle in his arms stirred, the child's eyes opening slightly. Seeing where he was, he jerked up, staring him in the face and saying "P...Palidor? Where's Palidor?"
Katass' throat choked up, looking at the tiny, scarred child, who's first thought had not been on himself, but of his brother. "I.... he went ahead, to make sure the way was safe." he lied, feeling sick as he said it. It wasn't RIGHT to lie to children... but if they knew the truth, they'd panic. They all had looked up to him, seeing him as an adult almost, even though he was just their age.
Ragnoroc's face lit up with a smile, but the intention of the look was lost in the twisted scar that ran across it.
Noone noticed the water start to rise rapidly behind them, rushing forward.
---
Tritoch finally was able to pry himself away from the ghastly sight, and ran away as fast as he could from that place.
But in doing that, he became hopelessly lost.
---
The darkness was pressing in from all sides now, but noone had the time to worry about it. Comet couldn't help but notice it though- he kept turning his head to stare out at it, a little edgy. Zite asked him what he thought he was doing, but got no reply.
He got sick of being ignored rather fast, and kicked Comet's side, yelling "Answer me, damnit!"
No response. It took him a few seconds to see that Comet was trembling.
"...Comet? *shakes his shoulders* "
Still nothing.
He immediately flew around him to see what he was staring at, but only got more perplexed- there was nothing there. Zite turned his head- and was greeted by a face he barely recognized.
The skin was a good shade paler than he remembered, covered in beard of sweat, dilated pupils accenting the strange look. But it WAS Comet, lips trembling as he mumbled/whispered something in a rushed quiet. When Zite was finally able to discern it, it came out as "Can't.....can't breathe..... dizzy....."
By now they had fallen behind the others, who hadn't even noticed them missing. They realized it when a scream echoed across the water.
---
Katass' ear twitched. {{Huh?}} he thought to himself, {{It never does that. Unless-}}
His thought never got the chance to come out, because at that moment he was pummeled by the full force of the wave. 'The children!' was his first impulse, and he clutched Ragnoroc tightly right before it sucked them under.
The other children had only a second's warning to panic before it ran them down as well.
---
All alone in the darkness, only broken by the occasional streak of lightning, he flew, a thousand images of deaths he could do nothing to prevent burned into his eyes. Tritoch was scared out of his wits. And very lost. But being lost was better than being in that destroyed village- ANYTHING was better that being there.
With a shudder, he shivered again, wrapping his arms around himself to try to stay warm. He was soaked to the bone, but too frightened to care.
He'd wandered into a village about an hour ago, hoping to find help or shelter. All he found was dying flames and dead and dying bodies. And with no way to help, but too paralyzed to move, he had watched them all die.
Tritoch eventually forced himself to run, but he was shaken. So when he sensed a familiar chi, his heart leaped, and he flared ahead at top speed, a faint ki trail behind him.
---
Swift stopped in mid-flight. "Hey, you guys hear that?" he asked, turning his head toward where the sound had come from.
"Yeah. what was it?"
"Dunno Arcos."
"Where's Comet? And Zite?"
Swift and Arcos both turned toward Frost, eyes wide. Arcos cursed loudly, slapping himself. "Oh WHY didn't I recognize it... that was ZITE!" he yelled, pulling his hand off his face and flaring up his ki as he jerked sideways, rocketing toward where the sound had been.
Swift saw the movement, but not soon enough to stop him, so he just called out "You DUMBASS!!" before chasing after him. Bolt followed them almost casually, and the other two glanced at each other, shrugged, and went along.
---
He didn't know how long he'd been there, wherever there was. All he knew was that he was lying on something soft and wet. His head still ached from getting thrown around, and he felt a little sick. There was a strange feel in the air he didn't like in the slightest, but being unable to move, there was nothing he could do about it.
Suddenly a speck of light appeared in the groggy darkness. Then something pulled the pressure off him, and he blinked at the sudden brightness. Finally he could see- the sky was a foggy brackish, the water (a few yards away- he was on a shore of some sort) was choppy, and clouds flew by quickly.
There was a noise behind him, and he turned to see what it was.
"Ragnoroc." it mumbled at seeing his face. Ragnoroc stared at Tritoch in confusion. Why was his friend crying?
He asked, only to get no answer.
---
Tritoch ignored the question, walking behind him and kneeling by the body of his father. Katass had done his best for the children, right to the end. And Tritoch felt more alone then he ever thought he could.
He didn't notice Ragnoroc's look of shock, or the tears that came down the little one's face. The only thing he knew was that all the other children, like his father, were dead, some of their bodies washed up on the shore. The deep purple blood he kneeled in was staining his clothes, but he didn't care. He saw the thunderstorm sweep in. He didn't care. He knew the lightning was going to come, and he was the tallest thing there. He didn't care. He knew it was about to-
CRASH!
~~~NOTE- Back. Well, act 2's about over now, there's not going to be much longer. And the death's not over either. I was listening to the album "Recovering the satellites" by the Counting Crows while writing this chapter, so if any of you have it, just pop it in on #9 while reading this if you'd like. Ciao! ~~~
Frost flew at the front of the group in a melancholy silence. Comet was still shaking, and Zite flew beside him, talking to him quietly. Arcos' face showed more than a hint of fear as he glanced around at the dark sea and darker sky, jumping whenever the thunder cracked. Ratal followed at the back to make sure noone fell behind, doing his best to ignore the bad feeling he was getting from the whole situation. Swift was shaken, but firmly set on getting to safety.
Only Bolt did not seem afraid. As a matter of fact, he was smiling. But noone was looking his way, so noone noticed.
---
Tritoch knew something was up when he got a sinking feeling at Katass' return. Where was Palidor? But his father wouldn't answer, only avoided the question and flew off, quickly followed by the others.
Tritoch stayed behind, though. He could catch up in his own time.
{{I just wanna see where he went.}} he thought to himself as he rounded the bend.
And stood stock-still, only opening his mouth to scream.
---
It didn't take Katass long to notice Tritoch was missing.
His heart was screaming at him to go looking for the child, but his head told him that if he left these ones, they would all die. Tritoch might be able to handle himself alone...
Katass' thoughts were interrupted when the bundle in his arms stirred, the child's eyes opening slightly. Seeing where he was, he jerked up, staring him in the face and saying "P...Palidor? Where's Palidor?"
Katass' throat choked up, looking at the tiny, scarred child, who's first thought had not been on himself, but of his brother. "I.... he went ahead, to make sure the way was safe." he lied, feeling sick as he said it. It wasn't RIGHT to lie to children... but if they knew the truth, they'd panic. They all had looked up to him, seeing him as an adult almost, even though he was just their age.
Ragnoroc's face lit up with a smile, but the intention of the look was lost in the twisted scar that ran across it.
Noone noticed the water start to rise rapidly behind them, rushing forward.
---
Tritoch finally was able to pry himself away from the ghastly sight, and ran away as fast as he could from that place.
But in doing that, he became hopelessly lost.
---
The darkness was pressing in from all sides now, but noone had the time to worry about it. Comet couldn't help but notice it though- he kept turning his head to stare out at it, a little edgy. Zite asked him what he thought he was doing, but got no reply.
He got sick of being ignored rather fast, and kicked Comet's side, yelling "Answer me, damnit!"
No response. It took him a few seconds to see that Comet was trembling.
"...Comet? *shakes his shoulders* "
Still nothing.
He immediately flew around him to see what he was staring at, but only got more perplexed- there was nothing there. Zite turned his head- and was greeted by a face he barely recognized.
The skin was a good shade paler than he remembered, covered in beard of sweat, dilated pupils accenting the strange look. But it WAS Comet, lips trembling as he mumbled/whispered something in a rushed quiet. When Zite was finally able to discern it, it came out as "Can't.....can't breathe..... dizzy....."
By now they had fallen behind the others, who hadn't even noticed them missing. They realized it when a scream echoed across the water.
---
Katass' ear twitched. {{Huh?}} he thought to himself, {{It never does that. Unless-}}
His thought never got the chance to come out, because at that moment he was pummeled by the full force of the wave. 'The children!' was his first impulse, and he clutched Ragnoroc tightly right before it sucked them under.
The other children had only a second's warning to panic before it ran them down as well.
---
All alone in the darkness, only broken by the occasional streak of lightning, he flew, a thousand images of deaths he could do nothing to prevent burned into his eyes. Tritoch was scared out of his wits. And very lost. But being lost was better than being in that destroyed village- ANYTHING was better that being there.
With a shudder, he shivered again, wrapping his arms around himself to try to stay warm. He was soaked to the bone, but too frightened to care.
He'd wandered into a village about an hour ago, hoping to find help or shelter. All he found was dying flames and dead and dying bodies. And with no way to help, but too paralyzed to move, he had watched them all die.
Tritoch eventually forced himself to run, but he was shaken. So when he sensed a familiar chi, his heart leaped, and he flared ahead at top speed, a faint ki trail behind him.
---
Swift stopped in mid-flight. "Hey, you guys hear that?" he asked, turning his head toward where the sound had come from.
"Yeah. what was it?"
"Dunno Arcos."
"Where's Comet? And Zite?"
Swift and Arcos both turned toward Frost, eyes wide. Arcos cursed loudly, slapping himself. "Oh WHY didn't I recognize it... that was ZITE!" he yelled, pulling his hand off his face and flaring up his ki as he jerked sideways, rocketing toward where the sound had been.
Swift saw the movement, but not soon enough to stop him, so he just called out "You DUMBASS!!" before chasing after him. Bolt followed them almost casually, and the other two glanced at each other, shrugged, and went along.
---
He didn't know how long he'd been there, wherever there was. All he knew was that he was lying on something soft and wet. His head still ached from getting thrown around, and he felt a little sick. There was a strange feel in the air he didn't like in the slightest, but being unable to move, there was nothing he could do about it.
Suddenly a speck of light appeared in the groggy darkness. Then something pulled the pressure off him, and he blinked at the sudden brightness. Finally he could see- the sky was a foggy brackish, the water (a few yards away- he was on a shore of some sort) was choppy, and clouds flew by quickly.
There was a noise behind him, and he turned to see what it was.
"Ragnoroc." it mumbled at seeing his face. Ragnoroc stared at Tritoch in confusion. Why was his friend crying?
He asked, only to get no answer.
---
Tritoch ignored the question, walking behind him and kneeling by the body of his father. Katass had done his best for the children, right to the end. And Tritoch felt more alone then he ever thought he could.
He didn't notice Ragnoroc's look of shock, or the tears that came down the little one's face. The only thing he knew was that all the other children, like his father, were dead, some of their bodies washed up on the shore. The deep purple blood he kneeled in was staining his clothes, but he didn't care. He saw the thunderstorm sweep in. He didn't care. He knew the lightning was going to come, and he was the tallest thing there. He didn't care. He knew it was about to-
CRASH!