- 1 costa equals 0.987 metres
Tenkuu no Ryuugekitai - Sora no Yume
'My beloved Dante,
It was so wonderful to receive your letter, as it always is. That battle seemed positively horrible! How is your poor face doing? I hope that you weren't hurt too badly. What a brave one you are to fight against so many opponents in order to save those three Dragon Slayers. What's this Shanti person like? Is he fitting in well? I know you are doing everything in your power to make him feel welcome.
I am still training to become a doctor. Hopefully I will become good enough that I can work as a medic on the Vione. Then I will be able to see you everyday! But...I'm finding it more and more difficult each time I see a new patient. It was just last night that Mama had to cauterize one of our patients. I don't know if I would be able to do that, to be able to see and smell and hear burning flesh and not be sick... I watched the boy as Mama worked on his leg. Would I be able to handle that pain, and is it my right to put that sort of pain on others? A physician's code is to heal, not harm. If we harm while we heal, does that break the code?
I know that if you were here, you'd smile and tell me to stop thinking so much. How I wish you were! I think you would enjoy meeting my new patient, he's a very pleasant fellow, but very stubborn. I caught him trying to leave last night, and he had pulled the stitches in his leg. I guess it's fortunate for him, for it was then I realized it was infected. I had to hold him down while Mama worked. He's about your age, I think, with nice eyes and brownish hair. But anyway.
I never stop thinking about you, and I hope that you are doing well. Please try not to get into any more battles; I wouldn't want to see you hurt. Send my greetings to Guimel and Gatti as well. I eagerly await your next letter, my dear! And remember, I love you.
Forever yours,
Mikyla'
*****
'I'm coming in!' Shesta opened the door to Gatti's room, and upon seeing its occupants, closed the door very quietly behind him. He paused and smiled at what he saw. Guimel was sprawled unceremoniously on a chair and snoring softly, while Gatti lay peacefully sleeping in his bed. Shanti, it appeared, had pulled up a chair beside Gatti's bed and eventually fell asleep half on the side of the bed, half on his chair. With his head in his arms, Shanti clutched his tin whistle in one hand. Shesta was happy Shanti had been able to sleep; it seemed he hadn't since that terrible night. However, there was a job to be done. Shesta tip-toed over to the sleeping Slayer and poked him lightly.
'Psst...Shanti,' he whispered. 'You have to wake up.' Getting no response, the small blue-eyed boy poked the other again.
'Mmwerrf...' Shanti tried half-heartedly to bat at Shesta, and missed completely.
'Don't make me pour cold water on your head!' Shanti half-opened one eye and peered up at Shesta.
'Mrf...naa...?' he groaned sleepily. Shesta gave a cheerful smile.
'Time to get up sleepy-head! You have to deliver a message to Master Dilandau!' he said brightly. Shanti looked at him for a moment, then closed his eye, put his head back in his arms and fell asleep. Shesta stared at the other in disbelief. 'I wasn't joking!'
'I thought it was Gatti's job...' came a muffled voice.
'Well, he can't do it, so Master Dilandau selected you to do it instead.' Shanti lifted his head, groggily opened his eyes and lifted a brow.
'Master Dilandau selected me?' he asked, unbelieving. Shesta fidgeted.
'Well, not exactly...' Shanti stared at him. 'Well, alright, we drew straws.'
'Really.'
'Yes. And someone chose on your behalf.'
'Ah. And who was that?' Shesta coughed.
'That's not important right now. Hurry and get cleaned up. Viole will give you the parchment outside. Good luck!' Shesta then scampered off, leaving Shanti sitting there, disconcerted about the 'good luck'. Shanti yawned and stood up, putting his small pipe on the table beside Gatti's bed. Shesta popped his head in the door and whispered loudly,
'Oh, and brush your hair!'
With an annoyed groan, Shanti lethargically made his way across the room where a jug of water and a bowl sat. He poured some water into the bowl and splashed some onto his face.
'Meh!?' Too cold. He dried his face and looked at himself in a mirror. Shanti looked at the mess of hair on his head, then at a brush. He splashed some water on his hands and wet his hair down. With a satisfied look, he yawned and went to go look for Viole.
***
'Ganbatte!' Viole handed Shanti the parchment and looked considerably relieved as he did so. Shanti eyed the much taller Dragon Slayer flatly as he was wished 'good luck' yet again. The dark-haired Viole tugged one of his curls.
'My best piece of advice to is just read it an' get it over with. Be careful of them postscripts now, y'hear? I 'member Gatti once read one of those and BAM! fist right in the cheek.' Viole clapped his hands together for added emphasis. Shanti blinked nervously.
'Oh...alright...'
'An' try not to do anything that'll make the master angry, 'cause that message might not be a good one.' Viole looked the smaller Slayer over critically. 'You be careful now, y'hear? Don't want none of you broken.' The Southlander suddenly broke into a broad grin. 'Well, go on now!' Viole gave the bewildered Shanti a small push towards the door of the mainroom. The lithe Dragon Slayer gulped, then opened the door.
'Excuse me...' As he went inside, Shanti saw Viole give him a thumbs-up out of the corner of his eye.
***
'What is it?' Dilandau sat perched upon his throne in the torch-lit room. Shanti kept his chin up as he approached the red armor-clad leader.
'I have a message, sir, from Lord Folken.' Dilandau lifted a brow at the pale boy in front of him.
'Is Gatti not healed yet?' As he asked that, Dilandau saw the Highlander look slightly miffed.
'No, sir. Bruised ribs take time to heal.' Dilandau's eyes narrowed as he detected a hint of annoyance in Shanti's voice.
'Read it.'
'Yes, sir.' Shanti unfurled the parchment, straightened his arms and took a breath. He glanced at the writing, and blinked.
This isn't right... Suddenly he realized the parchment was upside-down. Muttering a curse to himself, he flipped it around and raised his arms again, hiding his reddened face behind the paper. Dilandau smirked softly as the Dragon Slayer cleared his throat and began reading.
'I trust that by now the Dragon Slayer, Shantain Namuriel,'
It's about me?
'...has been settled in. You are to train him further in piloting the Alseides. Have him train with other Dragon Slayers in a battle ground of your choice. However, this must be at least 75 costa away from any inhabited settlement.'
Shanti sneaked a glance at Dilandau, who looked disappointed as he stood and paced towards the messenger.
'Take whatever time is needed.' Shanti glanced further down at the page, and paled slightly at the words he saw. 'Postscript,' he started. Dilandau paused.
Crap.
'Try not to have too much fun.' Shanti rolled up the parchment, and turned to face Dilandau. The silvery-haired youth had an expression upon his face that would have sent grown men running. Shanti blinked and looked him in the eye. Dilandau stared back, then sneered.
'Stop doing that.'
'Doing what, sir?' Dilandau's lip curled as he raised his hand. Shanti blinked confusedly, but tensed.
'You're like him.' the other snarled, his gloved hand wavering in the air. With a sudden realization, Shanti asked softly,
'Like Migel, sir...? '
SMACK
Eejit! What possessed you to say that?? A painful, stinging sensation burned the Dragon Slayer's already-bruised cheek. Dilandau had a deadly glare in his fiery eyes. Shanti lowered his chin submissively, though kept a steady gaze on those raging eyes.
'Forgive me, Master Dilandau. You must miss him terribly.' He noticed a small flicker of emotion in the other's eyes before a backhand hit him squarely in the right cheek. Shanti reeled, tears springing to his eyes, as the cold armor bit into his skin. Dilandau caught the Dragon Slayer and lifted him up to his eye-level.
'You couldn't possibly understand, boy.' he spat before throwing the stunned Slayer away from him. Shanti fell roughly to the ground.
'Perhaps.' he whispered before picking himself up. With one last look at the stony-faced Dilandau, he bowed and left.
*****
Mikyla threw down her pen in boredom, tired of practicing. She was sitting at a desk in Migel's room. After guessing his name, she was determined to learn how to spell it. However, she had to learn her letters first. She glanced up from her desk over to where Migel was. The boy lay sleeping on his back, head tilted off to the side, the blanket drawn up to his waist. Upon his bare chest lay Mikyla's white kitten, its tail curled around its body. Sunlight poured in from the far window, bathing the two sleeping creatures in a soft glow. Mikyla noticed how Migel's light brown hair took on an almost auburn sheen under the light. He looked nearly angelic, peacefully lying there. Mikyla's eyes fell upon the horrific black marks around his neck, a stark contrast to the nearly innocent scene.
Who would want to kill someone like you? Mikyla suddenly felt guilt wash over her. She shouldn't be staring like that. Turning back around, she looked at another piece of parchment; a letter for Dante her mother had written out for her. She signed her name at the bottom, as she had been taught, and rolled it up. She carefully wrote the address Dante had given her on a tag which she wrapped around the parchment. Mikyla stood up, grabbed her cloak and went to leave to send her letter. Pausing in the doorway, she glanced at the sleeping Migel one last time.
What did you do that would make someone want to kill you?
Mikyla sighed, and a random thought drifted across her mind.
Who are you, Migel?