Urgh… I feel like I'm just chewing now. The interlude with the heroes is meant for straightening out where in the game they are now… and it halps me from loosing grip and start rushing forwards :P That would not be good.
Chapter 37, Pressing on and interlude
After a lot of happy reunions in Deen, the whole population teamed up to remember the location of the Dark Palace from the tales.
Lise's self control was almost used up by then, she was growing from anxious to leave and get it over with to something almost desperate. Kevin's constant presence was all she could mentally hook on to keep up. Though she tried to be happy with all the people being relieved and rejoicing in their freedom, her own worries kept her heart cold.
Her frustration stung Kevin's nostrils but he couldn't do much against it. What would that be? Roar at the lot to shut up and help instead?
Finally the desert people had greeted and hugged each other enough and somebody produced a map. As there were no house big enough for everyone the meeting took place outside in the middle of the town.
"I think it must be here," somebody quickly concluded, pointing at a large island east of the fabled Forest of Wonder.
"Yes, it can't hardly be in the elf land," somebody else said.
"You believe in elves?"
"So that's it then?"
"Yeah, it must be it."
"So, what do you know about this place?" Hawk asked.
"Well, it's said that to get to it, you have to pass through a cave that is so dark that you can't see an inch before you," the Flame Kahn grimly said, "and light is magically banned in there."
"Doesn't sound so pretty…"
"How fast can the birds get you there?" Nikita asked.
Kevin watched the map for a moment, measuring distances between places he recognized and the trip that laid before him and his friends.
"Few hours, I think," he said, vaguely, "depends on winds. Not sure."
"Let's go."
Everybody looked up, some in surprise, some in worry.
"Right away?" Hawk carefully asked.
"If Elliot is still alive, we have to hurry," Lise nodded, looking at the ninja and Kevin with stubborn determination.
The two exchanged quick glances.
"Alright then…"
"I'll get our packing," the amazon said and turned to walk to the inn, not even waiting for a response.
Kevin shook his head, staring at the ground and clenching and unclenching his hands helplessly.
"Not good…" he muttered aloud before he could stop himself.
But it seemed that only Hawk heard, and he just silently nodded.
'Uh, Kevin?' Wisp's voice said within the half blood's head.
'Yes, what is it?' Kevin thought back, a little more forceful than he had planned.
The elemental's voice was too worried to ease what he felt himself. On the contrary.
'What happened inside Navarre?'
'Elliot was taken away to the Dark Palace, we're going there soon. Seems it got attacked, and we have no idea if Elliot is alive.'
'Yes, three evil factions have been struggling all the while,' Wisp quickly explained, 'the one that seems to be led by a magician named Koren from Altena and a dark knight got the upper hand during the struggle in the Holyland and wiped out the other two. Duran is handling those psychos, so you don't have to worry about that. It's irrelevant here…'
Wisp violently shook, psychologically.
'Listen Kevin, Lise was just a bit weary this morning, and I thought that she'd be able to hold up for a few more weeks at least. But now I don't know what she is. That realization that Elliot might be lost just almost within her reach gave her hope a hard kick, but she won't realize it herself.'
Kevin swallowed to get rid of the foul feeling in his throat and chest. It didn't work well.
'What can I do?' he asked, almost pleading.
'Keep an eye on her more than ever, tell Hawk to do it too. She's not fully aware of how hard she's pushing herself now, she's strong but this is becoming too much for her to bear.'
'… Alright.'
'I'm sorry Kevin, there's nothing I can do here. She needs to end this journey but we both know she won't leave until it's over.'
'Yes, I know…'
'And one important thing, this is not your fault. What happened between the two of you last night probably gave her psychological strength to hold up in Navarre, considering how tense both of you were before it happened.'
In the dusk nobody could see the light blush, but the flow of extra color carried edges of relief.
'None of us can reach into the Dark Palace,' the elemental quickly said to cover things up, 'otherwise I'd be able to tell you if Elliot is alive or not.'
'What do you think?' Kevin worriedly asked.
Wisp was silent for a moment.
'I don't know, Kevin,' he finally sadly said, 'I really don't know.'
The half blood sighed. As he looked up he met Hawk's glance in the shadow of the torches' light. The taller of the two motioned at an empty spot some yards away between a couple of houses. The ninja nodded and they went over to talk alone.
"Lise not well," Kevin grunted, straightforward, "Wisp confirm it when talking to my mind."
"Don't need your nose or an elemental guardian to see that," Hawk said and shook his head, "is there anything I can do to help you with her?"
"Need to watch her carefully. Not much else to do."
"I see. Don't know if I'll be any good at helping you keep her afloat if this fails too, but I'll do my best, I promise, Kev."
"Thanks."
They were silent for a moment, in their own thoughts.
"I better get birds," Beast King's son tiredly said and went towards the inn's stables.
"Alright…" Hawk mumbled, crossing his arms and shaking his head of own worries.
Kevin entered the small house and was greeted by friendly chirps from the three birds. He just waved his hand as a greeting.
To his surprise Karl was sleeping under the wing of one of the flyers. All the commotion outside should naturally have perked his interest… but maybe he had exhausted himself in the heat during day and his exploring.
Carefully Kevin touched his head to wake him up. The pup got up with a wide yawn.
'Going for a hunt,' the half blood said.
'Flying again?' Karl nervously asked.
'Yes. But I don't want you to come this time, anyway. You don't have to.'
'You leaving me here?' the pup whimpered.
Kevin shook his head.
'No, no. We'll be back in a few days. But I know you hate flying and where we're going is no place you'll like.'
'I be fine here, people nice. Be careful?'
'Of course I will, don't worry.'
Karl stood and shook off some of the hay stuck in his fur.
'You sad?' he asked.
'Worried about Lise. She hurt, still want to hunt.'
'Unwise.'
'Yes. But I can't stop her.'
'Not good. Careful.'
'I do my best.'
"Are you ready to go?" Lise's voice came from the entrance, her voice a bit tense.
'Karl, try something,' Kevin muttered in animal communication as he turned and nodded.
Lise handed him his backpack, silently. But she looked down as Karl strutted over to her and wagged his tail.
"Oh, it's you…" she said with a faint smile and sat down on one knee to scratch the pup's ears.
Karl's tail played hurricane and he suddenly leaped. Taken by surprise Lise thumped down on the ground with a wolf kid in her lap. She smiled a bit.
"You're crazy, you know that, Karl?"
'Thanks,' Kevin gratefully thought.
'Just fun!'
Kevin sat down beside Lise and put his hand on Karl's back.
"You seem a bit tense," he carefully said.
"I do?" Lise said, looking up.
She shook her head a little.
"Yes, maybe I do," she admitted after a moment, "it's just that I really hoped this time…"
Her voice faded and she shook her head again.
"I know," Kevin gently said, wrapping his arms around her despite the armor she wore, "I did too."
Lise allowed herself to lean at him, though her mind still tried to be eager about leaving. But the tenderness she felt clouded her stress, even if it only was for a short while.
"I don't want to worry you, I'm sorry," she muttered.
"Worry more when you don't say if you feel bad," Kevin pointed out.
Lise lightly kissed his cheek.
"I'll be alright, Kevin. Really."
He wanted to protest, but all he could do was mumble something in agreement. Knowing there was no use in arguing.
"Let's just get this over with," Lise said, pulling herself free and standing up.
Kevin held back a sigh, looking up at her. In defeat, he nodded.
"Okay, Angela! You know this place, lead the way!" Duran growled as the three heroes of Mana dashed through the gates of castle Altena.
"Alright! But where could they be waiting?" the delvar shouted, holding her staff ready for Koren and the Darkshine knight's guards.
It was pretty predictable that their enemies wouldn't make it easy for them, even if they were eagerly awaited.
Dead or alive, in either case the Mana sword would be within their enemies' grasp.
Duran's thoughts on possible waiting places went haywire over the memory of the chain of events and he cursed under his breath.
"Duran say bad words!" Carlie protested.
"Sorry, I'm just so angry!" he grunted.
"You and we all!" Angela snarled.
Victory within reach, and then their foes manage to kidnap the fairy of all bad things! Now they had to save her… but would that mean giving up the Mana sword?!
Duran cursed some more, knowing that Koren wouldn't give him any choice. And he couldn't allow any harm to befall the fairy, she had helped him and his friends too much, become a better friend herself to be just sacrificed.
But it could mean the enslavement of humanity…
He was glad to see a short metallical golem lurch up from the shadow of a pillar and charge towards the expected intruders.
Some release of pent up frustration later there was scrapped metal all over the hall.
"Carlie think Duran should calm down," a voice said from the floor.
The knight looked around and found an enchantress stretched out on the ground in order to avoid the sharp objects that had been flying around just a moment ago. He also noted a princess trying to pull out a piece of metal that had stuck in the wall, her face a mask of fascination.
No matter how Angela tried, she couldn't get it out.
"You know, these walls are supposed to be impossible to penetrate," she said, glancing at Duran.
Again, he found himself under that gaze that he couldn't really figure out, and rubbed his helmet.
"Well, uh," he said, a bit taken off guard, "it might be because of the magic declining…"
Angela was silent for a moment, turning to the spike pointing at her chest from the wall.
"I suppose," she finally mumbled, to no one in particular.
Feeling a bit embarrassed for his outburst Duran helped Carlie get to her feet. For that he got a smile that could have lit up the darkest night. Despite that she had chosen the dark path in their classchanging… she hadn't changed much, personality wise.
For better or worse.
"Well, anyway," Duran said, getting back to the present, "we have to find those bastards!"
"Bad wooords!" Carlie pouted.
"Aren't you used to it by now?" the knight sighed, "I swear all the time and you keep complaining."
"Grandpa schays that bad words are bad, I would get…"
"Yes, spanked, I know."
"That'sch right!"
Duran tiredly nodded.
"Alright, alright," he said, "matter at hand. We have to find those evil gentlemen and…"
"Spank them!" Carlie cheered.
Angela couldn't help but giggle at the whole discussion.