Islanders- Enter the WarMage, Chapter 8: "Love and Life Lost"
(This one is actually a lesson in what happens when you piss a WarMage off, as Robert realizes Rosa's lesson and reacts to it in completely the wrong way. Aurora learns herself, but entirely too late to prevent what she must do. But then, what's the fun if everything went well?)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By now, the news of Rosa's little pet plot had spread, namely over the breakfast table, of which Aurora and Robert were not present.

"Quiet down everyone! She'll be coming soon."

Everyone tried to put on as straight a face as possible as Aurora descended slowly into the Great Hall, looking nervous. Rosa decided to break the ice, saving her from her embarrassment.

"Come down to get Robert's breakfast?"

Aurora bit her lip a bit and looked around, causing a stifled giggle to erupt from someone's lips, too low for her to hear. "Actually, no... He wanted wasn't hungry, so I came down here to eat."

DAMN!!! , Rosa thought to herself. It seemed like much of the tension in the room, that began upon Aurora's arrival, was slowly seeping from the room. "Aurora, he will get hungry later and you know he shouldn't leave his room. I asked you..."

Rosa suddenly fell back in her chair as Aurora shrieked, "CAN'T YOU SEND ONE OF THE SERVANTS UP THERE?!?!?!"

Rosa blinked, biting her tongue. What HAPPENED in there??? she thought to herself as she got up, righting her chair and sitting in it. She decided that a first-hand account was appropriate and reached out for Aurora's mind as quietly and as subtly as possible, the same way she used a mental compulsion to make sure she would not let Robert leave the bed, and to make sure she would not also.

THIS ISN'T WHAT I HAD IN MIND! Rosa screamed at herself as she drew away with the answers she sought. They're too scared... Too scared of each other, too scared of themselves, too scared to let anything change, even for the better. She groaned inwardly as she realized Aurora's intention of keeping a very good distance from Robert, while she sorted things out. She figured Robert would have the same idea.

"Sorry Aurora... I thought you would help him best through his recovery. If you don't want to, I won't make you. But please, I want him to recover as quickly as possible, and I've done all I can." Good old guilt... a perfect weapon. Rosa's dilemma now was to convince Aurora to recant on her resolve.

No such luck however. "No Rosa... we just need time to... think. Something happened tonight that neither of us really wanted... nor can we remember. Just what happened last night...?" Aurora sat down and started to eat mechanically, as if she wasn't all there.

I know someone who isn't all there. Three people in fact. and I'm one of them! "Excuse me everyone, but I need to go for a moment."

Rosa calmly got up, smiling gently, and left, leaving her breakfast unfinished. When Rydia went to look for her a half-hour later, she found her in the Healing Quarters, one of Rosa's Apprentices healing her hands after she punched a few holes in solid granite, with her bare hands... and she was still angry.

Rydia didn't have to mention to Rosa that the breakfast was a very disappointing, deflated affair.

---------------------------------------------

Robert sat in his bed, stomach down, facing the television as he zoned out, playing a game of some sort half- heartedly. He sighed as his stomach growled. He was hungry, but could not leave still without earning Rosa's wrath.

Watching a tall, lithe Healer, whose frame gave no indication of any real strength, shove her fists angrily through the Garden's walls repeatedly until they were bloody, with every bone in each hand broken REALLY put into him the desire not to piss her off. Aurora must have told her she wasn't coming up to my room anymore, he thought to himself, shuddering at Rosa's display of anger.

So much the better I suppose. They had found each other in a tangle an hour before... arms wrapped around each other, lips meeting as if they fell asleep during something very... passionate. The display had startled both of them, scaring the living crap out of both of them as they stared into each other's eyes in complete shock.

It had taken a good minute to recover enough to pull away from each other to realize another shock. So once they got done staring at each other's nakedness, they blushed and somehow managed to dress. Neither of them remembered what happened last night after they got to bed, and were not sure what exactly had happened.

We must have been half-asleep... I don't know... why did I have to try that... what did I do? he groaned to himself. And now I've lost her... chased Aurora off... He whimpered a bit, wondering if whatever they did was worth pretty much losing his closest friend.

And yet... He put the controller down, thinking. I'm scared... but I just... I never really wanted to let go. I haven't felt this way in a while... not since.. . He bit his lip, clutching his forehead as realization dawned in his eyes. Alison... I'm... oh god I am..... I'm falling...

He laid there, unmoving and in complete shock, as he realized that any chance now with Aurora was lost. If only I hadn't done whatever I did...

Realization downed in his eyes again. He started to remember soft voices. Something woke him up barely. It felt like he was being moved, and at the time he thought something went wrong with his recovery: he had heard Rosa's voice. Oh holy shit..... I am going to tear that bitch fucking APART!!!

He stormed out of his room, opening the door with such force that it broke apart with a loud slam, as it hit a wall, barely missing a passing Summoner.

Rydia stared at him as the door crumbled to splinters not a foot away from her. She thought she should get him back in his room, but NOBODY wanted to deal with a WarMage when they were angry... and especially the most powerful WarMage alive.

She settled for following him, wondering who angered him, and hoping she could stop him before he killed someone.

---------------------------------------------

Aurora sighed as she told Rosa what had happened after they awoke. They were in the Healing Quarters now, talking. Rosa had summoned her there, with the intention of trying to get Aurora back to nurse Robert.

Aurora was determined not to let it work. She was afraid of what would happen tonight if she stayed with him... she didn't want things to change.

"Rosa, he's my friend. I like it like that. We tease and flirt sometimes, but nothing like that. I don't want that."

Are you sure about that? Are you REALLY sure about that? a voice rang in her head. She looked over Rosa, who was frowning and looking upset. Aurora was surprised about that thought coming to her. She had been reluctant to let him go. It just reminded her of that dream, and that troubled her.

"Well, Aurora, I don't know what to say. You two may have been dreaming..."

"People don't undress in their sleep."

"True. Maybe it was a prank of some sort." Rosa needed a way to dig herself out of this hole, and NOW, while keeping Aurora on the path she wanted. "From what I picked up on your mind..."

"You were reading my mind?"

Shit! "Well yeah. This is troubling you darling, and I can safely say that you two didn't do anything. Your dream however... was interesting. I didn't know you liked fairy tales so much."

"I see. I must have had that dream again."

"Again?"

"Yeah, didn't I tell you about it? The one with the masked man?"

"Oh... well, perhaps Robert dreamed much of the same thing, perhaps. With the prank that was pulled apparently... You might have..."

"Oh... sounds like something Edge would do..." That little prick is going to die today! "But... Would we have...?"

"Sex? Oh unlikely. Like I said, judging from your mind, nothing had happened, and you would have probably noticed if you two started something when you were asleep. I've never heard of a case of well... sleep sex." Rosa blushed a bit, and chuckled.

Aurora had to laugh, then grinned, trying to get out of her embarrassment. "You mentioned that he may have been dreaming along the same lines... I didn't know Robert was capable of love."

If only you knew about him, Aurora... and about yourself. "Well, yeah, he's still human, after all."

"I know, but you've seen him. He's determined to be lonely as long as he lives. After Alison... Well I've seen him at work. It's almost like he tries to doom any relationships he could have." Thank god! Aurora blinked at that thought, mentally slapping herself. That wasn't a good thing to think, period. She stuttered, and continued, "It's almost like he wants to be depressed and sickeningly lovelorn."

Rosa nodded. "Yeah, I've gotten that from him. I think he's so afraid of being hurt that he runs away... and rationalizes it like the poor girl isn't interested. This has probably shaken him pretty badly." She saw her chance right there... Go for it Rosa! "Even if you don't want to deal with nursing him, you really should talk to him about this... at least reassure him. I know he loves you..."

"WHAT?"

"As a friend, Aurora! And as his closest friend, I think it would be best if you two talked this one out. He doesn't really need you avoiding him forever because of this. And you don't need it too."

"That's true... alright. But what if he doesn't believe me?"

"Tell him you remember last night now, with my help. And it was wonderful, but let's not to do it again... you're not ready for that yet."

"Oh yeah, stroke his ego. He doesn't need that!" They both laughed for a bit, with Aurora starting to feel better.

At least until the door slammed on its hinges and Robert stormed in, obviously pissed. "Robert? What's wrong? Shouldn't you be in bed?"

Robert just waved Aurora aside. "Aurora, Could you go please? I need to talk to Rosa." Aurora turned to Rosa and noticed fear in her eyes. Something was up, and she should be nearby. "No, if you need to talk to her, you can have me around. I was talking to her when you stormed in!" She didn't mean to sound so harsh, but it was too late.

Robert, listening to Aurora get angry, felt as if someone shoved a spear through his gut. His voice strained form a mixture of anger and pain. "Aurora. Leave. Now. That. Is. An. Order." She reeled back in shock, growling a warning. "If you do anything to her, I'll deal with you myself."

She turned on her heels and walked out of the room, closing the door. Rosa groaned inwardly, knowing what he was angry about... dangerously angry. She readied a psychic blow, one to incapacitate him, like she did so many times before. It came on instinct actually, but she was scared it might not work...

---------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, outside the Healing Quarters, Aurora was trying to catch her breath, trying to let go of the anger that the darker parts of her soul wanted to hold onto, when Rydia ran up to her. "Aurora, where's Robert???" The tone of voice Rydia had as she spoke surprised Aurora, shaking her out of her rage. "With Rosa? Why?"

Rydia paled very quickly after that, and hit the nearest intercom. "Berserker, location Healing Quarters! All available warriors must assist!"

Oh god no... Aurora blinked, stunned as the announcement made it's way all over the Palace, bringing everyone out of whatever they were doing and sending them to action. A "Berserker" was the Islander term for a raging WarMage... one so angry that they needed to be subdued as quickly as possible, lest they destroy everything around them. And I left Rosa with him! OH GOD! "Rydia? What's going on?"

Rydia bit her lip, not willing to enter until she had others. She could subdue Robert, but not without a lot of trouble. She was very powerful, and while Robert may have not been a match for any of the Lords and Ladies, he could give them serious trouble... and if luck was on his side when he felt homicidal...

"Well, it was a little idea Rosa had... I think it went all wrong..."

"What did? I don't need you stalling, Mom! We need to get in there before he kills her!"

Rydia blinked back tears and whispered, "Rosa felt something off of him, although he refused to recognize it... He was, shall we say, affectionate toward a woman, and Rosa decided to force him into admitting it. The woman felt the same way toward him, but was too denying it, so she decided to play matchmaker..."

"GET TO THE POINT!"

"The entire debacle last night was her doing! Edge as an additional joke, stripped you two, but Rosa planned the entire thing! Don't you understand???" Rydia looked ready to cry about then, while Aurora started to get angry herself.

"Does she have any idea what she did? That she almost made me lose my best friend???"

"Painfully so. She was so pissed about what happened... she broke holes in foot-thick granite. Busted her hands up pretty bad... Aurora, don't get angry too. I'm going to need you now!" Others started to arrive, weapons drawn and armor hurriedly donned.

Aurora shook herself out of her anger as everyone took positions. No one wanted either Robert or Rosa hurt, but if it come down to the wire, Robert would be hurting. Rosa could deal with him once he was calmed again. Cecil had started to open the door cautiously...

But it had started to open itself. Namely as a flaxen blonde-haired woman flew past, screaming, to be silenced as soon as her head hit the opposite wall, collapsing in a heap where she hit. She wasn't moving.

"No! Rosa!..." Everyone stared in shock as Cecil ran to Rosa's limp form, touching her nose, but not moving her. "She's breathing, but very weak... She needs help!" Maria ran to her Lady's aid, positioning her with the skill of a paramedic as she began to heal Rosa's wounds, which were several... an injured neck, from the impact, with bruises as he held Rosa by said neck, along with other bruises from where he had struck her. Apparently any psychic attacks Rosa had used were too weak... or he was too angry to have them affect him much...

"Step away from her Maria, she's MINE!" Robert stood in the doorway, a dark look in his eyes. He was enraged completely. Maria had started to say "No" when Cecil leapt to his feet, growling, angry himself. "YOU BASTARD! DON'T YOU EVER LAY A HAND ON ROSA AGAIN!" The paladin rushed Robert, bringing his Crystal Sword after his side. Robert wasn't wearing any armor, nor did he carry a weapon.

It didn't matter. Robert leapt back from the slash, stepping forward once the sword passed him to kick Cecil hard in the abdomen. Cecil gasped, surprised by the blow and bending down instinctively. At that, Robert grabbed him by the neck and executed a rather painful pile driver, knocking him out cold. Robert meant business, and now the battle was joined.

And it was not good. Robert was slowly making his way through the ten people arrayed against him, his rage guiding him, not caring about anything but Rosa's death. That rage fueled him as he took blows that would kill normal men. He sidestepped as Kain jumped, intending to land on him and drive his spear through his body. Robert didn't waste time once Kain landed, grabbing him by the throat and throwing him at Edge. Edge darted aside, but was hit by Kain's spear in his arm as Kain collapsed upon hitting the wall. It was getting bad, and No one wanted to do anything that would kill him...

That's not a wise move. They must have forgotten about that because they're so desperate... you either kill a WarMage or get killed. Aurora thought to herself as he stepped away from the others... ten people some injured worse than others, all unable to fight. Maria looked up at him in fear as he reached down to throw her away, then closed her eyes in concentration.

The only visible wound from the attack was that his nose started bleeding. Robert closed his eyes, screaming in pain and rage as he tried to fight off the psychic assault, his mind starting to succumb... but he wasn't that easily deterred. Drawing back his fist, he lashed out at with a blow Maria didn't see... and the psychic attack ended as she fell unconscious.

Aurora drew her sword, pushing him away from Rosa and growling. "I warned you Robert, what I would do if you hurt her. And now eleven others lay at your feet? Are they dead? I don't know. But you will be." By now, Aurora had fallen into her battle mentality, pushing aside all emotion as she guarded Rosa. Robert would be weakened from the fighting, and Aurora expected this to be done quickly and painlessly. Even then, her own words tore at her... she never wanted to say those words... not to Robert anyway.

Reflecting back, she would have laughed. That was a mistake. Robert attacked as she spoke, moving aside when Aurora lunged at him, expecting a charge. Aurora then counterattacked, a slash the drew a bloody line across his torso, one of many others. Not a deep wound, but it bled profusely. Robert did not care.

As he fell back from the blade and pain, she lunged again, bringing her sword across in an arc that would open his stomach and most likely kill him. But she wasn't lucky this time. He jumped the sword, forward and before she had the time to recover, grabbed her hand and yanked the blade free, wrapping her fingers around her throat.

She knew what would happen as she struggled against him... He would throw her, incapacitating her so he could go after Rosa. She couldn't let that happen... and she couldn't let him live with that shame once he got to his senses... Surprisingly, she started to cry as her hand reached into her belt.

"Please forgive me... I... I didn't want to do this..." She lashed out as he started to throw her, drawing her knife from her belt and jamming it into his chest. He became weak after that, more dropping her on her ass as he stared in horror at the knife that had impaled his heart.

"Aurora... why... why did you do this?..."

She couldn't answer as she cried, falling on her knees as her friend fell silent and dropped. Others began to arrive, and the Healers started their grim work.

---------------------------------------------

Aurora sat by the bed, looking up at Rosa. Her wounds weren't actually that bad. Outside of a few bruises, she had only suffered a concussion. None of the combatants had serious wounds... this time.

With one exception. And that exception laid lifelessly as Rosa appraised the wounds, mending them as needed. "I'm sorry Aurora... this is not what I wanted to happen... it should have all been different."

"I know you meant only the best Rosa. I should have seen it myself... I should have stayed..."

"It's too late for 'I should have' and 'I shouldn't have', Aurora... what's done is done... you did what you had to do, and I thank you for that."

"I know, but it doesn't make it hurt any less..."

Rosa's injuries did make her lose hold of her power, and the other Healers on the Island were too exhausted from the effort of healing the wounded. Thus, Robert would have to wait two days. The only question on everyone's mind now was "Is it too late?"

Rosa sighed. "I'm going to try to Revive him hon. You should leave. And pray for the best."

Aurora nodded and got up to leave, calling back between sobs, "Please... don't let him go..."

"I will do my best Aurora," was the reply as she closed the door.

The next few minutes were tense in the waiting room. Almost all of the Watcher Lords, and Lords and Ladies sat there, looking worried... even Cecil. None of them wanted him to be truly dead, but that would have to wait and see.

A few minutes turned into a half-hour, as everyone stared to worry... Alison was crying, Kain staring at nothing in particular. But everyone was doing something to show their worry. "A Revival should take this long," Cecil muttered, hugging Rydia as she laid her head into his shoulder, her shoulders shaking with suppressed sobs.

Finally, Rosa emerged, carrying a slip of paper, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm sorry... I don't know, but nothing's worked..." Everyone stared at Rosa in shock as she continued, "I'm so sorry... this was all my fault..."

Finally, she looked up at Aurora. "I can perform the resurrection, but... every one is unique, and everybody needs different reagents to perform the spell... Robert's are quite unusual, and I don't have everything. Aurora, I must rest to perform the spell... so while I rest..." She pressed the slip into her hand and sighed. "I need you to find these things... All of them are quite rare, and I don't know where to find them... and I cannot afford to leave, nor the rest of us..."

Aurora nodded, tears streaming down her own cheeks as she bit her lip. "I will do anything..... just... don't let him go Rosa... I don't know what I'd do..."

Rosa only nodded. "It may not work even then... I can't make promises, but I can only hope his spirit remains strong... the longer you take, the less chance he has to have his life returned. Go Aurora... and hurry..."

Aurora nodded and left, to prepare to leave. She didn't know what she would encounter, and she planned to return as soon as possible...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sorry 'bout the sporadic updates. I'm such a lazy ass. Heh. I have a few other things to do, oh well.

Feel free to review and tell me what you think!