Darkening Hopes
Chapter 5
The soft wind gently flowed across the grasslands like a river, rippling the tall
grass like water before they stilled as the breeze moved on. Hawk sighed happily. He
never saw this kind of beauty or serenity in Navarre, unless someone found beauty in the
blowing, stinging sands sometimes tainted with blood. But hey, that was his home; it
might be a godsforsaken desert but it's HIS godsforsaken desert.
He found himself WANTING to go back actually, he hated the humidity that
covered the Grasslands Kingdom like a heavy blanket. Obviously, Kemei did not mind,
since Bounty Hunters could adapt to their surroundings like they were a native, it was
part of their magic. Hawk was always reluctant to leave Kemei, and Kemei always tried
to spend her time with Hawk to the fullest.
'It's not easy for either of us...she's a Bounty Hunter, I'm a thief...Nightblade
rather...but we love each other, more than anything, and that's what matters.' Hawk
concluded, smiling internally. Then, his thoughts took a bit more morbid turn.
'But what if something happens to her while I'm away? We have to be more
careful with the Dark Prince on the loose again. No...Hawk...she's a bounty hunter, she
can take care of herself. If she made it through the Mana War then why should I worry
about her safety now? That's right...don't worry...' the young warrior pondered, and sat
down to think some more.
He remembered the first time he had gotten word of the Dark Prince...it was only
minutes before the death of Eagle. He had seen Bigieu, who had gone by Isabelle then,
with Jagan discussing a report to Archdemon. Then, he and Eagle interfered, Bigieu
controlled Eagle, Hawk nearly killed Eagle, but then Bigieu finished him off. That's
when he was captured by the other ninjas, and that's when he realized that they were all
under Bigieu's control.
Not long after, his partner in crime, Nikita, saved him from certain execution by
breaking him out of the Navarre dungeons. However, before his rescue, he had very little
time to learn that Jessica had been put under a curse by Bigieu, and that she would be
killed instantly if Hawk ever told her the truth of Eagle's death. And...that's where it all
started; his part of the Mana War, which broke the entire world apart. What had once
been a peaceful world, now changed into a land of uncertainty and strife. Now, when the
world had barely recovered from it's sickness of Kuk's power, it was being torn apart
again. Hawk wondered if the countries would keep their alliances throughout this, what
if the Dark Kingdom seized a city? Controlled it? Then what? They would lose allies
fast...
Hawk sighed exasperatedly; this could be it. This could be the end of the world.
If they failed...what would happen? Would the world be destroyed? And what of
Lumina?!? What did Archdemon want her for anyway...?
'So many questions...and they're all practically the same! Damnit Hawk, get
yourself together, this isn't like you! Don't give up, the world can't end like this. You
got so many things ahead of you!' He thought aggressively, fighting back his depressing
mood. Suddenly, a small rustle in the bushes ahead startled him, and he drew out his
knives. Slowly, a baby Rabite hopped out of the bushes and looked at Hawk in
wonderment.
"You little..." Hawk growled, and raised his knives. Stupid thing! It nearly
scared him to death. His arm tensed as he readied himself for the killing blow...
And it shivered, rolled into a ball, defenseless and scared.
Hawk blinked. What was WITH him? Slaughtering hapless Rabites just because
they caught him off guard? What was he, a monster? The Nightblade sheathed his
knives and knelt to the small creature.
"...Sorry little guy...I don't know what came over me. It's okay, I won't hurt
you." He reassured, making his voice soft. The Rabite peaked an eye out from under an
ear, slowly uncurled itself and chirped. Hawk smiled, and gently lifted his hands down to
the infant monster. The Rabite snuggled in; it was so small that Hawk was able to hold it
with only his hands and barely any strength. He slowly stood up and sat back down on
his rock and stroked the Rabite's fur.
"You're not scared are you? Even when I tried to kill you, but I apologized and
you forgave me? What thoughtless creatures you Rabites are, you...stupid...adorable
little thing..." he murmured, and scratched behind its ears. The baby beast purred and
snuggled into Hawk for warmth and affection. Hawk smiled.
"Nope, you're not scared at all, maybe because you have no idea what's going on,
huh?" he questioned the tiny animal, then shook his head, "Oh, what am I doing...? You
don't understand a word I'm saying do you? But you're not scared, even of a big 'ol
Nightblade like me..." Hawk froze.
The Rabite wasn't afraid of something as dark as him.
So why should he be afraid of something that was possible to defeat?!?
"...Little guy, I think you just gave me a boost of esteem!" Hawk laughed, and
the Rabite looked up in confusion, "Odd how people learn lessons from the simplest of
things. I can do this! I must follow Princess Lumina's orders and fight back instead of
sitting here in the Grasslands on a rock and muttering about how hard it might be. I gotta
try! I will try! Aww...c'mere you little..." Hawk squeezed the infant tightly, making it
give a muffled chirp. The thief let go and stood up, setting the animal back down.
"Then I better go, I got work to do..." Hawk concluded, and turned around.
WHAM!
And he fell right back, startling the Rabite infant and causing it to dash back into
the bushes. A tall man dressed red and white armor looked down at the unconscious
Hawk.
"Spoke too soon there, eh Hawk?" he taunted, and grabbed his charge, "Don't
worry, I'll take you somewhere where you won't have to settle for Rabites for
companions!" he laughed, and carried Hawk onto his transporter. While his back was
turned, the small Rabite leaped out of the bushes, glared at the ninja, and then looked at
the man who was so kind to it. The Rabite blinked, and then with all his might he
jumped into the transporter silently and hid underneath Hawk's cape. The ninja climbed
into the driver's seat, started the ignition with an odd shaped, glowing stone, and flew off
at a moderate speed, leaving the river wind and Grasslands behind.
* * *
"Can we take a break? Please?"
"It's your fault you hardly worked out over this past year Princess Angela!"
"Duran...how many times...do I have to tell you...to NOT call me Princess?!?
We're friends!"
Angela pouted at Duran, crossing her arms after slamming her staff down on the
ground. The Paladin glared slightly.
"Okay, first you want me to treat you like royalty, and now you're..."
"That was a LONG TIME AGO DURAN!" Angela screamed, and the two
continued flying insults at each other.
Carlie sighed and tugged at Kevin's pant leg, pointing to a shady tree. The
warrior nodded and trotted over with his little friend. Koren and Lumina were sitting on
a boulder above them all, watching the scene in amusement.
"I think they're getting better at this..." Koren laughed, shaking his head. His
sword, slightly stained with blood, lay on the ground to his side. Lumina smiled but
didn't comment, she was too tired, both mentally and physically. They had been
traveling for days from Forcena to Maia, then taking a ship from Maia to Jad. From
there, they headed through the Rabite Forest when Carlie suddenly came up with the idea
that they should head to Wendel and spend the night. Angela had started to protest but
Koren said that it was probably a good idea, maybe Heath or the Priest of Light could
help them. After all, he had given the Heroes of Mana advice during the Mana War.
It wasn't too hard to get through the Cave of Waterfalls, however, several
monsters still lurked within the caves, and this caused some delay. Now it was nearing
sunset, but the Paladin and Arch Mage chose THIS time, when they were only about half
a mile from the Holy City, to strike up an argument.
Lumina was sick of the way the two were acting, it was like they didn't learn
anything while they were on the quest for the Mana Sword! Didn't teamwork come
BEFORE petty squabbles?
"...Uh oh, something's wrong..." Koren mused, and sat a little closer to Lumina,
"What's up? Don't try hiding it, I know that you're upset when your eyes lose a little
shimmer." Lumina turned her head and looked at her husband. If it weren't for him, she
would probably give up on this whole thing.
"I'm just tired, we need to get to Wendel before dark..." she murmured, and set
her head down on his shoulder. He smiled and kissed her forehead lightly.
"I know, it's been a long day. I'll try and break up the fight..." he replied, and
stood up. He jumped off the boulder and walked over to the bickering pair.
"STUPID!! STUPID!!!! Like I EVER thought you would understand!!"
"Look ANGIE, you're one of the oldest people here, so start acting like it!!!"
"HEY!!!!!!" shouted Koren at the top of his lungs, causing Duran and Angela to
jump back at least a foot, "Can we keep moving? Wendel isn't too far off, and we're
TIRED guys! Could you guys save it for tomorrow or something?" Duran and Angela
bowed their heads slightly. Apparently, the last of their strength was nearly gone too.
"...Right. You heard him! Carlie! Kevin! Let's go! Coming Princess?" Duran
questioned innocently, looking up towards Lumina. However, the young Dragon was
apparently pre-occupied, her back turned to the party and looking down into the water
behind her.
She couldn't explain what was happening, the Knight's words were becoming a
trifling mumble in the distance compared to the new voice that covered her mind in a fog.
-Jump...jump! Fall...fall! The water's hands will catch you...gently
now...jump...- It called to her, warm and soothing, belonging to no sex but as if the
genderless wind echoed itself into her. Lumina felt her body relax dramatically, and she
couldn't feel anything. Her emerald eyes lost all life as she continued to look below her.
The soft waters were calling to her...grasping for her...and while Lumina's sense was
screaming at her to get a grip on reality, the rest of her had fallen victim to the hypnotic
voice and believed that she could fall and land in the water like a pillow. Only her sense
caught notice of the sharp, jagged rocks below the seemingly docile surface, and tried to
pull her back. Pulling, pulling...
"LUMINA!!"
Lumina's eyes gained back life, and she looked down in horror to find that she
was on the very edge of the cliff, one foot beginning to step off. Koren's hand grasped
her arm tightly and pulled her back safely on the boulder again.
"Lumina! What's wrong? What happened?!?" the Prince questioned rapidly.
Lumina blinked hard and looked at Koren in puzzlement.
"...What?"
"Why did you almost jump off a fifty foot cliff?!? Is something wrong?" panic
streaked his face, his eyes showing deep concern. Lumina turned back to the cliff's edge
and blinked again in confusion.
"...I don't know..." she replied numbly. Should she tell Koren about the voice?
No...that would be stupid, "...Let's go." She turned around sharply, maneuvered around
her friends and started down the path leading to Wendel once more. Koren stared after
her, sighed, and followed with the others trailing behind him.
A man in a black robe glared after the party with red eyes full of hate before
descending back into the shadows from where he came.
* * *
"Well, what do you know?"
"Heathie!!"
Carlie giggled and ran into Heath's open arms. The young priest laughed and
hugged the half-elf. The others approached one at a time, each receiving a hug from their
friend.
"This is certainly a surprise!" Heath laughed again, and pushed some of his silver
hair behind an ear, "You all must be tired, was it a long trip? What exactly are you doing
here?" Koren smiled.
"It's a long story Heath. And we're all a little bit too tired to discuss it with you
right now. Is there any place we can bathe and re-dress before a small conference with
you and His Excellency?" he asked politely, and Heath nodded.
"Yeah, of course. Ladies bath is to the east of the Temple, Mens to the west.
Take your time!" he smiled. Everyone thanked the priest and Carlie kissed his cheek.
Then, the weary travelers headed to their baths in a hurry. Heath grinned after all of
them, and went back inside to tell the Priest of Light that his granddaughter and friends
had arrived.
Carlie giggled and threw some more warm water into the air. She had to keep
readjusting her towel to continue playing, but she considered the hassle worth it. Angela
smiled at her friend and turned to Lumina. The Dragon Princess was gently playing with
the water in a corner, her hair put up in a bun just like Angela's. The Ice Princess smiled
and waded over to her friend.
"Hey, looks like you need someone to talk to!" the Arch Mage exclaimed and sat
down next to Lumina. Lumina looked up and smiled.
"Not really, but thanks anyway. I was just in deep thought..." she explained, and
sat back against the bath wall. Angela shifted and looked off towards the sounds of
delight from Carlie.
"...She sure sounds like she's having fun!" Angela giggled. Lumina squinted
through the fog to see Carlie's dancing silhouette.
"...Wish I could do that." Lumina mumbled and brought her knees to her chest.
Angela sighed, there was absolutely no way to break Lumina's attitude.
Except...maybe...
Angela got out of the bath and walked behind Lumina and sat down. Lumina
turned her head around and gave Angela a puzzled look.
"Nuh uh, turn back," Angela said, and Lumina turned. Angela untied Lumina's
bun and let her golden hair flow down onto the walkway. The Arch Mage smoothed it
out and began to stroke her fingers through it, "I've always wanted hair like this. I've
envied you and Lise and Carlie for so long...Koren too. I just like blonds..." she
murmured. Lumina giggled slightly.
"Is that why you like Victor so much?" she asked, and Angela nodded.
"He's so sweet. I'm glad that I married him. You and Koren are so happy too..."
she replied, "He was such a cool guy when we were in magic school. He was always
getting into trouble and making Jose angry on purpose. All three of us would always be
in detention." Lumina laughed out loud, and Carlie's gleeful squeals faltered.
"...Angela...why...how did you and Koren become so angry with each other?"
The Dragon princess asked, and Angela shifted uncomfortably.
"It was really my fault, I guess...I kinda exploded at him when I saw him do
magic. I didn't even let him defend himself. I was jealous, he wasn't even mean. It was
I, and when I stopped talking to him he got mad. I think Kuk took that opportunity to
insert the real evil in him." She elaborated. Lumina hummed in recognition and watched
Carlie's shadow come slowly towards them until she appeared through the steam.
"What you two doing?" she questioned, and splashed down next to Lumina.
"Just talking Carlie." Lumina replied and allowed Angela to put her hair back in
its bun and sit on the other side of Carlie.
"Big girl stuff? Stuff Carlie can't hear 'bout?" the Half-elf asked again, and
Angela smiled.
"Oh, not really. Just about getting married and stuff..." she trailed off, and
started to fiddle with Carlie's hair too.
"Ooh! Carlie has a question!" the Half-blood suddenly screamed, making the
other two jump back slightly, "Carlie always wondered, but Carlie never know. You two
smart, you tell me, where do babies come from?"
A long, disturbing pause echoed through the bath.
"...Shall we?" Lumina sighed, looking at Angela with an amused look.
"Indeed we shall. Carlie, it's time you learned about the birds and the
bees...uncensored..." Angela answered, a mischievous grin developing on her face.
Both royal ladies laughed evilly and a few moments later Carlie joined in, not exactly
knowing what they were laughing about...but just for the sake of fitting in.
* * *
Koren sat down in the cushioned chair around the dining table inside of the
Temple of Light. Lumina calmly sat down next to him, her hair still slightly damp and
smelling of lilac. The aroma sent Koren into a slight masculine frenzy, suddenly he
wanted nothing more than just to hold Lumina's slender body tightly and whisper in her
ear how much he loved her. He snapped out of his daydream as Heath and the Priest of
Light stepped into the room and sat down as well, both at the head of the table.
The old priest had aged considerably since the last time any of the warriors had
seen him. That's probably why Heath was getting taught at a much faster rate, the priest
probably didn't have many more years left.
"...The citizens of Wendel always have open arms and hearts to the Children of
Mana. We are very pleased with your visit," the Priest of Light feebly spoke. The
"children" nodded in reply, and out of respect waited until Heath brought up the situation.
"...So the world is threatened again, this time by what is considered an even
greater force. We have evidence...the statues are crying tears of blood again...very
frightening to some of the children in the palace. While we are a neutral city and give
help to people in need during these times, we cannot offer any help. We are as lost as
you are." The young priest finished, looking quite helpless. The heroes' hopes
plummeted as if the Goddess had been holding them high like a heavy rock and suddenly
released.
"...There's nothing you can do?" Angela asked innocently. Both priests shook
their heads, but suddenly Heath looked thoughtful.
"Well, we can help you with one small thing. Have you heard about the odd
happenings in Mintos?" the party shook their heads, "They say a dark shadow creeps
about like a walking disease, killing anything not wary enough to avoid it. There have
been several reports sent out to us by the Beast Kingdom, each one speaking the same
fear. Unfortunately, the fear has been confirmed by uses of the Moon's Mirror..." Koren
and Angela blinked.
"The Moon's Mirror? You mean Mother actually used that old thing?" the Arch
Mage asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, Princess, she did. And it has only confirmed that our suspicious are
true...The Deathjester has returned." Heath spoke, his voice dropping a sizable amount of
volume.
The room was silent.
Everyone slowly gained back composure, Heath taking an extra amount of time.
Everyone present knew that he knew the most about the mysterious Jester, also known as
the Death Eater Man. And everyone also knew that Heath would be in serious trouble if
the Deathjester decided to come for him.
"...But he is different this time..." spoke the eldest of the two holy men, "A dark
shadow...eating souls...you know of what I speak of..." he whispered, but everyone
present caught every word, and knew what he meant.
"You certainly cannot mean...that's impossible, there hasn't been one for
centuries...you have to be mistaken..." Koren muttered darkly, but Heath shook his head
unhappily. That's when the party fell completely still, and waited for the words to fall
with bated breath.
"I'm afraid not. The Deathjester has returned as a Shadow Wraith."
* * *
Lumina tip-toed into the ladies' bathing house. She couldn't sleep; Heath's words
echoed through her mind, bouncing off the walls of her brain and hitting her conscious
over and over again: Shadow Wraith...Shadow Wraith... And she needed to calm herself
with the lilac soap again. She would have confided into Koren, but the occupants of the
Temple of Light were not allowed to share rooms with a person of the opposite sex.
Apparently, they didn't want the purity of the Temple to be ruined by any nocturnal
activities.
She undressed, wrapped the towel about her slim figure, and slipped into the
cauldron of near-boiling water. She had barely begun to lose track of thought when she
heard soft, yet heavy footsteps enter the bathing house. She turned swiftly, she was
learning to become more alert these days, and relaxed to find Koren standing at the
entrance. But her mind switched from relief to slight annoyance in a heartbeat.
"You're not allowed in here, this is the LADIES' bathing house!" She mocked,
using a tone a giggly schoolgirl would use. Both knew not to take the comment
seriously.
"I just...well, heard you leave. Thought you'd come down here, everyone needs
to relax now." He replied, smiling. Lumina smirked and shifted her position slightly,
adjusting her hips in such a subtle way, but Koren knew her body language well, and
mirrored her mocking grin. He undressed and slipped into the water with her, gently
bringing her into his arms.
She sighed happily and snuggled into his warm chest, forgetting about her towel
and letting it slide down. Koren tightened his hold and kissed her nose lightly, making
his way down until he reached her lips. They remained in that position for quite some
time, the only change being when Koren eventually slipped his tongue in as well, but for
the most part the couple did not stir for near a quarter of an hour. They had just started to
get a little more comfortable when suddenly, and very abruptly, a high-pitched voice
streamed through the steamy air.
"Whatchoo doing down here?"
Koren and Lumina jumped so harshly that the disturbed water lapped up and over
the brim of the bath. Carlie stood back from the rim in her nightgown, holding a teddy
bear, and looking at the couple with mussed hair but alert eyes. The two squirmed about
quickly, trying to hide themselves from the sixteen-year-old.
"Carlie! Carlie, go back to sleep!" Koren hissed in a hushed voice. Carlie
blinked.
"Can't. Scared. So whatchoo doing? Are you two having 'fun' or what?" the
half-blood giggled, and both Prince and Princess blushed profusely.
"It's nothing Carlie, you don't understand yet." Koren replied, but Carlie just
giggled again.
"Yes I do. Lady Lu-Lu-"
"Lu-Lu?!?"
"...And Angela told me all about 'having fun' and adult stuff that you do when
you're married. So are you two making babies and can I watch?"
Koren stared at Lumina while she sunk down deeper into the bath.
"No, Carlie, we're done. We didn't do anything, you didn't see anything, and
there's no need to tell anyone else, am I right?" Lumina cooed, sounding a bit muffled;
Carlie blinked.
"...Heathie should know..."
"NO!!"
In ten seconds flat the couple had chased Carlie out of the Bathing House, up to
the Temple of Light, around each and every statue, and down every staircase until she
eventually passed out and they could put her back in her room in peace.
Chapter 5
The soft wind gently flowed across the grasslands like a river, rippling the tall
grass like water before they stilled as the breeze moved on. Hawk sighed happily. He
never saw this kind of beauty or serenity in Navarre, unless someone found beauty in the
blowing, stinging sands sometimes tainted with blood. But hey, that was his home; it
might be a godsforsaken desert but it's HIS godsforsaken desert.
He found himself WANTING to go back actually, he hated the humidity that
covered the Grasslands Kingdom like a heavy blanket. Obviously, Kemei did not mind,
since Bounty Hunters could adapt to their surroundings like they were a native, it was
part of their magic. Hawk was always reluctant to leave Kemei, and Kemei always tried
to spend her time with Hawk to the fullest.
'It's not easy for either of us...she's a Bounty Hunter, I'm a thief...Nightblade
rather...but we love each other, more than anything, and that's what matters.' Hawk
concluded, smiling internally. Then, his thoughts took a bit more morbid turn.
'But what if something happens to her while I'm away? We have to be more
careful with the Dark Prince on the loose again. No...Hawk...she's a bounty hunter, she
can take care of herself. If she made it through the Mana War then why should I worry
about her safety now? That's right...don't worry...' the young warrior pondered, and sat
down to think some more.
He remembered the first time he had gotten word of the Dark Prince...it was only
minutes before the death of Eagle. He had seen Bigieu, who had gone by Isabelle then,
with Jagan discussing a report to Archdemon. Then, he and Eagle interfered, Bigieu
controlled Eagle, Hawk nearly killed Eagle, but then Bigieu finished him off. That's
when he was captured by the other ninjas, and that's when he realized that they were all
under Bigieu's control.
Not long after, his partner in crime, Nikita, saved him from certain execution by
breaking him out of the Navarre dungeons. However, before his rescue, he had very little
time to learn that Jessica had been put under a curse by Bigieu, and that she would be
killed instantly if Hawk ever told her the truth of Eagle's death. And...that's where it all
started; his part of the Mana War, which broke the entire world apart. What had once
been a peaceful world, now changed into a land of uncertainty and strife. Now, when the
world had barely recovered from it's sickness of Kuk's power, it was being torn apart
again. Hawk wondered if the countries would keep their alliances throughout this, what
if the Dark Kingdom seized a city? Controlled it? Then what? They would lose allies
fast...
Hawk sighed exasperatedly; this could be it. This could be the end of the world.
If they failed...what would happen? Would the world be destroyed? And what of
Lumina?!? What did Archdemon want her for anyway...?
'So many questions...and they're all practically the same! Damnit Hawk, get
yourself together, this isn't like you! Don't give up, the world can't end like this. You
got so many things ahead of you!' He thought aggressively, fighting back his depressing
mood. Suddenly, a small rustle in the bushes ahead startled him, and he drew out his
knives. Slowly, a baby Rabite hopped out of the bushes and looked at Hawk in
wonderment.
"You little..." Hawk growled, and raised his knives. Stupid thing! It nearly
scared him to death. His arm tensed as he readied himself for the killing blow...
And it shivered, rolled into a ball, defenseless and scared.
Hawk blinked. What was WITH him? Slaughtering hapless Rabites just because
they caught him off guard? What was he, a monster? The Nightblade sheathed his
knives and knelt to the small creature.
"...Sorry little guy...I don't know what came over me. It's okay, I won't hurt
you." He reassured, making his voice soft. The Rabite peaked an eye out from under an
ear, slowly uncurled itself and chirped. Hawk smiled, and gently lifted his hands down to
the infant monster. The Rabite snuggled in; it was so small that Hawk was able to hold it
with only his hands and barely any strength. He slowly stood up and sat back down on
his rock and stroked the Rabite's fur.
"You're not scared are you? Even when I tried to kill you, but I apologized and
you forgave me? What thoughtless creatures you Rabites are, you...stupid...adorable
little thing..." he murmured, and scratched behind its ears. The baby beast purred and
snuggled into Hawk for warmth and affection. Hawk smiled.
"Nope, you're not scared at all, maybe because you have no idea what's going on,
huh?" he questioned the tiny animal, then shook his head, "Oh, what am I doing...? You
don't understand a word I'm saying do you? But you're not scared, even of a big 'ol
Nightblade like me..." Hawk froze.
The Rabite wasn't afraid of something as dark as him.
So why should he be afraid of something that was possible to defeat?!?
"...Little guy, I think you just gave me a boost of esteem!" Hawk laughed, and
the Rabite looked up in confusion, "Odd how people learn lessons from the simplest of
things. I can do this! I must follow Princess Lumina's orders and fight back instead of
sitting here in the Grasslands on a rock and muttering about how hard it might be. I gotta
try! I will try! Aww...c'mere you little..." Hawk squeezed the infant tightly, making it
give a muffled chirp. The thief let go and stood up, setting the animal back down.
"Then I better go, I got work to do..." Hawk concluded, and turned around.
WHAM!
And he fell right back, startling the Rabite infant and causing it to dash back into
the bushes. A tall man dressed red and white armor looked down at the unconscious
Hawk.
"Spoke too soon there, eh Hawk?" he taunted, and grabbed his charge, "Don't
worry, I'll take you somewhere where you won't have to settle for Rabites for
companions!" he laughed, and carried Hawk onto his transporter. While his back was
turned, the small Rabite leaped out of the bushes, glared at the ninja, and then looked at
the man who was so kind to it. The Rabite blinked, and then with all his might he
jumped into the transporter silently and hid underneath Hawk's cape. The ninja climbed
into the driver's seat, started the ignition with an odd shaped, glowing stone, and flew off
at a moderate speed, leaving the river wind and Grasslands behind.
* * *
"Can we take a break? Please?"
"It's your fault you hardly worked out over this past year Princess Angela!"
"Duran...how many times...do I have to tell you...to NOT call me Princess?!?
We're friends!"
Angela pouted at Duran, crossing her arms after slamming her staff down on the
ground. The Paladin glared slightly.
"Okay, first you want me to treat you like royalty, and now you're..."
"That was a LONG TIME AGO DURAN!" Angela screamed, and the two
continued flying insults at each other.
Carlie sighed and tugged at Kevin's pant leg, pointing to a shady tree. The
warrior nodded and trotted over with his little friend. Koren and Lumina were sitting on
a boulder above them all, watching the scene in amusement.
"I think they're getting better at this..." Koren laughed, shaking his head. His
sword, slightly stained with blood, lay on the ground to his side. Lumina smiled but
didn't comment, she was too tired, both mentally and physically. They had been
traveling for days from Forcena to Maia, then taking a ship from Maia to Jad. From
there, they headed through the Rabite Forest when Carlie suddenly came up with the idea
that they should head to Wendel and spend the night. Angela had started to protest but
Koren said that it was probably a good idea, maybe Heath or the Priest of Light could
help them. After all, he had given the Heroes of Mana advice during the Mana War.
It wasn't too hard to get through the Cave of Waterfalls, however, several
monsters still lurked within the caves, and this caused some delay. Now it was nearing
sunset, but the Paladin and Arch Mage chose THIS time, when they were only about half
a mile from the Holy City, to strike up an argument.
Lumina was sick of the way the two were acting, it was like they didn't learn
anything while they were on the quest for the Mana Sword! Didn't teamwork come
BEFORE petty squabbles?
"...Uh oh, something's wrong..." Koren mused, and sat a little closer to Lumina,
"What's up? Don't try hiding it, I know that you're upset when your eyes lose a little
shimmer." Lumina turned her head and looked at her husband. If it weren't for him, she
would probably give up on this whole thing.
"I'm just tired, we need to get to Wendel before dark..." she murmured, and set
her head down on his shoulder. He smiled and kissed her forehead lightly.
"I know, it's been a long day. I'll try and break up the fight..." he replied, and
stood up. He jumped off the boulder and walked over to the bickering pair.
"STUPID!! STUPID!!!! Like I EVER thought you would understand!!"
"Look ANGIE, you're one of the oldest people here, so start acting like it!!!"
"HEY!!!!!!" shouted Koren at the top of his lungs, causing Duran and Angela to
jump back at least a foot, "Can we keep moving? Wendel isn't too far off, and we're
TIRED guys! Could you guys save it for tomorrow or something?" Duran and Angela
bowed their heads slightly. Apparently, the last of their strength was nearly gone too.
"...Right. You heard him! Carlie! Kevin! Let's go! Coming Princess?" Duran
questioned innocently, looking up towards Lumina. However, the young Dragon was
apparently pre-occupied, her back turned to the party and looking down into the water
behind her.
She couldn't explain what was happening, the Knight's words were becoming a
trifling mumble in the distance compared to the new voice that covered her mind in a fog.
-Jump...jump! Fall...fall! The water's hands will catch you...gently
now...jump...- It called to her, warm and soothing, belonging to no sex but as if the
genderless wind echoed itself into her. Lumina felt her body relax dramatically, and she
couldn't feel anything. Her emerald eyes lost all life as she continued to look below her.
The soft waters were calling to her...grasping for her...and while Lumina's sense was
screaming at her to get a grip on reality, the rest of her had fallen victim to the hypnotic
voice and believed that she could fall and land in the water like a pillow. Only her sense
caught notice of the sharp, jagged rocks below the seemingly docile surface, and tried to
pull her back. Pulling, pulling...
"LUMINA!!"
Lumina's eyes gained back life, and she looked down in horror to find that she
was on the very edge of the cliff, one foot beginning to step off. Koren's hand grasped
her arm tightly and pulled her back safely on the boulder again.
"Lumina! What's wrong? What happened?!?" the Prince questioned rapidly.
Lumina blinked hard and looked at Koren in puzzlement.
"...What?"
"Why did you almost jump off a fifty foot cliff?!? Is something wrong?" panic
streaked his face, his eyes showing deep concern. Lumina turned back to the cliff's edge
and blinked again in confusion.
"...I don't know..." she replied numbly. Should she tell Koren about the voice?
No...that would be stupid, "...Let's go." She turned around sharply, maneuvered around
her friends and started down the path leading to Wendel once more. Koren stared after
her, sighed, and followed with the others trailing behind him.
A man in a black robe glared after the party with red eyes full of hate before
descending back into the shadows from where he came.
* * *
"Well, what do you know?"
"Heathie!!"
Carlie giggled and ran into Heath's open arms. The young priest laughed and
hugged the half-elf. The others approached one at a time, each receiving a hug from their
friend.
"This is certainly a surprise!" Heath laughed again, and pushed some of his silver
hair behind an ear, "You all must be tired, was it a long trip? What exactly are you doing
here?" Koren smiled.
"It's a long story Heath. And we're all a little bit too tired to discuss it with you
right now. Is there any place we can bathe and re-dress before a small conference with
you and His Excellency?" he asked politely, and Heath nodded.
"Yeah, of course. Ladies bath is to the east of the Temple, Mens to the west.
Take your time!" he smiled. Everyone thanked the priest and Carlie kissed his cheek.
Then, the weary travelers headed to their baths in a hurry. Heath grinned after all of
them, and went back inside to tell the Priest of Light that his granddaughter and friends
had arrived.
Carlie giggled and threw some more warm water into the air. She had to keep
readjusting her towel to continue playing, but she considered the hassle worth it. Angela
smiled at her friend and turned to Lumina. The Dragon Princess was gently playing with
the water in a corner, her hair put up in a bun just like Angela's. The Ice Princess smiled
and waded over to her friend.
"Hey, looks like you need someone to talk to!" the Arch Mage exclaimed and sat
down next to Lumina. Lumina looked up and smiled.
"Not really, but thanks anyway. I was just in deep thought..." she explained, and
sat back against the bath wall. Angela shifted and looked off towards the sounds of
delight from Carlie.
"...She sure sounds like she's having fun!" Angela giggled. Lumina squinted
through the fog to see Carlie's dancing silhouette.
"...Wish I could do that." Lumina mumbled and brought her knees to her chest.
Angela sighed, there was absolutely no way to break Lumina's attitude.
Except...maybe...
Angela got out of the bath and walked behind Lumina and sat down. Lumina
turned her head around and gave Angela a puzzled look.
"Nuh uh, turn back," Angela said, and Lumina turned. Angela untied Lumina's
bun and let her golden hair flow down onto the walkway. The Arch Mage smoothed it
out and began to stroke her fingers through it, "I've always wanted hair like this. I've
envied you and Lise and Carlie for so long...Koren too. I just like blonds..." she
murmured. Lumina giggled slightly.
"Is that why you like Victor so much?" she asked, and Angela nodded.
"He's so sweet. I'm glad that I married him. You and Koren are so happy too..."
she replied, "He was such a cool guy when we were in magic school. He was always
getting into trouble and making Jose angry on purpose. All three of us would always be
in detention." Lumina laughed out loud, and Carlie's gleeful squeals faltered.
"...Angela...why...how did you and Koren become so angry with each other?"
The Dragon princess asked, and Angela shifted uncomfortably.
"It was really my fault, I guess...I kinda exploded at him when I saw him do
magic. I didn't even let him defend himself. I was jealous, he wasn't even mean. It was
I, and when I stopped talking to him he got mad. I think Kuk took that opportunity to
insert the real evil in him." She elaborated. Lumina hummed in recognition and watched
Carlie's shadow come slowly towards them until she appeared through the steam.
"What you two doing?" she questioned, and splashed down next to Lumina.
"Just talking Carlie." Lumina replied and allowed Angela to put her hair back in
its bun and sit on the other side of Carlie.
"Big girl stuff? Stuff Carlie can't hear 'bout?" the Half-elf asked again, and
Angela smiled.
"Oh, not really. Just about getting married and stuff..." she trailed off, and
started to fiddle with Carlie's hair too.
"Ooh! Carlie has a question!" the Half-blood suddenly screamed, making the
other two jump back slightly, "Carlie always wondered, but Carlie never know. You two
smart, you tell me, where do babies come from?"
A long, disturbing pause echoed through the bath.
"...Shall we?" Lumina sighed, looking at Angela with an amused look.
"Indeed we shall. Carlie, it's time you learned about the birds and the
bees...uncensored..." Angela answered, a mischievous grin developing on her face.
Both royal ladies laughed evilly and a few moments later Carlie joined in, not exactly
knowing what they were laughing about...but just for the sake of fitting in.
* * *
Koren sat down in the cushioned chair around the dining table inside of the
Temple of Light. Lumina calmly sat down next to him, her hair still slightly damp and
smelling of lilac. The aroma sent Koren into a slight masculine frenzy, suddenly he
wanted nothing more than just to hold Lumina's slender body tightly and whisper in her
ear how much he loved her. He snapped out of his daydream as Heath and the Priest of
Light stepped into the room and sat down as well, both at the head of the table.
The old priest had aged considerably since the last time any of the warriors had
seen him. That's probably why Heath was getting taught at a much faster rate, the priest
probably didn't have many more years left.
"...The citizens of Wendel always have open arms and hearts to the Children of
Mana. We are very pleased with your visit," the Priest of Light feebly spoke. The
"children" nodded in reply, and out of respect waited until Heath brought up the situation.
"...So the world is threatened again, this time by what is considered an even
greater force. We have evidence...the statues are crying tears of blood again...very
frightening to some of the children in the palace. While we are a neutral city and give
help to people in need during these times, we cannot offer any help. We are as lost as
you are." The young priest finished, looking quite helpless. The heroes' hopes
plummeted as if the Goddess had been holding them high like a heavy rock and suddenly
released.
"...There's nothing you can do?" Angela asked innocently. Both priests shook
their heads, but suddenly Heath looked thoughtful.
"Well, we can help you with one small thing. Have you heard about the odd
happenings in Mintos?" the party shook their heads, "They say a dark shadow creeps
about like a walking disease, killing anything not wary enough to avoid it. There have
been several reports sent out to us by the Beast Kingdom, each one speaking the same
fear. Unfortunately, the fear has been confirmed by uses of the Moon's Mirror..." Koren
and Angela blinked.
"The Moon's Mirror? You mean Mother actually used that old thing?" the Arch
Mage asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, Princess, she did. And it has only confirmed that our suspicious are
true...The Deathjester has returned." Heath spoke, his voice dropping a sizable amount of
volume.
The room was silent.
Everyone slowly gained back composure, Heath taking an extra amount of time.
Everyone present knew that he knew the most about the mysterious Jester, also known as
the Death Eater Man. And everyone also knew that Heath would be in serious trouble if
the Deathjester decided to come for him.
"...But he is different this time..." spoke the eldest of the two holy men, "A dark
shadow...eating souls...you know of what I speak of..." he whispered, but everyone
present caught every word, and knew what he meant.
"You certainly cannot mean...that's impossible, there hasn't been one for
centuries...you have to be mistaken..." Koren muttered darkly, but Heath shook his head
unhappily. That's when the party fell completely still, and waited for the words to fall
with bated breath.
"I'm afraid not. The Deathjester has returned as a Shadow Wraith."
* * *
Lumina tip-toed into the ladies' bathing house. She couldn't sleep; Heath's words
echoed through her mind, bouncing off the walls of her brain and hitting her conscious
over and over again: Shadow Wraith...Shadow Wraith... And she needed to calm herself
with the lilac soap again. She would have confided into Koren, but the occupants of the
Temple of Light were not allowed to share rooms with a person of the opposite sex.
Apparently, they didn't want the purity of the Temple to be ruined by any nocturnal
activities.
She undressed, wrapped the towel about her slim figure, and slipped into the
cauldron of near-boiling water. She had barely begun to lose track of thought when she
heard soft, yet heavy footsteps enter the bathing house. She turned swiftly, she was
learning to become more alert these days, and relaxed to find Koren standing at the
entrance. But her mind switched from relief to slight annoyance in a heartbeat.
"You're not allowed in here, this is the LADIES' bathing house!" She mocked,
using a tone a giggly schoolgirl would use. Both knew not to take the comment
seriously.
"I just...well, heard you leave. Thought you'd come down here, everyone needs
to relax now." He replied, smiling. Lumina smirked and shifted her position slightly,
adjusting her hips in such a subtle way, but Koren knew her body language well, and
mirrored her mocking grin. He undressed and slipped into the water with her, gently
bringing her into his arms.
She sighed happily and snuggled into his warm chest, forgetting about her towel
and letting it slide down. Koren tightened his hold and kissed her nose lightly, making
his way down until he reached her lips. They remained in that position for quite some
time, the only change being when Koren eventually slipped his tongue in as well, but for
the most part the couple did not stir for near a quarter of an hour. They had just started to
get a little more comfortable when suddenly, and very abruptly, a high-pitched voice
streamed through the steamy air.
"Whatchoo doing down here?"
Koren and Lumina jumped so harshly that the disturbed water lapped up and over
the brim of the bath. Carlie stood back from the rim in her nightgown, holding a teddy
bear, and looking at the couple with mussed hair but alert eyes. The two squirmed about
quickly, trying to hide themselves from the sixteen-year-old.
"Carlie! Carlie, go back to sleep!" Koren hissed in a hushed voice. Carlie
blinked.
"Can't. Scared. So whatchoo doing? Are you two having 'fun' or what?" the
half-blood giggled, and both Prince and Princess blushed profusely.
"It's nothing Carlie, you don't understand yet." Koren replied, but Carlie just
giggled again.
"Yes I do. Lady Lu-Lu-"
"Lu-Lu?!?"
"...And Angela told me all about 'having fun' and adult stuff that you do when
you're married. So are you two making babies and can I watch?"
Koren stared at Lumina while she sunk down deeper into the bath.
"No, Carlie, we're done. We didn't do anything, you didn't see anything, and
there's no need to tell anyone else, am I right?" Lumina cooed, sounding a bit muffled;
Carlie blinked.
"...Heathie should know..."
"NO!!"
In ten seconds flat the couple had chased Carlie out of the Bathing House, up to
the Temple of Light, around each and every statue, and down every staircase until she
eventually passed out and they could put her back in her room in peace.