Part One

First Watch

It had been a long day for everyone. A monster had been rampaging the town of Sailune and Lina and her gang had gotten no rest. What damage done to the kingdom by the monster however was easily doubled by Lina. So, of course, they had received no pay and Amelia had stayed behind to aide in repairs as the rest of them high-tailed it out of there. Soon they had, out of ecsaustion, come to a stop in a clearing,. Too tired to go onward they made camp for the day. No strength to make beds, sleep had clouded their better judgment save for Gourry. The blonde swordsmen only had one frame of judgment and this judgment told him that it would be wise to keep watch in case angry towns men ran from the forest with pitchforks or a giant fish emerged from the murky depths of the nearby pond...whichever came first...So Gourry got approval from a sleeping Lina and made his way to a dead log so that he might sit more comfortably.

It was early in the day. Gourry sighed and took a strand of his golden hair between his thumb and forefinger. Absently he twirled the stand as he watched the water. splish splish. At least those were the sound effects his mind associated with the long legged bugs defying logic by scrambling across the water's glossy surface. Gourry thought briefly of maybe throwing a rock and watching them scatter but that would be a little cruel and there were no rocks in arms length of where he sat. Instead Gourry caught a glimpse of the sky in the pool and with interest stemming from boredom tilted his head back.

Clouds passed above like cotton caught in a windstorm. Gourry allowed himself to continue staring. He might not know many things but he knew that no matter how hard one tried not seeing shapes in the clouds it was almost impossible to avoid it once you had stared long enough. Of course he had nothing to do anyway so sliding from the log he pillowed his head with his arms, elbows to the side, and let himself imagine.

First came a rabbit, its white fluffy tail forming the eye of a dragon whose fire became an old woman's matted hair. It was fun at first. A sort of game. A piece of bark. Sight with touch. A bird. Sight with sound. A toy sailboat. Sight with memory.

***

Gourry parted his lips slightly and blew. The paper sail bent inward and the wooden boat moved in the puddle. The young boy smiled in satisfaction and straightening his arms, crawled upon his hands and knees to the other side of the small body of water. The boat however, instead of completing his bidding by completing the infinitesimal journey, stopped halfway there. Gourry frowned at his vessel and using one arm to support himself reached with the other across the muddy liquid. His torso extended over the water as well as he found his arms too short to reach and his fingers spread out in a few experimental swipes.

Without warning there were several shouts and Gourry found himself sprawled out in the mud puddle being pelted by the dirty brown splashes made by running feet. Gourry struggled to stand but it was useless. Obviously those running didn't see him and in but a moment one pair of leather boots had actually managed to tread upon him. The boy let out a short cry of surprise more from pain than anything else, which was soon choked as the mud met his open mouth. Before he could help himself out a strong arm encircled itself around his midsection and hoisted him into the air. Gourry in confusion allowed himself to lie limp, arms swinging in time to the running.

Gourry was loosing feeling in his ribcage by the time he was finally let down. He took this opportunity to look into the face of the person who had saved him from the stampede "Lile?" His voice sounded puzzled as he identified the bearded personage who was presently breathing hard and staring off into the distance. Gourry knew this man. He was a close friend of his fathers "Lile?" He repeated when his first questioning got no attention.

"Hm?" the man looked down at him and for a moment it seemed Lile didn't even recognize who he was "Gourry," he said as if assuring himself of this fact "Monster's attacking the village," there was a crash from the woods and then trails of smoke imergining into the clearing. Lile made a sharp hissing noise of surprise then, placing a hand upon Gourry's shoulder ushered him in to a nearby shelter. This was obviously where most of his village was gathering. He saw shop keepers and the fortuneteller, even the smith although he was in the front with the rest of the weapon bearing men.

Lile tightened his grip upon Gourry's shoulder and made sure the boy was safely inside, huddled amongst the other villagers before he continued without so much as making eye contact. His eyes were still fastened to the forest "I'm supposed to take care of ya'."

"Where's my dad?" Gourry asked even though he already new the answer. He was already prepared to make a run for the forest.

"He's doing his job," Lile said simply with a nod.

Gourry's father was the sworn protector of the village. This was to be expected of him since her wielded the Sword of Light. Gourry had been raised by his father having never known his mother. She was dead however weither she had expired bringing him into the world or if she had been the victim of pillaging Lizard Men was a mystery to Gourry. He knew only that his father had been the one to allow his son to accompany him on not-so-dangerous journeys. Gourry had never done anything worthy of a medal of course but in the mind of a child he was quiet the accomplished warrior. This along with the fear for his father's safety compelled Gourry to break free of Lile's grasp and dart into the forest.

"Gourry!" Lile wasn't the only one to scream the boy's name over the crash of burning trees.

Gourry came to a sudden stop as a giant elm came crashing down in flames before him. He shielded his face as the ash and embers cascaded down through the air in a flood of rich colors "Dad!" He cried out still shielding his face. No answer came but when Gourry opened his eyes he caught a glimpse of what he assumed to be his father through the trees, Sword of Light drawn, enemy's crashing down at his feet. Gourry didn't cry out again. Instead he looked wildly about for an alternative route to meet his father. He would enter the woods at the base of the hill!

Now Gourry went in the opposite direction determined to meet his father by approaching him from the left. The fire had yet to spread this far. The top of the hill. Gourry was almost there. He had played here in the past. In fact only that morning he had joined the other young boys in the town in running down it. As it was everywhere children often dared others to run down the hill as quickly as possible. This would more than likely eventually lead to a broken arm or cracked rib but now Gourry was afraid of what would happen if he didn't.

Gourry felt his feet hit the ground as if they had a mind of there own. The earth moved beneath him, shrouded in the darkness of the setting sun. Then Gourry fell.

He tumbled a short distance upon the ground before he came to a stop. Once he had gotten his breath back Gourry looked over his shoulder to see what he had tripped over. There at the base of the hill lie a human figure. It was a boy, maybe a few years younger than he "Hey." Gourry, only slightly bruised from the fall scrambled over to the boy. He rolled him over so that he now lay on his back and had to swallow hard as he realized there was blood covering the boy "Are you okay?"...Weither he had expected an answer or not the boy's eye's slowly opened...

***

"Hey Gourry!"

Gourry was roused from his slumber as Lina nudged him with the toe of her boot.

"I'll just take over from here."