Blood fell down from the silver dragon, and it screeched in pain from the slash. Kuja shook his head in awe at what had just happened as the large dragon flapped it's wings greatly turning in the opposite direction. Off to the forest they were. Kuja and Freya both remained silent as blood continued to drip down from the dragon's face. The forest that had lay to the south of them grew closer and closer. With each flap of the mighty beast's wings the description of the forest deepened. The leaves were green, with lighter shades of the apple color in the center of them. Vein like roots moved outwards from the center of the trees, covered deep within the ground by the rich soil of the wood. Throughout all of the woods, they could hear the low sounds of the birds that are native to the forest. Not sure what the name of the forest was, or what lived there, the dragon landed in a small, round open meadow. The same tall grass was in this meadow as the field where the tree was growing and the sun was sitting up directly above them. Watching, waiting, searching. But for what? It was odd. Never had Freya seen the sun in this bizarre state before. The rays of the sun were more of a dim pink, then a bright yellow. What was going on? What was the tree up to? Something, it must be something. Nothing of such great power would live without a porpous. She stood wondering now. Kuja held out his gloved hand and a white dust sprouted from it, showering the dragon's wound. Healing slowly, but surely, the wound was gone in a matter of seconds. Kuja then turned to her and smiled.
"He will be fine. Freya," he paused and looked around, making sure that no other strange monsters were lurking about. "What exactly were you doing in that field? Not many people have roamed about it ever since the tree sprouted." He shook his head in doubt and fear.
"I ... was searching for Alexandria, hoping to find the others. You know? Zidane, Garnet, Vivi.." As she endeavered to continue, Kuja interupted her politely.
"Sorry Freya, but ... I have some bad news." Silence again. The birds had grown quiet and Freya had become stunned with paralysis. " A number of things have happened to most of them. I'm sorry.
" Like what!?"She yelled frantically waiting for his response of misfortune.
" I'll start of with the Amarant. I'm sorry to say, but once we returned, him and Eiko both were found in the meadow dead. They're throats were slit. It was last said that they were on their way to Alexandria. Most people figure that it was the tree, but others say that it could have been thieves." When he took a brief pause, Freya rose her hand to her mouth. Kuja closed his eyes and was wearing the last thing she ever saw him wearing. It was odd, she remembered that, but not much else. She last saw him a few years ago, he was wearing a dark robe and hooded. Strands of red hair fell down over his eyes. His eyes peered out from behind the hair and that was all she could remember. Then, he began once again. " Zidane, and Garnet. They both died as well. No one came to the cause of death on this part. No markings, cuts, signs of suffication. All of this happened about a year ago. All around the same time. I fear that we could be next. Then there is Quina, Vivi, Steiner and Beatrix. They on the other hand are alive and well. But, the others, I am afraid not."
Freya shook her head quickly, hoping that all of this was a dream. The tree ... the image was planted into her head. The roots leading into her soul and taking all knowledge of the present away from her. Stuck in the past, a dream world. What could she do? Absolutely nothing. There was nothing she could do to save her friends. She opened her eyes from her trance while Kuja was shaking her about, hoping for her to come back to the reality.
All around her, silence. Kuja was there before her, staring her directly into the eyes and then there was a noise coming from the other side of the bushes. It was the sound of mages. She had not heard that welcoming sound in ages. A hat poked out from a bush and falling out of the bush, they could see that it was a black mage. The black mage was extremely short, as all black mages were. He was wearing a black vest and underneath it was a black shirt. The vest had silver buttons on it, but was not buttoned. His pants were very baggy, and hung down over most of his shoes. All that could be seen of the shoes was the little point of them. The shoes were brown, and looked similar to those of an elf. His eyes glowed yellow, and he pulled his arms up to his brown hat and moved it around a bit, fixing it after his fall. Widening his eyes as his eyes fell upon Freya and Kuja, he smiled and ran over to them.
"Freya! Kuja!" The two companions looked at the little mage as he ran up to them. The mage must now be at least 15 years of age since the journey. Neither of them had seen him since, all they could remember was the memories, and rumor of him living in some woods. The mage stood before them and waved his gloved hand. With a smile, he bowed down to them in greeting.
"Hello Vivi!" Freya and Kuja said simultaniously.
"He will be fine. Freya," he paused and looked around, making sure that no other strange monsters were lurking about. "What exactly were you doing in that field? Not many people have roamed about it ever since the tree sprouted." He shook his head in doubt and fear.
"I ... was searching for Alexandria, hoping to find the others. You know? Zidane, Garnet, Vivi.." As she endeavered to continue, Kuja interupted her politely.
"Sorry Freya, but ... I have some bad news." Silence again. The birds had grown quiet and Freya had become stunned with paralysis. " A number of things have happened to most of them. I'm sorry.
" Like what!?"She yelled frantically waiting for his response of misfortune.
" I'll start of with the Amarant. I'm sorry to say, but once we returned, him and Eiko both were found in the meadow dead. They're throats were slit. It was last said that they were on their way to Alexandria. Most people figure that it was the tree, but others say that it could have been thieves." When he took a brief pause, Freya rose her hand to her mouth. Kuja closed his eyes and was wearing the last thing she ever saw him wearing. It was odd, she remembered that, but not much else. She last saw him a few years ago, he was wearing a dark robe and hooded. Strands of red hair fell down over his eyes. His eyes peered out from behind the hair and that was all she could remember. Then, he began once again. " Zidane, and Garnet. They both died as well. No one came to the cause of death on this part. No markings, cuts, signs of suffication. All of this happened about a year ago. All around the same time. I fear that we could be next. Then there is Quina, Vivi, Steiner and Beatrix. They on the other hand are alive and well. But, the others, I am afraid not."
Freya shook her head quickly, hoping that all of this was a dream. The tree ... the image was planted into her head. The roots leading into her soul and taking all knowledge of the present away from her. Stuck in the past, a dream world. What could she do? Absolutely nothing. There was nothing she could do to save her friends. She opened her eyes from her trance while Kuja was shaking her about, hoping for her to come back to the reality.
All around her, silence. Kuja was there before her, staring her directly into the eyes and then there was a noise coming from the other side of the bushes. It was the sound of mages. She had not heard that welcoming sound in ages. A hat poked out from a bush and falling out of the bush, they could see that it was a black mage. The black mage was extremely short, as all black mages were. He was wearing a black vest and underneath it was a black shirt. The vest had silver buttons on it, but was not buttoned. His pants were very baggy, and hung down over most of his shoes. All that could be seen of the shoes was the little point of them. The shoes were brown, and looked similar to those of an elf. His eyes glowed yellow, and he pulled his arms up to his brown hat and moved it around a bit, fixing it after his fall. Widening his eyes as his eyes fell upon Freya and Kuja, he smiled and ran over to them.
"Freya! Kuja!" The two companions looked at the little mage as he ran up to them. The mage must now be at least 15 years of age since the journey. Neither of them had seen him since, all they could remember was the memories, and rumor of him living in some woods. The mage stood before them and waved his gloved hand. With a smile, he bowed down to them in greeting.
"Hello Vivi!" Freya and Kuja said simultaniously.