Chapter 18: Musings
Haha…gome ne minna-san ^^;;; As you all know (or should know) I've worked on other fics .; but that's besides the point…well that is actually the point because I haven't been working on this one XD *coughs* And now that I have a reader threatening me with a sword behind my back…*glares at her* I shall give this fic its way overdue update! READ ON!
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He heard the sound of distant crying, mingled with loud and angry voices, as he drifted aimlessly in the fiery abyss of his soul. He stared up at the soft red light that beckoned him to return. To return to his reality, to his friends. Was that what he wanted to do? He rolled over onto his side, fresh new flames licking at his face harmlessly. What's the point of going back? He found it strange that he was now hesitating after he had told himself that he was going to go back. But now that he was here, in this fiery sea, he felt his mind numbing slightly and he for once felt calm.
Because she's waiting for you, you dumb idiot!
Who? Rath slowly turned back onto his back and stared up again. The light seemed so far away. What did I do? I did nothing…
You still have to get stronger, that's all. You have to go before it's too late!
Too late for what? If he didn't come out from his internal hiding place, he would never have to face the full reality of it all. He could just float here in the sea of endless flames forever. And forget it all.
The angry voice echoed around him. You dumb idiot you're just a coward! That's all you do, you just lie within yourself and mope all day long. You've always just hid within yourself and I always had to pull you out of it! Will you grow up? Dammit if you weren't who you were I would have strangled you to your senses! Now GET OUT!
Rath almost laughed at the angry voice. Sounds so much like someone I know, he thought and continued to stare at the soft red light. How close was he really? He slowly reached up. Maybe if he reached out to grab the light he would return. He could feel the warmth and the light grew brighter. It felt welcoming and seemed to draw his hand closer towards it. "Back to…reality?" His hand hesitated and the angry voice returned.
ARGH! RATH WHY DID YOU STOP?!
Fear…is that what it is? Yes…this uncertainty that lingers still in the deepest depths of my heart and soul…but why?
The voice now took a pleading tone. Rath…please…just go back outside…you can't live inside yourself forever… Not again…you can't do that again, Rath…so please just go back outside…
The Dragon Knight blinked. Again? Had he done this once before? Maybe…he wouldn't be too surprised anymore. Everything has changed after all. An unknown wave of fear swept through his body. Change? If everything has changed…Cesia… Rath gritted his teeth and reached out once more. I have to go back…but not to reality. I have to go back…to Cesia.
The light had not been so far away after all.
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Rune stalked around the ornately decorated room as Rath's body lay in the large bed. Thatz watched his friend from the wall he was leaning against, an eyebrow cocked. "Rune, you're starting to make me sick with all that pacing you're doing."
"Aren't you in the slightest bit worried!?" Rune practically shouted, making Thatz cringe.
"Of course I am, but pacing like that isn't going to help any."
"I can't help it!" He continued his pacing then whirled around to Cernozura. "Why are they not working?! What is wrong?!"
The attendant looked up from where she sat. She turned away from Rune's piercing glare and changed the towels that she had placed on Rath's pale forehead. His breathing…it's you can hardly tell he's even alive… She felt Rune's eyes still glaring at her and she sighed, starting to get tired of his ranting. "Rune, I don't know. I'm just an attendant. I'm sure Lord Lykou—"
"Where is he?!" Rune screamed. "Why hasn't he been here? It's been three days! THREE DAYS!!"
He's lost it, Thatz thought amusedly as his friend slumped heavily against the dresser with his arms crossed, making the piece of furniture bang into the wall with a loud crash. Thatz quickly caught the vase that had fallen off the dresser and sighed. "Rune, if you keep this up, Alfeegi will start hounding down on you for palace damages." He placed the vase back to its rightful position. "And anyway, I'm sure the Dragon Lord has other pressing mat—"
"OTHER MATTERS?!" Rune's temper had flown out the window, along with the rest of his reasoning. "Rath is one of us, a Dragon Knight! DRAGON KNIGHT!" He stressed each syllable by pounding his fist into the wood. "We are supposed to be the main defenders of Draqueen and it's obvious he is the more powerful one of the group!!!"
"Rune…" Thatz said taking on a paternal tone. He wouldn't be too surprised if the piece of furniture cracked and broke right then and there.
The elf glared at him. "Don't 'Rune' me, Thatz! Don't you care either?!?!"
Thatz frowned. This was getting way out of hand. Sure, Rune lost his temper occasionally, but it had never come to this degree. "You asked that already and my answer is still yes, of course I do, Rune. He's like a brother to me." He straightened. "But you shouldn't be hounding down on Cernozura like you are, Rune."
"Well she's the only one here that could probably answer my questions, Thatz," he said with his teeth clenched and whirled around to Cernozura. "What can be more important than the health of a Dragon Knight?!"
She turned away from his flushed face, a slightly annoyed look on her face. "Rune, I understand how worried you are about Rath, but the Dragon Lord also has important diplomatic issues to take care. The timing of this attack does not help his situation at all so I suggest you be a bit more kinder to him. Not to mention Alfeegi's hammering on him about the damage costs."
Rune just growled and yelled, "I'm going to go find Lord Lykouleon right now!" as he stormed out the room, slamming the door loudly behind him.
Thatz quickly moved and caught a falling painting and sighed. "I've never seen him so upset before…" He replaced the painting and turned to Cernozura. "I'm sorry for all the stuff he said…"
The attendant shook her head. "Don't worry, I understand. I'd be in such a rage as well if Lady Raseleane was ever hurt…"
The both jumped with they heard a soft groan from the bed and turned to see Rath slowly sitting up, his hand over his forehead. "Ow…My head…"
"RATH BUDDY BOY!" Thatz yelled as he ran over and jumped on top of the unsuspecting Rath, hugging him tightly. "You scared me half to death!!"
Cernozura watched them, a somewhat amused look on her face. "Okay you two, enough of that," she said as she pulled Thatz off of Rath. "Not only are you provoking more injuries, that just doesn't look right."
Thatz moved off the bed and sweatdropped slightly. "It's not what you think…"
Rath just shot him an annoyed look and took the medicine Cernozura handed him. He stared at it for a moment, holding it up to the light. "What kind of pill is this? It's clear…"
Cernozura shoved it into his mouth. "It's a special medicine that helps to relieve all kind of aches."
Rath choked slightly as the pill flew to the back of his mouth and down his throat. He coughed several times then glared at Cernozura. "A warning would have been nice," he growled.
Her eyes flashed as she slammed her arm against his chest, knocking the Dragon Knight back onto his bed. "Watch your attitude and just lie there and let the medicine take effect." She then stood up and walked to the door. "I'm going to go ahead and tell Lord Lykouleon that you have regained consciousness."
Thatz cringed slightly. Never make that girl mad…
Just as she reached to open the door, it flew outward and Cernozura stepped out of the way just as Rune came barreling in, dragging in Lykouleon after him. Thatz slapped his hand over his forehead and slowly shook his head in disbelief and Rune continued to shove the poor Dragon Lord to the side of the Rath's bed, oblivious to the fact that Rath was sitting up and staring at his friend like he was a crazy maniac.
Lykouleon glanced over at Rune. "He looks wide awake to me."
"What do you mean 'wide awake'?!?!? HE'S—" The elf did a double take when he saw Rath. He placed a hand over his mouth and glanced at Lykouleon, finally realizing what he had done. "O-Oh…" He turned to the Dragon Lord and lowered his head ashamed. "I'm so sorry, Lord!! I don't know what came over me…"
The Dragon Lord smiled. "I understand, and don't trouble yourself about it anymore, Rune. I probably would have done the same of one of my officers were in Rath's condition." He turned and walked to the side of the bed, taking the empty chair that sat next to it. "So, I see you finally decided to come back."
"Yeah…with some help…" The Dragon Knight wasn't sure if he should tell Lykouleon about his encounter with Saiseiken and Shizuken but he could see that the Dragon Lord could sense the new power in him. He turned away and looked down, his voice dull as he said, "Cesia…is not here…is she?"
Lykouleon slowly shook his head. "Nadil…took her," he said heavily. "We've sent out search parties, in hopes that she might have escaped and tried to come back…but…" he let his sentence hang as he looked sadly at Rath. "Rath, I'm sorry."
Rath clenched his fist, his body shaking with anger. "I'll find her…and kill the bastards!" he roared, tongues of flames starting to flicker around him.
"Rath, NO!" Lykouleon yelled as he grabbed the Dragon Knight's shoulders and forcefully turned Rath to him, his light green eyes looking directly into Rath's dark crimson ones. "Calm down! You cannot fight him. Not now at least. He's too powerful for you and you would only die in vain."
"But I can't just sit here and let her suffer!" he yelled back, his eyes flashing with anger. "You wouldn't just stay here if it was Raseleane!"
Lykouleon stared at him for a long time before releasing his hold and stood up. "Yes…you're right. I would be out there right now looking for her. But you are still not ready," he said firmly.
"I'm fine!" Rath persisted. "I have my dra—"
"Yes, I know Fire is inside you," Lykouleon interrupted. "But you do not know how to control him." Still seeing the determined face on the youth's face, he softened. "Just rest and train yourself. Then we'll see if you can take on Nadil."
Rune stepped up, his light blue eyes hard. "Lord, forgive me for this interruption, but you said Fire was inside him…but Thatz and I…we seemed to have lost our powers. Rath still has his. Why is this?"
Thatz, who had been leaning against the wall watching them, nodded. "Rune couldn't even use his elfin powers and I can't feel Earth's presence."
Lykouleon studied them for a moment. "It seems that your Dragons are now sealed."
"Sealed?" Thatz repeated as Rune raised and eyebrow at the Dragon Lord. "Why ours and not Rath's?"
The Dragon Lord hesitated. "That…I'm not quite so sure myself. It may have been Rath's strong will or Fire's or both. But you will have to find your Dragons to regain your powers." He turned to Rune. "Yours will most likely be in your home realm, the Water Realm. You will also be able to regain your elfin powers there."
"The Water Realm?" Rune repeated. Oh yeah…I'm the…the…Prince there…
Nodding, Lykouleon then turned to Thatz. "Yours, I'm afraid will be a little harder, but I sense that Earth is in the mountain cave near Rangosta."
"…And where the hell is this Rangosta?" Thatz asked.
"A hundred miles southwest from the city of Miratte," a voice said behind him.
Thatz spun around to see Kitchel grinning at him with a map in her hands. "What are you doing here?!"
"Oh I saw Rune dragging Lord Lykouleon down the hallway and I was curious." She glanced over at Rath. "Nice to see you awake again!"
Rath gave her a small smile. "Yeah…thanks."
Kitchel turned her attention back to Thatz, a bright gleam in her eye. "Plus I was heading this way to tell you something. While in town I heard someone talking about a hidden treasure somewhere in a cave!" She clasped her hands together, crumpling the map in progress. "Imagine all the clothing I could get with all that cash!" she said, her eyes sparkling.
Thatz just stared at her, a sweat bead forming on his head. "I see…" He pauses thoughtfully. I guess I could eat all I want with all that money…
Lykouleon chuckled softly and turned to leave. "Well I must leave you all now, before Alfeegi finds me missing. I'll be in my office if you need anything." He looked at Rath a moment longer before exiting the room and softly closing the door.
Cernozura, who had been silent the whole time looked at the foursome. "I'll go to the kitchens and get you all something to eat…I'm sure you all would like to spend some time with Rath." With a smile she, too, left the room and hurried down to the kitchens.
Kitchel blinked and bounced on the edge of Rath's bed. "Ooooh bouncy!! This is fun!" she giggled as she bounced higher and higher.
Rath clutched the headboard of the bed as Kitchel continued to bounce on the mattress, seemingly oblivious of the annoyed glare Rath was shooting her. "Will…you…quit…bouncing?!" the Dragon Knight finally yelled angrily, causing the girl to suddenly stop and stare at him wide-eyed.
"Er…sorry…" she mumbled as she quickly stood up and moved over to a chair.
Rath sighed and ran a hand over his face and through his hair, closing his eyes. "I'm sorry…it's just that…"
Rune nodded. "Don't worry, we understand," he said, shooting Kitchel a look. He moved over and leaned against the dresser. "So how are you feeling?" he asked gently.
"Well enough to rip some yokai's head off," Rath growled.
"Whoa there, killer," Thatz said sternly. "You heard the Dragon Lord. You can't possibly face him by yourself!"
"But I—"
"I know," Thatz interrupted, "but you can't by yourself." He turned his head and looked out the window. "We can go and look for Cesia, together. All four of us. She's our friend, too." And I know you really care about her… he added silently.
For a moment Rath sat there in silence. He knew what Thatz said made sense, but something was telling him that he had to this by himself. And soon. An unknown fear tugged at his mind and heart. Was it what Saiseiken had said…something about this happening before…? He wished the Dragon had told him but he would have to wait. "When are you guys leaving to search for your Dragons?"
"Maybe in a few days," Rune said. "We have to make preparations and gather supplies." And I'd feel better if I was certain that you were all right, he added silently to himself.
"A few days…" Rath mused. "Can I come along?" he asked hopefully.
"Dame," Rune said sternly. "You are staying here where people can keep an eye on you so you won't run off."
"Awww come on!!" he persisted. Seeing that neither of them were going to give in he sighed. I'll get out of here soon enough anyway…
At that moment Cernozura came back carrying a tray with delicious treats on them and four cups of hot, steaming tea. Thatz looked at the tray longingly but he felt Kitchel's firm hold on his shirt and waited until Cernozura placed the tray on a table and left. Kitchel handed Rath a plate of food and she and Thatz soon started discussing plans on how to go about and search for the treasure the aspiring girl thief heard about.
Meanwhile Rune watched Rath while sipping his tea. He could tell his friend was plotting something, but what exactly he wasn't so sure. He worried Rath would try to escape the Dragon castle and head to Nadil all on his own, not that either knew where it was. But the determination on the Dragon Knight's face puzzled him slightly. Rune had wondered why Rath had been so protective over Cesia. When they first met Rath had been so cold to her, but then he saw his friend opening up to her and trusting her. And then Bierrez came… The elf cringed slightly as he remembered the intense battles Rath had fought with the yokai. He then wondered about the yokai. It seemed to Rune that Bierrez cared at least a little for Cesia. They both stopped fighting each time when something happened to her, he reflected. But that won't help matters at all if I tell Rath my thoughts…
And then there was Kharl. He was there during the battle on Earth, but Rune didn't see him in the previous one. What is he trying to do? He and Nadil must both be working together since they use Bierrez. What do they want… He was getting more and more concerned about all of these events. What would they want with Cesia?
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Okay, that's not really a suitable stopping place but my brain is tired and I don't know what else to do o_o; Anyway sorry for the late update again…and for the lame non-fitting chapter title o.O; I hope I can get my real writing kick back in…this story is just so much more serious then my others .; But don't worry! You'll see an update soon! …Hopefully!!!!