Landslide

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Part 4
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The next day, the four travellers reached the newly rebuilt village of Toto. It was a convenient place to cross the river eastward, and the sight seemed to do all of them some good; the last time any of them had seen the village, there had been nothing but the very first beams being raised to reconstruct the houses that had been burned by Highland's army. Many buildings were now finished, and just as before, children played among them. It was a nice show of hope, Gremio professed, that life could return to normal after such a brutal massacre.

If his smile was not so much relieved as tight, and his eyes were more anxious than peaceful, Viktor wasn't sure that anyone else had noticed. If so, they didn't say anything.

However, Gremio seemed to have loosened up a bit after all; upon crossing the river, they were in the territory once patrolled by the mercenaries under Viktor and Flik's command during the last war. Rather than arguing when Viktor declared that Tir should see what was left of their old fort, despite it being a day's journey out of the way, Gremio absently agreed, provided that they didn't tarry there too long.

Once they'd arrived, however, he did not appear to be in any hurry to move on, though he did not seem particularly entertained by Viktor's retellings of the battles they'd seen, and how they'd eventually set fire to the fort themselves to keep it from falling into Luca Blight's hands. The retellings would have been more interested if Flik had been willing to do a little reenactment with him, Viktor claimed, but Flik didn't seem to be in the best of moods either. Memories, Viktor assumed. It was a little depressing to see their great old fort like this, but remembering how well it had served them back in the day - that cheered him up considerably.

They had to move on, however, and next headed for North Sparrow Pass, which would take them into what had once been Highland. Viktor and Flik were familiar with the route, and assured Tir and Gremio that the mountain path wouldn't pose a problem at all, even though it was swiftly approaching winter. The paths were wide, and although it was growing cold at night, there had been no snow yet.

Ryube was also nearly rebuilt, they discovered as they made their way north to the pass. In addition, one enterprising settler had opted not to keep an inn in the town itself, but further north, at the foothills of the mountains near the pass itself. The perfect location, he claimed, for traders and other travellers often had trouble passing through in bad weather, especially if they'd spent some of the day making their way up from Ryube.

The four of them seemed to agree that they might as well spend the night there, as opposed to getting halfway through the mountains and being forced to spend the night out in the open. There would be plenty more times that they'd be spending the night out in the open, Flik pointed out wryly, but none of them could object to spending one more night in warmth and comfort instead. And, Viktor noted with delight, leaving the rest of them to take care of securing a room, there was a bar in the dining hall.

"Viktor!" Flik called in annoyance after his friend, but got no answer other than a smirk. He glared down at the floor, and in particular what Viktor had dropped on his way to the bar. "...Great, and he left his pack and his sword for me to deal with, too."

"You should feel honored," the Star Dragon Sword told him as he hefted Viktor's things into his arms and headed for the stairs.

"To play second-fiddle to beer?" Flik grumbled. "I think not."

"No, to carry me. I'm the Night Rune, after all."

Flik was not in the mood to humor Viktor's weapon at the moment. "Then why don't you go to sleep or something?"

Though they'd arrived late, and it was not a particularly busy night, there was still a decent crowd near the bar. Enough of a crowd, in fact, that it was some time before Viktor happened to turn and see that Flik had come in also, and taken a seat furthest from where most of the conversation was taking place. An empty mug sat before him, and he did not look happy.

Grabbing two more beers - one for him, one for Flik - Viktor got up and headed for the table in the corner where Flik was sitting. "Hey, glad to see you made it," he said, sitting down with a grin. "Bunch of us at the bar were just talking about the weirdest fights we'd ever seen. So I had to bring up that thing Nina roped you into - that was pretty damn funny!"

Flik glared at Viktor... "It's not a good night to annoy me."

"So have a few drinks, and maybe it will be," Viktor suggested, pushing the extra beer in front of him.

To his surprise, Flik grabbed the beer and downed half of it in two gulps before slamming it back down again in silence. Viktor raised an eyebrow. "...Uh, wow. So this really isn't a good night," he observed, and waved at a barmaid, indicating she should keep the beer coming.

Flik sighed and ran a hand through his hair with a shrug. "You can't tell me you haven't figured it out... or that you're not frustrated. But hey, maybe you're not..." Flik glanced around the room. "Is it me or is it warm in here? Maybe I'm used to being outside."

Viktor shrugged. "It's kind of nice to be warm, after the last couple of nights." He smirked slightly. "You know me, I don't stay frustrated long. If something's bugging me, I take care of it."

Picking up the beer mug again, Flik drained the rest before setting it down again, and began drumming his fingers on the tabletop. "Okay, so half of it I could take care of if we went somewhere else. The rest of it I can't do much about, and I'm tired of playing dumb."

Viktor looked at him curiously. "Uh... something on your mind, then?"

With a sigh, Flik glanced irritably towards the bar, wondering why their next beers hadn't gotten there yet. "If you haven't figured it out, then it's probably better to just let it be awhile longer."

Viktor sighed and glanced back towards the bar himself, and was relieved when he was saved from having to reply, by the barmaid's approach with more drinks. Flik immediately picked up his beer and drained half of it before setting it down and leaning back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "I need a distraction, then, since I don't want to even think about what I don't want to talk about."

Viktor masked his uneasiness behind a grin; having finished a few beers already, he wasn't exactly drunk - unlike Flik - but playing the part was easy enough. "So back to that half of the frustration."

His face somewhat flushed from the alcohol, Flik smiled slightly and leaned towards him over the table. "I'm entirely tempted to rent our own room, even just for a few hours."

"That might be nice..." Viktor agreed, grinning wider. "I don't think Gremio would want us to spend the money, but..."

Flik snickered softly and reached into the satchel at his waist to bring forth a tiny suede pouch, which he held in front of Viktor and shook slightly. "That's why...."

Viktor laughed, and quickly finished most of his fresh drink. "It's too bad it's not as easy to grab a room and run as it is to grab a few drinks and run."

Flik pouts playfully, apparently distracted well enough, and let the pouch drop onto the table. "You don't even want to try? In that case, maybe I'll just head back out into the cold and take a walk... freeze it off, you know?"

Viktor peered at him in mock surprise, raising the drink halfway to his mouth again. "That might hurt..."

Flik didn't reply, but just picked up his beer and drained the rest of it, wrinkling his nose. It had been too long since he'd drunk nothing but cheap tavern beer for him to really enjoy it.

Viktor finished off his as well, and leaned forward over the table, keeping his voice low. "So... you really want to ask for a room for a couple hours? Not that I care, but we'd probably look a little conspicuous, you know?"

Flik went back to drumming the fingers of both hands on the tabletop. "Do you have a better suggestion?"

"Well, I do know a way we could look a little less conspicuous..." Viktor smirked.

Raising an eyebrow, Flik stopped drumming for a moment to give him a curious look. "And how is that...?"

Viktor pretended to think for a moment. "Actually, there's a couple different ways we could do this. But the easiest is for you to act like you're really drunk. I half-carry you up to the innkeeper, ask if there's a place my buddy can lie down for awhile, make sure you get up the steps okay..."

Flik mused on the idea. "Not that I like the idea of making myself look like an irresponsible drunkard... but a couple more beers and I could be that drunk... what exactly would you want me to do?"

Viktor tried not to laugh, since he was getting a bit on the cheerful side himself. "Oh, I don't know... what would you be willing to do after a couple more beers?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Flik chuckled softly.

"Actually, I would. But maybe we should both have a couple more beers first," Viktor suggested, waving to the barmaid again, who was fortunately ready and waiting.

Flik grinned more easily and nodded. "I don't think that's a bad idea... It's too bad we can't get Gremio to join us and loosen up a little. I think he needs it more than we do."

Viktor laughed, in spite of his concern over Flik's earlier mood. "Okay, so after a couple more beers you'd invite Gremio to join in? I'd like to see that..."

Flik shook his head. "That is not what I meant at all." He picked up his third beer and drank, no more slowly than the first two - which was to say, not slowly at all.

Viktor couldn't let Flik get ahead of him, of course, and gulped his own. "Yeah," he muttered as he set it down again. "I know what you mean. Maybe we should try asking him to have a drink with us... I mean, what's the worst he can do? Yell at us?"

"I doubt he'd say yes," Flik pointed out with a shrug. "Besides, then Tir would want to join us, and you know how well Gremio would take that."

Viktor shrugged back. "You think he would? In his own way, Tir's more careful than Gremio is. I can't really blame him, honestly..."

Flik nodded thoughtfully and set down the third beer mug, finished. "Maybe I should stop here with the beer before my mouth gets away from my head..."

Viktor sighed, tired of hiding the fact that he was rather distracted. "Yeah, I guess if nothing else, Tir would feel kind of left out. Too bad though."

At the uncharacteristic seriousness of Viktor's expression, Flik frowned. "Is something wrong, Vik?"

Viktor shook his head. "Not really. I just..." He shrugged. "Gremio's been so strange lately, ever since we took off. Before, even, when we first ran into them. I've tried talking to him, trying to get him to tell me what's going on, but... nothing."

With a sigh, Flik distractedly waved for more drink to be brought over, not heeding his own earlier words. "I don't really blame him... but we can't force him to talk to us. I wish he would, but... I suppose he has his reasons for not talking."

Viktor smiled wryly, gladly accepting another beer. "That's why I suggested making him drink."

Flik chuckled and started on his fourth beer since Viktor's arrival, just a bit more slowly. "Maybe that's why he doesn't."

Viktor glanced towards the bar slyly. "He has tea sometimes... maybe we could slip a little something into it."

"You wouldn't...." Flik said, his eyes widening.

Viktor smirked. "You've known me for this long, and you think I wouldn't?"

Flik shook his head. "You probably would...but I don't think it would be right."

With a shrug, Viktor took another long drink. "He needs to live a little. If I could get him to do that, by whatever means, it would be a good thing."

"Well, if this succeeds," Flik pointed out, returning to his own beer, "he's going to have a long time to learn how to live a little."

Viktor sobered slightly, having completely forgotten about that. "Yeah... I guess you're right about that..."

Pausing in his drinking, Flik sighed, and it was obvious that he was thinking hard. "Vik... I've... I've had a really strange feeling lately."

"...Yeah? I guess I should make some kind of dirty joke out of that, but... I guess I know what you mean, maybe."

"I feel like something's calling me... It's happened before, but never quite like this... never this strongly, not even when we joined the armies."

Viktor considered this. "Okay... so maybe I don't know what you mean," he admitted. "Is it a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Neither yet...just...this tug." Flik paused and finished his fourth beer, contemplating yet another, though he knew he'd definitely gotten past the tipsy stage already. "Do we want to ask Gremio to join us? I don't know how much longer it'll be before I either start belting loud bar songs, toss you down on the table and try to rip your clothes off, or simply fall over as per your earliest suggested scenario."

Viktor chuckled at the mental images, trying to put the uneasiness out of mind. If both he and Flik had been uncertain, though, that made it a little more difficult. "Well, all of those would be pretty funny, but maybe we should just go upstairs and see Gremio first."

Flik nodded slowly. "What, bring him a drink? I'm not sure I can really get up and walk around right now."

"Maybe that's a good idea..." Viktor muttered, thinking about it. "What do you suppose a guy like that would drink? Probably not the beer... it's not even that great."

Flik pondered as well. "I'd bring a bottle of wine. He does have some noble blood, after all... but you're going to have to walk me up the stairs if you really plan to do this."

Thoroughly caught off guard, Viktor blinked at Flik. "Noble blood? Since when? I mean, he's been working as a housekeeper for what - ten, fifteen years?"

Flik leaned across the table with an all-knowing grin, clasping his hands together conspiratorially. "Housekeepers do not have such pretty hair."

Viktor looked at Flik incredulously for a moment, then finished off his beer and stood up. "Okay, that's it - we're going upstairs, because you are drunker than anyone deserves to be. Hold on a second and I'll get some wine to take up with us."

Laughing loudly, Flik watched him head towards the bar, calling after him. "You can't say you don't believe me!"

Viktor chuckled as he handed over a few coins to the barkeep, taken from the pouch Flik dropped on the table and forgot about. After slipping that into his own pocket, he headed back to slip an arm under Flik's shoulders. "Okay, featherweight - let's get you somewhere you can lie down for awhile." He grinned, squeezing him slightly. "And we can always get another room, if you're bothering our other friends too much, right?"

Flik sighed gently. "That's kind of what I'd been hoping for all night..." he muttered as he looped an arm around Viktor for stability. "And I am not a featherweight."

Viktor smirked, pulling Flik to his feet and steering him towards the stairs leading up to the rooms. "Okay, maybe not - thanks to Gremio, you're putting on some weight."

Flik pouted as they started up the stairs. "Are you calling me fat?! Room 17," he added as an afterthought.

"Nah - compared to me, you've still got a perfectly girlish figure."

Flik gaped and elbowed Viktor roughly as they reach the door. "Now you're calling me a girl?! I swear, you'll pay for this later..."

Viktor laughed, shifting awkwardly and discovering a dilemma. "...You want to knock? One of my hands has wine in it, the other's got you in it."

Flik growled slightly and lifted one hand to knock. "For the record, I'm mad at you."

Viktor just laughed again. "Should make things interesting later, then."

"Hmph..." Flik muttered, waiting for the door to open.

A moment later, Gremio answered the door. He looked slightly puzzled, then slightly alarmed at the sight of Flik. "Oh my... was there some sort of trouble downstairs?"

Flik shook his head and laughed softly. "I'm fine, Gremio...I just wasn't paying attention and drank a little too quickly."

"Right," Viktor chuckled. "You were drinking them down faster than I was, Lightning. I told him a neat trick to get a room without standing out too much," he explained, "but I guess he doesn't have much faith in his acting ability."

Flik glared at Viktor. "That has nothing to do with..." He trailed off and shook his head, embarrassed. "Gremio. We brought some wine, thought you might have a drink with us before bed."

Tir watched the exchange from the easy chair in the corner where he was writing in a journal prior to their entrance. A bemused expression was on his face at the look on Gremio's.

Gremio looked mildly flustered at what Viktor was suggesting, but stood back, letting him walk Flik inside. "I, ah... " He glanced back at Tir, slightly worried, and sighed as he looked back at the two mercenaries. "I suppose I could use something relaxing," he admitted softly. "But not too much. And it seeems you've already had a bit too much, Flik..."

Flik laughed softly as he settled into a chair at the table. "Only because I never ate dinner...but I probably shouldn't have told you that, as you're likely to chastize me more for that than the drinking."

Tir continued to write in his journal as if he hadn't even noticed what was going on, but listened carefully to every word that was said, as Gremio went to rifle through the pack he'd carried through the beginning of their journey. "If you recognize it, I imagine that means there's no need for me to say anything about it. But," he suggested, "Perhaps you should have a bit of this bread - it's light, we still have plenty left, and I'll buy more before we set out again." Flik accepted the bread with a smile, tearing off a piece to eat and waiting for Viktor to say something or open the bottle of wine.

Gremio brought out a few cups from within his pack as well while Viktor opened the bottle, and he glanced over at Tir with a slight sigh. "I can't help but feel a bit hypocritical," he murmured softly as he held out his cup for Viktor.

They glanced over at a sudden noise as Tir rose from his chair. Sifting through his bag for his own cup, Tir held it out silently, not asking so much as expecting to be included.

Flik raised an eyebrow and glanced at Gremio, not sure what to say. Viktor paused also, and eyed Gremio questioningly. After a moment, Gremio nodded. "It's only a bit of wine," he agreed slowly, and took a sip of his own. Once Viktor had filled Tir's cup, the boy retreated back to his chair, continuing to write.

Flik sighed and finished off the bread. "Thank you... I feel better already... Well, in some ways..."

Gremio looked after Tir, then down into his own cup glumly. "That's good to hear." For a moment it looked as if he might say more, but instead he tipped his cup of wine back, drinking deeply.

Flik was somehow not surprised, and watched for a moment before finally prodding Gremio. "Is there anything you'd like to talk about, Gremio...? You know we'll listen. It's quite obvious that you haven't been yourself."

Gremio smiled vaguely, swirling the small bit of wine left in his glass. "Nothing that I would like to talk about, no." He held out his cup to Viktor, who topped it off again. "Perhaps after a bit more wine, though. I suppose it should be said..."

Flik nodded thoughtfully. "I do believe that's why I was drinking in the first place as well."

"Oh..." Gremio peered at Flik curiously. "Is there something you'd like to say, Flik?"

"No..." Flik replied, shaking his head. "Just something I was waiting to hear."

Gremio suddenly looked a bit nervous, and Viktor looked at them both suspiciously. "Okay, what's going on here? Hey, Tir, do you know what they're talking about?"

Tir glanced over and shrugged slightly. "I'm not pleased that he hasn't told me either, and certainly wouldn't mind if you dragged it out of him."

Viktor looked back and forth between all of them, and finally settled his eyes on Gremio. "Okay, whatever you're hiding now, Gremio, does it have something to do with whatever made you nearly collapse the other day? Or what's got you snapping at everyone, and wandering off into the woods to talk to yourself when you think no one can hear you? And yeah, I know it wasn't just a one-time thing - I've been keeping an eye on you ever since," he explained, seeing Gremio's startled look. "We're all supposed to be looking out for each other, right? You told me before you'd talk about it later... and well, it's later, and we're all together. So why not get it off your chest?"

Flik nodded in agreement. "We need to work as a unit, and the tension's only going to get worse unless you clue us all in."

Somewhat taken aback by their bluntness, Gremio paused, and finally nodded. "...It's not a big secret, precisely... it's just nothing I've needed to mention before." He took a deep breath, and then a deep drink. "All right then..."

The three of them waited, and at last Gremio set down his drink and began to explain. "As I said before... we are heading towards Harmonia. But... not exactly to Harmonia," he said hesitantly. "As you've undoubtedly guessed, we're heading north into what used to be Highland territory, only a short time past. Specifically... I intend to see what is left of L'Renouille."

There was another moment's hesitation as Gremio glanced nervously at Viktor and Flik, who didn't quite look as if they wanted to jump to the obvious conclusion, and so he opted to remove any doubt they might have. "I, ah... believe if the Beast Rune still resides in the area... it just may have an interest in me, making it the simplest of the True Runes to acquire."

Setting the bottle down on the table with a thud, Viktor scowled at him. "What the hell?!" Tir merely frowned from his chair. The Beast Rune had not been his first choice, but he didn't question Gremio's motives, knowing there was something deeper going on that was quite out of his control.

Flik had a feeling he knew where they were headed, but was puzzled as to why the Beast Rune would be interested in Gremio. "I'm afraid I don't see why it would..." He stopped short, remembering his earlier joke about Gremio being noble. "Would you explain further...?"

Gremio nodded slightly, lowering his head. "I feared you might not like this idea... anyhow, you see, my mother was from Jowston, but descended from the Blight family, a few generations past. Daughter of a daughter of a daughter... and with the strongly patriarchal nature of Highland's nobility, after only a few generations of such births, one was low enough in rank to not even be considered nobility. At least, that is what she told me, and I had no reason to disbelieve her... It was simply a bit of trivial knowledge, not something to be prideful of... Particularly not now."

The other three sat in silent disbelief, waiting for Gremio to continue, and with a sigh he did so. "The Beast Rune was... said to be a gift to the royal family from Harmonia, some years past. But According to rumors Emilia told me of, that was not the case - the Rune simply decided to take up residence in L'Renouille because that was where it wanted to live..."

Flik was surprised, but despite the drinks he'd had, remained thoughtful. "Gremio... a Blight? But... if... what you say is true," he thought out loud, "it may not want to be removed from that location, Blight or no."

Gremio took another sip of his wine and continued. "Perhaps not. But I believe, like many beasts, it chose a master in the Blight family. Perhaps a feeling of kinship - we all know of at least one Blight that was no better than a wild creature. And like all beasts, it should be able to recognize a master, or one like its master."

Flik sighed, finally taking a drink from his own glass, which had been sitting untouched. "This is a dangerous plan."

Tir nodded, turning towards them. "Gremio, I don't know if this is such a good idea. We don't know what that thing could do to you if it's already somehow connected to your bloodline."

Pounding his fist on the table, Viktor finally spoke up. "Dangerous? It's stupid! Flik, you were there too when we fought the Beast Rune - that thing's vicious! Thanks to Luca, it went out of control! I say let the thing rot wherever it's crawled off to, if it still exists."

Flik winced at Viktor's outburst. "I do understand how Viktor feels..."

As he trailed off, Tir spoke up in Gremio's defense. "But Gremio is a very different person than Luca was."

Gremio nodded appreciatively, though his face was tense. "Thank you - that was another reason I had. What if it does still exist?" he asked. "What if it needs a master to tame it, so that it doesn't remain as ruthless as it was when Luca unleashed it? Would it be better to let it remain until someone else stumbles across it? Some wandering madman, perhaps, or a fleeing murderer that shares the same thirst for blood?"

At the thought, Flik cringed. "I would not like to see another war run by that....thing."

Viktor pounded on the table again, causing Flik to lift his glass off so that Viktor's banging wouldn't knock it over. "And I don't want to have to end up fighting a war against you if you can't control the damn thing!"

Tir chose that moment to snap his journal shut, rise from the chair, and go stalking out of the room, letting the door shut behind him with an audible click just short of a real slam. Gremio put his head in his hands wearily, almost cringing. "Does it seem as if I look forward to the idea? It terrifies me, after all I've heard of this rune, and knowing what..." He paused to look at the door, closed behind Tir. "Knowing what my Young Master suffers from a strong-willed rune... though I should not speak of that without his permission, so I shall say no more."

Flik sighed deeply. "I almost want to say that it's fitting, but... I don't know. I don't know how I feel about this." He glanced at the door. "Gremio, unless there's more to tell us of this plan right now, perhaps you should check on Tir. It's not like him to make such a dramatic exit."

Gremio looked down at his glass again, then at the door to the hallway. "I should go after him, yes..." Despite his words, rather than getting up, he instead dropped his head into his hands again. "...I feel ill. I'm not certain whether it's from too much wine, or not enough."

Reaching across the table, Flik placed a hand over Gremio's. "Would you rather I went after him and sent him back? Viktor and I would be glad to give you some time alone if you need to speak with him."

Still frowning, Viktor stood. "I'll go after him. I don't think I need to hear any more of this anyway. I say it's a bad idea, I was there, I saw the thing, I fought the thing, it nearly killed both Flik and I. But I can't stop you." With that, he left also, making no pretense of not slamming the door.

Gremio sighed as he looked across the table to his one remaining companion. "...Thank you, Flik, for at least having an open mind about the matter... I was afraid both you and Viktor would feel the same, and I've no doubt that Young Master is concerned as well."

Flik squeezed Gremio's hand slightly. "Gremio... I understand mostly because of why you're doing this. I may not think this is the best way to go about it... but as long as you've got all three of us to protect you and make sure this thing doesn't overtake you... Well, I don't know... but if I was the type to have a closed mind about things, I would not be where I am today."

Gremio laughed, but shakily, and reached for the bottle of wine. "Thank you... thank you very, very much. And though I would not have said it in Tir's presence," he added softly, pouring himself a drink with trembling fingers, "if I do acquire this rune, and I fear I may lose myself to it, I will cut off my own hand. I swear it. Despite what Viktor seemed to think, I know how dangerous it is."

Flik nodded, his own hand shaking as he took a sip of wine. He had no doubt Gremio truly would go that far. "I pray it will never come to that..."

Gremio gulped his own quickly, then put a hand to his head, dizzy. "At times I have thought that Young Master might choose that way himself. But he is strong enough to withstand it, simply because he cares too much for people. He would not want it to pass to someone with a bad heart, and someone with a good heart does not deserve that curse."

"Such is the way of the world..." Flik agreed with a morose nod. Another glance at Gremio caused him to slide the wine bottle away. "Perhaps you'd like to lie down, Gremio? Your face is awfully flushed...."

Gremio nodded. "Yes - to be honest, I've not been eating much myself, and the wine has gone straight to my head. Which was, of course, as I intended it." He stood up, almost stumbling before he steadied himself on the table, breathing heavily. "And I don't drink often anyhow..."

Having sobered up considerably over the course of the conversation, Flik stood to help Gremio to his bed. "Do you need anything? Some bread from your pack... a glass of water?"

Gremio shook his head. "I'll be fine," he murmured between shallow breaths. "It's n-not so much the wine as just... I'll be f-fine once I can relax a bit..."

Not entirely convinced, Flik rested a hand on Gremio's forehead as he stood at the side of the bed. "Are you sure? Do you want me to find Tir for you?"

Gremio shook his head again, more firmly, as he closed his eyes and began to breathe a little easier. "I'm sure Viktor will be able to find him. There's no need to upset him further - I'm sorry to be such trouble to you, Flik, and to have him worry? It's the last thing I would want, to add myself to all his worries."

Flik drew up a chair beside Gremio's bed and sat down, nodding. "I'm sure he's already worried... and not to be rude, but I think that's okay. It's okay for him to care for and worry about you sometimes, as you do so much for him."

Opening his eyes again, Gremio looked up at Flik in bewilderment. "No, no it isn't. My life has been simple, and good, and full - I've had everything I'd ever dreamed of. And some may say that he grew up happy, even spoiled, being the son of an Imperial General, but it was difficult for him..." He trailed off, turning his head away with a sigh. "The wine has loosened my tongue, I fear."

Flik shook his head. "He may love having you take care of him, but he's not a little boy. I always disliked letting anyone take care of me at all... but it's not so bad, sometimes, being able to lean on someone. You might want to try it. If not with Tir, which would be best, then at least with someone. A friend."

Gremio nodded vaguely. "Viktor has offered..." he murmured. "I suppose he didn't mention it to you after all, as I expected he would. It seems he's more trustworthy than I thought. But... Tir is a friend. More than a friend, of course, but still a friend." He took another deep breath, resting a hand over his eyes tiredly. "I've had others. I miss Cleo, I miss Pahn. And of course, I still miss Master Teo. ...And I am saying much too much," he finished, almost helplessly.

Reaching out instinctively, Flik brushed the stray hair away from Gremio's face. "No you aren't... And we could visit them, if you like, at any time during this journey, if you want to return to Gregminster first." He paused and sighed again. "I'd like to be a friend to you too, Gremio, if you'd let me. And I think it would do you good to confide more in Tir...he's already told me how much he worries about you, and it might ease his mind if you shared more with him."

Gremio hesitated, still half-covering his face. "...He told you he worries about me? Heavens, I..." He breathed a shaky sigh, and shook his head. "Thank you, Flik, and I do count you as a friend... but I think I would like to be alone for a bit. If you or Viktor see my Young Master, you don't have to tell him to come back, but please tell him I'm sorry..."

Flik nodded and withdrew his hand, just as a gentle knock sounded on the door. "Ah, that might be them now..." With a vague nod, Gremio tried to pull himself together a bit, sitting up as Flik went to the door and opened it.

Somewhat surprised to find Tir alone, Flik nonetheless let him inside and turned to leave. "Remember what I said, Gremio," he said quietly.

Gremio nodded, looking away self-consciously. "Yes... thank you again, Flik..."

Once he'd closed the door gently behind Flik, Tir walked over to stand beside Gremio's bed. "Gremio..." he mumbled, his lower lip trembling slightly.

Gremio looked up at him, easily turning from his own fears in favor of tending to Tir's, as he'd always done. "Young Master... I'm terribly sorry for upsetting you so."

"It's not...I..." Tir stammered, sitting down at the edge of Gremio's bed. "I lost you once...and I'm not sure I could bear losing you again, especially if it were my fault."

Gremio smiled sadly at the worry in his eyes. "Young Master, as you pointed out in that discussion we had which prompted this quest, someday you will lose me for certain if things remain as they are. This way, perhaps there is a chance..."

Tir reached out a hand to touch Gremio's cheek lightly. "I know...I..." He shook his head, trying to hold back the tears welling up in his eyes.

Gremio saw them regardless and pulled Tir into his arms, holding him tightly. "Young Master, don't cry, and please... don't blame yourself. When first I considered this path, I found that there were more reasons to attempt this, rather than try to find a safer route. And if anything should happen, I will take responsibility."

Tir shook as the tears rolled down his cheeks, and he clutched Gremio tightly, wanting more than anything just to reassure himself that he was not going anywhere. "You can't claim responsibility if..." He trailed off and hiccoughed once... "Gremio... please just stay with me like this for awhile. I...want to believe it's all going to be just fine."

"Of course, of course... I will not go anywhere without the consent of my Young Master," Gremio said with a fond smile. "Although, I admit... that I need to lie down," he added reluctantly. "I should not have had anything to drink tonight - Young Master, are you all right?"

Tir nodded slightly. "Yes...please do lay down. I see you drank a bit more than I did." He hesitated, trying to feel less awkward. "Is it... all right... if I stay with you awhile? I don't think Flik or Viktor will be back anytime soon."

Gremio nodded, lying back on the pillows and the stiff mattress of the bed. "I... Yes, of course," he mumbled tiredly. "I just need to rest..."

Tir curled up beside Gremio as he had when he was a child, closing his eyes. "Yes... we need to set out again tomorrow." He reached for Gremio's hand and squeezed it. "Gremio... please... let me know if you need anything."

Gremio squeezed back lightly. "Of course. I'm not feeling well at all," he admitted, "but I will manage... no need to trouble yourself over me."

Tir shook his head and turned to kiss Gremio's cheek, murmuring. "I will always trouble myself over you as long as you continue troubling yourself over me. ...It's called friendship."

Gremio sighed, but this time more in contentment than anything else. "...And I treasure it, Young Master."


After Flik heard the door close gently behind him, he stood in the hallway and breathed a deep sigh, trying to recollect his thoughts after the surprising revelations Gremio had given them. Once he'd collected himself, he headed down the stairs. Glancing around the bar, he didn't see Viktor, and so he instead headed out the front door. The cold air would be a help to his still not entirely sober self.

At the sound of the door opening, Viktor glanced over from where he stood, leaning back against the wall of the inn near the door, then returned to his glaring down at the ground, arms folded over his chest. Flik spotted him and walked over, not saying anything - just coming to stand beside him.

Viktor continued glaring at nothing. "...Kid got away from me," he muttered after a moment's silence. "I must be slipping."

Flik shrugged. "Tir can be pretty quiet and unassuming, as well...and we've both been drinking." He sighed and looks up at the sky. "Do you want to go for a walk? Talk? Try out the drunk scheme and score a free room?"

Viktor shook his head. "I don't think we'd get it for free - it was just a way to get one without sticking out too much. Because you know, you don't seem to like it much when people put two and two together about us."

Flik frowned and glanced at Viktor. It was like him to get grumpy over the smaller things when something bigger was bothering him... but Flik went along with it. "You're forgetting that I was the one who suggested it before, no scheme involved. It's not the rest of the world I care about so much as offending people who are our friends... which I suppose by definition means I shouldn't worry about offending them..." He trailed off and nudged a rock in the dirt with the toe of his boot, now annoyed.

Viktor glared at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"That I should be more concerned about how you feel than how the rest of the world feels," Flik sighed. "But I'm used to putting the world ahead of myself..." He paused and attempted to smile. "Since you're as much me as I am to myself, I guess I put the world ahead of both of us more than I should, if that makes any sense... my brain is still not functioning at full capacity, and I'm afraid I might be sick before the night is over."

Viktor tried to run over that line of logic, and sighed heavily. "Flik, they are our friends. Well, mine at least, I can't speak for you. And it's not like I'm going to leave him to just go get himself killed - I'll be right there getting my ass kicked again by that thing."

Flik nodded. "And so will I. That's what friends do. And maybe we don't know all of Gremio's reasons for choosing this path."

Viktor went back to staring at the ground moodily. "It doesn't matter - it's a bad idea. That rune deserves to stay hidden as long as possible. Even if I do plan to go with them, it doesn't mean I agree with it. But hey..." He chuckled bitterly. "I'm used to pulling people's asses out of the fire, I do it often enough."

Flik nodded again, thoughtful. "Why do you think Gremio let us come along, knowing how we'd probably take this?"

Viktor shrugged. "I'd like to say because he wanted our company, or because he knew we're both the restless type. More likely just because Tir wanted us to. But just as much, probably because he knew they didn't stand a chance."

Flik didn't say anything, just continued nudging the rock around before finally giving it a swift kick that sent it spiraling out into the dark somewhere. "I can't say I don't understand at all."

"I understand well enough," Viktor told him, looking over at him again. "But I still don't agree."

Flik crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes. "I didn't say I did either."

Viktor sighed, and reached over to rest a hand on Flik's shoulder. Flik knew it wasn't him that Viktor was angry at, and honestly, not Gremio either. "So why don't you say anything about it?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I'd like to hear what you think of the whole thing." He pauses, pacing slightly. "Give me a reason not to be pissed off about this."

"I don't know if I can..." Flik sighed. "We can't control other people's decisions, though... do you think Tir is wrong for continuing to suffer for the good of others?" he asked suddenly. "Maybe Gremio doesn't want him to spend an eternity like that alone. Would you be okay with me taking the rune from Tir and damning myself to that? I don't know... I just don't know."

"No, I don't think that's wrong," Viktor said, glaring at him again. "It doesn't mean Gremio needs to go through that too - I know there's other True Runes out there, if he has to do this. And..." He sighed and turned away, muttering. "About that last, I don't know where that came from..."

Flik now placed his own hand on Viktor's shoulder. "Gremio doesn't have infinite time to search out a rune..." he pointed out. "Maybe he feels his bloodline will make the search easier..."

Viktor turned around to look seriously at Flik. "...How'd you know about that, anyway?"

Shaking his head, Flik threw his hands up. "I swear I didn't... I was just making a drunken joke."

Viktor shrugged slightly, not amused. "And that stuff you just said, about taking the... that's a drunken joke too, right? You're not really thinking like that..."

With a shrug, Flik abruptly started to walk off into the dark. "I don't know..."

Viktor stared after him, and frowned as he called out. "Hey! Where are you going?"

"I'm restless and upset and frustrated," Flik told him, stopping and looking back, "same as I was hours ago. Why, do you have a better idea for burning it off?"

"Better idea than what? I don't even know what you're doing."

"Just walking."

Viktor stayed where he was for the moment, not sure what he should do, and Flik paused as well, only a few steps away. After a moment, he sighed again. "Or maybe I'll just go to sleep."

Viktor nodded grudgingly. "...I'd suggest going a couple rounds out back, but my sword's up in our room." He glanced back at the door to the inn, thinking. "I should probably go back up there anyway, let Gremio know I couldn't find Tir. And make sure he's okay. He was drinking pretty fast there, and he looks like he'd be even more of a featherweight than you."

Flik stepped back towards Viktor. "No, Tir came in just as I was leaving... and I think they need to be alone for awhile."

"Great... fine," Viktor grumbled. "I don't know if that's a good idea, but..." Taking a step closer to Flik, he smiled tiredly and reached up to touch Flik's chin. "I guess we need to get a room of our own after all, then."

Flik smiled and nodded - Viktor was starting to sound more like Viktor again, which was a relief. "I can't say I really mind."

Viktor chuckled. "So do we just ask for a room, have you pretend to be drunk, or get a few more beers until you really are that drunk?" He raised an eyebrow mischievously as he glanced towards the upper level of the inn. "Or instead of coming off like we need to be alone, we could say our friends wanted to be alone... heh heh..."

Flik burst out laughing in spite of himself. "Gremio would kill you for even insinuating such a thing... though I'm not sure Tir would mind that much," he added more thoughtfully.

Viktor grew slightly more serious, settling his hands on Flik's hips and pulling him a little closer. "So you've noticed that too, huh?"

With a nod, Flik looped a casual arm around Viktor's neck. "I have... I'm not sure what to make of it though."

Viktor frowned slightly. "So do you think it's a good idea to leave them alone now? I mean, with Gremio half-drunk and Tir upset... I wouldn't want either of them to do something they might regret."

Flik shook his head. "I don't know if Gremio would let that happen."

Viktor shrugged. "If he's drunk enough..."

"Do you really think so?" asked Flik, raising an eyebrow.

"It's Gremio," Viktor pointed out. "He'd do anything for his Young Master."

"Yeah... you might be right," Flik agreed with a thoughtful nod. "But I don't think Tir would be happy to have that as the reason behind it, should anything ever happen."

"Yeah, same here. Which is why..." Viktor glanced up at the upper rooms again, then looked away. "Well, I guess it's none of my business. Let's just get our own room or something, then..."

Flik eyed Viktor curiously. "I know what you mean, but after all the time they've spent alone together, I don't think we need to be playing mother hen right now."

Viktor nodded again and turned towards the door, letting the subject drop as he slipped an arm around Flik's shoulder. "So are you going to be drunk, or not?"

Flik shrugged. "I'm not embarrassed... just tired and restless... but if you're in the mood to put on a show." He grinned and staggered purposefully.

Viktor laughed, and jokingly moved to steady him. "It could be fun. I almost wish it was me instead of you, but no one would fall for it - there's no way you could outdrink me."

With a chuckle, Flik slung an arm around Viktor's neck, nodding to the door. "Ready to go make a scene?"

Viktor nodded, grinning. "Sure thing." Both of them already were starting to feel a little better.