Chapter Twenty-four
Euronos Plains; Evening
"All right, let's break for the night."
The sun was low in the sky when these words flowed from Freya's mouth. The snow was shining in the light of the setting sun. Snow was falling slowly from the sky, and the coming of clouds from the east told of a storm. Meander and Eiko had been having a snowball fight while they walked. Dominic had been very smiley, but he seemed alert and on guard. Both Freya and Amarant were sullen, looking around constantly. Finally, Freya couldn't stand any of it, and she had called the break.
Meander and Eiko continued their snowball fight and began to build forts. Dominic looked with confusion toward Freya, but, seeing her look, suddenly came up with an excuse that he wanted to look for herbs. Amarant simply sat in the snow, looking around. Freya walked over and sat next to him. The two looked at each other.
"What's wrong with you?" they asked each other concurrently.
An awkward silence followed as the two tried to figure out how to answer the question, and even when they did know, they didn't know who should answer first. When they did talk, they were talking at the same time, and once again they fell silent.
"Flip a coin?" Freya asked humorously. "Whoever wins the toss gets to talk?"
"Nah, you go," Amarant replied.
Freya took a deep breath.
"I'm just worried," she said. "Something tells me that something is following us. Have you felt the ground shake?"
Amarant nodded.
"It's unusual, no?" Freya asked.
"It's unnatural," Amarant said in agreement.
"Right. I think a serpent is following us, and unfortunately I fear it is Leviathan. Then, not only the ground is odd, but just everything else. I fear someone besides a serpent is following us. I fear Julius is stalking us. He's stalking me, of course, but I fear he's closer than usual," Freya explained.
"You're scared," Amarant said, and Freya heard his surprise.
Freya stared at him with surprise. She had not realized her own fear until now. It slowly hit her, and when it did, she felt more miserable than before.
"Yes," Freya admitted quietly. "I'm scared."
Amarant nodded slightly.
"Makes enough sense for you to be scared," Amarant grunted. "I just didn't think you would be."
"It's rather shameful to be—"Freya was cut off by a snowball. "God- damn it, Meander! Keep your God-damn snowball fight between you and Eiko!"
"No shame in fear. But there is shame in throwing a snowball at you," Amarant grunted.
"Oh, have spirit," Meander grunted, and he turned away.
"Asshole," Amarant muttered. "Anyway, I'm also afraid that a serpent may be following, and I sense demons – Many of them. I'm worried about you."
"Why?" Freya asked with some surprise.
"Bitch, what do you think? It's because I care about you," Amarant replied.
"So the All-Caring Amarant does care. Shame you don't care that much since you called me a—"
Freya was cut off by a demon yelp. Amarant immediately looked around. Freya also did, and when she located the creature that yelped, her eyes bulged.
"Oh my God," she whispered.
On the horizon a horde was forming. Slowly red-scaled beings began to crowd. Their scales shone in the sun. Large spikes protruded from their backs; these spikes were at least three inches long. The creatures sported a very wolf-like appearance, but they were slightly larger than the average wolf. They had wolf-like heads except for small horns between their ears. They had long, sharp fangs that were being bared in aggression. Their feet sported long, sharp nails that were at least an inch long. They had a small one-inch tail. One of the creatures let out a demon bay, and the many others picked up the call and joined in a haunting chorus.
"Demon Dogs," Amarant muttered. "Freya, if I were you, I would run."
Freya rose to her feet slowly, but the movement was immediately located by the demon dogs. They then began to race down the small hill, baying. Their fangs gleamed in the setting sun. Freya watched with shock as she tried to count them. 20, 30, 40...
Suddenly a Rising Sun streaked through the belly of a demon dog. It yelped with pain and stumbled, only to be trampled by its companions. The demon dogs changed course. They headed straight for Amarant. Amarant shoved Freya to the west. Freya's mind registered panic and Freya ran in the direction she was shoved. She could hear the claws of the demon dogs scarping the ground, and she could feel her own feet pounding against the earth, but she couldn't see. Something was blinding her.
You are a Dragon Warrior, spoke a voice within her. Dragon Warriors do not run. They put the innocent before their own life.
Freya could hear the demon dogs snarl as they found their target.
You will not run. You will fight, the voice commanded.
Freya slowly turned direction, or at least it felt slow. She took out her spear and began to rush toward the demon dogs, who were attacking Amarant. She did not realize she was doing any of this.
She did, however, hear the yelp of a startled demon dog. And her senses suddenly snapped together. She watched as a demon dog, with its stomach ripped open, fell to the ground, knocking over a companion. Slowly a soft red mist came from the punctured belly of the demon dog with a mixture of pinkish blood. The same pinkish blood covered the blade of Freya's spear.
"Freya, no," Amarant muttered, rising shakily to his feet. Half of his face looked like it had been ripped off, though Freya could not be sure. There was too much blood on his face to tell.
All the demon dogs were facing Freya, snarling. Freya readied her spear and slashed at them. The demon dogs suddenly pounced on her, tearing at whatever they could catch. Freya yelped with fear and surprise as she lost her footing and fell to the ground from the added weight. It felt like the demon dogs were tearing Freya apart. She spun her spear and slashed at the demon dogs so quickly and frantically that she began to cut herself.
Slowly the demon dogs fell off her and soon Freya rose to her feet. The demon dogs snapped at her, trying to tear her apart. She stumbled, trying to fend them off. Over the yapping, though, Freya heard a snap.
She automatically grabbed for the nearest animal – And it happened to be a demon dog. Freya held the surprised demon dog near her chest. Soon it began to tear at her arms and hands.
Suddenly an arrow slammed into the demon dog's head. It yelped with surprise, and Freya dropped it. The demon dog stumbled about, then fell to the ground.
Once again the demon dogs hounded Freya. They had switched to Meander temporarily since he had slashed at them with his sword, but now Freya was their target. Meander snorted angrily and suddenly cast a Firaga spell near a tree. The Firaga spell nailed a figure, which toppled to the ground and disappeared into the thin air.
"All demon dogs in the Euronus Plain, die!" Dominic suddenly shouted as loud as he could.
There was a brief silence and time seemed to stand still. All the demon dogs then let out a high-pitched yelp of death. Freya's ears rung from the noise. She scrambled weakly to her feet and backed away. She then watched as all the demon dogs collapsed to the ground. At first Freya thought they were simply exhausted or feigning death, but then red mist came from their bodies and filled the air. Soon the demon dogs were gone, and all that remained was the red mist.
Freya stared weakly at the ground. She could see the snow stained red. She swallowed, wondering if all that blood was hers.
"Freya?" Meander's voice floated through the air, and it seemed to come from all directions.
Freya looked around, suddenly confused. She could see Amarant on the ground, while Eiko looked worried. Meander seemed worried as well.
"I'm fine," Freya choked out.
She collapsed into the red snow.
"'I'm fine'. Bah! Then why did she collapse in the snow, I wonder?" Meander was saying sarcastically to Amarant an hour later.
"Because she hates to admit to weakness," Amarant replied grumpily.
Amarant and Freya were both healed of their wounds thanks to powerful Curaga spells from Eiko, though they still had some cuts. But Freya was still unconscious. Amarant assumed it was exhaustion and shock. Meander assumed it was the many wounds she took.
"She'll wake up," Meander said. "She seems strong."
"Certainly she'll wake up. When I don't know, but she will," Amarant said in agreement, watching Freya.
A cold wind passed by, making Meander shiver and pull his blanket closer. They were all lying on one huge blanket, but they had their own. Eiko was communicating with the eidolons, while Dominic had headed off to get herbs – And this time, he was serious. Meander and Amarant were facing each other, talking quietly. Freya was lying beside them, her only movement being the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.
"So, what do you make of this attack?" Meander asked.
"Julius summoned the horde. Pretty clever, too. He almost got her. I don't know how she heard that crossbow, though," Amarant replied.
"I was surprised too," Meander replied. "Demons have spectacular hearing, and I couldn't hear it. I wonder – Did she hear it, or sense it?"
"Whatever she did, she defended herself against death and nearly got her arms ripped off," Amarant commented. "She'll have the scars to prove it."
"You nearly got your face ripped off," Meander pointed out.
"Yeah, now I'm uglier than usual," Amarant replied with a shrug.
Meander chuckled. "Wow, such self-confidence."
Freya let out a soft sigh, causing Meander and Amarant to look in her direction. Her eyelids flickered.
"Wow, non-breathing signs of movement!" Meander gasped teasingly.
"Give her a break, she was attacked by 56 demon dogs," Amarant muttered.
"58," Meander snapped.
"I killed one, and so did she. Do the math, asshole," Amarant replied.
Meander sighed. Freya's eyes slowly opened. She sighed softly and rose slowly into a sitting position. She looked around.
"What?" she asked.
"You've been unconscious for an hour," Amarant replied.
"Not bad, considering Fratley's been unconscious for two weeks," Freya groaned.
"Good point," Amarant grunted.
"Where is everyone?" Freya asked.
"Dominic went to look for herbs and Eiko was over there, though now I don't know where she went," Meander replied.
Freya nodded. "Right. And no dangers have come?"
"None," Amarant grunted.
Freya looked over at him and quickly noticed the scars on the left side of his face.
"So you did nearly get your face ripped off," she muttered.
"Your arms nearly got torn apart," Amarant retorted.
Freya looked down at her arms. They were covered in scars. She sighed and lied her head down on the blanket.
"Just one set of many more to come," she muttered.
"Eh?" Meander asked.
"Fool, she's saying it's not over," Amarant grunted.
"Oh," Meander grunted. "Sorry, I didn't know..."
Freya curled up into a semi-ball, eyes closed. She wanted to sleep and leave this world, not talk. She sighed softly once more, for sleep refused to come easily. She heard someone rise and walk away.
"What's the matter?" Amarant asked.
"Life," Freya replied. "What about you?"
"Life," Amarant replied.
Freya felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Relax, would you? Things will get better," Amarant grunted.
"There's a better chance of me dying of overdrinking and you getting married over things getting better," Freya growled.
Amarant chuckled. "You've been around me for way too long."
"Oh, hush. Just let me sleep," Freya replied.
"Oh, fine, bitch," Amarant whispered. "But don't bother waking up for guard."
"Don't bother waking me up for guard, either. I'll just go back to sleep."
"Fresh tonight, are you?"
"Why not? Just let me sleep!"
The hand on Freya's shoulder left.
"All right, all right. Just promise you'll be back to normal tomorrow," Amarant grunted, and Freya heard him shift.
"Puh." was Freya's reply.
Amarant stared at Freya quietly, watching as she slowly fell asleep. Something was wrong with her. He could tell, though he could not say exactly what was wrong with her. She seemed too cynical and miserable. What had happened to her confidence? She didn't seem like the Freya Amarant had known.
She's not telling us something, Amarant thought.
But what? Amarant's mind came up with no answers. He looked over at the scars that Freya had taken.
Just one set in many more to come... She's not only saying it's not over. She's saying she's going to get more scars, Amarant thought. How unlike you, Freya.
Freya let out a slightly choked sob, but Amarant wasn't surprised. He only shook his head slightly.
To think you've been calling her names. Perhaps it's time to be nice, Amarant thought.
Suddenly Amarant found himself thinking over where the name "Freya" could've come from.
"What are you doing?"
Meander sat down beside Amarant.
"Thinking over where the name 'Freya' could've come from," Amarant replied.
"Probably a parent liked the name," Meander replied.
Parent... Parent! Suddenly Amarant's mind flooded with ideas. Wasn't Freya's father dead? Didn't he die before she was even born? He recalled someone saying that. And then his mind remembered more. Her father hadn't died of a disease or an accident.
He had been murdered.
Amarant looked down at Freya. Who had he been murdered by again?
Julius.
Suddenly it was all clear to Amarant. He knew why Freya was acting so strangely. It was her father's death. Julius had killed her father. So Freya was troubled by such a happening. That was why she was so sullen. Then, she had called a break because walking gave her too much time to think about it! She asked Amarant what was wrong because thinking about his problems brought her away from her own! She wanted to sleep so she could stop thinking about it!
It all made sense.
"So that's it," Amarant muttered.
"What?" Meander asked.
"I just figured out why Freya's acting so odd," Amarant replied.
"This isn't normal for her?" Meander asked.
"Not at all. She's upset by her father's death. All her actions are done either because she can't stop thinking about it or because she's trying to stop. But why can't she tell us?" Amarant wondered.
"Who knows," Meander grunted.
"Good point," Amarant muttered. "But that's basically what's happening. And she wants to sleep to get away from it."
"Wonder if it's helping," Meander muttered.
Amarant looked over at Freya. "Oh, I highly doubt it. It seems that she's only giving herself more time to be trapped by the nightmares that haunt her in reality."
Meander gave Amarant a baffled look. Amarant motioned to Freya. When Meander gave Freya a closer look, he understood what Amarant meant.
Freya was crying in her sleep.
---------- Okay, this chapter held one of the worse fights of the story. My comment? None, really.
My father's computer is doing funny things. My stories are on my father's computer. The network is screwed up. Why am I telling you this? It'll slow updates down on this story a bit. Let Fear Propel You Forward is on a Floppy, though, so it shouldn't slow down. *Cough*
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations ,and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix.
Euronos Plains; Evening
"All right, let's break for the night."
The sun was low in the sky when these words flowed from Freya's mouth. The snow was shining in the light of the setting sun. Snow was falling slowly from the sky, and the coming of clouds from the east told of a storm. Meander and Eiko had been having a snowball fight while they walked. Dominic had been very smiley, but he seemed alert and on guard. Both Freya and Amarant were sullen, looking around constantly. Finally, Freya couldn't stand any of it, and she had called the break.
Meander and Eiko continued their snowball fight and began to build forts. Dominic looked with confusion toward Freya, but, seeing her look, suddenly came up with an excuse that he wanted to look for herbs. Amarant simply sat in the snow, looking around. Freya walked over and sat next to him. The two looked at each other.
"What's wrong with you?" they asked each other concurrently.
An awkward silence followed as the two tried to figure out how to answer the question, and even when they did know, they didn't know who should answer first. When they did talk, they were talking at the same time, and once again they fell silent.
"Flip a coin?" Freya asked humorously. "Whoever wins the toss gets to talk?"
"Nah, you go," Amarant replied.
Freya took a deep breath.
"I'm just worried," she said. "Something tells me that something is following us. Have you felt the ground shake?"
Amarant nodded.
"It's unusual, no?" Freya asked.
"It's unnatural," Amarant said in agreement.
"Right. I think a serpent is following us, and unfortunately I fear it is Leviathan. Then, not only the ground is odd, but just everything else. I fear someone besides a serpent is following us. I fear Julius is stalking us. He's stalking me, of course, but I fear he's closer than usual," Freya explained.
"You're scared," Amarant said, and Freya heard his surprise.
Freya stared at him with surprise. She had not realized her own fear until now. It slowly hit her, and when it did, she felt more miserable than before.
"Yes," Freya admitted quietly. "I'm scared."
Amarant nodded slightly.
"Makes enough sense for you to be scared," Amarant grunted. "I just didn't think you would be."
"It's rather shameful to be—"Freya was cut off by a snowball. "God- damn it, Meander! Keep your God-damn snowball fight between you and Eiko!"
"No shame in fear. But there is shame in throwing a snowball at you," Amarant grunted.
"Oh, have spirit," Meander grunted, and he turned away.
"Asshole," Amarant muttered. "Anyway, I'm also afraid that a serpent may be following, and I sense demons – Many of them. I'm worried about you."
"Why?" Freya asked with some surprise.
"Bitch, what do you think? It's because I care about you," Amarant replied.
"So the All-Caring Amarant does care. Shame you don't care that much since you called me a—"
Freya was cut off by a demon yelp. Amarant immediately looked around. Freya also did, and when she located the creature that yelped, her eyes bulged.
"Oh my God," she whispered.
On the horizon a horde was forming. Slowly red-scaled beings began to crowd. Their scales shone in the sun. Large spikes protruded from their backs; these spikes were at least three inches long. The creatures sported a very wolf-like appearance, but they were slightly larger than the average wolf. They had wolf-like heads except for small horns between their ears. They had long, sharp fangs that were being bared in aggression. Their feet sported long, sharp nails that were at least an inch long. They had a small one-inch tail. One of the creatures let out a demon bay, and the many others picked up the call and joined in a haunting chorus.
"Demon Dogs," Amarant muttered. "Freya, if I were you, I would run."
Freya rose to her feet slowly, but the movement was immediately located by the demon dogs. They then began to race down the small hill, baying. Their fangs gleamed in the setting sun. Freya watched with shock as she tried to count them. 20, 30, 40...
Suddenly a Rising Sun streaked through the belly of a demon dog. It yelped with pain and stumbled, only to be trampled by its companions. The demon dogs changed course. They headed straight for Amarant. Amarant shoved Freya to the west. Freya's mind registered panic and Freya ran in the direction she was shoved. She could hear the claws of the demon dogs scarping the ground, and she could feel her own feet pounding against the earth, but she couldn't see. Something was blinding her.
You are a Dragon Warrior, spoke a voice within her. Dragon Warriors do not run. They put the innocent before their own life.
Freya could hear the demon dogs snarl as they found their target.
You will not run. You will fight, the voice commanded.
Freya slowly turned direction, or at least it felt slow. She took out her spear and began to rush toward the demon dogs, who were attacking Amarant. She did not realize she was doing any of this.
She did, however, hear the yelp of a startled demon dog. And her senses suddenly snapped together. She watched as a demon dog, with its stomach ripped open, fell to the ground, knocking over a companion. Slowly a soft red mist came from the punctured belly of the demon dog with a mixture of pinkish blood. The same pinkish blood covered the blade of Freya's spear.
"Freya, no," Amarant muttered, rising shakily to his feet. Half of his face looked like it had been ripped off, though Freya could not be sure. There was too much blood on his face to tell.
All the demon dogs were facing Freya, snarling. Freya readied her spear and slashed at them. The demon dogs suddenly pounced on her, tearing at whatever they could catch. Freya yelped with fear and surprise as she lost her footing and fell to the ground from the added weight. It felt like the demon dogs were tearing Freya apart. She spun her spear and slashed at the demon dogs so quickly and frantically that she began to cut herself.
Slowly the demon dogs fell off her and soon Freya rose to her feet. The demon dogs snapped at her, trying to tear her apart. She stumbled, trying to fend them off. Over the yapping, though, Freya heard a snap.
She automatically grabbed for the nearest animal – And it happened to be a demon dog. Freya held the surprised demon dog near her chest. Soon it began to tear at her arms and hands.
Suddenly an arrow slammed into the demon dog's head. It yelped with surprise, and Freya dropped it. The demon dog stumbled about, then fell to the ground.
Once again the demon dogs hounded Freya. They had switched to Meander temporarily since he had slashed at them with his sword, but now Freya was their target. Meander snorted angrily and suddenly cast a Firaga spell near a tree. The Firaga spell nailed a figure, which toppled to the ground and disappeared into the thin air.
"All demon dogs in the Euronus Plain, die!" Dominic suddenly shouted as loud as he could.
There was a brief silence and time seemed to stand still. All the demon dogs then let out a high-pitched yelp of death. Freya's ears rung from the noise. She scrambled weakly to her feet and backed away. She then watched as all the demon dogs collapsed to the ground. At first Freya thought they were simply exhausted or feigning death, but then red mist came from their bodies and filled the air. Soon the demon dogs were gone, and all that remained was the red mist.
Freya stared weakly at the ground. She could see the snow stained red. She swallowed, wondering if all that blood was hers.
"Freya?" Meander's voice floated through the air, and it seemed to come from all directions.
Freya looked around, suddenly confused. She could see Amarant on the ground, while Eiko looked worried. Meander seemed worried as well.
"I'm fine," Freya choked out.
She collapsed into the red snow.
"'I'm fine'. Bah! Then why did she collapse in the snow, I wonder?" Meander was saying sarcastically to Amarant an hour later.
"Because she hates to admit to weakness," Amarant replied grumpily.
Amarant and Freya were both healed of their wounds thanks to powerful Curaga spells from Eiko, though they still had some cuts. But Freya was still unconscious. Amarant assumed it was exhaustion and shock. Meander assumed it was the many wounds she took.
"She'll wake up," Meander said. "She seems strong."
"Certainly she'll wake up. When I don't know, but she will," Amarant said in agreement, watching Freya.
A cold wind passed by, making Meander shiver and pull his blanket closer. They were all lying on one huge blanket, but they had their own. Eiko was communicating with the eidolons, while Dominic had headed off to get herbs – And this time, he was serious. Meander and Amarant were facing each other, talking quietly. Freya was lying beside them, her only movement being the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.
"So, what do you make of this attack?" Meander asked.
"Julius summoned the horde. Pretty clever, too. He almost got her. I don't know how she heard that crossbow, though," Amarant replied.
"I was surprised too," Meander replied. "Demons have spectacular hearing, and I couldn't hear it. I wonder – Did she hear it, or sense it?"
"Whatever she did, she defended herself against death and nearly got her arms ripped off," Amarant commented. "She'll have the scars to prove it."
"You nearly got your face ripped off," Meander pointed out.
"Yeah, now I'm uglier than usual," Amarant replied with a shrug.
Meander chuckled. "Wow, such self-confidence."
Freya let out a soft sigh, causing Meander and Amarant to look in her direction. Her eyelids flickered.
"Wow, non-breathing signs of movement!" Meander gasped teasingly.
"Give her a break, she was attacked by 56 demon dogs," Amarant muttered.
"58," Meander snapped.
"I killed one, and so did she. Do the math, asshole," Amarant replied.
Meander sighed. Freya's eyes slowly opened. She sighed softly and rose slowly into a sitting position. She looked around.
"What?" she asked.
"You've been unconscious for an hour," Amarant replied.
"Not bad, considering Fratley's been unconscious for two weeks," Freya groaned.
"Good point," Amarant grunted.
"Where is everyone?" Freya asked.
"Dominic went to look for herbs and Eiko was over there, though now I don't know where she went," Meander replied.
Freya nodded. "Right. And no dangers have come?"
"None," Amarant grunted.
Freya looked over at him and quickly noticed the scars on the left side of his face.
"So you did nearly get your face ripped off," she muttered.
"Your arms nearly got torn apart," Amarant retorted.
Freya looked down at her arms. They were covered in scars. She sighed and lied her head down on the blanket.
"Just one set of many more to come," she muttered.
"Eh?" Meander asked.
"Fool, she's saying it's not over," Amarant grunted.
"Oh," Meander grunted. "Sorry, I didn't know..."
Freya curled up into a semi-ball, eyes closed. She wanted to sleep and leave this world, not talk. She sighed softly once more, for sleep refused to come easily. She heard someone rise and walk away.
"What's the matter?" Amarant asked.
"Life," Freya replied. "What about you?"
"Life," Amarant replied.
Freya felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Relax, would you? Things will get better," Amarant grunted.
"There's a better chance of me dying of overdrinking and you getting married over things getting better," Freya growled.
Amarant chuckled. "You've been around me for way too long."
"Oh, hush. Just let me sleep," Freya replied.
"Oh, fine, bitch," Amarant whispered. "But don't bother waking up for guard."
"Don't bother waking me up for guard, either. I'll just go back to sleep."
"Fresh tonight, are you?"
"Why not? Just let me sleep!"
The hand on Freya's shoulder left.
"All right, all right. Just promise you'll be back to normal tomorrow," Amarant grunted, and Freya heard him shift.
"Puh." was Freya's reply.
Amarant stared at Freya quietly, watching as she slowly fell asleep. Something was wrong with her. He could tell, though he could not say exactly what was wrong with her. She seemed too cynical and miserable. What had happened to her confidence? She didn't seem like the Freya Amarant had known.
She's not telling us something, Amarant thought.
But what? Amarant's mind came up with no answers. He looked over at the scars that Freya had taken.
Just one set in many more to come... She's not only saying it's not over. She's saying she's going to get more scars, Amarant thought. How unlike you, Freya.
Freya let out a slightly choked sob, but Amarant wasn't surprised. He only shook his head slightly.
To think you've been calling her names. Perhaps it's time to be nice, Amarant thought.
Suddenly Amarant found himself thinking over where the name "Freya" could've come from.
"What are you doing?"
Meander sat down beside Amarant.
"Thinking over where the name 'Freya' could've come from," Amarant replied.
"Probably a parent liked the name," Meander replied.
Parent... Parent! Suddenly Amarant's mind flooded with ideas. Wasn't Freya's father dead? Didn't he die before she was even born? He recalled someone saying that. And then his mind remembered more. Her father hadn't died of a disease or an accident.
He had been murdered.
Amarant looked down at Freya. Who had he been murdered by again?
Julius.
Suddenly it was all clear to Amarant. He knew why Freya was acting so strangely. It was her father's death. Julius had killed her father. So Freya was troubled by such a happening. That was why she was so sullen. Then, she had called a break because walking gave her too much time to think about it! She asked Amarant what was wrong because thinking about his problems brought her away from her own! She wanted to sleep so she could stop thinking about it!
It all made sense.
"So that's it," Amarant muttered.
"What?" Meander asked.
"I just figured out why Freya's acting so odd," Amarant replied.
"This isn't normal for her?" Meander asked.
"Not at all. She's upset by her father's death. All her actions are done either because she can't stop thinking about it or because she's trying to stop. But why can't she tell us?" Amarant wondered.
"Who knows," Meander grunted.
"Good point," Amarant muttered. "But that's basically what's happening. And she wants to sleep to get away from it."
"Wonder if it's helping," Meander muttered.
Amarant looked over at Freya. "Oh, I highly doubt it. It seems that she's only giving herself more time to be trapped by the nightmares that haunt her in reality."
Meander gave Amarant a baffled look. Amarant motioned to Freya. When Meander gave Freya a closer look, he understood what Amarant meant.
Freya was crying in her sleep.
---------- Okay, this chapter held one of the worse fights of the story. My comment? None, really.
My father's computer is doing funny things. My stories are on my father's computer. The network is screwed up. Why am I telling you this? It'll slow updates down on this story a bit. Let Fear Propel You Forward is on a Floppy, though, so it shouldn't slow down. *Cough*
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations ,and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix.