A very serious A/N: I hate life. Honest to god I do. My tonsil got infected...how lovely. It hurt so bad but it's getting better. God what's with me getting sick? My boyfriend says that it's a sign that I must write a new chapter because I have nothing else to do. But seriously people, I have to give a goddamn speech.
The reason I have an infected tonsil is because I've been bulimic for about two years. And it's really starting to affect me physically and I just wanted to warn everyone. Koren's condition is something to take seriously, as is every eating disorder. If anyone you know or even you has an eating disorder, please seek help. It's worth it. Trust me.
Okay, back to the story.
*~*
The Grand Tournament
Chapter 14
~*~
"Hawk, just tell me why I have to go to the tower, okay?" Duran pleaded, resisting Hawk's pull. Hawk gripped a doorframe in an attempt to drag the lug faster.
"I can't tell you why, you idiot. Just shut up and follow me already!" Duran heaved a sigh and finally stopped resisting and let Hawk walk him up to the tower. The sun had died and with the moon barely risen, there was hardly enough light to lead them up the stairs. Reaching the heavy door, Hawk roughly pushed Duran in front of it and turned to leave.
"What? Wait! Hawk, aren't you..." the warrior began, but once he saw his companion's eyes he knew his response.
"You have to go in alone. This is your business, not mine. It's not wise to let an assassin in on a private hearing anyway." He winked at the Swordmaster and retreated back into the darkness. Thinking about his words, Duran shrugged and opened the tower door.
He was met with a room of black shadows; moonlight pouring through the balcony windows left everything in silhouette.
"Hello?" Duran called out into the dark, precociously taking a step forward. "You summoned me?" Silence. Then...
"Yes. I did." Duran froze. That voice...he faintly remembered it, yet it's sound stirred something deep within his emotion.
"Show yourself, and tell me why I'm here." The Swordmaster commanded. A sudden spark of fire startled the warrior until it calmed down to rest itself on a candle. A man in glinting armor sat on a chair across the room. Duran steadied himself.
"You are here to learn the truth Duran. The truth about what happened twelve years ago." The man answered, his face still hidden in the shadow. Duran's heart leaped. Twelve years ago was when his father had died.
"What if I don't like the truth?" Duran retorted, walking towards the figure slowly. "What if I'm not ready?"
"It does not matter if you're ready or not, young swordsman," the man explained, and leaned forward into the light, "You must know now."
In Duran's mind, time froze and all that once seemed important turned to useless thought. His childhood flooded in through his mind and out again and a chill ran down his spine. He knew this man's face.
"...Father." Was the only tearful reply that Duran could choke out, falling to his knees. Loki reached out and placed a hand over his son's shoulder, keeping unshed tears at bay.
"Duran, it has been so long..." the boy put his hand on his father's, and Loki continued. "But I have returned to this living world. And in truth, I have been in this living world for over a decade." Duran looked up, sapphire eyes filled with confusion.
"A decade? You fell twelve years ago...why didn't you return to Forcena? To me?" he cried, gripping Loki's hand. The Gold Knight sighed heavily.
"Because my son, I was consumed with shadow and armor."
~*~
"So let me get this straight." Angela tried to confirm, looking at her hand of cards and rubbing her temple. "You just throw my potential boyfriend in a room with his long lost father and expect him to be fine?" She put down two cards and Hawk picked them up, looking at his own hand. With nothing else to do, Angela, Koren, Heath and himself had started a game of cards in Koren and Heath's shared room.
"Basically. You've seen him rush into entire pods of dragons, so why wouldn't he be able to handle this?" Hawk replied, placing three cards down. Heath picked them up.
"You just have to remember that some people might be tough on the outside but actually be quite sensitive on the inside. You know, hard shell but gooey inside." He explained and put only one card down. Koren looked at his hand before hesitantly picking it up.
"I don't ever want to think of Duran as gooey anything, thank you very much. And for that matter, can we get off this subject? It's depressing." Two cards.
"I'm just saying, Koren." Angela began, picking them up and wincing. "He might seem like, well..."
"An utter complete idiot." Koren helped.
"THANK you," Angela hissed and Koren smirked, "but he's really just like a big confused teddy bear."
"In a wet paper bag."
"Shut up, blondie."
"You shut up!"
"BOTH of you just shut up!" Hawk growled, making the two become quiet instantly. He grabbed the cards Angela had put down and shrugged.
"Really, he'll be fine. I've seen him through worse." One card. Heath picked it up and smiled.
"I win." He said simply and spread his cards out, all depicting Myconids. The rest of the group sighed and handed Heath five luc except for Koren.
"Hey, Cheapo, give your boyfriend the money." Angela smirked and Koren stuck out his tongue.
"I'll pay him later." He replied simply and winked, making the silver-haired boy blush.
"I don't want details! Well..." Hawk teased, making everyone laugh. Angela sat back in her chair and looked at the clock.
"Nearly midnight. Why aren't we asleep?" she asked aloud, not looking for an answer.
"Because we have insomnia and you want to make sure that Duran is fine so you can sleep with HIM." Hawk explained and Angela kicked him off the chair.
"Pervert."
Koren yawned and rested his head on Heath's shoulder, "So tell me what you see in him Angela. I don't get it." Angela fiddled with her hands and then smiled.
"I agree with you on the fact that some of the time...he acts like an idiot. But other times he can be really sweet and caring. He knows when to take things seriously and when to make jokes. Plus, he's an ultra-hunk and you know it. Koren? Kor-HEY!" Angela glared at Koren who had fallen asleep on Heath's shoulder in the short time of her explanation.
"That little loser..." she growled and lifted her hand to smack him awake, but Heath stopped her.
"Just let him sleep, he's more tired than you think." Heath explained and then turned to Hawk. "So Lise couldn't join us because of her fight tomorrow, right?"
Hawk shrugged. "She said she had to perform some "Empowering Ritual" or something to make herself stronger before the match. Some Rolantian mumbo-jumbo. I don't really care." He shuffled the cards absent-mindedly. "She does whatever she wants, unlike Jessica."
"Yeah, what about her anyway though, Hawk?" Angela asked, slightly scowling. "The whole reason you went on this journey was to save her and now you've gone and fallen in love with another girl. What's going to happen now?"
"It's not like just because I'm in love with Lise, doesn't mean that I don't care for Jessica." Hawk sighed, and began to deal out the cards again. "We've been best friends since...ever. And I'm also on this trip to avenge Eagle..." the Nightblade paused, and Angela found herself unable to read his face. "So I'm still out on the main reason. Don't worry about it, Magus." He winked and looked at his hand. The grandfather clock suddenly stroke midnight, startling the sleeping wizard.
"What? What...Damnit! I was having the best dream!" He complained and set his head on the table. Hawk gave him five cards.
"What was it?" he asked and Koren smirked.
"I was in a room full of..." suddenly his face turned red and he looked away. Angela raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"...My Little Rabite plushies..."
The group burst into laughter.
"It's NOT funny! I can't help it, I have a soft spot for those things!" Koren argued, but eventually started to laugh as well.
"You used to obsess over them when we were kids," Angela snorted, and put a card down, "Victor, me and you. Remember?"
"Yeah."
Suddenly, a loud slam was heard from the corridor above and heavy footsteps. Angela blinked.
"I know those boots. I'll be right back." She said, and rushed out the door. Koren stood up and looked after her.
"If she's gone...can I have her cards?"
~*~
Duran rushed to the front of the hotel, tears running down his face. The chilly midnight air caught him in midstep and he stopped running. He stood there, looking at the ground and letting his tears flow. Angela rushed through the glass doors and watched the warrior cry before walking over and touching his shoulder. He pulled away.
"Duran..." she whispered and tried for his shoulder again. This time, he let her. "Duran, it's going to be okay." The warrior turned around, streams of silver tear flowing from his eyes.
"Okay? Okay??" he replied hoarsely, shaking his head. "You have no idea what I just heard..." He sobbed harder. Angela pouted.
"I know it's just hard to accept it...but...you're going to have to, Duran." She soothed, before her voice turned stern. "Because last time I checked, you have a family." Duran looked up quizzically. "I have nothing, Duran. I don't have anything to turn to except you guys. My friends. You people ARE my family." The princess blinked back tears of her own. Duran softened.
"I'm sorry, Angie." He embraced her, "I didn't think. I guess I am fortunate to have my father back. It's just hard to believe that he...that he worked for the man that I hate with all my being."
"But that wasn't his fault!" Angela cried, pushing herself away and glaring up at him. "He was manipulated! Controlled! Are you going to forgive or ignore that innocence?"
Silence. Angela turned away and Duran sighed.
"I must forgive him I suppose." He turned and walked over to a stone bench and sat. "What good does it do to ignore the person I've wanted to embrace all these years?" He sighed again. "I forgive him."
Just as he said that, the glass doors opened again and Loki stepped out. Angela turned and backed away to let the knight approach his son. Loki knelt down and looked at Duran somberly. The Swordmaster looked up, and gave a faint smile.
"I forgive you, Father." He sobbed and embraced Loki. Angela watched the two before smiling.
"Well," she started, making the two warriors look over at her, "If anyone wants me, I'll be in Heath and Koren's room, playing cards." She winked and entered the building again.
~*~
"I win again!" Heath cheered, spreading six Queen Bees on the table. Hawk sighed and forked over ten luc, then looked at Koren.
"How on earth can you pay him twice?!?" Just then, Angela came back.
"Saved by Angie." Koren commented and stuck his tongue out at Hawk. "So what happened?"
"Duran's fine, now." She explained, smiling. "All he needed was some reassurance." Koren snorted.
"What did you do, blow him?" The wizard carefully ducked the Magus's hand and laughed. Angela's eyes narrowed. "What?"
The door to the room opened slowly and Duran and Loki entered together.
"Mind if we join in?" the Swordmaster asked. Hawk grinned and motioned two seats at the table. The knights walked over and sat down, Loki smiling at Koren and the wizard nodding back in recognition. As Hawk began to deal, Koren coughed.
"So...Duran. How was Angela?"
"KOREN!" Angela screamed and flew over the table in an attempt to knock the wizard off his seat. Yet Koren had ducked and ran out of the room with the Princess hot on his tail. The rest laughed.
"And people ask me why I love him." Heath remarked cheerily.
*~*
Duran forgiving Loki was perhaps the hardest thing for the young fighter to do, and Loki coming to terms with his past life settles his long-restless spirit. But what of tomorrow, when the final fight of the first round commences?
*~*
PG-13 people! Heh. Read and review please! Have a great holiday!
The reason I have an infected tonsil is because I've been bulimic for about two years. And it's really starting to affect me physically and I just wanted to warn everyone. Koren's condition is something to take seriously, as is every eating disorder. If anyone you know or even you has an eating disorder, please seek help. It's worth it. Trust me.
Okay, back to the story.
*~*
The Grand Tournament
Chapter 14
~*~
"Hawk, just tell me why I have to go to the tower, okay?" Duran pleaded, resisting Hawk's pull. Hawk gripped a doorframe in an attempt to drag the lug faster.
"I can't tell you why, you idiot. Just shut up and follow me already!" Duran heaved a sigh and finally stopped resisting and let Hawk walk him up to the tower. The sun had died and with the moon barely risen, there was hardly enough light to lead them up the stairs. Reaching the heavy door, Hawk roughly pushed Duran in front of it and turned to leave.
"What? Wait! Hawk, aren't you..." the warrior began, but once he saw his companion's eyes he knew his response.
"You have to go in alone. This is your business, not mine. It's not wise to let an assassin in on a private hearing anyway." He winked at the Swordmaster and retreated back into the darkness. Thinking about his words, Duran shrugged and opened the tower door.
He was met with a room of black shadows; moonlight pouring through the balcony windows left everything in silhouette.
"Hello?" Duran called out into the dark, precociously taking a step forward. "You summoned me?" Silence. Then...
"Yes. I did." Duran froze. That voice...he faintly remembered it, yet it's sound stirred something deep within his emotion.
"Show yourself, and tell me why I'm here." The Swordmaster commanded. A sudden spark of fire startled the warrior until it calmed down to rest itself on a candle. A man in glinting armor sat on a chair across the room. Duran steadied himself.
"You are here to learn the truth Duran. The truth about what happened twelve years ago." The man answered, his face still hidden in the shadow. Duran's heart leaped. Twelve years ago was when his father had died.
"What if I don't like the truth?" Duran retorted, walking towards the figure slowly. "What if I'm not ready?"
"It does not matter if you're ready or not, young swordsman," the man explained, and leaned forward into the light, "You must know now."
In Duran's mind, time froze and all that once seemed important turned to useless thought. His childhood flooded in through his mind and out again and a chill ran down his spine. He knew this man's face.
"...Father." Was the only tearful reply that Duran could choke out, falling to his knees. Loki reached out and placed a hand over his son's shoulder, keeping unshed tears at bay.
"Duran, it has been so long..." the boy put his hand on his father's, and Loki continued. "But I have returned to this living world. And in truth, I have been in this living world for over a decade." Duran looked up, sapphire eyes filled with confusion.
"A decade? You fell twelve years ago...why didn't you return to Forcena? To me?" he cried, gripping Loki's hand. The Gold Knight sighed heavily.
"Because my son, I was consumed with shadow and armor."
~*~
"So let me get this straight." Angela tried to confirm, looking at her hand of cards and rubbing her temple. "You just throw my potential boyfriend in a room with his long lost father and expect him to be fine?" She put down two cards and Hawk picked them up, looking at his own hand. With nothing else to do, Angela, Koren, Heath and himself had started a game of cards in Koren and Heath's shared room.
"Basically. You've seen him rush into entire pods of dragons, so why wouldn't he be able to handle this?" Hawk replied, placing three cards down. Heath picked them up.
"You just have to remember that some people might be tough on the outside but actually be quite sensitive on the inside. You know, hard shell but gooey inside." He explained and put only one card down. Koren looked at his hand before hesitantly picking it up.
"I don't ever want to think of Duran as gooey anything, thank you very much. And for that matter, can we get off this subject? It's depressing." Two cards.
"I'm just saying, Koren." Angela began, picking them up and wincing. "He might seem like, well..."
"An utter complete idiot." Koren helped.
"THANK you," Angela hissed and Koren smirked, "but he's really just like a big confused teddy bear."
"In a wet paper bag."
"Shut up, blondie."
"You shut up!"
"BOTH of you just shut up!" Hawk growled, making the two become quiet instantly. He grabbed the cards Angela had put down and shrugged.
"Really, he'll be fine. I've seen him through worse." One card. Heath picked it up and smiled.
"I win." He said simply and spread his cards out, all depicting Myconids. The rest of the group sighed and handed Heath five luc except for Koren.
"Hey, Cheapo, give your boyfriend the money." Angela smirked and Koren stuck out his tongue.
"I'll pay him later." He replied simply and winked, making the silver-haired boy blush.
"I don't want details! Well..." Hawk teased, making everyone laugh. Angela sat back in her chair and looked at the clock.
"Nearly midnight. Why aren't we asleep?" she asked aloud, not looking for an answer.
"Because we have insomnia and you want to make sure that Duran is fine so you can sleep with HIM." Hawk explained and Angela kicked him off the chair.
"Pervert."
Koren yawned and rested his head on Heath's shoulder, "So tell me what you see in him Angela. I don't get it." Angela fiddled with her hands and then smiled.
"I agree with you on the fact that some of the time...he acts like an idiot. But other times he can be really sweet and caring. He knows when to take things seriously and when to make jokes. Plus, he's an ultra-hunk and you know it. Koren? Kor-HEY!" Angela glared at Koren who had fallen asleep on Heath's shoulder in the short time of her explanation.
"That little loser..." she growled and lifted her hand to smack him awake, but Heath stopped her.
"Just let him sleep, he's more tired than you think." Heath explained and then turned to Hawk. "So Lise couldn't join us because of her fight tomorrow, right?"
Hawk shrugged. "She said she had to perform some "Empowering Ritual" or something to make herself stronger before the match. Some Rolantian mumbo-jumbo. I don't really care." He shuffled the cards absent-mindedly. "She does whatever she wants, unlike Jessica."
"Yeah, what about her anyway though, Hawk?" Angela asked, slightly scowling. "The whole reason you went on this journey was to save her and now you've gone and fallen in love with another girl. What's going to happen now?"
"It's not like just because I'm in love with Lise, doesn't mean that I don't care for Jessica." Hawk sighed, and began to deal out the cards again. "We've been best friends since...ever. And I'm also on this trip to avenge Eagle..." the Nightblade paused, and Angela found herself unable to read his face. "So I'm still out on the main reason. Don't worry about it, Magus." He winked and looked at his hand. The grandfather clock suddenly stroke midnight, startling the sleeping wizard.
"What? What...Damnit! I was having the best dream!" He complained and set his head on the table. Hawk gave him five cards.
"What was it?" he asked and Koren smirked.
"I was in a room full of..." suddenly his face turned red and he looked away. Angela raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"...My Little Rabite plushies..."
The group burst into laughter.
"It's NOT funny! I can't help it, I have a soft spot for those things!" Koren argued, but eventually started to laugh as well.
"You used to obsess over them when we were kids," Angela snorted, and put a card down, "Victor, me and you. Remember?"
"Yeah."
Suddenly, a loud slam was heard from the corridor above and heavy footsteps. Angela blinked.
"I know those boots. I'll be right back." She said, and rushed out the door. Koren stood up and looked after her.
"If she's gone...can I have her cards?"
~*~
Duran rushed to the front of the hotel, tears running down his face. The chilly midnight air caught him in midstep and he stopped running. He stood there, looking at the ground and letting his tears flow. Angela rushed through the glass doors and watched the warrior cry before walking over and touching his shoulder. He pulled away.
"Duran..." she whispered and tried for his shoulder again. This time, he let her. "Duran, it's going to be okay." The warrior turned around, streams of silver tear flowing from his eyes.
"Okay? Okay??" he replied hoarsely, shaking his head. "You have no idea what I just heard..." He sobbed harder. Angela pouted.
"I know it's just hard to accept it...but...you're going to have to, Duran." She soothed, before her voice turned stern. "Because last time I checked, you have a family." Duran looked up quizzically. "I have nothing, Duran. I don't have anything to turn to except you guys. My friends. You people ARE my family." The princess blinked back tears of her own. Duran softened.
"I'm sorry, Angie." He embraced her, "I didn't think. I guess I am fortunate to have my father back. It's just hard to believe that he...that he worked for the man that I hate with all my being."
"But that wasn't his fault!" Angela cried, pushing herself away and glaring up at him. "He was manipulated! Controlled! Are you going to forgive or ignore that innocence?"
Silence. Angela turned away and Duran sighed.
"I must forgive him I suppose." He turned and walked over to a stone bench and sat. "What good does it do to ignore the person I've wanted to embrace all these years?" He sighed again. "I forgive him."
Just as he said that, the glass doors opened again and Loki stepped out. Angela turned and backed away to let the knight approach his son. Loki knelt down and looked at Duran somberly. The Swordmaster looked up, and gave a faint smile.
"I forgive you, Father." He sobbed and embraced Loki. Angela watched the two before smiling.
"Well," she started, making the two warriors look over at her, "If anyone wants me, I'll be in Heath and Koren's room, playing cards." She winked and entered the building again.
~*~
"I win again!" Heath cheered, spreading six Queen Bees on the table. Hawk sighed and forked over ten luc, then looked at Koren.
"How on earth can you pay him twice?!?" Just then, Angela came back.
"Saved by Angie." Koren commented and stuck his tongue out at Hawk. "So what happened?"
"Duran's fine, now." She explained, smiling. "All he needed was some reassurance." Koren snorted.
"What did you do, blow him?" The wizard carefully ducked the Magus's hand and laughed. Angela's eyes narrowed. "What?"
The door to the room opened slowly and Duran and Loki entered together.
"Mind if we join in?" the Swordmaster asked. Hawk grinned and motioned two seats at the table. The knights walked over and sat down, Loki smiling at Koren and the wizard nodding back in recognition. As Hawk began to deal, Koren coughed.
"So...Duran. How was Angela?"
"KOREN!" Angela screamed and flew over the table in an attempt to knock the wizard off his seat. Yet Koren had ducked and ran out of the room with the Princess hot on his tail. The rest laughed.
"And people ask me why I love him." Heath remarked cheerily.
*~*
Duran forgiving Loki was perhaps the hardest thing for the young fighter to do, and Loki coming to terms with his past life settles his long-restless spirit. But what of tomorrow, when the final fight of the first round commences?
*~*
PG-13 people! Heh. Read and review please! Have a great holiday!