A/N: Wow...it's been awhile. Uhh...so two hospitalizations later I'm
back! Yay. Now we can tie up that little cliffhanger....hehe...
The Grand Tournament
Chapter 16
Lise writhed on the ground, emerald blood gushing from her leg. Vanadise stepped closer with each second, her good eye twisting in fury and anticipation.
"...you filthy beast. You're no better than Dragon fodder..." whispered the Starlancer(1). The she-demon grinned, baring her yellow-stained teeth. Lise waited patiently; only a few more steps and the monster would be within striking range. She gripped her spear secretly.
"And this is the time when the mighty Queen falls...the time when the Kingdom of Rolante falls to the hands of the Underworld. And the time when I finally get my snack!" Vanadise snarled and opened her jaws wide. With great effort, Lise lifted her heavy spear and plunged it deep into the creature's gaping mouth. Frozen in place, Vanadise did not make a sound.
"You're wrong. This is the time when the Underworld will fall..." Lise whispered, and then collapsed onto the stone floor, and shortly after Vanadise shuddered and then fell, closing her one eye. Shichi tiptoed over and poked at each contestant with her small foot.
"Ladies and gents! I'm not sure how to call this one..." she trailed off, frowning at the unmoving forms on the arena floor, "We can only hope that at least one wakes up in time to be crowned winner of this match."
"Stop!" Hawk screamed at the top of his lungs, turning every head within earshot. He bounded over the wall and ran over to the fallen Queen. "Lise! Lise, you gotta wake up!"
"Hawk! Damnit..." Duran yelled as well, following the Nightblade's suit. "Why do you always gotta be some big dramatic fool?" Hawk turned and glared at his companion.
"Shut up Duran! Like you wouldn't do the same thing if Angela was in this kind of danger! And why speak out at a fool when you are one!!" the thief snarled and turned back towards Lise. However, Duran grabbed Hawk's shoulder and roughly turned him around.
"She's going to be fine you big idiot! Look, the medics are already coming! You don't have to worry—" Duran was cut off by Hawk's backhand whipping across his face.
"Am I not allowed to have at least ONE BIT OF love within me? I am not some lumbering mercenary like you!" Hawk shouted, tears in his eyes. "I love her, Duran. I really do." Then, Hawk fell to his knees before Lise's lifeless body and began to weep. Still shocked by Hawk's motion, Duran stood still watching the medics pour the anti-venom into Lise's mouth before whisking her away with Hawk alongside her.
'I didn't know that a Nightblade was capable of love. King Richard always said that one who steals from others steals from his own soul...' Duran thought before turning to leave the arena.
"Is she going to be okay??"
"Yes sir, she will."
Lise laid motionless on a white linen bed, doctors fussing over her wounds like hornets. The head nurse was trying to persuade Hawk to leave. However, Hawk wasn't budging.
"See? Lookit there, he's doing that wrong." Hawk shouted and pushed the doctor tending to Lise's head out of the way. "You asshole! Do it right!"
"MR. HAWK." The head nurse shouted in retort, "Please leave the infirmary until Miss Lise recovers!" Hawk was then promptly shoved out of the way by two of the guards.
"Bah! Doctors! You'll never get rid of me!" Hawk screamed, pounding on the infirmary door, "You all shall face my wrath!!"
"I see that she's still being worked on, huh Hawk?" Heath's voice of reason reached Hawk's ears. Turning around the thief met a smiling face.
"The idiot doctors are doing everything wrong...I--"
"You really love her don't you? You're acting like me when Koren was in danger. I wish I could bring you some comfort, so I only brought tea." Heath said gently and held out the cup to the Nightblade.
"We can try as hard as we can to keep those we love out of harm's way. But without pain comes no learning mistakes or becoming stronger." Heath gently spoke, "If we could just wish that our loved ones could always be safe..." he paused, looking sad for a moment, "then we wouldn't have a relationship with them that ties ourselves to their lives." Hawk took this in, sipping on his tea.
"You're right. I should've realized that. It's just that when Lise was in danger...my feelings took over and I felt powerless to do what I did. Does that make sense?" Heath nodded wisely, "I feel like I have to take care of her no matter what."
"That's how we feel about one's we love." Heath smiled and sipped his own tea. Suddenly, the door knob turned from the infirmary and the doctor stepped out and smiled at Hawk.
"She's come around. Would you..."
"LISE!" Hawk rushed forward to the room and quickly came to Lise's bedside. Lise's pale blue eyes met Hawk's golden ones.
"Hawk...?" She whispered and reached her hand up.
"Don't worry I'm here!" Hawk readily replied and reached to meet Lise's hand.
Smack.
"You big fool! You could've gotten yourself killed! Why did you try and save me! Just like a man would...just like a man!" The queen shouted angrily, tears filling her eyes. "You could've been hurt and you still..."
"Yeah...I still did. Your words sting more than your slap, by the way." Hawk said jokingly. Lise smiled peacefully and touched the damaged cheek. Slowly she brought his face down and met his lips with her own. There they stayed until a giggle interrupted them. Turning about quickly, Hawk found Heath with his hand over his mouth, trying to suppress even more giggles.
"I hope you both don't kiss and tell."
"We're leaving!" Angela sang happily, tying her bag close with a pink ribbon. Carlie was bouncing off the walls holding her bag as well. Duran sat on his bed, head in his hand, thinking.
"Looks like you're going home too Duran! Come on, be happy! You'll finally be at home with your father for the first time in a long time!" Angela chirped. Duran turned to face her.
"Yeah I guess so. Angela...did you learn about different classes when you were in school?"
"Pfft. Duran, haven't you learned anything?" the Princess asked in mock-scold, "I didn't pay attention in school, that's Koren's thing.(2) But...I think we did at least once. Didn't listen though!" She giggled and flopped over to Duran's bed. "Whydjoo ask?"
"Because...King Richard once told me that Nightblade class thieves cannot feel emotion. They can't even feel a bit of compassion for anything else but their mission. So how can Hawk..."
"Well there's your answer right there Duran," Angela interrupted, "Hawk. This is the lady-lover we're talking about. He's a pervert through and through, we shouldn't argue over his lust." She smirked and grabbed her bag.
"Well, we gotta go now."
"Excited?" Heath asked quietly to Koren, who had just finished packing his things in a large leather box.
"More than you'll ever know. I truly miss Altena snowstorms...I love the snow you know. Though...I'm too thin to stand it for long you know.(3)" Smiling, Koren gazed into Heath's eyes. "What about you?"
"...Well...You know I can't return to Wendel so I don't know where I could take you except the Mirage Palace." Heath replied and flipped through a book absentmindedly. "Do you mind?"
"Not at all! I'd like to meet your leader. But you can't meet the Dragon Emperor, Drakonis."
"Why not?"
"He's...interesting. And if I told him you and I were seeing each other..." Koren mumbled off, then found his voice again, "he'd be very embarrassing."
"Koren..." Heath chuckled and walked over to the magician. "I could never be embarrassed about us. Nothing that ever happens could change that." Smiling, the Mirage Mage kissed Koren deeply. Releasing, Koren smiled and grabbed his things.
"Let's go, we'll miss the boat."
The month long break has finally arrived, and our favorite couples will be spending some much needed time with each other...but what will happen when cultures clash and...well, you can guess the rest.
1= Lise is a me if I'm wrong about this. It's been awhile.
2= Taken from the description of Koren in "Seeing Red" by EvilFrickinPopTart. A great read by the way!
3= Ditto!
phew Please R&R!
The Grand Tournament
Chapter 16
Lise writhed on the ground, emerald blood gushing from her leg. Vanadise stepped closer with each second, her good eye twisting in fury and anticipation.
"...you filthy beast. You're no better than Dragon fodder..." whispered the Starlancer(1). The she-demon grinned, baring her yellow-stained teeth. Lise waited patiently; only a few more steps and the monster would be within striking range. She gripped her spear secretly.
"And this is the time when the mighty Queen falls...the time when the Kingdom of Rolante falls to the hands of the Underworld. And the time when I finally get my snack!" Vanadise snarled and opened her jaws wide. With great effort, Lise lifted her heavy spear and plunged it deep into the creature's gaping mouth. Frozen in place, Vanadise did not make a sound.
"You're wrong. This is the time when the Underworld will fall..." Lise whispered, and then collapsed onto the stone floor, and shortly after Vanadise shuddered and then fell, closing her one eye. Shichi tiptoed over and poked at each contestant with her small foot.
"Ladies and gents! I'm not sure how to call this one..." she trailed off, frowning at the unmoving forms on the arena floor, "We can only hope that at least one wakes up in time to be crowned winner of this match."
"Stop!" Hawk screamed at the top of his lungs, turning every head within earshot. He bounded over the wall and ran over to the fallen Queen. "Lise! Lise, you gotta wake up!"
"Hawk! Damnit..." Duran yelled as well, following the Nightblade's suit. "Why do you always gotta be some big dramatic fool?" Hawk turned and glared at his companion.
"Shut up Duran! Like you wouldn't do the same thing if Angela was in this kind of danger! And why speak out at a fool when you are one!!" the thief snarled and turned back towards Lise. However, Duran grabbed Hawk's shoulder and roughly turned him around.
"She's going to be fine you big idiot! Look, the medics are already coming! You don't have to worry—" Duran was cut off by Hawk's backhand whipping across his face.
"Am I not allowed to have at least ONE BIT OF love within me? I am not some lumbering mercenary like you!" Hawk shouted, tears in his eyes. "I love her, Duran. I really do." Then, Hawk fell to his knees before Lise's lifeless body and began to weep. Still shocked by Hawk's motion, Duran stood still watching the medics pour the anti-venom into Lise's mouth before whisking her away with Hawk alongside her.
'I didn't know that a Nightblade was capable of love. King Richard always said that one who steals from others steals from his own soul...' Duran thought before turning to leave the arena.
"Is she going to be okay??"
"Yes sir, she will."
Lise laid motionless on a white linen bed, doctors fussing over her wounds like hornets. The head nurse was trying to persuade Hawk to leave. However, Hawk wasn't budging.
"See? Lookit there, he's doing that wrong." Hawk shouted and pushed the doctor tending to Lise's head out of the way. "You asshole! Do it right!"
"MR. HAWK." The head nurse shouted in retort, "Please leave the infirmary until Miss Lise recovers!" Hawk was then promptly shoved out of the way by two of the guards.
"Bah! Doctors! You'll never get rid of me!" Hawk screamed, pounding on the infirmary door, "You all shall face my wrath!!"
"I see that she's still being worked on, huh Hawk?" Heath's voice of reason reached Hawk's ears. Turning around the thief met a smiling face.
"The idiot doctors are doing everything wrong...I--"
"You really love her don't you? You're acting like me when Koren was in danger. I wish I could bring you some comfort, so I only brought tea." Heath said gently and held out the cup to the Nightblade.
"We can try as hard as we can to keep those we love out of harm's way. But without pain comes no learning mistakes or becoming stronger." Heath gently spoke, "If we could just wish that our loved ones could always be safe..." he paused, looking sad for a moment, "then we wouldn't have a relationship with them that ties ourselves to their lives." Hawk took this in, sipping on his tea.
"You're right. I should've realized that. It's just that when Lise was in danger...my feelings took over and I felt powerless to do what I did. Does that make sense?" Heath nodded wisely, "I feel like I have to take care of her no matter what."
"That's how we feel about one's we love." Heath smiled and sipped his own tea. Suddenly, the door knob turned from the infirmary and the doctor stepped out and smiled at Hawk.
"She's come around. Would you..."
"LISE!" Hawk rushed forward to the room and quickly came to Lise's bedside. Lise's pale blue eyes met Hawk's golden ones.
"Hawk...?" She whispered and reached her hand up.
"Don't worry I'm here!" Hawk readily replied and reached to meet Lise's hand.
Smack.
"You big fool! You could've gotten yourself killed! Why did you try and save me! Just like a man would...just like a man!" The queen shouted angrily, tears filling her eyes. "You could've been hurt and you still..."
"Yeah...I still did. Your words sting more than your slap, by the way." Hawk said jokingly. Lise smiled peacefully and touched the damaged cheek. Slowly she brought his face down and met his lips with her own. There they stayed until a giggle interrupted them. Turning about quickly, Hawk found Heath with his hand over his mouth, trying to suppress even more giggles.
"I hope you both don't kiss and tell."
"We're leaving!" Angela sang happily, tying her bag close with a pink ribbon. Carlie was bouncing off the walls holding her bag as well. Duran sat on his bed, head in his hand, thinking.
"Looks like you're going home too Duran! Come on, be happy! You'll finally be at home with your father for the first time in a long time!" Angela chirped. Duran turned to face her.
"Yeah I guess so. Angela...did you learn about different classes when you were in school?"
"Pfft. Duran, haven't you learned anything?" the Princess asked in mock-scold, "I didn't pay attention in school, that's Koren's thing.(2) But...I think we did at least once. Didn't listen though!" She giggled and flopped over to Duran's bed. "Whydjoo ask?"
"Because...King Richard once told me that Nightblade class thieves cannot feel emotion. They can't even feel a bit of compassion for anything else but their mission. So how can Hawk..."
"Well there's your answer right there Duran," Angela interrupted, "Hawk. This is the lady-lover we're talking about. He's a pervert through and through, we shouldn't argue over his lust." She smirked and grabbed her bag.
"Well, we gotta go now."
"Excited?" Heath asked quietly to Koren, who had just finished packing his things in a large leather box.
"More than you'll ever know. I truly miss Altena snowstorms...I love the snow you know. Though...I'm too thin to stand it for long you know.(3)" Smiling, Koren gazed into Heath's eyes. "What about you?"
"...Well...You know I can't return to Wendel so I don't know where I could take you except the Mirage Palace." Heath replied and flipped through a book absentmindedly. "Do you mind?"
"Not at all! I'd like to meet your leader. But you can't meet the Dragon Emperor, Drakonis."
"Why not?"
"He's...interesting. And if I told him you and I were seeing each other..." Koren mumbled off, then found his voice again, "he'd be very embarrassing."
"Koren..." Heath chuckled and walked over to the magician. "I could never be embarrassed about us. Nothing that ever happens could change that." Smiling, the Mirage Mage kissed Koren deeply. Releasing, Koren smiled and grabbed his things.
"Let's go, we'll miss the boat."
The month long break has finally arrived, and our favorite couples will be spending some much needed time with each other...but what will happen when cultures clash and...well, you can guess the rest.
1= Lise is a me if I'm wrong about this. It's been awhile.
2= Taken from the description of Koren in "Seeing Red" by EvilFrickinPopTart. A great read by the way!
3= Ditto!
phew Please R&R!