Yes, yes, I know, I took Alchemy's Scar, the sequel to this story, down. But I had reason to! I'm changing 28 documents, people! You need to re-read! You need to give me more reviews! YES YOU DO!
Okay, no, no, it isn't about reviews, seriously, I just don't need people to go through to AS chapter nine and go 'WTF?', then read all of AS, still not understand detail changes, and THEN re-read this, and THEN have to re-read AS AGAIN.
Seriously, if I were a reader I wouldn't have it.
Why am I putting this in Chapter 8 instead of 1? Because I only took AS down the day I started editing Chapter 8. Pwned.
Chapter 8
Not-so Happy Birthday
'I don't want to go back…' Felix thought to himself. He was lying on his bed again staring up at the ceiling of his cabin as the ship swayed slightly from side to side in the waves. 'But, then again I've been thinking of returning for a few months now…' Felix sighed and glanced over at the door to his cabin. It was blocked on the other side by a large pile of barrels and crates the other's had found after he'd survived Jenna's interrogation, and then decided to piss her off some more with a bucket of water.
Getting up off the bed, the Venus-Adept strode to the window and looked out. They were in the middle of the ice-field north of Kalt Island, and he could tell Piers was taking it slow. Outside he could see snow being blown about in the strong winds, some of them sticking to the warm window, melting, and then freezing again to block his vision. Felix could guess that even this early in the season that the ice-wall had re-formed. In fact, he was counting on it.
Why else would he have hidden the last of the magma balls they had under Sheba's bed, before Jenna had caught him, and started with the questions? That flame-resistant box had been heavy though… maybe Sheba wouldn't notice the scuff marks on her floor?
'Why are we even bothering…?' He thought to himself. Turning away from the small window, he leaned his back against the wall and sank down to the floor, his head against the wooden paneling of the cabin walls. Felix had been perfectly content to sit in Vale, or spend his time traveling with his friends, just spending his nights thinking about her in his arms. After the Lighthouses, he didn't have the guts to go back and see if she was even willing to consider him her friend.
'Enter in seven nosey Adepts and one Evil Sage.' He thought sarcastically, dropping his head forwards despite a fond smile tugging at his lips. Slowly realizing he was sitting on the floor, and that there was a perfectly good stool next to him, Felix just kinda looked at it for a moment. Not seeing a reason to get up and sit on said stool though, Felix just closed his eyes and pulled at the scarf he still had around his neck. Rolling up the frayed thing, he tossed it unceremoniously onto his bed and leaned back against the wall. He smiled again for some reason, but didn't have the heart to keep it there for long.
'Damn it, she probably hates me.' He thought, starting up the mantra again, 'Menardi was everything to her; and in the end one of my closet friends killed her. I wouldn't be amazed if the moment I step in the village, she runs at me screaming bloody murder. If she's even alive that is…' Felix banged the back of his head against the wall a few times.
'Not helping, not helping, not helping.' He thought, frustrated. Adjusting his position against the wall slightly, still not thinking to go back to the bed or move anywhere aside from the floor, Felix kept his eyes shut as folded his arms lightly across his stomach.
'At least there have been a few times when she wasn't to upset to see me…'
--Flashback--
'Can't. Move. Everything. Hurts.' I thought to myself. I was pinned on my back staring up at the ceiling above me, watching cobwebs form between the beams. Not at all wanting to get up off the small bed that had been mine for nearly a year, and all the while I was cursing my friend Agatio.
'Why did I tell him? Why did I tell anybody?' I thought in a frustrated way, 'I should have known he would tell Saturos. Why couldn't I keep my damn mouth shutfor once?'
"Felix!" My mother called from up-stairs, I could only groan.
'No' I thought sternly. 'No chores today. Thanks to Agatio, I was Saturos's punching bag all afternoon. I am not, under any circumstances, what-so-ever, getting off of this bed. Saturos said I get tomorrow off from training, I'll get up then.' I nodded to myself, regretting it as I pulled a bruised muscle in my neck.
"Felix! Get up here!" she shouted again, this time with her, 'If-you-don't-do-what-I'm-saying-right-NOW-young-man-your-ass-is-mine.' tone of voice.
'Crap.' I thought, groaning slightly as I rolled over on the small bed, trying to ignore her.
Unfortunately, it was a very small bed, so I fell off.
"Shit." I muttered, pushing myself up, ignoring the pain in my arms, back, shoulders, legs, and just about every other muscle in my body.
"What did you say?" This time it was my mother and Marci. Now I was in trouble.
"I said I'm coming!" I shouted as I got to my feet and stumbled up the stairs, trying not to bang into anything on the way up. As I entered the main part of the house, I was instantly engulfed in a cloud of flour. My mother and the Elder's wife had found common ground in baking a few months back, which made it a hazard to walk through the kitchen.
"I know you're tired, hun," My mother said, I could barely see her through the wall of flour. "But could you go find your father, Kyle and the Elder? They were supposed to be back a few hours ago." The Elder's wife gave a short bark of laughter, her form also hidden in the cloud of unending pastry-making...
"Those three went to talk with Pullue; they'll be gone all week if some one doesn't go to fetch them." She said cheerfully. Through the thick layers of air-born flour, I was unable to see their faces. Which was good for me; because that meant they couldn't see me roll my eyes, and stick my tongue out at them once they gave me my assignment.
I chocked a bit at the chalky powder as I walked through the impenetrable wall to the front of the house, unfortunately tracking white across the floors as well, but it was their own damn fault. I stepped out onto the stone ledge outside the Elder's doorway and glanced up at the evening sky, it was chilly out, showing winter coming again, and the winds carried a few strings of snow through the air.
As I made my way down the slick steps, -the snow never really seemed to melt this far north- there was none on to be seen on the pathway, or in the area where the training sessions took place, but the hills all around still had small patches of snow in the places the sun never touched. I regretted not snatching my gloves from inside as the cold bit at my fingers, and considered doubling back to get them. It wasn't too chilly yet, but chances were I'd be at the Chief's house for a few hours before my father and the others finally left. And by then it would be freezing.
I was just about to turn back when my ears picked up something in the small area near the river before the bridge. The sound made me pause for a few moments, my attention being turned to the slight pathway which lead down from the training yard to the left and down a slight dip towards the river's edge. In a warmer climate like Vale, it would have been an ideal swimming hole. Where this thought came from, I'll never know.
"What a weakling." Someone commented with a laugh. I ducked against the rock wall the Elder's house rested on, I could barely hear what was being said, but I shut my eyes anyways trying to figure out what little I could hear. Chances were it was some one talking about me, but hey; I hadn't been born in Prox, not my fault I couldn't take the cold.
"Yes, entirely unworthy. What use is there for something such as you?" Another voice chuckled the words, and I cocked an eye-brow at this. They sure weren't talking about me.
My eyes opened slightly as I heard something being said, then a person being hit and falling. One of the men laughed a bit as I heard a third voice groan slightly.
"She's got spunk." The first voice commented, "That's always a good sign in the under-dog. But, underdogs don't really have a use, now do they, friend?" As quietly as I could I moved forwards, staying in the shadows as I peered around the bend to see what was going on exactly. In the poor light I was able to make out two figures, each distinctly different from the other even in the poor light. They were probably a few years older than myself and the owners of the voices. They were standing there with their backs to me. From what I could tell there was a third person lying on the ground, but I couldn't see their face.
One of the two moved away, the taller one; stepping out onto the frozen lake. From where I was standing I couldn't feel what he did, but I was still able to spot the rings of Psynergy around him, but they seemed… warped… probably just the distance though; what was he doing? That same figure braced himself; letting the rings vanish, and smashed his foot through the ice, making a reasonable sized hole. I felt myself growing a bit cold, not just from the weather though…
"Let's see if you can swim then, at least." The other one said with a laugh, looking down at whoever they had cornered. He seemed to large to be able to bend down, but did so; whoever it was struggling before he cracked his hand across their face, and I forced myself to stay where I was. My blood froze as he hoisted the person up, and I got a good look at their face in the abstract light of a lantern only a few feet behind me, along with one above on the ledge.
'KARST?' I thought, struck dumb, she didn't see me, and I almost missed what one of the two said.
"It's such a shame really," The thin one on ice sneered, "Had you only died naturally, at the moment, the only thing you could ever be good for would be cooking, cleaning, and letting your husband have at you whenever he damn well pleased." Both of them laughed outright at this, seeming to stifle most of the sound though as the one holding Karst turned his head up towards the Elder's home, as if making sure they weren't heard.
"Oh my, friend, how cruel, do you truly believe anyone would wanna marry this? To scrawny really, even I wouldn't want something so ragtag." The other chuckled, shrugging slightly as Karst tried to claw at the one holding her, do anything to get away. He just looked at her though with another chuckle, I could have sworn he was drunk by the sound of his laugh, so giddy and upbeat, it made the whole thing even more sickening to watch.
"Think about it this way if it helps." The thin one said slyly "Menardi won't have to stick up for you anymore, and it will take a good deal of strain off of the old Elder. If you're lucky, you'll have moved past the village and into the ocean before thaw, sparing them the trouble of even having to bury you!" I gripped the stone firmly, feeling a spark of anger at how the two kept insulting her like that. Looking around urgently, I searched for anything that could help; anything, barely feeling the stone under my hand warming slightly as I started getting angry. It wasn't just cruel watching this, it- it was barbaric!
"Let's get this over with." The thin one said in a bored tone of voice, "We've had our fun, time's up." Karst broke away, I didn't see how exactly, only catching sight of the man gripping his elbow where it looked as though he'd been kicked from the outside. She fell backwards, and, on all fours, scrambled up and away from the two. She reclaimed her feet as she started up the slight hill.
"You, idiot!" One of them shouted, "If she gets away we've failed ourselves! Go!" I took a deep breath and stepped out; Karst stumbled as she saw me, quickly ducking behind me though without a word. The other two fortunately had hardly a moment to figure out what was happening, before I swung one hand out at them.
"QUAKE!" I shouted, if anything hoping that it would at the very least catch the attention of my mother and the Elder's wife. Adrenalin coursed through me as I braced myself, though, warmth and a bit of yellow light surging up from beneath the frost, running through my veins as the world seemed to shift. The ground beneath me rumbled, and I cringed trying to control the force of the tremor. I funneled the power through my hand, praying I didn't touch the solid stone of the house and bring the whole thing down by accident. I sent the energy out in front of me; one of the two men rushing at us fell back as the ground tore open under him. He hit the ice hard and slid down the hill towards the water. His companion, who was still on the water although having moved slightly, shouted out as the ice shattered and he fell down into the frigid depths. I just spun and saw Karst staring at me wide-eyed,
"Are you coming or not?" I shouted at her, feeling my teeth gritting together still as I pushed her to get her to move. Karst stumbled for a moment, and then we both took off running towards the village. I kept myself on alert incase I heard the sound of footsteps following us, reaching back and grabbing Karst's hand as she didn't seem to be keeping up with me for some reason. We both floundered once or twice in the snow, and at one point near the river the both of us ended up slipping in the slush and slamming down hard on the beaten path. But we didn't stop, I certainly wasn't about to so long as I didn't hear the sounds of shouting coming after us…
Out of habit we rushed straight to the inn, the one run by Agatio's family and located at the southern edge of the village. As we came up to the door though under the wooden awning, Karst stopped and grabbed my arm, basically reversing the grip I'd already had on her and digging her heels in.
"I can't go in there." She said, breathing hard, her voice sounding pained as she bent over. I glanced back at her; the light was dim where we stood, the curtains drawn and the sign on the front of the door flipped closed as the family was probably eating or readying for bed, Agatio had a younger sister after-all; perhaps four or five at the time. Either way, there wasn't enough light for me to see her face just now.
"Why not?" I asked, panting as well, though not as badly as her, "Those men they, they were going to kill you, we've got to tell some one, Karst, you know that." She shook her head no,
"I can't tell them." She said firmly, turning then and making as if to start walking, what was she doing?
"What? How come?" I asked, starting to come after her, clearly not understanding why she was leaving and coming up behind her as she continued walking. "Menardi would turn them both into mince meat if she kn—" I was cut off as Karst's steps ground to a sudden halt, her back straight as she firmly stepped up and firmly placed her hand over my mouth, pushing hard enough to have me take a step back. I just blinked for a moment and watched her. Vaguely, I noticed that her gloved hand was not only wet, but… sticky?
"Yes, exactly." She answered, still sounding short of breath as she backed up, looking as if she were about to start pacing as her footsteps became quicker, she wasn't going anywhere though. She'd stop, face a direction, walk a step or two, back track, and then head another way. "I can't let her find out Felix; no one should know about this, hell not even you!" Karst removed her hand and turned away from me, cradling her arm right arm against her. I hadn't noticed her favoring it before, but now it was clear it was causing her pain. Had I been holding onto her right or left hand? Well, If it was the right she should have tried switching… I think…
"You're hurt." I said quietly, taking a step forward with one hand out, but she just shied away from me.
"It'll heal." She replied coldly, I almost missed the slight tremor in her voice as she shirked away from my attention, as if I hadn't just helped her a few minutes ago.
"Karst." I said, firmer now. I knew how defensive she could be; foolish sometimes with her pride, but never to the point where she was self-destructive to this extent. Running an few extra laps out of spite isn't the same as being beaten.
"They might come back soon." She said, trying to keep the conversation from herself; "You'll be in trouble for what you did back there." I bit my lip.
"Do you know them?" I asked; I couldn't keep the question at bay, was this normal for her? Why hadn't I seen this happening? If she wouldn't go to Agatio then he probably didn't know either, the village Healer? Honestly, I was relieved when her shadowed head shook from side to side as a no.
"No, I don't think so." She replied, sounding a bit quiet as I noticed she was swallowing repeatedly, swaying a bit from side to side as if tied. "And you should go."
"They were going to kill you, if you hadn't noticed." I said, unable to keep a slight edge out of my voice, I saw her shoulders tense slightly. "I can't just leave you here with them prowling around in the night, besides, I can't just waltz back to the Elder's house and expect not to see them."
"How would you know they would have killed me?" She asked sharply, basically ignoring my second argument as she turned; her back to me yet again. "I could have gotten out of that situation." But again I heard that tremor, and I had to doubt her. I reached forward and lightly placed one hand on her shoulder, but she pulled away almost instantly. "Don't give me your sympathy!" She spat, sounding angry but I couldn't hear the proper spark to show she meant for me to stay away. She started walking away, but that didn't keep me from following her, how badly was she injured?
"It's not sympathy, its concern." I said simply, remaining a step or two behind her. "And whether you like it or not, Karst; when one of my friends is randomly attacked I get concerned." She stopped walking and rounded on me. By now we were almost at the village's southern gate, a few flags flapping in the bitter winds picking up around us from earlier. Right by the entrance arch; that's where we were. The golden light of a lantern shone partially across her face, a bit unsteady though as it swung in the winds.
"Well you can take your damn concern else-where!" She shouted at me, but I didn't really acknowledge her this time; unable to reply really as the lantern giving me my first good look at her face.
Her lower lip was split open with blood seeping down her chin. The fine skin under one eye had broken before crusting over, leaving her eye bloody and bruised. One cheek was burned slightly, the other badly bruised. Her nose was bloody, like she had been kicked in the face, and there was more blood around her mouth than her lip could account for.
Her crimson eyes seemed out of focus actually, but from what I could see in them, there was a large amount of confusion; and a good deal of hurt. Mindless attack or no, their words were slowly being replayed in my mind; anyone but Karst would have broken down to tears back by the water…
"Oh gods, Karst." I breathed. She tensed slightly as I stepped forwards, clearly not having expected this to be my reaction. She still held her right arm close to her as I gently tilted her head up, trying not to cause her any more pain as I turned her face towards the light. "Damn it, why did they do this to you?" I asked softly, almost in disbelief. It's not as though I'd never seen something like a beating, Vale was fairly peaceful, but you see all sorts of things on caravans… removing my hand, she looked straight down and I saw her shaking,
"Why shouldn't they?" She asked quietly, trying to take another step back and away from me. "I'm surprised no one else has…"
"What?" I asked, that hadn't been what I'd expected. She met my own confused look with a blank expression on her face, her eyes seeming almost dead.
"Come on." She said softly, turning on her heel to walk down to the arch that marked the village's end. All thoughts of the errand I had been sent out for had flown from my mind long before, so I didn't think to just head up the lane to the Chief's house and deliver my message. This was too serious.
After we passed under the arch I wasn't quite sure where we were going. We started down the path a ways from the village, stopping abruptly as Karst turned towards the ridge off to out left, and I noticed a small path between the rocks and soil which we soon climbed up. I didn't know if this was a place she'd often come to or something random at the moment, but it was the way we went. Reaching the top, I recognized the area dimly; it had a good view of the path leading to and from the village, so I was pretty sure this was the same rise the group of us had found her hiding on the day we'd arrived over a year ago…
Sitting placidly near the second rise were a couple of boulders, off a ways more I could dimly make out a shadowed crack in the rock wall, but chose to ignore it for the time being. It didn't look like anyone ever came up this way.
I sat down on one of the smooth boulders, and she set herself down on the one next to me, not meeting my eyes. I reached over and gently placed one hand on her shoulder again. She sucked in a quick breath at the contact though, and I removed it, keeping my eyes on her face as I brushed aside the folds of her cloak. Underneath her upper arm and shoulder where bruised terrible, in the weak light I wasn't sure, but they looked almost to the point of bleeding. I moved my hand down in favor of her hand, noticing how warm she was compared to me, despite the snow that was still falling gently.
"Now tell me what this is all about, Karst." I said softly, "What would give anyone a reason to hurt you like this?" Her hand tightened in mine slightly as she kept her face looking away.
"It's not that they need a reason, to do this," She said softly, seemingly unsure of whether or not she even wanted to speak with me. "They just don't have a reason not to, I guess." I blinked a few times, not understanding. But I gave her hand a re-assuring squeeze as I felt her shaking slightly, her breathing becoming slightly labored as I could tell she wasn't taking this very well.
"I don't have my parents anymore, Felix; I lost all my representation in the village when they died." She, almost whimpered, her voice thick with pent up emotion.
My stomach turned to ice as I sat there next to her. Karst wasn't the kind of girl to break down and cry over small things. This was, of course, NOT a small thing; an attempt had been made on her life. It was understandable that she was up-set. But that didn't mean it didn't freak me out when she started breaking down on me...
I saw it on her face, I was able to watch as every one of her walls shattered, like the flood waters of Mt. Aleph, all her defenses crumbled. Karst just seemed to fall forwards. I had to slide down from my seat in order to catch her, and then had no idea how to help her without causing her more pain from her injuries. She buried her face against my shoulder, and I almost instantly felt added warmth as tears seemed to pour from her eyes, her entire body shaking violently as she wept against me.
'Where the hell is Agatio when you need him?' The thought was only half formed as I tried to help Karst. Holding her seemed to be the better idea, but the large bruises on her arms, and I could guess her back, ruled out that suggestion. So I tried something else… I healed her.
My hands must have felt like ice to her, I'm sure, but I'd never tried healing anyone else but myself. I wrapped on arm around her lower back, hoping that it wouldn't hurt her, and placed the other on the back of her head. Closing my eyes, I tried to find and grab a hold of that small spark inside of me. Not what I used for attacking, but that part of me that sought to heal.
"It… It's alright, Karst," I whispered softly. There was a small burst inside of me, warmth coming from no-where and gently easing away the soreness I still felt in my limbs. I forced that sensation away from me though, not wanting to heal myself. I moved the hand I had on the back of her head, combing my fingers gently through her shoulder-length hair until my fingers brushed against her skin.
"Cure." I whispered, I directed the warmth into my hand, pushing it gently until it flowed freely from me to her. Karst tensed slightly against me, still sobbing uncontrollably.
"W-What are you…?" She chocked, Karst cutting herself off as the magic began to work, slowly making me aware of where exactly she was hurt. I funneled more of the warmth into her arm, it had been causing her pain, and I could now tell that it was broken, as were a few of her ribs. I felt her relax a bit as the pain faded, and I removed my hand from her head. Instead moving aside her cloak again, turning my attention to the large bruises on her shoulders and back. I felt my energy running low already as I coaxed her head up a bit, tears still flowing freely as I placed my hand on one cheek, carefully watching the cuts and burns on her face scab over and the skin knit back together slowly.
I fell back exhausted, and adjusted how I was sitting on the ground. Karst just knelt there looking at me confused.
"What did you do?" She asked, bringing one hand up, first to touch her lower jaw, then her eye, she didn't seem to believe what had happened, and I smiled at her wearily.
"I can't really help you if you're crying, but I can if you're in pain." I said tiredly, giving my head a shake to clear it. I looked back at her with a slight smile, actually quite proud of myself. So, it was a real kick in the pants when I looked back at her, and Karst looked about ready to start crying again.
"I don't need anymore charity, Felix!" She shouted suddenly, wrapping her arms around herself, and leaving me in the dark. "That's the whole reason I'm in this mess!" She buried her face in her arms, and her shoulder started shaking again.
"Hang on, wait," I stuttered, completely unsure of what to say, levering myself back up and onto my toes instead of flat on my backside to try and speak to her, "It-it's not charity, Karst, you're my friend and you were hurt. What was I supposed to do, leave you like that? Unless you wanted some one else to help, then the whole village would know, including Menardi, who you seem to be dead-set against knowing. I was just trying to help!" Karst shot to her feet, arms pinned to her sides, as her eyes seemed to flare with her temper,
"I don't need help!" She hissed down at me, "Ever since my parents died that's all anyone thinks I want! Because of that I'm nothing more than a burden to the entire community!"
My eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, I stopped seeing Karst, my vision blanking out for a moment, and it felt like I was being sped away over the mountains. Everything shifted, and when it stopped, I could see a river bank, two people standing there, a young man with golden hair that spiked at different angles, hands out trying to calm the young brunette shouting at him. Her eyes closed tightly with tears streaming down her face, shoulders shaking, for a moment, I almost heard her voice,
"I don't need anymore charity, Isaac!"
The scene faded all too quickly, leaving me once more in the frozen waste-lands around Prox. I glanced up and saw Karst just standing there with her back to me, shaking. She was muttering to herself and seemed to have forgotten I was there, but I heard what she said just the same.
"I have now Dowry if I get married, it'd be a miracle if anyone wanted to marry me. My parents died without showing me everything I needed to, the only real reason I'm still alive is because people took pity on me. Menardi's holding herself back to take care of me. Agatio's family has been helping me, the Elder and his wife have let me stay with them before. I-I'm nothing more than a burden to everyone..." Hearing this, I quickly got to my feet and strode to her, watching her turn slightly while still in that daze. Seeing me move seemed to snap her out of her trance or whatever it was though. Her crimson eyes were wide as she looked at me,
"You should have just let me die…" She murmured, for once, she sounded... beaten, just after one evening…
"That's not true." I said softly, not trying to keep the sympathy from my eyes. Coming closer to her, I opened my arms again. I probably would have felt like a fool if she hadn't accepted the embrace, but she did. "You're stronger then that, Karst, I know you. You'll be just as good a fighter as Menardi if that's what you want." I whispered with one arm around her, the other gently wiping away the blood on her face. Healing her would be no good if she walked home all bloody.
It was incredibly awkward to be around her like this, Karst was always to head-strong and tough to go around embracing friends. But I supposed everyone had a moment of weakness, and this was hers. Karst was still shaking slightly, though she seemed to be doing better. Night had completely fallen I realized, but with her near me, it wasn't as cold.
"You're a good friend, Felix." She mumbled after a few more minutes, and I smiled slightly.
"I take it you don't want anyone to know about this?" I asked her, I felt her shake her head against my shoulder and smiled more so.
"No, I'd rather just forget about this whole night." She said; and we both pulled away.
"What night?" I asked lightly, she smirked slightly as we started walking back down the path, "I spent the night after my Birthday in bed trying to forget the afternoon's training session." I continued, feigning confusion to show her no one would hear of this from me. But, Karst suddenly came to a halt on the path and looked at me. I paused and glanced back.
"Is something wrong?" I asked, she just tilted her head to one side, watching me closely for a moment before saying anything.
"Did you just say, Birthday?" She asked me, sounding like she might have heard me wrong. I blinked twice before nodding, "Oh…" She replied softly, looking a little sheepish. "I… hadn't known that." I shrugged, trying to dismiss the vague concern in her voice.
"Not like I expected anyone to know." I commented as we started walking again, passing under the village arch way as silently I was glad no one was around to think I'd been trying to escape. Technically we weren't allowed anywhere south of the village without 'Supervision'.
"I didn't tell anyone until my dad mentioned it this morning and Agatio over-heard." I shrugged again; Karst didn't seem inclined to reply for a while though as we made our way rather quietly past the still warmly lit inn.
"Now I feel bad." She said softly, and I glanced at her for a moment,
"How come?" I asked, she just shrugged though and paused again in the snowfall,
"After all you've done for me tonight; I didn't even know you were one year older." I rolled my eyes at the comment, why was she making such a big deal out of it?
"First off," I said bluntly, "I already told you I didn't tell anyone. Secondly," I softened my tone severely as she looked at me almost urgently, as if expecting me to say something ground-breaking. However, I just shrugged, side-stepping around her nonchalantly as I did so.
"Tonight didn't happen." Karst smiled again at that, and we didn't have much else to say from that point on. We were coming up to the Chief's home anyways, and Karst had to turn in another direction to get home. Before she was very far though, she turned around and smiled at me again,
"I mean it, Felix." She called through the snow, her voice not carrying to far though, the words a bit muffled in the night, "You really are good friend." We both smiled, and went our own ways.
It really didn't take very long to convince my father and the other two to come back to the Elder's home, though I was almost positive my mother would have a fit at how late we were. As we walked back I lagged behind slightly, both to make sure my father or Master Kyle, or the Elder noticed the bit of blood on my hands from Karst's wounds, and also because my mind kept drifting back to what had happened in only a few short hours.
'You really are a good friend.' Karst's voice repeated itself in my head, and all I could think about was that brief image of the river.
'I don't need anymore charity Isaac!' I looked up at the cloudy sky, completely blackened by another on-coming storm, the third this early in the season. I kept my eyes away from the slight hill as we came through the training yard, moving around and then up the stone steps where I paused again at the doorway; looking up into the cloudy sky a moment more.
'I'm being a good friend to, Karst,' I thought solemnly to myself, 'So, Isaac; you had better be a good friend to Jenna.'
--End Flashback--
He could still feel her, the warmth she gave off as he had held her. Felix sighed slightly from where he sat; he knew full well he really hadn't thought of Karst as anything more than a good friend at the time, but that didn't keep him from remembering her against him now. Not crying, he had never liked to see her cry. Hell he never liked to see anyone cry. But seeing Karst like that had been especially hard to watch the few times he'd had to witness it. She was always so strong, for her to break down into tears always spoke great volumes.
Felix rested his head back against the wall, still not understanding why he was sitting on the floor, but still not seeing a reason to get up off it. He took a small bit of pride in one thing though. Other than Menardi and Agatio, Karst had never gone to anyone to talk to but him.
Very important changes made in this story to better accommodate Alchemy's Scar, and I finally edited out the ANNOYING lamp typo I had… I just kinda, threw in a sentence about a lantern with NO relevance to the actual paragraph. :Insert laughter, because I laughed when I wrote this:
Chapter done! SUNNY NO OWN! PEOPLES NO SUE! I ARE GOOD WITH GRAMMARS!