8

Chapter 11

Good-Bye and, Thank-you

Outside the sun was shining, it was odd weather for this time of year. Karst moved away from the window and walked to where the dishes from her meal were stacked for washing. She pumped some water into the sink, and then heated it with a swift flash heat before setting to work.

Karst let her hands work as her mind drifted elsewhere. She tried to keep it from wandering towards a certain Venus-Adept, but had poor success as images of him fluttered past her mind's eye. Showing his changes since he'd left them over a year ago, one showed him atop Mars Lighthouse. A premonition of sorts she'd received before the beacon had been fired. Him, sword bloody, standing tall and proud, though weary, looking over the carnage of a fierce battle.

Another was of him almost a year earlier, standing just inside the village gates, everyone crowding outside to see the world's saviors off. A simple sword, and passable Psynergy his only defenses, his dark eyes down-cast in the face of his quest.

--Flash Back--

"Just go over and talk to him." I looked around surprised, Menardi smiling as I coloured slightly in the cold wind. We were standing a ways from the large crowd that had gathered for the send off outside the town's high wooden arch. Menardi, Saturos, Felix and Alex were all heading out today, I was sad to see my sister and two of my best friends leave.

"What do you mean?" I asked, trying not to sound defensive. Menardi smiled at me slightly. Thankfully the crowd seemed more intent on Alex at the moment, as opposed to my sister and I. The Mercurian was basking in the attention. Well, perhaps not basking really, but he sure looked smug from what I could see of him. I felt sorry for Saturos, Menardi and Felix for being stuck with him for their journey. That chilly sense of self had had me on edge since he'd randomly shown up in Prox the night Felix had been stabbed. Frankly, I didn't trust him.

"Don't play games with me, Karst," she said lightly, pulling my attention from the Blue-Haired Healer. Menardi gestured over to where Felix stood with the other Valians, each exchanging their good-byes. I swallowed slightly.

"I'm just waiting for Agatio," I replied, "He and I prepared something, and I'm waiting for him to come back so we can give it to him. Then I'll say good-bye." Menardi gave me one of those knowing looks, the kind that made it seem like nothing ever got past her. She'd started with the looks ever since I'd told her about that night I'd been attacked. Or rather, since I'd told her about what Felix had done to help me...

"Uh huh. Well, if that's all you're going to say to him." She said quietly as she continued to accept well-wishes from the rest of the villagers. I ignored her and kept looking over the crowd, trying, and failing, to keep my eyes from where Felix and his family were.

This day had been put off for almost three months because of Felix's wounds. Though I was glad my friend had recovered, I doubt I would have minded if there had been cause for him to remain home for a bit longer.

I perked up as I spotted Agatio near the edge of the crowd; he was waving one arm to get my attention. I glanced at Menardi and, seeing her busy, left her side and made my way through the crowd to my friend.

"What took you so long?" I asked sharply as I came up to him through the crowd, Agatio rolled his eyes.

"Sisters." He replied dryly, "I wish Menardi could trade with one of them, that way I could get at least one of those Nightmares off my back, and the world could still be saved." I stopped listening half-way through, I didn't need anymore reminders that my sister was leaving, my heart was heavy enough without Agatio going on about his own family.

"Do you have it?" I asked, interrupting him in mid-sentence, he was saying something about cakes his family had baked for the day. Agatio paused and looked at me oddly for a moment, I felt my eye twitch as I reached up and roughly grasped one of his ears,

"Agatio…" I said, trying to make my voice sound as menacing as I could. Agatio gulped and started searching his person.

"I got it, I got it, I-I did get it, right?" I watched Agatio growing frantic as he started turning his pockets inside out. I looked to his side and noticed a large pouch at his belt; it was weighed down with something oddly shaped. I decided not to mention it, and see how long it would take my friend to notice it. I got bored as Agatio stood for another five minutes searching fruitlessly.

"Damn it! Shit, Karst, I know I had it, I must have left it in the kitchen back at the Inn, I'll be right b—" I stopped him in mid-sentence as I cleared my throat and pointed to his belt. Agatio gave me a dull look before he followed my finger, as his eyes rested on the bag. He gave a sheepish laugh and unhooked it. "Hehe, here it is..." he said lightly as he handed me the dark woolen pouch, I smirked slightly as I wedged my fingers in the draw-string whole and peered in.

"Think he'll like it?" Agatio asked, looking making a face that made me worry that he was going to start going on about having no privacy at the Inn. Thankfully, he didn't, and looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to answer his question.

"Yeah, I think so." I said, as I pulled the string to close it. "Come on," I said, gesturing for him to follow.

"Is there something you want to tell him without me there?" Agatio asked. I rounded on him instantly, glaring dark enough for him to take a step back.

"Why the hell do you people keep asking me that!?" I hissed, making Agatio gulp. I huffed slightly; not letting up on the glare as I started walking again Agatio followed. No one around us seemed to have noticed.

"So, is there?" I bit back a low growl at the question.

'Don't push me today Agatio.' I thought darkly, 'Things are bad enough as they are, don't get me mad today.'

Agatio wisely seemed to put the question out of his mind, and I was able to push away the sour feelings as we came up to where Felix and the other Valians were standing in a tight cluster. Felix's mother, Martha, had her arms around her son, she looked pale and was a bit unsteady as she pulled away from him, and clung to her husband. Kyle stepped forward and clasped hands with Felix, Agatio and I hung back so as not to intrude on them.

Felix's father noticed us and motioned for Agatio and I to come up. Felix turned from Kyle and faced us, he didn't seem to sure of himself today, but it was understandable really.

The first place they'd be heading would be Vale, I could tell my friend hated the idea of facing his old friends, and possibly family as well. According to Felix, he had his sister, aunt, and grandparents in Vale still. I didn't want to think about how hard it would be for him if they recognized him with Saturos and Menardi. Hopefully our gift would help reduce the risk of that happening.

"What's in the bag?" Felix asked, I blinked twice, oh yeah, I had the pouch now, not Agatio.

"A gift." Agatio said before I could answer. Felix looked a bit intrigued, but didn't say anything, he rarely jumped to conclusions about anything.

"Agatio and I both helped to make it," I added, offering up the bag for him, Felix stood for a moment, apparently not understanding what we meant.

"For you, Felix." Agatio said, in a tone that was often used on him, not by him. Felix jumped slightly and reached out to accept it. As he opened the bag and peered inside, I saw his eye brows climb up as he saw it. Agatio and I both tensed, and I was readying a phony smile in case he hated it, so we could make it look like it had just been a gag to raise his spirits. But I didn't need to, not as Felix's face broke into a smile and he pulled the item out.

"What is it, dear?" His mother asked, from where they were standing, the other Valians couldn't see what it was; Felix turned and held up his present.

In the bag, we had placed a small carved mask. Agatio and I had made it from a chunk of wood we'd found. The eye-wholes were skill-fully hidden behind the dulled markings, they were really just large slits made in the wood using Psynergy, the same as the wholes for the mouth and nose.

"You shouldn't have any trouble breathing or being heard." Agatio said, turning the mask over so Felix could get a better look at the wholes. His father and Kyle also coming over to get a better look at it. "Karst and I both tried it on; it's comfy enough for you to wear for long periods of time, but not something you'd wanna wear while sleeping." Felix flipped it over to get a good look at the front, his father looking over the blue, green, and red lines painted onto it.

"Did the two of you do this as well?" He asked with a slight smile, I glanced at Agatio who looked a bit sheepish.

"Jamie got at it, she and her friends thought it needed to look nice so painted it without telling me. Stupid sisters." I smiled and was thankful the girls had only been able to find the colours they had; I would have been mortified if we'd had to give Felix something pink and purple.

"I think it looks great." Felix said cheerfully, "Now I don't have to worry about Vale as much. Just have to make sure no one sneeks around when I'm asleep."

"Or when you're eating." Agatio added, "Can't eat with that on. I tried." I laughed slightly as Agatio made a sour face. I was unable to get the image of a mask-wearing Agatio, trying to shove some bread through the wholes in the mask out of my head. Felix seemed to have the same idea as he chuckled to himself.

"Are you going to try it on, or are you just gonna hold it all day?" Kyle asked, Felix coloured a bit as he slipped the leather strap behind his head, and adjusted the mask over his face. His hair falling around it like it normally did, hiding the strap and almost making it look like it was stuck to his face.

"A perfect fit." Felix said; his voice only slightly muffled behind the mask. "How do I look?" he asked, facing his parents. His father smiled approvingly, and his mother looked proud. But I still sensed a sadness coming from the whole group. But at least Felix didn't seem to keep his head bent with it on; he seemed a bit more confident actually. I felt my mood improve as he turned to us again.

"Thanks guys." He said with a nod. I could tell he was smiling, though I couldn't see his face. I glanced over at where I knew Menardi and Saturos still were. Alex seemed to be loosing attention, I could bet he wasn't at all pleased with that.

"Hey Felix." Agatio said, I glanced back at my two friends. Agatio had a large smile on his face, and for some reason it made me a bit edgy.

"Yeah?" Felix answered. Agatio's grin, if possible, became broader. No, oh hell-

"Karst, didn't you have something you wanted to talk to Felix about?" Agatio asked in a coy tone of voice. I was going to murder him. When this was all said and done, I was going to MURDER HIM.

"Nn—"

"I thought you said there was something really important you wanted to tell him in private before he left, wasn't there?" He interrupted, cutting through my half-formed response. My eye twitched slightly. Oh… Agatio was dead.

"If it's that important, Felix, maybe you two should go talk, hmm?" I could swear, under his mask Felix gave his mother the same look I did. Why was she smiling like that? Hell, why were all four of them smiling? Felix's parents, Kyle, and Agatio?

'Shit, that's Menardi's smile...' I thought, trying to find an exit. I was slightly caught off-guard as Agatio gave me a light shove towards Felix, the other Valians shooing the two of us away. 'I bet they had this whole thing planned.' I thought to myself as Felix and I rounded a corner, looking back to make sure the crowd was out of sight behind us before we stopped.

"Eh, what is it Karst?" Felix asked, a bit confused. He eyed the way back suspiciously, and I could tell he knew Agatio was in for it when we went back. I swallowed and started glancing around, still hoping to find an escape route aside from running away like a coward.

Of course, there was nothing to help me out. More than slightly uncomfortable, I glanced back up at Felix. He'd always been a few inches taller than me, recently he'd gained nearly a hand-span. But then again I'd always been considered short. The fact that he was still wearing the mask didn't help either, seeing as how I could hardly see his face because of it. He'd be happy to know that no one'd recognize him with it on.

"Uhh..." I said, not sure what to do. Granted, there were a few things I wanted to talk to him about. But, for some reason, even though I would have liked to speak with him, didn't mean I had wanted to go out-of-my-way to do so. Oh yes, Agatio was in for it.

"Yeah?" He said, I almost thought I heard something nervous in his voice, but dismissed it as just my ears playing tricks on me.

"Umm... You know, that night when...?" This was hard, I was completely against talking about this with him, but... I wasn't willing to let him leave without getting this out.

"When...? Wha—oh." He said. If I could have seen his eyes I was sure I would have seen understanding and sympathy seeping into them. That was another odd thing, I didn't like sympathy, so why didn't it bug me when it came from him?

"Yes, that night." I said with a small nod, Felix placed one hand on my shoulder. And, for some reason, I knew we were on the same page.

"Are you okay, Karst?" He asked, I bit my lip slightly and nodded, then stopped half way through and shook my head, then, to my own frustration, nodded again, really unsure of how I felt. "Is it those two?" He asked, gently placing one gloved hand on my cheek and turned my head to face him again. It reminded me of that night when he'd been looking at my face, seeing how beaten it was.

His hands were still warm. I'm sure he'd thought they were cold then. But he was a Venus-Adept, he was always at least a little bit warm.

"No, well, a little bit, but that's not what I wanted to say." I said quietly, he removed his hand from my face, and I caught it in mine before he could return it to his side. Felix stared at me a moment, before he reached up with his other hand and removed the mask. I looked up into his deep dark eyes; they held inside them a constant warmth, just like the hand I held in both of mine. It was something that pulsed like the earth he was so deeply connected with.

"I... never thanked you for what you did for me that night." I managed, for some reason it wasn't that easy to speak. I hadn't noticed how close we were to each other, neither of us moved away though. Felix gave me a small smile,

"Yes you have, Karst," He said softly, "You've thanked me for what happened every time we've brought it up." I shook my head, looking away from him,

"It wasn't a proper thank-you, Felix." I said quietly, "What you did for me... You were almost killed because of it..." I kept my eyes down and heard him sigh softly.

"You've told me before that you're thankful, you've told me countless times that you're sorry." He said, I didn't look up as he spoke, I hadn't noticed before how much I enjoyed hearing his voice. "Karst, I've answered you the same way every time, I'm not going to change my answer anytime soon." He said lightly, keeping his voice low, though I doubt either of us could really tell why we remained quiet. "Karst, I don't like seeing you hurt because of this." he said quietly, leaning forwards slightly, I don't think he realized what he was doing, I didn't point it out. For some reason I didn't want him to move away. The way we stood now, I could feel his aura around mine. Neither of us were very skilled at controlling our auras, so I felt his wrapping itself around me, trying to sooth my worries. It was working.

Something about it all hurt though, feeling his warmth, hearing his voice, something made it all hurt. He was going away, Felix was leaving. He had to, that was why he'd been brought here. By Saturos and Menardi, who were leaving to... I felt my eyes burning, and I fought tears as hard as I could. Agatio would still be here though. My other friend, my best friend, he'd still be here. Some how, that just made it all hurt more...

"Karst..." I felt one of his hands against my face again, gently wiping away the tears I hadn't been able to stop. It hurt too much to keep the tears away now.

'Why are you leaving?' I thought, knowing he couldn't hear me that way. 'Why are you leaving us? Going somewhere, where you can be killed? You don't want to go to Vale. You told me that, you don't want to hurt anyone there. So why are you leaving? Felix? Why are you leaving me? Why?'

"Karst... Don't cry, please... I hate to see you cry..." he said, he sounded chocked, I didn't know why. His fingers continued to wipe away the tears streaming down my face. He wasn't wearing gloves anymore; I just noticed that. It was like that one night; when I'd first cried in front of him. He'd wiped away the blood and tears with his bare hands, not caring as long as I was in pain.

It had torn him to see me like that, and it was hurting him again to see me in pain again. This time because of him, because he was leaving.

'Why are you leaving me?'

"I'm sorry, Karst..." His face was so close to mine, I hadn't even noticed. I was shaking as I felt the hand I still held turning, moving around until he was the one holding my hand. I felt him weave his fingers in between mine,

We were so close, I didn't noticed the light snowfall that had started around us. His warmth around me, trying to comfort me, though the pain inside just kept growing.

'Tell me why you have to go... Please, why do you want to leave me?'

"I'm so sorry..." He said again, his voice hardly above a whisper. And it hurt. I don't know which one of us it was; there was so little space between us. All I knew was that there was a soft warmth over me, something soft brushing up against my lips. If I'd known who had started it I might have known which one of us returned the kiss. That warmth spread through me slowly, neither of us trying to deepen it in any way, the moment was so fragile we both stood there, all alone to try and hold on to it for as long as we could.

Again, I don't know who broke it, both of us pulled away slowly, but neither one moving away from the other's warmth. His hand was still on my cheek I realized, though I also noticed my tears were dry. I hadn't known my eyes were closed until I had to open them again in order to see his face.

His dark eye looked over me warily, as if waiting for me to say something that would ruin the memory of what we'd just done. I just reached up and placed one hand on the side of his face to mimic what he was doing to me. I looked up into his dark eyes, some how they seemed more willing to believe.

"Good-bye." I said quietly, the pain was some what lessened now, though it still hurt to know he and Menardi were leaving. "And, good-luck." Felix brushed the hair from my face and leaned closer to me again, though not for another kiss.

"Good-bye." He whispered into my ear, I rested my head against his shoulder, thinking it the right thing to do, it felt right anyway.

"And, Thank-you."

—End Flashback—

Karst moved to put the dishes away, trying to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat.

All throughout that same day, Menardi and Saturos had been promising Agatio and her that they'd return, with Felix and Alex in tow as well. They'd never kept that last promise.

Karst moved away from the cupboards, dishes all in their places, and went to stand near the window again. It faced the East, not the direction she would have preferred, but she'd lived here to long to complain. She took in the pale sun-light bathing the village despite the winter. The villagers up and about to take advantage of the good weather.

"Ship in the Harbor!" A young boy shouted, one gloved hand up on his head to keep his round fur hat from flying off. Running down the lane to the Chief's house, which meant past hers, "A ship's coming into the Harbor! There's a winged ship coming into the Harbor!" Karst's head snapped up at the word 'Winged', red eyes wide with disbelief. The rest of the village seemed to kick into high gear as well.

There was only one winged ship in the world.

And there were only two Venus-Adept aboard.