Chapter 3
A/N well here comes chapter three, I really hope that you all enjoy it...
A young boy, four perhaps five had wandered away from Lohan, the town that Aarius had strived so hard to reach and failed. The boy's eyes were wide with wonder and fear as he stuck his thumb into his mouth and stumbled forwards, this was the first time that he had been separated from his parents since the day he had been born, and his childish curiosity had led him out of town. He moved slowly, oblivious to the sounds of his parents voices as they floated towards him, also a small shadow went unnoticed as it followed him silently. A flash of lightning in the dark sky above him frightened him enough that he crouched and whimpered for a few moments before walking on. The sounds of the night floated in and out of his mind eerily, an owl screamed nearby, having caught or cornered its prey, and then the boy heard whatever creature had happened upon the owl's way let out a blood curdling scream.
The little boy began to run, his heart pounded in his ears as he ran blindly. Suddenly he was in the air, falling, he landed with a thud and lay there gasping, tears streaming silently down his cheeks as he brushed of his skinned knees and began to search for the cause of his fall... he heard a moan and backed away from the sound as a figure, showing blacker than the blackness that had settled in, sat up, another bright flash of lightning showed the figure to be a girl, his eyes widened as she stood unsteadily, "W-who's there?" She called, "Speak and I won't harm you!"
The boy let out a low whimper, because he was crying about the scraped knee he could not stifle the sounds. The girl stumbled towards him and felt around before her hands felt a shaggy head beneath her fingers, it shook slightly as she felt for the face and gasped, "Child, why are you so far away from home in the dark?" She asked.
"I l-lost my mommy and daddy...in town..." The boy said softly, "What's your name lady?"
"It's Aarius, and yours, boy?" She urged.
"My name is Ryu..." he said.
"Do you want help finding your parents?" Aarius asked softly.
That was when Ryu truly began to cry, the tears flowed swiftly down his face, "Yes!" He cried, and then politely, "Please?"
"Give me your hand so that I don't lose you," Aarius said, holding a quivering hand.
"Why do you shake so, are you cold?" Asked the boy.
"Yes..." Aarius lied, "it's a little chilly..."
Ryu said no more as Aarius froze, her hand gripping his so tightly that it hurt, "What's the matter?" Ryu asked.
"Stay behind me!" Aarius said.
Ryu watched in fascination as she drew a sword and ran forward in the darkness, there was a howl of pain and then silence, after several minutes Ryu called out tentatively, "Aarius, are you there?"
There was a shuffling and then a figure wandered towards him, "Of course," She said, "We are safe now..."
"What happened?" The boy asked in a curious, and yet frightened voice.
"There was danger... it's gone now... don't fret over it." Aarius said, "Now give me your hand."
He placed his in hers and they began to walk briskly towards the torch lit town of Lohan, they passed through the gates nearly an hour later and went unnoticed by the night watchmen and walked along the busy streets, "Where did you lose them at?" Aarius asked softly.
"Daddy was signing up for the h-hero competition and then the crowd pushed us apart..." Ryu said.
"I see..." Aarius said, leading him to where signups were held.
There were voices in the back, a few knights were talking to a young couple that appeared frightened, Aarius cleared her throat and the woman looked her way, her eyes widened as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing, she pushed past the men and armor and ran, arms outstretched to Ryu, who also ran at her. She smothered him in kisses and looked at Aarius, eyes shining with tears that refused to spill, "Oh how can we ever repay you!" She cried happily as the man sweptRyu into his arms.
"I-it was nothing-"She looked at Ryu's frightened eyes, they seemed to be telling her not to let them know that he had left town, "I was heading this way anyway..." She grimaced as she tried to laugh, "So- when is the competition?"
"Next week..." The man said, "Signups close tomorrow..."
Aarius limped towards the sheet and signed her name, "Are you serious!?!" The man cried, "you're just a child..."
"I am not a child..." Aarius said fumingly, "I've mastered the sword already... I need not be warned of the dangers..."
She grasped her right arm unknowingly, pain tore through her and she nearly collapsed, she held her balance all the same and was slightly surprised as the woman let out a cry, "Why, you're bleeding, whatever happened to you, dear?"
"I-I was attacked by bandits in the Elam forest... they wanted my father's sword... I refused it to them..." Aarius said a bit sheepishly, "I was careless and allowed them to land an attack..."
"How many?" The man asked, mouth dry, "and how many got away?"
"Twelve and none..." Aarius said, "I am ashamed at having killed them all, but, you see, I had no choice..."
"You took on twelve bandits at once!" The woman exclaimed, "It's a wonder you survived."
"My father taught me well in his art..." Aarius said softly, "it is no wonder..."
"Who are your parents child?" Asked the woman.
"My mother is called Shana, and my father is Dart-" Aarius finished to a gasp.
"They are two of the dragoons... two of those of whom saved Endiness!" The man said excitedly, "to think that we'd be meeting the spawn of them about fifteen years after them..."
"My parents are famous?" Aarius said in a confused sort of surprise.
"Yes... said the man, it would be an honor to fight with you in the tournament... now go to the doctor and have him stitch you up so that your body can heal..."
"Right..." Aarius said, "of course, see ya?"
Aarius stepped outside and limped up a set of stairs, wincing once when her knee struck a box in the darkness, it took her two hours to find the healing center, and when she did she smiled, finally she could relax. She walked into the room and sat exhaustedly in a chair near the door, unwillingly slipping into a deep sleep...
Aarius' dream
She stood in the shadows of her parents room, watching helplessly as they were struck down and dragged into a dark portal. portal? There had never been a portal before, but there it was, swirling mist escaping into the room before disappearing, she was suddenly in a room in a castle, watching as a man in green protected a young woman who stood defiantly against the dark mist, "You shall not get through me!" He cried, lunging forward with his spear, "I won't allow you to harm my wife!"
Aarius gasped as the room darkened, the man reached out and grabbed a door handle as his feet were lifted from the ground by unseen hands, he tried to grab the woman as she slid past him, he cried out as she entered the darkness and his hands slipped. Aarius heard him call out and then the room was calm again... it was then that she felt a cool hand touch her face, she jerked into wakefulness and mumbled weakly, "Rest now..." A calm voice broke through the fog, "allow your injuries to heal..."
"No..." Aarius mumbled, "I- I must help them... mother, father, I'll save you!"
She tried to stand in her fevered delusions, and found that she was being pressed back down to the bed, "Rest, child." The voice said calmly.
"I've got to help-" she gave up the struggle as she was pulled back down into the misty darkness, her sleep was dreamless.
When Aarius was finally able to pull herself into full wakefulness, she realized that 4 ½ days had passed, she had two to go until the tournament would begin. She stood, the newly grown flesh on her leg stretched painfully, but was relatively pleasurable, happy to be out of the bed Aarius stepped out of the room and lay a handful of gil on the stand before leaving. For the next two days she wandered around, buying some weapons and armor as well as training up for the tournament, she dulled the tip of her sword so as not to cut anybody upon the sharp blade. When her preparations were finally complete, it was the day of the tournament. She ran to the building and checked in, cheerily awaiting the upcoming battles.
A/N: Well... there you have it, chapter 3 has come... 4 will be up soon, hope that you all enjoy... R/R plz.