The Forest

--

It was cold. The clouds that Rayman had seen earlier were threatening to rain. The sky was dark, but Flaréoné's body seemed to glow and light the way for Rayman and the others to follow him closely.

The trees were much closer together now, closing them in, but they seemed to part to give way for Flaréoné. Flaréoné walked on undaunted, leading the way through the forest.

It was evidently a lot larger then Rayman had originally thought. They had walked for a long time now. But he hadn't realised. He just moved his feet, following the feet of Fianna who was just in front of him.

His thoughts where elsewhere: in the clearing, remembering how peaceful Ly's face had looked; at home, what would he say to Betilla? His thoughts followed these endless trains of thoughts, and he didn't realise that it was getting dark. It wasn't night yet, but the clouds where darkening steadily.

He fought back the tears that threatened to envelope his eyes.

It was very quite. Nobody was talking.

Behind the clouds, the sun had set. The moon shone overhead, but its light was obscured by the clouds. The only light now was the unnatural glow of Flaréoné's body.

Globox stared at Flaréoné in front of him. Flaréoné seemed to know where he was going. Globox was assured by this thought. Flaréoné would save them. Flaréoné was strong…

Furio and Furion conversed fiercely and silently. Their usefulness as guides has ended, and they were now in unknown territory. They made sure they could remember the areas they were going trough and paths they were following. They intended to maybe come this way again.

But what will we do after? Asked Furio.

We could join the Freelings. After all, they are the ex-slaves as we are. And Fianna is their leader.

Fianna herself was walking behind them. Her anger had not subsided, and neither had her sadness, but neither of those emotions were showing, and in fact, she had stored them away somewhere deep in her heart.

Instead she was alert, making sure that she kept an eye out for anything out there, and her ears open for any sound and her nose for any smell. She had taken her sword out of the bag which she still carried on her back, and she had tied it along with its scabbard onto her 'waist'. Her right hand lay on it, and its comforting solidness was enough to calm her for the while.

She thought about the blade; how she had received it in a solemn ceremony from her sister after years of practise with a stick. She had been very proud that day. She had yet to name her sword but no name appealed to her. She knew that the day would come soon when her sword would be given a name.

She drew it and gazed at its solid perfection. She did not know how her sister could have gotten it unless she had made it herself. And indeed; whoever had made it had placed strong magic in it, and her sister had been an excellent and strong mage. She had even taught Fianna a little before…

She gazed at her sword, taking in the smooth metal, the sharp edges and the sharp point. The handle was made of a substance very like wood, but easier to hold, and with a much firmer grip, small stones of shining red, green, blue and many more besides were planted deep in the handle, and though the handle was solidly opaque, she could see where they were.

But the most interesting thing lay on its blade: runes, three on each side. She didn't know what they meant, but she liked to believe that they contained very powerful magic. She wondered what they meant, and what they stood for.

She sheathed her sword, and continued walking. Rayman stood behind her; paying no attention to anything that was going on around him.

Pull yourself together! He thought to himself. Ly's gone. It's your duty to make sure that no one else dies too. He cupped his hands in his face, realising that it was still wet. He wiped the tears from his face, and breathed out slowly. He cut off his sorrow, burying it deep within himself, and trying not to venture close to the place where he had put it.

He replaced the empty place with memories of Ly, of them playing together as children, all the happy times.

He tried a smile, but it came out feeble and weak, and obviously fake.

He sighed, and continued walking. He felt he had to do something or say something to raise everyone's hopes, but he could think of nothing to say, and nothing that he could to that would make them smile.

Time will heal all pains.

A voice sounded in his head. He didn't know where that voice had come from, but it had sounded oddly familiar. And yet he agreed with the voice, time would heal pain. But even though he knew it to be true he couldn't help but wonder whether it was true.

Only time would tell.

--

'Always the hero, eh Rayman?' Ly grinned mischievously. Rayman blushed, but he knew that it was true. Globox's kids had gone on an 'expedition' and gotten lost. Globox was really worried, but Ly had organised a search party.

'They're blue, look like frogs and about this tall.' She said her hand not far from the floor. Everyone groaned.

'We know Ly.' Murfy had said. Ly ignored him.

It was Rayman who found them, not far from their house, and returned them to Globox.

'Yeah well, it wasn't too hard, all I had to do was follow the screams and sounds of fighting.' Rayman grinned. Ly grinned back.

'C'mon. Lets go eat.' Uglette had made a feast in Rayman's honour to 'thank him for bringing the children back…again.'

They walked together to the middle of the village in which they lived and saw a huge table absolutely cram packed with food. Globox was eying the dishes longingly, but didn't touch. When the kids saw Rayman they all started cheering.

One of Globox's kids shyly walked up to him and looked at him.

'Thank youw unker Wayman!' She said in shy tones. Then she ran back to all her brothers and sisters. Rayman smiled.

'You're welcome,' he said under his breath. He looked on at all the people amassed there. All happy; smiling. He was smiling too. Happy times…

--

Rayman shook himself out of his stupor. Rather then cheering him up, the memory of all those happy faces had made him, if anything, feel worse then before. And seeing Ly's face…alive…

He shook himself inwardly.

Its not going to help...its not going to bring her back…said that voice, so unlike his own inside him. He tried to fight against it, but he found that he did not have the strength or the will to do so.

Instead he just sighed again and kept on walking. The forest sounds rang so clearly in his mind, the whisper of the wind, the slight creaking of the trees, and the cracking as the twigs crushed underfoot.

He nearly jumped when Flaréoné's voice sounded out in front of him.

'Almost there.' Rayman looked up and saw Fianna and Globox against the illuminated Flaréoné. He had forgotten that h was still on a quest, he had forgotten that he really was a hero.

Why don't I let the world take care of itself? He thought to himself. But something welled up inside him, and he knew that he couldn't accept a normal life. He loved being a hero; he loved seeing the happy faces…

But there wouldn't be any happy faces now would there? They'd all be sad that Ly was dead. Rayman closed his eyes, and tried to shut out the emotions that were welling up inside him.

He turned his thoughts to the faceless person who had ordered the attack…the person who was responsible for Ly's death.

And he longed for revenge. He took deep steadying breaths and clenched his fists. He longed for that moment of battle, where it would be just Rayman…and the enemy… he longed for the chance to drive his fist into the person's face, to attack him.

He would use his new powers to, burn the person, torture him until he begged for death…and then grant that wish.

Rayman shook himself. Don't think thoughts like that! Your job is to protect the world.

Beneath all the anger and sadness, Rayman was shocked that he could think those thoughts. He was a hero, he wasn't supposed to kill, he was supposed to help and save those that needed him.

He was suddenly aware of a new noise. It had come in gradually and Rayman couldn't remember when it had started. This bothered him. He looked carefully around so that he was looking around but it wasn't obvious that he was doing so.

It was only a squirrel.

Rayman shook himself inwardly again. You're getting jumpy just leave it, Said one voice. But what if it was someone who was going to attack? Better safe then sorry… his mind turned again to Ly. I don't want that to happen again…

Rayman's brow creased, and he tried to keep the coming tears back.

--

They had walked on through the night without even realising it. The sun was still not up, but the blackness of the night was slowly edging away to a dull greyness.

The night seemed to have lasted a lifetime. They were now moving uphill, and the trees seemed to be lessening. Suddenly Flaréoné stopped, and Globox who hadn't been paying attention bumped into him.

Rayman kept on walking toward Flaréoné. He realised that they were standing on what looked like a small cliff, with a path leading down to the right. He looked down and realised that he was looking at the glory glades.

A small gasp of amazement passed his lips as he saw the glade in all its glory. It was a lush green, full of grass and bushes and strange plants, the sun coming over the horizon illuminating everything with an unnatural golden light; a beautiful scene.

But looking closer he saw that the grass was turning slowly to yellow, and the bushes looked dead and withered. He could tell by the look of surprise on Flaréoné's face that this wasn't what it was supposed to look like.

'There's something wrong…'