Rune

by Yami Kaiyoh

This is a story of a kid that finds out more about the true him than he ever knew existed. The tests the gods and godesses put him through will test him to every extreme. The only way out? To complete his task along with many of his friends he'll make al

4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Back in Grandseal. . .

"Man that was amazing!" Chester cheered as he knelt in the grass with his friends in the field just outside the town walls. "Too bad Jaha missed it."

"He always over sleeps." Sarah said as she bit into some freshly baked cookoi. Cookoi is a breed of chicken known for the fat chickens it usually gets.

"I don't always oversleep!" the dwarf yelled as he swung his axe, aiming for the priest.

She, using the agility an elf is known for, lept out of the way and landed on her feet. She growled and shook her staff threateningly at the short dwarf. "Watch it Shortie. When I learn an attack spell you'll be my gunea pig for it!"

The small dwarf growled in return,running a thumb over the edge of the axe and his brown eyes flashing angrily. His white bandana hid his mop of short brown hair. His green shirt and brown pants were common among the dwarfs that lived in the township. His father ran the weapons shop and was nice eneough to give the four free weapons.

"Cool it, both of you!" Bowie sighed as he rubbed his forehead.
They 'humph'ed and looked away from eachother. It's always been known that Sarah's Family, the priest and priestess of the town, and Jaha's family, the weaponsmiths, always bickered because the two races don't get along very well. Centaurs were just about the only race that didn't have a race they hated. They were probably the only race that tried to make friends with the others.

The young human looked up at the sound of a 'shoooolp' sound. He froze on spot and slowly turned, placing his hand on the hilt of his new metal sword. Behing him was a green puddle of ooze. It was the only way to describe it! It was nothing more than a blob!

Jaha, who had out a hand wetstone sharpening his axe, looked up at a 'Skree' sound to see a huge rat approaching them. He stood and held his axe into the air before bringing it down towards the rat.

Chester jumpped up as he felt a cold sensation on his left hind leg. He whinnyed and kicked out only to meet no resistance. He shook his hoof, trying to get the blob off it.

He took the end of his new spear and plucked the blob off with it before tossing it into the distance. Sarah, who was the only one not paying attention, ended up getting slammed in the back by a rat's tail. She stood and held out her staff.

"Take this!" she rose the staff into the air and slammed it down on the rat's head, dazing it.

Bowie was still fussing about the green blob that had snuck up on him. Every time he hit it, it reattached itself and attacked. He closed his eyes and outstreched his right hand before shoutting the words. "I summon Bolt!"

He traced the low power spell shape. A bolt of lightening jumpped from his outstreched fingers and hit the glob. He figured that if water conducts the stuff then why not a blob.

The blob settled onto the ground and stopped moving. They were lucky no one got hurt in the process. Bowie looked across the field. "You know what? I think we can make it ot Yeel before sunset if we hurry." he said.
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"Look." Kazin pointed to the entry of the small village. "Newcomers."

I lifted my head and looked down to the four. :Crud! They're here already! Dang it!: I thought to myself as I stood.

Kazin sighed as I got up and shook myself off. I spread my wings, flapped into the air and cicrled overhead as the young man made his way down the hill.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kazin asked as he stopped in front of the four.
Bowie drew himself up diplomatically. "We're on a mission for the king to see Sir Hawel."

"Hawel, huh?" Kazin looked thoughtful as he knocked a few loose strands of hair out of his pine eyes. "Well I can take you to see him."

"You know him?" the dwarf with them asked loudly.

"Aren't you. . .a bit short for a dwarf?" Kazin asked with a playful glint in his eyes.

"Watch it, Halfie." the dwarf growled.

He was about to go after Kazin until Chester picked him up off the ground. "Easy! Easy, Jaha." Chester hissed into the squirming dwarf's ear.

"Leggo!" the dwarf twisted wildly to get out of the centaur's grip.

I giggled as I watched the whole thing. I heard the sound of swooping wings and looked up to see a gargoyle approach me. "Yes?" I asked, seeing Odd Eye's badge on him.

"Misssstressss." it hissed. "He wassss found."

My emerald eyes lit up at the news. "Great!"

A griffon, common to the north of the village, swoobed by to reveal it's rider; Sir Odd Eye.

"You're safe!" I yipped happily as he led the griffon down and landed on the hill while the others were bickering over the dwarf. "Well?"

Odd Eye shook his head and looked at me. I gasped as I saw the slash across his eyes. I knew deep inside me he'd never see again. I placed a talon on his arm.

He seemed to look into my very soul as he said. "Were you. . . crying over me?"

I nodded. "Yes I was."

"Why?" he asked.

"I was told you were dead." I whimpered as I laid my head in his lap and rubbed aginst him like a cat would.

"Those stuffy devils don't know a thing! I'm lucky I have mage sight. Otherwise I'd be totally blind." he said as he stroked my head. "You still doing your mission like I asked you too?"

"They're right down there." I pointed lazily with a claw towards the still arguing group. "See the boy? The blonde human with the cape?He's their leader. The leader of the Shining Force."

"So he's the destined one." Odd eye rubbed his chin slightly. "Odd. . . Looks so much like his dad."

"Oddler." I asked quietly as I closed my eyes. "I was so afraid you were. . . were. . . "

"Nothing could kill me if they wanted. You know that. Only way's a magic fire."

"I know." I rubbed aginst him more, letting him run his long fingers through my thick, rather coarse pelt of fur on my head. "But that don't keep me from worrying."

He turned his blind eyes towards the group. "Are you sure they're the ones?"

"Positive, Oddler." I burried my nose into his hand, urging him to pet me more. Like all other animals, I loved the feel of someone stroking my fur. Probably because it feels like momma cleaning my coat.

"Keep watch on them. I give you permission to show yourself to them if you want. I'd prefer it tell you the truth." he undone the necklace from around his neck and hung it around mine. "Keep this with you. It'll allow me to talk to you directly, no matter where I am."

"Even in. . ." I shuttered as I said the name. "Arc valley?"

"Even there."

"Alright."

"Now go keep watch."

I nodded in return.

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The five of them, finally settled, rested in the local bar, where the bartender seemed to know the mage.

"You staying here tonight, Kazin?" the old man said.

Kazin nodded. "Along with my friends, Ricco."

"That's fine with me. The only room I gots right now is in the basement. Don't worry. It's as comfy as a real room down there. But the wine cellar's off limits, ya hear me?"

"Yes, Ricco." Kazin rolled his eyes as the bartender eyed the dwarf.

"Well some of the weaker ones are down there too. You help yourselves to them ones alright?"

"Yes, sir." the dwarf gave him a solute.

"By the way. A friend of yours came in and led herself down to the cellar already."

"Oh, really? Who?"

"She called herself Skybolt. A pretty one she was. Looked like a half herself. Can't be sure. She was closer to a human, though."

"Thanks." Kazin nodded as he pulled on the ring that led down into the basement. "This place isn't much but it's comfy down here."

"Really?" Bowie asked as he saw the young girl the bartender was talking about.

Greyish silver hair fell to my waist and my whiteish skin seemed to almost glow. I was garbed in a dark green robe hemmed with gold with a staff in my frail looking hands. I turned to face them to show a pair of bright emerald eyes that were slitted. The medallion around mey neck had four weapons; a morning star, an orb, a staff and a large sabre. I looked at Kazin and smiled.

"Took you long eneough." I whispered, liking my half elf form and able to hide among the humans without raising suspicion. "Remember me from earlier?"

Kazin frowned before thinking. "You're the one I was talking to earlier?"

I nodded. "You said it yourself. We're mage creatures. In this case. . . I'm a mage as well but I master in the Freeze spells. I'm sure Ricco told you my name."

"Skybolt." Jaha dropped his jaw as I tossed my hair over my shoulder. "I'm named that because I also know bolt as well."

I held onto my pennant and closed my eyes, lifting my head towards the celeing. Kazin cocked his head slightly as I lowered my gaze again and smiled. "My friend is very far away. He was the one who taught me my magic. This is the only way I can talk to him."

Kazin nodded, knowing what I ment. He held a similiar one that belonged to Hawel. His was like mine except his had a flame, a snowflake, a book and a lightening bolt. "But why are you here?"

"Oddler asked me to meet you here and go with you to meet Hawel. He asked me to deliver something to him." I held out a small wooden box.

"His Adept stone?" Kazin looked suprised as I nodded.

"It was repaired a few days ago. That's why I came as the skywolf. Flying here from Tristain was hard!"

"Tristian!?" Sharah gasped as my eyes fluttered towards her. "You wouldn't happen to know Mitula would you?!"

"Know her?" I laughed softly. "She taught me half of what I know."

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The next morning. . .
I stood looking over the village again from the hilltop as the sun rose far in the east. I closed my eyes and let the warmth wash over my face. I stared off towards the north where Hawel lived. I'd left the box with Kazin the night before. I was panning to merely follow unknown and help when I could.

I sighed as I looked towards the castle also in the east, seeing the black clouds encircle it. "He got it."

"Don't worry, Skybolt." Odd Eye said as he joined me, appearing almost out of thin air. "All's going according to plan. Nothing to worry about. We'll just watch how all this plays out."

"Oddler." I turned back to him. "Please promise me you won't go back and face Bedoe!"

"I won't be making an attempt for several more months, my dear." he said calmly as he ran a finger the length of the scar. "This little scar was a gift from King Bedoe. Quite a warrior he is. His son Luke shows the same potental. He's lucky he's part of the plan."

"I know." I kept my gaze towards the castle. "I believe I do not need to watch them on their trip to Hawel's."

"Go there first. An ambush will be there when they go to leave. You did leave the box with one of them, didn't you?"

I nodded. "The mage. He reminds me of you some of the time."

"Kazin you mean? I knew his father quite well actually. Inside that box is really the Ring of the Dead. Nifty little thing it is. Put it on and the dead become known but the living seem to fade away. . . "

"Oddler. Will my potions come in handy? You think some could give you your sight back?"

He shook his head. "Devil or not, I'm stuck like this. But a little Liquid Sunset wouldn't hurt to dull the pain though."

"But that stuff's. . . "

"That's the effect on humans. I ain't exactly human am I?"

"That's not the point, Oddler." I said as I glanced back at him. "It's still dangerous."

"Mix the stuff with Dragon Tears, Skybolt! It'll renege the dizzying affects and intensify the pain reliever in it!"

"You don't have to yell. I was trained by Mitula some you know." I gave him a pleading look. "I'm just saying it's still dangerous though. I've been doing some reading in my spare time and. . ."

"Don't say it. I know I'm the last of my kind. That's why I'm trying to get through with this plan." he looked towards the castle before looking towards the house. "Go while you can. The note's already been left with Kazin."

With a flourish I pulled out a red bottle and a yellow one. I let a small drop of the yellow liquid fall into the red before gently swirling it a few times to mix it. "Here you are. There's four doses in this bottle. Go easy on the stuff. I'll bring it to you myself if I have to."

"Thank you. . ." he leaned closer. "My love."

hr

Sarah ducked as a large bat swooped overhead towards her. "Ahhh!"

"Sarah!" Chester growled.

"Look out, Chester!" she squealed.

He kicked backwards to collide with a large field rat.It flew upwards into a nearby tree and hung there with a hiss. The sound of light growling from nearby made the group huddle but Kazin smiled.

"It's alright you bunch." Kazin grinned as he spotted a grey blur. "It's just the Wolf pack that lives in these woods."

"Wolves live here?" Sarah gulped.

"Skywolves." Kazin corrected as one stopped moving and looked through the trees at them. Worry showed in it's eyes as it darted deeper into the woods.

Kazin silently cursed to himself as he took off, following the skywolf. "C'mon and follow me! There's trouble there!"

"How do you know?" Chester asked as he galloped next to Kazin.

"The Skywolves are restless. Thay become restless only when something happens in their territory." Kazin explained as he spotted a bat in the distance. He pointed towards it and shouted. "I summon Blaze!"

The bat keeled over, baked by the flame. Kazin slid to a stop as he saw what the bat was hanging over. It was a set of triplet skywolf pups.

A female one ran in front of the cubs and growled at the group before seeing Kazin approach her. She whimpered in thanks and licked the half elf's hand as a 'pawshake'.

"You're welcome." Kazin said as Sarah walked over to the pups and picked one up.

"They're so pretty!" she squealed as the skywolf pup reached up and pawed at a strand of her hair.

The mother gave a laughing bark before Sarah set the pup down. She dug into the sleeve, pulled out a blue collar and snapped it around the pup's neck.

The mother cocked her head couriously as Sarah pet the puppy on it's head. "What's the collar for?"

Kazin jumped as he reconized the voice. "Aishail(Ah-sha-l)? These are your pups?"

"Yep." the wolf said with a yip.

"The collar belonged to a dog of mine that died. This pup reminds me so much of her. . ." Sarah sniffled.

Bowie knew quite well which dog Sarah was taking about. The year the elven family had moved there, Sarah was only four or five. Her parents took her out to shop one day and a stray dog made friends with her. It followed her everywhere until she wouldn't do a thing without it being there. Some days it even followed her to school and lay at her feet as she learned. It was a large chocolate brown mutt and as sweet as could be.

It tore the elf to pieces when the dog came down with a strange illness (which was later found out by Sir Astral that the dog had cancer). She stayed with it and spent the night every night for the last week of it's life in the large doghouse that it lived in. She hated to see it suffer like it was but she did her best to make the dog's life as best as she could.

Bowie approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She reached up and placed one of her's on top of his. "I know it's hard to think of that. . ."

Sarah stood and sighed. "If my magic was stronger at the time I could've saved her."

"Sarah. . . that's in the past now." Bowie said very softly.

The pup she put the collar on approached the priest and whimpered. "I. . . I'm owd eneouf to go. . . "

Aishail looked at her oldest pup longingly. "It's true. She's old eneough to leave home. I'd be glad if you'd take care of her."

"I. . . she can come with me?"

"You. . . can. . . n-name me if you. . . want." the puppy yipped as it flapped it's small wings and hovered in the air in front of Sarah.

"Will Siren do?" Sarah asked quietly as she held out her arms.

"Siren!" the pup yipped and fell into Sarah's arms.

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Kazin rapped impatiently on his master's door. With a sigh, he tapped his foot and did it again. I cleared my throat. He looked up to see me sitting on the roof looking down at them in my half elf form.

"What's wrong? Can't get in?" I asked as I stood and jumpped down.

"No, I can't. He's got the door locked." Kazin sighed before walking over to the old looking well and bringing the bucket up from within. He turned it over and opened a small pannel on the bottom of the barrel. Out fell a shiny silver key.

"Good thing he doesn't use his well." Kazin mused to himself as he unlocked the door and stopped cold.

Standing over a frail looking old man was two gruff looking humans dressed in Galam battle garb. I darted in front of Kazin and started snarling viciously and feeling the wolven blood well up within. Oddler had said there'd be an ambush but he never said Sir Hawel had to DIE because of it! Both gaunt soldiers turned and grinned before running out the opposite door. Kazin tried to run after them but ended up tripping on a loose tile on the floor.

The grey haired old man coughed a few times as I whimpered and slowly made my way over to him. "Skybolt. . . Kazin. . ." he weezed as everyone made their way into the hut.

"We're right here." he and I answered as Kazin joined me next to the dying human.

"They got. . . the scrolls. . ." the wizard's voice started to weaken.

Kazin took out the wodden box I had given him. "Don't worry master. I have your stone here. . ."

"Keep it. . . Kazin. . ." the wizard coughed up blood before continuing. "Promise me. . . you'll seal. . . the tower. . . please. . . it is. . . my. . . final. . . wish. . . . . "

Kazin sobbed in pain as his master's head rolled to the side. Sarah handed Siren to Bowie and placed a hand on Kazin's shoulder. He looked up at her with somber eyes before looking back to his now dead master.

I stood with a faraway look in my eyes and paced the floor a few times. "He never said Hawel would die. . . he told me this was a simple mission. . .and I. . . Augh!" I rambled off in the language only Oddler and I shared. I knew it because of my wolf half and he knew it because he was just about the last of his race.

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Kazin was alittle unsteady on his feet as the group led him out. But just outside was a pack of skywolves and their leader was Aishail. She looked like she wanted to break some bones right there.

"Aishail." I said sharply before going on in the old language I was cursing in earlier.

She pointed towards the trees heading back towards Yeel. I gulped and paled before leading them deeper into the forest. The group followed me wordlessly as we came to a halt. Standing there barring the way to the village was Sir Lemon.

The gaunt red knight dressed in red stood with his sowrd drawn held high over something I couldn't see. The back of his chainmail tunic had Galam's seal on it and so did the brown leather pants he wore with it. A red headwrap and armet covered the now bald head.

He turned at the sound of Chester's whinny before grinning like a madman. On his knees before the Red Baron was a young boy, possibly younger than us by at least two years, that looked terrified. Soft violet hair fell down to cover his face and simple yellow peddler's clothing covered his thin frail looking body. It wasn't until he looked up did I realise he had the same scar as Oddler. . .

I didn't have time to think. My body reacted before my mind did. I ran off before the others could see what was happened to my body. I already knew the form my other self was settling in.

Back out of the forest where Lemon and Bowie were. . .

Bowie, wandering where I had ran off to for a split second, stared into the cold eyes of the barron. "Why are you here?"

"I've done got what I was here for." he snarled as the boy pulled and struggled aginst the ropes. The barron turned the sharp end of his blade to face the boy. "Keep struggling and see where this'll go."

The boy gulped before stilling. The pain of transforming was long gone, having to do it for years. It still felt uncomfortable though.

Kazin was too blinded by rage to see the changing boy. "Why did you have to kill him." It wasn't a question. I was a statement in pure utter hate for the human.

"The old coot wouldn't give the scrolls." the barron said off handedly as he heard the sound of rope ripping.

A humanlike animal was crouched where the human was. It's body seemed to be made of solid rock and muscle. It's fur was purple from the waist down with paws capped at the end with long and dangerous nails. Wings that were white in color spread from it's back and a mane of bright violet hair covered it's head, the chin and it trialed down the back of the shoulders all the way to the elbow. A long tail, tufted with golden fur at the tip, swayed back and forth just before it pounced past Lemon and into the woods.

Lemon took the chance of Bowie's unpreparedness and used the hilt of his heavy sword to knock the boy out. . .