Author's Note: Most people are really busy lately X.x, and a weird phase I had to go through sort of knocked me out for a while. Then I tried to write, but went through another weird phase leading up to my government exams, which I had better have done well on… I'm so sorry people, I don't think I've ever gone so long without updating before! I'm back though - been busy with my forum, making my blog (www.icysarcasm.bg.tc), my site stuff and exams. Yes – I'm sorry, I had to mess up a few things in the story to make it more interesting! XD Enjoy! Don't forget to review and I promise my next update will be sooner!
Chapter 14: To the Ruins of Lanthir
Tala sat by the windowsill, staring out the window emptily, Everything's so screwed up now. My original plan had been to come, steal the Imperium Gem, and then take my leave. Quite frankly, I'll have to do something quite different now. There are too many people after it and Michael keeps on getting in my way, it's so infuriating. I've already got Flora all figured out, so at least that's down. Enrique's a great big nuisance at times, but all he can do is talk tough and yell a lot. I'll have to get through the princess to get the gem and you'd think that Michael would be more help now that he's already earned her trust. Who does Michael think he is anyways? Walking around with all courtesy and offering little tidbits of advice to the princess now and then…I won't stand for it. I won't have some imbecile ruining my plans -
"Tala?" Flora knocked softly on the door, "Are you going to join us for dinner?"
"Yes – I'll be there in a few minutes," Tala replied, "Go ahead without me." He rolled his eyes when he heard Flora's retreating footsteps, Look at me! I'm going soft! Of all the times in my life, it has to be now! When I'm this close…SO close to achieving everything… Curses, every time I look at her, I remember my home valley…and I don't want to remember my home valley for Lord's sake! I can't let these…these…distractions get to me. She might think that she knows me, but I don't remember a single thing about her. I have one goal in mind, that is to obtain that soul revival potion by all means and only Daeloth can grant that wish. I will bring him back…I must…
"Tala?"
"Yes??" Tala snapped when he recognized Michael's voice, but didn't turn around, "Can I help you?"
"Can we please leave?"
"Leave?" Tala laughed, "Leave? Why would I leave? I haven't even begun to pursue what I'm after. What's wrong? Don't tell me you're frightened of that so-called NondaKanoste and his army of goons?"
"No…"
"Then what is it?" Tala demanded impatiently, "Spit it out Michael."
"I want to leave."
"You're not going anywhere unless I say so."
Michael looked crestfallen; his navy eyes desperate, "I don't want to stay anymore! I didn't want them to know!"
"That is your fault," Tala said, waving his hand dismissively in the air, "I told you not to get involved in their business. But no – you always have to be the big hero."
"I wasn't trying to be a hero!" Michael snapped, "I just didn't want Carly to get hurt."
"Michael, even I don't address the princess by first name. You are definitely not fit to do otherwise."
"I don't care," Michael said, "Please Tala – let's just leave. We don't belong here. Enrique…Enrique suspects me…"
"You're telling me that blond-haired, dimwitted, poor-excuse-for-a-knight suspects you?" Tala spat, sounding incredulous, "How is he able to suspect you? You're not being that obvious, are you? Last time I checked, he was still infatuated by that silly sorceress from Lanthir."
Michael's eyes stayed fixed on the ground, "What am I going to tell Carly?"
"I don't care, as long as you don't give me away. And stop calling her by her name," Tala scowled, "Just go for dinner already Michael; I'll be there in a moment." He rolled his eyes when Michael half-heartedly left, I'm not the only one who's softening…Michael…if I didn't have important plans for you, I would gladly cast you out of my sight for good! But I need you…curse that…you're a lot more trouble than you're worth, but…only you know the secrets of the Imperium Gem…
"Where is Aquana?" Carly asked immediately, after entering the dining room and mentally counting the people seated at the table, "Is she hurt?"
Enrique shrugged, "After the battle, she just sort of wandered off and said she wanted to be alone."
"And you let her go?"
Enrique shrugged again, "Yeah."
Carly let out a sigh of exasperation before reaching out and pinching the blond knight's ear – hard. At least hard enough to make him yell in pain anyways. "Enrique – I swear, you are the most the shallow, the most insensitive, and the most utterly oblivious person in the kingdom."
Enrique rubbed his burning ear unhappily, cringing as he shrank away, "What did I do now?"
"More like what you didn't do," Carly shot back, "Don't you think that Aquana could've used a little comfort?"
"But she said she wanted to be alone," Enrique protested.
"Oh - and let me guess, you stared blankly, without a word, after her wondering what the hell was eating her when she left?"
"Well…yeah!" Enrique shrugged again.
"You!" Carly hissed, giving him another pinch on the ear, "And to think I would trust you to handle things while I was out."
"What's the big deal???" Enrique demanded, "AND CUT IT WITH THE EAR-SNATCHING!" Tala, Flora and Michael were all watching them with raised eyebrows and bewildered looks.
"Your insensitivity amazes me," Carly said, rolling her eyes, "Haven't you learned that when someone's upset, it's usually customary to comfort them, not to pretend that they don't exist."
"But she said she wanted to be alone!" was the protest. Enrique frowned and picked up a baked bun, slicing it open and pouring some sauce in it. He was just about to take a bite when Carly snatched the bun straight out of his hand.
"What is your problem Carly????" Enrique cried, "I'm hungry."
Emerald eyes glared at him, offering no room for argument, "Go find Aquana, you silly boy. Then you can have supper – surely you're not going to leave her all by herself for the entire night?" Carly smirked at him and took a big bite out of the bun.
"That was mine!" Enrique scowled when he heard Michael's suppressed laughter and stomped from the table, muttering about how impossible the princess was.
"What an idiot," Carly said, shaking her head, before shoving the rest of the bun into her mouth, ignoring the amazed look on Tala's face, "You'd think that he'd grow some sense by now…"
Aquana wandered miserably outside the gardens, staring blankly into space, the words of the Nonda'Kanoste still ringing in her ears.
"Only a week left until the next Dark Moon, Aquana of Lanthir. Time has already past after the Half Moon; the Dark Moon looms closer with each passing day. So I leave you with that thought to haunt you – like Lanthir's destruction will haunt you for the rest of your miserable life."
"One week…" Aquana whispered in a choked voice, "One week until the Dark Moon…not again! I'm not ready…" She sat down quietly by the lake, close to the peacefulness of the water, Maybe I should leave…so that I won't hurt anyone…no one knows – yet. I hate to think what they would do to me if they knew the truth, especially Enrique…he'd never look at me again and Carly would be so disappointed…I just can't bring myself to tell them!//
She dipped her hand in the water, letting the liquid flow through her fingers, Sometimes I wish that the water would swallow me up…drown me…but I have an incentive to keep living, I have to make Daeloth pay for all he has cursed me with!// She sighed and painfully pushed up her sleeve…past her wrist…past her elbow…
"Aquana?"
Aquana gasped and yanked her right sleeve back down in a hurry, whirling around, "Enrique!"
"Sorry to sneak up on you like that," Enrique said with an embarrassed smile, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Aquana said shortly, giving her sleeve an extra, self-conscious tug downwards, "I thought I told you that I wanted to be alone."
"I know – sorry," Enrique said with another bashful smile, "But…what are you doing anyways?"
"Thinking," Aquana replied.
"About?"
"Nothing."
"About what the Nonda'Kanoste mentioned about the Dark Moon?"
Aquana let out a small gasp and frowned at Enrique, "What makes you think that?"
"Because you turned deathly pale when he mentioned it," Enrique remarked, "And he wouldn't say it for no reason. Is there something about the Dark –"
"I don't want to talk about it Enrique!" Aquana snapped harshly.
Enrique sweatdropped, "All right then, I'm just concerned, that's all.
"Well, it's my business; I'll take care of it!" Aquana retorted.
"Fine fine," Enrique said, holding his hands up in surrender and sitting down beside her, "It might be easier if you talked about it. I always find it easier after I let it out."
Aquana didn't reply, her mouth was set in a firm line; her mind was screaming at her to not let her guard down but her heart was telling her otherwise. It was so much harder when he was being so nice; it made her feel twice as guilty.
"What was Lanthir like?" Enrique asked suddenly, staring out at the crystal clear pond and tossing random rocks into the pool of water.
Startled, Aquana looked at him carefully, but he didn't seem to be after anything – just a casual conversation starter. "Uh…it was nice…lots of waterfalls and houses were built near streams and such."
"I bet you miss it, don't you?"
"Well…I guess," Aquana said, "It doesn't make any difference to me, it's gone now and there's nothing I can do about it. All that's left of Lanthir are its ruins and everyone's dead." She clenched her fists tightly, tears welling in her crystal blue eyes.
"Don't cry," Enrique said, gently placing his hand under her chin and turning her head to face him, "There was nothing you could've done."
If only you knew! Aquana thought desperately, her heart fluttering wildly when she felt Enrique softly brush her tears away with his finger, "Enrique…" She wanted to melt into a puddle at his soft gaze, but she couldn't – she had to stay far away from him, it would be so easy for him to find out if she let him get close. She still wasn't exactly certain how she felt about Enrique, but the closer he seemed to get, the more she felt like surrendering her emotions for him.
"I'm sorry that everything reminds you of your hometown," Enrique said softly, "It must've been really hard for you – but don't worry, the Nonda'Kanoste won't get away with it, we'll kill him and avenge everything he's done."
"You're WHAT?" Carly demanded later in the dining room after everyone had finished their dinner, her emerald eyes going wide, "You're LEAVING?"
"I'm going with Tala," Flora said uncomfortably, "And Carly – keep it down please! You'll wake people in the next town with the volume of your voice."
Carly shot Tala a glare, "But I don't WANT you to go with him! Why the hell do you need her to come with you anyways?"
Tala raised his eyebrow, "I didn't ask her to – she merely suggested that she would like to and I had no objections. With no disrespect princess, it's only for a few days."
"But I NEED you here," Carly protested to Flora, "What if we have another attack? I'm not ready to fight yet – it's not fair for you to leave all of a sudden like this!"
"You have Enrique, Aquana and Michael," Flora said simply, "It's only for a few days Carly."
"Yes," Tala added, "I hope you won't mind if I let Michael stay here, he won't be much use where I'm going."
"Of course I don't mind if Michael stays here," Carly said dismissively, "He's welcome to stay as long as he wants, fine – whatever – it's not my place to stop you. Do as you please." She crossed her arms and sulked with a deep scowl.
"Honestly Carly, it's only for a few days," Flora assured again.
"I know! I'm not deaf – I heard you the first time!" Carly snapped, turning her back to her, "Like I said, do what you want!"
"Is something wrong?" Enrique asked, entering the room with Aquana, "Carly – can't you control your voice? I could hear it all the way outside!"
"So what?" Carly demanded, "At least I'll never have to repeat myself twice. I'll tell you what's wrong, Flora's leaving for a few days with Tala!"
"Carly!" Flora begged, "Don't be so angry – Enrique and Aquana will still be with you here, I'll be back as soon as Tala's done."
"Actually…" Aquana said, very reluctantly as if she hated being the bringer of bad news, "I'm riding off to Lanthir first thing tomorrow morning."
"I don't believe this!" Carly cried, "Not you too! What's wrong with you guys???"
"Sit down princess, please," Michael said in a low voice, "You're not well yet."
"I'm so sorry Carly," Aquana said helplessly, "But I really want to go back to Lanthir, even though there's nothing left, I need to find answers."
"You guys are going to leave me here by myself??" Carly demanded, "Next thing I know, Michael's going to tell me that he's going to go and visit his long-lost hometown!"
"No no, I won't," Michael assured her, shaking his head.
"I promise you I will come back as soon as possible," Aquana said, bowing her head, "Very soon. You will still have Enrique and Michael with you."
"No way," Carly said, "Enrique's going with you, then I will be nag free, it'll just be me and Michael –" She stopped abruptly, a small glimmer of wonder overtaking her emerald eyes, "Just me…" She sat back down, staring into a space for a few seconds, With Enrique gone, I'd be free to attack and do whatever I want…and have I got a list of things I want to do…this might actually be a good thing…I'd be able to try and figure out some things…
"I don't nag," Enrique said crossly, interrupting her stream of thoughts.
"Sure, whatever," Carly said with a smirk, "Try to come back in one piece okay? I'll just be here, around, you know, minding my own business…resting…"
Enrique eyed the princess with a dubious look, "You had better not do anything reckless! You better STAY in one piece!"
"Don't I always?" Carly asked innocently, smiling angelically. "Don't worry Enrique – I'll be perfectly fine! I mean – Michael will be with me, what can go wrong?"
"Plenty." Enrique muttered, shooting Michael a glare of despise.
"But before you go Enrique," Carly said seriously, "I have a question that's been bothering me. When I decided to change my emblem the other day, you and Flora went completely crazy, what's up with that?" She paused and looked at him with piercingly emerald eyes, "Does it have anything to do with Kane?"
"Kane?!" Flora gasped shrilly.
Enrique silenced her with a glare, "Carly – I don't know what you're talking about. Forgive me, I was in a bad mood that day, and I don't know who Kane is or how in the name of Ithildin you suddenly thought of mentioning him."
"The dragon on my emblem is called Anglachel, I'm sure of it," Carly said steadily, noting how Enrique became paler with each word she spoke, "When I saw it – I felt some sort of connection with it. I just wanted to ask you if you know anything about Anglachel or Kane."
"I don't know anything!" Enrique snapped, "I've never seen a dragon before in my life and I've never heard of anyone named Kane!"
Carly frowned, protesting, "But he seems so-"
"That's enough!" Enrique ordered, "You're thinking absolute nonsense! You've got Ithildin and the Nonda'Kanoste to worry about – you have no time to be playing little mind games with me. You asked me – I said no, now will you take my answer for satisfaction and be done with it?"
Carly bit her lip to keep from retorting more anger, but he was right – now definitely wasn't the time for discontent between them. "Fine Enrique – but you remember anything, let me know."
"There is nothing worth remembering."
Carly's patience was surly taking a biting and she couldn't control her temper anymore, "Why must you do this every time???"
"Do WHAT?" Enrique retorted.
"I ask a few simple little things and you totally blow up in my face!" Carly responded, her voice tight with anger, "Just what are you so upset about anyways? Am I not allowed to ask questions??? If I knew the answers, I wouldn't bother asking you!"
Enrique rounded on her, the same sort of fury written all over his face, shaking his head and smiling tightly, "Sure – go ahead, ask away. But I don't know why you're wasting your time asking me stupid questions when you should be asking Michael over there some more important things! Like how he knows the powers of the Imperium Gem!"
Michael blanched, stumbling backwards with a worried look on his face, his navy eyes gazing hard at the carpeted floor.
"Don't you pull Michael into this," Carly warned.
"Just because you're blinded by him –"
"You dare call me blind, Enrique Giancarlo!"
"Doesn't he make you the least bit suspicious –"
"YOU make me suspicious!"
Michael sank down lower in his chair until he was almost entirely hidden by the table, moaning in despair – the last thing he wanted (and needed) was an argument between Carly and Enrique because of him. Tala rolled his eyes and said nothing, seeming to be curious as to how this entire fiasco would play out.
"That's enough!" Enrique finally yelled, banging his hand on the table loudly, "I don't want to argue with you anymore! Let's just leave it at here! I'll go for a few days and leave you in peace, maybe we'll be on better terms when I get back!"
Johnny growled in pain, flicking a drop of blood away from his cheek, his amethyst eyes burning in rage. "These stupid wounds burn like hell…" He ripped the fragments of his torn cape off and then a section of his sleeve, dropping his armor spitefully on the ground. The blood had stained most of his clothes and was turning now into an ugly, purplish color. "Curse hell…" Johnny muttered, ripping a piece of his sleeve to wound around his deep cut in his arm.
He laid down and closed his eyes, "Stupid dream keeps me awake…stupid Imperium Gem…I'm gonna kill you Tariena…" But Johnny knew he was just kidding himself, these wounds would ground him for a while, but once he was healed, someone was going to pay dearly. His lilac eyes fell on the bubbling dark green potion that Daeloth had left on the windowsill, "Looks disgusting…but he said that it would heal me faster and I don't think I can wait for my wounds to heal themselves, have to attack while they're still weak."
Reaching out, Johnny uncorked the cap of the potion, sniffing its musky scent dubiously, "Something that smells and looks so bad must do the trick. Oh well, here goes." He lifted the vial to his lips and dumped the contents down his throat. The effect was almost instantaneous, the glass vial slipped from his hand and smashed into tiny, glittering fragments on the stone ground. Johnny turned over on his knees, hitting his hands against the hard floor while breathing heavily, his face trickling with sweat. The burning pain in his wounds intensified greatly as he literally felt as if his wounds were being forcefully closed and sewn together with a fiery needle. His whole body seemed to erupt into magnifying pain, as if hundreds of daggers were being stabbed at him simultaneously.
"Nothing…comes…without…pain…huh?" Johnny whispered with a weak smirk, groaning and willing himself not to feel the boiling pain which continued for another few minutes that seemed like eternity.
Throwing himself against the wall and taking a few seconds to catch his breath, he looks dizzily out the window with an exhausted grin, "Hey – at least it worked." The wounds that were pouring out blood a few minutes ago were now closed and absolutely painless for the price of minutes of severe pain.
"Not bad knight," Daeloth drawled.
"Not bad for what?" Johnny spat, wiping his mouth free of the liquid and sitting back against the wall in a comfortable position.
"For taking the potion, I didn't think you'd use it correctly."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Johnny demanded, kicking his legs out and carelessly hitting what was left of the broken glass vial, rolling the chipped object down the winding staircase with a small tinkle with each stair drop.
"Most people can't stand the pain – you'll understand soon, pain is a very useful and persuasive weapon," Daeloth explained slyly, "Most people fall unconscious in less than thirty seconds and the potion is rendered unless. I must say that I'm quite surprised that you lasted the whole length of time without collapsing, not too many people could've done that."
"You were testing me," Johnny said flatly, looking extremely displeased.
"In a way knight," Daeloth said softly, lovingly stroking the head of his cobra, "But it healed you all the same, did it not? Remember, pain is a very effective weapon – only with pain will there come obedience."
Johnny looked unruffled as Daeloth glided away, flexing his muscular arms to get some life into the sore limbs, oh, someone was going to pay all right – and she was going to pay with blood.
"It's a three day ride from here," Aquana warned Enrique the next morning, "That is if we ride fast and I'm not going to slow down."
"Are you trying to discourage me from coming?" Enrique asked with an amused gleam in his eyes.
"Why would I do that?" Aquana retorted. She was secretly glad he had offered to come, the thought of going back to her ruined home frightened her for some reason and she couldn't deny the attraction between them either. "I'm just telling you it's going to be a long ride and that if you want to turn back, now's your chance."
"Turn back?" Enrique laughed, "I don't think so – ride your fastest, I'll keep up. I need some time away from Carly, she's driving me absolutely nuts."
"Well, are you keeping something from her?" Aquana asked sharply.
"Not you too," Enrique protested, "I'm coming with you to get away from all that! No, I'm not keeping anything from her – nothing that she needs to know anyways. It's all irrelevant, she keeps on asking about the past when there's absolutely nothing worth telling." He swung on his horse and galloped away.
"H-hey," Aquana protested, quickly leaping on hers and tugging the reins, "Enrique – you idiot! Slow down, you're going to wear yourself out!!!! And you don't even know the way!!!!"
Three days later, Enrique and Aquana rode into the territory of Lanthir and led their horses into the ruined kingdom. Enrique's eyes followed the mess warily as if something was forbidden was going to leap out at them any second. Houses were completely flattened and the pieces left standing seemed liable to collapse at any moment. Chunks of broken wood were scattered through the land - the bridges and docks had seemed to burst into scrap wood. Neither of them could deny the lifeless silence and stillness of the ruined kingdom that hung suspended in midair with the stench of the rotting dead.
Enrique leaped lightly off his horse, tying the nervous animal to a nearby fallen tree, "There there – it's okay, I'm just going to have a look around." His quick hazel eyes scanned the territory again, "How – in the name of Ithildin – did this happen?"
"The Nonda'Kanoste attacked Lanthir one night with his army of Gurtha," Aquana whispered, swallowing hard, "And destroyed everything and everyone."
"On the night of the Dark Moon," Enrique supplied, looking at her carefully.
Aquana flinched and kept her eyes firmly away from his gaze, "That's right."
Enrique walked around on the soggy ground, circling a few piles of rubble before noticing something bizarre. "The land is still damp," Enrique noted, looking puzzled, "Still damp? But why would it be damp in the first place? The weather is clear and has been for the past few days. In fact – the wood is rotting!" He bent down and turned over the chunk of wood in his hands, "It's wet too – the wood's rotting, the water's eating it away…that's mighty strange…"
"R-rotting?" Aquana asked weakly, her breaths coming out in sharp gasps as if she realized that she shouldn't have allowed him to come.
"Yes – rotting, I'm sure of it," Enrique said firmly, "As a matter of fact, these houses and all the wood pieces, they're all rotting. There's something very strange going on here – I saw the Nonda'Kanoste's attacks enough times to understand the nature of his power. The things he attacked are blown into useless pieces, but they don't rot – and they're definitely not wet. It's almost as if…"
"As if what?" Aquana demanded, her heart racing furiously, her cerulean eyes urgent with panic, "As if what Enrique? Tell me!!!"
"As crazy as it sounds…it's almost as if a giant wave had covered the whole kingdom, like a gigantic flood of some sort…"
Aquana blanched, her face turning chalk white, "T-that's impossible!!!"
Enrique looked at her strangely, "What do you mean it's impossible? I can't think of any other explanation for this, there's no way that the Nonda'Kanoste attacks with fire and the land would be wet."
"Maybe there was rainfall a few days ago!"
"No, the skies are clear," Enrique said thoughtfully, "Are you sure there wasn't something else besides the Nonda'Kanoste –"
"I was there Enrique!" Aquana practically screamed, "Don't you think I would've seen a thing as big as a flood??? Huh???? Lanthir is situated near a waterfall! The water is calm and we haven't had heavy rain since last winter! What could cause a flood?? Nothing! Absolutely nothing!!!!"
"Okay okay," Enrique said, backing away nervously, holding out his hands in a stopping gesture, "Don't get so emotional – I believe you, honest, I was just contemplating, that's all."
Aquana sighed and wiped her forehead, "Oh, I feel faint - I need to sit down." She dropped down on the driest log nearby and closed her eyes wearily, supporting her head with her hands.
Enrique worriedly sat down beside her, putting a gentle hand on her arm, "Are you okay? I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you."
"It's not you Enrique," Aquana assured him, trying to keep the pain from her voice. She hated lying to people, but she couldn't let him know either, and it was twice as hard because he was so warm and caring about it too. But the truth was too horrible to tell, he might even kill her after he found out and she couldn't take that chance.
"Aquana," Enrique said sternly, grasping both of her hands in his gently and looking deep into her eyes, "If something's bothering you, let's talk about it. That's what I'm here for – it's not good to keep things all to yourself. I know you're probably hurting a lot after what happened to Lanthir, but don't worry, we'll make the Nonda'Kanoste pay for what he did."
Aquana looked away, feeling the twinge of pain stabbing her heart, "I can't tell him – he'd never understand. He'll never look at me the same way again – no one ever does. It's not my fault! Why does it have to be me? Why??!!! No, I can't tell him, I won't, he'll never have to know. I understand his temper well enough now, he'd never forgive me." She forced what she hoped was a reassuring smile, "Don't worry about it Enrique – I'm fine, just still a bit shaken up by the Imperium Gem incident. It's nothing at all."
"Why don't you show me where you used to live then?" Enrique suggested, "I still want to get to the bottom of this whole kingdom collapsing business – it just seems too bizarre – something just doesn't seem right. Come on, don't look so glum – you're so pretty when you smile." He gently slipped his hand around hers, entwining their fingers with a soft look in his eyes.
Aquana blushed, feeling the pure warmness of his touch flooding throughout her body and made no motion towards objection, "Okay, follow me then."
Enrique's eyes flickered around the ruined kingdom warily as Aquana led him down near the waterfall, not letting go of her hand or making anymore comments. However, the more he observed, the more puzzling it was. It didn't seem like the Nonda'Kanoste's type of domination – nothing was burned with his black fire, moreover, the kingdom seemed as if it was "washed out" – literally.
"If the Nonda'Kanoste was here, he would've burned everything in sight…he would've attacked and killed people. There should be the stench of blood…but I don't see much blood – the people who are dead seemed to have died from buildings collapsing on them…this is so strange. I don't know why – when he's the only person who could've done something like this – but I'm almost positive that this wasn't the Nonda'Kanoste's doing. It seems like a flood…a bad flood…but Aquana insisted that it was the Nonda'Kanoste…but he doesn't have this kind of aquamarine power. He has immense fire power, but not water power, so it couldn't have been him. But why would Aquana lie about such a thing – argh, it just make NO sense at all! And where are all the people? I know that building's collapsed on them and there are some corpses, but there should've been way more dead bodies – it has only been a short while since Lanthir's collapse, decomposition couldn't have occurred so fast," Enrique racked his brain for an answer that made sense, but none did.
"Enrique?" Aquana gently touched his shoulder, "Are you okay?"
"Fine," Enrique replied automatically, "Just thinking about something."
Aquana pointed to the spot where her house used to stand, "My house was there." There was nothing left except for the pile of rubble that was so neatly stacked with broken pieces of wood. Enrique didn't even need to touch the wood; he knew it would be damp.
Enrique bent down beside the pile of ruin to look at the single pink flower that was blooming nearby, "It's amazing how anything can grow in such a place. Look at this Aquana." He smiled when she also knelt beside him to gently touch the soft petals of the flower. "It's a token of hope; we'll be able to restore Lanthir to its former glory."
Aquana smiled as well, her eyes sparkling while blushing, "Thanks Enrique – I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Do you really miss your family and friends?" Enrique asked, gently brushing stray strands of her golden hair out of her eyes.
"My parents were killed by Daeloth when I was very young," Aquana replied, "I don't remember that too well, but I have no other family or friends. I…uh…stayed with some friends of my mom's until this happened – I didn't make much effort to make friends so it doesn't really matter to me."
Enrique suddenly stood up, puzzlement and caution flickering in his hazel eyes.
"What's wrong Enrique?" Aquana asked anxiously, looking at his face. "Is something out of place?"
"There's smoke over there," Enrique replied, pointing to the faint stream of gray smoke rising up in the air a short distance away, "It wasn't there before."
"But…" Aquana said slowly, "That would mean that there's someone here."
"Exactly."
"But how," Aquana whispered, "I thought everyone had died."
"There's only one way to find out," Enrique said, starting to walk briskly towards the smoke, "We go and check it out – but I suggest, weapons ready, you never know what could be lurking around here."
"What in the world is going on???" Aquana demanded when they reached the fire and saw no one, "There's no one here!"
"But there was," Enrique reminded her with a frown, "The fire did not start by itself – maybe that person heard us coming and decided to hide. If so, he or she could still be nearby, we should search."
"Okay, I'll go left and you can search –" Aquana stopped short when she heard the rustling of bushes behind her and whirled around, her halberd ready for battle. "Who's over there??!! Come out right now – otherwise, don't blame me if I get nasty!"
The rustling continued for another few seconds before a hoarse voice exclaimed in disbelief, "Aquana?"
Aquana relaxed a tiny bit, but she still didn't lower her weapon, "Who's there?"
From the bushes emerged a young man with dazzling green eyes and a look of astonishment on his face; he looked about the same age as Enrique. His clothes were badly torn and there were various cuts and bruises visible on him, "Aquana? You're alive?"
Aquana slowly lowered her weapon, the same shock reflecting her turquoise eyes, "I don't…believe it…"
Enrique was thoroughly puzzled but he figured that they must've known each other judging from the looks on their faces. He was just about to open his mouth to ask a question when he saw something that was even more shocking than Aquana and the young man had looked.
The man had just walked up to Aquana, embraced her tightly, and then kissed her passionately on the lips – right in front of Enrique! The blond knight was so stunned that he could've sworn he has stopped breathing for that duration of time. "What the hell is going on here?"
Enrique growled, stabbing his sword on the ground angrily, he had no patience for this kind of thing, "Hello?? Can you two stop kissing long enough to tell me what the hell is going on???"
Hearing Enrique's voice knocked Aquana back into reality, she pulled away, her face flushed and deliberately not meeting Enrique's eyes, "Enrique – it's not what it seems, I –"
"Oh really?" Enrique said sarcastically, "Save it Aquana – who is he?"
Glaring at Enrique slightly with his piercing green eyes, the newcomer crossed his arms in an elegant fashion, "Maybe the question should be 'who are you?' But if it pleases you to know, my name's Tristan Falmar III and I'm Aquana's fiancé."
little mel: I'm glad you like it! I always like new reviewers laughz You'll see about Aquana if you stick around, evil little secret! XD
Silver Eyez: Yeah, I really should read it, but I've got so much to do! wails Glad you like Aquana, lots of people do actually, it's strange. OO sweatdrop Heh…took a little too long updating this time…
Mika: Thanks for reviewing, glad you like my fic! I'll keep updating, just a little slowness lately!
The Great Kuro Neko: Kane…will take his time appearing…I need to set him up – and boy, does he need a lot of setting up. XD Tala…needs Michael for various reasons – Imperium Gem reasons. :P
Talagirl: Thanks! Updating…starts typing next chapter
Elemental Water Mistress: Carly's kind of unstable sometimes, she has a reckless temper. I must find more ways to make Aquana interesting… XD
Merodi: Thanks!
Magical Soul: Whoa…that's one long review, glompz I LOVE reading love reviews. XD pushes away Fantasy Dreams Ack, don't read that one, I don't really think it's that good. Enrique's losing it…hahaha…I must twist it all up and confuse you some more! Flora's really getting on MY nerves - errr…bash William? Okay, maybe I should rephrase that – someone else other than Carly will have a go at him, I'm not sure about all the pride broken stuff you want him to suffer from, but I think the ending result will be satisfactory.
StarBlizzard: Tala's evil! XD Face it! Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh – so many questions!! Stop! Stop! faints
Silver Swiftness: Hai, I don't like many of the main characters in the show, the minor characters are cooler! .
kai-cutie-angel: It's so strange how many people tell me to update Fantasy Dreams in their reviews here. OO I love magic!
Saffron: XD – Yup, lots of Michael! Actually, he didn't really do magic…but argh – it'll be explained soon enough! Enrique's boiling over Oo – he's going to get a heart attack at this rate!
Sae: It's summer and I still don't have time! throws up hands I'll never had enough time! I'm Michael obsessed lately – he's too cute to be a big brother. Glad you like the fight scenes, I can't write those well though…it's too hard to describe action. Glad you like Aquana now – Flora's annoying the hell outta me to tell you the truth. XD
Mariam Hiwatari: random glompz Thanks! And you're awesome and RP-ing! XD
UniGirl: You'll scream me now - it's been nearly 3 months! Michael just listens to Tala…at time anyways…you'll see soon enough. :P
Signourney: Glad I can make you Michael-obsessed, it's my job after all! It's getting difficult for me to write, I keep thinking Michael/Carly not Johnny/Carly.