I never thought I would get this far! Well, I admit that I may have crossed the line in this chapter with someone (leirbag10). But I hope he/she understands. Now! Enjoy this hard-worked suspense-having chapter! leave stage

TTO: Is he finally gone?

Aisler: Yeah...

TTO: I thought he would never go...

Me: I thought you wouldn't show your face... Kiomi, please do the honors this time!

Kiomi:Disclaimer: This is my first disclaimer... YEAH! Now, you all know that Mediciner owns Stricken, and that he will be in love with Anerkey's Rayne (sooner or later). The young and french speaking Viktor is of COGA. The guy that's trying to save TTO from thew beating of his life is owned by the author of the story (two thumbs up!). Zeph is owned by ther misterious reviewer, leirbag10. And I'm from SsAnImE. Now that was a different disclaimer.

Strike: More than a loss...

Hey I came here on a journey to get Myrrh... not to take care of a bunch of toddlers. Ztal was about to spray me but I managed to stop him.

Flashback
"Do it and you won't live to return to your town" I admonished him.

"... I wasn't going to" said Ztal hiding the can and looking to his right. Then he shouted:"NOW"

Kiomi sprayed me of red and Rayne of green... they had it planned... I was going to kill them, but first I went to the sea to take out the colors. I got them out and got my vengeance.

End of flashback

We continued our path to Tipa. We didn't have a caravan... again! What's wrong with this winged vreatures? Just because they can fly they don't need a caravan... what about US!?!? Sorry, got carried away a little bit there. So we continued the path as I have said around three times. And we could decide to go either to Tipa or get a drop of myrrh from River Belle Path. It was obvbious that we were going to River Belle Path, but we had to camp. It was late. And we needed our sleep. I heard that the monsters in this continent are more stronger than in ours. But that's only what I heard. This time we came more prepared with camping tents. That night, the moon was behind the clouds. I could barely see. But I was going to sleep so I didn't care. I went into the tent and with my staff in hand closed my eyes... but couldn't sleep because Zeph talked to me.

"What do you have there on your back?" he asked, and I didn't know what he was talking about.

I took my coat off, besides it was hot. Then I saw a crystal shaped like an orb. Yet it was still a myrrh crystal. I put it in the coat's pocket and returned to my sleep. Zeph kept talking but I put him on mute in my mind. Those are a good things of being a Black Mage, complete control of the mind... or is the mind having complete control of the life... who knows... I got some shut-eye after the question.

The wind was blowing fiercefully. I was outside and everything was spinning really fast. I fell to the floor, completely nauseated. After throwing up I heard someone calling Nanta. It was a weak voice but I could understand clearly (with all the confusion around me). It came from some woods. I went near it and everytime the voice grew louder. I look behindmeto see if the tents were there, but it was pitch black. 'Is there anyone around here' I asked hoping that the orbs would lit up. I was all alone again. I kept going towards the forest. When I got real close to it I saw some eyes. They had a thirst of vengeance. Who was that? Why did it call for Nanta? Questions kept popping out of my mind but I was interrupted by an attack of the man that appeared from the bushes. He missed me by an inch. He came back attacking and yelling "You know where Nanta is!". This time he hit me in the stomach. I landed on the floor with my knees... the punchy took away my breath.

"Tell me where she is" said the man raising me by the hair.

"I... don't know" I struggled to say. He then smacked my face. I was cut.

"Tell me where she is, unless you want to die" he said holding a weapon that I couldn't see well.

"I told you that I don't know!" I said,being slammed to the floor afterwards.

"Fine! You chose your destiny... Now say goodbye" said the man.

I tried to contrlo his weapon with my magic. But I couldn't. I was too tired to do so. I prepared for my death. I never thought I would have been killed that way. I heard two blades. I opened my eyes and Zeph was there. The unknown man made a feint to attack me again, and he used that to attack Zeph, since he had moved his spear to defend me. He had both of his arms up and the attacker sliced Zeph with a horizontal attack. Zeph reamined still for a moment. then he fell to the floor. The man grabbed him by his wings and drops of blood were falling. "If you want to save him go to River Belle" said the man leaving with Zeph. I looked to the spot where Zeph had fallen it was completely soaked with blood. I stood from the floor when a strong breeze came and made him fall.

I woke up all covered by sweat. I was outside and it was morning. I tried to stand up and my stomach hurt. Some things from the dream seemed true. I looked at the ground where Zeph was. There was no blood stain. I then went to the tent... Zeph wasn't there. I decided to go and look for him on my own. I took my jacket... but then I remembered I needed a myrrh crystal to go on. I put my hand inside its pocket... just to remember that I had a crystal there. I held the crystal and put my hand out of the protection of the chalice. I noticed how my hand was surrounded by the essence of myrrh. I looked for my staff and went to River Belle Path.

I saw a road of dried blood. The stones around the path also had blood. To make things creepier, there were no monsters. It's as if the "dream guy" had killed them. I didn't really know if Zeph would be in Ribver Belle... I just followed my instincts. I finally encountered a fiend. It was a Goblin Leader. I had no time to waste. I grabbed my staff and send the Goblin flying. I stopped the meditation and the Goblin fell hard to the floor, making him die at the moment of contact. I decided to go faster. If the blood was from who I thought it was then I had to arrive just in time to save him. I got to the bridge. It wasn't broken as I once I heard. I hurried and got to a moogle's house.

"Kupo! Watch out! There's a maniac over there!" said the moogle pointing at a small path next to the tight of the river.

"Thank you" I said, not remembering the last time I had said those two words.

"Are you insane!? He carried a dead Lilty!!!! He'll do the same with you!" screamed the moogle.

I ignored him. The thought that Zeph would let go of his life like that couldn't enter my mind.

'I have to save you, Zeph. I can't let you die here, River Belle won't be your grave' I thought as I went to the passage.

I arrived at a waterfall and saw a giant crab dying slowly. I couldn't help but kill him fastly. at least it would stop his pain.

"Thank you for that. The beast tried to keep me shocked with his last breaths, but you broke the spell" said the guy from the dream at the shore of the lagoon. "You know you just liberated your death, not mentioning to witness your friend's".

He raised Zeph and threw him to the floor. He was completely soaked up in blood. I lost concentration there, and I had to pay the price. The man hit me once again, butthis time at the ribs. I felt a crack, but stood up. It hurt really bad. I leaned of my staff. I tried to focus once again, but the pain blocked my easeness to control my power. The guy landed a left hook to my ribs. I guessed his plan was to finish me slowly... I wasn't going to go down that easily. I felt some energy running through my veins. The orb it was shining. I then noticed that the guy had an awesome agility. I stopped his punch. The guy seemed shocked when I did that. I held my staff fiercefully. It was color red. I could manage to creat a giant ball of darkness. I threw it at him. It blasted him towards the waterfall. I casted flare just to be sure that nothing would go wrong. The water evaporated and there were no signs of life there. I went towards Zeph. He was still breathing. I covered his wound with my coat. It was a deep one. Then Zeph woke up from his unconsciousness.

"Strike" he managed to mumble. "Am I going to..."

"No, you're going to be fine. Nothing has happened" I said... I was about to cry.

"I know what's going to happen. I accept the truth" he said with some coughs in the way. "You know, I was raised by Yukes..."

"Yeah... you're a smart one" I told him.

"I... I want you to tell the others good-bye. That I would have like to return to Awrya... but that my family needed me" I nodded while he spoke. "And Strike. I'll be watching over you... and take this" he said handing me the Daeva's Chain Bracelet.

"Zeph! Don't dare to fade!" I yelled at him. But had silence for an answer. He was out. He had no pulse no more. I hugged him and cried. It was the first time that I cried because of someone...

Hours had gone by... and I gave Zeph a porr bury. He had no death wishes except the one of telling the others... Why did he have to go!? He was good. Different! He could control light... not many people do that. I then felt a sting on my arm, and I looked at the crystal. It was losing myrrh protection. I stayed there. I wasn't going to run away. I would let the death approach me.

I had lost complete protection of miasma. I closed my eyes and began to lose consciousness when I heard some voices say:"Look! There he is! Hurry!"

Nanta: It can't be

Oh my goodness! I knew that we would have found him where the blast of light appeared! But... I never thought things would go like this...

Flashback

"Has anyone seen Strike?" I asked.

"You sure do seem interested of his whereabouts... do you like him by the way?" asked Rayne in a teasing way.

"Oh come on... Well... he's kind'a cute, but that's not what I'm wondering about. I just feel like something's wrong..." I tolde Rayne. She just laughed. She thought that I was in love with Strike, which isn't true by the way.

"I've been looking for Zeph like about half an hour and his not around" Kiomi told us, alarmed.

"Zeph isn't here?!? Neither is Strike!" Viktor yelled from outside our tent (he had learned the valuable lesson).

"Now let's stay calmed people" said Ztal while he walked outside. "What the heck is this!?!?"

We all ran where Ztal was. There was a giant bloodstain.

"You don't think that..." said Kiomi, then she gasped.

"No, Stricken wouldn't kill Zeph... if that's what you're thinking. But something weird did happen here" Rayne answered Kiomi's worries... giving her others.

'I have to save you, Zeph. I can't let you die here, River Belle won't be your grave' I heard Stike's voice in my mind.'

A sudden silent surrounded us. We all looked at each other. Withou saying a word we packed up everything and made haste (literally) towards River Belle Path.

End of Flashback

We had arrived just in time. Few more seconds and Strike would pass away. But, what I couldn't believe was that... Zeph...now was... gone. He didn't deserve to die so soon. He was so small. But he may be happier up there. With his family. I felt a swift breeze while a tear fellfrom my cheek. I looked at Strike. Then I saw a yellow light enter the chain hanging from his fists. It was Zeph... his spirit would stay with us. But mostly with Strike.

"No! You won't do that to Nanta you imbecile!" started to scream Strike.

"Calm down Strike. I'm here. Relax... tell us what's going on" said Rayne holding his hand.

"No... no... You won't take Nanta away from us. I won't let you! What's that all about vengeance!?!? I beth she doesn't even know you! WHAT!?!?! No! You're lying! You can't be her brother! You... you're dead..." Strike yelled. It all seemed like a nonsense... but then he started to combulse.

"We have to go to Tipa! NOW!" yelled Kiomi.

Ztal was trying to catch a drop of myrrh, next to the waterfall.

"Come on..." whispered Ztal impatiently crossing his arms and tapping his feet on the floor. "Hurry up..."

"Umm... Ztal, chill" said Viktor.

"What do you want me to chill about!?!? One of our friends is dying. The other one is dead. You know, it doesn't feel good!" answered the dragoon a little bitt harsh.

"You're not the only one Ztal, we too have the same problem" Viktor tried to make him uderstand.

"But I was the one supposed to bring everyone alive! If something had to happen it must have happened to me! Not to an innocent Lilty... NOW FALL YOU STINKING DROP!" Ztal answered, but he sure wasn't himself.

"Sorry, to interrupt... I heard what you were saying... want to join your friend?" asked a man with ripped and soaked clothes. He had an evil grin on his face, not mentioning an evil look. Viktor held his gun and place it on the man's forehead.

"Don't move or else!" Viktor admonished him. The guy spit him on the face. Then a loud bang was heard. The man dodged it.

"You can't be" I said starting to control my powers of nature.

Kiomi: I love this job. No one is going to take it away from me...

Me: And I dare you to say that again! You hear TTO?

TTO: nods since his mouth is covered by duck tape

Ztal: Sorry Kio, this is my job...

Kiomi: Well it's mine now, deal with it.... Keep READING! See y'all!

Cheers! .