Chapter Four: Cruising to Nota
As soon as they had stepped out of the forest, Ruby leapt into the sky, darting and weaving like a child would swim in water.
"Yeah! Open air! I was soooo sick of the dark, gloomy, closed in, icky, yucky forest."
"We get the idea Ruby..." Nall chimed in as Keo and Tranquil both left the forest at the same time, frowning. It was later than Keo had thought, and Tranquil must have noticed too. It was about time for lunch already. But there was something else, a light haze went across the sky. One that, before he had traveled to the Blue Star, he would have never seen.
What are you going to try to find a fight in every place you go? There aren't any monsters here, so lighten up and enjoy the day!
Keo's inner voice usually cheered him up, and it was no exception today, but he would still be weary. Walking toward Nall, he asked the question eating at him long before actually getting to the White Dragon.
"So where is Ronfar at, anyway?"
"Currently he is in the City of Nota, having another healer treat his wounds. Which were considerable."
Tranquil started, turning to face Nall, as Ruby hovered back down to meet them. The four were walking casually out into the meadow surrounding the Starlight Forest.
"Nota? That is quite the walk from here, you must be wanting to see him when he is old and withered, neh?"
Grinning, Nall just kept walking, as all three of the others face locked onto his, wondering why he looked so smug.
Nall stopped, and Ruby and Tranquil kept their eyes on him. But once they noticed that Keo was staring ahead, his mouth wide open, both sets of eyes darted to the spot Keo landed his eyes. There standing in the middle of the clearing, was the biggest device Keo had ever seen. It was white, with centipede like legs at the side, and several large tubes protruding from the top. It was slightly shaped like a dragon's head on the front, which almost gave it away.
Keo couldn't help but take a half step back, as smoke came from the... thing. Before Keo could ask if it was what he thought it was, Nall chimed in for him.
"Not when you have the Destiny at your side! Then the trip goes alot faster!"
"Yay! I haven't seen the Dragonship in a looooong time."
Ruby darted toward the ship, as Nall followed suit, calling after her to not touch anything. Keo looked over at Tranquil, who seemed genuinly baffled by the vehical.
The Dragonship Destiny... Leo must have lent it to Nall. Hiro got it from Leo when he was here...
Turning, Keo walked toward the ship, without waiting for Tranquil to catch up. If she wanted the free ride, she would have to hurry up, and quit staring. It only took Keo a minute to reach the ship, as Nall was striding up a ramp. Taking his cue, Keo jogged lightly up the entrance ramp. At the top, he turned to look back at Tranquil, taking in the wonderous view in the same sweeping glance. Tranquil was sprinting toward the Destiny, arms pumping furiously. Wide eyes, Keo hopped back, as she shot up the ramp, and tried to stop at the top. Trying to stop at that speed doesn't work so well, turning into a stumble and a trip. After hopping back to her feet nimbly, Tranquil turned to Keo, and sighed, blushing.
"Do you know where a bathroom is on this thing?"
Shrugging, Keo smiled. He had no clue, and apparently that was enough for Tranquil. She darted off, leaving Keo to watch her stumbling jog across the top deck of the ship. Shaking his head slowly, he turned to walk toward a door in the back, hearing Ruby's voice inside. Bracing both hands on the door frame as the ship lurched to life, he stepped in. Inside was Nall and Ruby, both sitting in front of a statue of the Goddess, talking quietly. Smiling, Keo walked to them, nodding to Nall.
"How long until we reach Nota?"
"Still a good while, it is set to a low speed setting, to make less noise and reduce fuel cost. Leo's idea. A few hours."
"Good, I have time to pray to Althena, and maybe get in a little nap."
Keo shrugged off his pack, and pulled the sheath from his belt, dropping both onto the floor near him. As he bent in front of the statue, in between Ruby and Nall, the two dragons exchanged nervous looks. Keo never saw them, but clasped his hands together and silently began to utter a prayer. Nall and Ruby both turned, crouching behind Keo. After a few minutes, Keo nodded silently to the statue, and sat back. Looking over at Ruby he smiled, a drop of sweat appearing on his forehead. The three of them felt refreshed, as praying to the Goddess always seemed to heal minor wounds. It was the nature of Althena. Ruby flew over and promptly landed on Keo's shoulder, smiling back on him. Yawning, Keo turned toward Nall, as Ruby struggled to keep balanced on his shoulder.
"Well, I didn't sleep too well last night, and I think a nap is in order. Do you have any beds around here?"
"Yeah, down in the lower decks, have a whole room full of them. Ruby are you going to bed too...?"
Nall's question was a little more directed, and Keo sensed the undertones in it immediatly. As he rose, he answered for Ruby.
"Nah, she can stay here with you Nall. But I am going to bed."
As Keo bent and snatched up his pack, and sword, Ruby lifted from his shoulder. Smiling one last time at them both, he set off for the lower level stairs. Descending the stairs, he gave a quick glance around before carrying on. It was another level like the one above, only much bigger. Still the same cold yet warm feeling in the metal, however. A feeling only the Goddess could offer, this was endorsed by Althena for sure. Tossing the pack over his shoulder, Keo set off down a small enclosed hall. After a couple of minutes of walking around, Keo found the sleeping quarters. Jogging in, he tossed his gear onto the floor, and flopped right onto a soft, comfortable bed. Laying on his back, brown eyes stared up at the ceiling, as Keo thought back to his journey so far.
Wow... I haven't laid in a bed in months, forgot how comfortable they are. Must be hard for Hiro not to have all the comforts of here. Lucia must be something special for him to give up so much. Ugh, my body is still sore from the transition.
Keo stretched aching muscles, as his eyes slowly began to close. After another minute of jumbled thoughts, he went into a deep sleep.
He was unarmed, and there was no way he could help them. Again. Before his eyes, he saw his aunt and uncle fall under the blade of the Magic Emperor. Finally he had a name to put with the form. He also saw his mother fall, clutching both hands to her chest. His fathers figure was there too, even though Keo had never met him. The black cloaked figure stood towering over Keo, and his now deceased family. But now, there were more friends to die in front of Keo. First fell Tranquil, the Emperor's blade slashing crimson across her stomach. Next was Ruby and Nall, being destroyed as they stood their ground, attacking the figure. It wasn't really attacking, more like defending. The two dragons had been in front of...
"No... Lucia... Hiro."
In his dream he spoke, but still could not find the strength to move. Watching in horror, he saw Hiro step foreward, sword raised. Keo caught his siblings eyes on him, a look of sadness in those light brown eyes. Then it had passed, Hiro lunged at the Emperor, blade flashing silver. Hiro fell too, without any noticable reason. He just... died. Finally the figure moved toward the Princess of the Blue Star, holding out both hands. As Keo watched in horror, the guardian of the Blue Star fell too. Another victim of the Magic Emperor's power. Slowly, almost frozen in time, the "man" turned, locking eyes on Keo. No, it wasn't on Keo. The figures gaze was near him, but not on him. Turning, Keo saw the form of a young woman near him, not ten feet away. She was a black shadow, keeping all things on her body hidden from view. The girl was just a shadow of herself, but Keo knew right away who it was. The Princess of the Silver Star. Suddenly, he had the ability to move, and he took a stumble step. Bringing his gaze to the Emperor, he saw the figure move toward the girl... and he heard shouting... at the edge of his mind.
"Keo! Wake up! Hey!"
Keo's eyes shot open, his head snapping up to almost strike Ruby. She was hovering silently over his head, and looking worried.
"You were calling out in your sleep, something about a Star. What did you mean?"
Rubbing absently at his eyes, Keo responded like it was nothing.
"Just a bad dream. Are we almost to Nota?"
"Nall told me we had about an hour, and that was an hour ago. So it is anybody's guess." Ruby smiled, ignoring the fact that Keo had dodged her question. Keo sat up, looking
around. Without another word he stood from the bed, stretching. He was finally shaking off the dream, a cold sweat still enveloping him though. Stepping out of the room, he bent to snatch up his heavy pack and sword before exiting. The pack was getting to be a burden, with his armor in it and all. Stepping out, he strode lightly down the hall, heading toward the upper decks. Ruby landed on his shoulder, shooting him a worried glance. Ascending the stairs two at a time, he entered the next deck. Only a monetary glance was given to the statue of Althena, as he jogged up the next flight of stairs. Once he had reached the top, he glanced around, taking in the
surrounding. Tranquil immediatly caught his eye, as she called down to him from a crow's nest of sorts.
"Keo! So you are finally awake you bum!"
Looking up at her, he saw Tranquil vault over the side of the lookout tower, gripping the sides of the support with her hands. Sliding down the support pole, she reached the deck in a few seconds, as Nall slowly walked over toward them.
"We will be in Nota shortly, I am taking the Destiny under the bridge, and parking it behind."
Nall yawned, as Tranquil caught her balance from the fall and jogged over to Keo. Nodding, Keo turned to her, forcing a light smile. Tranquil began talking before she had even reached them.
"He ain't kiddin, I can see it from here! Well, at least up there..."
Tranquil turned, squinting up at the crow's nest. Keo nodded once more, turning to walk toward it. It wasn't too far up, he could have jumped half of the way up. Without a word to any of them, he rather quickly ascended the built-in ladder to the lookout, hand over hand. As he reached the top, Keo felt the eyes of his new friends on him, probably wondering what was up with his silence. It didn't matter to Keo, he wasn't in the mood to chat. He hadn't had those dreams since before he went to the Blue Star, and they were never that graphic. Shaking it off, he leaned onto the railing of the lookout, staring ahead at the approaching Nota. He dropped his pack, and fastened the sabre back upon his belt, hearing Tranquil speak quietly below.
"What's up with Keo?"
"Shhh... he had a nightmare."
Keo wasn't meant to hear the question, or Ruby's light response. But he did, and he felt pretty good to know someone was worrying about his well being. He didn't get that much, and it wasn't something Keo was used to. Nall was next to join the conversation, his voice dropped a bit.
"Well, bad dream or not, he seems to be fine. A little silence never hurt anyone. Come on, you can see Nota from the front of the ship!"
Nall had lifted the last part up, so Keo could easily hear it.
Maybe the White Dragon isn't so annoying as I have heard...
Sighing, Keo kept his eyes locked on the bridge seperating East and West Nota.
The lookout would easily make it under, as Hiro had told him about the little sub-adventure he had in Nota. Helping true love along... that was something Hiro would have, and had, done. Slipping out of his thoughts, he looked down to where Ruby, Nall, and Tranquil stood. They had moved to the front of the ship, and were looking in the general direction of Nota, most likely not seeing it yet. Ruby seemed most intent on seeing the city, as she had moved up a good deal from the rest of them. Nota wasn't too far ahead, and Keo could already see the faces of a few people on the bridge they would pass under. He was bracing himself against the railing when Ruby hopped up on his shoulder, chiming right into his left ear.
"Keo, maybe you should get down from here, you might hit your head on the bottom of that bridge!"
Ruby practically squealed, a small paw directed at the oncoming bridge. It really wasn't far now, and people were gathered on it to watch the Destiny pass under their fair town.
"No can do Ruby..."
Keo tightened his grip on the solid lookout's railing, as Ruby floated silently from his shoulder. His brown eyes scanned the bridge layout, as a smirk touched his lips.
"Keo... you aren't going to do what I think you are going to do... are you? You are! Keo no! We are going way to fast to do it! Think about it! Ugh... you ARE JUST LIKE HIRO!"
As Ruby was finishing her mini rant, Keo hopped up, landing both feet on the railing. Keeping his balance for a second, he directed his jump, bent at the knees, and leapt into the air. Rising quickly, he went over the side of the bridge, hit the top, and heard Ruby's last phrase as clear as day.
"You two will be the death of me!"