As they approached the village, they grew louder. Millenia and Elena started talking and Ryudo was talking to Roan. Tio was watching Millenia, still unsure if she was alright.
"There it is!" called Elena, pointing down a track to the village.
"Come on!" called Roan, running ahead.
Tio stared at the scene; trying to take it in. She was finally going to see Mareg again. And even if it wasn't in person, that wasn't the point. He was almost like a father figure for her, he had taught her about human emotions. If it hadn't been for him, she wouldn't be the person she was now. She would be an empty shell…nothing but an automaton and servant to a dead god.
"Tio?" asked Millenia "Are you coming or what?"
"Y…yes, of course," said Tio, her face lighting up with excitement.
Tio walked forward and fell into line next to Millenia and Elena. She wanted to speak to Millenia, but not with Elena listening, just in case Millenia didn't want to discuss what was bothering her in front of Elena.
"Tio?" asked Elena, "you seem awfully distracted."
"I'm not really, I just want to see Mareg again." said Tio.
"We all do," said Ryudo, "but you three are taking too long!"
They arrived inside the village and were immediately greeted by countless numbers of Mareg's people. All of them approached Ryudo and instantly began pulling him towards the hut which led down into the caves.
"No way!" said Ryudo, "I'm not going down there and having you to following me around because you like the smell. No way in hell! Elena! Help!"
Elena laughed at Ryudo's distress and Millenia stepped forward and helped to push him towards the hut as well.
"Millenia!" said Ryudo.
"They're being kind enough to greet us; you can at least do this to repay them!" she laughed, letting go as the villagers continued to pull Ryudo away.
Millenia laughed as Ryudo swore at her from a distance. Roan was smiling as well and turned to speak to Tio, but she was already gone.
"Tio?" asked Roan, "Tio?"
"She's over there," said Elena, leading them away towards Mareg's grave.
Tio was kneeling down, tracing her fingers over the axe lying in front of it. Her eyes were filled with sadness, but she wouldn't cry.
"Tio…it's okay," said Roan, kneeling down beside her, "I know you're upset, but don't worry. He's still watching over us. Just like my mother is watching over me."
"I miss him," she said quietly.
"We all do," said Elena.
"He did a great thing sacrificing himself like that," said Millenia, "A part of us will always miss him, but we'll always remember him as well."
Tio smiled gently, wishing she could let understand more of what she was feeling.
Millenia sighed and turned away. She was getting that empty feeling again and that's the last thing she wanted.
"I think I'll head for the spring," said Millenia, "anyone coming with?"
"I will," said Ryudo, running away from the villagers chasing him, their noses in the air.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her along. She in turn grabbed Elena as well. It wasn't until they reached the spring that they stopped following them.
"This is all your fault!" said Ryudo, glaring up at Millenia as he bent over with his hands on his knees.
"I think I'll go take a look around," said Elena, "I want to see everything again."
Elena stepped up onto the tree roots and began walking away. Ryudo straightened up, still slightly red in the face from running. Millenia was smiling at him again. He didn't like that smile. It was her evil smile, the one she used when she knew that she'd done something bad.
"You should've seen your face," she laughed.
"It wasn't funny!" he said.
"Yes it was," she said, giggling slightly as she leant backwards against a tree.
He rolled his eyes and looked around the clearing. He recognised this place, and he guessed that Millenia would too.
"This is where you first kissed me," sighed Millenia.
"Who kissed who?" asked Ryudo, leaning against the tree beside her.
"Either way I got the first kiss," Millenia said, grinning.
"Yeah, but you changed back into Elena so she thought that I had chosen you already!" he said.
"That was when you were still in between deciding," said Millenia, "I had to try and tip the scale. Seems all I managed to do was make you realise your feelings for Elena. Very annoying!"
Ryudo laughed at her. She smiled gently and then there was silence. They didn't speak for quite a while.
"I really missed you," said Ryudo.
"You did?" asked Millenia.
"Why didn't you drop by once in a while?" asked Ryudo.
"I…" Millenia's face fell, "…it wasn't…I was too busy. I had kids to teach and all that."
Ryudo gazed at her, concerned. He knew she was lying as much as she did.
"You know I still loved you, even when I chose Elena." Said Ryudo gently, "I still do, just…"
"Just not enough," said Millenia angrily, taking a few steps away, turning her back on him.
"That's not it." Said Ryudo, reaching out.
Millenia slapped his hand away, giving him a sharp glare.
"When Zera took you and Elena away, and you gave yourself up to save us," said Ryudo sharply, "I never stopped hoping that you'd be okay. I wasn't thinking about Elena, I was thinking about you because I cared about you…and I think you were one of the first people to ever care that way for me."
Millenia didn't turn around. She was biting her lip with her back turned to him, trying not to show how upset she was.
"Maybe you should think about that before you have a go at me," said Ryudo, "It's about time to grow up."
He walked up the roots to find Elena. Millenia turned around, tears stinging her eyes. She couldn't believe he had ever cared for her that much and if he did, why did he choose Elena?
"I guess…she's just got something I haven't…" whispered Millenia, "Or maybe I had something she didn't…if only I still had my wings…"
The empty feeling was back in the pit of her stomach. She leaned back against a tree…and fell straight through it. She let out a quick scream and quickly looked down at her hands. They had gone transparent. She walked straight back through the tree.
For some reason, she could feel something pulling her. It was as if she was the rope in a tug of war. On one side was her friends and this world and on the other…she didn't want to think what it was pulling her…
"Millenia?" asked Elena, "What's wrong?"
Millenia looked up to see Ryudo and Elena walking down the roots of the tree. Ryudo wasn't looking at her, but it was obvious he could see her, which was a start. Millenia reached out and placed a hand on the tree. She could feel the bark beneath her finger tips; she was solid again.
"Nothing's wrong," said Millenia quickly, "Let's go back to the village before it gets dark."
"Alright, but what's the rush?" asked Elena, "You so badly wanted to come here."
"The thing I wanted to see is gone," said Millenia, "no point in waiting around for something that's never going to happen."
Millenia walked away, leaving Elena looking confused. She suddenly turned around to Ryudo.
"What did you say to her?" asked Elena sharply.
"What makes you think I had anything to do with it?" asked Ryudo, putting his hands up.
"Because this is where you were with her and it's where you first kissed," said Elena, "That means something to Millenia; she doesn't have anyone like you now."
"I didn't do anything!" said Ryudo, walking away.
Elena gave a deep sigh and followed.
As Millenia approached the village, she saw Tio and roan waiting at the end of the road. She wanted to avoid them; she needed to figure out what was going on, but Tio had already spotted her. Roan waved and Millenia grudgingly waved back.
"What do you think about going to sit with the villagers?" asked Roan, "they're already settled down. I think they're waiting for Ryudo to come back."
"Or for Elena to sing for them again," said Tio.
"They'll be back soon…I'm just not feeling well…I think I'll go to bed." Said Millenia, walking past them hurriedly.
She walked into the house they had been allowed to stay in by the villagers. She leaned against the door, breathing in deeply. What was happening to her? And why now? Was it Ryudo? Or was it the wings?
She walked over to the mirror, gazing into the glass. She stared at her reflection, hoping that it was still solid. It was…but why wasn't it when she went into the woods? Or when she fell though that tree? Why did she feel like she was being pulled in two directions? And why did she feel that one side was the side she had been trying so hard to fight against?
Either way, she wasn't going to be leaving without a fight. She wasn't finished in this world just yet…
(A/N) Trying to fix an update pattern, but failing dismally. I'll try harder, but now I'm off holiday and back at school it's harder to get anything done on time.