Wishes and Lost Hope

Chapter Fourteen
For a Moment's Peace

Before, there was never anything to do but to cut and run. He was never a great warrior. And this was a fact that tied with fate to produce his banishment.

Poseidon stared at the selection of weapons before him – of Athena’s craft, and he worried that was all he had to trust to. Granted, he cared for her, but he never knew her to take to the forge before. So, instead of a lifetime, this art was likely mastered over a winter. And to trust his life, the inept Mana Warrior would have chosen the work of an adept blacksmith over that of a bored novice.

Picking a rusty old thing from a pile of swords, he studied it with an expression of skepticism.

Startled, the man whirled, awkwardly holding the weapon in a meager attempt at intimidating the offender. Or holding her off. Or... well... something that would let him flee with dignity.

Yep. I’m gonna last long, he thought weakly.Chances were, even if Pearl had been an enemy, the result would have been none of the above. The best he could have hoped for was a quick death, Tch. Who am I kidding? I couldn’t even hope for that.

And the result, instead of being relieved that he was, indeed, alive and not in for a painful lingering demise, was that he stuck himself overthinking… and stood in his awkward-rather-than-intimidating stance for several minutes longer than necessary.

"Are you all right?" Even the normally soft voice of the little princess held an edge. Even though Poseidon had not known enough to tell, he nevertheless felt it odd. The day had progressed the same way, as the sun dawned against his expectations and tension fell thick over Athena’s small grove. Relaxing as best he could, the man shrugged.

"Oh, you know, just…" he laughed weakly, ending it with a sigh. Clearing his throat, he clarified thusly, "I wasn’t expecting anyone."

"Perhaps," Pearl smiled, "But do you think it’s okay to be out here alone?"

"Probably not," Poé admitted, "Uh, thanks, I mean. Er..."

Nice work. Now she knows you’re an idiot instead of only suspecting.

"Sorry," he managed at length, "Can I... ask you something?"

"Yes."

Not expecting as simple an answer, he stumbled over his wording until he found something that worked well to his means, "How do you… did you, know about us?"

To this, Pearl shrugged. "You said it yourself, it’s difficult to hide what you are."

A spark of recollection ignited in the Mana Warrior'’s mind, and he almost pushed it away, except for how it nagged so suddenly. Pearls, after all, were not gems... But this girl, aside those freaky, ‘I’m older than the world,’ looks, could not possibly have been one of the first...

"How old are you?"

"Old enough," her smile turned enigmatic. Poseidon mmmed a high meep! and squeaked,

"Ah. Well then. Should we get back to the others?" he queried unnecessarily, dragging his newfound sword and stumbling over his own feet in an effort to get past the Jumi and up the stairs quickly as humanly possible.

oOo

Do you think it’s okay to be out here alone?

Daena skittered from the summit of the staircase. She had offered to accompany Pearl this far, and said as much that she was headed back to the house. Sticking to ensure seemed like a good idea, until the world seemed to turn cold at those words.

No, she thought, imagining things in the darkness of the workshop, None of us are safe.

Even the sun seemed dim in the hazy afternoon. She barely thought about it before she found herself on a path less traveled.

oOo

Skipping stones.

It was easy. Almost trite. And Escad had not done it in years.

And perhaps that was why every stone he flicked sunk into the shallows of the pond.

Or maybe it had something to do with the having been dead. Either way, it was frustrating.

Without a glance to the pile of rocks he had gathered beside him, he picked up the first one his hand met. It was a smooth chip of rock, and he paused his throw to get better acquainted. But there was nothing outstanding about it. Perhaps it was different than the rocks around, he was unsure. Rocks were not something he was an expert on.

Moments later, it joined those that came before it. It, too, sunk. Like a stone. Somehow, Escad’s felt his spirit sink with it.

It was stupid. All of this was stupid. Maltilda dead, and Irwin... No chance for revenge. Athena... far beyond comprehension. The entire situation was unfair.

And more, it made his heart ache thinking about it. Yet there was no way not to think about it.

Thankfully, before he began confessing his doubt and disbelief and pain to the algae, Daena startled him by appearing at his side. She stared for a moment, and watched as he sent another rock along its way.

"May I?"

"Be my guest," Escad held up a stone, and she took it without touching his hand.

The stone skipped clean across the still water.

Escad could only snort. Somehow, that was the first thing that felt right in a long time. Whether it was in disbelief or envy or maybe something to do with pride, he stood. The reason became obscure as he looked to Daena... because for the first time in a long time, her eyes held no disgust, no hate or anger or fear, merely simple acceptance.

And suddenly he could not think anything.

"It’'s been rough," was all he could say, without thinking.

"Hey…" She almost smiled, "You think it’'s easy for me?"

There was no answer. He could not comprehend one. Daena’s tail twitched of its own mind, coming to rest around his knee. He knew it was subconscious –an act of friendship and consolation, finding its way through history to when they were young, so long ago – but comfort was comfort, and he refused to reject what little he could have.

Heedless of her tail, she stared. On some unspoken rule, as the silence grew too thick, she asked quietly, "Gonna stick around?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"I should hope so. It’'s what she died for."

With that she padded back the way she had come.

Escad wanted to do her one better. Instead he did all he could do: he scratched the back of his neck, shrugged to no one, and followed after.

oOo

"No. Not much around we could use for it, and we’re likely to be picked off trying."

That was the answer. What was the question again? Something about fortification...

Ugh!

Her attention wandered. Waiting for your former-guardian-turned-arch-nemesis was dull. Boring, in fact. Anything would have been better. In fact, she wished that Kraols or one of his lieutenants or maybe a straggler from his army would burst through the door...

Right...

About...

Now!

The door burst open, an exasperated shout of protest drawing more attention than hers to the door. The latecomers to the impromptu stratagem session immediately dropped the frivolous argument of I’'m faster and took to more precautionary measures to appear nonchalant. In other words, Daena hid in the near corner while Escad did his damnest to stand by and look inauspicious.

"Aww." The vocal disappointed in the half-fulfilled result of her wishing went unnoticed; Athena turned back to the table and cradled her chin in her hands. It was not that she wanted her friends exposed to sudden danger, but it was not like they were leaving. And the ominous portent that hung low was affecting all of them, and she was no exception. Those more inclined to thought before action, those patient, were trying desperately to come up with something before things turned.

Wish I were patient.

And then there was herself... and Elazul...

Anxious like her, the Jumi knight had insisted it was best to set up a preemptive strike. Under the mood, his assertion was turned down, in such a way to leave him sulking in a near corner.

So when fate handed him the perfect target for which to vent his frustration, he took the blessing. His gaze flicked between the lady-cat and the former knight. He did not miss the slight smile that faded from Escad’s face – unbeknownst to him, an antiquity from a bygone day. Securing his spite on that alone, he snapped.

"Having fun?" he asked, prowling forward.

"Some," Escad answered flatly. He watched the move, impassive.

"Glad someone is," Elazul said, almost softly but for the volume, "Although it would be nice if you’d make yourself useful instead of-"

Pearl decided to cut the rant short before it started. Infighting was nothing to solve their problems.

"El-"

Athena beat her to it, and the words came as one.

"Lazuli!"

And Escad grinned, "I can imagine what it must be like to be whipped by one, but by two? You have my deepest sympathy, Lazuli."

"Don’t call me that," the Jumi hissed.

"She called you that."

"Well," his voice again rose in anger, "only she gets away with calling me that."

"My apologies."

If Elazul had thought about what he was doing, it might not have been a good idea. But he was tired of the waiting game. His pride bruised from the reprimands. His body burned, and the air nearly crackled with tension. Before Escad’s insincere, and further infuriating, apologies had fully been spoken, he was pulling back his arm for a well-aimed strike. When the hit failed to contact as he might have liked, he changed his tactic.

Escad had adjusted swiftly to avoid the punch, but had no room to dodge a full on tackle. The former knight had no qualms with the outcome of the quarrel. He even figured he could use a good fight. The force of Elazul’s attack sent both tumbling down the front steps, grappling all the way.

Shock kept the rest of the assembly in check. Besides the daft expressions in response to such immaturity, Pearl buried her face in her hands and swore to Mana. Athena took it all in stride, more interested in the desires in her own head.

And those standing started after the brawlers, and those seated rose to the occasion, Athena blurted out loudly,

"I’'ve got it!"

oOo

As they fought, practice and know-how culminated into an edge. Escad had traded much of his life to swordplay, and Elazul merely fought to survive. But where Escad was more familiar with using experience to his advantage, Elazul had an easier time adapting to what was around him.

The fisticuffs was easy, as far as Escad was concerned. Navigating the terrain proved more difficult for he had less an idea of the land surrounding Athena’s house. He only knew one path for sure, and there from he got his cunning plan.

As soon as he knew what he was doing, he led the fight like an elaborate dance. If Elazul knew, he showed no sign of recognizing the guiding force Escad put behind the motions. Almost gently, the man pressed and foreran the Jumi through the thicket on the edge of the forest. By the time Elazul discovered the muddy slope below his feet, Escad had roughly shoved him, sending him in a somersault into the pond.

With a triumphant smirk, Escad pondered the difference between skipping a stone and skipping a Jumi. While his opponent was occupied, splashing a bit and trying to recover his footing – and dignity – the man gingerly touched the fresh pain on his jaw. Bringing his hand back to view, he could have laughed, surprised at the bit of blood drawn. Instead, his smirk turned to a grin, and he silently admitted that the kid had spirit. His sight came to rest on Elazul; he watched patiently as the mud-soaked Jumi glared.

But even as Elazul seemed recovered from the fall, and well ready to lunge up the bank to get him, Escad paused. There was something in the water...

After this, Elazul was startled as Escad moved first. In near desperation, the former knight slid down the bank, hauling the Jumi back that they both landed deep in the embankment. Looking first to Escad, then to that which had drawn his attention, Elazul’s eyes widened.

The beast that rose from the pond eyed them both at once, each of its several eyestalks prone to study one or the other. Annoyed that its prey had been so swiftly taken from it, the slimy reptilian creature bellowed a challenge.