Tidus stood up determined. He sure was not going to allow this to happen. Memories flooded through his brain, thoughts sped through his mind at the speed of light, confusing him even more. It was difficult to admit, indeed his head lowered shamefully, how could he, a fiend, have feelings for a human? He reminded himself that once, long ago, he had been something close to a human. He hissed lightly, reprimanding himself. Tidus had once liked Rikku, he thought she was good looking and a nice, interesting girl, but then he had ended up feeling something for the young, innocent and naïve Yuna. However through this few days he had met a face of Rikku he never thought existed, the mature, the dreamless, the desperate and the hopeless Rikku. Cheerful but more serious, facing life with a more accurate and a wiser view.
The dragonish reptile leapt off the bed, he had taken a decision. Rikku may be human, and he may be a Vihur, but wasn't he trying to become human? He was doing it for her. After much cavilling he had finally understood it. His overprotection, jealousy and constant thoughts on her safety, and on herself, meant only one thing.
"I love Rikku, and will do all I can to…" at this he stopped. Tidus lowered his face thoughtfully again, "what? Am I going to drag her around with false promises? Have I asked her what she wants?" He inquired himself rather angry with his own selfishness. That was what he wanted, for his own well being, but that wasn't what his heart wanted.
"I" he sighed profoundly, "I will do all I can to make her happy!" he finished evidently depressed.
With those words Tidus retreated from the room, pacing along the corridor with only one thought in mind. Finding Rikku and figuring out whether she felt attracted towards this man or not. The Vihur galloped along the corridor, descending the stairs rapidly, confiding in his scent and his vision for there was no light, except the distant crackling of amber flames, and the hazy glow of mists.
"Hey you!" barked Tidus growing annoyed by the second, feeling so disoriented in the murky tower.
"Yesssssss?" hissed one of the mists with such an ethereal voice it sent goosebumps crawling past Tidus' scaly skin.
"Where is Laethos?" he inquired in a husky voice, not feeling so valiant now.
"With his student." Responded the mist, and Tidus could almost see it shrug.
"I know that, take me to them…please!" Tidus begged, nearly going on his knees, had he had any possible way of doing such. He just wanted to know the truth.
"Follow me!" the mist said, and before him, the creature became a black and red snake, with amber orbs with black slits for eyes.
Startled and ironically annoyed at the presence of the reptile, since Tidus himself was a reptile, the Vihur followed calmly. The two reached the end of the stairs, and the creature slithered past the hall door, moving left until they reached another door. It was fairly open, and Tidus peeked inside curiously. The mist vanished into a hazy fog, and blended in silently with the shadows, creeping away.
It was then he saw them, the two of them dancing. Those loving eyes, so much like his very own, blazed and sparkled with the tender care he, himself, felt for that woman. Those glittering, spiralled eyes, that content smile blazing in those rosy lips, those stains of faded crimson glowing on her cheeks, and the way her hair fell like a cascade, uneven and almost untidy in a nice way. She was radiant, beautiful like he had never seen, sparkling like a nymph under the hazy, bluish glow that sparkled with stars. He changed again, uncontrolled shift powered by the strong love he was feeling, and the sudden urge of hatred and jealousy, for Laethos leant forward to kiss the girl.
Then his heart shattered, and all his being collapsed under the enormous weight of his collapsed sentiments. Rikku didn't pull apart, she didn't face away, and he couldn't blame her. How blind was he? How could she choose between a Hight Priest, handsome, intelligent, young and powerful, and himself, a reptile with a futile promise of humanity. He had nothing to give her, and she deserved everything. This man would treat her well, and would give her all she wants, he would teach her through magick, and she would become the most powerful sorceress there ever was.
The Vihur, for he changed back, lowered his head sadly. He had taken a determination, something he had to do, for himself, and for Rikku most of all. Tidus was not preoccupied, he was wild, born and grown in the wild, he was simply sad that things had to be like this. The reptile slithered into the shadows, trotted across the hall, and emerged into the fresh air and clear darkness. Taking in a deep breath, the dragon sighed.
"Are you going, sir?" inquired a hiss behind himself.
"Yes, my dear snake, tell your master to teach Rikku well, and that this Vihur has gone to Zanarkand!" Tidus felt more tranquil, more animated at the prospect of an adventure, like the old times.
"Will do!" the servant obeyed very accurately, and retreated back into the castle.
The Vihur then galloped through the gates, and into the crystalline darkness of Macalania.
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Rikku turned around to focus where the man was looking. The door, the penetrating shadows of the door, and there, in the deep darkness, a pale blaze, like a ray of the moon. She saw the swift, silent figure, like a curtain, for no shape, blending with the shadows, seemed to define it. Her heart felt suddenly empty, hollow, and it ached with the burning pain of needles penetrating her cruelly. She glanced at Laethos, who seemed serious, almost sad, gazing at her with a solemn look, prideful but very heavy. Then, Rikku repaired on the hazy mist floating besides him, silent, almost invisible in the clear, silvery light, but there it was.
"Tidus is gone." Laethos explained sadly, shaking his head, and gazing comfortingly at the girl.
"No…" stuttered the girl silently, trembling fingers caressing her lips, a look of pain, of fear reflected on her eyes.
"NO!" she bellowed trotting out of the room desperately, seeking the exit of the tower to pursue that one she had already lost once.
Laethos went after the girl, his face was pained, as if some inner suffering was stabbing his heart. He reached Rikku outside the tower, before she was able to pounce through the gates that delimited the grounds. The Al Bhed resisted desperately for she was not willing to let Tidus vanish from her life as he had come, not now that she had recovered him.
"Rikku stop!" called Lathos in a strong, severe voice, although he flinched just as soon as he said it, "Rikku, he wants you to finish your training. He's not gone forever, just to do something, and he will be back." He explained more calmly.
"Are you sure?" inquired Rikku, she had stopped revolving, listening to the soothing words of the man, and was now gazing at him through a veil of tears.
"I am, he said it." Laethos smiled lovingly at the girl.
Rikku seemed more tranquil, and she smiled, still sadly but hopeful. She stared with attention at the Sorcerer's traits, his gleaming, blue eyes, his gentle smile, his silvery blond hair falling in bright, sparkling streaks over his forehead. At this, Rikku frowned, staring once again at the beautiful strands, and remembering their first encounter. His hair had been a dirty brown, almost blond, yet not such an accused shade of argent.
"Why is your hair silver?" inquired the woman curiously.
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Tidus looked back at the tower, he was now on a high hill and could appreciate the Macalanian woods so perfectly, their gleaming beauty, the sparkling, glass leaves, and the hazy atmosphere. He saw pireflies gliding over the woods so gently, making the insides glow with a luminosity of ethereal characteristics.
"I'm sorry Rikku, this is not the way it should have happened." Whispered Tidus sadly, lowering his head almost shamefully at the thought that he was abandoning the girl he loved.
In that same instant, a flood of images drowned him. They didn't make much sense, for he saw Zanarkand in war, armies rising their weapons against them, a woman in a very advance state of pregnancy was fallen, tears gleaming in her eyes, a cave and many people around a blue flame, and Sinh.
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Laethos stared at her thoughtfully, then ran a hand through his silky mane. A proud, happy smile lit his features, and made him inflate his chest, maybe getting ready to scream of joy, possibly he had contained it with good manners. Gentle, water eyes glanced at Rikku again, and something reflected in them, life.
"I think he will be back sooner than I believed!" the High Priest's grin widened until all his perfect, pearly teeth were showed.
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The small reptile glanced around with a feeling of awe, and also slightly frightened. Standing proud and strong, before him, towering in all its immense potency grew Bevelle. The enormous buildings, the bridges, the streets formed out of stone bricks, and the sparkling luminosity fading as the day grew near, and the lamps were put out. Tidus had galloped out of Macalania for the whole night, and had reached the city by dawn, just as he expected.
"Well, I better make it out of here before the people wake up, I don't want to find myself facing a whole lot of angry citizens!" Thought the Vihur taking a deep breath and inflating his chest with courage.
Galloping gently through the streets, Tidus evaded the main paths where the shops and the merchants were bound to be opening their shops. The city was large and day was clear and bright now. Then something unexpected happened, Tidus grew hungry. He hadn't eaten since last night, and his stomach rumbled, and his muscles fatigued due to exhaustion and the same hunger. Realizing and admitting the obvious, the small reptilian being knew that he had to find food, and perhaps take a rest.
Tidus was hidden into the feeble and cool shadows of an alley. Glowing before him with a brilliant light was a man with a small shop of his own. The man didn't interest him much, but what he was selling seemed more like it. Chocobo hatchlings, small babies the size of large cats, with a soft, golden, fur like feather cover, small, beady eyes, and bright orange beaks. He craved for blood, warm blood and the softness of the youth flesh, the Vihur instincts getting in the way of his human mind. The only problem was that this was the main road, and people walked back and forth, buying and selling products.
Human mind, wild mind, it was a dreadful fight, and unfortunately his wilderness won, for he was too hungry to consider hunting for rats or cats in the alley. Anyways, the chick of a chocobo was a delicatessen for wild animals, their soft flesh, sweet blood and warmth made them a price worth for risking. The vihur leapt into the alley, doing no sound, simply galloping towards his goal. The reptile crossed the street, those who saw them shrieked, most still hadn't noticed. Jumping gracefully, the dragon creature landed on the table, slipping sideways and clawing on the wood to hold his body steady and under control. Various of the chocobos fell to the hard floor, squeaking frightened and flapping their small wings. The owner of the shop began waiving his hands and hissing and yelling at the fiend to make him leave, but to no avail. Fangs and powerful jaws closed around a chick's neck, silencing the shrieks and the squeaks immediately. Tidus mouth filled with the warm, metallic taste of blood, and he made sure to swallow down the sweet fluid. Leaping down the table with agility, the reptile vanished from the scenery as mysteriously and rapidly as he had come, blending with the white tiles, vanishing into the anguish darkness of an alley, and trotting through the labyrinth of the old town until he found a silent, abandoned spot where he could enjoy his meal.
"Damn it! YOU THIEF! Help me get him, he stole one chocobo!" bellowed the merchant recovered from his fear, now succumbing to anger.
People glanced at him pitifully, but none did anything. The commotion from the appearance of a fiend gone, the inhabitants of Bevelle continued their doings.
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Rikku was sitting on her bed, it was daytime already and she had barely slept a bit through the night, excluding the minutes she had dozed off slightly, exhaustion defeating her. Dark rings appeared around her puffy eyes, and she was feeling battered and miserable, as if someone had beat her up.
Laethos came into the room, he was carrying a tray of food, with some bread, fruit and a warm soup. Leaving the tray down onto the end table, the man sat next to Rikku, placing a comforting hand over her own one, and smiling gently at the girl. Strangely enough he was wearing his High Priest clothes, but his hair was still silver, and his eyes, if possible, sparkled like rippling water.
"Rikku, listen up, I promised he will be back, and he will, ok? And if by the end of your trial he hasn't come back, I promise you we will go search for him, ok?" Laethos explained squeezing the hand softly.
"I miss him!" Rikku said softly, her voice strangled.
"I know, but hey, you need to concentrate, or you will not be able to pass through your test." Laethos seemed urgent about this, preoccupied at the youth's lack of focus.
"Yes, I know, I just need to relax and rest, and to clear my ideas." Rikku's eyes looked at him sombrely, and they sparkled with and inner confusion, something that was swirling in her inside like a whirlpool.
"I understand!" Laethos said, yet his heart jerked surprised, for she could see the very same confusion Tidus had had before leaving, the youth loved Tidus, but she also loved him, and her coherence said that Tidus was a Vihur, and nothing could change that. "I understand!" he repeated with a sweet smile, and turned to leave.
"Laethos!" called Rikku before he crossed the door. The man turned around and glanced at the woman inquiringly, stretching his lips in a feeble smiled, "Where does your name come from?" the girl inquired curiously once she had caught his attention.
"Ah, it means Dragon!" Laethos said gently, bowing lightly, "In my language, a long gone speech." He commented shrugging calmly.
"Nice name, my name means 'Of the Ocean' in some language, but I don't remember which one. My dad told me!" Rikku said now more animated, more calmly, and her dull features relaxed visibly.
"In Elvish, also a lost language. They are supposed to be the ancestors of the Al Bhed!" explained Laethos more seriously, as if the thought of those people hurt him deep inside.
"Oh, yah, my father said something like that, and well, do you know if Tidus' name mean something?" inquired Rikku curiously, regaining part of her ancient cheerfulness at the optimistic thought of teasing Tidus with his name.
Laethos had turned around to leave once again. He let his head fall and his shoulders sink as some kind of sadness invaded his body, drowning in it as he would in a flood. Pale eyes glanced at the floor, not seeing it, trespassing space and time into some era where all was splendour and glory, were people lived in enormous cities and machina made their living easy, and marvellous. An era that was never coming back.
"Spirit!" he mustered suddenly, calmly, in a husky, silent voice, full of pain and grief.
To Be Continued…
AN: OK, this chapter might be a little short, and a little slow, but I need to unite things here and there. Anyways I believe the next few chapters will liven up in action, and I am sure you are going to love them. Well, what do you think is going on already? I think its pretty clear, but tell me your thoughts on the story .