Disclaimer: I do not. WWWHHHEEE!!! HALLOWEEN! SUGAR RUSH!!!! BOB! **Blink
blink**.. Sorry. I do not own LOD.
Sorry if I confused anyone last chapter with the dragon talk. It's a little hard to write; I confuse myself with it, usually. Anyhow, Striker- It was Ragnarok who replaced Dart's heart with the divine spirit. When Ragnarok was poking around in Dart's head, the red spirit he saw was just a chance thought that he happened to grab onto. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of comparing it to a human heart. Sorry for the confusion! Also: I think that Meru's hammer is way scarier than Miranda's arrows, but I don't think that Meru would have thrown her hammer a hundred paces or so just to hit Dart.
Dart's POV
"Excuse me Mister, but are you all right?"
/Huh?/
"Umm, Mister?"
//The lady's asking you a question, Dart. It's considered good manners to answer her// Ragnarok's voice echoed through my mind.
I told him to shut up, but he continued to prod me until I opened my eyes and sat up, a move that I regretted instantly. Waves of pain crashed through my skull and I instinctively tried to clutch my face, thinking it might help. Human instinct sucks. This act only made my head hurt worse, a fact that Ragnarok found deeply amusing. I would have told him off if I had been able to think clearly through the hurt, but since I couldn't it only made Ragnarok laugh harder.
I was suddenly aware of a cool touch on my arm, pulling my hand away from my forehead. "I wouldn't touch that," a young voice advised, "you'll only make it worse."
I opened my eyes again and this time found myself facing a young girl of about eleven. She had dark hair that fell just short of her shoulders and dark tanned skin. Her accent and style of dress was Tiberoian, but that didn't make sense. I didn't remember much after leaving Rogue, but I couldn't have flown that far, had I? Shaking my head and sending another jolt of pain through my head, I slowly became aware of the fact that the girl was still talking.
".found you a little while ago," she was saying. "I was gonna go back to Fletz to get help, but-"
"Wait a minute," I cut her off, pushing the haze that obscured my thoughts aside. "Did you just say 'Fletz'?"
She nodded and I closed my eyes and lie back again. So I had flown that far. But why didn't I remember?
//You don't remember// Ragnarok informed me, // because you missed your landing and smashed your head on that rock behind us. I deactivated the dragoon stone, but you where out cold for a while. Honestly, after all this time being a dragoon I would have thought that you would know how to land by now//
"Um, Mister?"
I sighed and sat up again. "You can stop it with the 'Mister' stuff. Formal titles make me uncomfortable." I hesitated for a moment before telling her to "Just call me Arren." A false name never hurt anybody, and she was probably better off not knowing who I was.
"Arren. I like that. My name's Tess," The girl beamed at me for a moment before turning her attention back to the wound on my forehead. When I flinched back from her as she reached towards the cut, she gave me a sharp "Stop that!" and a "Hold still!" before continuing. For someone as young as she, Tess certainly seemed to know what she was doing. Pulling off my bandana, she dampened a cloth from her water bottle and cleaned away the dried blood and the pieces of thread and dirt that had gotten into the wound. Rummaging through the small bag that she carried at her side, Tess produced a healing potion. Pouring what was left of the bottle onto the cloth she carefully wiped it onto the wound. When she was finished she sat back and dusted off her hands on her skirt. "There," she said, looking quite pleased with herself. "That should be fine now."
Gingerly I touched it. She was right; the potion had started to take effect and the cut was slowly sealing its self. Satisfied, I replaced my bandana, despite her disapproving look.
"It'll take longer to heal with that on." Tess told me, hands on her hips.
"I don't care. I feel naked without this on. Besides, you seem to know what you're doing; it should heal on its own." I got to my feet and retrieved my sword from where it lay several feet away. "Where did you learn healing?"
"From my mother: she runs the clinic in Fletz. It's been in our family for years. It would probably go to me, except." Tess looked suddenly awkward.
"Except what?" I re-sheathed my blade and checked to see that the Violet Dragoon spirit was still safely attached to my belt. It rested out of sight, caught in a small metal holder. I didn't remember doing anything with it, but I strongly suspected Ragnarok had something to do with the matter. Along the rest of the belt were six more holders for what I assumed would be the rest of the stones. Great. So now I was going to have to guard the spirits as well as destroy the Moon Children. Life just kept getting better and better. I turned back to Tess. "Well?"
She looked at the ground. "I didn't want to have to spend my life working in the clinic so I ran away," she whispered. "I got out of town well enough, but then I started to run into monsters. I ran from them, but I got lost."
I looked at her gravely for a moment. "How old are you, Tess?"
"Ten. Everyone says that I look older, though." She started to walk towards a well-beaten path that wound lazily around rocks and shrubs, slowly heading inland.
I fell into step beside her. "I agree. Where you planning on going back to Fletz anytime soon?"
"Well I was gonna wait until Dad came looking for me, but if you've got that big sword I shouldn't have to worry about any monsters coming after me." Tess looked admiringly at the hilt of the dragon sword, then at me. "Provided that you can use that thing."
For some reason this statement struck me as enormously funny. When I finally regained my composure, I grinned at the confused child walking along beside me. "Kid, I've been using swords for a long time. I think I can handle a couple of monsters. So," I said, changing the topic, "Where are we going?"
She shrugged, mimicking my grin. "I dunno. I'm supposed to be the one who's lost here, not you!"
~
The sun was just setting over Tiberoa's desolate red hills when we finally came to the gates of Fletz. Tess, half-asleep, rode on my back. She had walked for the better part of the day but was obviously not used to such exercise, so I had opted to carry her. But as we approached the gates she signaled for me to let her down; once on her own two feet she went directly to the nearest of the two guards lurking in the shadow of the gates.
They only spoke briefly together, but it was clear that they knew each other. After a moment, the guard reached down and hugged her and Tess motioned for me to come with her into the city. As soon as we were through the guards began to winch the gates closed, shutting the citizens of the city in for the night. I had thought that ritual had gone out of usage with the disappearance of the bandits, but I guess that there were other things running around now to worry about.
When I judged that we where out of earshot of the guards at the now closed gate I asked Tess who that guard was. She answered that he was her half brother and that he had told her for us to go to the clinic to alert her mother that she was back. Her father had gone up to the castle to try and get a search party organized to look for her.
Inwardly I cursed. /Couldn't that man have waited just a little bit longer?/
//Would you really do the same if you knew that your offspring was stuck outside in the wilderness with no way to defend them self? That goes against human nature, Dart//
/I know, but this means that sooner or later I'm going to have to go up to the castle and if memory serves, this is the portion of the year that Albert usually spends with Emile/
//That could cause some problems now, couldn't it? You'll have to bluff your way through it then. Albert can't publicly expose you without causing a massed panic amongst everybody in Fletz, and you haven't done too much wrong in the last year or so//
/Thanks for the support/ I replied sarcastically.
//Anytime//
Tess led me though the streets to the clinic. I had been here several times before, but I tried to look as though this was all new to me. There had been a few modifications made to the place but nothing too extreme: a few new houses and a whole lot of new faces. The clinic itself was nestled in between a small house with a fountain in the shape of a crescent moon in front of it and the home of Fester the astronomer. I noticed, with a pang of sadness, that it had been expanded into a house more suitable for a large family. Old friends where passing away to rest while I was left behind to see that the world didn't come to a depressing finale in their absence. Believe it or not I envied them. I had a long, depressing existence ahead of me and if nothing else, Ragnarok wouldn't allow me to die until this whole thing was seen through. And Soa only knew how long that would take.
Reaching the door to the clinic, Tess pushed it open and called for her mother, snapping me back to the present. Tess's mother was a tall woman of about thirty with dark brown hair pulled back from here face in a severe ponytail; a sharp contrast to the soft expression on her face. Though she was obviously glad to see her daughter again, she remained grave as she embraced Tess. Kneeling, she wiped some dirt off of the girl's nose, whispering quietly to her the whole time.
When she finished with her daughter, she rose to her feet and thanked me with equal graveness before informing me that she would have to take me to the castle immediately. Something about presenting me to the king. I'm not sure; I was too busy trying to think up a plausible excuse to leave the city. By the time we had reached the stairway to the castle the best I could come up with was that I was allergic to royalty and let's face it: not even the most gullible courtier in the world would believe that.
//You're over reacting again// Ragnarok murmured.
/No I'm not. I'm just preparing myself for the probable future/
//Would you rather have me handle this?//
/Not really. I don't want the destruction of Fletz added to my permanent record/
//Then stop thinking about how you're going to get out of this and focus on how you're going to get through it//
We reached the castle and were escorted to the Chamber of the Sun. Normally I would enjoy my time there. An enormous room with floor-to- ceiling windows overlooking the bay on the right side of the room, the red and gold decorations of the chamber where in sharp contrast with the blues and ivories of the rest of the castle and city. I guess that the change of décor had something to do with the man sitting on the throne at the far end of the room talking with another man that I assumed was Tess's father. Albert's eyes where dark and serious as he contemplated the problem, brushing away the occasional strand of light chestnut hair when it fell across his face. He had aged somewhat and his long hair was touched slightly with silver at the temples, but he was still an impressive sight.
I hung back at the entrance as Tess and her mother approached the throne. There was a shout of joy from Tess's father when he saw the pair. The girl's father could not have been more unlike his wife. Short and stout with a deeply tanned face he was a jolly, balding man of about forty or so. When he finally disengaged from the bear hug that he had caught Tess in, he was beaming. Behind him, Albert looked enormously relieved.
Tess began to relate what had happened, but was stopped when she mentioned "Arren".
"Arren is a Serdian name," Albert said, brows furrowing. "Would you send him in? He may be a messenger from Bale."
Tess shook her head. "He doesn't look like a royal messenger. More like a ." she trailed off, unsure as to how to describe me. She glanced back in my direction, looking for help.
There was nothing else for it now. Swallowing my uneasiness I walked up beside Tess and bowed. I had caught the look of surprise in Albert's eyes as I had come in. That made sense. Of all the places in Endiness, the Chamber of the Sun was the last place anyone would expect me to show up. I rose out of the bow and stood loosely with my arms at my sides. "What Tess is trying to say," I said, filling in the sudden silence, "is that I'm just a wanderer."
Albert straightened slightly; regaining what little composure he had lost. We are grateful to you. Arren," he said formally, "for coming to Tess's aid. We welcome you to Fletz."
I doubted that, but I bowed my thanks anyhow. There was a second strained silence. I stood uncomfortably trying to look as though I wasn't bothered, but I was grateful when Emile, Albert's queen, broke the silence by pleasantly inviting us all to dinner. I think I almost swallowed my Dragoon stone at the prospect, but I really had no choice but to accept.
I retreated to the balcony outside to pass the time until supper while Albert conversed with Tess and her parents. The night sky was clear; the reflection of the stars and moon played across the water below me. Unbidden the memory of the night I had first kissed Shana here slipped into my mind. I sighed aloud; so much had changed since then. At least she wasn't around to what I had become.
Emile wandered onto the balcony and stood beside me, watching the reflection of the moon on the ocean. We stood in silence together, neither of us making a move to speak. Occasionally I could hear Albert's voice over the general chatter emanating from the inside of the chamber. After what seemed an eternity Emile cleared her throat and turned to face me. "So Dart," she started, "How have you been?"
"Spare me the formalities. I know you'd rather not talk to me anyhow." I turned back to the ocean.
"Whatever gave you that idea?" She reached out and turned my face so that I was looking at her once more.
I stared at her. She actually wanted to talk to me? I shook my head. What was she up to? "If you want to talk, then go ahead. I'm listening."
She gave a tinkling little laugh before becoming serious once more. "You're going to have to talk to him sometime, you know."
"I know. But it's a little difficult."
"Is it really? You know, despite all you've done, he still considers you a friend. A friend who has done wrong, but a friend none the less." Emile gave me a sad smile.
That caught me by surprise, but I tried not to show it. "Really?"
"Yes, really. He won't admit it, but he misses you terribly. He'll probably want to talk to you after dinner." With one last smile and a pat on the arm, Emile stepped back inside. I shook my head. When I had first met her, Emile had been a princess out of a fairy tale. Now she had grown into a queen of the same sort.
//That's to be expected. She was, after all, brought up for this//
/I know, but it's still strange. I guess I still see her as the perfect little princess that married the King of Serdio/
//Time changes people. On a lighter note, I think that they're about to call you in for dinner. Move it//
/Fine/
~
Emile did most of the talking during dinner to cover the fact that neither Albert nor I were speaking to each other. She'd direct questions to one of us and then, almost before we were finished answering, would turn to the other with a "Don't you agree?". I was impressed with her tact: to any one looking in, it would almost seem that Albert and I were speaking.
After supper I wandered outside again. The low wall surrounding the balcony made a comfortable seat if you didn't fall, so I settled myself down to wait for Albert. It seemed strange that I was apprehensive about talking to someone who had at one time been one of my most trusted friends. I mean, friends disagree and get in fights all the time, but it doesn't usually result in one wanting to throw the other in a cell and keep him there for the rest of his life.
Albert came out a few minutes later and sat on one of the stone benches along the wall. I couldn't help but notice that he had his spear with him. I know that he is famed for being a warrior-king, but still.
"Do you actually think you're going to have to use that thing?" I asked, leaning back against one of the pillars that rose every six feet or so along the wall. Now that he was in front of me I began to feel surer of myself.
Albert made a wry face. "No, but it makes the courtiers feel safer. The last thing I need is for them to be causing a disturbance amongst the guards."
"You're getting soft. Twenty years ago you wouldn't have listened."
"I was dealing with Serdians then. Tiberoians are more argumentive and harder to please."
"Do those courtiers know who I am?" I asked. Inwardly I winced. If anything would get to the eventual point of the conversation, this question would be it.
"No. They're objecting to me not carrying a spear on a symbolic basis. They think that I should have something more material then a reputation to show that I'm also a warrior in addition to being their king." He hefted his spear, watching the lights of the castle play down its lethal blade. "Fortunatly, I haven't had reason to use it in a very long time." He glanced at me, taking in the tattered edges of my coat, my bloodstained bandana, and last of all, my Dragon Sword. His eyes lingered on the runes carved into the blade as he spoke. "It seems that you are a different story. I take it that that blade is a new acquisition?"
"Not really. I've been packing it around for about fifteen years now, but I don't want to even guess at its actual age."
"May I see it?" Albert took the sword and began to examine it closely. "Where did you find it? I've never seen craftsmanship like this before. The hilt alone is a work of art." He moved his examination down to the blade, stopping at the runes. "I don't recognize this form of writing," he admitted. "What is it?"
"Dragon rune. It says 'Ragnarok'."
His eye widened slightly and he looked at me. "You can read it?"
I sat up and shrugged. "Sort of." Not really. Ragnarok had translated it for me.
"Hmmm." Albert raised an eyebrow as I took back my sword. "What's the matter with you? You've been tense since you arrived."
I blinked. He, the man who had an endless stream of mercenaries after my head, had me in a position where he could probably capture me within the space of two heart beats, and he was asking me why I was tense?
"Dart?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm wondering exactly when you're going to call your guards and shove me into a cell? You weren't exactly friendly to me the last time we saw each other."
Albert stretched and stood. "I won't say that I didn't give the matter of cells some thought when you first arrived, but I don't think that's necessary any more. Besides, you'd probably just blast out a wall like you did before, correct?"
"Probably. Walls don't present much of a problem. So why did you want to talk to me? I can't see you apologizing."
He almost looked as though he might smile, but instead got to his feet and began to pace. "I didn't believe your story at first," he said, "But you seem a little too sure of yourself to be insane. There are other things, but they're not important right now. What I really wanted to talk to you about is the reaction of certain people to the apparent re-emergence of the Black Monster and the Moon Child." He waited until I nodded before continuing.
"Not long after your appearances, some members of the population of the different countries went into a religious ecstasy. While that is not uncommon, this happened all at one time, right after the death of the Moon Child. At first it didn't seem like much, but eventually they began to gather for meetings in secret. Nothing much would happen; just some priest rambling on about "the judgment of all who oppose the will and plan of the creator Soa," and other things like that. But soon their attention became focused upon two things: the Moon Child and, well, you.
"Since then they have become more organized. They call themselves the Cult of the Moon, and seem to follow the teachings of a priest who calls himself Wecra." Albert stopped pacing and turned to face me. "When the next Moon Child appears, they'll be there protecting it with their lives. You'll have to get them all at once, or face them every time a new Moon Child appears."
Well this was great. Now in addition to the usual evangelists that accompanied the Moon Child, I'd have to out wit a hoard of crazed fanatics as well. The future just kept becoming more and more promising.
//He's leaving something out//
/You're sure?/
//Yes. Ask him if this cult has any chapters in this town//
I repeated Ragnarok's question. Albert looked surprised, then admitted that he had suspicions that there was. That settled things. Picking up my sword, I started to leave.
Albert barred the entrance to the castle with the haft of his spear. "Where are you going?" He demanded.
"If there's a cult here, then I may as well take it off your hands. If I don't it'll just come back to haunt me later anyhow." I ducked under the spear haft and into the now empty room. "I'll be back in a bit."
"I'll go with you."
I stopped. "No you won't. It might be dangerous."
Albert laughed humorlessly. "So was Melbu Frahma. I'm a dragoon too Dart. If a bunch of peasants are enough to cause a threat classified as 'dangerous', then you may as well have someone along to watch your back."
I gave in. A few minutes later we where walking around the waterfront district. In the relatively new area Albert led the way, as I had no idea where I was going. Unlike in the rest of the city, the streets were dark and narrow. When I asked why there where no lights, Albert said that the fishermen that lived in the area preferred it to be dark.
The attack came swiftly; so sudden that we barely had time to raise our weapons to defend ourselves. Later I would berate myself for not seeing it coming: the darkness and the narrow streets made it the ideal place for an ambush. But at the present time it was all I could do just to hold the cultists off.
They looked like ordinary townsmen, but ordinary townsmen didn't carry about swords and axes. And rarely did they use them with such efficiency. Though Albert and I had more power and skill, they had the advantage of numbers.
Behind me I heard Albert activate his dragoon stone and send a wing blaster spell crashing through the midst of the aggressors. There were shouts of pain and alarm as he readied a second one, but I was distracted from seeing its effect when a tall burly man wielding a massive broadsword clove open my leg, sending me to the ground. As he raised his blade to deliver one final punishing blow, I unthinkingly activated my stone.
If the appearance of the Jade dragoon had caused a reaction, it was nothing compared to the fear and hatred that greeted my transformation. And yet even as I raised the cannon arm to obliterate the mass before me, someone found the nerve to act.
As Albert completed an addition that took out five men in one fluid movement, one man with a long needlepointed dirk slipped in behind him. Avoiding the beating wings, he shoved his weapon into the exposed area just under Albert's armpit. The reaction was instantaneous. Even as Albert fell to the ground the dragoon stone deactivated itself. I saw it for a brief second, a green glow falling to the ground beside its master, before the man who had stabbed Albert snatched it out of mid air and disappeared into the crowd.
As Albert hit the ground I felt my blood turn cold. Swinging my cannon in the general direction I thought the killer had taken, I let off three blasts, one after another. They cleared large swaths through the retreating mob before crashing into the houses and the street leaving gaping holes wherever they struck. Lowering my cannon I watched them run for a moment before turning my attention back to the fallen King that lie on the ground beside me.
Dropping my blade, I reverted to human form and knelt at Albert's side. He was bleeding heavily; blood had soaked through his clothes and was slowly pooling on the cobbled stone street. Unfastening my bandana I wadded it up and pressed it against the wound, trying to stop the flow of blood. Albert groaned slightly and pushed it away.
"Don't." He said weakly.
"But-"
"Get out of here."
I started to object again, but he shook his head weakly. Wanting him to stop moving, I said nothing. Blood had started to trickle out of the corner of his mouth, running down his chin in a thin red line. "You have to get out of here now," he said, laboring with the words. "The cult will blame this on you."
"But I can't leave you to die!"
"It's not your choice." Despite being at the edge of eternity his voice came out strong. "Dart. As my final act as the King of Serdio I charge you with the fate of the world. Will you carry out the final wish of your King and friend?"
I bowed my head, hot tears running down my face. "To my death."
Albert rested his head back against the stones and closed his eyes. "Then I go in peace. Farewell, my friend."
How long I knelt by Albert's still body I do not know. I was vaguely aware of Ragnarok gently pushing my mind aside and taking control of my body. I didn't care: exhaustion had suddenly overcome me. First Haschel, and now Albert. The prospect of spending an eternity guarding this world without my friend was starting to seem increasingly uninviting. But I had made a promise to Albert. And even as Ragnarok fled the city, I swore that this was one promise I would never go back on.
Whaaa! I can't believe I just did that to poor Albert, but I didn't want him to die of age. I wanted him to have an honorable death, and falling in battle protecting your friends is to me one of the most honorable ways to go. But still. **starts to wack herself over the head with her TICK MALLET OF DOOM** Bad me! Bad! Bad! Bad!
Sorry if I confused anyone last chapter with the dragon talk. It's a little hard to write; I confuse myself with it, usually. Anyhow, Striker- It was Ragnarok who replaced Dart's heart with the divine spirit. When Ragnarok was poking around in Dart's head, the red spirit he saw was just a chance thought that he happened to grab onto. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of comparing it to a human heart. Sorry for the confusion! Also: I think that Meru's hammer is way scarier than Miranda's arrows, but I don't think that Meru would have thrown her hammer a hundred paces or so just to hit Dart.
Dart's POV
"Excuse me Mister, but are you all right?"
/Huh?/
"Umm, Mister?"
//The lady's asking you a question, Dart. It's considered good manners to answer her// Ragnarok's voice echoed through my mind.
I told him to shut up, but he continued to prod me until I opened my eyes and sat up, a move that I regretted instantly. Waves of pain crashed through my skull and I instinctively tried to clutch my face, thinking it might help. Human instinct sucks. This act only made my head hurt worse, a fact that Ragnarok found deeply amusing. I would have told him off if I had been able to think clearly through the hurt, but since I couldn't it only made Ragnarok laugh harder.
I was suddenly aware of a cool touch on my arm, pulling my hand away from my forehead. "I wouldn't touch that," a young voice advised, "you'll only make it worse."
I opened my eyes again and this time found myself facing a young girl of about eleven. She had dark hair that fell just short of her shoulders and dark tanned skin. Her accent and style of dress was Tiberoian, but that didn't make sense. I didn't remember much after leaving Rogue, but I couldn't have flown that far, had I? Shaking my head and sending another jolt of pain through my head, I slowly became aware of the fact that the girl was still talking.
".found you a little while ago," she was saying. "I was gonna go back to Fletz to get help, but-"
"Wait a minute," I cut her off, pushing the haze that obscured my thoughts aside. "Did you just say 'Fletz'?"
She nodded and I closed my eyes and lie back again. So I had flown that far. But why didn't I remember?
//You don't remember// Ragnarok informed me, // because you missed your landing and smashed your head on that rock behind us. I deactivated the dragoon stone, but you where out cold for a while. Honestly, after all this time being a dragoon I would have thought that you would know how to land by now//
"Um, Mister?"
I sighed and sat up again. "You can stop it with the 'Mister' stuff. Formal titles make me uncomfortable." I hesitated for a moment before telling her to "Just call me Arren." A false name never hurt anybody, and she was probably better off not knowing who I was.
"Arren. I like that. My name's Tess," The girl beamed at me for a moment before turning her attention back to the wound on my forehead. When I flinched back from her as she reached towards the cut, she gave me a sharp "Stop that!" and a "Hold still!" before continuing. For someone as young as she, Tess certainly seemed to know what she was doing. Pulling off my bandana, she dampened a cloth from her water bottle and cleaned away the dried blood and the pieces of thread and dirt that had gotten into the wound. Rummaging through the small bag that she carried at her side, Tess produced a healing potion. Pouring what was left of the bottle onto the cloth she carefully wiped it onto the wound. When she was finished she sat back and dusted off her hands on her skirt. "There," she said, looking quite pleased with herself. "That should be fine now."
Gingerly I touched it. She was right; the potion had started to take effect and the cut was slowly sealing its self. Satisfied, I replaced my bandana, despite her disapproving look.
"It'll take longer to heal with that on." Tess told me, hands on her hips.
"I don't care. I feel naked without this on. Besides, you seem to know what you're doing; it should heal on its own." I got to my feet and retrieved my sword from where it lay several feet away. "Where did you learn healing?"
"From my mother: she runs the clinic in Fletz. It's been in our family for years. It would probably go to me, except." Tess looked suddenly awkward.
"Except what?" I re-sheathed my blade and checked to see that the Violet Dragoon spirit was still safely attached to my belt. It rested out of sight, caught in a small metal holder. I didn't remember doing anything with it, but I strongly suspected Ragnarok had something to do with the matter. Along the rest of the belt were six more holders for what I assumed would be the rest of the stones. Great. So now I was going to have to guard the spirits as well as destroy the Moon Children. Life just kept getting better and better. I turned back to Tess. "Well?"
She looked at the ground. "I didn't want to have to spend my life working in the clinic so I ran away," she whispered. "I got out of town well enough, but then I started to run into monsters. I ran from them, but I got lost."
I looked at her gravely for a moment. "How old are you, Tess?"
"Ten. Everyone says that I look older, though." She started to walk towards a well-beaten path that wound lazily around rocks and shrubs, slowly heading inland.
I fell into step beside her. "I agree. Where you planning on going back to Fletz anytime soon?"
"Well I was gonna wait until Dad came looking for me, but if you've got that big sword I shouldn't have to worry about any monsters coming after me." Tess looked admiringly at the hilt of the dragon sword, then at me. "Provided that you can use that thing."
For some reason this statement struck me as enormously funny. When I finally regained my composure, I grinned at the confused child walking along beside me. "Kid, I've been using swords for a long time. I think I can handle a couple of monsters. So," I said, changing the topic, "Where are we going?"
She shrugged, mimicking my grin. "I dunno. I'm supposed to be the one who's lost here, not you!"
~
The sun was just setting over Tiberoa's desolate red hills when we finally came to the gates of Fletz. Tess, half-asleep, rode on my back. She had walked for the better part of the day but was obviously not used to such exercise, so I had opted to carry her. But as we approached the gates she signaled for me to let her down; once on her own two feet she went directly to the nearest of the two guards lurking in the shadow of the gates.
They only spoke briefly together, but it was clear that they knew each other. After a moment, the guard reached down and hugged her and Tess motioned for me to come with her into the city. As soon as we were through the guards began to winch the gates closed, shutting the citizens of the city in for the night. I had thought that ritual had gone out of usage with the disappearance of the bandits, but I guess that there were other things running around now to worry about.
When I judged that we where out of earshot of the guards at the now closed gate I asked Tess who that guard was. She answered that he was her half brother and that he had told her for us to go to the clinic to alert her mother that she was back. Her father had gone up to the castle to try and get a search party organized to look for her.
Inwardly I cursed. /Couldn't that man have waited just a little bit longer?/
//Would you really do the same if you knew that your offspring was stuck outside in the wilderness with no way to defend them self? That goes against human nature, Dart//
/I know, but this means that sooner or later I'm going to have to go up to the castle and if memory serves, this is the portion of the year that Albert usually spends with Emile/
//That could cause some problems now, couldn't it? You'll have to bluff your way through it then. Albert can't publicly expose you without causing a massed panic amongst everybody in Fletz, and you haven't done too much wrong in the last year or so//
/Thanks for the support/ I replied sarcastically.
//Anytime//
Tess led me though the streets to the clinic. I had been here several times before, but I tried to look as though this was all new to me. There had been a few modifications made to the place but nothing too extreme: a few new houses and a whole lot of new faces. The clinic itself was nestled in between a small house with a fountain in the shape of a crescent moon in front of it and the home of Fester the astronomer. I noticed, with a pang of sadness, that it had been expanded into a house more suitable for a large family. Old friends where passing away to rest while I was left behind to see that the world didn't come to a depressing finale in their absence. Believe it or not I envied them. I had a long, depressing existence ahead of me and if nothing else, Ragnarok wouldn't allow me to die until this whole thing was seen through. And Soa only knew how long that would take.
Reaching the door to the clinic, Tess pushed it open and called for her mother, snapping me back to the present. Tess's mother was a tall woman of about thirty with dark brown hair pulled back from here face in a severe ponytail; a sharp contrast to the soft expression on her face. Though she was obviously glad to see her daughter again, she remained grave as she embraced Tess. Kneeling, she wiped some dirt off of the girl's nose, whispering quietly to her the whole time.
When she finished with her daughter, she rose to her feet and thanked me with equal graveness before informing me that she would have to take me to the castle immediately. Something about presenting me to the king. I'm not sure; I was too busy trying to think up a plausible excuse to leave the city. By the time we had reached the stairway to the castle the best I could come up with was that I was allergic to royalty and let's face it: not even the most gullible courtier in the world would believe that.
//You're over reacting again// Ragnarok murmured.
/No I'm not. I'm just preparing myself for the probable future/
//Would you rather have me handle this?//
/Not really. I don't want the destruction of Fletz added to my permanent record/
//Then stop thinking about how you're going to get out of this and focus on how you're going to get through it//
We reached the castle and were escorted to the Chamber of the Sun. Normally I would enjoy my time there. An enormous room with floor-to- ceiling windows overlooking the bay on the right side of the room, the red and gold decorations of the chamber where in sharp contrast with the blues and ivories of the rest of the castle and city. I guess that the change of décor had something to do with the man sitting on the throne at the far end of the room talking with another man that I assumed was Tess's father. Albert's eyes where dark and serious as he contemplated the problem, brushing away the occasional strand of light chestnut hair when it fell across his face. He had aged somewhat and his long hair was touched slightly with silver at the temples, but he was still an impressive sight.
I hung back at the entrance as Tess and her mother approached the throne. There was a shout of joy from Tess's father when he saw the pair. The girl's father could not have been more unlike his wife. Short and stout with a deeply tanned face he was a jolly, balding man of about forty or so. When he finally disengaged from the bear hug that he had caught Tess in, he was beaming. Behind him, Albert looked enormously relieved.
Tess began to relate what had happened, but was stopped when she mentioned "Arren".
"Arren is a Serdian name," Albert said, brows furrowing. "Would you send him in? He may be a messenger from Bale."
Tess shook her head. "He doesn't look like a royal messenger. More like a ." she trailed off, unsure as to how to describe me. She glanced back in my direction, looking for help.
There was nothing else for it now. Swallowing my uneasiness I walked up beside Tess and bowed. I had caught the look of surprise in Albert's eyes as I had come in. That made sense. Of all the places in Endiness, the Chamber of the Sun was the last place anyone would expect me to show up. I rose out of the bow and stood loosely with my arms at my sides. "What Tess is trying to say," I said, filling in the sudden silence, "is that I'm just a wanderer."
Albert straightened slightly; regaining what little composure he had lost. We are grateful to you. Arren," he said formally, "for coming to Tess's aid. We welcome you to Fletz."
I doubted that, but I bowed my thanks anyhow. There was a second strained silence. I stood uncomfortably trying to look as though I wasn't bothered, but I was grateful when Emile, Albert's queen, broke the silence by pleasantly inviting us all to dinner. I think I almost swallowed my Dragoon stone at the prospect, but I really had no choice but to accept.
I retreated to the balcony outside to pass the time until supper while Albert conversed with Tess and her parents. The night sky was clear; the reflection of the stars and moon played across the water below me. Unbidden the memory of the night I had first kissed Shana here slipped into my mind. I sighed aloud; so much had changed since then. At least she wasn't around to what I had become.
Emile wandered onto the balcony and stood beside me, watching the reflection of the moon on the ocean. We stood in silence together, neither of us making a move to speak. Occasionally I could hear Albert's voice over the general chatter emanating from the inside of the chamber. After what seemed an eternity Emile cleared her throat and turned to face me. "So Dart," she started, "How have you been?"
"Spare me the formalities. I know you'd rather not talk to me anyhow." I turned back to the ocean.
"Whatever gave you that idea?" She reached out and turned my face so that I was looking at her once more.
I stared at her. She actually wanted to talk to me? I shook my head. What was she up to? "If you want to talk, then go ahead. I'm listening."
She gave a tinkling little laugh before becoming serious once more. "You're going to have to talk to him sometime, you know."
"I know. But it's a little difficult."
"Is it really? You know, despite all you've done, he still considers you a friend. A friend who has done wrong, but a friend none the less." Emile gave me a sad smile.
That caught me by surprise, but I tried not to show it. "Really?"
"Yes, really. He won't admit it, but he misses you terribly. He'll probably want to talk to you after dinner." With one last smile and a pat on the arm, Emile stepped back inside. I shook my head. When I had first met her, Emile had been a princess out of a fairy tale. Now she had grown into a queen of the same sort.
//That's to be expected. She was, after all, brought up for this//
/I know, but it's still strange. I guess I still see her as the perfect little princess that married the King of Serdio/
//Time changes people. On a lighter note, I think that they're about to call you in for dinner. Move it//
/Fine/
~
Emile did most of the talking during dinner to cover the fact that neither Albert nor I were speaking to each other. She'd direct questions to one of us and then, almost before we were finished answering, would turn to the other with a "Don't you agree?". I was impressed with her tact: to any one looking in, it would almost seem that Albert and I were speaking.
After supper I wandered outside again. The low wall surrounding the balcony made a comfortable seat if you didn't fall, so I settled myself down to wait for Albert. It seemed strange that I was apprehensive about talking to someone who had at one time been one of my most trusted friends. I mean, friends disagree and get in fights all the time, but it doesn't usually result in one wanting to throw the other in a cell and keep him there for the rest of his life.
Albert came out a few minutes later and sat on one of the stone benches along the wall. I couldn't help but notice that he had his spear with him. I know that he is famed for being a warrior-king, but still.
"Do you actually think you're going to have to use that thing?" I asked, leaning back against one of the pillars that rose every six feet or so along the wall. Now that he was in front of me I began to feel surer of myself.
Albert made a wry face. "No, but it makes the courtiers feel safer. The last thing I need is for them to be causing a disturbance amongst the guards."
"You're getting soft. Twenty years ago you wouldn't have listened."
"I was dealing with Serdians then. Tiberoians are more argumentive and harder to please."
"Do those courtiers know who I am?" I asked. Inwardly I winced. If anything would get to the eventual point of the conversation, this question would be it.
"No. They're objecting to me not carrying a spear on a symbolic basis. They think that I should have something more material then a reputation to show that I'm also a warrior in addition to being their king." He hefted his spear, watching the lights of the castle play down its lethal blade. "Fortunatly, I haven't had reason to use it in a very long time." He glanced at me, taking in the tattered edges of my coat, my bloodstained bandana, and last of all, my Dragon Sword. His eyes lingered on the runes carved into the blade as he spoke. "It seems that you are a different story. I take it that that blade is a new acquisition?"
"Not really. I've been packing it around for about fifteen years now, but I don't want to even guess at its actual age."
"May I see it?" Albert took the sword and began to examine it closely. "Where did you find it? I've never seen craftsmanship like this before. The hilt alone is a work of art." He moved his examination down to the blade, stopping at the runes. "I don't recognize this form of writing," he admitted. "What is it?"
"Dragon rune. It says 'Ragnarok'."
His eye widened slightly and he looked at me. "You can read it?"
I sat up and shrugged. "Sort of." Not really. Ragnarok had translated it for me.
"Hmmm." Albert raised an eyebrow as I took back my sword. "What's the matter with you? You've been tense since you arrived."
I blinked. He, the man who had an endless stream of mercenaries after my head, had me in a position where he could probably capture me within the space of two heart beats, and he was asking me why I was tense?
"Dart?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm wondering exactly when you're going to call your guards and shove me into a cell? You weren't exactly friendly to me the last time we saw each other."
Albert stretched and stood. "I won't say that I didn't give the matter of cells some thought when you first arrived, but I don't think that's necessary any more. Besides, you'd probably just blast out a wall like you did before, correct?"
"Probably. Walls don't present much of a problem. So why did you want to talk to me? I can't see you apologizing."
He almost looked as though he might smile, but instead got to his feet and began to pace. "I didn't believe your story at first," he said, "But you seem a little too sure of yourself to be insane. There are other things, but they're not important right now. What I really wanted to talk to you about is the reaction of certain people to the apparent re-emergence of the Black Monster and the Moon Child." He waited until I nodded before continuing.
"Not long after your appearances, some members of the population of the different countries went into a religious ecstasy. While that is not uncommon, this happened all at one time, right after the death of the Moon Child. At first it didn't seem like much, but eventually they began to gather for meetings in secret. Nothing much would happen; just some priest rambling on about "the judgment of all who oppose the will and plan of the creator Soa," and other things like that. But soon their attention became focused upon two things: the Moon Child and, well, you.
"Since then they have become more organized. They call themselves the Cult of the Moon, and seem to follow the teachings of a priest who calls himself Wecra." Albert stopped pacing and turned to face me. "When the next Moon Child appears, they'll be there protecting it with their lives. You'll have to get them all at once, or face them every time a new Moon Child appears."
Well this was great. Now in addition to the usual evangelists that accompanied the Moon Child, I'd have to out wit a hoard of crazed fanatics as well. The future just kept becoming more and more promising.
//He's leaving something out//
/You're sure?/
//Yes. Ask him if this cult has any chapters in this town//
I repeated Ragnarok's question. Albert looked surprised, then admitted that he had suspicions that there was. That settled things. Picking up my sword, I started to leave.
Albert barred the entrance to the castle with the haft of his spear. "Where are you going?" He demanded.
"If there's a cult here, then I may as well take it off your hands. If I don't it'll just come back to haunt me later anyhow." I ducked under the spear haft and into the now empty room. "I'll be back in a bit."
"I'll go with you."
I stopped. "No you won't. It might be dangerous."
Albert laughed humorlessly. "So was Melbu Frahma. I'm a dragoon too Dart. If a bunch of peasants are enough to cause a threat classified as 'dangerous', then you may as well have someone along to watch your back."
I gave in. A few minutes later we where walking around the waterfront district. In the relatively new area Albert led the way, as I had no idea where I was going. Unlike in the rest of the city, the streets were dark and narrow. When I asked why there where no lights, Albert said that the fishermen that lived in the area preferred it to be dark.
The attack came swiftly; so sudden that we barely had time to raise our weapons to defend ourselves. Later I would berate myself for not seeing it coming: the darkness and the narrow streets made it the ideal place for an ambush. But at the present time it was all I could do just to hold the cultists off.
They looked like ordinary townsmen, but ordinary townsmen didn't carry about swords and axes. And rarely did they use them with such efficiency. Though Albert and I had more power and skill, they had the advantage of numbers.
Behind me I heard Albert activate his dragoon stone and send a wing blaster spell crashing through the midst of the aggressors. There were shouts of pain and alarm as he readied a second one, but I was distracted from seeing its effect when a tall burly man wielding a massive broadsword clove open my leg, sending me to the ground. As he raised his blade to deliver one final punishing blow, I unthinkingly activated my stone.
If the appearance of the Jade dragoon had caused a reaction, it was nothing compared to the fear and hatred that greeted my transformation. And yet even as I raised the cannon arm to obliterate the mass before me, someone found the nerve to act.
As Albert completed an addition that took out five men in one fluid movement, one man with a long needlepointed dirk slipped in behind him. Avoiding the beating wings, he shoved his weapon into the exposed area just under Albert's armpit. The reaction was instantaneous. Even as Albert fell to the ground the dragoon stone deactivated itself. I saw it for a brief second, a green glow falling to the ground beside its master, before the man who had stabbed Albert snatched it out of mid air and disappeared into the crowd.
As Albert hit the ground I felt my blood turn cold. Swinging my cannon in the general direction I thought the killer had taken, I let off three blasts, one after another. They cleared large swaths through the retreating mob before crashing into the houses and the street leaving gaping holes wherever they struck. Lowering my cannon I watched them run for a moment before turning my attention back to the fallen King that lie on the ground beside me.
Dropping my blade, I reverted to human form and knelt at Albert's side. He was bleeding heavily; blood had soaked through his clothes and was slowly pooling on the cobbled stone street. Unfastening my bandana I wadded it up and pressed it against the wound, trying to stop the flow of blood. Albert groaned slightly and pushed it away.
"Don't." He said weakly.
"But-"
"Get out of here."
I started to object again, but he shook his head weakly. Wanting him to stop moving, I said nothing. Blood had started to trickle out of the corner of his mouth, running down his chin in a thin red line. "You have to get out of here now," he said, laboring with the words. "The cult will blame this on you."
"But I can't leave you to die!"
"It's not your choice." Despite being at the edge of eternity his voice came out strong. "Dart. As my final act as the King of Serdio I charge you with the fate of the world. Will you carry out the final wish of your King and friend?"
I bowed my head, hot tears running down my face. "To my death."
Albert rested his head back against the stones and closed his eyes. "Then I go in peace. Farewell, my friend."
How long I knelt by Albert's still body I do not know. I was vaguely aware of Ragnarok gently pushing my mind aside and taking control of my body. I didn't care: exhaustion had suddenly overcome me. First Haschel, and now Albert. The prospect of spending an eternity guarding this world without my friend was starting to seem increasingly uninviting. But I had made a promise to Albert. And even as Ragnarok fled the city, I swore that this was one promise I would never go back on.
Whaaa! I can't believe I just did that to poor Albert, but I didn't want him to die of age. I wanted him to have an honorable death, and falling in battle protecting your friends is to me one of the most honorable ways to go. But still. **starts to wack herself over the head with her TICK MALLET OF DOOM** Bad me! Bad! Bad! Bad!