I awoke in Dovula's arms, franticly trying to escape. His arms were like the bars of a cage, holding me down and safe. I finally calmed down and turned to look at him. He was staring deep into my eyes, worried about me. I held him tight to me, afraid to go back to sleep. He kissed my forehead caringly, stroking my hair. We stayed like this for a while until he finally spoke.
"You need your sleep you know" but while he said this something clicked. How could I have been sleeping if he changed me? Vampires can't sleep!
"Why?" I asked softly, confused. He simply said because and pulled me in closer. I didn't understand. I fed, but I can sleep. I shook my head lightly, intending on talking to him in the morning.
Blinking repeatedly, I woke up, trying to remember last night. I couldn't remember anything at all! Deana walked out the seperate tent behind me.
"What's wrong, Devistria?" she asked worried. I turned to her and realized that i was in tears.
"I can't remember anything!" I said in panic. She looked at me, concerned, when Dovula came up behind her.
"What's wrong, love?" he asked. Deana gave him a disgusted look and went back to her tent to clean things up. I noticed that Larc had slept uner the stars, him still sleeping on the grass. I turned to the Count and told him about how I couldn't remember anyting that happened last night and about how I had slept but that's impossible, he changed me. He simply listened without commenting during my ranting. When I finished he took me into his arms and told me not to worry. He placed his face to my hair and breathed in the scent, sighing. I relaxed a bit but was a little concerned that he wasn't talking to me. We packed up and started to move towards the Bejeweled City. Li'l Cactus was right. Bejeweled City is a cheesy name I thought to myself, slowly regaining my confidence while on our way there.
When we finally arrived I was shocked. The city was in ruins! Every gem was cracked and crumbling and the beautiful glow had vanished, leaving a unhealthy, rotting feel to the place. Out of the rubble crawled a man, no a centaur! It wasGilbert! The stone in my hand began to warm, but ever so slightly. I realized the Gilbert was badly hurt and rushed towards him to see if I could help. His arms gave out and he fell to the ground. I started to lift him but he stirred and placed his hand on my cheek. I blinked several times, about to slap him but then he spoke.
"Is that you Devistria? It is." he said in a breathy voice. "You look like an angel-" At that point I dropped him, not about to take such stupid pick up lines. He fell and groaned slightly. Rolling my eyes, I picked him up and heaved him on to my back. It wasn't too difficult for picking up a horse. Deana set out some blankets and we laid him on it. He looked up blearily, unfocused.
"Mabey this will help" I mumbled aloud, taking out the stone and placing it to his chest. He glew for a moment and then returned to his original state. The gleam to his fur had come back and the cuts and bruises had disapeared, but he still laid there, moaning slightly as if he was in pain. I bent down to pear into his eyes to see if anything was wrong when he grabbed my head, swung me so that he was above me and kissed me aggresively. However, it didn't last very long, because at that point Count Dovula had gotten a hold of Gilbert and threw him about 10 feet away from us. He landed with a thud while Dovula bent down over me, brushing my hair aside.
"Are you okay?" he asked very softly, worried. I giggled lightly, which made his expresion grow even more apprehensive, but then I sat up a bit and kissed him gently, which reasured him greatly. He scooped me up, ignoring my complaints and protests. Larc was explaining the situation to Gilbert while Deana stared up at the ruined Bejewled City with a furious expresion on her face. The Count sat with me on a fallen gem. I looked around sadly, taking in all the destruction in front of me.
"What could have done this? And why?" I asked sadly. I glanced up at the Count and saw an emotion I couldn't quite place in his eyes. I was about to ask when Larc walked toward us briskly.
"I have explained the situation to Gilbert. He wants to acompany us on our travels. however, I'm not sure if that would be wise. I am leaving the decision to you, Lady Devistria" he said quickly and clearly. Now who does that remind me of? I said to myself smiling internaly. The Count declined immeadiatly, but I interupted him.
"Alright, if that's what he really wants" I said, the shock on Dovula's face clearly visable. I smiled slightly.
"I have my reasons" I said simply, causing him to grow even more uncomfortble. I laughed softly and moved from his hold gently. I walked to where Gilbert was waiting.
"Ah, Devi-" he stared but I cut him off almost immeadiatly.
"okay, let's get this straight. You may join us if one; you don't get in the way two; you do not piss off my beloved and three; you do not turn in the face of fear" I finished, smiling grimly. However, at the end of my little speal, he puffed out his chest.
"I can take any blow from this world and still stand as tall and strong as always" he said, with an air of pride in his voice. I smirked.
"Oh, can you? You can take torture that feels as if all your bones have been snapped and your tendons have been ripped from your very joints while your lungs have been lit ablaze? You can handle monsters that would ripped off each limb slowly, listening to the ripping skin and the joint popping out of place while ripping open your stomach and crushing your skull? You can stand up to the face of a demon intent of peeling your skin off, impaling your heart on a rusty stake, ripping out your intestien and using it to throttle the very life out of you? In that case, welcome aboard." I said, watching his sickened face with glee.
"Are you alright, Gilbert?" I asked with mock concern. He nodded slowly and stood up wobbling slightly. I chuckled and called to Deana. She turned to me for a split second and turned back to the ruins. Larc and I walked up behind her, while Count Dovula comfronted Gilbert.
"He must have been powerful" said Larc suddenly. I turned toward him.
"Who?" I asked completely lost.
"The one who did this" said Deana quietly, touching a gem lightly. She reclined almost immeadiatly, however.
"It's...empty. It's cold and hallow. the mana here has been dried up or taken" she said darkly. Larc looked at her and then turned.
"There's nothing we can do about it now" I said and turned to my pouch holding the shards. I sighed deeply and pulled out the next shard.