His long shaggy bangs clinged to his skin as sweat trickled down his face. He used his katana as support and climbed his way up the rocky slope of the mountain. He was about to make it to the top, were a dragon was towering over everything like a gargoyle before a sudden beep, a sound he had come to hate, had startled him and his sweaty grip loosened on the rocks as the beast above him heard the retched noise waking it from its sleep.
He growled in anger as he let go of his grip on the mountain, falling down and down before his stuck his prosthetic limb into the earth beside him to stop his descent.
The dragon looked down, but its eyesight was not used to the bright light, so it did not see the swordsman below. It took one last look around and flew off, probably to gather some food and find the source of the noise that woke it from its sleep.
The swordsman looked below himself to see how far he had fallen. He was so close to fighting another of the retched beasts but was interrupted by the horrible sound of the thing he carried around in his pockets. He had always hated it, since the day he had gotten it. It always proved to be a pain in battle or while sneaking around during missions.
He positioned himself in a sitting motion and pulled his claws out of the earth, letting him slide towards the bottom of the mountain he had tried to climb up all morning.
After he had landed on the ground safely, his normal hand stuck itself into his pockets that most people did not know he had. They were hidden on the side of his sarong to look like part of the fabric so that they would not be a bother in battle. He pulled out a cell phone type of machine and flipped it open. He never found anything useful in the little monitor, but he saw someone as unlikely as the devil looking back at him.
The emerald eyes and flaming hair were enough to startle the warrior but he was even more surprised that she didn't mistake his communicator as someone else's. She never contacted him. After ten years she never contacted him, yet on this day, in that hour she was on the other line of his communicator acting as if she had seen him the day before.
"Albel Nox," the woman said firmly, her eyes sharp and weary.
"Nel Zelpher," replied the swordsman. He glared down at the small piece of technology in his palm, and the woman looking up at him, he snorted.
There was a small silence, but the impatient warrior did not want to wait. She had interrupted his training. She owed him.
"Woman, I don't have all day, say what you want and be on your way!" growled the man as he shook his mane of hair. His anger shown on his face, his features twisted in rage.
"Adray is dead Nox. Just wondering if you wanted to know so I could invite you to the funeral," hissed the woman on the other end. It seemed he had angered her in his … anger.
"Oh. Is that all? Well then, be on your way," growled Albel. He didn't want to admit it but he did feel a bit of sorrow for the old man, after all, he was his team mate and his life did rest in the warrior's hands a few times in battle. He did not show any emotion except rage though. He didn't want to be known as "Albel the softy".
"Fine, I don't care anymore, I thought maybe after all these years you might have changed. I guess I was wrong. Figures, I've been wrong since what happened long ago. Well, if you want to come, it's being held in Aquios. The queen is hosting it, but whatever, if you don't want to come, don't."
"Who said I didn-"
Connection ended.
Roger S. Huxley had walked in his father's footsteps.
He had become the village chief and ruled with an iron fist.
Well, not really. The little town was as peaceful as the day Fayt and company had passed ten years ago.
The faeries and pixies flew through the air; the fish swam through the water, and the menodix dug in the ground or climbed up trees. It was peaceful.
Roger sat on his porch, his father telling stories to the next generation of menodix and other creatures that dwelled in the village. He was snoozing peacefully. Roger had grown slightly taller than his father, but not by very much. Maybe it was influence from the incident 10 years ago.
His hat was perched on his head, his ears twitching peacefully, the wind blowing nicely and the sun warming the earth. The day couldn't be better.
Suddenly, there was a loud obnoxious noise coming from inside Roger's house. His mom squealed and ran out of the house, holding her broom up in a defensive position. The children scrambled and hid behind the adults. Roger remembering the noise walked towards his home slowly. He rummaged through all his junk he had collected when he was a child and uncovered his communicator.
He walked out of his house and onto the porch, his parents realizing that the noise was not a threat, went back to their daily doings.
Roger flipped the electronic device open and was surprised to find Nel on the screen.
He grinned happily and greeted the Aquarian.
"Hello Nel! It's nice to see you! I haven't seen in you in ages!"
"Likewise Roger, I can't believe how much you've grown!" Nel smiled happily, looking at the menodix on the other side of her monitor. He was enough to bring a small smile to her face. His cheery out look on life was one that Nel admired. On the other hand…
"Yeah, I have grown a lot! Want to check it out?" replied the raccoon slyly. The woman sighed in disgust.
It seemed that Cliff had gotten into the already impure mind of the child ten years ago and now he was a lecherous pig, as was the behemoth.
"Can you not act like Cliff?"
"Yeesh, anyways, what's the occasion? Adray die or something, you haven't contacted me in 10 years!" asked Roger, receiving a surprised look from the woman on the other line.
"Wow. I never knew you could do that Roger. You're right, Adray did die…"
"Wait, what? I was right! Woah… Wait, WHAT!" yelled Roger into the communicator, his parents and the children giving him odd looks. He brushed them off and locked eyes with the Nel.
"Yes, he died, in the line of duty."
"Wow… I always thought he was as strong as a mountain! That he wouldn't wear down even if a storm hit him…"
"Nice metaphor. Anyways, I just wanted to let you know that we're going to hold a funeral for him. If you want to come, it will be held in Aquios in the castle. Hope you can come, everyone else will be there…"
"Alright! I'm on my way! I wouldn't miss a chance like this even if my life depended on it! Tell Adray's daughter that I'm terribly sorry! I'll tell her myself when I get there! Hope she cheers up, I know it'll be hard. I'll miss the old man," replied Roger, very confident to make it across land and water to get to his destination and sadness in his voice.
"I'll be sure to tell her."
Connection ended.
"Hey Mom, dad! I'm going to be away for a while! Be sure to take care of the place while I'm gone!"
"On another of your exploration trips again?" asked his mother as she swept the porch clean.
"No, going to a funeral! One of my comrades has just past away," Roger replied, loading a bunch of gear into a small traveler's bag and ready to be gone in five minutes.
"Oh, that's mighty sad. I hope his family isn't that down! Give this to them…" replied the mother, handing Roger a small present.
"Oh! What's in it!" asked Roger curiously. He took the present and held it in his arms.
"Well, you'll have to wait for her to open it, won't you?"
"Aw mum! Well, I guess I better get going! See you in a few days!" yelled Roger, already walking off of his porch and marching over the earth.
"Or weeks! I don't want to see your face here until you bring something useful!" growled one of Roger's long time rivals. (Whatsisface. I don't remember his name.)
"Shaddap! I'll bring something that will make your house seem small!" spat Roger, running over the bridge and heading past the shops.
"I'll just have to wait and see!"
