Chapter 2: The Prices We Pay

(Two Days Later)

Nowe sat around a fire as the knights sung and danced, they were so liquered up you could ask one their name and they would have no idea. Though not that Nowe himself hadn't been drinking, just not as hard. After Nowe had saved lady Hanch he made it back to the battlefield in time to route the rebels with Legna's help, thinking about the event made Nowe wonder where Legna had run off to after they chased the rebels far from the district. He sighed and stood slowly, he heard a rustle of gravel and sand from the mountain ledge above the town in which they drank. His ears somehow heard the sound over the laughing drunk knights, he went into the pub and asked the owner where he could have possibly put his sword. He heard the rustle of metal and turned to see Hanch dangling the sword by it's waist strap. Nowe sighed in relief and smiled, he reached for the blade but the lieutenant drew her hand away from him. She was testing him for some reason, but Hanch seemed different, she hadn't once said anything about himself. Nowe had the same feeling he got when Hanch was attacked the first knight. He pretended to be so drunk that he groped her, as Nowe thought Hanch was not acting herself. He should have been dead, he reared his head back up and pretended to scratch the small of his back. He drew glory's bane and quickly pierced Hanch's abdomen with the blade. An inhuman cry was heard and the knights ran into the pub. They saw what Nowe was doing and looked around for their swords. Nowe turned around Hanch's body for all to see, she was nothing more than a black magician. He pushed the body forward allowing the dagger to dig in deeper as the magician fell stomach first into the wooden floor. He grabbed his longsword quickly and wrapped his belt around his slender waist. All of the alcohol had seemed to mysteriously disappeared, he did not have impaired vision of any slight sick feeling. He called out for Legna and saw the beast perched on the roof of the pub, Nowe gasped that the structure hadn't imploded yet. Then he realized the beast was still flapping it's large wings, he didn't even have to say anything. Legna grabbed him by the shoulders with his large talons and flew about a hundred feet, he tossed Nowe from his talons and watched as he fell, they had been practicing on this for weeks, Legna dived after Nowe at blinding speed. In a matter of mere seconds Legna was between Nowe's legs. Nowe gently warmed the blue dragon as the wind blew through his auburn hair.

"Let's hurry to the Temple"

Legna let out a pointless roar and sped off towards the dam that held the water from the city, Nowe saw torches line the ledges leading to the temple, they were not knights or else they would have just come through the main road. He grappled onto Legna tightly as he maneuvered through the valley to the sluice gates, the intense night air could have frozen Nowe had he not been able to stay close to Legna. The Dragon had enough heat in it's body to burn any it to ruble. He smiled and released his arms from Legna, the Dragon got close to the platform leading the the dais before slamming it's talons into the pavement stopping itself from falling into the water or sliding into the sanctum but causing serious damage to the ground. Nowe jumped off and made his way to the gates that led into the inner sanctum, he quickly grabbed a crimson torch from the wall. Usually the gates would have been easy to open but now with the guards gone it took him a while. When he entered he saw nothing but a dim candle in the center of the dais. he walked towards the platform when the doors slammed shut. Nowe was frightened but paid no attention to it, he drew his longsword slowly with one hand, trying to be as quiet as possible. He tried not to alert anything that was in there to his presence but something moved in the shadowy water. He was still a bit impaired from the drinking but he could have sworn he saw a horse. He shook his head and then the thing was gone. He sighed heavily, that moonshine must have taken a great toll on him, his vision began to go and then his smell. Soon he could not see or smell anything. Soon after he collapsed, after hours of sleeping he awoke around midnight he awoke in the center of the dais in the arms of Hanch, she moved his bangs from his eyes, she really had not known he was awake until he flinched and let out a tiny pain driven noise. She dropped him and stood up quickly. She was flushing red but it was hidden by the haze he still had in his eyes. He tried to stand but his muscles were sore all over. He let out a groan and stared at the roof. He clenched his fists and tried to rise once more. When that fell and he did as well she moved slowly back to him. He tried to move again but she placed a blanket over him.

"What happened to me? I remembering standing right here before I collapsed"

Hanch shushed him and gave him a bowl with a red liquid inside, Nowe was hesitant at first but after Hanch shoved it close to him he drank it. The taste was pungent and it smelled like death, he almost threw up before realizing the pain and restrictions he had were gone. He sat up slowly directing his attention to Hanch, he bowed his head for a second before hearing a distinct neighing sound. Nowe glanced over in the direction to see a horse like creature in the water. Hanch seemed not to be bothered with the giant beast. It was a freakish mutant like beast. But it had a familiar feeling to it, like he had met it before. Hanch waved to the creature and it submerged itself in the water once again.

"Kelpie let out a mist thinking it was protecting me. He is sorry for what he did, as am I"

Nowe was a little confused but when he turned to Hanch she was refiling his bowl with the water that surrounded the dais. Nowe heard the sound of footsteps, this time it sounded just like when he was back in the village, like bare feet. He looked contently forward before hearing the rustle of clothes. It wasn't the knights, that was for sure, he heard the faint sound of wood pressing against string. He flinched and stood as quick as he could, a howling noise filled the dais as Nowe bound towards Hanch, he stood in front of her with his back to the sound as around 10 arrows pierced his armor and stabbing into his back with the head of the arrows. Nowe could not keep himself up, he accidently fell forward into the water, pushing Hanch in before him. His blood seeped through the armor and into the water that he was lying in. He saw Hanch as the beast he had seen earlier grab her and pull her above the water. He heard the sound of ice shattering and death cries. The maiden of water's pact beast must have been powerful to annihilate them so quickly. Then he heard the ice again, this time the water he was surrounded in froze, the ice craced making him feel like he was going to die of the cold. He felt himself be carried to the surface, he gasped for air but it was so cold he just ended up choking, for a few seconds he felt his life slip away until he felt heat that could melt and ice berg. It was Legna, but even his flame did not help, Nowe was dying for sure now. He looked towards Legna and motioned for Hanch. She grabbed him and rushed forward dragging Nowe behind, the exposure to the night air outside made it worse. But what Legna had in store for him was his only chance. The Dragon coughed horridly letting out screams of pain. Nowe glanced towards the Dragon as it placed the orb near Nowe. He knew that a pact was the only way to keep him alive. Noe placed his hand over his chest and dug it into himself deeply, the pain was excruciating to him, he had been told of pacts many times but not of the pan he would feel. He held to orb out to the orb Legna had and light covered them both. Nowe felt invigorated but at the same time he felt like he was being turned inside out, the light disappeared and Nowe was fine, his wounds healed and all scars removed, bu when he saw everything around him the pavement did not feel cold and his back didn't hurt despite that he was laying against a sharp brick. When he tried to rise his legs felt numb, so did the rest of his body. He finally stood and looked to Legna. He bore a mark all over his body that was like a seal. He spoke solemnly as he fell down

"What happened to me?"

Legna was silent for a while before rearing his head towards Nowe andbreaking the skin on his skin with his teeth, Nowe was expecting to scream and be in horrible pain but he felt nothing

"Your price...You can no longer feel, my boy..."

I sort of had writer's block. If I think of something better later I'll add it in as like an alternate fate where it's ErisxNowe or ManahxNowe. Like the endings of Drakengard whichare altereddepending onwhat choices you make.