Chapter Nineteen: Amber's Past
I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house
That don't bother me
I can take a few tears now and then and just let them out
I'm not afraid to cry every once in a while
Even though going on with you gone still upsets me
There are days every now and again I pretend I'm ok
But that's not what gets me
What hurts the most
Was being so close
And having so much to say
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
What could have been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was tryin' to do
It's hard to deal with the pain of losing you everywhere I go
But I'm doin' It
It's hard to force that smile when I see our old friends and I'm alone
Still Harder
Getting up, getting dressed, livin' with this regret
But I know if I could do it over
I would trade give away all the words that I saved in my heart
That I left unspoken
For some reason I had found myself outside of Amber's cell. I could barely make out her figure within the darkened room, so I remained out side it. All was quiet, in fact too quiet for Amber. Usually she would be yelling and complaining about something this cruel and dreadful. However, she was quieter than a cricket. This, at times, could be rather hard to pull off. Blinking a few times, I breathed heavily and placed a hand on the iron bars before the cell. This place was a seven level prison. For what purpose I was unsure of. I was on the third floor, by my earlier observations. By what Soren had said and what Jessica told me, I was in Ghaelon's Castle. Biting down on my bottom lip, I glared beyond the bars that stood in front of me.
"Amber?" I whispered into the darkness. No response came so I remained standing there. Squinting my eyes angrily, I cleared my throat and grunted, as if not to speak again. Still no response came. No completely dumb-founded, I shook the bars offensively and then felt my body freeze. It was un like any feeling I had ever felt before. It was like my whole body was sweating, but cold sweat. Something that seemed unnatural. The sweat ran from the top of my head, along my neck, and down my chest. It was as if I was going to faint for some reason, but I remained with eyes wide open.
And that's when I began to fall into the black void of darkness. Down and down into nothing-ness. Then I collapsed onto a flat grassy plain. Somewhere.
Glancing around the plain that I just found myself in, I extended my hand and ran it through my hair. The locks were still bristle from the earlier sweat. Squinting my eyes from the harsh sunlight, I felt my body slowly come back into control. Arising to my feet, I brushed off the dirt and grass off my clothes and sighed. Here I was, in a large empty field, with but a single.. tent?
"Who could possibly be here. And were exactly is here?" I asked myself, grunting uneasily. Tilting my head side to side, I approached the tent. My goal was to ask for directions but a young girl exited the tent and looked around. "Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?" I asked, biting down my tongue. Usually I was rather cruel to humans, so I had to maintain my anger.
She did not reply, and acted as if she didn't know I was there. Puffing out my cheeks in anger, I watched the girl carry a few books in her hand. Watching her, she sat down a few yards away from the tent and opened a book. When she did, a hologram of the red dragon appeared. Stunned, I walked over next to her and starred at it.
"What the heck is that?" I murmured. Still no reply came from the young girl.
Scrunching my nose, I growled to myself and watched as she extended her hand to touch the hologram. However, it flickered as she touched it.
Wherever I was, this was making no sense. I had just been in Ghaelon's Castle and now I was in some vast nowhere land. A place where no one had the curiosity of telling me where I was. And even more important, I left the others in the castle. Flashing my eyes with alarm, I glanced down at my bracelet and desperately called out mentally.
'Zoteaki! Can you hear me? Are you okay!' I screamed through my mind. No response came exact a gentle glowing of the bracelet. Lightly smiling, I addressed my attention back to the girl who was writing down notes about the dragon hologram.
"What are you doing?" I asked once more. Still no reply. "Gwagh, this is hopeless."
"Amber!" A voice called out.
My body froze as I looked around. A man around the age of eighteen rushed to the young girls' side. The girl appeared to be fifteen, so this odd relation seemed peculiar. Starring vaguely, I watched as the girl stood up and looked at him with a smile. Ok... now this was making no sense. This girl had just noticed him but not me! And more importantly, she answered to Amber.. Nah Nall.. lots of people are named Amber, right?
"Jake!" The young girl, who just happened to be called Amber, ran up to him and left the book in it's place. Starring there, I watched the boy extend a locket from his coat pocket. The red Dragon Aurora! What the hell was going on?
"No way!" The young girl gasped, grabbing it from him, spinning around and placing it around her neck eagerly. Raising an eyebrow, I watched Amber pace back and forth, observing the locket that was around her. The man known as Jake smiled lightly. Unlike Amber, he had jet black hair and brown eyes that seemed to glimmer a reddish tint.
"I promised you I'd give it to you when I thought you were ready to take the position of the next Red Dragon, did I not?" Jake smiled as Amber turned around, starred at him and tackled him with a hug.
Right now I was rather... jealous? Her red hair was down to her shoulder and set down long. She wore a long black dress with the gold and red locket. Watching the two, I tilted my head and stepped up.
"Not to interrupt anything but... what the hell is going on?" I snapped. Still no one seemed to notice me. And that's when I realized what this was. This was one of Amber's memories. Who this man was, was still a mystery, but she seemed connected to him. Sighing, I shook my head and tried to keep my head straight. I didn't really have times to confront old memories. I had to save everyone.
"Jake, you rock!" She smiled and hugged him once more.
"Thought it'd make you happy after the incident.." Jake murmured.
"It did, thanks. I can't wait to tell my grandma that I've finally been given the title of the next red Dragon. She'll be so proud! How much longer until we get there?" Amber asked eagerly, swaying on her feet.
"Another day or so of traveling. Bear in mind it all depends on the weather." Jake spoke, pointing up to the now cloudy sky. It seemed like rain was coming, as I also glanced up. What significance did this memory have at all. Still unsure, I watched the two, trying to figure it out.
"Jake, I was wondering something." Amber smiled lightly.
"What's up? Need help on your studies?" Jake asked, pointing to the books. The young girl shook her head and blushed lightly.
"No, I was wondering..." Amber stammered.
"Go ahead, spit it out." Jake chuckled lightly, shoving his hands into his vest.
"I was wondering.. when we arrive at Cairn.." Amber looked downward at her shoes. "If you wanted to start.. Being my boyfriend?" She closed her eyes tightly, clenching her hands behind her back tightly.
Heart-dropping, I stepped forward offensively. I wanted to scream and say 'Hell no!' but I soon remembered this was a memory, and no one could hear me. Shaking my head violently, I watched as Jake reached out and placed a hand on the young Amber's shoulder. Heart-stopping, I observed Amber glance up at him, tears fluttering in her eyes. She was so... what was the word I was looking for? Beautiful?..
"Hmmm." Was all Jake replied in. Grunting from the nerve of that guy, I tilted my head and watched Amber whisper softly to herself and him.
"I understand.. it's a no.." She whispered, turning away. However, Jake wheeled her around and kissed her aggressively.
By now I had my veins probing out of my skin. Clenching my fists, I charged up to Jake and Amber and punched the man. However, I just fell right through his body, as if he was a hologram just like the one of the Red Dragon. Pushing myself up from the ground, I watched Amber stare openly into his eyes before hugging him tightly. No wonder she remembered this.. this must had been the happiest moment of her life.. she had someone she loved.
"Thank you." Amber smiled.
"Amber!" Jake suddenly yelled as Amber turned around to where he was pointing. There, beyond the girl, was a large cluster of burning fire. It was no bush-fire, but torches that were nearing. My heart stopped once more as I continued to watch the two grab their belongings. The torches were about a quarter of a mile awhile. They couldn't pack up and defeat whoever was coming within that small frame.
"Amber! Get out of here, fast. They're here for your aurora. Never let them take it from you!" Jake hollered as Amber dropped her book and starred at him with fear.
"Ja-" Amber began, tears welling in her eyes.
"I'll stay here and fight them off. Get to Cairn and go live with your grandma. It's my job as your advisor to make sure you stay alive.. and my job as a boyfriend to protect you." Jake spoke, unsheathing his sword and watching Amber sway faintly on her feet.
"I'm not leaving you here!"
"If you don't leave now, I'll never forgive you! Just go and make sure you never lose that locket. I love you Amber, ever since you saved me that winter night. Now please, go before they get you too!" Jake hollered.
"..Jake..." Amber began to cry as she turned her back and began to run. "I love you... please don't die.."
Crashing back onto the hard marble floor of the prison, I felt a new sense of pain. Amber had gone through a lot in her childhood, lost so many people. But she had Jake. That inconsiderate.. then again he had told Amber to run. Was Jake even alive? Judging by his physical strength appearance, he looked like he could have survived an attack like that. An attack..it was Ghaelon wasn't it!
Glaring into the prison room before me, I noticed the bars had disappeared and saw the room dimly lit. Amber sat, crunched in the corner, asleep. A light smile crossed my face as I ran forward and kneeled down before her. A few scratches were apparent across her face but she did not seem in much pain.
"Amber?" I spoke, softly. It was as if I had a completely new understanding for her.
"Hmmm?" Amber gently cracked open her eyes and starred into my eyes. A few moments passed before she shot upwards upon her feet and looked distracted. Tilting my head, I noticed a few tears had fallen down her face. What ever she had been dreaming must have been painful. Anyway, what were the chances that we both had some sort of dream of her past.
"You're safe.. good." I continued to smile, but she looked very nervous.
"I lost..." Amber looked downward. Her bright garnet eyes seemed dimmed in this atmosphere. She wasn't really one to look like a prison-go'er. When I first met her, she seemed so stubborn and full on herself, but it was only a disguise. A disguise for all the pain that she must have went through as a child. Such as I.
"That doesn't matter. Now let's go before Ghaelon realizes we're out." I directed her. However, the red dragon shook her head and gently clutched her dragon aurora.
"Where are we anyhow?..." Amber asked, glancing around her cell nervously.
"Ghaelon's Castle." I sighed miserably.
".. Never thought I'd be here so soon. Always thought we'd first arrive here when
we had Soren on our side." Amber sighed, clutching her locket oh so tightly.
"Same here. But destiny isn't always as expected." I pointed out lightly.
"How did you get in here anyhow? There were bars earlier.." Amber noticed, glancing beyond on my shoulder.
"I'm not sure.. I was banging on them, then fell into some sort of dream, and when I awoke the cell was open." I answered, trying to make sense.
"A dream?" Amber asked curiously.
"Y-yes, nothing important." I lied. If my dream was truly a memory from Amber, I didn't want her knowing I knew. She hadn't told me about Jake before, so I didn't want to know before she was ready to tell me. Even if that time was never. It really didn't matter.
"Knowing you it was a mature dream." Amber chuckled lightly.
"Amber!" I stammered angrily.
"Sorry..."
"It's ok," I sighed back.
"Nall.. do you really have a chance against Ghaelon?" Amber asked, glancing up into my eyes.
"To tell the truth, I think we're the chosen few. How about you? Do you feel the same?" I asked, gently tilting my head. Between me, Zoteaki, her, Lethe and Kia, we stand a good chance. We needed to gain more strength, but right now we were pretty damn strong.
"You're right. Let's go find the others." Amber suddenely smiled and locked her arm with mine and dragged me out of the cell. However, when she saw the countless cells and levels of this prison before her, I felt her pulse rise. "What..."
"Horrible, isn't it?" I groaned.
"How are we going to find them all in this place?" Amber murmured. "More importantly, how did you find me? There's like hundreds of levels!"
"Actually, there are seven. And you were the cell across the hall from mine. Wasn't that hard. Now let's get searching." I directed her, fixing my leather jacket.
"We're weaponless tho.." Amber stammered, glancing down not to see her sword.
"We'll look for our weapons along the way." I added in quickly.
"Ok, let's get going!" Amber praised, smiling lightly in the darkness. She reached out, grabbed my arm, and dragged me out of the prison. As before, the familiar but abhorrent image of the cells filled my sight. Heart-dropping, I starred at all of them with fear. Had people died in these?.. Did they leave their legends here and their past to uncover? If so, I wouldn't let those dreams be destroyed. Ghaelon had to be stopped! So.. that's why me and Amber went to find the others.
AN:
Yes it was short, if I continued with all the character's past memories or what ever, it would surely be over 8,000 characters and people may stop reading. So I'll put more of the memories and flashbacks in the chapters to come (And this story is going to be about 37 chapters. I was going to make it over fifty, but I decided to end this at the final battle and then make a sequel with the Lunar 2 Eternal Blue parts and all that goodness. heheh!)