Chapter 2

They reached Lester by sundown. The sky was deep crimson and long shadows crawled behind the buildings and stalls. Merchants were packing up for the day, calling to each other and boasting about how much they'd sold. Various Alliance soldiers leant against the buildings, some dozing off, others talking to locals. Reith ran over to a stall selling a variety of exotic fruit and grabbed up a pineapple. The merchant, took it the wrong way by the look on his face and was about to grab it off her but Calintz intervened.

"Stop! She doesn't know what she's doing. Reith, put it down!" The girl looked startled, her eyes wide in fear at the sound of a raised voice. She dropped the pineapple hastily backing away.

"I…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" she muttered and ran off. Dammit! Where's she going now? Can't she leave anything alone?

"Oi! You'll have to buy that now!" the merchant said as Calintz was about to walk away. He cursed under his breath, the woman was more trouble than he'd anticipated. He reluctantly fished out some Sid and handed it to the angry merchant.

"You ought to keep her on a leash y'know," the merchant said. Calintz turned and gave him a piercing stare.

"And who asked for you're opinion?" he said acidly. The merchant raised his hands defensively. Calintz sighed, it really wasn't worth the bother.

Calintz found Reith on the outskirts of town. She sat with her arms wrapped tightly around her knees and didn't look up when he approached. He knelt down beside her and held the pineapple out in front of her.

"Calintz…"

"I'm sorry if I frightened you," he said. She took the pineapple and began to roll it around in her hands.

"I just…find it hard to believe that you don't remember anything…"

"I'm sorry, Calintz…I wish I could be of more use," She looked up at him, her eyes pleading again.

"Do you hate me?" she asked gingerly. How could he hate her? What was there to hate?

"No, I don't hate you, Reith…I just…"

"Calintz?"

"Never mind...C'mon, let's head to the inn, the other's should be there by now." He got to his feet and helped her up. She smiled at him and that smile seemed to sooth all his exasperation, he smiled back.

Eonis, Haren, Azel and Chris were waiting in the small lounge of Lester Inn. Azel jumped to his feet when he saw Calintz approaching, running up and wrapping his arms tightly around him.

"Captain! I was so worried! We thought you were dead!" Calintz pried the black haired boy of him and took a seat.

"Thank goodness you're alright, we were worried," Eonis said.

"Ah, and what a bonus! You come back with a lovely chic by your side, new girlfriend already?" Of course Chris would have to say something like that. As if Calintz had even had many girlfriends, the guy never knew when to shut up.

"Whatever…This is Reith, she saved me after the bridge collapsed,"

"Thank you so much Mss Reith for saving the Captain! I don't know what we'd do without him," Azel said, a huge smile spread across his ever surprised face.

"I promised I would escort Reith to Amabat as a token of my gratitude,"

"Ah, not another delay!" Haren interrupted.

"Haren!" Eonis sent him a withering glance.

"Look, can't she find her own way to Amabat? She's a grown woman for Christ's sake!" This was what normally got them into trouble – Haren and his ever persistent urge to get into an argument. Sometimes Calintz wondered if there was anything between those two ears of his. Reith went over and stood in front of Haren, smiling.

"I'm Reith!" she said.

"Whatever,"

"I'm Reith!"

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I'm Reith!"

"Alright, alright, I'm not deaf! The name's Haren…" Haren gave Calintz a quizzical look.

"She's lost her memory – doesn't know who she is, where she came from, anything. She can use blue magic so I thought she might be a priestess, that's why I'm taking her to Amabat,"

"I see…Well they might know something," Eonis said.

"Travelling with a lovely lady is always welcomed!" Chris winked at Reith. Eonis gave him a stare that could shatter steel.

"Ah…I meant two lovely ladies…hehe…"

They had finally retired for the night after a hearty supper that the Innkeepers wife had provided. Unfortunately, being a small town the inn didn't have many rooms and everyone had to share. Eonis promised to look after Reith, Chris and Haren had grudgingly agreed to share and Calintz was once again stuck with Azel who had insisted onpairing with him.

Calintz stripped off his top, keeping his lower garment on for modesty and slipped into bed. He was glad to feel the warmth and weight of bedcovers pressing down on him. He closed his eyes, feeling fatigue overcome him.

"Captain!" His eyes shot open. Azel had come back form the bathroom. Great… "What do you think of Reith?" Azel asked as he undressed. Calintz sighed, must he say?

"Does it matter?" he said dismissively.Azel looked at him questioningly.

"Well…I was just wondering, y'know? Chris seems to like her,"

"Chris likes anything that has breasts, Azel,"

"Oh, don't say that, Captain, I doubt he's that shallow,"

"You'd be surprised…"

Azel stripped down to his underwear and got into bed. He lay on his back for a while staring at the ceiling. Calintz turned onto his side, closing his eyes again.

There were many thoughts that came into his head, swimming, twisting, turning, transforming. His memories were like a maze, a maze he couldn't find the centre of. He knew if he found the centre, he'd find something else, something he wanted to know but at the same time was afraid of. Reith wasn't the only one who didn't know who she was. Calintz had battled his thoughts for years, the truth was, he didn't know who he really was. He didn't know who his mother was, who his father was, evenof his name was really Calintz. Seeing Reith so desperate to find out who she was, kind of made him feel guilty. Shouldn't he be looking for his parents? Or at least trying to find out about them?

"Captain?" Azel broke the silence again.

"What is it this time?"

"Think I'll ever be as good as you?"

"Maybe…it depends on you,"

"That's what you always say,"

"Then why do you always ask the same question?"

"I…I don't know…"

"I'd like to sleep now, Azel,"

"Oh, of course! I'm sorry." Finally, Calintz thought. Azel was always so damn

full of energy, it never seemed to be depleted. Just because he wasn't tired yet, didn't mean to say that everyone else should be awake too. It irritated Calintz, in fact, a lot of thing irritated him.

He saw his best friend's face disappear as he ran into the wood.

"Hugo!" he called. The boy glanced back at him but continued on. Now he was alone, alone to try and fight it all himself. He wasn't going to back down, no way. He ran towards the burning village of Fuget. Everything was destroyed – the training grounds, the dormitories, the main hall…it was all falling apart before his eyes. Suddenly he was grabbed and thrown to the ground. A man stood before him, half Yason. He was tall, with piercing eyes and long black hair.

"Why!" Calintz shouted. There was something within those eyes…they seemed to stare right into his soul.

"Why! Why!" Calintz screamed. The man held his sword at the boy's throat, poised for it's deadly strike. Calintz didn't move, he couldn't. He waited for his death…but it never came. The man turned away, lowering his sword. He stood there for a moment, Calintz could not see his face.

"Let's get going, Lura!" there was a shout from the burning building where another, white haired Yason stood with a wicked grin upon his face.

"We're done with this joke of a place!" he spat. The tall, dark haired man looked down at Calintz, then turned.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered before running off into the forest.

Calintz's eyes shot wide open. He frantically squirmed, thrashing his arms.

"Captain! Captain! Wake up!" Two strong arms gripped him as he came to his senses. He could feel the sweat making the bed sheets stick to him like plaster.

Another nightmare.

He tried to calm his breathing, it wasn't real anymore, it was all in the past. If he could just keep saying that to himself...

"Captain, are you alright? Please say something," He looked up at Azel's concerned face.

"Yeah, I'm fine…"

"Another bad dream?" Calintz nodded.

"You were talking...It sounded horrible…"

"It's over now,"

"Y'know, I'm here to listen if you need me?" His fingers found Calintz's hand and he squeezed it, smiling at him.

"You're always so distant, I'd want to do anything I could to help…you know, I do care about you,"

Calintz raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, after all, you saved me. I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for you, Captain! I owe you,"Hemanaged a smile

"….Thank you, Azel," The dark haired boy beamed at him.

"Don't worry about me and get some sleep or you'll be a wreck tomorrow," Calintz said. Azel looked slightly disappointed but made his way back to his own bed nevertheless.

"You're right, look at the time! G'night, Captain!"

"Night…"