Chapter 11


Please Remember


"WHAT? How could he do this?"

"Are you serious? DAMMIT! I thought we could trust him…"

"Both of you just CALM DOWN. He said he didn't have a choice."

"Poor jackass, it must have been so hard for him to not tell us that my BEST FRIEND is going to die."

"Or that were short on one part of the prophecy. What are we going to do? OW!"

"Jawwie, don't kick things. War, he said that it was hard for him. He had to stay away because he would have tried to interfere if he was there." Aklase tried to calm her friends down.

Just as she had predicted Jawwie was a nervous wreck now that they didn't know who the fourth is and War was furious that Merlin didn't save his best friend when he knew where his fate lied.

Jawwie rubbed her foot that she had just rammed into a rock. "Do you want us to be ok with this news right away? This is a lot to swallow."

War nodded in agreement. "Aklase…he killed Npm." He said darkly.

"He didn't KILL him. He just didn't warn us that something was going to kill him. It isn't his fault." Aklase said defensively.

"So you're DEFENDING him now?" Jawwie accused.

"I yelled at him just as much as you two are right now. But what he said starting making sure. I mean I still-"

"Shows how much you loved Npm." War interrupted coldly.

Aklase trailed off and gave him a long cold look. "You don't think I was sad? I was the one that was grieving the most…besides Npm's mother. And it was my fault-"

"Oh good Guthix not this again. 'Oh boo hoo this is all my fault that he died. Pity me.'" He mocked her.

"Ok you know what you bi-"

"Stop it!" Jawwie snapped at both of them. "This isn't the time to be fighting. We need to figure out what this means for the prophecy."

"The prophecy, the prophecy, SCREW THE PROPHECY!" War hissed. "I wish it never happened to us."

"If it didn't I would be dead right now." Aklase spat at him. "Is that what you want?"

"…Npm would still be alive…" War murmured thoughtfully.

Aklase's eyes widened. "Gee, thanks. That's all I needed to hear." She whipped around and trudged through the door of the Blue Moon Inn in Varrock where they were staying.

"Wait Aklase don't-" Jawwie tried to call after her. "Now see what you did? You know she's suicidal right now!" Aklase could hear her turning on War.

She grew hot in fury. Just because of that one time, the day of Npm's burial, she was considered suicidal now? Shows how one mistake can change your reputation for life.

How dare War say that he'd rather have Npm than her? Did no one care that she was alive again?

'Npm cared…' A tiny voice in her head spoke.

'Yes, but he isn't here right now is he?' Aklase snapped back. 'He'll never be here again.'

She was running now. She knew exactly where she would run to. It was a spot that she had found while she was looking for a good place to fish for trout and salmon. It was the barbarian river, except farther along it away from the barbarians.

She ran past Gertrude's house. A few guards eyed her suspiciously but she didn't care or noticed that much. She just needed to get out of there. Everything had gone so wrong since Npm died. How can so much disaster strike by one person's death?

'This was no ordinary person' Aklase told herself. She knew this person for years. She remembered the day War introduced them like it was yesterday…..


"Why are we going to the Party Room?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because I want you to meet my bro."

"You have a brother?"

"No. He's like a brother though. And Jawwie already met him so you should too."

"What's his name?"

"Npm."

"What kind of name is that?"

"His name you silly nub."

War led Aklase up the stairs in the party room in Falador. He didn't give much details about what was going on other than he was going to introduce Aklase to a guy that him and Jawwie know. Other than that, she had no clue what this guy was like.

"Is he…nice?" Aklase asked.

"Sure I guess." War replied.

"But Jawwie hates him…" Aklase said in confusion.

"That's her problem then. Jawwie hates everybody. Stop talking about her!" War snapped.

Aklase noticed a light blush creep up in his cheeks. This happened every time she mentioned her new friend's name. To think, Aklase bumped, literally bumped, into War only a month ago. A few weeks later, he introduced her to his friend Jawwie. Jawwie and she had instantly clicked and Aklase knew without a doubt in her mind that a strong friendship will form between them.

Aklase was a level 37 now and spent most of her time being picked on about it…alone. When she turned into a level 3 her adopted parents had insisted that she stay with them, that she didn't have to go out there and become an adventurer. They were always overprotective of her since she was their only child. But that wasn't her dream she wanted to become a world famous adventurer. She was glad when she met friend's to help her train though.

"Hey nub! You awake?" War waved a hand in front of her face and her head snapped up in surprise.

"Sorry, I was…thinking." She tripped over her words. War called her a nub since he was a much high level than her.

"Well stop thinking. We're here and Npm should be here soon." They were standing in front of a door now. War opened it and walked in.

Aklase looked after him in exasperation. She hated how he never gave a straight answer or how he kept things to himself. And he always acted suspicious. With that being said, why did she even hang out with him?

Still, she walked in after him. She gaped as she took a good look around. They were right on a ledge outside of the castle, the sky clear overhead and an amazing view of a part of Falador. The ducks swam in the pond in Falador Park while friends laughed together near the bank. Truly, this was a great place to go if you were feeling down.

"How did you find this place?" Aklase asked War in awe, staring out into the horizon.

War shrugged beside her. "I've seen a lot more than you have, remember." He said smugly.

"So where's Npn at?" She inquired, ignoring his smugness.

"Npm." He corrected in annoyance. "He should be here pretty soon. Maybe he-"He stopped as the door suddenly creaked open.

Aklase turned around to look at the figure that just walked in. Her heart dropped as he stepped out of the shadows. He had smooth, short black hair, kind and warm hearted brown eyes, a little bit scrawny but he was a low level like her, he had a black shirt and black pants and a dark brown cavalier sat on top of his head. He smiled at her. His smile…stirred feelings in her that she never felt before.

War cleared his throat, standing between them awkwardly. "Dude, this is the girl I was telling you about. Aklase, this is Npm…obviously." Clearly, he was terrible at introductions.

Aklase gaped at him like an idiot, her mouth slightly open. Her eyes quickly glanced down at her outfit. She looked like a complete nub. She wore a kebbit fur sweater, blue trimmed rune plate skirt, white boots that reached her ankles, and a black cavalier that she only recently got. Her red hair was tied back into a ponytail.

War edged over to Npm and whispered something into his ear. Aklase could only barely catch what he was saying. "…compliment her….say something…"

Npm looked her up and down before resting his eyes on her face. He opened his mouth and said…

"Nice chest Aklase."

Aklase raised an eyebrow, her mouth still hanging open. She tried to register what he just said. She expected him to say something romantic…but…did he just compliment her BOOBS?

"Excuse me?" She said in indignation, thinking she might have heard him wrong. Now his mouth was open and he stared into space, as if only now realizing what he just said. She looked over at War to see him with his head in his hand in a face palm.

Aklase turned her attention back to Npm. It was a mistake, he wasn't thinking, right? But for some reason that she couldn't name she was furious. How dare this pervert, whom she just met, say something like that! She was seething now. She thought for sure that Npm could see the fury in her eyes because he was beginning to look slightly frightened.

"What is wrong with you!" She snapped at him. "We just met for Guthix sakes! Leave me alone and don't talk to me again." She barged past a shocked War and scared Npm and headed through the door.

As she headed down the stairs in the Party Room, still furious, she couldn't quite comprehend WHY she was so mad. The guy made one mistake. And he gave her SOME compliment.

'Doesn't matter. I never want to see him again.' She said firmly to herself.


Aklase sat on a bench next to the guitar player near Gertrude's house. She had been running so hard that she tripped over…something. Was it a rat? She was bandaging a cut in her leg now. She always kept supplies with her in case something happened. It wasn't a very big cut, but she was being cautious.

She had avoided Npm for about 6 months after that incident. It wasn't that hard considering Jawwie hated him as much as she did. So whenever War invited him to anything, Jawwie and she would go someplace else. Npm never held a grudge for her doing this.

Aklase didn't know then the reason why she hated him so much, but now that she was a higher level and was more mature she knew the reason.

She was young, she was inexperienced, and she had never been struck by that certain arrow. But that one day, when she was only a level 37, she was struck by that arrow. And she didn't like it. She was afraid of it. She wasn't ready for it. So when Npm made that one mistake, she used it as an excuse to pretend that she hated him. Though what she was really doing was running away from commitment and her first love.

So after 6 long months she finally admitted what she was really doing and apologized to Npm who apologized back. She was a level 70 then and he had grown as well. Though they made up, they both agreed to just be friends. So a few weeks later he told her he loved her, of course.

Aklase smiled slightly at this memory. Even though it struck her like a thorn to think about it, she couldn't help it. She remembered that day so clearly and the recent events had made her push it to the front of her mind. He had really changed since the day they had met when he complimented her boobs. He became more romantic…but only slightly.

But that was one of the many things that had made her fall for him.


"Where the hell are we going?"

"You'll see. Just keep your eyes closed."

"How can I not? You have your hands over them."

"That's because you kept peeking!"

"I feel like you're leading me into a ditch."

"Damn. You caught me."

"Npm!" She hissed playfully at him. Npm was leading Aklase through some kind of rocky path. He had his hands over her eyes and was guiding her from behind. From the smell of yew and fish, Aklase could tell that they had gone past Port Sarim.

"You're not a mass murderer are you?" Aklase teased him.

"Damn. You caught me again." Npm joked. "Now shush, we're almost there."

Aklase suddenly caught a whiff of sea air and she felt herself stepping in to sand. Were they on a beach?

"Ok, I demand to know where we are now." Aklase had a light tone, but it was firm.

"Ok. You can look now." Aklase felt Npm's hands lift off her face and she opened her eyes. Despite her eyes being covered by Npm's hands she had closed her eyes.

She gaped as she looked around. Before her, a wide stretch of water washed around her. They looked like they were on a sandy island. Behind her were patches of grass with a few palm trees. Over them she could see a huge hill.

"I didn't know there was a place like this." Aklase murmured, awestruck.

Npm shrugged beside her. "Neither did I. War showed me it." He laughed quietly.

"So, why did youshow me this?" Aklase turned to her friend. "It's hard to fish without a rod." She laughed nervously.

The warm sea breeze made her fiery red hair flow in the wind. The sun was setting now and it would get dark soon so they wouldn't have been able to fish even if they wanted to. What was his real reason for bringing her here?

"Well-um, uh." Npm suddenly looked extremely nervous and took massive attention to his foot shuffling in the sand.

"Well, what?" Aklase pressed.

"I-um-don't kill me ok?" Npm suddenly shot his head up and he looked straight into her eyes.

Aklase was locked in his brown gaze. She felt as though her blue eyes revealed her soul and he was reading it like a book.

"I love you!" Npm blurted out. He clamped his jaws shut as if he hadn't meant to say that, or at least not like that.

Aklase blinked a couple times to recover. "…What?" She muttered stupidly.

He cleared his throat and grabbed both of her hands in his. "I mean…" He began. "I never stopped loving you. After 6 months I couldn't stop thinking about you. And whenever War invited me to hang out with you guys and you and Jawwie turned your backs on me, it hurt. More than I let on."

"…Are you trying to make me feel guilty?" Aklase asked him.

Npm blinked in surprise. "What? No! I mean-"

Aklase's face suddenly softened and she laughed. "I'm kidding. I've…felt the same way. As much as I hate to admit it." She added to herself.

Npm raised an eyebrow. "So…do you think we can give this whole relationship thing a chance?" His tone was casual but Aklase saw hope flare up in his eyes.

Aklase nodded and managed a smile. "I'd love that." Her blue eyes sparkled more than usual.

Npm beamed and leaned in with his lips puckered and his eyes closed. When he kissed air he opened his eyes in surprise to see Aklase leaning away from his lips.

"Not yet." She told him awkwardly. It didn't feel right to kiss him. Especially if this relationship had any hope.

Npm nodded in submission and leaned back. "I get it. It's too soon. Sorry."

Aklase shrugged. "How about a hug for now?" She asked more optimistically.

Npm nodded and swept her into his arms and squeezed her tightly. She hugged back. Her hands stroked the back of his neck for some reason. She closed her eyes, savoring the moment as the last traces of light from the sun dipped under the sea.


Aklase was back on her feet now. She was heading for the spot near the river like she had planned before, her journey going slightly slower because of her new wound. She sighed as she remembered how understanding he was about taking it slow. For almost a month all they did was hold hands and hug. Nothing too physical. It wasn't until a day that War, Jawwie, Npm, and her all decided one day to take on the King Black Dragon that they finally kissed.

She laughed quietly as she remembered that day. It was a day that they would never forget. At the time, it was terrifying. But now as she looked back at it, she couldn't help but crack up laughing.


"Remind me again how War managed to get us to agree to try to kill this thing." Aklase commented to her best friend Jawwie sitting next to her. Aklase stroked her spirit terrorbird that was holding most of her supplies. Somehow War had convinced them to take on the KBD, even though they were pretty low levels. War had sworn that he would do most of the up close and personal fighting though.

"You and War both ganged up on me to come with you while I was trying to woodcut." Jawwie said in her monotone as she patted her spirit kalphite awkwardly. "I'm almost 99 too." She added proudly. "Then War dragged Npm along for the ride."

Aklase glared at her. "Do you STILL have a grudge against him?" She asked her in exasperation.

"I'll put up with him for your sake but he's annoying as hell." Jawwie admitted.

Just then, Npm trotted up to them with War just behind him.

"Where's your familiars?" Aklase asked them.

"We're so awesome we don't need them." War told her smugly. "Are you guys ready?"

Aklase jumped up at once while Jawwie rose more slowly with an annoyed look.

War walked over to her and put his arm around her. "C'mon Jaws. Put on a smile! For me?" He asked in a softer voice.

Jawwie rolled her eyes and forced a smile, receiving a kiss on top of her head from War. Jawwie and War had been dating even before Aklase and Npm were. Aklase had a feeling that the day would come sooner or later ever since War blushed every time he was around Jawwie or heard her name even when Aklase only just met him.

Aklase jumped as she suddenly felt Npm put his arm around her as well. They had been dating for almost a month now. So why did she still feel so awkward around him? Maybe it was because they hadn't kissed yet? No, that just sounded stupid.

"Ready?" War asked them again.

Aklase nodded eagerly and edged away from Npm's arm. "So how are we going to get there? Walk there? Cause if that's the case I'm not going." Aklase shivered at the mere thought of the Wilderness. But she shivered in excitement at the thought of going under it and attacking the KBD.

"No. We can go on Zammy." War told her.

"You actually taught him how to fly more than one person at a time?" Jawwie asked him skeptically.

"Well…not exactly. But now's a good a time as any!" Before anyone could object, War blew a whistle he had in his pocket. Aklase watched as a giant red blob streaked in the sky at once and headed down to them. Zammy had reached adulthood not too long ago but War had already learned how to ride him.

Zammy flew down beside them with a screech. War hopped on him immediately and motioned the others to do the same. Npm hopped up on him next. Then as Jawwie tried to climb up on him, War reached out a hand to help her but she slapped it away.

Aklase stifled a laugh before climbing up on Zammy as well. Npm reached out his hand and she hesitated before allowing him to lead her up to the top like a blind child. She figured she owed him this after completely shunning his arm.

Npm looked slightly surprised that she had allowed him to help her as she got up to sit beside him. Pushing his luck, he patted his knee in an effort to get her to sit on his lap. Aklase glared at him and shook his head.

War shouted a command to Zammy, whom looked extremely pissed at having to carry four people at the same time, and Zammy took off into the air.

As they flew over the Wilderness, Aklase began to shiver slightly. She hadn't been here since…she stopped thinking about it in an attempt to stop shivering. She didn't want the guys to think she was a chicken. She took a deep breath and put on a brave face.

Her backpack suddenly started beeping, along with Jawwie's, and the girls took out two pads that showed that their familiars had disappeared.

Aklase frowned. "War, now we have no familiars. Why did you have to take so damn long?"

"Language, missy." War snapped at her. "We don't have familiars either. We'll be fine. I've been here a million times."

"Yeah, and I've been here, like, once." Npm joked.

Zammy suddenly let out a loud screech filled with pain. Aklase looked at him in alarm to see that he had a wound in his side. They were being attacked!

"We're going down!" War yelled. "Zammy can't handle all four of us!"

"What do you want us to do, jump?" Jawwie yelled above the screeching from Zammy.

"You won't need to. Hold your heads!" War snapped an order at them.

"Why-" Npm began to ask but was cut off as the world around Aklase began to disappear. The last thing she saw was War flicking his wrist and a sparkle of light.

Aklase suddenly felt ground beneath her and she opened her eyes and lifted her hands off her head. She looked over to see Jawwie doing the same. Npm sat a little ways away, his eyes looked unfocused and he was groaning in pain.

"You ok?" Aklase called over to him.

"Fine." Npm replied in a drunken state. "My head is throbbing and spinning, but I'm fine."

Jawwie looked around. "Where's War?" She asked them.

Aklase shrugged. "I guess he didn't teleport with us. Maybe he's trying to land Zammy."

"What attacked us?" Npm asked them, stumbling over to them.

"Probably a revenant." Jawwie muttered darkly. Maybe we should-whoa!" She suddenly jumped back as her gaze locked on something behind Aklase.

Aklase turned around and froze. Right in front of her was a cage filled with giant lesser demons. They were glaring at her and trying to claw their way at her.

She felt a warm hand on her arm slowly leading her away from the cage and allowed herself to follow it, not breaking eye contact with the demons.

Npm stood in front of her now. "Are you ok?" He asked her in concern.

She blinked rapidly before focusing her gaze on him. "Yeah…" She muttered, trying to control her shaking.

Why did she feel so terrified of these things?

Jawwie cleared her throat. "As I was saying," She began, "we should get out of here before a rev finds us and eats us."

"But we're right next to the underground passage that leads to KBD." Npm protested.

"You mean the underground passage in that cage filled with demons?" Jawwie nodded to the cage.

Npm glanced at Aklase before nodding. "You're right…maybe we should get out of here." Aklase knew he was only saying that for her sake but for some reason she didn't protest.

"I guess we'll have to walk." Jawwie began to head west. Aklase was about to follow before a level 121 suddenly ran toward them.

"You guys might want to watch out." He shouted out to them. "Rev headed this way!"

Aklase's eyes widened, but before she could make a comment she saw a white ball of energy fly past the guy and looked over to see a rev knight headed right toward them. Aklase wondered if it was the same one that attacked Zammy.

"RUN!" She screeched, barging past Jawwie and Npm.

Npm was running beside her, but Jawwie was still rooted to the spot.

"RUN JAWWIE!" Aklase yelled over her shoulder. It seemed to break Jawwie out of her shock because she suddenly whipped past both of them at lightning speed.

The border…as long as they reached the border they would be safe.

Aklase shivered as a ball of energy whipped past her head. The rev was trying to freeze them.

"KEEP RUNNING!" She told Npm and Jawwie, though they didn't need to be told so as they didn't break their stride once.

Aklase began to relax a little as the mini hills, giant rats, and skeletons began to come into view and they left the dark, charred death-forest behind.

The border was in sight and beyond it Aklase saw the monetary. From the looks of it they were going to jump right on the gardens roses. The monks were going to be pissed…

Jawwie jumped over the border first, and then Aklase, then Npm. Jawwie crashed onto the dirt with a sigh of relief. Aklase followed her lead and did the same, breathing hard. Npm stood, bent over in exhaustion.

As Aklase looked around at her friends, she began to realize two things. One, that they had probably ditched the rev a couple million steps ago before reaching the border. Two, they all acted like a couple of wusses over one little rev…and it was hilarious.

Aklase began to laugh, softly at first, but it built up to full blown cracking up. She received glares from her friends as they gave her looks that clearly asked 'has she gone crazy?'

"We ran from one rev like a couple of chickens." Aklase voiced her thoughts out loud between laughs.

Npm and Jawwie looked at each other before letting what she said sink in. Npm began to laugh and even Jawwie started to laugh a little.

Their laughs were silenced as Aklase's backpack started ringing. Aklase took out her orb and pressed a button on top of it. War appeared inside the orb, looking angry.

"Where are you guys?" He demanded. "I'm at KBD!"

"You are?" Jawwie sounded concerned, but Aklase and Npm only laughed harder. Npm doubled over from where he was standing and landed beside Aklase, still laughing.

As their laughs died away, Aklase and Npm locked gazes, just as they had at Mudskipper Point. Emotions suddenly exploded inside Aklase and before she knew what she was doing she leaned in to kiss Npm who met her halfway.

The kiss lasted for about 3 seconds before they both turned away. There was nothing heated about it. Nothing sensual. But it was passion filled and that's all that mattered to Aklase.

Aklase casted a swift glance toward Jawwie, but she was talking to the orb now explaining what happened. She hadn't noticed.

Aklase smiled and looked back at Npm who was beaming happily. Maybe a kiss was what they needed after all…


Aklase was sitting on the rock pile by the river side that had been her destination. She loved it here. It was so peaceful, even though it was near Barbarian Village. Though she was far enough away that she couldn't hear their battle cries. She heard birds tweet in the huge yew tree that was above her and she watched tiny little fish swim in the clear river. Squirrels bounced around together in some kind of playful dance on the other side of the river. Aklase watched them with a smile on her face. Spring was in the air and with it, new love was blooming.

And old love was dying…

Aklase allowed herself to drop a little ways on a rock just under her, where she was close enough to dip her feet in the water. She hesitated before kicking her boots off and submerged her feet into the water, causing the little fish to swim away in fright. A few moments later, they returned and began to nibble at her toes.

Aklase stifled a laugh. She knew she was acting like a child, but at the moment she didn't care. It wasn't like anyone was watching her. And right now, thinking like a child was making her feel slightly better. For a few seconds, she imagined she was a level 2 again, playing with a ball outside of her house while she watched adventurers much older than her laughing and making jokes. Life was so much simpler back then…

Aklase casted her attention back to the water. The little fish began to move away now. She watched as the water churned a little as some got startled and swam away a little faster. The water was shallow here. It was unlike the water at Port Sarim…

'Where did that come from?' She wondered even though she already knew the answer. Even though it caused her pain, her mind was suddenly swept to that one night. The night she had had nightmares about for weeks after it occurred. She clutched her hands into fists. It made her want to cry thinking about it, but for some reason she just couldn't control her thoughts.

The day after she murdered someone…also known as the last day she saw Npm as a normal adventurer with no clue of her bigger destiny…


She ran so hard that her feet had begun to ache. She was slipping on mud over the wet ground and her boots were caked in it but she didn't care. She just had to get there before he left.

Lightning crackled overhead as the storm blew harder. Any normal person would be in a house, sheltering from the storm that was without a doubt the worst Runescape had in a long time. Thunder boomed so loud that Aklase thought her ears were going to fall off.

Water splashed in her face and she had to squint to the point that her eyes were almost closed. She felt like she was running blind. War and Jawwie had only just a few moments ago shown her a note that Npm had written them about his departing. The note explained he needed to get away from there. He couldn't deal with the pain of having to see Aklase every day after what she did. It was too soon and it hurt too much…

Aklase didn't know why she did it…or how she did it. She had planned to have only one beer, which quickly turned into about seven. She had vowed that she would never get drunk under any circumstances…yet she had. And the consequences had been deadly. The whole night was blurry. All she really remembered was Npm's horrified look as he looked down at a motionless figure at the bottom of a cliff.

Her black cavalier threatened to blow off her head from the strong wind, but she placed a hand on it to keep it steady. She was in Port Sarim now, the buildings giving her a little bit of shelter from the rain. She scanned over the mass of ships the best she could. She noticed at once one was missing.

"No…" She whispered her voice not audible over the wind. "No, no, NO!" She screamed louder, her words still drowned out by thunder. She started running again. She was running to that place that made her heart ache, the place where this all began. The place where he had told her he loved her…

She rushed past the gravestones, past the giant rats, past the familiar tree that he had nearly walked her in to. She felt the familiar rocky path underneath her feet.

The storm was brewing even harder now, if that was possible. She looked over across the water, desperate for any glimpse of the ship that told her it had not left Runescape's shore completely yet. She saw nothing. Her heart beat even faster against her ribcage. As she came to the fork in the path, where you choose either to go down the sandy path that leads to the island or the giant hill, she made for the hill.

She rushed up the hill, her breathing becoming ragged. She didn't slow her pace and that made her feet ache even more. Once she reached the top, she scanned the water. It seemed like she could see everything up here…and yet nothing at all. The darkness in the sky and the pounding rain made it impossible to see anything. Her wet hair pressed against her face as the wind nearly blew her off the hill. The rain was pouring so hard now that it hurt, but she barely felt it.

Just then, a long strip of lightning flashed across the sky, lighting up the area. Aklase gaped as she saw the ship. There were a lot of men and women in it, most of them were going down into the bottom to shelter. Her heart began to drop when she didn't see Npm, but quickly sped up again as she saw his familiar dark brown cavalier. He was only just moving from leaning on the ship to the bottom of the ship.

With no time to waste, Aklase took a deep breath. Unleashing it, she bellowed at the top of her lungs, making sure to cup her hands around her mouth to emphasize the volume, "NPM!" Her scream split the air.

Through the dim light, now that she knew where the ship was, she could only just barely see Npm turn around in surprise and look around.

"NPM!" She screeched again, waving her hands in the air this time. Another flash of lightning lit the sky and now she saw Npm looking straight at her.

"NPM!" She called again. "COME BACK!" She felt sure that he heard her, but he made no sign that he was going to jump the ship or ask to go back. He just looked at her.

"PLEASE!" She pleaded. "I'M SORRY!" She felt water streak down her cheeks now that wasn't rain water.

Npm looked at her for a few more moments before pointedly turning his back on her. She gaped, feeling so much pain and helplessness as he went below the ship, not looking back once.


Aklase pressed her legs against herself. She was curled up in a ball now, her feet out of the water. She felt like sobbing, but she held back her feelings of sorrow. That was all in the past, he had forgiven her and their love was going to be much stronger than before.

Or at least that was how it was supposed to be…

She breathed in deeply and let out a long sigh. She played with a bit of moss sticking out between the rocks. Life was so unfair…HER life was so unfair. But she couldn't do anything about it. Merlin had made that quite clear.

As the warm afternoon sun beamed down on her, she stretched herself across the rocks, enjoying the smoothness of them along with the warmth beaming on her. For a minute, she just wanted to feel like just another adventurer, without a care in the world. She felt she was at least owed that much.

As the peaceful twittering of the birds overhead and the gentle gurgle of the water dragged on, Aklase's eyes began to droop. She just felt so…relaxed.

Finally giving up the fight between wakefulness and sleep, she allowed herself to fall into the alter reality life of dream world.


"Aklase…wake up." A gentle, familiar voice spoke softly in her ear. She dismissed it, figuring she imagined it. Figuring it was one of those things you thought you heard while you were in that stage between the waking world and the dream world.

"Aklase!" The voice spoke again, this time more clearly and firmly. Aklase's eyes flew open and she sat up with a start. This wasn't where she had fallen asleep…

Instead of smooth rock under her thin frame, she was lying on soft grass. The softest grass she ever felt. Before her were trees, millions of trees and flowers blooming around her. Butterflies flew above her, on and off of flowers. This place was truly beautiful…

"Behind you." The voice spoke again.

Aklase froze, recognizing the voice completely now. But it couldn't be…could it?

She was almost afraid to turn around, but she did. Before her, hair being whipped in the gentle breeze stood that familiar brown gaze that she had been hypnotized by over and over again.

"Npm…" She whispered in disbelief. She was dreaming. There was no other explanation. How else could she see her dead boyfriend standing in front of her, fully intact?

Npm smiled at her and slowly walked over to her, his movements barely moving the ground that they stood on. Aklase stood up just as Npm reached her. He looked so…happy. When he was alive even when he laughed there was always that one lingering unhappy speck in his eyes that he tried not to bring to notice. Now, there was nothing but happiness.

"You're…" Aklase began to croak out, "dead. How can you be here now? Am I dreaming?"

Npm's hand reached up and gently caressed her face. His thumb stroking her cheek. "You're so beautiful…" He whispered to her.

As much as she absolutely loved hearing his voice again and hear him call her beautiful just like he used to, she asked again, "You didn't answer my question. Why can I see you?" She only now just noticed the faint white outline around him.

"I'm a spirit, Aklase." He said it like it was the simplest thing in the world. "You do know what those are, don't you?"

Aklase nodded. "A being that has died but is not yet in Heaven or Hell because it has unfinished business on Runescape." Aklase confirmed.

Npm nodded, his face suddenly growing serious. "Merlin may have told you that my destiny is over, but even he doesn't know everything."

"So you're coming back to Runescape?" Aklase blurted out hopefully, but her face dropped when Npm shook his head.

"No, I'm sorry. But I am going to be your guide…like a…" He seemed to be searching for the word.

"Guardian angel?" Aklase asked even though she knew how stupid it sounded.

Npm smiled. "Leave it to you to figure it out."

"So…you haven't left me?" Aklase whispered, words getting caught in her throat.

"You can't get rid of me. I'm like a pain in your butt that never goes away." He laughed softly. Aklase took note that he hadn't cursed…

Aklase laughed along slightly and stared at the grass. "We're…The Five now?" She asked. "I mean, once the real Four comes…"

Npm shook his head again. "No. You will still be The Four. I'm a part of you now Aklase." He brought his hand to her chin and slowly lifted her head up to face him. "I always have been…" His words faded away into the breeze, along with his faint outline.

Aklase watched as the boy that was in front of her suddenly turned into a million little white sparks that floated into the breeze…

Aklase watched them float away, blinking before whispering, "Goodbye…guardian angel." For the first time in days, maybe even months, her heart seemed to feel full again.


"AKLASE!" A screech made Aklase come back to wakefulness. She opened her eyes and looked up to see Jawwie standing over her. She slowly lifted her head and saw Jawwie draw in a breath.

"Thank God…I thought you were dead." Jawwie sighed in relief, only half joking.

Aklase smiled, feeling the best she had in a long time. "You're not getting rid of me that easy." She laughed quietly, sitting up.

Jawwie raised an eyebrow before sitting down beside her. "Weird…I was expecting to see an extremely pissed Aklase. What have you been drinking?"

Aklase opened her mouth but quickly thought better of it and shook her head. "Just this dream I had. It sort of brought me back to what matters."

Jawwie blinked in confusion, but didn't question her. "Well…whatever it was, I'm glad it did the job of calming you down for me."

Aklase looked up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set now. She must have been sleeping for a while…

"War's sorry you know." Jawwie suddenly told her. "He has too much damn pride to tell you himself, but he's sorry. This whole episode is just hard on all of us, you know?"

Aklase nodded. "I forgive him. If we're all fighting it isn't going to get us very far…especially with what's coming up ahead."

"Do you think you'll be ok?" Jawwie asked her. Aklase silently thanked her for her friendship, but something else was truly comforting her right now.

"Yeah…" She said as she watched little white sparks float over the water. "I think I'm going to be just fine."


~To be continued~


FINALLY, GEEZ! I'm done with this monster…

Ok so my computer had a virus and was unusable my WHOLE spring break so I couldn't get any writing done. But I'm finally done. I apologize for all the fluff I usually don't like to put them in my stories, but I think it was a good break from the action/adventure type things.

Review!