This took too long to come out . Im sorry guys. And it's super short, RAWR. Life is hectic ='D.

Whos going to Anime Expo tommorow? =raises hand= I AM I AM! whoooooooo.

And I will end on this note: go to youtube and put this extension on the end /watch?v=DgaAzSFOvGE

Day: 23

Three days have passed since Celeste set off on her own. We have not been able to make it to land because of a sudden wind that picked up and flows against us. I tried using my tomes to create a wind for our sails, but I am not strong enough. It's an annoying fact.

Taking a lifeboat and rowing to land is not an option either, as the cliffs that rise out of the ground from the sea would prevent us from doing that. The only thing we can do is wait. That is the wise option. The fact that Celeste has not returned after three days tells me that she is most likely already dead. And we should move on.

That is the wise choice, though part of my rebels against it. Most likely it's my sense of guilt at her sickness that did this to me; I must be careful not to let such trivial things get in the way again.

Then again, if it was Ike…

But Ike can manage himself, I know. It is time to move on. When this wind dies we will make land and send out on a quick search of the area. Perhaps we will find Celeste, perhaps we won't.

Soren.

Writing that was much easier than doing it; but Soren has promised himself that he wouldn't allow emotions to rule his decisions any more. He had never allowed that in the past. He set the diary back in its drawer and silently slid it shut. Rising from his chair, he blew out the candle that served as his light, sending the room into darkness.

He rose from his chair and let his feet lead him in the dark. They took him to a cot, and he sat on the edge, reaching out a careful hand to lay it on its occupant. Ike didn't stir at Soren's touch, so the mage ran his fingers up the muscular figure to rest on his cheek. How much he had changed over only three years. From a boy to a man; while Soren was left behind… unaging. Would he live like this forever? Would he just have to keep watching Ike get older and older, while he stayed the same?

Soren lay down next to Ike, snuggling close to him, so that he could feel the man's chest rise and fall against his back. They had so little time, it felt like. So little time left. Suddenly the swordsman shifted in his sleep; his large, muscular hands wrapping around the mage's waist and spooning him close. A gasp escaped Soren's mouth, but he didn't move, as he rather liked this. Eyes closed peacefully, and he drifted off to sleep in Ike's arms.

Two more days passed before the winds died to a stillness. And while normally they would have needed the winds to turn in their favor, they had Soren. With his magic the sails puffed up and carried them towards land. It was hard work, and when they finally dropped the anchor the young mage collapsed into his lover's arms.

Ike carried him back to their room setting him on his cot and pulling the blanket up over his lean frame. "Bryant and I will scout out the area around here, and then be back. You get some rest."

Soren was to exhausted to really argue, so he only nodded. "Be careful. We don't know what's out there."

A smile pierced Ike's lips, "Of course. Don't worry, we'll be fine." Soren nodded once more, his eyes closing and a content smile on his lips.

"So we'll only be gone an hour," Bryant was explaining to the captain as Ike approached. "We're just going to scout out this general area to see what we can find. Hopefully Celeste won't have gone far." The berserker was holding out hope that the laguz was alive and well.

"You ready to go?" Ike asked him, a hand loosely on his sword.

It was nothing but desert. Desert for as far as they could see. There weren't even any desert plants; just an ocean of sand with no signs of life. And defiantly no Celeste. Bryant and Ike scouted the area for an hour, though their search was futile. Eventually they had to turn back towards the ship; trudging home tired and empty handed.

They arrived to a quiet ship. "We should let the captain know how it went," Bryant said, hoisting his axe over his shoulder. Ike gazed toward the cabin he had left Soren in, and the berserker placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come on Ike. He's worked hard today, let him rest. Let's go see the captain."

The ship was eerily silent for midday, the only sound that of the waves crashing against boat and the rock, and the soft creek of the wood under their weight. The sails flapped as a slight breeze picked up, and then died as quickly as it had begun. The door to the captain's quarters was cracked open. "Captain?" Bryant called out, his hand pressing against the door so that it swung open, "We didn't find-"

The berserker stopped mid-sentence as the room was revealed. It looked as if a tornado had swept through the place; everything was scatted on the floor, furniture was tipped over, and things were broken. But what caught the most attention was the blood; which was splatted against the wall and floors all over the place. And there, laying on the floor in a pool of blood, was the mangled mass of a body.

Bryant had readied his weapon, his eyes searching the room for the danger. Ike, on the other hand, was running; running towards the cabin, towards Soren, drawing his sword as he did so.