Disclaimer: i do not own LoM... etc etc etc

Fonts in italic are for character's thought.

Whilst many thoughts had crossed over Angelique's mind, she could never stop thinking about her brother's safety. "Where could Kain be?" All her thought was that all day long. It has been 4 days since her arrival and Kain hadn't come back. She never felt worry this much ever and the kids just added her anxiety. Bud and Lisa were really worried. They cried themselves to sleep and when they woke up, they asked about Kain and Angelique had to tell them the sad news of Kain's whereabouts which was, nowhere. When she got out the house and went to the orchard, she saw something red getting near the house… When she focused her sight to the red thing that was moving, she noticed it was some kind of chocobo. She wasn't quite sure what it was in that distance so she closed the distance. She was overjoyed when she knew that it was Howy that come home and perhaps Kain was in his stead. She ran to Howy and found herself disappointed because in his stead there was no Kain. "Howy, do you know where Kain is?"
The bird nod his head and Angelique inquired further, "Do you know the way, Howy?"

By her question, Howy looked unsure and unresponsive toward her question. She had hoped that at least Howy had come back so Kain was probably alive. So she take Howy back to the coral and fed him. She let Howy rest for a bit and she geared up for traveling. She told the kids to be good and stayed home and continue to watch over home. Maybe, Kain would come home while she went out. She wasn't going to raise her hope and the kids' hope as well but she needed some hope and hope was something she needed desperately. She had to have faith in Kain's survival. After she had finished gearing up, she went to the coral and mounted Howy. She set out while she let Howy led the way and just believing that Howy would led her to Kain. They traveled until they reached Lake Kilma, "Was this where Kain took you last time, Howy?"

It nodded at her question, her hope rose for a bit that somewhere in Lake Kilma, Kain might be here somewhere. Even if she didn't know, she could ask Tote. She knew that Tote would help her. She had wandered all the places in Lake Kilma but she found no Kain. When she went up the hill and asked Tote, she said that Kain had departed with the wind, go with the wind and she will lead you the way to your beloved. Angelique's hope was flattened but she didn't want to come home yet. So she went to another place, any place that the wind blew, so that she might found Kain.

Sounds…, there were loud voices everywhere, there was blur anywhere, light…? There was some sort of light… why couldn't I move my arm, my body felt numb, somebody… there was someone there… who…? Who is there…? A he…. No, a she… is it Angelique? She doesn't look like her… Where could I be…? How did I get here…? A voice…? Someone's talking to me… it seemed…

"It… S… u… ha… co.. do…"

"What…?" My voice was hoarse, it hurt just to talk like that…

"Oh… Good…! You're awake!" That voice seemed unfamiliar, who is she…? When I tried to wake up, she pushed me down.

"You need to rest… you are very weak right now. Your wound is healing but you had a nasty big wound so don't move around too much."

Her voice sounded so sweet and soft, it lulled me to sleep. My consciousness seemed adrift, how long was I sleeping? A tender breeze trickled my skin, it felt really cool and dampen the air that brought me to slumber once more. After feeling like sleeping for a long time, I woke up and what I saw in front of me was a very beautiful creature. She had wings, her hair was adorned with flowers, she wore white linen robe, golden locks were dangling on her shoulder and her eyes was so blue. She seemed startled and she gasped when she saw me awake. With what grace that she had, she tended my wound, and when she had finished. I ask her, "What's your name?"

"Elle, what's yours?" She answered and asked me with her same beautiful voice.

"Ah… I'm sorry. I shouldn't be rude. My name is Kain." My stuttering was just plain visible, I guessed. We talked for a while and I asked her how I ended up here. She said that she had seen me in Lake Kilma and she wanted to help but she wasn't strong enough to carry me here. So she lured the penguins, with her song and when the penguins found me, they think I was dead and they tossed me to the Lake. She said that I was lucky, I washed up ashore and it was this shore that I ended up. I thanked her for her kindness and hoped that somehow if I can return her kindness but she shook her head and said that she is a siren and siren's wish is to be free.

"I'm sorry. I can't accept your offer. I wish to be free. Free of bond, free of anything, free to do what I wish. That is how I wanted to live."

Her answer made me smile, I wished I could live like that too but then again I am content with what my life had for me. It struck me bad, I completely forgot about Angelique, Bud, Lisa, and the others. "How could I forget them? I… uhmm… I'm…. I'm sorry but I think I have to go right away. I need to go home. My sister and the others probably worried sick about me." When I tried to wake up, pain stung all over me, I fell down, Elle helped me up and said I shouldn't be moving around too much since my wound was not completely healed yet. "I have to go. I need to go back home. I…" I didn't know what got into me but I fallen asleep, it must be her voice… it sounded like a lullaby to me.

The next time, I woke up, it was already evening, so Elle insisted that I stayed until tomorrow morning. So I did and I did stayed asleep until morning, when I woke up, the pains were still there but better. So I decided to stand up and gathered up my traveling gear which I thankfully did not miss except some herbs. My staff and instrument were safe and I bid Elle farewell, "Thank you, Elle, for your kindness. If ever, If you ever needed help, don't hesitate to ask. I will certainly come and help you."

She just shook her head and smiled, "I, thank you for your offer but I did not think we will meet again. Farewell, Kain." She flew away after she said her farewell, leaving me alone in this beach. From what she had told me, I could get to Lake Kilma if I followed the shoreline. As I walked, sometimes the pain took over and I took a rest when it did and walked again when it subsided. I healed my wounds when I can and applying the salve that Elle gave me. It continued in cycles like this until I reached Lake Kilma. I really thanked God when I reached there. Since I knew Gato would not be very far now. Maybe I could rest there and informed Matilda of what happened to Daena. When I trailed along the lake, I saw Tote and greeted her. Tote said that Angelique came and was looking for me and she said to follow the wind. I knew that Tote's message was correct, if she followed the wind, she would end up in the beach but I didn't know where she was now. Anyhow, after I parted with Tote, I tried to go to Gato with my staggering strength, truthfully I didn't think that I would be able to reach Gato but I just pushed myself. After three days of walking, I reached Gato and collapsed again in front of the city entrance. I didn't know what happened to me but when I woke up, I was in the temple. My wounds were bandaged again, the pain was lesser now. It seemed that the Nun had tended my wounds. When I woke up, they told me that Matilda wished to see me. So I went to her room and saw her with a huge delight that she was with Angelique. I staggered to Angelique and hugged her tightly. She cried loudly, telling me how worried she was and how worried the kids were about him. I just let her cried then, thought it was best for her. I just gave her what small comfort I could give her. After a long while, I noticed that her crying had turned to small hiccups and just some sniffles. I saw her face puffed with red eyes. I smirked and she punched me lightly

"Ooff… that hurt you know…"

"Liar.. I know that won't even kill an ant." I saw my sister smiled and she turned to her usual cheery self plus a big puffy eyes.

"Kain, tell me what happened… what made you had those wounds?"

I took a step back and staggered a bit but I gained my balance. So I walked to Matilda's bed since I'm feeling a bit tired standing that long. I sat down on her bed and I looked at Matilda, I saw her curiosity, so I would concede and tell them what I've been through all this while.

"After Matilda had asked me to search for Daena. I went to Rosiotti's jungle then I went to Lake Kilma after knowing that Daena headed there. Then I asked Tote if she knew where Daena was…"

"And what did Tote said to you…?" Matilda asked me with hope in her soft voice.

"I… Well she said that Daena was just there… So I went back and I saw Daena standing in the pathway alone. So I approached her then and asked what's she doing there…?"

"And what did she said…?" Angelique inquired with curiosity

"She said that she wanted to find out what's Irwin's true intention is and she can't go back with me. After that she ran really fast. I tried to catch up with her and when I did catch up, I saw talking to some demonic looking kind of guy… So I hid behind a tree. Uhh… Matilda, is this guy supposed to be Irwin…?"

"Yes, if he looks demonic, I'm quite sure that it is him… since Daena wouldn't talk to any strange demon." I nod at her statement and continued my story,

"So I heard about him saying that he is trying to revert you back to your normal self… Well I'm assuming physical self… but I don't know… But after that I see him summoned fairies and they formed a faerie ring and teleported him… Matilda, I'm sorry… I wanted to stop Daena from going there but she had been teleported too… to the fairy world."

I heard Matilda soft sigh, but I was somewhat surprised when I see a contented expression instead of sad or disappointment….

"I see… then I guess, I'm relieved to hear that she's with Irwin…" her voice seemed so lonely yet it felt like she was happy that her friend was safe.

"Then what happened to you…?" Angelique's sudden question broke my trance. I smiled and I know she's going to have a loud reply after this…

"I fought a rainbow hound…" I stated calmly.

"You WHAT…..!!" She shrieked… I could hear the nun outside was panicking.

"Fought a rainbow hound…" I decided to irritate her more by repeating my word.

"And how could you survive… that monster is agile and strong, you know…"

I feinted a hurt look and looked at her with a glassy eyes.

"So… you want me to be dead instead…. I don't know that you hate me that much, Ange… I thought you loved me…"

"I… I… uhh…. I don't mean it like that…. I mean… how on earth can you defeat it…?"

"With magic…" I said flatly as if it was so obvious.

"Urghhh fine… whatever… forget I asked…" She fumed and I hear her… hmmph-ed while facing away.

I decided that I had enough and I stood up and embraced her.

"I'm sorry, okay… for making you worry like this…. And I'm sorry for teasing you when I know it's not the right time to do it…"

I felt her tremble and I knew she cried again. But this time she cried herself to sleep. Since after ten minutes, her breath had gone steady… So I excused myself and called Howy, I put her on his back and mounted Howy too… Howy seemed to dislike this idea of having two heavy load on his back. He won't move when I urged him. So after a lot of coaxing, he treaded slowly obviously not happy but understood the situation. In the middle of the way, Angelique woke up and got down saying that she wanted to walk and she didn't want Howy to peck her at home.

So I went back with Angelique to our house with me on Howy's back since she insisted that I was not strong enough to walk back home. I just relented then, I knew if I quarreled with her about this, she will be sad and I didn't want her to be any sadder than she already was. When I reached home, the kids welcomed me with tears, I had never been welcomed this way. In someway, it made me guilty but in someway, it made me happy…? relieved…? I didn't know but I'm just glad to be home. "I'm home…"

"Welcome back…!" I was relieved and I never felt this happy to be home again.

A week after that, Kain and Angelique's days were at peace. Kain was being watched over all the time and he couldn't help it. When they did, he just laughed over their paranoia but he reasoned with himself that it was acceptable since he had worried them so much. So in that week, he didn't go anywhere just to make sure his family that he would be a good boy and stayd home. "I wonder, should I go to Geo…? It's a bit far but it's necessary I guess since the material supplies had run short." When he thought of that, he imagined the absurdity that he would face when he informed Angelique and the kids. "Maybe I could persuade them… Oh well…" He just hummed as he spent his day in the orchard picking Trent's produce. When he told them of his plan, everyone was confused and somewhat worried too, he was happy that they worried about him but he assured them that he will be alright. Angelique offered to help but Kain refused because he wanted to be alone for a while. That didn't work though, she rambled and pushed him to agree with her, so he did. The next morning, they set out in the noon, and the journey was quite uneventful aside from some monster battling. They reached Geo the day after and Kain suggested that they went to the inn first to rent a room. After they had checked in, they separated, Kain went to the material shop and Angelique went to the academy. When she came in to the classroom, she saw a girl with an emerald hair. She went over to her and asked her name. Strangely, this girl asked her a favor to come on Undine or Gnome day.

Review please! thanks for reading!