FOREVER DESTINY : Ancient Era Arc 1
Before the Beginning
Episode 5:
"Stations in Life"
Story Focus: Lord Saberstryke and Rafakoh
By Nekochan
Author's Note
Whoo! Hariel's got a really awesome Artifact, huh? (Yep. The First Ronin Warrior, all right!) I think its so sweet what got him so mad, T'myra was in danger! (Cooing face) Aww! Anyway, who was the next Conduit to find an Artifact? Oh yeah! Lord Saberstryke!
Arigatou Minasan! (Thanks everyone!)
Nekochan
(-)(-)(-)
5:30 PM Thursday- Sahenangell, Sahngell May 5th- 981 D.A.
"Ah! I'm tired!" Tamer yawned as the Conduits walked out the city gates. They'd made it out the window and down the alley without incident. From there, it was nothing but a brisk walk to the gates, which was enough for T'myra and Kokuen-oh to regain their strength. " 'Ow about we 'ed back t' my 'ouse, since it's on the way t' the port?"
"The port? Why are we heading there?" Hariel questioned.
"Oh, Cotton," Tamer sighed, hugging his left arm, "You're so cute sometimes!" Then she added, "An' sometimes you're just not awake!" She waved her left hand in front of his face while still clinging to him with her right.
Hariel caught her hand, "That's not funny! Seriously, why are we going there?"
"Seriously, we're goin' t' the port so that we can get t' Demonstr! That's where Lord Saberstryke's Artifact will be!" Tamer replied, then reclaimed her hand.
"We cannot just Teleport there?" Lord Saberstryke wondered.
"You can cast that powerful a spell?" Shedosh inquired with a raised eyebrow.
It didn't take too long after that to get to Tamer's house again but, unfortunately, the Lord didn't remember that T'myra had locked her house.
"Saberstryke! Wait!" Tamer called, but he had already reached the door and was turning the handle.
Suddenly, the whole outside of Tamer's house exploded with fire. When the smoke subsided, her house remained untouched. Saberstryke, however, wasn't in the best of health anymore, and his armor wasn't that shiny either.
Tamer sighed, "Remember? I put a Mage Lock on it b'fore we left!"
Saberstryke coughed, "Lady T'myra?"
"Yes, Lord Saberstryke?"
"Will you please refrain from using excessive force without telling anyone?"
"I- um- okay . . ." T'myra hung her head, blushing.
Hariel nudged her shoulder, "Now who wasn't awake?"
T'myra just glared at him.
"I must admit, that was a very impressive Mage Lock, T'myra," Shedosh chuckled a little.
"That's Tamer!" Hariel laughed, putting his arm around her shoulder.
Tamer just blushed and did her best not to look Hariel in the eyes. "Let's go inside . . ." When Hariel had removed his arm, T'myra shuffled past Lord Saberstryke and opened the door of her house. She let everyone enter before closing the door. "I 'ad a thought jus' now an' I think we should take care o' it befo' we go t' sleep; follow me."
As T'myra made her way to the back room, Hariel realized what she was doing. The back room had become the area where she stored all of the items she (and he) had collected from the Capital Guard over the past few months. It was now a well organized room with some of the larger weapons - axes and swords, mostly - hanging on the walls while a table had been set out in the middle of the room for some miscellaneous articles they'd picked up - lockpicks, unlit torches, a magnifying glass, among many others.
The room's collection had the effect that Hariel and T'myra expected; Saberstryke, Kokuen-oh, and Shedosh were all awestruck by the room's number of contents.
"All o' the items in this room-" Tamer began, spinning around with her arms open wide. She stopped when she was facing her guests again. "-Were procured from the Capital Guard fo' my - oua' - mission. I want each o' ya' t' pick out a weapon t' keep an' any otha' stuff ya' see-" She placed both hands on the table. "-On this table. Consider it m' personal thanks. What ya' don't take, I can always sell lata' - sellin' some o' the lessa' items is the only reason I 'ave any money t' buy food an' such."
"What do you mean by 'procured', Lady?" Saberstryke wondered, careful to use a proper name for T'myra.
"Yes, Lord Saberstryke, we stole them. I have to admit it was fun getting to see the look on Kohherth's face every time, but it was the only way we could get good weapons. Only Nobles can buy the best, but that would require T'myra to reveal herself as a Half-Breed. Besides that, she doesn't have enough money. I got the same speech when I asked her about it," Hariel explained.
Tamer nodded. "The dagga' that Cotton uses sometimes came from this room, but m' whip didn't. The thieves' tools 'ave come in 'andy lots o' times, though I end up bein' the one t' carry 'em."
"Hey, Tamer," Hariel said, moving to the left side of the room, "I think that Lord Saberstryke would like Kohherth's old sword, don't you?"
T'myra snapped her fingers, smiling at Hariel as she did so. "That's right! The double-edged sword! Sure, get it down fo' 'im!"
"Oh no, Lady T'myra!" The Lord insisted, holding his hands up to emphasize the point. "I can understand your stealing for basic necessities, but I could not accept a sword acquired in such a way!"
Kokuen-oh walked towards the back side of the room, his gazing starting at the right wall and moving to the back wall as he skimmed over what weapons T'myra had. "Do you really think she could sell a weapon owned by the Commander of Sahngell's Capital Guard? It would be of better use in your hands than on these walls, Lord Saberstryke."
"I can't argue with that logic," Shedosh agreed as he moved forward, scanning the items on the table. "Though I think I will be looking at these items, if you don't mind, Lady T'myra. I simply have no use for a weapon - I don't even have any training with one; I use my spells to avoid combat all together."
"I unda'stand, Shedosh," T'myra acknowledged. "So, 'ow about it, Lord Saberstryke?" She asked.
Hariel moved to just in front of the Lord, holding the sword out in front of him. "You're probably the best fighter among us; we want you prepared for the battles to come."
Saberstryke sighed, then took the sword in left hand. He pulled it out of the sheath with his right, examining the blade closely. He met Tamer's stare and asked her pointedly, "A double-edged sword, you say?"
Kokuen-oh laughed openly, taking a shortsword down from the walls, "I knew a person like you couldn't resist a weapon like that!"
(-)
T'myra's home had three main rooms that were declared temporary sleeping zones: the living room, where Lord Saberstryke and Kokuen-oh offered to sleep; the dining room, where Shedosh and Hariel slept, after moving the table; and the bedroom, where T'myra insisted she sleep alone. After a couple of Warmth spells for heat and Create Minor Object spells for pillows, the Conduits went to sleep. Well, most of them.
Lord Saberstryke couldn't help thinking that something big was going to happen after, or while, they found his Artifact.
What is my Artifact? An armor like Hariel's? Probably not . . . How will I know what it is? I doubt that it will be as obvious as Hariel's, the Lord thought. Next, he heard someone walking around, but it was pretty soft . . . Probably Tamer . . . He heard her shuffle around her bedroom, get a drink of water, check the lock on her door, and go back to bed.
K'kedki laughed to himself. She was such a paranoid girl. That probably the root of it - she was the only female in her own house, which was now full of, mostly, adult men . . .
I wonder what it would be like to have a girl to court . . . or even a wife . . . Saberstryke mused.
Being surrounded by Tamer and Hariel's game of cat-and-mouse, it seemed, had made him think of this often. He would never dream of taking the Lady T'myra away from Hariel; the poor boy had enough to contend with in Kokuen-oh already, but a different woman who he could take care of, and she would probably take care of him, too.
He chuckled softly, so as not to wake up Kokuen-oh. That event with Tamer's spell earlier . . . it proves that even I need someone looking out for me.
(-)
7:25 PM Thursday- Cheebohsehn Ocean, Sahngell May 5th- 981 D.A.
"So, they're going to G'gonstrm . . . They might not even survive getting past Hell, what with all the demented creatures lurking around there!" Antulpan puzzled as he recalled the prophecy. "They live on the land, the sea, and in the air. It's an awful place to get ambushed in; you sure they'll make it?"
"Yes they will . . . If they managed to defeat you like that, and they weren't even working as a team that much . . . they can survive Hell," Badamon insisted. "How much longer will it be before we're out of Sahngell's territory?" He asked the boatman.
"Not much longer, sir. We're almost to H'htarsk now; only another hour or so," the Captain replied.
"Are we going to go past Hell?" Antulpan questioned.
"Yes, but there's nothing to be afraid of-" Badamon began.
"I don't know . . . I've heard some pretty bad stories-" the Captain mumbled.
"Well, no one was asking you, now were they?" Badamon sneered.
(-)
6:45 AM Friday- Sahenangell, Sahngell May 6th- 981 D.A.
Almost as if called by the sun, Lord Saberstryke awoke to the dawning light in its beautiful orange glow.
"How could G'gonstrm want to destroy this beautiful land?" He asked aloud.
It had puzzled him ever since he fled that heathen land. The answer came to him that morning, for some reason; it wasn't the land . . . it was the people in it. Hariel, Shedosh, Kokuen-oh, and even T'myra were the people that G'gonstrm feared; good, righteous people.
The Lord dressed himself in his armor, took up his new sword, and proceeded outside to begin his morning training, which now held a more important purpose - he needed to see how well he could handle this double-edged sword he'd been given. While he didn't like the fact that T'myra had procured it from Sahngell's Capital Guard, it was in the past now. Granted, he could still return it to the Guard, but that would likely require a fair bit of explaining on his part concerning why he hadn't apprehended T'myra, yet was willing to return the stolen property. No; he had more important matters to attend to nowadays.
He trained every morning, if he could help it, that way he stayed in excellent condition for battle. The orange mist of his battle aura surrounded him as he battled against an invisible enemy, which he envisioned as the G'gonstrm Emperor.
Saberstryke was impressed with the weighting of his new sword; he easily wielded it as if it were a much thinner blade. He saw a great improvement in how swiftly he could perform his training maneuvers. Starting a new one, he made a slash across the chest, ducking a high blow at the same time as he swept out his leg to trip his foe, then a high arc to continue his momentum, ending with a diving thrust into his enemy's heart; the invisible Emperor had been defeated by the Lord of the N'nshkoe family.
My timing is perfect now; I'd never have been able to pull off that combination nearly that fast with my old sword!
The Lord paused to think of any other combinations he might not have performed in a while due to wielding an inferior weapon - at least in speed.
I wonder if this new sword is stronger as well as faster than my old sword? I doubt I will have to wait that long to find out-
A faint clapping could be heard from the doorway of T'myra's house. "Not bad. Not bad at all, Lord Saberstryke."
Saberstryke turned around to face the applause and met the youthful face of Hariel.
"You really are an excellent swordsman," Hariel continued.
"It takes years of training to become as good as I and a lifetime to maintain that level of prowess," K'kedki responded.
Hariel nodded in understanding. "T'myra has breakfast ready, then we'll head to the port," he told the Lord.
"Wonderful," the Lord admitted, "I am quite hungry."
Hariel laughed.
(-)
T'myra's breakfast was delicious and, amazingly enough, not conjured. "I made it m'self! Enjoy!" T'myra placed two large platters on the large circular table.
"Wow!" the men awed from their seats. There was butter, jam, and cinnamon-sugar for their bread, pancakes, bananas, oranges, and even . . .
"SAUSAGE!" Hariel cried in amazement, "Tamer, you can afford sausage for all of us?"
"For you boys, yes I can." Tamer beamed a smile at them.
"T'myra, I am deeply impressed and thank you very much!" Shedosh smiled.
"You had all of this in storage around your house?" Kokuen-oh laughed.
"Yep! I keep a good stock an' I use spells t' keep ev'rythin' fresh!" T'myra beamed as she sat down next to Hariel, who was on Shedosh's right.
"Let's eat!" Lord Saberstryke insisted from Kokuen-oh's right and Shedosh's left. No one disagreed.
(-)
7:10 AM Friday- Kahkoh, Sahngell May 6th- 981 D.A.
"Hey, guys, look!" a sailor pointed to a very handsome boat coming into the harbor of the port city, Kahkoh, "Rafakoh's back!"
Many sailors gathered around the boat, welcoming the experienced captain in the Kahroh, a very well built ship for the era, and a decent ship for the calm waters of Cheehbohsehn.
"Boy, Rafakoh, you sure got back here fast!"
"If you know how to navigate, it's easy to get around in the water, Kohshooh," the captain responded.
"Never a truer statement, mam, and you do know your way around the Great Water like no one else we know!" Another sailor admitted.
"That's the truth, as well, you know, Rohkoh," she laughed, releasing her long, auburn hair from underneath her swashbuckler's hat. It reached to her waist and fell atop a maroon cloak, fastened by an invisible clasp. "I am the best seafarer Cheakir has ever seen." She lifted her hat to show her sapphire eyes, which were angry. "But those stupid clients going to G'gonstrm didn't seem to think so!" she scoffed.
"Don't let it get to ya', Captain!" Kohshooh patted her on the shoulder - she didn't falter. "They probably didn't know who you were!"
"Right," Rafakoh flipped her locks out of her right eye with a gloved hand.
(-)
8:45 AM Friday- Kahkoh, Sahngell May 6th- 981 D.A.
After finishing their breakfast, the Conduits headed to Kahkoh, the port city nearest to G'gonstrm. Once again, they encountered difficulties.
"Please! There has to be a ship leaving for G'gonstrm!" Shedosh pleaded.
"Sorry, sir, the last one left last night and the next one isn't due until tomorrow morning," the schedule keeper informed them.
"You can't arrange some special circumstance where we could pay extra?" Kokuen-oh insisted.
"Nope, sorry; we don't do those kinds of deals," he replied.
After they left the schedule house, T'myra groaned, " 'Ow come we can neva' catch a break?"
A pair of blue eyes watched the Conduits from a nearby alleyway.
"It must be because we're in The Prophecy, so we always have to do things the hard way," Lord Saberstryke grumbled.
The sapphires cocked sideways in interest.
"NOW how are we going to get to G'gonstrm?" Hariel whimpered.
A woman in her mid-twenties - slightly younger-looking than the Lord Saberstryke - and decked out in reds stepped out of the alleyway. She was clad in a very ornate outfit that could probably be sold at the same price as some ships in the harbor. Her large sailor's hat was the same deep red and shaded her face. Out of it stuck a brown, striped feather of some large bird. The woman wore a poofy, elegant shirt that disappeared underneath of her leather gloves. Over it, she wore a leather vest that stopped at her waist, held there by a black belt and silver buckle. Sliding out from under the belt was a tight pair of deep magenta pants which sported a pair of leather boots that almost reached her knees. On top of it all, the woman wore a long, thick, maroon cloak, on which fell her waist-length, curly, auburn hair.
The group wasn't very happy about having a spy in their midst.
"You want to get to G'gonstrm?"
"What's it to you, lady?" Kokuen-oh demanded.
"Why do you want to go?"
"We're askin' the questions, 'ere!" Tamer scowled.
"Are you following the two men that went last night?" she gazed at everyone with those cold gems through her auburn bangs.
Everyone gasped.
"Could it have been Antulpan and someone else? Going ahead of us?" Shedosh wondered.
"Antulpan's real determined about this, he might be trying to get ahead," Kokuen-oh confirmed.
"They said something about Artifacts."
Everyone looked at each other, then back to the woman.
She continued in her deep, almost monotone voice, "I can get you there on my ship, no extra charge."
Hariel whispered in Shedosh's ear, "Can we trust her?"
"I am the best seafarer Cheakir has ever seen, young man, and I have earned the trust of many. I have even earned the respect of my enemies; they know my skills are that great," she answered Hariel.
How did she hear me? Hariel wondered. "You can't be the best . . . because- because somebody named Rafakoh is . . . and they aren't here!" he protested.
"Do you accept my offer?"
"Fine by me," Lord Saberstryke eagerly agreed, after which everyone dragged him into a small circle. "What?"
"Are you crazy?" Kokuen-oh demanded.
"Fo' 'er!" Tamer motioned to the woman garbed in red.
"I think not!" the Lord tried to defend himself.
"I think so!" Tamer retorted.
"In any case," Shedosh interrupted as he rolled his eyes, "We need to get to G'gonstrm. She's willing to take us. Between the five of us, if she starts any trouble, I think we can handle it."
"Fine then, but we should all stay alert," Hariel warned before dispersing the circle, "We accept."
"Great, all I have to do is check in with the schedule master." She walked into the shack the Conduits had just left, "Hey, Soohkeh?"
The schedule master looked up from his books. "What's up, Captain?"
"I'm gonna' take this group to G'gonstrm; does my schedule permit it?" the Captain asked.
"But you just got back this morning! You sure you want to make another run so early?" Soohkeh blinked in awe.
"Yes, now, does my schedule permit it?"
"Well, let's see . . . I guess . . . you're free until tomorrow night. Can you make it back by then?" Soohkeh responded.
"If I can't, can someone else cover for me?" she wondered.
"Well . . . I guess so-" Soohkeh began.
"I'll be gone as long as possible," she interrupted, and left, past the Conduits gaping at the door. "We'd better gather up the boys to get my ship ready."
"How do we do that?" Lord Saberstryke asked.
"Easy," she laughed, then turned away from them. "HEY BOYS! I NEED THE KAHROH READY FOR DEPARTURE! AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO MOVE!"
The Conduits could scarcely believe what they had just heard.
"Are you allowed to do that?" the Lord gawked.
"Sure I am; I'm the Captain of this port," she gazed at the Lord from under her auburn locks.
"AYE-AYE, RAFAKOH, MAM!" Came the cries of young men as they ran past the group, towards the dock of the Kahroh.
The woman motioned for the Conduits to follow her. The distance to the dock wasn't that far; the ship was even in sight, when they were heading towards it.
"You're Rafakoh?" Lord Saberstryke's jaw nearly hit the planks of the port.
She flipped her auburn locks and giggled, "You were expecting someone else?" She started up the gangplank with the group of five in tow.
"Hey, Rafakoh, where ya' headed?" a child called from the lookout.
"To G'gonstrm, Aoh!" she replied, "Make sure we pack the right supplies!"
"It is a great honor to be in the presence of such a-" Lord Saberstryke began, bowing before her, "-beautiful woman and accomplished sailor."
Rafakoh scoffed, "Save it."
The Lord gasped and the others were just as shocked.
"I don't take kindly to men who downgrade me because I'm a woman." She regarded the Lord with a cautious eye. "Especially men who think I can only do so much because I'm a woman."
"But I-" the Lord started to speak.
"I don't care if it was directed at you or you were warned by it, but you heard it and make sure you remember it!" Rafakoh turned on her heels and walked towards her ship, her maroon cape fluttering in a rather . . . different way.
And yet the Lord thought he recognized the way her cape flowed, though he couldn't put a finger on it. He stared after her, trying to understand why she disliked him so much.
(-)
10:30 AM Friday- H'htarsk Ocean (near Hell), G'gonstrm May 6th- 981 D.A.
They had long since left Kahkoh's port and introduced themselves after readying the ship. The Conduits even learned the names of some of the more important crew members.
Kohshooh Kohkoohoehn was a younger, aspiring boy, who looked up to Rafakoh a lot. He could be seen anywhere - he was very fast - and liked to talk. Rohkoh Serebou was a middle-aged man of fair intelligence who's primary job, it seemed, was keeping the younger sailors in line, which included the final member, Aohkahnn Gahsharah. Aohkahnn was dubbed Aoh for short, terming him 'Inexperienced', even though he was one of Rafakoh best lookouts, she said, and he was very lively.
Now attempting to enjoy themselves, Shedosh, Kokuen-oh, and Lord Saberstryke took over the starboard side of the Kahroh. Hariel and T'myra were granted reign of the port side.
"I most definitely like the water better when I can enjoy it from a ship!" Shedosh smiled, letting the wind blow through his light brown hair that fell to his shoulders in straight strands.
"What, are you afraid of water?" Lord Saberstryke mocked, slapping the Mystic across the back.
Shedosh gasped and fell forward, nearly falling out of the ship.
Before he had a chance to respond to the Lord, Captain Rafakoh interrupted him, leaving her post at the wheel to Rohkoh, "I don't care if you're one of the Dekutan, Saberstryke, there will be no jokes or games of that sort on my ship! I promise to keep my passengers safe, and I'll do so!"
Releasing the wheel for but a moment caused the ship to veer onto an upraised stone and the whole ship rocked, sending Shedosh and Lord Saberstryke over the side of the boat.
"Help!" Lord Saberstryke shouted; he suddenly felt extremely heavy as his clothing absorbed water and his armor drug him down further, but he quickly took notice of Shedosh, who was bobbing up and down in the water and flailing his arms. Obviously, unlike the Lord, Shedosh could not swim.
"Men; damn them," Rafakoh whispered, but quickly added, "Double Damn!" She saw figures moving about in the water.
"Rafakoh! It's some kahbahat!" Aoh screeched from the crow's nest.
Kahbahat were hideous monsters that had long snouts full of sharp teeth and were very quick in the water, not to mention that they were known to be deadly and intelligent as a group.
"I know that!" Rafakoh hissed, All too well . . . "Damnit to Hell and Back!" She cursed once more as she saw a whole pod of kahbahat lurking towards their halted ship.
"They're approaching rapidly, Captain!" Kohsooh called.
"Come on, Kohsooh, help me get the spears," Rohkoh insisted. The two disappeared below deck to find the spears.
T'myra and Hariel ran across the ship's deck to Kokuen-oh's side. "Shedosh? Can ya' cast a spell t' 'elp the Lord? I dunno' any!" T'myra screamed.
"I can't cast anything in this position!" Shedosh's voice was garbled, indicating he was having a hard time staying afloat.
"Come on, Saberstryke! Use your wings!" Hariel shouted.
Saberstryke coughed as water entered his lungs, I wish I could . . . but they're too damp . . . What am I going to do?
"Mystical Protection!"
T'myra thought, Was that Rafakoh's voice?
Suddenly, a maroon sphere encompassed the Kahroh, and no more kahbahat, no matter how hard they hit the dome, could penetrate it.
"Magical Strength!"
A maroon light flared behind Hariel and T'myra, but they were too focused on the people in the water to notice.
Kokuen-oh turned around and gasped, because he could see what T'myra and Hariel couldn't. Rafakoh threw off her cloak and revealed what, at first, looked like another cape that was only heavier . . . and thicker . . . and more leathery. Kokuen-oh realized then that Rafakoh was unfolding her wings.
With the speed of a falcon, she dove near the water, but stopped short as a kahbahat tried to snap at her. Still struggling under the weight of his armor, the Lord's eyes slitted and he slammed the monster against the hull of the Kahroh.
Much to the amazement of everyone on board, it knocked the ship off of the rock which had caused the halt in its course. Next, the Lord helped Shedosh to be out of the sea, up to his knees, which gave Rafakoh the opportunity to scoop up Shedosh and then set him on the Kahroh.
After Shedosh was no longer a concern of K'kedki's, let alone a burden, he began to loose strength and sink into the cold depths of H'htarsk, followed by many kahbahat.
Rafakoh noticed this and immediately flew back to the water. She hovered above it for a few seconds, but she couldn't see the Lord Saberstryke. She cursed once more, "Damned men!" Then, she plunged into the water.
Moments passed like years for the people on the Kahroh.
The water where Rafakoh had dove in became a little red. Then a kahbahat surfaced, unmoving. Then another, and then two almost simultaneously.
Finally, Rafakoh surfaced with a great gasp for breath and a splash of water as she struggled to fly with wet wings and a heavy, bleeding load. Rafakoh drug the Lord to the boat's deck and collapsed next to him, coughing and sputtering short curses.
"Lord Saberstryke?" T'myra bawled at the bloody mess.
No doubt, had Rafakoh not dove after him, he would have ended up in the belly of one of the kahbahat that now floated near the Kahroh. However, his manner and skin-tone was the same as those kahbahat; he wasn't moving, and he was quite pale.
Kokuen-oh lifted his helmet off, and blood dripped from the inside.
T'myra buried herself in Hariel's arms. She didn't want to look at the horribly saddening sight of the once magnificent Lord looking so prone and helpless - so very close to death. T'myra spoke in a quiet and terrified voice, " 'Ee looks- 'ee looks . . . like . . . m' dad!"
Hariel did his best to soothe her, but knew he could do nothing to bring her comfort. Once again, she comes to me in times of trouble . . . what does she really think of me? Kohmah, I hope they can do something for Saberstryke . . .
Kohshooh and Rohkoh ran back on deck, saw the blood covering the deck, and decided they were too late to help with the kahbahat. Instead, they were going to have to get the mops, rags, and bandaging cloth.
"He's not breathing!" Shedosh shouted, examining the Lord's neck.
The familiar curse of "Damn!" came from beside them as Rafakoh pushed them out of the way, her wings brushing over the Lord. She looked all over him and then yelled, "Oh, fuck it!" She cut the straps that held his breastplate to the rest of his armor and removed it. Once she had torn it off, Rafakoh put her ear to his chest. Her eyes opened wide. She started pushing on his chest, cursing under her breath. She muttered, "You die on me, and I'll never forgive myself!"
Shedosh asked quietly, "Rafakoh . . . what are you doing?"
Rafakoh listened at the Lord's heart before answering him. "He swallowed water; if I can get it out so that he can breath air, I might be able to save him." She pushed on his chest seven more times and then listened at his heart. She gasped, recoiling a little, tears flooding her sapphire eyes. The Captain flung herself against his chest, crying. Her long, curly, auburn hair slowly became tipped with Lord Saberstryke's dark, drying blood.
Shedosh tried to help her off of the Lord, "Rafakoh, this is indeed a very tragic event-" However, she pulled away, and caressed K'kedki's originally dark brown face.
The once proud beauty was red in the cheeks and her hair was matted, falling over her shoulders and the fallen Lord's face, "I- I'm so sorry . . . I should never have yelled at you . . . Saberstryke . . ." She took a deep breath and kissed him. Please . . . wake up! . . . WAKE UP! Eventually, she could hold her breath no longer, and pulled away from his lifeless lips, laying her head on his vest.
One hand fell on the left side of his chest, and she cried one final tear, which landed on his heart. The remaining Conduits bowed their heads in mourning, and T'myra clung to Hariel as if she feared he would be wrenched from her, too.
Icy, wrinkled gloves held Rafakoh's warm, silken palm.
She gasped and looked at her hand, which was being loosely held by the Lord's glove. Rafakoh turned her gaze to the Lord's face, and, slowly, she was permitted to see dark brown pupils amidst the currently pale brown face of the Lord Saberstryke.
"I-" he began, forcing his tired, bloodthirsty lips to move. He started coughing and turned on his side to get the water out of his lungs.
"No no, don't try to speak!" Rafakoh grasped his shoulder firmly. "You must rest!" She insisted.
He gave her a little grin and slowly put his head on the deck. He closed his eyes and became visibly relaxed.
All Rafakoh could do was a release a deep sigh of relief, and then give an order to Kokuen-oh and Shedosh in the familiar, deep voice of the experienced sea-captain as she stood up. "Guys, get him below deck! Somebody treat him, I don't care how! But this guy's been to the Abyss and back, he needs the best of care that we can provide!"
Without hesitation, both agreed, "Aye-aye, Captain!"
(-)
11:15 AM Friday- H'htarsk Ocean, Demonstr May 6th- 981 D.A.
As an eyelid was cautiously, and no longer painfully, opened, a dark brown pupil sought to look about him. Even though his vision was still blurred, Lord Saberstryke made the attempt to figure out where he was. When, at last, the Lord's vision became even slightly clear, he noted he was not in a single scrap of his armor. He was wearing his soggy undergarments of a tattered vest, wrinkled shirt, and his cloth pants that clung to his legs.
There was someone standing at the door, he realized.
"Ra - fa - koh?"
"Yeah, it's me." She unfolded her arms and walked towards his bed, seating herself in a vacant spot. "You were pretty brave out there, helping Shedosh out before yourself." Rafakoh sought one of Saberstryke's clawed hands and held it in her slender ones.
The Lord was still laying down, but he looked up at her, finally being able to confirm that she did indeed have wings and he hadn't just imagined the floating feeling he had once he'd been removed from the water. Her wings were dark, muscular, maroon ones, he noted. "You- you're a- Monster?" he asked.
Her head fell to her chest. "Yeah. They consider me a mutant, 'cause the only part of my body that's Monster is my wings. You saw me; I look like an Angel with my cape on." Rafakoh brushed some hair out of her face and continued, but looked away from him. "It's like neither nation wants me . . ."
The Lord's other clawed hand held her face and she found herself staring into the handsome, dark brown eyes of the Demidon.
"I will think you beautiful, no matter if all of Cheakir disagrees with me, and testify that you are a strong-willed person, no matter what circumstances I must argue, Rafakoh." Saberstryke slid his legs out of the bed and proceeded to get up, but faltered and Rafakoh caught him. "Let me be; I have to recover quickly."
"You are so stubborn! You need to recover in bed!" she insisted.
He released himself from her grasp and stood before her, then bowed. "I almost caused you to break your promise. You may do with me as you see fit."
Rafakoh hesitated, but punched him in the stomach, and he bent over slightly.
"That's for endangering other people's lives!"
He nodded.
Rafakoh continued, slapping him across the face, "That's for being an idiot on the deck!" She was beginning to cry a little now.
He nodded once more.
"And this-" she pulled him up to be eye level with her, "This is for scaring me half to death!" She pressed her lips to his as she cried. It was so wonderful, being able to hold the Lord against her, knowing he was going to be okay.
The Lord began to regain his stability at that. Once he was fully standing, he took her in his arms and wrapped his wings around her. Her arms found themselves around his neck as he caressed her back.
He left her kiss for but a moment to whisper, "I accept my punishment."
"That's some 'punishment'."
The couple turned to the door, releasing one another as they did so and found Kokuen-oh standing there looking a little smug, but obviously feeling out of place.
"And here I thought I was going to have to save you from her wrath, Saberstryke. It looks like you don't want to be saved!" Kokuen-oh chuckled, then became serious. "We're nearing the shores of G'gonstrm. Shedosh was afraid we'd run into some more kahbahat, so he asked me to fetch you. I'm very sorry for disturbing you," he apologized, a little red in the cheeks.
"No, no, I should be getting above deck, anyway," Rafakoh took herself away from the Lord and began to straighten herself out again. She was about to leave when she turned around and shoved Saberstryke so that he fell onto the bed, quite confused. "You get some rest!" She pointed a finger at him. "Don't make me come back down here!"
Saberstryke pouted, "You wouldn't come back to see me anyway?"
Well, he's not being formal anymore . . . Rafakoh hung her head, "Saberstryke, you'll be the death of me," she smiled at him, "I just know it."
The Lord smiled back, as she turned and climbed the steps. Her wings gradually folded around her again to form the false, maroon cloak that was the Great Seafarer's trademark.
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11:25 AM Friday- H'htarsk Ocean, G'gonstrm May 6th- 981 D.A.
G'gonstrm . . . I never thought I'd ever come here of my own will! Hariel was looking out from the side of the Kahroh, admiring the skyline. Hariel heard footsteps behind him and turned around to see Kokuen-oh approaching. "Hey, Kokuen-oh. How's the Lord?"
"Saberstryke? Oh, he's fine; just fine," Kokuen-oh laughed.
"Oh, really?" Hariel chuckled, "What happened?"
"Well, I can tell you that I found the Captain standing in the middle of Saberstryke's room, wrapped in the arms and wings of the Lord," Kokuen-oh stated wistfully.
Hariel's mouth dropped open.
"Yeah, and they had kissed - you could tell," Kokuen-oh related. "It looks like we have two new couples on board . . ."
"Two?" Hariel repeated.
"What, you don't think T'myra and yourself qualify as a couple?" Kokuen-oh asked as he chuckled and leaned on the ship's railing with his lower arms.
Hariel was dumbfounded, so he lied. "I- I don't know what you mean, Kokuen-oh."
"I see," Kokuen-oh sighed. "I guess you two need some more time to sort out your feelings for one another."
"But, Kokuen-oh-" Hariel began.
"Good luck, Hariel, but let me say this: don't wait too long to tell T'myra how you feel. I know I was far too late," Kokuen-oh patted Hariel on the back.
Even though Hariel was still confused, Kokuen-oh walked back down below the Kahroh's deck.
Hariel thought to himself, I thought that Kokuen-oh still wanted T'myra for himself? Why would he be encouraging me to tell Tamer how I feel?
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Continued in: Choices and Consequences
2/5/2001, 2/1/2005, and 2/10/2005
Awww! Saberstryke has a girlfriend! (Big grin) Ain't she the feminist? I added and changed quite a bit, but I think it adds to the reality of how things probably would've been than I had written them the first time. So, I hope you like it. Anyway, be sure to leave me with some critiques!
3/31/2005
I gave in and decided to split up "Double Trouble"; can you believe that what has become my 6th chapter used to be my 3rd? (Silly grin) However, I fully acknowledge that it's better to keep the Episodes of reasonable length, especially to make it easier on my reviewers. (Smile) This felt like a natural breaking point - on the sea, then on the land. Not to mention it allows for the reader to contemplate the implications of Kokuen-oh and Hariel's dialogue. (Big grin) I'll get back to work now. Later!
Nekochan