-Sorrow-

Another agonized scream reverberated through the house that was normally a peaceful sanctuary, and Knoll sobbed and pressed himself more tightly against his uncle, burying his face in Vigarde's shirt as if to hide from the terrible reality unfolding so rapidly around him. His small body shook as images of the white bael attacking his mother flashed through his mind yet again. Vigarde sighed and patted his nephew's hair reassuringly before turning to one of the other various family members and friends standing or sitting silently throughout the room. "Why is Knoll still here? This is not something he should see…" An elderly man sighed. "He would not leave. We tried to carry him out, and he went berserk. Poor thing… he doesn't want to leave his mother. He thinks it's his fault that this happened…" The Emperor sighed. "I sent out wyvern riders to try to find the baels, but they were unsuccessful. The cave where the attack occurred had been abandoned-the bloody brutes must have been hunting away from home, and returned to their lair once they were done with their grisly business. I've sent troops out to try to find their main den many, many times, but still nothing... But thank God that at least Knoll wasn't hurt-"

The shrill, pain filled cry rang out once more, and the door to the bedroom opened. Father MacGregor came out, a weary expression on his face, and all faces rose expectantly towards him. The bishop closed his eyes and shook his head, and gasps, moans, and sad curses echoed through the air. Knoll stiffened, his eyes going over to the open doorway, which the clergyman was just reaching to close; Vigarde realized too late what the boy was going to do, and Knoll slipped out from his uncle's arms, dodging the man's attempts to grab him, and rushed into the room, and everyone in the room let out frightened exclamations.

"Don't let him go in there!!"

"Someone, get him, quick!!"

But it was too late… far too late.

"Mommy!!"

Her face was a ghostly white, and the wound on her shoulder a swollen, pulsing black mass; the sheets were stained with crimson blood. His father was sitting next to her, holding her hand tightly. Tears were trickling down his cheeks, and his breathing came in rasps as short and strained as hers. He glanced up and saw his son standing in the doorway, with an identical look of infinite sorrow on his young face. Raphael hesitated, wondering if he should send him away, but then realized he could not deny him these last few moments with his mother. More adults appeared in the doorway, trying to grab the young escapee, but Raphael waved them away. They withdrew quietly, and the door shut softly behind him. Raphael reached out and gently stroked his wife's fevered forehead. "Nicole… There's a little troublemaker… here to… to s-see you…" He said, his voice cracking with grief. He leaned wearily against his hand. His wife stirred and smiled slightly, trying to comfort her husband. "Hey, now… Don't be such a crybaby, Raph." She said, teasing… then she groaned, a flicker of pain flashing across her face. Then it was past, and she opened blurry eyes to look at her precious child. "It's alright, Knolly. Come here." Knoll ran to his mother and snuggled against her, trembling, and she tickled his neck as if nothing had changed. He rubbed against her, weeping, and she hugged him close. "Knoll… It's okay. Don't cry."

"Mommy, don't leave me!! Don't leave…" Her own tears slid down her cheeks to mingle with those of her son. "My baby… My little Knoll… You were very brave. What happened was not your fault. And death is not always a bad thing. I've told you of Heaven many times, have I not?"

"But I want you here!!"

"Knoll… No matter what happens, I will always love you, and because of that, we'll always be together in our hearts…"

"In… our hearts…?"

"Yes. I promise that I will always be there for you, even if you can't see me…"
"Mommy…"

"Go back to the others now, Knoll. Be a good boy, okay?" She leaned forward and gently kissed her son.
"I w-will…"
Knoll turned, walking slowly and stiffly towards the door, then broke into a sprint. He didn't stop running until he was in his room and had collapsed on the bed, and then he snuffed all the candles so that he wouldn't see all the memories of his mother that surrounded him.

Raphael took a final, shuddering breath to steady himself. He had to do this, he had to finish what that monstrosity had started. She had begged him to do it as her face contorted with pain, and he never could refuse her anything. The venom injected into her body was lethal; it had paralyzed her at first, but that had worn off after a few hours, but the true purpose of the poison was to dissolve the victim's organs so the bael could feast. It was a slow and extremely painful way to die, and so he would put her out of her misery. He leaned forward and wrapped his arms tenderly around her, as if his tight embrace could hold in her life and keep her soul from slipping away. Then, for a long moment, all they did was gaze sadly, lovingly, at one another. "Raphael… Thank you…" He swallowed, trying to choke down the tears choking his throat, and then kissed her. It was a warm, gentle kiss, and that was all she felt as he laid a hand on her heart and delivered the bolt of magic that would end her. There was no pain; only a soft sigh in his ear.

"Raphael… I will always… love you…"

"And I will always love you, Nicole…"

And then she went limp in his arms. He screamed, a keening cry of loss that seemed to pierce the heavens, and then he slid off of the bed, away from the still body of his wife, and collapsed on the floor. The others rushed in then, their own misery writ clearly across their faces. "Carry him to the couch. I'll tend to him there…" MacGregor said softly.

Raphael awoke a few minutes later. He was changed; his eyes were cold and filled with hatred, and all the joy had left his face. He staggered to his feet, ignoring everyone's commands that he lie back down. He hardly heard them… the only thing he could hear were her last words. And then a hush fell over the room, and he turned around. Knoll stood there, his face grim. "You… you killed… Mom, didn't you?" Raphael flinched at the words, and he put his head down and wavered back and forth where he stood, unable to answer. Knoll's eyes narrowed, and then all the despair and helplessness he felt exploded within him. "Why didn't you save her?! Why weren't you there for her?!" Raphael didn't respond, and Knoll shouted an incantation. A small burst of fire slammed into Raphael's chest, and although his prodigious magical skills could have deflected the inexperienced mage's attack without him even thinking about it, he suppressed them, accepting the pain but not the injury. He wanted the pain; felt he deserved it. But he needed to be unwounded if he was to accomplish his mission. "I'm leaving. I will hunt the white bael to the ends of this earth, if need be. Your uncle will take care of you until I return." He said, his voice hollow and flat. And then, in a gush of affection for his child, he added "I will be back by week's end. I promise, I will come back. I won't leave you. I love you…" Knoll turned and started to stalk out of the room, then paused and looked back over his shoulder, eyes flaming. "I hope you don't. I hate you." And then he sunk to his knees and cried. Raphael felt like his heart had been torn to pieces. He reached forward to lay a tentative hand on Knoll's shoulder, than drew back. He turned to Vigarde, his eyes pleading. "Take care of him for me, brother."

"You cannot leave, are you mad?! You'll be killed-"

There was a flash of light, and Raphael was gone, the smoky magic of the teleportation runes curling lazily into the air in the space where he had been.

Vigarde carried Knoll back to the Keep, the tired child half asleep on his shoulder, and rousing only to let out the occasional mournful whimper. Lillian had deemed it best to let the boy sleep with them tonight. She couldn't let him be alone in the dark after his ordeal, and she knew it would hurt Lyon to see him like this. However, they were greeted with a surprise when they entered their room. Lyon was sitting on the bed, hugging his knees and sniffling. His eyes were puffy and swollen from crying. He took one look at his cousin and burst back into tears. The two adults exchanged glances as Knoll shivered unhappily in his uncle's arms. Vigarde set him carefully on the bed and threw a blanket down on the floor for himself and Lillian to sleep on. Knoll lay sprawled on the bed, his eyes squeezed shut, and Lyon put an arm protectively around his cousin. "Knoll… Knoll… I don't want to lose you, too!" Lyon said, sneezing and rubbing at his nose. Knoll opened his eyes and looked silently up at his cousin. He knew that this hurt Lyon nearly as much as it hurt him; Lyon was a loving and compassionate person, and had been close to his aunt and uncle.

"You won't lose me… I promise. And you… won't leave me, right?"

"Never ever, I promise." The two children huddled together, finding solace in each other's company, as Vigarde and Lillian watched sadly over them. Knoll turned towards the adults then, his eyes wet. "I didn't mean it. I didn't mean what I said." Lillian made a soft, sad noise of pity, and she stood up and climbed onto the bed, scooping the two young ones close to her. "I know you didn't, honey, and your father knows it too." And so Knoll finally fell into a fitful sleep. He would spend the next week waiting, hopeful, for the sight of a white haired sage returning triumphant. But his father would never come back.