Apologies for missing last week, my Dears!
Chapters may get delayed a bit in the near future- in part to the upcoming Holidays-
But I hope you stick it out with me, there is much more to come!
JustaFanGrell

One Dark and Stormy Night

Chapter 17

It... is late.

Fai thought, as his eyes scanned the forest edge for any sign of the beast from his dreams. He allowed his senses to expand, trying to get some feel for where the creature may be. His impatience showed in his inability to sit still, the fingers of his left hand drumming the rock in a rhythmic score of annoyance while a foot tapped the ground in accompaniment.

Enjoying the leisurely swim, the Beast took its time in arriving at the rendezvous. Even from across the lake, It had felt Fai's annoyance at having arrived perfectly on-time only to find himself having to wait for its arrival. The beast had not planned it that way- that's just how things had developed. Its morning swim was just too enjoyable today to have to cut it short.

It chortled humorously to itself as it closed in on the appointed meeting place, still submerged as it had been in the dream of the night before. It looked forward to meeting this creature and learning more about it and quenching its curiosity.

Sensing the approach of another being, Fai turned away from the forest and watched the surface of the lake as the beast from his dream arrived, slowly rising from the deep as if some hideous monster from a bad horror movie.

Good morning, Wizard Fai… please excuse my tardiness, I find a morning swim to be most refreshing. Pardon me a moment while I rid myself of the excess water… I do not wish to completely douse you in the process.

With that, the beast strode from the lake, muscles rippling and lake water dripping from its fur. Fai couldn't help but watch in awe of the magnificent creature as it walked past him and a short way towards the forest. Once far enough away it began to shake itself dry, the water flying in all directions in a great shower of drops beginning slowly at its great head and gaining speed and traveling the length of its lithe body before ending with a flick of the tip of its long tail.

Fai had never seen a creature that could rival this one's beauty. Roughly the size of a large horse, it seemed some fantastical melding of dragon and feline… with an elegance of movement that should not have been possible in a creature of its size. Its lithe body was covered in a coppery fur broken by rows of pearlescent scales that protected its sides and head. As it walked back to rejoin Fai, he couldn't help but notice the large, bronze claws leaving the now-familiar prints in the dirt of the path. He looked up to find its fiery-orange eyes regarding him with a mild curiosity as if it too were sizing up the strange creature in front of it. Such intelligence in those eyes- and depth… one could lose themselves easily looking deeply into those eyes.

Bowing deeply before it, Fai formally greeted the creature. "Good Morning…" he began, before pausing mid-sentence. "Forgive me, but I still do not know how to address you. I would feel more comfortable conversing with you if I could call you by some name."

The beast bowed to the mage in return. "Greetings this new day, Wizard Fai. As I stated last night, I care not for names or titles for myself… you may call me whatever you wish, if you must." Having dispensed with the formalities of greeting each other, it took the liberty of lying down next to the rock on which Fai had been sitting while he waited. It flexed its great claws as it stretched its front legs out in front of it before pulling them back and neatly crossing them as it studied its new acquaintance.

Fai thought about it for a few moments. Hmm… What name would be fitting for such a magnificent creature such as this? Several options flitted through his mind and were immediately dismissed as 'not quite right' before the perfect name presented itself.

"If it pleases you, I shall like to call you 'Tatsu'… would that be acceptable to you?"

The beast contemplated the suggestion for a moment before replying "Yes, that would be fine."

"In that case… Good Morning to you, Tatsu. It is very nice to meet you. In all my travels, I have never met another that commanded your mental abilities. I congratulate you on breaching my defenses; it seems that they require a bit more attention than I had thought. That shall be remedied forthwith, I can assure you."

"I too, must commend you, Wizard. It did take me considerable time and effort to find the flaw that allowed me to breach your substantial defenses. I will not test them again, and I ask your forgiveness for the first necessary offense. I do, however, confess to enjoying the challenge your mind posed. You were a worthy opponent, one that I had not anticipated by your mere appearance and by judging the mental abilities of your companions." Tatsu shook his head at recalling the minds of the others he had looked into before reaching the wizard's.

The mage couldn't help but chuckle at its evaluation of his friends. "Thank you. It is very rare for one to be taken for what they truly are." Fai replied.

"Indeed. All pleasantries aside, I am compelled to warn you of the danger the young female that travels with you is in. Her mind…" Pausing, it struggled to find the right words to convey both the severity and delicate condition her mind was in. "… there is something terribly wrong with the young one's mind. She lies perilously close to the edge of madness. I encountered great voids of darkness in her mind- as if something had violently ripped her mind to pieces. I am amazed that she survives, given the severity of the damage. I felt it necessary to inform you at once of her state, in case you were unaware."

"And I thank you for your concern." Fai replied. "Yes, I am aware of her mental state. She copes very well most of the time, considering the damage. The items we seek that were stolen from us are the memories that fit into those gaps. Her mind is able to heal itself bit by bit as we recover each stolen memory."

Sadness crept into his voice as he continued. "However, just after arriving in your forest a strange illness befell her, and we are at a loss as to its cause or how to treat it. None of the others have been affected, and none of our treatments have helped improve her condition."

"That is most unfortunate. Perhaps together we may decipher the key to curing her illness. I should, at the least, like to attempt it… with your assistance, of course." Tatsu offered, his concern for the child evident in the extremely serious tone in his voice.