Breath of Fire III: Of Gods and Dragons
Chapter Twenty-Six: Onward… to Death
Written by Estrelita Farr
.
After a full day's rest, Ryu recovered enough to walk around, albeit a little shakily, and that was what he did. He felt he couldn't stay indoors for long, as thoughts of Jono's death and the Brood's fate filled his mind. The responsibility weighed on his shoulder, and his heart felt equally heavy.
Jono's death hit him very hard.
The man who was like his father, the man who had supported him throughout the Great War five hundred years ago… was dead.
Dead by his hand.
Why? Of all people to take his life… why him?
The energy that continuously surged in his veins, like a spreading snake, like an ongoing spellcasting, served as a constant reminder of Jono's death, and he could do nothing to curb it. His full power had been unleashed, with nothing left to chain and cage it, and his body wasn't used to it.
…the power that Jono had safely guarded for him for four centuries, awaiting his return.
Despair filled his heart.
So many sacrifices had been made… his Protectors, doomed to an eternity of confinement in chrysm crystals if it weren't for him stumbling upon them. The spirits of the Brood, living in constant pain and anger, burning in revenge, unable to move on to the next world beyond death. Deis, caught and imprisoned by Gaist's seal after the fall of the Dragons. Gaist, who had decided to defy the Goddess and help them, died in the process. The people of Dragnier, forced to abandon their power and live like outcasts, in order for Jono to guard the power inside him.
All because of the war. All because he had lost four hundred years ago.
Atop the long staircase to the portal's shrine, the sky was an endless blue that spread further than eyes could see. It brought a sense of calmness to his heart, even if only for a while. From there, he strode past the door that led to the portal and instead climbed the stairs that extended from the side of the shrine. Above the portal's room was a terrace overlooking Dragnier and a set of stone walls that suggested it was encompassing a smaller room… except there was no door or window on it.
Only a blank rectangular panel was on the wall facing the terrace, carved in such a way that it looked as though there should be a picture on it.
Ryu closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in preparation, and opened his eyes once more.
He touched the panel gingerly.
A ripple formed on the panel, resonating along the wall, and a picture slowly materialised into view. It was the carving of a serpentine Dragon, its elegant body curled around a tear-shaped jewel that shone all colours of the rainbow.
The Dragon Tear… it was something he had not seen for a while.
Suddenly, a burst of light came from the panel, blinding him, surprising him. He covered his eyes with one arm and quickly stepped back, but it was too late – a great force pulled him forward towards the panel, and no amount of struggling would set him free.
He braced himself for the impact of hitting the stone wall, but instead, all he felt was a warm gust of wind and the feeling as though he was floating. When his feet touched solid ground and his eyes readjusted, he found himself in a dark abyss with nothing in sight.
Knowing he would turn up in this place, he sighed. "You really like surprising me, don't you?"
"Heh," the familiar male voice chuckled. "It never fails every time."
From the darkness, a figure stepped forward. It was a man, with a white coat that stood out greatly against the darkness of the abyss, his long golden hair that seemed to shine its own light, his golden eyes that gleamed with wisdom yet with childlike mischievousness.
His face, painted with a good-humoured grin, had an uncanny resemblance to Ryu's.
It was the man who had guided him through his many lifetimes, who he had seen only as a silhouette since his journey began in Cedar Woods years ago.
Lord Ladon.
Ryu's gaze fell on the white coat his master was wearing, and he blinked in surprise. "Hey, that coat…"
"Nice coat, isn't it?" Ladon grinned. "Of course you think so; that's why you chose to wear this during the Great War… the coat that earned you the title Ryu of the Light."
He sighed again, shaking his head. "Every time I see you, you never cease to amaze me."
"And you never change despite reincarnating so many times." His pose relaxed, one hand on his waist. "So, what brings you here? Do you miss me that much?"
Ryu hesitated for a moment, struggling with the feelings in his heart, before he finally spoke, "…please tell me, Lord Ladon… what… exactly happened four hundred years ago? How did I die?" He lowered his head, his eyes dulled with pain. "Master Jono… everyone… they sacrificed so much because I lost…"
"…well." His humour was gone. All that was left was a seriousness that rivalled Ryu's. "I'm still not telling you that. You'll have to remember it yourself."
"Why?" He looked up, facing his master. "Why do you keep the truth from me?"
"Because you had no trouble remembering everything else. Think about it." Ladon gestured to his head. "A man who suffered a blow to his head – not you, of course, just an example – may end up with a case of amnesia. He may regain all his memories in the end, but when he has something that he strongly wants to forget… well, he probably won't get it back, at least not easily."
He shook his head. "I don't get what you're trying to get across."
He waved a hand in the air. "Patience, patience. Now, each time you're reborn, your head suffers the same mental blow, just without the pain." He prodded Ryu's forehead with a finger. "So that missing piece of memory could be something that you don't want to remember."
"Something I don't want to… remember?"
Ladon shrugged. "I'm not telling you anything, but all I can tell you is this; you'll have to stop running away from it, because you have to face it sooner or later." His expression hardened. "Especially since this could be very well our last battle with Myria."
Quiet sadness filled his face. "But how do I stop running away if I don't remember what it is…?"
"You will, one day, don't worry about it." The good-natured smile was back on his face. "I have faith in your capabilities, and what happened four hundred years ago wasn't your fault. I agree with Jono, too."
He looked up, puzzled. "What…?"
"When he said the power that you have is yours… and your friends'. It's been a long war with the Goddess, Ryu, but it's still your power in the end." He placed a hand on Ryu's shoulder. "You have the choice to do what you want with it, whether to fight or to forget it all and live normally."
He shook his head. "But you gave me this power… it's yours."
The Dragon God laughed heartily. "What, you haven't figured it out yet? When I gave you this power, I also gave you the freedom to choose what to do, whether you want it or think it's right. That's why you have a consciousness, not just an expressionless puppet for me to manipulate." He grinned. "Hey, I'm a nice guy, you know, even being a God and all."
Ryu chuckled, feeling a little better. "Thanks, Lord Ladon, I'll keep that in mind."
He nodded. "I'll see you then, Ryu. Rest as much as you need to, there's no hurry."
"I will. Goodbye."
A soft glow surrounded the Dragon Prince as he closed his eyes, and then, in a blink on an eye, he vanished just as suddenly as he had appeared.
With that, the smile faded from Ladon's face and his eyes shut tightly, as though his endurance was being tested during the conversation… and, without warning, a soft groan escaped his lips as he fell weakly to his knees, with one hand on the ground for support.
Then, he laughed quietly at himself.
"Man… only four hundred years without my power and I'm already this weak… Deis will definitely slam 'I told you so' in my face…"
Not bothering to rise to his feet, he slowly leaned back and lay on the invisible floor, closing his eyes to rest.
"This may very well be the end of the Brood…" He smiled slightly, resignedly. "No regrets though… after all, it's his choice…"
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
"Are you… sure, Ryu?" Nina shook her head, concerned. "You only rested for two days after that long battle…"
Ryu nodded. "I'm fine, Nina, really. I can't just sit around here and do nothing, and I can't make you guys wait for me. Besides…" He focused his gaze onto the sky. "People are counting on me. I can't let them down."
She hesitated, indecision evident on her face, but then nodded. "…I understand, but promise me that you'll tell us if you don't feel well."
He smiled. "Yeah, I will, don't worry."
"You don't have to worry about anything, buddy." The half-tiger suddenly gave a high yell, simultaneously drawing out his dual daggers. "Rei here will wipe anything in our path!"
"Yeah, right," Momo said, her voice thick with sarcasm. "You'll wipe out all the food, all right."
"H-hey!"
Both Ryu and Nina laughed.
Smiling slightly, the Guardian nodded. "We have decided to follow you to the end of this journey, Ryu, regardless of the hurdles we may face."
Ryu nodded gratefully. "Thanks, Garr… thanks for coming with me so far, everyone."
"Pukyu!" Peco cried, bouncing.
From the entrance of the tent, Griol cleared his throat loudly. "Are you ready to depart, Lord Ryu?"
The Dragon Prince stepped forward. "Yes, Master Griol. We're all ready."
"Very well then, I will tell you where you can find the Goddess. You must leave here and travel far to the north… to the Desert of Death." He gestured outside. "Horis will tell you more, as well as guide you to the desert."
"Thanks, Master Griol," Ryu said. "Thanks for everything."
He nodded. "We have all waited for this day, Lord Ryu… for the day our saviour would come and avenge us!"
Ryu did not reply, feeling a chill down his spine as he recalled the eerie dream he had when he arrived here in Dragnier.
"Good luck, Lord Ryu." The patriarch bowed. "We have placed our trust in you."
Outside, Horis was waiting at the village gates. He was an old man, like many of the residents of Dragnier, but he was bigger and stronger than them, bigger than even Ryu, and he still stood straight despite his age. He wore a green poncho over a brown shirt, complete with blue pants and shoes, and his bald head was covered with a green cap.
"You're ready to leave then, Lord Ryu?" he asked, his face serious.
The Dragon Prince nodded. "Yes, we're ready."
"All right. I'll guide you as far as the desert." He gestured to a creature next to him.
It was the strangest creature they had ever seen. It had the snout of a pig, long floppy ears like a dog and stood on four legs, its short tail swishing behind it. It was covered in brown fur, except that the hump on its back and part of its legs were covered in green fur, and its split hooves were similar to that of a cow's. It was carrying two large bags of supplies, ready to depart.
"Moof!" it cried.
Ryu vaguely remembered seeing more of these creatures around the village.
"Oh, look, a rakda," Nina stated, beaming; evidently she had been around petting them. "It's a cute thing. Are we bringing it with us?"
"Yes," Horis answered. "Rakdas are useful for travelling in the desert. They're strong and sturdy, and they'll carry anything we need." He walked through the village entrance. "Let's go, we'll want to reach the desert as soon as possible."
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
The terrain outside Dragnier was exactly the same as the one outside Kombinat – rocky, dry and lifeless. Endless mountains circled around the Dragon village like a cage, hiding the horizon from view.
To the far north, half a day's journey away, was an abandoned factory built into a cave that cut through the mountain, and its interior alternated between metal hallways and long caverns. It was a place filled with functioning machinery, with lasers running across the ground in many areas to prevent intruders from getting past.
After they dragged a very reluctant Momo out of the factory, the scenery that greeted them outside was spectacular.
All they could see was golden sand, stretching as far as eyes could see. The hot afternoon sun shone down mercilessly on them, burning all that were unfortunate enough to be in its rays, and the wind blew ominously. It was like a great white abyss, waiting to swallow them whole the moment they set foot in it.
All Ryu could do was to stare.
"Anyone can come this far," Horis stated, holding the rakda's reins. "Here comes the hard part, the Desert of Death itself. A land of ever-changing sands… where nothing lives, and from which no one returns…"
Nina shrugged. "That's what everyone said about crossing the ocean."
The half-tiger rubbed the back of his head. "I get the feeling that the Goddess wants to be left alone."
Horis shook his head. "I don't know anything about that… but I do know the Goddess lives beyond the desert."
Ryu nodded, determined. "We must cross the desert."
"That's right. I'll tell you how to survive long enough to get there, but that will have to wait until tonight. First, let's set up camp…"
Once the tent was up, they rested inside the tent, staying well out the sun's way and waited for dusk to arrive before they would begin their journey. Since travelling during the day would only waste energy, they would only move at night, but, agitated, none of them could sleep very well.
Rei grumbled as he sharpened his knives. "Now we have to cross the desert? Why do I get the feeling this Goddess doesn't want to meet us?"
"An impassable ocean, a death filled desert…" Garr shook his head. "What manner of world do we live on?"
"I wonder if this is what happened to the advanced Techno Age civilisation…" Momo said, a book open on her lap. "…if they were swallowed up by the desert and disappeared…"
Ryu remained silent.
"Pukyun…" Peco murmured, seemingly lethargic from the heat.
Nina patted the onion's head. "Poor Peco…"
Once dusk had fallen, they prepared to break camp, with Horis gazing at the sky every so often. Once they were done, he spoke.
"I'll tell you how to get to cross the desert. Do you see that star?" He pointed to a red star in the sky, which was already shining brightly even though the sun had not completely sunken yet. "That's the North Star, it always appears in the north and never moves."
Ryu nodded. "The bright red star is the North Star… got it."
"Just follow the North Star to the north. After about five nights or so, you should be able to see the oasis. But, should you feel like you're lost, just use the rakda to return; it will bring you here without fail."
"Thanks for everything, Horis," the princess said, smiling.
"You're welcome. This is as far as I can take you… I'm sorry I couldn't bring you any further." His voice was regretful. "Good luck, be careful."
And so, they began their long, arduous journey across the Desert of Death.
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
Walking in the desert was much harder than Ryu had imagined. Every step he took would result in his feet sinking into the sand, and this caused him to be disadvantageous against the monsters of the desert, for it decreased his mobility greatly. Even mountain climbing was easier than this.
This was one time he greatly appreciated his Dragon form, but in order to not hurt his companions' feelings, he walked alongside them rather than flying above them.
The first night was rather uneventful. Everyone was in high enough spirits, hopeful that they would reach the oasis soon, oblivious to the hurdles that the desert would throw in their path. They walked for twelve hours, occasionally stopping to rest and to thwart off monsters that pounced upon them, and once the sun started showing signs of rising, they worked together to pitch the tent and sat inside to rest for the day. In a corner of the tent, Peco slept peacefully.
"Whew, it's really hot during the day!" Momo complained.
"Despite that, we will have to conserve water," the Guardian cautioned. "Our journey would be long."
"But man, everywhere you see is sand!" The half-tiger shook his head. "How are we supposed to know which direction to go to?"
"It's good as long as we can see the stars at night!" Nina told him. "Remember what Horis said? That bright red star points to the north!"
Ryu, however, did not join in their conversation; instead, he merely closed his eyes and rested.
He was tired. It was apparent that he hadn't rested enough after the long battle with Jono… he had certainly overestimated his capabilities and underestimated the desert. But, he told himself it would only be a five-day journey, or perhaps six. As long as he lasted that long, he would be able to rest at the oasis, and continue his search for the Goddess.
He had to be strong. For the Dragons.
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
"Whew!" Nina shook her head, wiping her sweaty brow as the group stopped for the second day. "No wonder they call it Desert of Death! It's pretty hot, isn't it?"
"Much hotter than yesterday!" the engineer cried, evidently dissatisfied. "I wonder just how big this desert is."
"Perhaps bigger than we could imagine," was Garr's rueful reply.
All they could hear from their onion companion was a slight snore.
"But it makes me wonder what those monsters here in the desert eat… I mean, there's nothing in the desert." Rei shrugged. "Probably people like us, out for a walk in the desert, eh?"
Ryu laughed quietly. "You make it sound like a walk in the park."
But, despite the light-heartedness, he could tell that the ruthless desert had sapped their enthusiasm a little.
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
The third night was, unfortunately, rather noisy. It seemed the harsh journey through the desert had rendered everyone's temper rather short, especially Momo and Rei's. They were occasionally arguing over small details, such as Rei getting in the way when Momo fired her cannon ("What if you got hit?" she had cried, followed by his retort, "Hey, don't look down on my speed!").
It made everyone else wearier.
"Is the Goddess testing us…?" Garr muttered.
Once they stopped for the day, they found both Momo and Rei sitting on opposite ends of the tent, their backs facing each other in indignation.
To make sure everyone was fine, Ryu stepped in and asked them individually, "Are you okay?"
"I'm all right," the princess replied, then she smiled cheerfully. "I think we're going to make it, Ryu!"
"Me? I'm fine!" Momo said in a huff. "You should be worried about what's-his-name over there, the one wearing a fur coat!"
"I'm holding out okay," the half-tiger answered, sharpening his daggers a little too forcefully. "But I think our little engineer might be having a rough time of it."
"I am fine, Ryu," Garr said, nodding. "But are you? You seem weary."
"I'm okay," the Dragon Prince lied, forcing a smile as he settled down between him and the already-sleeping Peco. "I'm just a little… tired of listening to their arguments."
He nodded in agreement.
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
Ryu was worried.
Rei was energetic and Garr had high endurability as usual, but he saw that both Nina and Momo seemed more sluggish than the previous night. Peco easily grew tired, so he was placed on the rakda's back for a part of the journey, and they walked in silence.
But he knew; the desert was slowly yet surely overwhelming them.
Dawn did not come soon enough. The moment they saw the sun rising, the tent was quickly pitched.
Momo sat down, panting slightly. "Whew… let me rest for a minute…"
Everyone followed suit.
Even Nina had lost her cheerfulness. "…are you sure we're walking the right way…?" As soon as she had said that, she immediately looked regretful. "…sorry… we're okay, I'm sure we're okay!" There was a hint of desperation in her own voice, as if to ease her own feelings.
The winged man had great endurability, but even he was beginning to have doubts. "…is this the Goddess' way of saying… we can meet a God not…?"
"Hey, no worries!" Rei cried. "Garr and I are fine! Leave the fighting to us!"
Ryu nodded. "And me too. We'll make it through this. I promise."
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
It was the fifth night, the night that they would complete their journey through the desert.
The thought seemed to have lifted everyone's feelings a little, as there were more enthusiasm in their steps tonight. Battles were completed nearly as easily as those during their first night, and they covered more distance than they did the night before. Even Peco bounced enthusiastically beside them, despite the fact that he was tired.
As the night passed, the sky was beginning to grow brighter, signalling that the sun was already rising. Though it was brighter now, all they could see was still sand, stretching to the horizon.
There was nothing else in sight.
Despair filled the air.
"Are we there yet?" Rei asked.
The Guardian's expression was grim. "Our journey should have only lasted five nights… there should be no more distance between us and the oasis."
"Look, there's a high mound of sand over there," Momo observed, pointing to a small sandy hill. "I bet we can get our bearings better from that hill."
The half-tiger, whose eyes were the sharpest among the four, nodded. "I'll get right on it."
He walked to the hill, stopped at the top with one hand shielding the sunlight from his eyes, and gazed around. However, from his disappointed expression, they knew the oasis was nowhere in sight.
"Man… nothing but sand, sand and sand," he said. "Maybe we haven't reached it ye– w-whoa!"
The hill suddenly shook dangerously, with him flailing his arms to keep his balance as it rose higher from the ground. It grew bigger and bigger, the sand trickling down the sides… revealing a gigantic monster.
It was an extremely ugly monster. It was a ball of long white hair, three times bigger than Ryu, with a face that resembled a baboon with a big mouth and two muscular arms curled into fists at its side. Two large red horns, larger than even Garr, curled upwards from the sides of its mouth, accompanied by two smaller horns, and a hairy tail swished behind it.
Opening its mouth wide, it gave an angry roar.
And, from the top of its head, Rei cried, "Guys! A little help here?"
Ryu drew out his sword, glancing quickly at his companions.
Nina already had her wand drawn, but she seemed even more tired than when he saw her earlier.
Momo was having trouble lifting her weapon to her shoulder.
Peco was unmoving, looking rather pitiful.
Among all of them, only him, Garr and Rei would be able to fight properly.
Raising his halberd in a battle stance, Garr's expression was hard. "This does not bode well… we have to finish this quickly; once the sun has completely risen, the battle will be to our disadvantage."
In other words, a battle against Time.
Cursing, the young man threw his sword aside, and, with a loud yell and a bright light, his body transformed to that of the Tiamat, the great serpentine Dragon of the Dark element.
He roared and charged forward quickly, his tail trailing behind him.
"Ryu?" the princess exclaimed.
Rei's eyes widened. "W-whoa! Wait! I'm still up here!"
Ryu growled, but he didn't stop, not even when the monster roared and lunged forward, both its hands raised to grab him. He swerved sharply upwards, a dark light shining from his throat, and unleashed a wave of darkness onto the creature, aiming carefully.
A dark mist surrounded the monster and it roared, turning around blindly.
In another burst of light, Ryu took on the form of the Trygon, his throat shining, and this time released an ice-blue wave, his Frost Breath, to encase the monster's arms in ice.
It had worked. The monster's sight was blinded, and its only weapons were rendered useless.
He roared at Rei, who nodded and leap down the monster's head, using the frozen arms as steps.
"Thanks, Ry–" he started.
The monster roared again, interrupting him. Suddenly, the ice around its right arm shattered, followed by its left. Now furious, it began swinging its arms in frenzy, still blinded by the dark mist.
It was much stronger than they had initially thought.
Rei quickly fled, but he wasn't fast enough.
Ryu snarled and lunged, another bright light signalling his transformation, and threw all of his Behemoth weight against the monster, which caught it off guard and sent it reeling backwards.
"Rei!" Momo shouted. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine!" the half-tiger snapped. "Worry about Ryu first, he's having a wrestling match with that thing!"
All eyes turned onto the battle.
The monster, furious, charged towards where he had thought its opponent was, the dark mist around its eyes blinding its sight. But it had lunged in the wrong direction. Ryu merely sidestepped, even with his huge Behemoth form, and bashed into it again.
But it was stronger than he had thought… faster than he had thought.
It held its ground, hardly pushed back from Ryu's second charge, and quick as lightning, its hands made a grab for him… and caught his horns. It lifted him up into the air with a grunt, struggling under the weight of the Behemoth, and, with a strength that rivalled his, threw as hard as it could.
Ryu, stunned by the sudden attack, had no time to react.
The Behemoth was a heavy creature, much heavier than the monster itself, and he landed on the ground with a heavy crash, sending pillars of sand into the air.
Groaning from the pain, weary from the night's journey and burning from the sunlight that showered them mercilessly with its rays, Ryu reverted to his human form, half-lying on the sand, breathing heavily.
And, before he had a chance to recover, the creature was on him again, its hands ready to grab him.
His eyes widened.
The dark mist around its eyes was gone.
Caught off guard in his human form, Ryu had no chance of enduring if it were to grab him. His strength sapped by the heat, he had no chance to run.
But, he wasn't alone.
Suddenly, without warning, Garr bashed his shoulder into the creature, strong enough to even throw it off its feet and into the sand some distance away.
Then, Nina's high voice cut through the air, like a sword cutting through flesh.
"TAKE THIS! BLIZZARD!"
The monster roared when ice chunks crashed onto it, narrowly missing both Ryu and Garr.
"Incoming!" Momo cried, her cannon firing.
While the others were distracting the creature, Rei quickly went to Ryu's side. "Hey, buddy, you all right?"
Ryu took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah… thanks."
"PuuuuuuuKYU!" Peco unleashed an Ice Breath.
With Nina and Peco's combined ice attacks, a great mountain of ice encased the monster.
Garr grunted as he lunged forward, his halberd gripped tightly, and, with a yell, brought it down with all of his strength.
A crack formed on the ice's surface, spreading quickly like lightning fast snakes, and then it shattered into a million pieces.
The monster, suddenly freed, roared and fled from the scene in fear.
"…it seems our safety will last sometime longer," the Guardian stated, turning towards the others.
"It's over… just like that," Momo said disbelievingly.
"Ah, well." Rei shrugged. "It's probably just a bully, picking on things smaller than itself."
Ryu got to his feet and nodded. "Let's set up camp – maybe tonight we'll reach the oasis."
"Yeah." Momo grinned. "If we work together, we'll get to the oasis!"
"Pui!" Peco cried.
Nina smiled wearily. "Yes, we'll get… to the… oasis… soon…" Her voice trailed off.
Then, she collapsed onto the sand.
"Nina?" Ryu exclaimed.
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
"…it appears she is suffering from heat stroke," Garr stated, shaking his head.
"Who can blame her?" The red-haired woman sighed a little. "Having to fight that monster after walking for so many days…"
"Pyu…" Peco murmured sadly.
Nina was lying on the floor of the tent, barely conscious and her skin was flushed, hot to the touch. It pained Ryu to see her that way, as he knelt down next to her, and guilt tore at his heart…
It was because of him, because he had let himself be vulnerable, that she was forced to use that powerful ice spell.
"…I'm sorry… Ryu…" she muttered. "…we're so close…"
He gripped her hand tightly. "Don't… worry, Nina… you'll be fine, we'll get to the oasis…"
She smiled weakly and closed her eyes. Minutes later, she was asleep.
Silently, he turned away.
"We should move her not while she is in this condition…" The Guardian heaved a sigh. "What should we do, Ryu?"
Ryu didn't know.
Unable to answer, unable to stay in there and watch Nina in her condition, he abruptly turned and exited the tent, stepping into the blazing sun.
Rei was waiting outside, his arms crossed.
"How bad is she, the princess?" he asked.
The young man shut his eyes tightly. "Not good…"
"I see…" He sighed. "Well, I suppose we could get the rakda to take us back and start over… I mean, we know the way by now, right?"
"We could… but we don't know what will happen if we move her too much…"
"That's true… not to mention we're nearer to the oasis than the Dragon village." He shook his head. "It isn't her fault, maybe we're just not supposed to make it…"
Ryu sighed. He felt extremely worried… he felt his heart would shed tears of blood.
And he felt worthless. He couldn't do anything to ease her suffering.
What? What was it that he could do?
Rei gazed at him in concern and stood next to him. "You know, I just remembered something… listen to me."
He looked up slowly.
"Back in Dragnier, an old woman told me something about rakda meat…" The half-tiger paused. "It has water and other nutrients that can resuscitate someone who has heat stroke."
Ryu's eyes widened.
If he could give Nina the rakda meat, he could save her!
…no, he couldn't. The rakda was their only chance to return, in case they were lost… he couldn't only think of himself, he had to think of his other companions too…
But he knew he couldn't just do nothing while he watched Nina suffer.
He stopped.
"…that's right… I promised I would protect her…"
He looked up suddenly, his expression hardened with his strong resolve, and strode over to the rakda, which was sniffing around a tall cactus.
"Moof!" it cried, when he approached.
He drew his sword, raised it above his head, and hesitated.
He had never even killed a rabbit for food… and now he would kill an animal to save a life?
"…no…"
He shut his eyes tightly, steeling his heart with determination.
"I… I have to protect her!" he shouted, swinging his sword hard.
The high cry of the rakda rang loudly through the campsite, sending a wave of guilt through him. He stared as the blood oozed from its body, breathing rapidly.
This… this is for Nina…
"So you killed the rakda, huh?" Rei's voice said from behind him. "We won't be able to get back now…"
There was no accusation on his face, only awe and understanding.
Ryu said nothing.
"The little kid who had never killed an animal even for food…" Rei chuckled. "I'm impressed, Ryu, I didn't think you had it in you."
Ryu smiled slightly. "I didn't think so too… but…" He turned his gaze away. "I'm sorry…"
"Nah, don't worry, we'll make it. We're not gonna die in a place like this." He grinned. "Not as long as you're around, at least. Here, I'll help you." He pulled out a dagger. "You've never skinned an animal before, right?"
"Yeah… thanks." He moved aside, so that Rei had space to work.
Rei's hands moved deftly. It was clear that he had done this many times before.
"But you know…" he said as he worked. "When I watched you kill the rakda, for some reason I thought of that time we fought the Nue together… funny, huh?"
"I thought of it too…" Ryu shut his eyes. "Sometimes, in order to gain something, we have to sacrifice something else… I'll never forget what Bunyan taught me."
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
With the sacrifice of the rakda's life, Nina's was saved.
Knowing that they had no way of returning now, the group of six pushed valiantly onwards, thinking only of going forward.
Ryu insisted on carrying the princess on his back, rather than letting someone else do it. During the day, he would watch over her, while the others rested and slept.
He felt that it was his duty to protect her, and that it was his fault she had grown this weak… helping her with the rakda's meat wasn't enough.
I'll protect her…
One night passed.
The Guardian began carrying the worn Peco in his arms, battling monsters with one hand gripping his halberd.
Two nights passed.
Momo fell to her knees in exhaustion. The half-tiger, his eyes narrowed in concern, offered to carry her.
And their water ran out.
Dawn arrived.
As sunrays illuminated the sky, obscuring all stars from sight, they could see something to the far north, sitting on the horizon.
Rei gave an excited yell. "LOOK! I SEE IT!"
"I… I see it too!" Momo shouted, perking up immediately.
Grinning madly, he started running forward. "I'm going on ahead to ask them for help!"
"Hurry…" Ryu muttered, collapsing to his knees, his exhausted body weighted down with Nina's.
"No… Ryu…" Nina's voice spoke in his ear. "Put me down…"
"I… won't…" He gritted his teeth. "Not when help for you is so near…"
He forced himself to stand, pushing forward to the oasis.
He barely mustered a few steps before he fell to his knees once more, this time with no strength to rise anymore.
His eyesight blurred, he fought the exhaustion.
He had to bring Nina there.
Then, he felt a hand, gently placed on his shoulder.
"Be calm, traveller, help is near," an unfamiliar voice told him.
"Please…" he muttered. "…save… Nina…"
"I will, worry not."
"…thank you…"
His heart freed of thoughts of getting help for Nina, suddenly the exhaustion overwhelmed him.
His mind went blank.
His body grew limp.
And everything around him became shrouded with darkness.
.
End of Chapter Twenty-Six.
.
.
Author's Note:
Sorry for the late update, I was pretty caught up with stuff… it was either update early and leave it as it was (in that rushed, not-good state) or update later but after numerous read-throughs and fixing. I chose the latter. x_x
Though Burin077 suggested to have character reflections during the journey through the desert, there's already one such scene later on two chapters away, so it might seem redundant to have another one here. So sorry I didn't take your idea, Burin077… but thanks anyway!
.
.
Review Replies for Chapter Twenty-Five:
.
To RedemptionWarrior:
Good to see that I didn't create a plothole! It would've been bad if I did, like the history lesson given by Deis that clashes with the beginning of BoF1 because I didn't read it… hopefully it's all better now. x_x
Haha, I wouldn't want to fight Jono with Ryu alone either, his Dragon form is just way too scary. xP
Thanks for the review!
-.-.-.-.-
To Airess Byrd:
Thanks! Glad to know you like how it all went, and that you like my version of the characters!
Honey is such a cute little thing. xP
Thanks for reviewing!