Shining so Bright
Chapter 3: Miracle?
"Wake up!" Maian felt a warm hand against his cheek and smooth words caress his ears. He attempted to open his eyes and found that they revealed the beautiful face of Maretté. It took him a moment to get a focus on her but when he did he saw that she smiled and that he rested with his head firmly placed in her lap. "I thought you where dead." She said and dried cold sweat from his face with the palm of her hand. "I heard a scream so I ran back. What happened?"
Maian shook his head while he moistened his lips. "I don't know, they where just about to kill me." He now felt how she squeezed him close to her bosom and her relaxed. "I'm fine." He said muffled by their closeness.
She released him, looked at him once more then removed him from her lap. "I will go and prepare for our departure, we can't stay here."
Maian felt the wound to his chest, it was not as bad as it had felt. With a effort he sat up and looked down the stairs. There was a trail of dead corpses there, he looked further out the broken door but there rested no corpse of a bone clad mage. He climbed to his feet, walked a few steps down the stairs and fetched his sword then returned to the room.
In the room Maretté was once more dressed in the green cloak that hid her body in all accept the head. During silence he dressed himself, placed the sword in the scabbard then they left the room.
The owners of the tavern where still hiding behind the counter as they passed, they looked terrified and said nothing as they left. It all made Maian wonder even more what had happened but he did not see it meaningful to ask them. They where probably to afraid to even talk.
They exited into the cold night that was slowly fading into day, they looked around Maian still searching for the mage but saw it nowhere - not even a corpse and he grew nervous and rested his hand on the hilt. They walked east out of the village while people where slowly coming out of their hiding to inspect what had happened.
"Wait." Maretté said and placed a hand firmly on Maian's shoulder, she peered into the darkness and there found movement, in a ditch not far away a weak body was breathing. "There." Maretté pointed and Maian acted.
When Maian came close he could see that the one lying in the ditch was a boy about his age, maybe younger with dirty face and hands and dressed in black stained robes. Maian seized the man in his arms and took him from the ditch and placed him on the road and as he did the moonlight lit the unknown face and it was fair. Amber eyes, translucent lips and skin smooth and freshly coloured like peaches and hair blue as a summer sky. Maian regarded the boy a moment as Maretté joined by his side. They boy looked back at him and the body began to move as if it had been revitalized then the hands began to fumble over the ground and the robes while lips tried to shape words. Maian crouched down and rested his hand firmly on the other males shoulder and felt the heat below, it was as if the body was burning. He took the water flask from his waist and brought it to the boys lips who drank thirstily then his amber eyes remained motionless as his hands began searching for Maian's body. Found it and Maian could feel the hands venture up his thigh and he met it with a hand. "Who are you?"
Maian felt the boy grab his hand harder as the warmth that possessed the body began to fade. "My name is Maian, my." He paused a moment. "Sister found you." The boy sat up and Maian imagined how the body moved below the robes. "How do you feel?"
The boy did not answer only remained a while sitting up and Maian noticed tremblings below the robes. "Will you aid me to my feet, Maian?" They boy asked and the squire did so. "Thank you." A smile now lingered on the boys lips and he released Maian's hand. "My name is Ichael." He said and looked wide around while he with his hands felt the emptiness around him.
Maretté leaned closer to Maian and whispered in his ear. "He's blind."
Maian made a acknowledging nod, looked at Ichael who looked lost again. "Where were you heading?" Maian pursued.
"I don't remember." Ichael replied and used Maian's voice to find them. "Thank your sister for me."
"She's here." Maian interrupted and Maretté came a step forward and stretched her hand towards Ichael who took it and felt it with his fingertips.
"Thank you." Ichael said his voice respectful. "I am grateful for your keen eyes, much better then mine." A smile passed over his lips and he released Maretté's hand, fumbled to find Maian and managed to grab his shoulder. "And to you..."
Maian received a glance from Maretté and acted upon the gut instinct that it produced. "Do you want to come with us, we have been tasked with finding a kidnapped Lady." He felt Ichael's hand wander down his arm and seize his hand.
"If you don't find me any trouble, I might be of use." The blind boy said. "I know a bit of magic, but be sure to point me in the right direction." There was something joyous in his voice and between the three there was a relaxed feeling as they left the village behind and continued down the road.
Shining so Bright - Chapter 3 end.
Shining Force I, II and Shining in the Darkness is the property of Climax Entertainment, Sonic! Software Planning and Sega. Scenario is the property of Peder Andersson. Revision: 1. Responsible publisher: Peder Andersson. E-mail: .