Good morning to all. ^^ Where I am, it's around 8 am. My best friend considers me a she-devil because I do in fact have her up with me at this supposedly ungodly hour. But just this time, I was late to sleep and early to rise. ^^ Once again, I thank you all if you've read this far, and I hope you continue to read on. :3
Review responses… unfortunately this time, there are none. I only remind you that reviewers are graciously thanked, and that reviews can let me know if something's gone off-kilter in the story. U.U
I got a good portion of the story done over this past weekend, but that does by no means indicate that the chapters will come more often. After all, I need to give myself time to write. If I get caught up, it has the potential to kill my inspiration, and I don't think anyone wants that to happen. ^^
In this chapter, we have another little run-in, and we learn several things (mentally) about our little Magiya, and how her mind works.
Enjoy!
I shivered lightly against the chill wind and snow, pressing my back closer against Kai.
"Why do you get to be so warm?" I grumbled in his general direction, but only received a low, good-natured growl in response. I shuddered again, and wrapped my arms around my knees while letting his vivid orange-and-gold fur that held some sort of unnatural warmth keep me from freezing. I just hate the cold… I'd be perfectly happy with summer and spring year-round. At the moment, I was more miserable than usual; the bruises and few scratches I had collected so far in this quest ached slightly from the cold. After another moment, I sighed resignedly, rising to stand in the almost waist-deep snow in this icy valley.
"Come on, Kai," I murmured, only just able to keep my teeth from chattering. My Pridemaster rose too, and took his place by my right hip. A smile tugged at my lips as I saw that the sheer warmth that he had inside of him had entirely melted the snow where he had been laying, revealing some soaked, dead brown grass beneath.
Steeling myself to continue walking, despite the extreme cold, I fought my way through the snow (did I mention that I absolutely abhor cold temperatures?) down the path. It was frustrating, to say the least, as it was rather difficult to tell where the trail actually was under about three feet of snow, if not more. Naturally, on both sides of the path about fifty feet off, there were snowdrifts that I estimated to be about six yards in height. This made it just a little bit easier to tell in general where the path was, but not by much.
"Dammit!" I cursed as I saw a trio of Arctic Wolves on the road ahead. "I hate these things," I muttered to Kai, and received a low rumble in response that I could almost feel shake the air. "Ready, Kai?"
With a simple spell that every Mage was taught at an early age, I lifted my simple, oaken staff (the replacement for my lost one in the Hydra's Cave), and a ripple of orange magic ran down it's plain wooden length. It shone brightly for a moment before transforming into a long, steel bar. At the head was a pair of ruby red, elaborately carved wings, while at the base was an outstretched claw of the same color.
"Right," I growled, taking the first step down the trail that would take me to the battle. "Let's get rid of these little brats…"
When we got within range (which was only a few more yards), I stretched out my left palm, and mentally called upon a small spell that, with the help of the staff, still had the potential to inflict serious damage, when pitted against the correct element. I concentrated, leaving it to Kai to watch my back while I sent a wave of pure heat energy towards the three Arctic Wolves, and it hit them with the force of a stone wall. One fell dead at once, while the other two staggered a step or more before spotting me and racing for the spot where Kai and I stood. I braced myself, as I had mere seconds. I couldn't erect a barrier in time, but nor could I call upon magic again; I wasn't experienced enough to do that in a matter of the time we had left.
The attack was what I had come to expect from the few Arctic Wolves I had faced prior to these two.
One somehow pulled a bone longer than it was from the frozen ground, hurling it at Kai and myself. I flinched a little to my right, anticipating the hit from the huge bone. My left arm automatically came up over my face without my thinking about it, and I heard a sickening crack an instant before a lance of pain lanced up my forearm. The pain was at a level at which it made me severely nauseous, and I hissed loudly, clutching my broken arm closer to me. The second Arctic Wolf went to leap forward, choosing instead to attack with his teeth. However, my courageous Pridemaster suddenly leapt from my right, catching the neck of the second animal, and landed with it several feet away. There were savage, angry growls emanating from Kai, and there was one sort of whimper before my pet stood and turned from the hole in the snow, the gold-and-orange fur around his jaws stained a sort of greenish color. That was the funny thing about most of the monsters that were flesh and blood; their blood was a sort of metallic greenish-blue, not red.
I returned my attention (spared only for a heartbeat) to the first Arctic Wolf, my good hand holding my staff out slightly in front of me. It stood still, seeming to almost sway on its feet before it leaped clumsily at me. It was badly hurt, I could see as I sidestepped the lunge. It would be an easy matter to dispatch this one, assuming I could manage it without having to use my left arm. I scowled as my broken arm began throbbing, and twirled my staff around once without taking my eyes off the monster again.
"Bring it, you little fucker," I snarled furiously, pointing the top of my staff at the Arctic Wolf. This was the only way I could really cast any kind of magic that was more powerful than lighting and extinguishing candles; channeling it through my staff. It let out a shaky growl before leaping at me again. This time, I sent a small ball of embers flying at the wolf. It struck it dead in the heart, and the animal's red eyes bulged slightly before it collapsed in the deep snow, not to move again.
Taking a short breath, I glanced down at my bad arm, and almost immediately had to look away again, due to the way my arm looked at the time.
It appeared that not only was my arm at least fractured, if not broken, but the impact from the giant bone hitting my forearm must have left me with a very nasty bruise; the kind that was already shades of purple, blue, green, and black. I grimaced as I felt the small pouch at my waist was empty.
Damn. Out of health potions. I looked skyward, withholding a sigh. No self-pity, idiot. There's nothing you can do right now. Just make the best of it.
"Don't suppose you've suddenly somehow managed to get healing powers, eh, Kai?" I asked hopefully as I knelt down by my Pridemaster, running a slim hand over the spiky fur on his head. He let out a rumbling purr that seemed to shake the ground before suddenly jerking his head up, emerald eyes gleaming as he looked at something behind me before leaping clear over me, sliding to a stop in the deep snow. I turned as well, my face twitching in a slight grimace before smoothing over as I jostled my arm. But the sight that met me brought my scowl back.
"Krieger," I said in a low voice, cradling my bad arm. It was throbbing steadily in time with my heartbeat now. He stood leaning slightly back, sword sheathed, and his hands at about face height. His copper-brown eyes were focused completely on Kai as the immediate threat (wisely, too, might I add), and his expression was one of mild surprise and even… was that amusement? I frowned at him, trying my best not to shiver again, cold as I was. I did not want to show weakness, not to him.
Where did that thought come from?
I shook my head once, briskly, and took a couple steps towards Krieger to put myself at Kai's shoulder. I placed my good hand lightly on his spiky head, my staff held upright in the crook of my bad arm. I tilted my head slightly, dark blue eyes focused on him.
"What are you doing here?" I asked testily. I felt an instant of gratefulness that the wind and blizzard had died down enough for me to speak in my normal voice, and still have him hear me when he was about ten yards away. "I thought I told you to stop following me!"
"Not my fault if I just happen to be hunting down Yetis at the same time as you," he commented with a brief flash of a grin, his eyes not leaving Kai. I considered calling Kai off, seeing as he was still uttering that ground-shaking rumble of a growl. When I had begun to speak, he had quieted it, but that didn't make it any less substantial. However, the simple enjoyment of seeing him squirm won out, so I let Kai continue to growl almost silently.
"I'm sure," I snipped, shifting my bad arm slightly so I could hold my staff better. "There's no such thing as a coincidence." Bitchy, me? He offered up another quick smile, this time actually glancing at me. However, his chocolate brown eyes almost immediately shifted to my bad arm, and the wide grin vanished.
"What happened to your arm?" he questioned, his eyes still riveted on my broken arm. Reflexively, I swapped the hand holding my staff, and tugged lightly on my left sleeve so it covered the worst of the break.
"None of your business," I hissed venomously, turning the left side of my body slightly away from him. Krieger began to lower his hands, taking the first step forward towards me, still not looking at Kai, until the massive Pridemaster let out a clearly audible growl that radiated through both his chest and mine from the sheer depth of it. He stepped back again.
"I have healing powers, I can help," he protested as I began to turn away, preparing to continue walking down the path. "Magiya!" At this I paused. It had been almost two weeks since I had first met Krieger, yet he still remembered my name?
Then again, not that much of a surprise. Many knew my name, and some of those claimed I was a hero. I never paid much attention to the rumors, gossip, and hearsay that went around.
"I'm fine," I said coldly, still facing away, maintaining my distance emotionally from him. This was how I worked in the way of blocking people out, and not trusting many of them. "Go home, Krieger."
"You need help."
"Bullshit."
"Just listen for a minute!" he persisted, but still I did not face him.
Perhaps I was a coward then, for having Kai keep Krieger at bay. Perhaps I was timid and fearful, not to face him then. But then again, perhaps I was brave for recognizing my flaws, and accepting them. Yet even more of a weakling for doing nothing to fix them and make myself into what might have been a better person.
Maybe I was foolish, not allowing my pride to unbend enough to accept help from another; even more so from a man who had done nothing but help me in the past, even if it was only one time. He had shown no inclination to hurt me, or hurt others. Yet I could not trust him, or anything he said, for that matter.
"No," I told him in a low voice. "This is not your wound to heal. Leave it be, Krieger."
"I won't," he said obstinately, and I glanced back over my shoulder for a moment in surprise.
"There is nothing for you to do. Just go home." There was a moment of silence, then:
"I can't."
"What?"
"I can't go home."
I stopped for a few seconds, and half-turned to him automatically, so I was looking at him over my right shoulder. "…What?"
Krieger looked at me almost regretfully, his normally light and cheerful brown eyes darkened slightly with what seemed to be sadness. "I… I can't go home," he repeated, with a hint of wistfulness. Instantly, little pinpricks and stabs of curiosity and wonder started to work away at me, but I did my best to brush them aside. I gently placed my right hand on Kai and murmured a few gentle whispers to him, quieting the growling. However, the bits and pieces of questions poking at my mind were the result of idle curiosity, and I tended to not voice these questions if they were nothing resembling a true purpose behind them. Therefore, I did not ask.
I realized I had been silent for longer than necessary, and took a small breath before facing him. I kept my left arm tucked against my torso, out of harm's way. "Krieger," I began, "Have you any reason to finish this quest?"
"Aside from the gold, and perhaps the self-satisfaction? No."
"Then, you would be comfortable with leaving it early." It was not a question, but an assumption.
"I would."
I nodded once thoughtfully, and looked down at my left arm, opening my mouth once or twice, internally attempting to convince myself that I could accept help from a total stranger… A man I had only met once, a man with a huge sword that he appeared to handle very well, and a man about whom I had absolutely no knowledge of his habits and mannerisms. But also a man who had been made a Paladin, and protected and helped the innocent.
And yet…
How could I unbend my pride enough to take him up on that offer? The answer to me was immediate and simple; I couldn't. Not without feeling inferior. …But I did need help. So how was I supposed to just open my mouth and speak those few simple words, asking for his help?
"I… um…"
"Yes?"
"Er…" I hesitated again, chewing lightly on my lip. My left forearm throbbed badly again, reminding me that I needed to do something about it, and fast. Dammit, stop hurting for a minute and let me think! "You… you mentioned you had healing powers…?" I phrased it as a question rather than a statement before hesitating again.
"To a degree," Krieger answered, inclining his head slightly. But still I balked.
"Then…" I took a short breath, just forcing the words out. "I… yes. Please. Um… help. Please."
Krieger raised an eyebrow, wordlessly asking me to elaborate. I internally cursed, and I could almost physically feel my pride as it damn near shattered.
"I would like to accept your previous offer of help," I repeated slowly and coldly, gritting my teeth. Oh, how I hated him right now. However, a dry smile twisted his lips, and he unobtrusively took the four steps necessary to bring him over to me.
"First," he said in a playful way, though his eyes were completely serious, "I think it best if we go somewhere a little warmer first. Are we agreed?" I gave a terse nod, still trying to maintain what little dignity I still had left. "In that case…" Krieger reached over. I automatically flinched, but he seemed not to notice before his hand closed over my good forearm and closing his eyes. His other hand went up in a prayer-like fashion in front of his face, and his eyes opened for a moment. Instead of their typical copper color that I had come to expect, they were a vivid, glowing white. Then it felt like I was floating, almost. Like my entire being had dissipated and now followed the current of the wind, like I was nearly weightless. In short, the same feeling I had come to expect from the portals between the zones.
I opened my eyes, having subconsciously squeezed them shut during the short journey out of the ice valley. I blinked, realizing that we were only a little bit south of Falconreach now, and from simply knowing the land around me I knew that the portal leading down into Ravenloss was just out of sight around the bend in the trees, through the plain wooden archway. As it was, we stood by a sort of stream with a series of stones leading across it, forming a rough path across the water. The creek was crystal-clear, flowing from behind one of Falconreach's walls, and ran beneath a large, old, twisted oak tree. A hint of wistfulness entered my thoughts as I remembered when I was younger, I used to climb up almost to the very top of that tree, then swing back down like a little monkey.
Across the stream, I could see the statue of Warlic that was almost three years old by this point, and I had once thought it needed taken down, since the monument had been raised when everyone thought he was dead. Now, though, the thought shocked me. Below the statue of my mentor sat the little pink moglin Annapurna, playing with her extensive stack of glowing pink 'Spellberries'… or whatever she chose to call them.
"Now," said Krieger, jolting me back to reality, "Let's get you fixed up, hm?"
Before I could utter another word, he swept his armored right arm up behind my knees, catching my shoulders with his left arm. My staff fell to the grass as I put my good hand against his breastplate, pushing lightly.
"You jerk, put me down! I can walk, I'm not helpless!" Kai's ground-shaking rumble of a growl punctuated my exclamation, but Krieger just grinned cheerfully, taking the few steps over to the edge of the stream.
"Of course," he said good-naturedly, suddenly kneeling down by the very edge of the stream and gingerly setting me down on the grass there. It almost surprised me, how gently he handled me, considering he was at least six inches taller than me and covered entirely in silver-, brass-, and pewter-colored armor that looked like it would ring if I rapped my knuckles against it. At the moment, however, touching anything with my left hand was out of the question.
"Let me see it," he said gently, carefully taking my left hand in his armored one. Automatically, I jerked my left arm back, but then let out a muted hiss as the simple movement made it feel like it had almost been sliced through. Krieger took the opportunity to seize my left hand firmly, but before I could let out another sound of pain his other hand came whipping around, grasping my elbow of that arm. Then both his hands jerked.
The sound of the crack reached my ears an instant before the scream.
The sheer volume of the screech made me want to roll on the grass with my hands clapped over my ears, but for the fact that Krieger still gripped my left forearm. It took me several moments to realize that the ringing cry I was hearing was coming from my own mouth, but by the time it was out I couldn't stop it.
"You son of a bitch! You goddamned fucking bastard!" I yelled, thrashing and attempting to put any amount of distance between myself and Krieger, but to no avail. He still had my left arm (now rebroken) in his armored hands.
"Be still!" he commanded in a voice that boded no argument. He wasn't even looking at me anymore. His left hand moved from my elbow to my wrist, and his palm began to glow. His face was lined with concentration, and the white glow from his free hand made me struggle harder from pure fear of it. I still could not get loose, though; his grip was like iron. Dammit, he's strong. A strange tingling raced from my wrist to my shoulder and back again as he slowly ran his hand up my forearm, like I'd hit my funnybone, and then it faded along with the throbbing. As soon as Krieger had released my left arm, I jerked it out of his grip and scrambling to my feet. When I had put a good four yards between us, I carefully inspected my forearm while Kai stood by my hip, his huge green eyes fixed solely on Krieger.
Not a mark is left. He wasn't kidding. But fucking hell, did that hurt!
I warily looked up at the Paladin. He was standing comfortably, leaned against the oak tree by the stream, his arms crossed over his breastplate. He raised an eyebrow.
"It had to happen sometime," he commented. I fixed him with an icy dark blue glare.
"Go to hell," I growled, stalking over to the stream about two yards from him and sitting on the edge. I sat with my legs pulled up to my chest, and rested my chin on my knees. I still scowled, but… well, my arm didn't hurt anymore. And whatever healing process he had gone through with, controlling that strange white light in his palms, it had healed everything else. My indigo and black robe splayed out around me, and I let one foot down to dangle near the slow-moving water, barely brushing the surface of the crystal-clear stream. Krieger had the nerve to walk over and sit too, his legs hanging over the edge of the short drop before the water. I studied him critically out of the corner of my eye before drawing my left fist back and letting it swing forward, landing with a rather satisfying smack before I pulled my hand back, shaking out contentedly.
"What was that for?" Krieger asked, absently rubbing at his right cheek. His face had a faint grimace on it, but no expression of pain. I just shook my head at him irritably, examining my surely bruised knuckles.
"You re-broke my arm, jackass."
"… Has anyone ever told you you're a character?"
"Usually I'm a piece of work, but that works too."
Krieger let out an amused chuckle, pulling up one leg to rest his elbow on it. A wry smile twisted his lips, but I rested my chin on my knees as I gazed at the clear water. I could spy a small fish or two seeming to float in the free-flowing stream, their shape allowing them to cut through the water.
"Krieger," I said suddenly, for once surrendering to curiosity, "What did you mean before? About not being able to go home?"
He shifted slightly, turning his torso to inspect me. I refused to look at him, maintaining my observation of the creek. "…Why would you want to know?"
"Because I'm curious." The answer came immediately, yet it didn't exactly sound like the right one. But it was an honest answer, at least, which was more than I could say for many people I knew and had known.
"How about this," he reasoned, "If I answer a question of yours, you have to answer a question of mine."
"Fine," I muttered, resting my chin on my arms around my legs. "Answer the question."
"Alright," he said reflectively, rubbing his chin with his right hand as he glanced upwards. "Let's see… When I was sixteen… a sort of curse was set upon the village I lived in. It turned almost everyone I knew and had grown up around into zombies. So I… left. I ran into Lady Celestia, who showed me I could become a Paladin. I trained as one up until a year or two ago, when I graduated. Your turn."
"Wait!" I protested, lifting my head and frowning. "Did you say your whole village turned into zombies?"
"Yes," Krieger said stiffly. "Now answer me this; why do you have such demented trust problems towards everyone?"
"Well, seeing as you just re-broke my arm, difficulty trusting you is warranted."
"Magiya."
"If I knew, Krieger, I probably wouldn't tell you," I answered calmly and somewhat regretfully. "I've just always had… issues, I guess, with placing faith or trust in people. I've always had these mental barriers, I suppose you could call them."
"What happened to give you these… barriers?"
I shook my head sadly. "I've just… I don't know. Growing up, I've seen people be hurt again and again by the people they care for… and I don't ever want to be hurt that way. Not physically, that I can stand, but mentally, if that makes any sense at all. And… maybe it's selfish of me, wanting to protect myself from getting hurt at the expense of others, but I won't apologize for it. It's how I am, it's how I've always been."
"I see."
"That was two questions, you realize."
"Hm?"
I eyed him skeptically at his playing-dumb tactic. "You asked two questions. I get to ask two now, jerk."
Krieger nodded acquiescingly, then shrugged. "Go for it."
"How old are you?"
He blinked. "Do I really look that old?"
"No, but I still want to know," I persisted, maintaining my stare on the stream instead of him. Two of the little fish had moved.
"Why does that matter, though?"
"Answer the damn question, Krieger."
"Okay, okay," he surrendered, allowing a faint grin to reach his face. I still stubbornly refused to look at him. "I am twenty-three. My birthday was four months ago."
"So you're older?" I confirmed, mentally slamming my head against the huge, gnarled oak tree two feet to my right.
"Yup."
I grumbled crossly to myself. Since I had been training as a Mage, it seemed almost everyone I met was older in one form or another than my nineteen years. Obviously, there were the exceptions, the little children that ran around villages and towns, but save for them, everyone had to be older than I was. Now, I wouldn't be complaining when they were crusty and I was still younger, but for the time being, I was faintly annoyed. It meant that, because of my younger age, I had always been grouped in with the idiots who were my age. Maybe I'm a little conceited by stating that I was simply smarter than them, but it might have just been that I was more mature mentally than they were at that point in time.
"So… my turn."
"What? Oh. Yeah. Q and A. Shoot."
Krieger studied me closely, but still, being the mule-headed Mage I was, I wouldn't even glance at him as he did his little inspection. I expected some cheesy question about my childhood; had I had any pets, did I have siblings, and so on. What I didn't expect, however…
"Do you hate me?"
I blinked, momentarily stunned to silence by his inquiry. "Why would you think that?" I asked instead of answering. Almost as soon as those words were out of my mouth, my subconscious was already recoiling from the possibility of opening up any other part of my mind to this man I barely knew. I didn't realize it then, but have since learned to recognize it; the avoidance of any sort of new relationship with new people, be it friendship, enmity, or something more.
"Because you certainly don't act all cheerful when you see me," he replied matter-of-factly. "And nobody likes to be hated, least of all me."
I was quiet for several long minutes before I began to answer. And when the answer came, it was slow and halting, me not being sure how to phrase things in a way he would understand. "When… I met you, you were… eh… different? But the same." Krieger opened his mouth to speak, but I held up a slim hand, forestalling his interruption. "You were the same because… well, you were a man. You were a man I hadn't met before… a man of whom I had no knowledge. But… you were different, because… um… how to explain… you were different, because you just irked me from the start. Most people either back off, or get angry. You didn't. You just… took what you had, and made the best of it." I finally lifted my chin from my knees, and looked him in the eye. His chocolate-colored eyes gleamed and glittered, but he didn't look away as I continued my explanation. "And… you always have some smartass comment, and you're always in some sort of cheerful mood. It's… different. But you're always somehow getting under my skin…" I paused reflectively, brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear as I considered how best to get my point out. "And… well, I guess the answer right now would be… I'm undecided. At the moment, Krieger, I neither like nor hate you. Though Lore only knows, that could change." Knowing me, it wouldn't change. I would try with all of my power to keep this man at arm's length both mentally and physically (much as he was now, sitting next to me), and would, to the best of my ability, stop him from working his way any further past my barriers.
So… yeah.
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Thanks for reading.
Blueberry pancakes, Slim Jims, and popcorn to all.
