I'm baaaaack~! =D Nyahaha... So my plans for this fanfiction for now is to lift the mood before we go to the next arc. *wink wink* Since it got really dark again in a short period of time... T.T Aaannd I'm supposed to max my character in DN seeing as to it's already on lvl 59... but of course never can I abandon Grand Chase... nyehehe!

I had hard time deciding whether or not I should just italic Arme's dream completely, but I decided not to... since she sleep-talked her replies to dear Tye...

*cough, shouldn't have spoiled 'ye...* && what do you think when liquor and Lass meets? Hm ~ I'd like to see that.

Anyway, on to the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Grand Chase and I never will!

Chronicles of the Black Blood

x

Arme's POV

"Tye… Just take it easy okay?"

A flash.

"How can I take easy on someone like this trash? Because of her, Byii-"

"Byii died a hero."

"Byii died because of Anad. Anad is a damned monster. She killed Byii."

"Tye… you used to love Anad…"

A groan.

I don't know what's going on… All I knew is that I shut my eyes tightly, my fists clenched. I was chained to a small wood post, and the chains were tight. The cold December air didn't help at all. The hitting won't stop. I hissed in pain once in a while, and I could feel my skin tore open. I whimpered and felt blood ooze, trickling down my arm… some on my legs.

I was really scared.

But now, it's like I was in the position again, only this time there was less pain. Tye stared at me with eyes full of loathe and resentment.

"I really want to kill you right now."

I cringed at his voice, inching away from him as far as possible. But I hit the corner and there was nowhere else to go.

"I will kill you and no one will ever mourn for you. Do you want to know why? Do you even know what you are? Well I can tell you what you are…"

"I'm a monster…"

"What?"

"I'm a monster!" I cried.

"Well, it is good that you know. See, I want to consider the offer you that you came up with. I want you to track down if there are more Mudblood just like you and end their life. If you meet Anad, bring her to me. And if you are able to do all these things, then and only then, will I accept you as a part of Grand Chase. Do you understand monster?"

I nodded.

"I SAID DID YOU UNDERSTAND?!"

Another hit and I whimpered, "Yes I understand!"

"Good. Now go and start."

"Arme!"

I nodded again as he released me from my binds; I was barely able to stand up as my legs gone numb… But I had to. I had to do this.

"Lass… That kid, he is my successor. If the prophecy repeats itself, it will be his turn to kill you, do you know that?"

"Lass won't do that."

"ARME!"

"That's what I said about Anad…"

"ARME!"

At that point, my eyes fluttered wide as I sat up abruptly, realizing that everything was just a dream. My face was drenched with mixed tears and sweat. I tilted my head to the left and saw Lass, staring at me with worried eyes.

I saddened him again. I forced out a smile and said, "Hello Lassy."

He was standing next to my bed, both of his hands clutching the bed cover. He was biting his lower lip, eyes teary. I fought the urge to cry because if I do he might break down too. Instead, I rippled a chuckle and joked, "What's wrong with you? Why are you so worked up?!"

"You were shouting and crying in your sleep!" he replied in a higher tone of voice. This caught attention as Lire came rushing in. She said nothing,

"Eh? I didn't know I talk it my sleep!" I giggled and scratched the back of my head.

"Arme, I'm serious!" he exclaimed. "You were crying! You kept calling yourself a monster!"

My eyes widened at this as I clenched my fists and look down at the end of the bed. I let out a long sigh and turned to Lass again. This time I could no longer plaster a smile and softly told him, "Lass I'm here… I'm fine again…"

"You just don't get it do you!?" he shouted as he looked away. I couldn't explain his expression, and at the same time I didn't want to stare at him. I was scared again. I didn't want to see him like this, that's why I wanted to return! Because I never want to see him sad…

"I promised you that I'll protect you Arme! You know that! I promised you and I failed you. And every time I see you in that condition I just want to hit myself for not doing anything that day! I could've saved you! But I didn't…" he paused, and took a deep breath. He opened his mouth, but no more words came out. He just ruffled his hair and left the room muttering, "Damn it."

Right after that I broke out crying. Lire came over to my bed and coaxed me but I can't give her the smile she wanted at the very moment. I couldn't stop the tears from falling. It was my fault Lass became sad. I told these words to Lire.

She sat quietly, listening but never leaving. She just sat there, this understanding smile painted on her face. She wasn't saying anything but she truly gave me comfort. I bawled and asked her, my voice breaking into hiccups once in a while. "How can you smile at a time like this?!"

"Because if I was crying, you would also be there to smile at me. You would probably tell me everything will end up right, and it will."

Well those words just made me cry more.

"Please just understand Lass if he acted that way towards you. He was really worried when he saw you and he's been restless for days now. He would sit next to your bed for hours, sometimes even skipping his meals."

I acknowledge her information and wiped my tears away. Nodding gently every time she spoke, I came up with the words, "Lire, what can I do to make him happy?"

"Eh?!" she exclaimed and turned to me quickly, "Why are you asking me that?!"

"I wanted to do something for him… to make him smile." I reasoned quietly.

"Well, I usually bake people pastries to cheer them up. But since this is Lass we're talking about, I'm a bit certain that just proving to him you're fine now can bring him to peace." She explained, "And, if you still want to do more for him, I can ask Amy to help you."

xx

Lass's POV

There was I, in the serenity of my own room. I lay on my bed, the deafening silence trying to comfort me. My eyes were shut but I couldn't bring myself to sleep.

Why does she keep on doing that? Why does she have to keep on pretending that she's alright if she's not? She's annoyingly selfish.

Sigh.

Oh really, I'm still thinking about that mermaid until now? But I also can't take her off my thoughts.

"Lass," someone uttered my name. My gaze shot to the open door and saw Ronan, a smile spreading on his face.

"What?" I asked, trying to hide my boiling temper towards the mage.

"Amy's holding a celebration for Arme's recovery at Ryan's garden."

"She isn't even fully healed yet." I quickly replied.

Ronan smiled goofily and said, "Just come."

I rolled my eyes and stood up, trailing behind him as we went outside and into Ryan's dear garden. His breath-taking landscaping skills repeatedly prove to me that this is actually Eden-like –though me being me, I won't openly tell him that. The weather is fine too, it was cloudy, quite chilly but I like it this way.

I could hear other's voice as we drew near. I wasn't really paying attention to them because I was busy looking up to the trees…

"Lass!", "Lassy…", "HEY DUDE!", "Bro, finally!"

I gave them a scowl as I directed my gaze… and it was beautiful.

The tree surrounding the open area were white-bark birch trees and their branched swayed with the wind. Below the tree were bushes of roses in different colors. Then the place the others were standing on was an elevated imperfect-circle rock. There was a single buffet table there with foods that are obviously made by Lire.

Ronan motioned me to follow him and I agreed.

"You came…" I heard someone say. I look back and saw the Shorty with the same annoying smile she always gives. I tore my gaze from her, walking further into the circle. "Hey!" She exclaimed.

"Why did you come here? Shouldn't you be at your room, resting?" I asked as I took one cheese roll on Elesis' plate. The redknight scowled at me and tried to pry my hand but I already ate the piece. "And Shorty... do you really need to bother everyone else?"

"Go get your own food!" she told me and took her plate away.

"I'm already fine Lassy." She reassured but I don't believe her one bit. So I glared at her.

"If you're as fine as you claim you are, then tell me, what were you dreaming about?" I snarled. I saw here flinch when she heard the question.

"It's… it was… well that's in the past now so it doesn't really matter." Her gaze lifted from the ground to meet mine but I hastily turned away. "Well, I want to know." I told her as I took one bite-sized cheese cake and continued, "If you can't answer that then I want to know what Tye and Lori told you about me."

She didn't respond as the smile slip off her face. "Well… to be honest… I don't think you should know things about that-"

"-and why?" I questioned.

"Because if you find out about it, you'll only end up getting hurt." She admitted and cracked a half-hearted smile.

"I want to know." I told her.

"I can't!" she wailed. "Please just trust me on this. I swear I won't do anything too stupid. And- and I'll train harder! So you don't need to see me get hurt like that again! I'm really okay now, Lassy!"

"Why does it seem now that you're trying to protect us?" Elesis asked quietly. She was still eating, but her face was right in between of getting offended and trying to blank out her emotions.

I didn't give a reply.

In a moment, Amy stood in the middle of the crooked circle and began to play her violin… maybe in hope to soothe out the atmosphere.

Because I was feeling thirsty, I took one beverage that was in a wine glass next to the pastries. I smelt it, just in case it was liquor and took a gulp… because seriously, I get drunk a little too fast.

And it tasted good. I took another and gulped it again in one shot. By then, Amy's first song was finish… Upon the Shorty's request, she played another song.

In my fifth glass, I began to ask, "What the hell is this stuff? It tastes so good…"

Ryan first turned to me and then he tapped Jin to stare at me as well… Soon the two of them plus Ronan and Lire shrieked. "Oh my god Lass!" the elven archer exclaimed as she took my fifth glass.

"What?" I questioned. Because I was taller than her, retrieving my beverage was a piece of cake. "Geez." I sighed.

"You're not supposed to drink that Lass!" Ronan now noticing; stood beside me and took it from me. Screwing the height difference, I just took another glass and drank it all again in one gulp.

"Stop that!" Lire exclaimed and collected the remaining glasses, "Lass did you forget you can't drink?!"

To this, Ryan, Jin, Elesis and I all began to laugh. "Can't drink!? How am I supposed to live without drinking anything?!" the laughter only grew louder at that remark.

Ronan sighed and tapped my left shoulder, "You should take a rest."

"Make me." I felt like smiling goofily so I did.

"What the hell is wrong with Lassy?" I could hear Shorty ask.

"He gets drunk easily." Lire explained which I quickly denied, "I do not!"

"Oh yes you do! What you just drank is Ynoie! THE heaviest liquor in Bermessiah!" Lire scolded.

"Geeeez." I sighed, "Then, why did you left it there?"

hiccup.

Wow, fascinating.

"Come on Lass, take a rest." Ronan motioned me to sit down.

I leaped backward and grinned. "No." it was either the breeze actually turned hotter OR I just felt like taking my polo off. I followed my instinct again and turned, waving my right hand. "Say goodbye to everything in the house~" I said in a sing-song voice.

With that remark, I ran my fastest because I knew the rest would be coming at me in high speed.

"OH NOT AGAIN!"

"LAAAAAAASS!"

I looked back and chuckled, "Too slow for me, eh?" I knew I was about to leave Ryan's garden when a fucking ice wall appeared out of nowhere. I tried to stop, but it was impossible now so I bumped against it and hissed.

"Who the hell plants a freaking ice, rock… thingy on the way outside the garden!?"

The area is filled with laughter again as the others caught up. Deciding to continue my escape, I dashed sideward; then… only then that I saw the culprit I saw the violet mage with a cheeky grin.

Twisting, I stopped dead on tracks and hissed again, "You think your prank is funny, kid?"

"E-eh!" she stuttered, and I glared at her.

"Uuuumm… Lass!" someone tried to chirp in, but I didn't bother to look who said that. I yanked her to the other side of the rock and pinned her to the wall. "Do you think that was funny?"

She turned red quickly, "A-ah… I'm sorry… you see-"

"See what? All I can see is your face." I said and brushed her purple locks to get a better view of her face. "Hm…"

"L-Lassy, you're drunk." She admitted her voice stammering and tried to look away. I leaned closer, my lips just an inch away from her ears. "I told you already, haven't I? I'm not drunk…"

I leaned away and she turned her face to me. "I don't believe you…"

I grinned at her and leaned in again; if it was possible, I could say her blush turned redder. At first she was struggling, asking me to let her go but I didn't want to. She was weaker than me anyway.

In seconds, I could feel her breath tickling me and up to now I still couldn't understand why I was enjoying all these.

She closed her eyes, giving up and just accepting what was coming…

…

…

…

That's when I pulled away.

I broke out laughing. She opened her eyes and just stood there dumb founded.

"E-eh!" She shrieked and panicked, "W-w-w…"

I gave her a wink before walking away.

"LAAAAAAAAAASS!"

Yosha! I told you Lass and Liquor don't mix... =D I can see clearly... the ending now...

... and of course you can't... except if you're some sort of magician... or a fortune teller... or just a great person that can guess the gadang ending. XD

Anyway, later. c: