Chapter 6: The Other Half of the Stone Crowe and Elena were surprised to find out what had all happened since the fight on Nox Obscurous. The whole time, though, Faize sat away from the group. "Hey." said Fayt, sitting nearby. "I thought you'd be happy to see your old friends again." Faize continued to look down at his hands. "I am happy." he replied. "But, I'm also afraid." "Of what?" "My emotions." He reached up around his neck and pulled a chain out of his tunic. On the end was a dragon charm with a beautiful red ruby set for each eye. "Honestly, I had hoped that none would come, but when they all did, I got frightened. And in trying to keep my strange power in check, I made myself sick." "Is that why you didn't wake up?" Fayt asked. Faize nodded. "It just happened that I received a message from nature when I did open my eyes, or I might have pushed them both away." He looked over at the group. "Still, I never thought Arumat would pair up with Reimi." "They do seem like an odd pair, don't they?" Faize looked up, quickly tucking the chain back into his tunic. "Edge." "Why do you distance yourself like this?" Edge asked. "It's bad enough you're always hunched over lately, but now you won't even come join the conversation." "If my emotions get out of control, I could hurt you all." Faize replied. He looked down at his hand. "The only one not frightened at all by this strange power I have is Albel." "But, it's just symbology, isn't it?" Edge asked. Fayt shook his head. "They say the gods speak to him, but it's more like his senses are sharper than anyone else." There was a crack of thunder behind them. "Really?" he asked, looking at Faize. "Dragon Brigade." Faize replied. "I only shocked him." "How far away was that?" Edge asked, looking around. "Arygliph." Fayt replied. "Over the small mountain ridge." "You hit someone that far?!" Edge asked. "What did he do?" The others looked over at the shout. "I spared him the indignity of disturbing a nest." Faize replied. "A hungry nest, too." Fayt made a face. "Yeah, I can see where being shocked is better than being lunch." Faize sighed and looked back at the camp. Once again, Edge could tell his eyes were not on Lymle, but the grouchy warrior currently using derogatory terms at Myuria. "Something happen, Faize?" He looked back at Edge. "Perhaps." "It's not an answer." Faize sighed. "We have to return home, soon, and the fastest way is by carriage. Albel already said we're not returning any other way." "He's protective of you, isn't he?" "You would be protective of your future, too, wouldn't you?" Faize asked. He seemed to shy away when Lymle came bounding over. "Edgie, Alby said we're going to go for a ride to his place." "IT'S ALBEL, YOU LITTLE MAGGOT!" Faize snickered. "You'd better just stick with his name, Lymle." `~`~`~`~O_O~`~`~`~` The ride was . . . interesting. No one wanted to ride in the wagon with Albel and Faize except Lymle and Edge, and it soon became apparent why. Everyone else was packed into the three carriages, but Faize had opted to ride in the back of the supply wagon. Now, Edge had a healthy understanding of why. Faize got motion sick. Dreadfully so, too. He was leaning on the back of the wagon, currently throwing up, and Albel was sitting nearby, trying not to look worried. "Why's Faize sick?" Lymle asked. "Motion sickness, Lymle." Edge replied. "It's different from being in the Calnus, and the movements can make you sick." "Like a boat?" Lymle asked. "Right, like a boat." "Ok. I can draw a symbol that can help, if he wants." "Might be an idea." Albel replied, looking at Faize's pale face. "It's getting to the painful part." "Painful part?" Edge asked as Lymle walked over a doodled the symbol. "Dry heaves, worm." Albel clarified. He suddenly moved as Faize dropped to the floor of the wagon, gasping for air. "Oracle?" Faize coughed, his eyes looking distant again. When he looked at Albel properly again, there was a tear in his eyes. "What is it?" "The . . . mirror." Faize whispered. "I left it . . . unguarded." Albel nodded. "Guard it, then. I'll wake you when we get home." Faize nodded and closed his eyes, the area around him glowing for just a moment before his breathing became long and deep, and his body seemed to get heavy. Both other passengers noticed he was lying on his side. "Why's Faize on his side?" Lymle asked. "He needs to in order to fall into the trance, maggot." Albel replied. 'I'm not a maggot!" she argued. "I'm Lymle." Albel glared at her, and she stuck her tongue out at him. Albel clicked his tongue in return, and Edge notice a strange sound. "There's metal on your tongue?" he asked. Albel grinned wickedly and stuck his tongue out the side of his mouth, showing a slightly-primitive tongue piercing. Obviously something done in his younger years, and something he used to warn others he was pissed. Lymle just stared, somewhat irked by the metal circle in Albel's mouth. The wagon came to a stop, and 'The Wicked One' poked he head out. "Well, that went by quickly." He looked at Faize, who was still in his trance. "Wake, Oracle." he said quietly, giving the Eldarian a light shake. Faize looked up at him. "He's starting to try inanimate objects." he said. "So watch out for falling plants." As he said this, a fern fell from nowhere right beside Mirage. "Go freshen up." Albel told him. "And be careful. Woltar's home." Faize stuck his tongue out, making a face, then headed inside. He headed, quite naturally, to the room he shared with Albel and began to clean himself up. As he did, he noticed something about the mirror in the room. "What the heck?" he asked, wrapping a towel around his body and walking closer. The image rippled and changed, and suddenly, Faize screamed, backing away. Several people were there in an instant, including, but not limited to, Edge and Albel. "What is it?" Edge asked. "Albel, where did that come from?" Faize asked, sitting on a bench and trying to calm himself. Albel looked over where Faize was pointing. "That's new." he said. "I asked the worms to get a new mirror, but I don't remember it having stone on the back." "Stone?" Arumat asked, stepping around the large looking glass. He looked at Edge, then at Faize. "I think we found the other half of your rock." A.N. - I went back to Aeos after the stuff on Lymle's planet, and talked to Grafton. The conversation is hilarious, especially if you say "You knew, sir?" In case your wondering, Grafton assumes Edge and Reimi are a couple, and this response basically cements that belief. Reimi, as a way of getting back at Edge for the lie, says that there might be a little Edge Jr. in their future. Other people at the base also make comments about Edge and Reimi being together, and one shop clerk mentions that they have a kid. I didn't understand this at first until I realized, she was referring to Lymle. :)