Ch 8- A Sudden Reunion

"Even knowing her true nature now, accepting the healing power of Spirit Oracle is still uncomfortable," Buguese said. He had let Aqune help heal his injuries after the war. But only because of how much of an inconvenience they became… or maybe it had heavily to do with how happy he knew it made her to be able to heal him. He was reluctant to admit how weak he was to her smile. So, probably, a mix of both.

"It shouldn't be." Aqune gave him a puzzled glance. She knew Buguese felt that way, but it was still something curious to her. She didn't think it was so much that the power came from Spirit Oracle, though that might have been a partial reason. He simply never liked to accept help.

"Well it is," he answered plainly.

"Having someone help you doesn't make you weak," Aqune replied. "Rather, it makes you stronger. It's good to have others who will fight with you, or for you. As you saw, Trigger couldn't win the battle without the aid of the other two Spider Riders."

"I almost would have preferred to see him lose." He was aware it was changing the subject, and that Aqune would disagree. But he did sympathize with Roanin much more than a relative of Hunter Steele.

"That would have been awful," Aqune replied. "But I wonder now… what did become of Trigger? He had to have left the Inner World, so that Hunter could be born one day on the surface." Even if Trigger didn't die in the Inner World, she had her doubts that the story in this journal would have a very happy ending. But there was only one way to find out.

"It's really kind of cruel." Therma had been trying, along with Trigger and Mantle, to explain the state of the Insector world to the other Spider Riders. "I'm not sure how anyone could survive there."

"I know," said Brade. "Sadly, I've known that for a long time."

"Have you heard about this, Prince, or am I the only one out of the loop?" asked Diamond, the current captain of the Spider Riders.

"No, I can't say that I have," Prince Arachna answered. "But it's starting to make more sense to me why Aura sympathizes with them. As a prince, I've never longed for anything I truly needed to survive."

"I hate to say this, but the Insectors aren't the only one with problems," Mantle interrupted. He sounded annoyed by the whole idea. "In fact, it's the Insectors fault that the village where Therma, Diamond and I fought the other day was practically totaled. We drove the Insectors out, but not before they could make a mess of things."

"Mantle is right," Diamond said. She ran a finger down her blue hair nervously. "A lot of people were hurt. It's not that I can't sympathize with the Insectors at all. But it's our job to protect the humans. Am I wrong, Aura?"

"Umm…" She didn't expect to be brought into the conversation at all. But now that she was, she couldn't not answer. "You're correct. It's your duty to protect, as well as mine. In fact, maybe it would be a good idea for me to go over there and help out."

"You could help and heal the villagers, yes," Brade considered. "That is a good idea."

"You really don't mind, though?" Trigger asked. "You just went through a lot, being kidnapped by Insectors, and if you go and use your powers, that will draw a lot more attention from random Arachnans than you already have."

Aura giggled.

"I still don't mind the attention. And I feel much better, really." She'd gotten plenty of rest since she'd returned to Arachna. Aura not only felt physically refreshed, but she knew her power was also at 100% again. Going out and doing something practical sounded like the best idea now. Besides, she couldn't just live in fear all the time. Mantid was wrong. All of the Spider Riders were perfectly safe. "I have to do good for the world," Aura continued her thoughts out loud. "Even if bad things can happen, people need hope."

"That doesn't come as a surprise to me," Trigger said.

"Nor me," Brade replied. "But this alone won't content you, will it? The problems with the Insector lands will still hang over your head."

"That's true," Aura said. "I still want to help them as well. But that will take time. This is something I want to do right now."

Aura unleashed her power then without a word. She disappeared from the castle, and brought herself to the foot of the seaside village.

No one had actually witnessed her miraculous arrival. Not that she would have minded if they did. Theoretically, she wasn't in the village though. And despite her vantage point, she could see already that the town really wasn't in good shape. There were houses that were actually collapsed. Just heaps of wood where they once stood.

'How terrible…' she thought to herself. 'The Insectors attacked only to lure the Spider Riders away. There was no need to go this far.'

She soon spotted a large makeshift tent. Aura could hear voices from within. She realized it must have been where some of the villagers were staying. She thought of coming inside, but wanted to proceed cautiously, in order not to scare them.

"Hello!" she called.

"Who's there?!" a gruff voice answered her from within.

"Be quiet," she heard someone else say. "Now look what you've done."

"I mean you no harm," Aura said. "I… am Spirit Oracle." Did word of her appearance reach all the way to this village? She didn't really know. But either way, she was Spirit Oracle. She thought that the villagers would be more willing to let her in if they knew it was her, rather than the girl named Aura.

"Spirit Oracle?" There were confused cries within the tent. Finally, it opened, and one small boy crawled out. He was bandaged all over on his arms and legs. Aura wondered if he was crawling because it was difficult for him to walk.

"Please help us…" the boy said.

"That's what I'm here for," Aura replied. "Please, stay still if you can."

The boy complied. Aura took that chance to start healing his wounds. As she did this, some villagers poked their heads out curiously from the tent. Many had actually stepped outside by the time she was done, at least those who were capable of moving. Some parents carried injured children in their arms.

"It doesn't hurt anymore!" The boy seemed overwhelmed with delight. He stood up like it was no trouble. "Mommy! Mommy! I'm all better!"

"This is a miracle!" a woman, seemingly his mother exclaimed. "Spirit Oracle has really descended upon us in our darkest hour."

"Please! Heal my husband next!" A woman cried.

"My daughter too!" One man pleaded.

"Don't worry. I will."

Aura started with those whose injuries seemed the most severe. Those who couldn't even leave the tent and walk on their own. As she worked, other people started coming out from the houses which remained standing. Some with injuries of their own, others who merely wanted to see her, and thank her for all she was doing. Aura had no problem indulging them as well.

"You saved us!"

"Thank you!"

"Please protect us from now on. Don't let the Insectors ever hurt us again."

"We'll do all we can to protect you, my Spider Riders and I," Aura answered. She didn't think the Insectors would bother this remote village again, not any time soon at least. How wrong she was.

It was the worst possible timing. Insectors soldiers approached from the distance. And among them, she recognized one particular Insector.

"Roanin…"

Aura could see panic spreading already among the villagers.

"Get inside," she said. "They're here for me. I won't let them hurt anyone else."

The Insector troops were moving in closer by the minute.

'I may be able to reason with Roanin,' she thought to herself. She could try and lure the soldiers away, but where to? She was cornered, and moving further into the village would put the people who lived there at risk. 'Was I possibly able to reach him? He didn't have to, but he let us go back then.' Despite all he'd said, his declaration of loyalty to Mantid, threats to kill them, he'd definitely let them leave. He wasn't a bad person, Aura thought. A troubled, angry person, but not a bad one.

"Please, leave this village alone! Roanin!" she called out to him desperately.

He didn't say anything in reply, but glared at her intently.

"Roanin! I-I'll come with you. Just call back your forces."

"Who are you to give demands to me?" He answered coldly. He turned his head away. "Capture Spirit Oracle!"

"Sector!" The warriors let out a battle cry and rushed in Aura's direction.

"No!" Aura yelled. At the very least, she couldn't let them near the tent. She had to run. Aura darted to a sandy, rocky area, away from where the houses stood. She realized too late that she'd backed herself into an even more dangerous corner. The entire town was built at a high elevation. If she were to step back from where she stood then, she would fall into the sea below. The Insectors closed in on her quickly, blocking her path. She could escape with her powers, of course. But if she simply disappeared, it would leave the Insectors opening to ravage the village again hunting for her. She definitely couldn't do that.

Roanin too came closer to her. However, he stayed a distance back from the soldiers under his command.

"Do not hurt her!" he ordered. "Mantid-sama asked that we bring her back alive."

"What's wrong if we hurt her a little?" one of the soldiers asked. "We don't have to kill her."

"Do as I say!" shouted Roanin.

"Come on now. When do we get another chance like this?" The same Insector who'd made the request wasn't taking no for an answer. He lunged at Aura with his knife.

Aura stepped back. Not far back enough to fall. Or so she thought. The rock underneath her started to crumble, the ground more fragile than it seemed. Aura fell backwards, a few of the Insectors who were close plunging alongside her, and countless hard rocks.

'This is fine,' she thought to herself. She saw as she was falling, battered by the weight of the rocks, Roanin leapt off the edge towards her. She smiled.

Aura could hear gentle waves crashing into the shore. She opened her eyes suddenly.

"Roanin…" The Insector was the first thing she saw. Aura quickly realized he was holding her in his arms. He also looked soaking wet, his hair and clothing clinging to his skin. Of course, she was also wet. They'd fallen into the water after all.

"You saved me…" Aura mumbled. Her voice came out weaker than she'd intended.

"Then that makes us even," Roanin answered. "Which was not my motivation. I was ordered to take you alive, and was not about to fail. In any case, we are a short distance away from the village now. We will likely not be bothered by anyone else, Insector or human."

"That's right… what happened to the village?" Aura had been distracted enough that she hadn't even considered that yet. Some of the Insectors had fallen. Sadly, they could be dead. But others remained in the village. Did they hurt the people there? That was exactly what she'd been trying to prevent.

"That is none of my concern," Roanin answered.

"But… the Insectors-" She was forcibly stopped mid sentence, as she broke into a weak cough. She really didn't feel well.

Roanin flinched, seemingly not expecting that. He appeared almost concerned.

"I don't see why they would stay in that pathetic village longer than necessary," Roanin said. "I imagine they would continue searching for you down here. Which, as I said, does not matter. They will not find you."

'He really is trying to protect me,' Aura thought to herself. It was comforting to know, although she felt she didn't really need protection. Of course, her body was weak now. That was one problem with taking on a human body. It gave her vulnerabilities she never had before. All humans… Insectors too had such weaknesses. She saw firsthand, with the injuries many of the villagers she tended to suffered. They were actually very fortunate to have avoided any casualties, although she was sure some of the wounded weren't going to make it much longer if she hadn't helped them. Aura certainly didn't regret her choice to 'become' human. She was learning more about what it was like than she'd ever expected.

She put a hand to her forehead. It felt hot to the touch. This was what humans called a fever? Then, in that case, it would go away if she got enough rest. That's how it worked with humans, who couldn't miraculously cure themselves.

"I need to get back to Arachna…" Aura spoke. "If you'd like, Roanin, I can bring you with me."

"Me?"

"Yes," Aura said. "You see… the Spider Riders and I were talking, just a little. We want to try and help your people bring back sunlight. Maybe, if you came and talked to them-"

"Were you not the one who told me that was impossible, without the aid of the Oracle Keys?" Roanin interrupted her mid-sentence. He seemed irritated, certainly in disbelief.

"That's true," Aura replied. "Maybe, we'll find the Oracle Keys then."

"That would be nearly impossible!" Roanin answered. "And even if we could somehow locate all four of them, there is not a chance your Spider Riders would willingly use them to assist their sworn enemies."

"But… we wouldn't be enemies anymore," Aura said. "If your people had sunlight again, how many Insectors would still be willing to fight?"

"You make it sound far too simple," said Roanin.

"Roanin… there's still a lot of things I don't understand. But I feel like, maybe… some things are that simple. A miracle can change a lot."

"I suppose you can say that, as one capable of creating great miracles," he answered. "Or great despair."

"Despair?" She echoed his last word with worry.

"I can not take you back to Arachna," Roanin said. He clenched his fist. "I will take you to Mantid, as instructed. I have waited long enough."

Aura was about to protest. But she didn't. Of course she didn't want to go back. But she knew, as did he, that he couldn't simply take her there willingly. Besides, Aura wanted to continue trusting him. Maybe, that he did protect her, was another miracle in itself.

"Have you nothing to say?" Her silence confused him. Roanin reached into a pouch that he had been wearing. He pulled out a needle, which was filled with some sort of blue-colored liquid.

Aura gasped.

"This is what was used to render you immobile and helpless," Roanin said. "But looking at the state you're in now, I see no need to use it." He threw the needle aside. It shattered as it hit the rocks, the substance inside spilling out.

"You won't use it?" Aura questioned. She was relieved, but also very satisfied. For a moment, she almost felt it was wrong to trust him.

"What a ridiculous question to ask now," Roanin replied. "I could not, even if I wanted to. And no, I don't have another. Still, this changes nothing."

"What do you mean?" Aura asked, curiously.

"Twice, I have spared your life already." He looked away from her. "I could have finished you off when you were a prisoner in Mantid's castle. I could have drowned you right now. I would have singlehandedly become a savior to the Insector people, as the man who slayed Spirit Oracle. Yet I can't do that. Rather, I have become a shame. Bringing you to Mantid, allowing him to have his way with you, is all I can do as recompense."

"That's-" It wasn't that Aura had any idea what she was going to say anyway. But she broke out into another fit of coughing.

"You would be wise not to push yourself. Be quiet!" Roanin instructed. He was already holding Aura, so he was easily able to lift her as he stood up from the ground.

"Right…" Aura mumbled. Maybe it was because she was tired, but Aura couldn't help but feel strangely comfortable being carried by Roanin. She leaned her head onto his chest. It was rather warm. Insectors had cold bodies, she thought. Maybe it was just the fever after all. But she really did feel safe and content.

Roanin began to walk across the rocky ground. It was a bit of a bumpy ride, as he stumbled around the hard rocks.

"Are we really going to the Insector lands on foot?" Aura asked. She had already forgotten about his orders to stay quiet. Aura knew the Insectors had all sorts of flying machines, such as the hovering platform she'd rode on the other day. This was because the forest which separated their lands from Arachna was poisonous. Though the poison had a worse effect on humans than Insectors, it was still safer and more convenient to go over it than through it. Most likely, Roanin had taken one of his transports out to Arachna in the first place, and could easily call for it.

"For now," Roanin replied. "As a captive, I don't believe you have any right to question me."

"Am I really a captive?" Aura asked. Whether or not he'd remembered, she hadn't forgotten she could leave at any time, and return to Arachna.

"That's also for me to decide," he answered. Not exactly a straight answer.

"Alright," Aura said. She liked that answer.

Roanin looked down, studying her face, before looking ahead of him again. He continued looking forward, as they made their way past the shore, and to a path better suited for walking.

Aura caught sight of someone in the distance. There were two of them, actually. They were coming closer.