Hello all! Who missed me! Anyway, here's the next chapter! And Opal and Squint begin to get to know each other better.
Its absolutely gorgeous here; 68 degrees! So I'm in shorts and a tank top outside, writing this! I love spring! Mira's hopping around my feet while I'm writing this!
As the orb shattered on the ground, Kertenkele screamed in agony. The Orb was her power, her life force. The very reason she'd been able to rise back from death. And the power it held… "YOU IMBECILES!" she roared. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'VE DONE?!" A wave of pure dark energy shot out in all directions, sending everyone flying. From the center of broken shards, the biggest evil essence Savas had ever seen slowly slithered into the air, hissing; a sound he realized moments later was laughter. It was so strong, everyone could see it. He'd never seen an energy force that powerful!
It rose above the crowd, mow screaming and scrambling away, before reaching out with the vague shape of a hand, grabbing a few dozen mortals and devouring them. It gave another hissing laugh and rose into the air, before disappearing in a shroud of smoke.
…
Even through all the chaos and smoke, Squint still managed to find Raz. She'd been thrown aside by the blast of weird black air, and was now lying on her side in the very corner of the glade. "Oh Raz…" touching her face, his ears lowered, and he dropped to the ground beside her, leaning again her neck, tucking between her chin and her chest. He snuggled into her, curling up, trying to disappear. "I'm so sorry…"
Apparently, his attempt to vanish work, because when her dead body was approached by six other kangaroos, they didn't appear to notice him. One bent down, laying a single finger on her temple. He froze, not sure whether to feel threatened or enraged.
He decided to wait.
"She…" he swallowed. "She's gone. Her life essence… her soul… all gone."
"Ok, seriously, who are you guys?!"
They all jumped, surprised to see a ball of gray fur peaking at them. The color changer from before raised an eyebrow. "We could ask you the same question."
"I asked you first."
"I asked you second. Does it make a difference?"
Gritting his teeth, he spat out "Fine. He was in no mood to quarrel with anyone. "Name's Squint."
"And what is your relation to Time?"
"Time… ya mean Raz?"
He nodded. "Correct. It is the meaning of her name."
"Uh-kay… I'm her brother."
In an instant, with speed he'd never seen in another speed, he'd been grabbed around the neck and slammed up against a tree. He gasped, feeling strangled; the impact tore the air right out of his lungs. "You lie!" he exclaimed angrily, and he could've swore he saw fire dance in his eyes. Real fire. "How dare you claim to have any blood ties with my sister?!"
"Your sister?!" by now he was mad. "She's my sister, bud! Always has been!"
"She isn't!" he insisted. "She is ours! Our own mother died saving her life! And she vanished straight after… now we know where to!" his eyes burned like two embers, glowing. "You stole her!"
"No!" he gagged as he tightened his grip on his throat, clawing at his hand. "We didn't! She was abandoned!"
"HOW DARE YOU?!" he roared. "I'll have your head mounted on the wall for such an accusation!"
"Avci!" gasped his brothers, shocked. Of all of them, he was the least violent. To hear him issuing death threats… he must have been downright furious.
"Leave him alone!" a little brown fur leapt onto his hands and helped Squint to rip his fingers off, leaving them both a second to split.
After a couple minutes, they found themselves a secluded little bush to hide under. He looked up, surprised to see that young rabbit doe from before. She offered him a nervous smile, her eyes still wet and puffy from crying. "Hey, thanks."
She nodded quietly. "Y- You're welcome." She studied him for a moment, before studying him intently a moment. "You must be that Squint person she told me about."
His eyes widened and he stumbled back in shock. "You knew Raz?!"
She managed a tiny, sad smile. "Yeah. I was assigned to be her head servant."
"Servant?"
She nodded again. "Yes. She was quite kind to me."
"Oh- Kay…"
She sat down, cross legged, elbows on her knees. "Tell me more about my Mistress."
He rose an eye brow. "Yer who-now?"
"Lady Raz, of course! "now that she was gone, Opal only referred to her formally, as a sign of respect.
"Lady?" he almost laughed. "Since when is Raz a lady?" weren't ladies all… prissy and primped and perfect and stuff? Hus sister couldn't be farther from a lady! She… she liked to get dirty, have fun and wrestle. She was sooner to slide down a muddy mountain slope after a three day rainstorm than sit and- and just look pretty!
"Since her engagement to Lord Zalim, of course."
"SAY WHAT?!" he yelled, jumping up, knife already in hand. "Who is this?! I'll rip 'is throat out and feed ta the sharks! My baby sister ain't gettin 'erself hitched any time soon! Not as long as I'm around!"
Opal sniffled sorrowfully, not responding to his angry outburst. "The wedding was called off when Lady Raz was announced dead."
"Oh… right…" wilting again, he sank back down to the ground. "So… you wanna know 'bout Raz, do ya?" she nodded simply. "Yes please, sir."
"Its Squint."
"Of course, anything you wish, Mr. Squint."
He sighed. Kids. "Just Squint, squirt… what's yer name, anyhow?"
"Opal."
"Hm… ok. Think I'll just call ya Squirt though. How old are ya, Squirt?"
She didn't protest the new nickname as he expected. She simply dipped her head respectfully as he announced her new pet name, and said "I'm twelve."
"Jeez, you sure?" he chuckled a bit. "Ya barely look seven!" it was true; she was very small, petite and fragile looking.
She nodded again. "I am sure, Squint."
"Mm-kay… anywho, whatcha wanna know?"
"Anything and everything, please."
"Ok… but one thing first."
"Anything for the brother of my Mistress."
"Why'd ya help me back there?"
She shuddered, hugging her arms, bringing her knees up to her chest. "I… I just couldn't stand to see anymore death. Not after my poor Lady."
"Alright, fair enough. So… where ta start?"
"The day you met, perhaps?"
"Ok, sure. Good as any. Well, we were on shore leave, see, and…"
And that concludes chapter 43! We're nearing the end of this story- anyone else sad? Anyway, please review!