Hey what's up people I'm back with another chapter of lost hope. Now I'm going to try for bi-weekly updates so yeah but anyways I worked really hard on this chapter so I hope you all enjoy.
The dark sky stretches across the continent as the light of midday barely peeks through the dark clouds that blanket the land in a perpetual night. The wind sweeps across with an ominous howl only offset by the rustling trees of a nearby forest. The forest is mostly quiet creating an eeriness to the dark shadows that envelop it. A young girl nervously stands amidst the darkness in a narrow clearing surrounded by oaks and conifers.
"Okay, Nah calm down… You're not gonna be here long so let's just get this over with and go home." The girl said collecting herself.
Nah took a deep breath as she tightened her grip on the green orb in her right hand.
"Haahhh!" Nah cried out as she raised her right hand as high as she could while the orb glowed brightly slightly dissipating the darkness around her.
Following this large glowing cherry blossom leaves suddenly sprouted from the ground and tightly wrapped around her. The pink cocoon as quickly as it formed then burst open in a blinding light that radiated throughout the forest, but the light quickly faded revealing the girl to have transformed into a large red pink leafy like dragon.
"Kyraaaa!" Nah let out a primal roar as she proceeded to run amok through the surrounding forest.
(With Lucina, Owain, and, Cynthia)
A beserker risen roared ferociously as it charged Lucina. The young exalt glared at the risen as she entered a combat stance.
The risen swung it's axe at Lucina who quickly leapt back causing the axe to slam into the ground.
The risen stood briefly in confusion.
With one swift movement, Lucina thrust Falchion forward stabbing the risen.
The risen groaned in pain as it fell to the floor and dispersed into darkness.
The blue haired princess then quickly scanned the barely lit forest clearing for anymore undead soldiers.
"Whew" Lucina put her free hand to her chest as she sighed in relief after confirming the absence of danger. "Alright my area is clear!"
"SHADOW DRAGON!" Owain shouted.
Lucina turned around toward the sound of Owain's voice to see him slash through his final risen.
"Ha! Foolish creatures of dusk you stood no chance for I, Owain Dark, possess power mightier than any mere mortal can fathom!" Owain declared striking a victory pose as he watched the risen dissipate.
Lucina sweat dropped at this, well he seems to have finished.
Regaining her composure Lucina then turned her attention to her younger sister, "how about you Cynthia?"
"It's all clear over here!" Cynthia answered pulling her steel lance out of a sword master risen as it dispersed into darkness.
"That's good." Lucina said sheathing Falchion and started walking toward the center of the clearing.
Cynthia after dismounting Crystal did the same and Owain followed suit after sheathing his killing edge.
"Are you two alright? That was an awful lot of risen we just dispatched" Lucina asked in concern.
"Your suspicions lead to no avail for I sustained but mere scratches whilst smiting the monsters of dusk!" Owain answered striking a victory pose.
"Yeah no need to hurry like a hero would let herself get badly hurt by evil!" Cynthia said as she she also posed heroically.
However just as the two struck their poses a familiar sound growled loudly from Cynthia's abdomen.
"So hungry!" Cynthia whined as she slumped to the ground.
"The beast within roars breaking illusion and demanding a sacrifice!" Owain said.
"Ah but I need not concern with such hardships as comb-" Owain said before being interrupted by his own stomach growling with a look of comical embarrassment taking over his face.
Lucina and Cynthia laughed at this but were interrupted by Lucina's stomach growl.
"Looks like we've all worked up an appetite after all that walking and fighting. Why don't we take a small break?" Lucina suggested.
"Yeah I guess you're right Lucy" Cynthia said as she got to her feet.
"Yes even a grand warrior such as I must concur with your wisdom" Owain said enthusiastically.
(Elsewhere in the forest)
"So they survived that one did they?" A hooded figure said closing the tome in their hand as they watched the three royals.
"It would appear I've underestimated them." The figure continued. "No matter at least now I have a measure of their strength."
The figure then put on a sly grin, "With this new strategy, my next move will surely be checkmate."
"Kyraaaaaa!" A loud roar echoed through the forest.
The figure turned their head slightly towards the direction of the roar, "so a manakete also wanders the forest, I might have to rework my strategy a little."
The figure then disappeared into the shadows walking deeper into the assortment of trees.
(With Lucina, Owain, and, Cynthia)
The three royals gasped in surprise as they looked up while the roar radiated around them.
"It appears these trees of shadow hold a mighty beast that cries out a challenge to our mighty band!" Owain shouted as the roar began to fade.
"But what kind of beast? More risen?" Cynthia asked turning to Owain.
"No" Lucina said as the other two turned to her.
"The roar sounds more 'alive' than any noise the risen would make" She reasoned her arm to her chin in a thinking position.
"Regardless it looks as though lunch will have to wait until we've investigated the source of the roar." Lucina said as she turned around and began running towards a cluster of trees in the direction of the roar was heard from.
"Yeah" Cynthia and Owain both nodded as they ran after her.
(With Nah)
Nah, still in dragon form, panted in exhaustion. All around her looked like a hurricane just came through as the remains of uprooted oaks and conifers littered the ground. The soil blanketed by leaves and pines varied drastically in elevation with dragonic footprints scattered about.
"Well that takes care of that." Nah said before carefully and nervously looking around the dark forest for any sign of risen being nearby.
Now having confirmed the absence of danger the dragon breathed a hefty sigh of relief before glowing brightly and transforming into her human form. The round green stone in her hand glowed brightly but quickly faded into the darkness.
"That was a good rampage" Nah said stretching her body in a relaxed manner.
Nah then heard her stomach growl and sighed, "all this thrashing about while relaxing does work up quite an appetite"
"Hopefully I can fin-" Nah continued before hearing a rustling sound startling her and causing her to jump slightly in fear.
The young girl frantically looked around for it's source only to find it was just a bush rustling in the wind.
"Whew it's just the wind" Nah sighed heavily in relief as something on the bush caught her eye.
Are those? Nah wondered noticing several red dots strewn about on the bush.
She narrowed her eyes inspecting the red dots as she walked slowly towards it. When she was close enough, she carefully pulled off one of the red circles off and sniffed it.
"I was right these are raspberries!" Nah exclaimed as she began rapidly picking more.
Sometime later Nah walked happily through the dark forest carrying a large pile of raspberries in her arms. Red berry juice smeared across her mouth.
Lucky I found these raspberries or I would be eating dirt right now, Nah thought, and I have plenty left over to give to the people back home.
(With Lucina, Cynthia, and Owain)
"Oh gods what happened here?" Lucina said as she gazed upon the damaged remains of the new forest clearing.
"Yeah looks like a tornado just came through" Cynthia said following Lucina who continued walking and began to investigate.
Owain then entered the damaged area and shouted, "the view of this tattered land ushers forth feelings of a grand battle as I sense the great power used is still present!"
"You think there was a battle here?" Lucina asked turning to Owain.
"Yeah I mean what else could it be?" Owain said unusually dropping his theatrics.
"An un-ending dark forest a beast desperately looks from side to side surrounded by the monsters of dusk. One rushes the beast axe raised WHOOSH! POW! the axe slams to the ground and the risen is felled by one swish of the tail." Owain began his story.
"However the beast pants, exhausted from running and one risen sees fit to strike from behind. The beast looks back but is too tired to dodge and hope is all but lost as the beast closes it's eyes. But then KERCHING! The beast opens it's eyes to see Owain Dark to have locked swords with dark monster" Owain continued.
"Wait since when were you a part of this? You don't even know what the beast looked like much less saved it." Lucina said raising her brow at Owain's ludicrous story.
Owain sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and said, "Err right guess I got carried away...hehe."
"Well ok bu-" Lucina said before being cut off by Cynthia.
"Hey guys get over here I found something!" Cynthia called out to the other two as she knelt on her knees from the center of the clearing.
Lucina and Owain quickly ran over to the pegasus knight both very curious as to what she had found.
"Take a look at this" Cynthia said gesturing to a long thin three clawed footprint in front of her. "I was looking around taking in the surroundings when all of a sudden I felt my foot lower and tripped and saw this when I looked to see what it was I tripped over."
"Hmm it looks pretty cool I'll give it that" Owain said inspecting the footprint. "Definitely not something that would belong to a risen though."
Where have I seen this before? Lucina pondered in a thinking position.
"I Believe it's a manakete footprint" Lucina said realizing what it was.
"Really how can you tell?" Cynthia and Owain asked turning to their young exalt.
"Well while studying in the castle library a few of the books mentioned dragons who sealed their power in dragon stones and had human form." Lucina explained.
"Now from the pictures in the books I couldn't see the entire foot but I believe I have a good idea on what they look like." Lucina continued. "Now if memory serves Miss. Nowi was a manakete as well"
Cynthia and Owain's eyes widened in realization.
"That means" Cynthia said cheerfully.
"That a divine hero awaits our call in order to help achieve our sacred task." Owain interjected.
"It would appear so" Lucina nodded.
"Alright!" Cynthia exclaimed happily jumping to her feet.
"Come now the sands of time move swiftly so let us allow our idle bodies to make contact with the scales of dragon to forge a contract to help our quest." Owain declared as he began dashing to the other edge of the clearing.
"Yeah!" Cynthia shouted as she ran after him.
"Wait you two!" Lucina called out to them sticking her hand out."We still don't know which direction they went"
This caused Owain and Cynthia to stop abruptly.
"Oh yeah that's right" Owain and Cynthia both said turning around towards Lucina.
"Seriously you two" Lucina sighed regaining a more passive stance.
"Lucina what manner of path hast been bespoken to you for us to cross?" Owain asked.
"Um Owain?" Cynthia turned to Owain with a confused and deadpanned expression.
"First of all I think we should rest and once we've all regained our strength we'll go searching for them." Lucina said. "What do you two think?"
"Sounds good to me" Cynthia said after getting over the shock that Lucina understood Owain's words.
"It is a sound maneuver" Owain agreed.
(With Nah)
"Aaaaahhhhhhh!" A female shriek suddenly rang out across the dark plains just outside the forest.
Nah, now out of the forest on her way home, stopped briefly as she heard this.
That's Mrs. Verdy's voice, Nah eyes widened in realization and concern, She must be in trouble; I gotta hurry.
Nah, without hesitation, dropped the berries she was holding and quickly pulled out her dragonstone before sprinting straight towards the source of the shriek.
(At Nah's foster family's home)
"Someone help!" A female villager cried out her back pressed against the side of her house as a warrior risen crept closer to her.
"Don't worry honey I'll save you!" A fairly muscular man shouted as he ran up to the risen with his sword drawn.
The man swung his sword into the risen's back.
"Gwah?!" The risen growled feeling the weight of steel on it's back.
The muscular man smirked thinking he had done damage. The smirk quickly faded away however when the risen quickly spun around with it's axe.
The sound of metal clashing could be heard before a sword came spinning through the air landing several feet away from the house.
"Guh?!" The man now trembled in terror as he looked up at the from his now downed position at the risen.
The woman had a look of horror on her face as she watched what was about to befall her husband.
"GRAWR!" The risen roared raising it's axe in the air preparing to kill the man.
The man and villager both tightly shut their eyes at what was about to happen.
"Hyaaaa!" They all heard a voice cry out.
The risen paused briefly and looked to it's right to see a red-pink dragon speeding towards it.
Nah rammed into the risen at full force causing the two to roll across the plains all the while attempting to claw and bite at each other.
The man after getting over his shock quickly got to his feet and ran to his wife.
"are you alright dear?" He asked as he tried helping her up.
"Yeah I'm fine" she answered as she got to her feet, "what about you?"
"Ha not a scratch on me!" He said confidently spreading his arms out.
"Oh you're so strong and attacking that risen like you did to save me" she complimented as she snuggled up to him.
"Haha don't mention it" He responded rubbing the back of his neck modestly.
Meanwhile Nah pinned the risen to the ground with her foot to it's arm.
The risen roared as it struggled to get free.
Nah looked down at the risen as she opened her mouth and fired a ball of blue flames down at the risen incinerating it instantly.
"Whew" Nah sighed as she glowed and transformed back into human form.
The young manakete looked back at the couple who were talking talking to each other and nervously asked, "are you two okay?"
The man looked at her sternly with a cold look in his eyes and scoffed. His wife then did the same.
"Oh okay" Nah said drooping depressingly.
"I'll just walk away then" She said in a depressed and disappointed tone as she walked to the back of the house.
The couple continued glaring until she was out of sight and then continued their conversation as if nothing happened.
(Nearby the house in the plains)
"So that's the manakete Nah" a cloaked figure said as they observed the events that had just transpired.
"She's the one Lucina and them are looking for in the forest" The figure then put on a sinister grin, "looks like I'll get a crack at the little dragon first"
The figure then opened their the tome in their hand as dark mist oozed out of it. The figure then placed their free hand on the pages enveloping it the dark mist.
"Haah!" The cried raising their arm up as darkness spread around them.
Dozens of risen then rose from the ground.
(With Nah)
Nah slowly walked toward a rundown shed. She put her hand on the door only for the wood to snap causing it to fall over. She sighed and continued inside. Darkness stretched all throughout the small interior as torn wood lined the walls and floor. In the back was a pile of hay that lay under a small painting.
"Haah" Nah sighed as she flopped backwards onto the pile of hay.
She laid there briefly looking at the dark ceiling. She then got to her knees and turned around to look at the painting on the wall. She grabbed the painting on both sides and carefully pulled it was a painting of her late parents on their wedding day. She closed her eyes and hugged the painting as her eyes began to tear up.
"Mother,father why?" She asked as she stopped hugging the painting and sadly gazed upon the image of her dead parents.
"Why *sniff* did you *sob* leave me?" Nah cried her tears dripping onto the painting.
"So what if *sob* I'm a dragon what has it *sniff* brought me?" Nah continued crying her body trembling with sadness.
(Inside Nah's foster home)
The husband and wife were about to walk inside when they heard a groaning sound not too far off.
"What was that?" The wife asked scared as she looked at her husband.
"I don't know" the husband said looking around and his eyes widened in terror at what he saw.
All across the horizon hordes of risen all groaned as they walked towards the house in the middle of the dark plains.
(With Nah)
Nah's sorrows were interrupted as she heard the risen outside. She carefully placed down the painting and ran outside. Nah stood in front of her shed as she found herself surrounded by several risen.
This is bad! She thought pulling out her dragonstone as the risen narrowed in on her.
"Haaah!" She cried out transforming into her dragon form.
"Ahhhh!" She turned her head as she heard her foster parents scream.
Darn I gotta end this quick if I want to save them! Nah thought as she tried to fight off the surrounding risen.
(With Lucina, Cynthia, and Owain)
"Lucy! Owain! Come quick!" Cynthia yelled out from on top of Crystal who lowered herself to the ground.
"What is it Cynthia?" Lucina asked in concern running towards Cynthia and Crystal.
"Yeah what's the matter" Owain asked doing the same.
"Risen! Dozens of them" Cynthia frantically explained as her pegasus landed.
"Oh gods what could they be up to" Lucina said stopping in front of Cynthia a look of horror washed across her face.
"I don't know but it doesn't sound good" Owain said as he caught up to them.
"What should we do Lucina?" Owain asked turning to his cousin.
"We should check it out" Lucina answered, "Which way Cynthia?"
"This way follow us!" Cynthia said gesturing them to follow her.
Crystal neighed in agreement and began running in the direction of the risen. Owain and Lucina ran after them towards the forest edge.
Will they make it time? Well that answer is gonna have to wait til next time also whoa 3,100 words that's the longest chapter I've written so far. I hoped you liked Nah this chapter as I had a decent time writing about her. Well that's all from me see ya next time in chapter 6 take care.