Book One: Un-renounced Fate
Chapter Four: Enter Alex
He sighed brushing a strand of long turquoise hair from his eyes. The heavy snowfall hadn't let up much since they started this reluctant journey. He turned his head to see three crestfallen children struggling behind him to keep up. He dropped his pack to the side of the narrow dirt road. Everyone looked up.
"We'll rest here for tonight." he replied and Stahn smirked.
"I thought you'd never say those heavenly words." He said sarcastically getting a snort from Satari and a small smile from Nasca.
"Well maybe you'd like to walk the rest by yourself" was the mage's reply Stahn's eyes widened and he gulped, he shook his head back and forth. The black haired boy held up his hands defensively.
"Nooo thank you." Felnes smirked.
"Good, now go get us some fire wood and make sure it's dry." Stahn grumbled.
"I got the fire wood yesterday too! Why don't you send Satari, he doesn't do anything anyway." Stahn said laughing. Satari threw a snowball at his friend's head.
"Hey!"
"I do too do stuff just subtle things." He replied his hands behind his head. Stahn snorted in contempt and walked through the thick over hanging underbrush that was the forest. Felnes narrowed his eyes.
"Go." Satari let out a rather loud sigh and got up off the tree stump he was currently occupying.
"Man, I don't get paid enough for this!" Nasca shook her head as she watched him half run half walk into the forest following Stahn. She turned as she heard the turquoise haired mage cough, rather violently so much so that he had to sit down. He clutched his chest his eyes closing to the pain. The snowfall was sprinkled about his hair like silver fish in the sea. Nasca's face went hot as he looked up his eyebrow rising at her stare.
"Ah! Um…I'll get some food ready." She said hastily. She walked over to one of the packs and concentrated on the various bags and cans within it. She sighed a wisp of white smoke escaping out in front of her. It was deathly quiet, she wasn't used to it being like this, especially not with Stahn and Satari as her friends. She turned her head around to find Felnes peering up at the blackened reddish sunset sky. His eyes looked distance, as if he wasn't all there. She cleared her throat and he looked at her his eyes going back to their normal dully selves.
"So…what's it like in Garrank?" Nasca asked pulling out some bagged food and fresh vegetables they'd picked up before they high tailed it out of the city. Felnes snorted and looked into the dark green leaves, now covered white, he felt the cold sensation of water trickle down his back as the snow from his hair melted. Sure there was a road just west of this giant jungle, but he didn't want to stick out like a sore thumb thus the reason why he took forest instead. All they needed was a couple of fire breathing lizards on their backs, sarcastically speaking of course.
"It's nothing big." He said dourly looking at his wet hand. Nasca sighed brushing a loose strand of crimson red hair from her snow-coated eyelashes. She picked up a can of string beans and walked over the empty pit where they would place their fire. They had walked a little westward of the road and luckily they found a cave nestled within a giant mound of dirt, it must've been some animals home but for now it was vacant. They were in a empty patch of dirt, devoid of trees or any traces of them, the forest around them provided a good canopy although some snow still managed to get by.
Nasca turned to the boy with turquoise hair as he began another coughing fit. She got up and brushed the dirt off her pants and quickly walked over to her own knapsack. Felnes looked at her from one open eye, the other was closed due to the pain shooting through his entire chest. He tried to breath but all that he got was short shallow gasps, barely filling his deoxygenated lungs.
"Felnes…are you."
"STAHN WATCH WERE YOU'RE GOING!" A loud snap and then a cry, Nasca turned around and saw face first in the dirt a boy with deep black hair. Stahn propped himself up on his right hand, his left tapping the dirt, as snow from the tree, whose root he had tripped over, now lay on top of him, covering his head and midriff in pearl white.
"You doofus." Satari said, laughing as he stepped over his friend who glared back at him.
"You could've warned me, you know." Satari broke out laughing again as he settled the logs into the pit. Nasca bent down and looked at a disgruntled Stahn.
"You okay?" he nodded and waved his hand dismissing her.
"Yeah, yeah I'll be okay. But if I freeze you'll know who to blame!" he cried pushing himself up off the ground and into a sitting position his legs tucked underneath him. He shook his head back and forth, his black hair flying out and sparkling in what was left of the sun's light.
"Dude. Stop acting like a dog, or I'll make you eat out of a doggy bowl." Satari commented scraping two rocks together. He glared at them as a tiny insufficient spark flew from them. Stahn sighed and walked over to them.
"Stupid…rocks! How the hell am I suppose to make a fire without a match?!" the brown haired boy cried yanking his hair, Stahn snorted.
"You're so over dramatic." He teasingly slapped Satari in the back of the head. Satari turned.
"Over dramatic, huh?" he got up, and took a step towards his friend. Stahn knew what was coming.
"Oh no, don't you even!!!"
"We'll see whose over dramatic when they're piled 3 feet under snow!!" Satari cried Stahn darted out into the forest, Satari on his heels. Nasca's eyebrow twitched.
"WOULD YOU TWO QUIT IT!" She yelled stamping her foot in the dirt ground; both Stahn and Satari poked their heads out from a bush. Stahn's was on the bottom, covered in snow, while Satari's was on top completely unscathed. Satari sighed and walked out from the forest, Stahn a little ways behind him. All three of them looked at Felnes who this entire time was completely silent. They soon realized why, he was glowing a light reddish hue, his eyes closed. His hair was floating outward and upward from behind him. His red earrings glinted in the moon's first beams of clear white light. They all stared in wonder.
"Magic." Stahn whispered and his friends nodded.
"Heavenly fire, embrace us, warm us with your burning gaze. Fill those cold spirits with your fiery soul and light up the darkness within. I call forth the power…Fire!" Felnes' eyes shot open, as he stood up, they were glowing red and a red iridescent circle formed around his outstretched right hand. The circle formed into a ball of fire and collided with the dry wood, causing it to erupt into a dancing myriad of reds, and oranges. The surrounding darkness immediately receded to the outer edges of the camp. There was a long pause with the only sound being the crackling of dry wood and owls hooting around them. Felnes sighed and leaned his head back against the tree trunk, his body fell to the floor with a soundless thud, and Stahn looked at Nasca who had a worried look etched on her face. She took a tentative step forward.
"Uh…F-Felnes, are you all right?" he cracked open one green eye and looked at the worried trio before him. He cleared his throat, his lungs not taking to kindly to the effort, and he winced holding back a cough where surely they would find out what was wrong with him.
"I-I'm fine. I'll be alright." He whispered Satari looked at Stahn, who shrugged. Nasca sighed, and went to the blaring fire, pot in hand. Stahn and Satari began setting up camp; none of them spoke a word, for a long time.
A bright star darted across the huge black expanse before them.
"Hey! It's a shooting star…make a wish." Stahn exclaimed his hand pointing and following the stars movement until it disappeared from sight, Satari snorted.
"Dude, that stuff is such a crock, it never works." Satari stated Stahn glared at him his hands behind head, supporting him.
"I made a wish." Nasca stated Satari rolled his eyes while Stahn laughed. The fire had died down quite a bit, they took shifts getting firewood and keeping it alive, but it was already so late, and neither of them wanted to go and fetch anymore.
"Yo. It's your turn Stahn." Stahn sat up his face showing a hint of indignation.
"No way! I got it last time! You go you lazy bum!" the black haired boy shouted, his gray eyes flashing. Satari chuckled.
"You must be delusional, I got it last time, right Nasca?" the red head sighed.
"I swear you two are such…"
"I'll go." Stahn turned and both Satari and Nasca sat up, blinking. Felnes smirked as he got up from his position against the tree. He stretched his right arm, and cracked his back keeping his broken left arm as firmly against his chest as possible.
"Damn, man. You gave us a scare…we thought you died." Satari said, Nasca growled under her breath and slapped her brown haired friend in the back of the head.
"Ow! Hey what was that for!" he cried rubbing his head.
"You're so…uncaring!" she cried, Satari huffed scooting away from a fuming Nasca. Stahn shook his head and turned to the mage who was walking into the darkness.
"Oh! Hey, Felnes!" Stahn jumped up he ran to Felnes who stopped and turned to look at him.
"Hm?"
"Want me to help, since uh, well, your arm and all." Felnes smirked, and Stahn looked at the floor.
"Sure." Stahn's eyebrows rose at the compliance he was getting from the quiet teen. He nodded dumbly and followed Felnes into the forest.
"So…what happened back there, with the fire?" Stahn asked bending down and picking up a medium sized twig. He saw Felnes a few feet away his knees bent, and he was looking at something. Stahn, looked over.
"Hm?" he peered behind the turquoise boy's shoulder, his eyes widened.
"Holy crap! I-Is that mushroom…glowing?" Felnes let out a short, but warm laugh. Stahn was surprised, he never heard or saw the mage laugh before, actually Stahn was beginning to wonder if he could, obviously he could…or maybe it was a coincidence.
"It's called a lune mushroom, Stahn." Stahn looked back and forth between the mage and the glowing mushroom. Felnes knitted his brows together.
"Don't tell me they never taught you about them." Stahn put his index finger to his pursed lips. He shrugged.
"I think they did, I probably wasn't paying attention though, who cares about plants anyway." Felnes hung his head and sighed, he looked at the boy who was scrounging around for more wood for the fire.
"Stahn…the lune mushroom is one the rarest and most valued fungus in all of Halmala people would pay thousands just for it alone." Stahn spun around.
"Why didn't you say so? We could so trade this to some poor sap at Sarem, those fishermen don't know a thing about plants!" Stahn cried yanking the mushroom from its position in the ground. Felnes growled and snatched it out of his hand.
"You dolt, of course they'd know what it is! Besides this fungus is used to make extremely powerful medicines." Stahn yawned. Felnes narrowed his eyes.
"You really are impossible…" Stahn laughed and Felnes blinked confused.
"What's so funny?"
"You actually have a sense of humor." Stahn replied wiping a stray tear.
"And that's funny…how? And no I don't"
"It just is, and yes you do, stop denying it. You have to learn to live a little, Felnes. You only live once you know." Felnes refrained from replying and watched as Stahn began on the path back to camp.
"You coming?!" he called out, turning after no reply. Felnes was looking at the mushroom.
"Yeah. I'll be right there." He responded, his voice going soft at the end. He clutched the mushroom in his hand.
"Only live once…huh." He sighed and got up putting the mushroom into his pocket, and grabbing what little wood he could, and he returned through the darkness and back to camp.
She heard her mother sigh through her own sobs, she sniffled lying on the floor in a crumpled heap.
"NASCA! Get up this instant! This isn't anytime to be crying." She gulped as her mother grabbed her by the shoulders and stood her up straight, so she was looking into her mothers piercing blue eyes.
"B-But…he's…HE'S GONE!!!" She cried clutching her mother around the waist. Her mother wrapped her arms around her gently this time.
"Oh Nasca. I'm sure he's somewhere." She replied unable to keep the tears from streaming down her own cheeks.
"Why did he leave us!!! Why mother!!! WHY!!!" She cried into her mother's waist gripping her apron even tighter. He mother's hand moved soothingly through her daughter's hair.
"Nasca…you have to be strong. I know you miss him, but maybe, maybe he's out there somewhere." The little girl looked up, beads of clear shining tears rolling down her cheeks.
"He's alive out there. I'm sure of it."
Her eyes shot open, a green eyed turquoise haired boy looked at her disconcerted. She shot up wrapping her blanket to her shoulders.
"F-Felnes! What're you…what were you…" he sighed.
"You were having a bad dream." he extended his right hand to her cheek, she backed up a little as she felt his cold hands wipe away a single tear from under her eye. She turned away; he got up, coughing as he poked the fire with another piece of wood. She rubbed her eyes, and got out of her sleeping mat. Stahn and Satari were still asleep neither of them noticing the movement about the camp. Felnes coughed again, his breath coming out in raspy, shaky, gulps of air. He hunched forward a bit, in obvious pain.
"Geez, you're in a lot of pain aren't you?" he looked up.
"O-Only, when it snows…" he tried to smile but winced instead as another coughing fit racked his entire body. Nasca's eyebrows shot up.
"I got it!" he looked at her perplexed as she hurriedly went to her bag. She pulled out a long piece of something; Felnes couldn't tell the darkness was too thick to really distinguish anything. But as she moved closer into the fires range of light it became apparent as to what it was, a blanket. She smiled as she wrapped it around his hunched shoulders.
"There that'll help a little, sorry it's not much." She said looking at the floor.
"It's…the thought that counts." He said smiling a little as yet another two or three coughs escaped from him.
"Are you sure you don't want me to help keep watch?" he shook his head. No.
"It's alright, it's almost morning anyway, just go back to sleep." He replied as he nibbled on a piece of bread left over from dinner. She nodded and slipped back into the covers, her body feeling strangely numb.
"Night and…thank you Felnes." She replied as she yawned, Felnes smirked but she never saw, although she knew that he would do that, so she smiled anyway as she drifted off into another deep, but peaceful sleep.
"Errr…GET UP STAHN!" Nasca yelled kicking the boy in the side. Stahn shot up his arms flailing.
"What! Hey! I was sleeping!!!" he yelled back angrily glaring at the red head.
"Yeah, well we were all sleeping a few hours ago, now get up!" Nasca yelled back, Stahn stuck his tongue out and Nasca growled. He gulped and looked away; he motioned for Satari to come over.
"She's like a wild demon or something, I swear." Satari moved away and nodded.
"WHAT!!" Stahn jumped up, and looked to a pensive Felnes.
"Oh hey Felnes."
"You're not getting away that easily, Stahn!!" he winced and turned around to a very angry Nasca. Satari stepped in between. He eyed Nasca.
"Now Nasca, this trip will be even harder if Stahn is incapacitated. He's not light you know."
"Hey! Whose side you on!" Stahn cried out leering at Satari. Felnes cleared his throat.
"We should get moving." All three of them looked at the mage.
"What's up Felnes?" Stahn asked. Satari hit him on the head.
"Well, isn't it obvious…we left a clear track for the dragons you doof, we have to keep moving." Stahn nodded rubbing the back of his head.
"So get dressed!!!" Nasca yelled pelting Stahn's clothes into his face, he smirked.
"Right-o Ms. Demoness." He replied walking into the forest. Nasca clenched her fists.
"I'm warning you Stahn!!!" Satari held back a laugh, which came out as a snort. Nasca glared at him as Stahn erupted through the bushes, quite loudly pushing leaves and vines away from him.
"Stupid…plants! I hate them! Now you know the reason to why I hated herbology in school!" he exclaimed looking at Felnes, Nasca and Satari looked at one another confused sensing something had transpired without their knowing. Felnes sighed, brushing one of his long locks of his silken hair; he seemed better now, better than yesterday anyway.
"Shall we go now? I really don't want to stay too long, if possible." Stahn nodded tying one of his shoes.
"Sure. I'll catch up, you guys go on ahead." He watched as Satari steered a fuming Nasca around and to the opening where the dirt path through the forest began. He got up and brushed the dirt off his brown wrinkled pants. He sighed looking at the sun, whose light shone a little through the dense canopy above him. He picked his pack up and headed out, following his friends, and continuing on their journey.
They'd been walking for quite awhile, and they hadn't taken many breaks either. Although they had found the time and also due to much begging, courtesy of Stahn and Satari, Felnes had let them stop by a small waterfall and refilled their supply of fresh water and even clean their clothes. But after that they walked, non-stop. The forest seemed to get more denser the farther they walked, the trees which were once only a few feet taller then them, now towered over their heads casting their suppressing shadows down upon them and the forest floor. Huge plants with multi-colored petals, spewed gaseous fumes as Satari prodded one Felnes had to retrieve him lest the boy became poisoned. They were now in a part of the forest where the howling of wolves filled their ears, and the chirping of birds flying up above created a melodious, but fitting piece to the wolves' deep baritone voices. Stahn sighed brushing a black strand from his eyes, he wasn't watching where he was going and felt ice cold water seep into his shoe.
"Ah!!! Damn it all!! Stupid snow!" he yelled kicking the mound of snow, send shards of the crystal substance flying everywhere. Nasca rolled her eyes, looking back as Satari stopped waiting for Stahn.
"Sarem shouldn't be too far from here…" Felnes murmured looking around, balancing himself on a raised tree root, his right hand on its trunk.
"Are you sure you know where we are, Felnes?" the turquoise haired boy narrowed his eyes at the brown haired boy. He jumped down and landed with a grunt, and he straightened. His green eyes scanned the area. A rustling in some nearby bushes made the group spin around. Felnes had his hand up, in and odd shape, in front of him his lips moved and yet no words escaped them. His usually dulled eyes flashed a brilliant blue but they quickly reverted back to their normal dulled selves, Nasca was the only one to notice.
"What do you think it is? A wild animal perhaps?" Satari breathed fingering his tiny toy sized shuriken.
"No. They're bandits and I think…" Felnes stated pausing, his eyes narrowing as a loud thump and a cry erupted from further within the wild forest.
"You think someone is being robbed?" Satari stated sarcastically, sighing as his shuriken enlarged. Felnes dropped his blue robed arm.
"It's none of our concern, lets leave."
"P-Please! Let me go!! I-I-I don't have any money…just let me go!" a voice belonging to a young gentleman about the same age as Stahn cried out. His hair was a deep blue, it was normally tied up in a ponytail but under the current circumstances it was now loose and it fell down to his shoulders. Four stray bangs fell over both of his matching dark blue eyes.
"I'm going to help…" Stahn stated bluntly clambering through the thick forest under brush. Felnes sighed and turned away arm crossed over his chest. Nasca and Satari followed.
Alex was roughly pushed up against the trunk of the great oak tree. His back colliding with its unfeeling, hard bark, he gasped and narrowed his eyes. Bandits…so close to Sarem…but…why? The man holding him to the tree grinned, for all it was worth he was missing half his teeth and his breath smelled of rotting fish. Along with a few teeth he was missing his left eye too, and underneath the eye patch was a tan brown scar in obvious contrast to the man's dark brown, sea worn skin.
"W-What do you, what do you want with me?" Alex managed to gasp as he was thrown to the dirt and leaf covered floor. He was kicked in the ribs soon after. He tightened his hands in his coarse rope restraints, and clenched his jaw saving himself the humiliation of crying out.
"We're here to take ye out mate." A different bandit replied, fingering in his black gloved hand an ornate pointed dagger with a golden hilt and an emerald embedded in it. Alex felt the cool steel tip of a sword press against the side of his exposed neck; he gulped sweat beading on his forehead.
"Please…I didn't…I was leaving, there's no need…"
"NO NEED!" He yelped as the swords point dug into his flesh and he felt the biting winter's air against the new wound. His heart thumped in his chest and his breath came out in short fast gasps.
"Because of you…Sarem had lost so much damn profit it isn't even funny!" the bandit with the sword yelled out, kicking the boy in the side a few times, before being pulled away. He was curled up on the floor, his head pressed against the dirt and grim of the floor. He didn't deserve to be alive, he just wanted to die, he was a mistake a horrible hideous mistake.
"So, the governor asked us local fishermen, and bandits to hunt you down…kill ya' and we'd be getting a mighty fine reward for it too." He heard a different man speak. His eyes stung with tears. Why was this happening? Why now?
"So, how ye want to die ya abomination? A nice slice of ye throat, or maybe a stab in tha heart, will do ya' good." The group of six or seven bandits laughed leering at the bound blue haired boy on the floor. His once blue robes with their green lining were now dirty, and brown stained with grass and leaves. He tried pushing himself up, but a booted foot slammed down on his back, he cried out as he fell to the floor, giving up the idea instantly.
Stahn growled from his hiding spot amongst the various bushes surrounding the place where the bandits and their captive were. Satari glared at him and forced him to kneel back down.
"Stahn! Don't be stupid, you know the plan." Satari hissed.
"Those bastards! What the hell is their deal?!" he growled gray eyes flashing indignantly.
"Just cool off, we'll help him." Satari stated looking up. He saw Nasca perched in a tree a few feet above them her brown breeches and boots helped her blend in along with her dark green shirt, her oak bow in her hands. She kept both eyes open and looked at the group of men down below her. She chose the first man, the one who had pinned the boy to the tree and thrown him to the ground.
"Hit. Hit straight. NOW!" She whispered as she heard the twang of her bow, and the silent buzz of the white feathers on her arrow as they whizzed past her. It hit the man in the arm.
"What the hell!!" the six others cried out spinning around frantically. The one eyed fisherman fell to the floor howling in pain as an arrow stuck out of his shoulder. The rest of them spun around as the cracking and snapping of twigs caught their attention.
Stahn stood their taking in all their pathetic dirty grimy faces, he cracked his knuckles, and Satari whistled spinning his now large shuriken around his one arm. Nasca landed next to Stahn her eyes defiant and another arrow knocked in her bow. She raised it and felt the bow compromise with her, bending easily with her will. A bearded gruff looking man with a scimitar at his waist growled stepping forward.
"Just a bunch of stupid kids." He growled his voice matched his rough appearance. Satari scoffed.
"These kids just injured one of your men, so…who's stupid now?" the other bandits growled narrowing their eyes. Stahn and Nasca glared at Satari who had a smug look on his face.
"Satari…this isn't the time, or the place, for name calling!!!" Nasca yelled her eyes darted back as a man rushed forward a sword in hand. She saw Stahn darted forward and Satari swung his shuriken around fully two times before he let it fly off his fingertips.
"Shit! Duck!" she heard the cries of men and a thud. She looked at the man before her, and narrowed her eyes. He rushed forward hands outstretched. She was going to jump out of the way but a up lifted tree root caused her to fall her bow and arrow flying out of her hands.
"No!" she cried as she felt the man's callused hands wrap around her arms. Stahn turned around, while kicking another bandit in the stomach. His eyes widened at Nasca's plight.
"Nasca!" he ran forward.
"Stahn!! Behind you!!!" he turned around his black hair flying in the wind, his eyes widened as a gleaming silver sword sliced through his black-sleeved shirt. He hissed as he slid backwards gripping his bleeding arm. He looked around for a weapon and spotted one, the scimitar. He rushed for it.
"Oh no you don't!" he dodged another man's dagger as it flew into the trunk of a tree. He gulped diving and rolling to his feet, the scimitar in his sweaty battle fevered hands. He smirked tossing the scimitar back and forth between his hands.
"Stahn!" Satari cried using his shuriken as a shield from a sickle.
"Get the kid! I'll take care of these…" he heard Satari gasp as he was tackled to the floor, his shuriken a few feet away, a man had jumped out from the surrounding woods and punched him in the face, and a red blot was now on his right cheek.
"Damn…now I know why Stahn hates plants s much, heh." There were two men left, not counting the other two restraining his friends.
"Err, you better let them go!!" He cried running at a man with a large scythe. The farmer swung lengthwise and Stahn jumped back, his stomach almost cut open. He heard the other men groaning as they began to get up, he was now surround by not four but five men.
"Ah, crap. This was the worst rescue attempt ever." He said hanging his head. Nasca growled, kicking her feet.
"Let me go!!! You…you pirate!" the man looked at her and slammed her up against a tree.
"Nasca! Leave her alone!" Stahn cried punching a scarred faced man, as he wheeled around and kicked another.
"Hehe, you're kinda young, but hey…you deserve this for hurting me mate back there missy." He leered she felt his hand go down her back, she tried to push off the tree but he was too strong. A burst of purple light and the crackling of what seemed lighting, struck the spot in front of every single bandit. They all cried out either jumping of falling out of the way.
"M-Mage!" one of them cried, pointing from his position of the floor, the other five looked up eyes wide. Felnes stepped out from the underbrush his eyes glowing purple, and his right hand in front of his face, his thumb, index, and middle finger where curled a little and his ring and pinky finger where fully placed against his palm. His hand erupted with purple fire yet again.
"I suggest you leave…now." He stated emotionlessly, the bandits nodded releasing a black eyed Stahn, a shaken Nasca, and a red faced Satari. They scrambled out of the clearing and everything went deathly silent. Felnes's hand dropped limply to his side, he glared at his three companions.
"You really are becoming quite troublesome, Stahn Aleska." He said dourly. Stahn sighed, one eye swollen shut.
"Yeah well…look whose talking, it's none of our business let's leave him behind…to die" Stahn replied walking over to the motionless blue haired child.
"Hey. Hey! Are you alright?" he shook the boy's shoulder. The blue haired teen gasped jumping away and pushing himself as far away from Stahn as possible. Stahn held up his hands in surrender.
"Hey, hey it's okay. We aren't going to hurt you." He replied a nervous laugh coming from him.
"Are you alright, Nasca?" Felnes asked she nodded forcing her face not to go hot.
"I'm fine." She whispered. Felnes nodded, and walked back into the forest, he reappeared a few seconds later carrying a bag of medicine and medicinal herbs. He dragged Stahn away from the now unbound boy, and pushed him toward Nasca, who was patching up Satari.
"Geez, a little WARNING would be nice." Stahn yelled huffing and sitting on the floor, his brown pants had dried blood on them and his black long sleeved shirt had a huge gash in the right arm. He hissed as Nasca applied some weird clear liquid to his cut, he pulled away.
"Ow! Damn it that hurts! Why don't you torture Satari with you demonic healing techniques!" the blue haired boy looked up, Felnes turned to him his arms crossed.
"What's your name?" Felnes asked devoid of any emotion at all. The blue haired boy gulped, looking at the trio who went silent.
"I-It's…uh…Alex, Alex Farborro." He murmured looking at his hands.
"Your name is Alex?" Felnes asked coldly. Nasca looked at the mage then her two friends who were still patching up their wounds. Stahn sighed and turned to the mage.
"Listen Felnes, don't take it out on him. It's not his…" Stahn began to say.
"Fault." Felnes finished the sentence looking at the black haired boy.
"Then I suppose taking a stroll outside town borders is alright, especially at this period of time?" the turquoise haired boy stated. Alex slouched even more looking positively dreadful. Nasca looked at Felnes who was glaring at the boy.
"Felnes, why don't we ask Alex why he's really out here." The red head stated everyone turned to Alex whose eyes went wide.
"I…um…I: he stammered opening and closing his mouth unable to form words. He looked away clearly with doubt.
"Hey, it's alright we aren't going to do anything. I mean hell, Stahn over here has been exiled that's why we're here right now!" Satari stated jokingly pointing a thumb over to Stahn, who was scowling. Stahn got up and punched Satari in the arm.
"Ow! What was that for?!" Satari cried out jumping away in indignation. Felnes sighed and shook his head, his red earrings swinging. Nasca hid a smile, the boy named Alex looked at the group. Would they really care? Would it be like…be like the others, shunning me for something I can't control. Would they…hate me?
"You're cursed." Felnes stated from his shady spot in the trees over hanging leaves. Time seemed to stand still; nothing moved no animals were heard like the forest had died along with the psychic's only cover of the hideous truth. Alex hung his head and bit his lip nervously, looking up at Stahn and the others.
"Alex is this true? Is what Felnes said true?" Nasca asked gently placing a hand on his shoulder, he recoiled instinctively. His eyes were downcast and he fidgeted with his light blue scarf.
"I'm sorry. You should've just let me die." He said in a whisper his eyes had a distant look to them.
"Don't say that!" he looked up surprised. Stahn walked forward, he moved Nasca out of the way as he gripped Alex's collar.
"Listen here no one deserves to die like that! Especially by some dirt-poor bandits like them. You shouldn't hate yourself for what you are! Just live your life proudly even if you have to suffer a little! No one should be judged for being different!" Stahn said fervently letting go of the boy's collar. Felnes smirked and Satari nodded.
"Yeah! Exactly! I've got an idea! You can join up with us! We can protect you, and you can tell us our fortunes or something!" Satari said he paused thinking.
"Except…I don't really believe in that stuff really…"
"Oh shut it Satari." Stahn replied throwing a snowball at his friend's head, it collided directly with the side of his brown haired head and Satari just blinked. Alex began to laugh, tears streaming down his face. Nasca smiled and she saw out of the corner of her eye Felnes break a smile too.
It looks like things are getting better everyday, but how long will they last I wonder? She sighed shaking the thought out of her head, she looked to find Satari leaning on Alex, arms wrapped around the boy's shoulders, he was pointing to a snow coated Stahn who was grumbling. She felt a breeze and saw Felnes standing next to her looking at the three of them.
"We should make camp here for tonight, it's only a few miles from Sarem anyway, besides it's been a long day." She nodded and smiled, laughing as she ran over to the huge snowball fight that was now in full swing. Felnes sighed brushing a strand of turquoise hair out of his face. A ball of snow hit him directly in the face; he heard the shouts of laughter as he wiped the snow from his face, his blank expression making everyone pause. He smiled closing his eyes; he ran forward a magic induced snowball in his hand.
"Take cover!" Satari cried diving covering his head with his hands, the snowball barely missing his head. The laughter of children filled the snow covered woods that day, those woods whose only sound used to be the cries of pain from bandits killing and pillaging caravans. But no longer, for a light was struck in the darkness that day, a light that would soon spread to all the corners of Halmala, the light of courage, the light of friendship, the light that would fight to break the barrier of darkness that was steadily encompassing the world. A lone light, a beacon for all those lost at sea.