"ItuŽwa
'enŽdu tawîl mudŽda sugaiŽyar amîra mâ? 'EnŽdak enŽta
daiŽya' ak sîd, sugaiŽyar Phacia?" Yasuo said slowly,
evilly, as he turned to the Head Priestess.
This
'other' Yasuo knew Phacia? I pondered with whom I'd be safer, the
guards or where I stood. At this moment the former sounded
considerably reassuring.
Phacia's
eyes widened momentarily in surprise, her skin paled. She
whispered something, but it sounded much like gibberish to my
ears. Her brows formed an angry 'v' and then began her chant.
"By the Goddess Althena I command the darkness within to
depart!"
Yasuo
shook his head and I could see his forehead glistening with
sweat. This whole thing had taken its toll on him. I joined
Phacia's chant hoping that even in some small way I could help.
Phacia
and I knelt beside him as he fell to the ground.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How
long has he been like this?" Phacia asked as we walked the
halls of Althena's Shrine.
"For
almost two weeks as far as I know. Please tell me you know what's
happening to him." I somehow knew that only a miracle would
get us to Nanza, let alone Damon's Spire. I prayed with all that
was in me that Phacia would know the answer I pursued.
She
sighed and was quiet for a moment. "I am unsure Portia. I am
sorry. I sense your disappointment...But I have no experience
with what is happening to Yasuo. I have never seen anything of
this sort before. His actions are those of someone possessed, but
with my magic I can not detect a struggle within. Not a single
remnant of another entity."
My
hope almost died. And my faith in Althena was failing fast. How
could she let this happen? "I see."
"Do
not lose heart Portia. Yasuo appears to have a very strong will.
Whatever he is battling will not conquer him easily," She
stopped, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I think you are
right about meeting with Damon. Go to him. If anyone in this
world knows what is plaguing Yasuo it is Damon," Her hand
dropped to her side and her eyes shimmered with concern and
optimism. "Go rest now... You both need your strength for
the long, trying, journey ahead."
I
turned from her to do just that and it was not till I was falling
into a deep, tired sleep that her last words repeated and mingle
with Royce's ominous divination.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There
was someone in the room. I sensed that immediately as I came
awake. My sleep laden eyes opened to see Yasuo leaning against
the wall looking out the open window across the room from the
canopy bed I was laying in.
"This
land... so beautiful, so mystical. One would think that nothing
but peace reigned across it. But no, something else is taking
over, imprisoning it." He turned to look at me then.
"Yasuo?"
I didn't like the look in his amethyst eyes, and sat up alert.
"I've
decided that you will be staying here at the shrine - Yes,"
he interrupted before I could even utter the words from my open
mouth. "It is safe here. Last night proves beyond a shadow
of a doubt that being anywhere near me endangers your life. I
know you made a promise to me, but now that things have changed
so drastically it would only be heartless of me to expect you to
keep it. So, I will be traveling alone to Damon's Spire." He
finished and looked out the window again. He closed his eyes as a
soft breeze wafted in combing through his raven hair, and those
few blue hairs commingled with it.
"Yasuo-"
"It's
done." Yasuo cut in.
"You
make it sound like I have no say in this! I will not break a
promise Yasuo!" I said throwing off my blanket and standing
my ground beside the bed.
"You
have no say now!" Yasuo thundered back.
"Of
course I do! I-"
"I've
already talked with Phacia! For your own good you're to stay at
this shrine." He looked everywhere but me. He looked
ashamed. As he should be!
I
couldn't speak. I didn't want to. Only anger filled my heart at
that moment and I knew that I would say something that I would
inevitably regret.
"I
am sorry Portia. It is for your own good."
"Not
as sorry as I am." I walked to another window and looked
out. My golden blonde tresses danced slightly in the breeze as
Yasuo's words sunk in. "So I am now a prisoner." We
both knew that wasn't a question.
"No,
not a prisoner, Portia. Be reasonable. I'm doing this to keep you
from danger. Why can't you see that? Why are you being so
stubborn?"
When
he put it that way, what could I say? Most certainly not the fact
that I didn't want to leave his side... and that was why I was
being so stubborn. As I looked into the sky where the blue star
was hidden from the sun, I knew that I couldn't bear letting him
travel alone. But, I had to. There was no other way. I turned
back to him. "So, this is goodbye?"
He
looked so alone standing there as he looked back at me. "No.
This isn't goodbye." He replied and pulled his hood on.
Then
he was gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
YASUO
It
was early when I arrived in Nanza. Quiet save for a very loud
smack... To the face from the sound of it.
"What
is your problem Jess! It was innocent I tell you!" A tall,
tanned, warrior replied defensively to a rather short beast woman
in priestess garb.
"I
saw you coping a feel! Don't deny it you pig! This is it, this is
the end Kyle!" The girl named Jess retorted.
"We
were only holding hands for crying out loud! What's so bad about
that," Kyle pleaded his case then added "And I wasn't
coping a feel!"
Jess
rolled her eyes and stormed away.
"FINE!
BRAT!"
"EGOTISTICAL
POMPOUS JERK!" Jess turned to yell as she yanked open the
north tower door.
"LOUD
MOUTH!"
"SMALL
MINDED, BRAWNY, NARCISITIC, MENTAL MIDGET!"
"Uh...
TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE SWEET CHEEKS!" He was too late for
Jess had already entered the tower, leaving a scorned, pouting
Kyle. "Man... I need a beer."
I
stood by a Goddess statue in the heart of Nanza. It wasn't a very
big town, a lot smaller than Vane or Meribia but it would do for
now. Everything was still asleep and that's when I realized just
how tired I was. I'd fought many monsters on my trek here and as
a result I could barely keep my eyes open.
"Hey!"
At first I ignored the call for no one here knew me and I wanted
to keep it that way. "Hey are you deaf pal! Stop!"
I did
so and turned tugging on my hood to make sure that my face was
well hidden.
"What's
your business here stranger?" The small and stout man
demanded.
"Not
to cause trouble I assure you sir. I'm merely staying long enough
to rest." The less I said the better... apparently not as
far as my broad, tall stature, interrogator was concerned.
"You
looks and sounds like a suspicious character ta me. I thinks
maybe you need to fallow me."
If I
hadn't been so tired I might have challenged his order, but in my
lethargy I knew better than to cause a scene. "Very well
sir, lead the way." I acquiesced.
Perhaps if I hadn't been so drowsy I would've ve anticipated the blow to the back of my head.
