Fan Fiction ❯ Divine Flame ❯ The Forbidden Forest ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4: The Forbidden Forest

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Disclaimer: I do not own Renamon, Toei Animation, Fox Kids, and Saban or Bandai owns her. I use their characters in my stories for readers' enjoyment.

And no, I did not keep her name in this story; I changed it to Lunar, other than that she's about the same. (And there's no evolving.)

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Arkeson awoke with a start, leaping to his feet, and then regretting his actions almost immediately as an incredible pain washed over his head, forcing him to his knees as he groaned, clutching at his head. He cursed loudly and sat down on the ground, looking around him with one eye forced open. He was in a transparent dome and the floor was bare, save for some grass. The dome itself was not large, slightly taller than he was and about 15 feet in diameter.

"Where… am I?" Arkeson muttered, rubbing his head, scowling. He reached out a hand hesitantly and touched the wall of the dome. A jolt rushed through him, and he whipped his finger back with a gasp of pain. Now having to deal with lots of pain, Arkeson was sorely tempted to lie down once again and fall asleep, but he resisted the temptation. He peered intently through the transparent wall and noted that there were 3 other domes nearby, and Arkeson guessed that they were holding the others within. He leaned back slightly and his hand brushed over the hilt of his sword. He sighed in relief, and then looked up again. There was movement from outside the dome, but his vision was rapidly blurring, and he could not see much. All he could tell was that the people outside were tall, and they were all differently colored from head to toe, the colors glowing in his vision. There were no sounds, and Arkeson assumed that the dome blocked out all noise. His vision blanked out for a moment, the pain in his head got worse, and Arkeson fell backwards with a moan of pain. Whatever had hit him earlier on was extremely powerful. He was practically breathless now, the pain excruciating. He could taste blood in his mouth. Finally, with one last uttered oath, Arkeson lapsed back into unconsciousness.

~~~~~

Over in his dome, Ralin was not having much luck either. All he could remember was Arkeson turning around and walking into the Forbidden Forest, then vanishing suddenly. He had started forward, only to be knocked over by a strong rush of wind to his chest. Being old, he found himself unable to breathe, and he had collapsed. When he awoke, he found himself in this place, surrounded by a dome, with nothing whatsoever with him, with the exception of his weapon.

"Stupid thing to do, walking into the Forbidden Forest. I should have known better," He grumbled to himself, seated on the grass, staring around dejectedly. "Now we're all going to die!" He had tried earlier to break through the barrier with his axe, and was forced to stop as the axe was flung out of his hands as it connected with the wall. He could see movement outside the dome, but it was rippling, and Ralin could not see much except a blur of colors. He sighed and stared fixedly at the grass, wondering what he was going to do. He began to mumble to himself, stroking his beard thoughtfully, when the barrier shone with a bright light, momentarily blinding him.

~~~~~

Thgan swore loudly, a habit much frowned upon by the other knights in his order. Not that it mattered, he thought with a rueful grin, since the whole lot of them were nothing but corrupted walking tin cans anyway. At least, that's what Arkeson had jokingly said when they were still in the elven prison. Thgan sighed. He'd take the elven prison any day compared to this dismal place. He was completely surrounded with no chances of escaping, and his attempts to break through the dome failed utterly as he was thrown onto the ground as his sword bounced clear off the barrier, flying out of his hands and very nearly impaling him as it stabbed into the ground. His armor was dented in the chest, where he had received the powerful blow that sent him sailing into the realm of unconsciousness. His cloak was even more frayed than before, and signs of a beard were starting to show on his face. Thgan scratched it thoughtfully, thinking, his hands running absently over the hilt of his sword.

"The Forbidden Forest… Home of the Lunaros… Gee, I thought it was nothing more than a legend, who would have thought this would happen to me?" He muttered. He glanced up irritably, and used his sword to jab at the rippling dome. As he had expected, the sword was jolted out of his arms and it landed on the ground next to him with a particularly loud clatter that set Thgan's teeth on edge. Then, there was a bright flash of light, and Thgan instinctively flung up his arms to shield his eyes…

~~~~~

Quite possibly the only one of the four who enjoyed his stay in the barrier was Heyior. The moment he woke up, Heyior was filled with such glee that he ran about the dome, touching the edge with his finger, and often ending up being shot back into the center of the dome. That didn't stop him however. He fitted an arrow into his bow and fired it at the wall. It was reflected right off and it nearly bit into his heart as it streaked past his chest with a whistling sound, embedding itself in the grass. Everything he threw at the wall was reflected, even a bit of sweat trickling down his pointed face.

Finally, when he had tried everything conceivable (including his shoes), Heyior slumped to the ground and his head sank into his hands in sheer boredom. He had never been so bored in his entire life, not even when he was in the elven prison. At least, back there, he could taunt the guards and get some fun out of it, but here, there was nobody to taunt. Nobody at all. His sharp hearing could pick up some sounds outside the dome, sounding a lot like people talking, but in hushed whispers. Aside from that, there was nothing else.

And then, the rippling in the dome ceased, and it began to shine with a brilliant light.

~~~~~

Lunar was displeased. Her ambush back at the edge of the forest was successful, but something about it unnerved her. All this time, nobody had been able to sense her warriors and herself as they attacked, but in this particular group, a blue-haired man had sensed her, and had even very nearly managed to deflect her attack. Lunar scowled. Either she was getting rusty, or there was more to that young man than she thought. She immediately assumed it was the latter.

She did get some grim pleasure out of knowing that she had managed to knock the man unconscious, but she did it with a lot more force than usual, and she felt somewhat guilty for that.

"Landerendor Celas Lunar…" A deep voice suddenly rang out from behind her. Startled, she spun around, and was greeted by a sight she would never have expected. Lunor, the moon god, stood before her, dressed in his splendid armor, seemingly forged out of the night wind itself. He stood still, his body partially transparent, his image flickering in and out of existence. His face was grim and solemn, and Lunar felt awed and insignificant in the face of her god. She immediately fell to her knees in reverence.

"Your lordship!" She breathed. "You honor me with your presence."

"We have no time for worship, Lunar." Lunor said quietly, beckoning to her. Lunar immediately rose to her feet, staring at the god in confusion. "We are running out of time."

I don't understand… What is it you speak of, your lordship?" Lunar questioned, tilting her head slightly to one side, her habit from young. Lunar instantly realized her mistake and stood rigid, her face flushing deeply. Lunor grinned ruefully. His grin soon faded into a sigh, however.

"Haven't you seen it for yourself?" He asked, glancing at Lunar shrewdly. "Haven't you seen the red star falling to the north?"

"I have seen it, and wondered what doom it portended-" Lunar was interrupted by a spasm of coughing from the god. She started forward, concerned, but Lunor waved her back with his hand.

"Such is the price of remaining hidden in the celestial realm for too long," He said bitterly, "I have become too weak to remain in the mortal world for long. Listen closely, Lunar, child of the moon. The red star is Evaelc, the god of darkness, and it is his intention to bring about a worldwide cataclysm, and build his land upon the ashes of this world." Lunar gasped, but immediately stifled it.

"You must travel with a group of people who unlike most of the people of the world, still have the purity of their souls present. They can aid you in stopping Evaelc. But you cannot do it alone…" Lunor's legs had already vanished at this point, and he hurried on. "You will need the help of the many races if you are to go up against the vast armies of Evaelc and his followers. My blessings go with you. Hurry, Lunar. The sands of time are slipping through our hands, and we are standing still." So saying, the god vanished completely, leaving Lunar alone to ponder his strange words. She glanced distractedly out of the window in her room, and saw that the prisoners' domes were starting to glow. She nodded and left her room briskly. It was time to test this strange group of people. The blue-haired man in particular.

~~~~~

Thgan, Ralin and Heyior all glanced up from within their domes in surprise, watching in awed silence as the domes began to fade away. They stood up instinctively, their hands on their weapons. As for Arkeson, his dome remained sealed shut, as he remained unconscious, blood slowly trickling out of his mouth. The domes seemed desperate to remain for a moment longer, and then they burst in a brilliant shower of sparks that made Thgan shield his eyes with a muffled curse, while Heyior stared, stunned. As for Ralin, his helmet had slipped over his eyes once again, blocking his view completely. Then he heard a strangled gasp coming from Thgan, as well as a shrill cry from the elf, and Ralin impatiently shoved his helmet off, gripping it tightly in his hand. Then he saw what was around him, and he dropped his helmet in shock.

All around them was a race none of them could recognize. They strongly resembled humanoid foxes, with either a deep topaz blue or a blazing red as their fur color. They walked with a slender grace, but it was evident from their looks that one kick from their powerful hind legs could send even the big Thgan flying. They were the Lunaros.

"By the gods!" Thgan said in awe, his grip on his sword loosening. "This…"

"I've never seen anything like this!" Ralin gasped. Heyior was unusually silent, staring around in wide-eyed wonder. Then a voice as gentle and firm as the wind, sounded out from something beyond their line of sight.

"Begin." It said simply, and a group of Lunaros standing near the awestruck group nodded briefly. Holding out their hands, the three were suddenly bound in what looked like ropes weaved out of light itself, and they could not move. Thgan roared in fury and tried to escape, but the ropes seemed to only tighten as they struggled. In their mad struggle, none noticed that the tips of their captors' claws were starting to glow eerily until it was too late. Two raised their hands in Thgan's direction, and he was suddenly filled with a burning pain throughout his body. His lungs were on fire and his mind was burning away. He couldn't think of anything else but the dreadful pain, and he tried to keep himself from crying out. But it proved to be too overwhelming and he let out a scream of agony, startling the other two senseless.

~~~~~

Arkeson didn't want to wake up. Not soon, at any rate. It seemed such a bother, and he knew that the moment he opened his eyes, the pain would return to haunt him. No, it was better to remain asleep, at least until he was certain the pain would not return again. Then he heard, Thgan's roar of fury turning abruptly into a scream, then a gurgle of intense pain. His eyes flared open, he leapt to his feet so quickly he nearly tripped himself. He was still in the dome, although it appeared weakened, and Arkeson could see what was going on outside. A group of majestic, fox-like people were surrounding his friends, and were apparently doing something, for Thgan was slumped against Ralin, breathing heavily, his face pale. But what torment they had put him through, Arkeson could not identify, for there was not a single mark on the large man's body. Then two of the Lunaros raised their hands, and this time it was Ralin who began to cry out.

Blinded by his rage and his desire to protect his friends, Arkeson reached down within himself for the first time and summoned every single bit of energy he owned. His body began to lengthen, his teeth turning into long fangs, his hands and legs twisting into powerful claws. A long tail tore out, a pair of leathery wings emerged from his shoulders. Snarling, tossing his head about, Arkeson stretched and stood up, smashing through the dome, shattering it like glass. He stood upright, looking around in anger. There was a universal gasp of astonishment from the crowd. For Arkeson was no longer a human. He had done what he had always feared doing. He had turned himself into a dragon.

Powerful feelings of rage rushed at him, destroying all sense. All he knew was that he had to destroy. Rearing his head back, Arkeson gave a roar and lunged forward, his claws flying out at tremendous speed. The Lunaros barely escaped as Arkeson grabbed his friends and planted them firmly aside, glaring at them through bloodshot slits that were his eyes.

"What's happened to Arkeson?" Heyior questioned, afraid of the gigantic beast that was flying around, breathing flame and lightning upon the ground. Ralin and Thgan shrugged, their faces pale and haggard with pain. And then, quite suddenly, the dragon gave a great cry of pain and crashed into the ground, creating a cloud of dust all around. Without thinking, Heyior dashed forward, hoping that he could help.

Arkeson was in bitter torment. Caught up in his anger, he had forgotten the penalty of using his powers before coming of age. His body felt as though it would rip apart, every part of his body was burning, burning so intensely they were all numb. Blood poured out of various wounds; beads of sweat trickling down his face as he quickly reverted to his human form. He collapsed to his knees, writhing in agony as his arms bled heavily. He could sense Heyior near him, but the elf could not do much except stand aside, watching in horror.

"Arkeson! What's happening?" The elf cried, hopping about in frustration. The young dragon shook his head, gasping. He doubled over, coughing and choking, and he wished that death would come soon, as long as it could get rid of the pain. Then there was a figure next to him.

"Call for a cleric." The figure said softly, but her voice carried clearly over the commotion, and she laid a hand on Arkeson's shoulder. Arkeson shook it off with a snarl, and promptly fell back, and he cursed in his mind for his weakness. Then he forced open his eyes and stared. Another one of the Lunaros stood before him, but her fur, unlike all the others, was a beautiful molten gold, her long tail sweeping back and forth. Her face was elegant, and there was an air of respect and majesty around her.

"W-wh-what… d-do… you… w-want…?" Arkeson gasped, the pain worsening. It was excruciating, and he felt as though his head was going to burst open.

"The cleric will help to rid you of your pain." She said, and at that moment a Lunaro stepped up, murmuring strange words. Arkeson shook his head violently, not wanting help from those who had tried to kill his friends, but he was helpless. Arkeson's wounds closed, though not fully, the bleeding stopped. The pain was lessened somewhat, but only to the point of allowing Arkeson to stagger about on his own. He struggled to his feet, stumbled backwards into Heyior, caught himself and looked at the strange Lunaro in surprise.

"Why did you do that to my friends?" Arkeson demanded fiercely, speaking only through a tremendous force of will.

"I was simply testing you." Her voice was cold and distant, and Arkeson could tell from her eyes that she wasn't too particularly pleased with his questioning.

"Bah! You didn't have to go so far…" Arkeson doubled over again, clutching his chest, coughing. The cleric stepped forward and caught Arkeson's arm firmly, while Arkeson, with a look of fury on his pale face, tried to shake the cleric off.

"I extend our apologies to you and your friends." The golden Lunaro said sharply, and Arkeson immediately recognized the tone of impatient in her voice. He stopped struggling, looking up fully at the Lunaro.

"Who are you?" He asked bitterly.

"My name is Landerendor Celas Lunar, Princess and Leader of the Lunaros." Arkeson didn't say anything, and neither did he note the coldness in Lunar's voice, for he was in too much awe of the beautiful Lunar, having taking in her appearance fully for the first time. Then he felt himself rapidly losing consciousness, and apparently the others had all noticed it as well, for Heyior began yelling and gesturing to the other two for help, while some clerics quickly grasped him, preventing him from falling.

The last thought Arkeson had was that he was simply fainting far too many times on this adventure before everything went black again.

~~~~~

When Arkeson woke up, he was pleased to know that all the pain was finally gone. He was lying in a soft bed in a room, and judging from the rays shining in through a window, Arkeson guessed that it was early in the morning. He was right, and he knew that by looking around. Thgan was asleep in a corner, Ralin was stumping around the room, grumbling, trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes, while Heyior lay curled up in a ball at the foot of Arkeson's bed. Their weapons were stacked up neatly against the wall at the far end of the room.

"Where are we?" He asked the grumpy dwarf. The dwarf glared at him balefully.

"Still alive, eh? You've been out for the past four days now, lad," Ralin said. "It's about time you woke up!" Arkeson was shocked.

"F-four days? But how…? What…?" Arkeson was growing increasingly confused. Ralin made an impatient gesture, and Arkeson sat down on the bed.

"After you fainted back there, the… the Lunaros carried you over to this room for `recuperation', and once they healed the rest of us, they dumped us in here too. We've pretty much been prisoners for the past four days now." Ralin explained with an indifferent shrug. Arkeson hung his head in shame.

"I'm sorry, this is all my fault…" He mumbled.

"Ha! Don't worry about it. They," Ralin jabbed a finger at the Lunaros walking about outside, "Seem actually concerned about us." Arkeson looked dubious, but had to accept Ralin's words anyway. If he had truly been out for four days, a lot of things could have happened. Besides, the companions all looked pretty comfortable. If anything, they all looked as though they were resting at home. Arkeson smiled slightly. Perhaps there was more to the Lunaros after all.

A commotion outside the room jolted Arkeson out of his thoughts, caused Heyior and Thgan to wake up and made Ralin look up. The Lunaros outside the room all bowed in reverence, and then Lunar stepped inside, much to the surprise of everyone. Especially Arkeson, who immediately flushed deeply. Lunar didn't even glance at him.

"We must leave quickly." She said, her voice distant as she glared at all of them. "You were all heading north, from what I've heard. If that is so, I shall accompany you."

"Wait! Why are you doing this?" Thgan asked suspiciously.

"I don't have to answer that question." She said haughtily, and Thgan scowled.

"We have our own personal business up north, you don't have to accompany us." Ralin said spitefully, the memory of what she had put them through still fresh in his mind. "Isn't it beneath your `dignity'," Ralin said the word with a sneer, "to travel with a lowly group such as us?" Ralin waved his hand around the room. Thgan nodded his approval, while Heyior bobbed up and down from behind the big man, unable to get a clear view. Arkeson stood aside, looking at the floor, a grimace on his face. Lunar's long face went slightly pink. Then it cleared and she stood still, looking at them with a smile of triumph on her face.

"I know what business you have up north. The red star, isn't it?" Lunar could tell at once that she was right. The group was staring at her, startled, their mouths hanging open. "If that is your so called business, then it's mine as well." So saying, Lunar whipped around and walked out smoothly, her long tail sweeping. Ralin and Thgan scowled furiously, and even Heyior looked slightly unhappy.

"Looks like we can't do anything. She's one heck of a stubborn person." Thgan muttered thoughtfully. Ralin snorted.

"I'll rather face the slave mines again than travel with her!" He said savagely.

"She's a scary one." Heyior piped out. Thgan nodded.

"She's definitely not one to cross…" He said, while Ralin glared at him so vehemently that he faltered. "What?"

"You want to travel with… with her?" Ralin spluttered in rage. "Why, I'd-" Arkeson suddenly whipped and around and fixed all of them with such a stony glare that they all fell silent.

"Like it or not, it seems like she's going to have her way. After all, we're her honored guests in her home…"

"More like honored prisoners." Ralin muttered. Arkeson ignored him.

"You know very well what they are capable of," Arkeson could tell at once he was right. Ralin and Thgan's faces darkened in remembrance. "Unless you want to go through that again, we're going to have to do as Lunar says." He looked expectantly at Ralin.

"Fine!" The dwarf exploded. "Fine! We're going to do it `her way'!"

Arkeson smirked, basking in the light of his triumph.

~~~~~

Once Lunar was outside, she was greeted with a deep bow from Reya. Lunar beckoned, and the two stepped into a small room.

"Have the companions agreed?" Reya inquired curiously.

"Like it or not, they will have to agree. It is the gods' will." Lunar huffed. Reya grinned, something she would never have done in public, since it was considered rude, especially towards one of the royal family. But she had known Lunar since young, and the two were familiar with one another.

"I see. They weren't very pleased, I can guess."

"Far from pleased."

"You really should lighten up a little." Reya ventured, greatly daring.

" `Lightening up' is something I've long forgotten to do." Lunar snapped. "Ever since…" Her voice trailed off, and Reya regretted her choice of words, knowing that she had opened up one of Lunar's internal wounds. She laid a paw on the golden vulpine figure's shoulder sympathetically.

`I'm sorry." Lunar shrugged the hand off.

"It's fine. I just… don't want to think of it… Ever." So saying, she left the room swiftly and silently, leaving Reya alone. Reya heaved a sigh.

"I wonder… when she will ever get over it…?"

~~~~~

"Well, we're done here." Ralin said grumpily, tossing all of their belongings at the door unceremoniously. He buckled the axe to his side, patting it wistfully, while Thgan absent-mindedly adjusted his cloak, making sure his sword was still by his side. Heyior was counting the number of arrows left in his quiver. Arkeson stood next to the door, leaning against the wall, watching them in silence. His sword was already long strapped to his back; his rations were safely packed away in his pack. Finally, all the companions gathered around the dragon, and they waited for Lunar to come. She appeared not long later, with no belongings of her own.

"Won't you be needing food?" Heyior pointed out. Lunar glowered at him, and the elf shrank back.

"The food in the forest around here will be sufficient. I will gather some of them along the way. The path through the forest is long, and we'll be in here for at least another day." Ralin groaned.

"Well, let's go!" Thgan said gruffly, impatiently, and they all set off, Lunar earning bows along the way out, the others exchanging looks of grim amusement as the Lunaros stared at them fixedly, unmoving.

~~~~~

The companions soon learned that traveling by the forest path was far from easy. It was overgrown with roots, plants and vines, and it took a lot of hacking on Arkeson and Thgan's part to clear a way through. And all the time, Ralin had been arguing furiously, albeit softly, with Lunar, while Heyior, merry as always, skipped along, plucking delicious looking berries for eating later. Eventually, the bickering got to a point where Arkeson, out of exasperation, sent Ralin to scout about in front, separating the two. Thgan began to complain about his hunger, as did the elf, and Arkeson chided them, telling them that their food was limited, and that they would only eat once it was dark. With a groan, Thgan tightened his belt and continued to hack his way through the overgrowth. Heyior shrugged, and continued his merry skipping, moving on ahead to annoy the dwarf. Arkeson stayed a short distance behind, unusually subdued, occasionally glancing at Lunar when nobody was noticing.

The forest was deathly quiet, aside from the gentle trickling of a stream nearby, and the rustling of the leaves as they passed. No birds, no animals, nothing. The group was somewhat chilled, but they ignored it, and continued on, relatively cheerful. Arkeson himself, while not talking much, seemed to be in a much happier mood than before. Lunar, while her face was kept expressionless, she wasn't quite as distant when she spoke, although that was very rare. Not that it mattered. The silence reigned supreme in the forest, and all sounds they made seemed to be unnaturally loud, and out of place. And so, they kept as silent as they could.

By evening, they were bruised, cut, and exhausted. They had finally gotten out of the overgrowth and into a welcoming clearing near the stream. The group slumped down with a universal groan of exhaustion, save for the haughty Lunar and Arkeson. They started a small fire and began to cook one of the animals they had caught during their journey earlier. Lunar sat down on a rock and watched. Arkeson simply wandered around the clearing.

The food was all ready by the time the sun had set, and the moon shining brightly in the sky. The night sky was filled with the radiance of the stars, millions and millions of them shining eternally, forming beautiful constellations all over. The group was mystified, never having seen the sky in so much brilliance before. But Arkeson, taking one look at the sky, choked, and immediately turned his attention back to the ground. Thankfully, nobody noticed. Except the sharp Lunar, of course, and she briefly wondered why Arkeson was troubled. The companions began to eat noisily, talking glibly of their adventures before meeting up, with hearty laughs and giggles all around. Arkeson, after taking one bite, left the group.

"I'll take watch tonight." He murmured. The group shrugged, and turned back to their conversation. Soon after, the fire died out, and the group rested, falling asleep on the ground with contented smiles on their faces. After all, as Ralin had put it bluntly, there was every chance they would lose their lives on this adventure, and they might as well live life up to its fullest before then.

Ralin snored loudly at the foot of a tree, Thgan lying near him, his head propped up on his hand, while Heyior lay, curled up in a ball near Thgan. Lunar couldn't sleep, not wanting to do so anyway. She began to stroll about, looking for the leader.

~~~~~

"This journey started out well, I met Ralin, Thgan, Heyior, and now Lunar, but now, things just don't seem right anymore. What has happened to our world? Villages destroyed," Arkeson said to himself, shutting his eyes, the memory of the devastated Legna still etched firmly in his mind. "Talks of creating some new world…" Arkeson walked along the side of the crystal clear stream, talking to himself in whispers.

"But I never thought I would fall in love with Lunar!" There! He had admitted it to himself at last. He liked the Lunaro, although he wasn't very sure why. She was beautiful, but there was something else to her that made Arkeson feel love for her. He was sure that the arrogance was nothing more than a mask used by Lunar to hide her feelings. He knew, for he had seen Lunar drop the mask abruptly, her long ears drooping, while they were in the forest. But the mask quickly slid back into place, and Arkeson was left unsure as to whether he had truly seen the forlorn expression of Lunar's face. All the same, he felt a strong affection for her, and he was willing to do anything for her. He had wanted to comfort her back in the forest, but he knew that the proud princess would never want anyone to see her in her moment of weakness, and he was also fairly certain that Lunar would not accept his help, since she was not too particularly fond of the group. Only time would tell. So saying, Arkeson smiled, and continued his stroll, keeping watch on the sleeping group.

But then, his eyes strayed to the sky once again, and he was immediately filled with bitter memories of his previous homeland, the Dragon City Dogar. Created from the strongest of the dragon mages, the majestic city floating in the sky. Arkeson had grown up there ever since he was a mere child. But then his life changed when the elders decreed that he be sent to the world below to study its cultures and people. Arkeson had bitterly hated his home then, hated everyone for being so unfeeling, hated them for allowing him to be sent away.

"Especially you, father and mother. You weren't even there when Mynos sent me off. You didn't even say goodbye…" Arkeson choked, brushed his hand across his eyes and resumed his pacing. The bubbling of the stream was soothing to the ear, and Arkeson wandered closer to it. After a while, he simply stopped, leaned against a tree, and stared upwards at the night sky.

~~~~~

Lunar didn't find much interesting. After all, this was where she had lived for many years, and she was rather familiar with the surrounding area. She returned to the clearing, and sat down gingerly upon the rock, watching as the remnants of the fire glowed in the night breeze. She was just about to sink into peaceful slumber when she heard a strange sound. At first she could not tell what it was. Leaping off the rock, she slipped silently into the shadows, moving briskly towards the source of the sound with the silence born with every Lunaro.

As she approached, she could tell what the sound was. Someone was singing. Not a happy, high-tone song, but a somber and low song. She crept closer and saw Arkeson standing by himself, leaning against a tree, his eyes closed as he sang a song, filled with intense sorrow in the ancient language of the dragons. Lunar did not understand the song, and neither did she understand why Arkeson was singing such a solemn song. She simply stood there, listening.

~~~~~Dragon Song of Home~~~~~

1 Spring, the only season of the land,

Beyond the azure sky,

Resting on the celestial realm,

Warmed and carried by the sun.

The eternal light,

The endless darkness,

The never ceasing warmth,

The never stopping rain.

Long I have forgotten those things,

And how the sands of life pass,

Through the boundless sky,

Touching the thousands of lives.

Light embracing the marble,

Dark cradling the peaceful waters.

Parted in sorrow,

Away from the birth of nature,

Dogar, City of Dragons.

My home.

~~~~~

The song ended on a peaceful note, and Arkeson sighed, a wistful expression on his face. He resumed his quiet watching, leaning against the tree, and staring out at the gentle stream with a guileless smile on his face. The breeze was blowing, and Arkeson shivered for a brief moment, then he grew accustomed to it, and he sighed again, this time in contentment.

Lunar was feeling a little confused. She had not understood the song, but the mournful tune reminded her of her own past, filled with painful memories. Lunar shook her head, turned around and headed back to the clearing. For some reason, she came quite close to hating the dragon for singing the song, for it opened up her memories, filling her with pain once again. But then, it wasn't really his fault. Lunar was confused, but it soon vanished as she drifted off into sleep.

And still Arkeson stood alone by the stream, looking at the constellations now, his expression still a wistful one. His gaze rested on a particular constellation fondly, memories of his childhood coming back to him. It was a strange constellation, looking very much like a dragon's head rearing out of the sky. He remembered admiring it back when he was a still a young child. But the memories only brought an aching pain in his heart, and he averted his gaze. It was going to be a long night.

~~~~~

Lunar was the first to awaken after a long night's rest. She got up quickly, with the grace bred within her. She got to her feet, stretching luxuriously, and then she glanced around. The others were all snoring loudly. She shook her head, and wondered briefly if she had made the wrong choice in following this particular group. She went over to the stream to check on Arkeson, and saw him sleeping lightly against the tree, standing even in his slumber.

"Wake up, dragon." She said impatiently, tapping Arkeson on the shoulder. He awoke with a start, his eyes flying open.

"Wha-?" He yelped, blinking rapidly, trying to bring things into focus. He whirled around so fast that he promptly lost his balance and fell onto the grass. He looked up, shaking his head, and finally saw Lunar.

"What is it?" He asked, standing up, flushing deeply, and trying to gather the broken pieces of his dignity. Lunar glared at him irritably.

"It's morning! We should leave soon." She said, a hint of frustration in her distant voice.

"Okay, let me go get the others…" Arkeson moved back to the clearing, gave Thgan a shove, and that resulted in the heavy man falling on top of the tiny elf. The elf woke up immediately, flailing about wildly from under the knight's armor, faint shrieks coming from underneath. And through it all, Thgan remained fast asleep.

"And he calls himself a knight!" Arkeson wondered to himself, walking over and yanking Thgan off Heyior. Heyior drew in a deep breath, his face red. Then, a grimace on his little face, the elf hopped to his feet, grabbed a rock and chucked it at Thgan's head. The knight woke up with a bellow.

"Attack! We're under attack! Wake up!" He roared so fiercely that Arkeson and Heyior fell back in alarm. He got up, pulling his sword out of its scabbard. He spun around, looking for the enemy, yelling at the top of his voice, waking the dwarf up, and sending Lunar dashing back.

"What in the name of all that is holy is going on?" Ralin demanded, watching as the knight ran about in front of him, yelling about cowards refusing to show their faces, and about honor. Soon it occurred to him that there was nobody attacking, and he fell silent, his face burning, while the others snickered. He cast them a hurt look and went about looking for food to fill his belly. And all this while, Lunar had watched in silent fury, an air of indignation all around her.

"This is not a fun outing!" She said harshly. "What we're doing is dangerous, and here you are, laughing away!"

"This journey may be serious and all that, but it doesn't mean we can't have fun!" Heyior pointed out. Ralin groaned and rolled his eyes. Lunar's eyes flashed in anger, and she started to speak, but then one of her ears perked up, and she fell silent, as did Arkeson.

"What is…" Arkeson, who put up his hand in a silencing gesture, silenced Ralin. Then they all heard it. Footsteps and voices. Goblin voices. Arkeson and Ralin exchanged grim looks, each recalling their experience in the slave mines. Thgan's hand tightened reflexively around his sword as he took up a defensive position. Heyior stood behind him, his bow ready. Ralin pulled out his axe, a snarl on his face. Arkeson grimly took out his sword, and they waited in silence. Lunar had no weapons, and she coldly refused Heyior's offer of a dagger.

"My magic and claws are sufficient." She said sharply.

"Goblins! In the forest! I thought there was a spell laid on this forest to keep unwanted characters out?" Ralin demanded. Lunar seemed a little disconcerted by his question, but she recovered quickly.

"It must be work of dark mages." She said smoothly.

"Wouldn't doubt it." Arkeson said gloomily. They waited, listening carefully to the conversation between the goblins.

"I don't like this place," A voice said gruffly. "We're walking through Lunaros territory, and all just to get this damned `relic' through to them dark mages!"

"No use complaining," Another voice said bitterly. "We have to follow orders, or we'll all end up like those poor fools back at the slave mines at Radas Mountain, only a lot worse."

"Let's just get this over with, I don't like this place any better than any of you." A third voice sounded out, heavy with fear. Arkeson gave a signal, and Heyior obediently fired an arrow into the trees. There came a scream of agony, followed by a thump. The remaining goblins burst out into the clearing, growling, and their curved and wicked blades ready. There were about twenty of them in total. The goblin at the back of the group was carrying something wrapped in thick cloth. Arkeson gulped.

"There's too many of them! Fall back!" Thgan yelled hoarsely. The goblins charged forward, sneers on their faces. Heyior leapt deftly up into a tree and began firing arrows as rapidly as he could. Arkeson, Ralin and Thgan barricaded themselves behind a rock at the foot of the tree, hacking and slashing furiously. Lunar stood some distance away, calmly reciting spells.

The goblins fell quickly to their attacks, but the companions were soon exhausted. Heyior's face was pale with fatigue, his arrows running out. Arkeson, Ralin and Thgan's arms were sore, and Lunar was weak from spell casting. Eventually, the goblins broke through her defense and charged at her. Arkeson, a look of fury on his face, flung his sword straight through the chest of the lead goblin, and it pitched forward, dead, burying Arkeson's sword beneath it. But Arkeson had accomplished what he had sought to do: the goblins were turning their attention back to Arkeson and the others. While Ralin and Thgan held them at bay, Arkeson stood behind them, summoning his strength. He succeeded after what seemed like an eternity. His dragon arm appeared, and he grabbed Thgan's sword, swinging it in a large arc. It ripped through the air so quickly that the air was compressed into a fatal shockwave, killing many of the goblins. But the dragon arm vanished almost immediately after that, and Arkeson slumped forward, exhausted and drained completely of energy. Then, with Heyior's last arrow, it plunged into the final goblin's head, and it collapsed in a heap, dropping the bundle. The group heaved a sigh of relief and slumped to the ground, breathing heavily.

"Whatever that thing is, it's got to be important." Arkeson breathed. He started forward to take it, but a fireball exploded in his face, and he was flung into the tree behind with a cry. Before them stood three dark mages, accompanied by a group of knights dressed in black armor. The group struggled to their feet, despair clouding their hearts. How could they expect to defeat the enemy when they were so tired?

"Destroy those who challenge our god!" One of the dark mages yelled, and the knights attacked.

"Again with their god!" Ralin said irritably. "What's up with them?" Arkeson shrugged, grimacing. His sword was still trapped under the corpse of the goblin, and he had no weapon to fight with. Heyior's dagger wasn't going to do any good against the knights' armor. Desperate, Arkeson lunged forward, twisted his body such that he tumbled safely beneath the range of the knights' swords, and he grabbed the bundle. Rolling to the side, barely dodging a spell and receiving a slash at his ribs, Arkeson ended up near Lunar, and he scrambled to his feet hurriedly, unwrapping the bundle. He gasped, the item within was a beautiful sword, its blade carved out of crystal, intricate arcane symbols carved on the edges. The hilt had a jewel encrusted in it; the handle was made out of the finest gold, silver and metal blended together. The blade was long, thin and sharp, and it whistled as Arkeson swung it through the air. It glowed with a blue light, leaving behind a bright blue arc where the sword sliced. The dark mages gave a low cry of anger, ordering the knights forward to retrieve the sword. Arkeson slammed the blade down into one of the knights' swords, and the latter's blade was thrown out of his hands with a flash. Arkeson instinctively took the chance and slashed again, the sword cutting through the armor as though it was butter. There was a bright flash of light, and the knight fell to the ground, screaming and writhing in agony. But, even though the sword was powerful, it did not possess miraculous defensive powers, and the knights quickly surrounded Arkeson.

"Damn!" Arkeson swore. He stabbed, sliced and swung the sword, summoning every bit of strength he possessed, driving the knights back just a little, but he could not hold them at bay. In moments, he had sustained heavy wounds on his arm and chest, and his entire body was numb with pain. Staggering around blindly, he waved the sword about, yelling incoherently. A sword slashed across his back deeply, and he stumbled forward with a low cry of pain. He was briefly aware that Ralin, Thgan and Heyior were on the outer ring of the knights, trying to get to Arkeson, but they were too slow. Swearing bitterly, Arkeson shut his eyes, his hand went limp, and waited for the end.

The killing blow never landed. There was a mighty explosion from next to Arkeson, and he opened his eyes apprehensively. Lunar was standing nearby, her hand stretched out, still cackling with energy. There was a patch of blackened ground where about three knights once stood. Lunar slumped against a tree, pale with fatigue. Arkeson stole a quick glance around before dashing to the side, avoiding deadly thrusts of the enemies' swords. There were only four knights left, two were fighting the dwarf and the knight, while the other two were trying to get rid of Arkeson and Lunar. But in his haste, Arkeson forgot all about the dark mages until he heard their eerie chanting. Streaks of black flame sped down from the sky, striking the ground with incredible force. The ground rumbled, the soil cracked, the grass and trees caught fire. Arkeson stood protectively over Lunar, who had been thrown off balance by the sudden rumbling. Raising the sword, he tried to fend off all the flames that were speeding towards him. He began to spin the sword in his hand, and successfully managed to knock the flames away. But the impact of the spell was nothing like he had imagined. With each bolt of black flame that struck the sword, Arkeson felt as though a giant hand was pressing down on him. He sank into the ground, his feet firmly anchored. His body began to tremble and weaken; his arms were sore from holding the sword up. Just when the flames stopped attacking and Arkeson was sighing in relief, the knights struck again. Arkeson couldn't escape - his feet were firmly mired in the ground - and the knights lashed at him mercilessly. Blood flew as Arkeson screamed in agony, the knights slashing deeply at his body.

But, even as he was tortured by pain, Arkeson, while knowing that he could pull himself free from the soil, refused to budge, and continued to stand over the weakened princess, shielding her body with his own.

The pain was dreadful. Arkeson couldn't bear it any longer, and in a cloud of rage, pain and desperation all mingled together, Arkeson let out a fearsome roar, his eyes snapping open, the pupils shrinking rapidly. His dragon claw appeared, glowing a bright blue, and gripping the sword tightly, Arkeson plunged it deep into the ground in front of the two knights. The sword gleamed with a brilliant radiance, and the ground all around it heaved, tossed about by the strength of Arkeson's attack. The knights lost their balance and fell into the inferno raging all around the clearing, crying out as their armor melted, melting onto their flesh. They were soon completely consumed by the fire. Arkeson's legs were freed from the ground, and he collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily, his eyes shut in pain. Each breath was agony. His vision was blurring, sounds all around him was indistinct, and he couldn't make them out. He was dimly aware of the others cutting the dark mages down while they were recovering from their devastating spell.

His vision flashed black and white, and Arkeson began to feel a throbbing pain in his head, and he clutched it with a groan. The fire was slowly closing in, but Arkeson didn't care. Then someone began to pull his arm urgently, and Arkeson felt himself being dragged away. When the pain had subsided just enough to allow Arkeson to open his eyes, he saw that Lunar was the one who had saved him. Thgan was standing some distance away, his eyes lingering on the sword Arkeson held in his hands. Ralin came stumbling along, followed closely by Heyior, who was holding Arkeson's original weapon.

"Why did you save me?" Arkeson gasped, falling backwards onto the grass, looking up at Lunar in some confusion.

"Repaying the favor, nothing more. You helped me, and I did what was required of me to do." She said coldly, turning away. But Arkeson saw, for a brief moment, the mask of arrogance dropped, and he saw a face of worry and fear, fear for her people. But the mask quickly slid back on, and Arkeson sighed. He turned his attention back to his surroundings, and he looked around. The fire was had consumed the clearing, but it was slowly, but surely, weakening. Arkeson smirked. The magic cast upon the forest was still holding strong. He then caught Thgan's intense gaze.

"What?" He asked. Thgan pointed at the sword.

"That sword… it's an ancient symbol of peace, forged by the knights and the dwarves, blessed by the gods. How those slime managed to get their grubby hands on it is beyond me. It has been missing for over ten years now. The dwarves blame the knights for its disappearance, the knights blaming the dwarves. The situation has been worsening ever since." Thgan said, a certain amount of sadness in his voice. "You saw its power in battle. It is truly blessed by the gods." Arkeson held the sword in his hand, eyeing it wearily. It was beautiful, and not a single drop of blood stained it. All liquids rolled right off. Arkeson turned to Ralin, and held the sword up questioningly.

"Aye, lad. What the knight said is true. The sword was forged, many years ago, as a symbol of the alliance formed between the knights and the dwarves. It was then placed upon the altar, and the gods blessed it with holy powers, as you have seen," Ralin waved his gnarled hand, and began to stroke his long flowing beard wistfully. " The sword vanished about ten years ago, and the relationship between the two groups has been dreadful since. Nobody knew how it disappeared, and they began to blame each other."

"But now, we have the sword back, we can return it to the knights and the dwarves, right?" Heyior asked. Ralin nodded.

"But it will be hard to explain that this lot," Ralin cast a disgusted glance back at the smoldering clearing, "were the ones who stole the sword."

"Wait, you're a dwarf, and he's a knight. Why aren't you two at each other's throats?" Lunar pointed out bluntly. Ralin shrugged.

"It never really mattered to me, I guess. Seemed quite silly, to want to kill each other over a missing sword." He said dismissively. Arkeson was feeling just the slightest bit better, but he was still exhausted, and he was sorely tempted to lie on the ground and sleep. He pushed it away.

"So what do we do now?" He managed to ask, his throat dry.

"We go to the knights' main headquarters and return the sword to them." Thgan said immediately.

"And then we go bring the news to the dwarves." Ralin added. Lunar didn't look too pleased with the interruption in their journey, but, after thinking things over, she realized that she had to go on this trip. So, scowling, she quickly continued down the forest path.

"What about your people?" Heyior called, more out of curiosity than concern.

"They can take care of themselves well enough." She snapped. She continued walking for a moment, then stopped, and turned around, an irritated expression on her face.

"Are you coming?" She demanded impatiently. The group quickly scrambled forward, and Arkeson followed, steadfastly trying to ignore the stabbing pains in his body. He took the lead despite the agony, and maintained a steady walking pace. Lunar walked next to him, not speaking. The two soon outdistanced the others, who were lagging behind because of their packs and their merry conversation. When the others were safely out of earshot, Lunar suddenly grabbed hold of Arkeson.

"Why did you take all the attacks for me back there?" She hissed, her voice not very pleasant. Arkeson was startled by this sudden question.

"I-I only did what I w-wanted t-to do." Arkeson stuttered, tripping over his words. What he said was true, however. What he had done was instinctive. When he saw Lunar in danger, the first and only thought to fill his mind was that he had to protect her, no matter what the risk. Lunar didn't look very satisfied with his answer.

"Listen, dragon. I don't need your help." She said angrily before walking off, leaving Arkeson standing by himself, looking lost. The group soon caught up.

"Hey, what's the hurry? Gee, Arkeson, I've seen better-looking dead people than you! Are you alright?" Heyior asked. Arkeson's face was drained of all color, and he was visibly trembling. But he pulled away from Heyior with a vague "Yes, I'm fine." Arkeson headed to the back of the group, where Thgan and Ralin were talking.

"Tell me, what's the name of this sword?" Arkeson held the ancient sword up reverently.

"The Sword of Raenas." They chorused.

"Raenas?"

" `Rae' means `brothers' in dwarven language and `Nas' means `peace' in the knights' language." Thgan explained. Arkeson nodded. He turned his head back to facing the forest path, and he saw, up ahead, Lunar walking briskly by herself, the elf skipping along merrily, and the three of them strolling along.

"Who's going to believe our story? We hardly look like heroes." Arkeson mumbled to himself as he walked along.

~~~~~

Lunor sat on his throne among the whirling, midnight blue mist that surrounded his abode. He was dressed in his usual armor, black even against the darkness that surrounded him. Almost everything was a dark midnight blue or black, and the floor of his home shone with a brilliant radiance. He could watch the progress of the group through a special globe that floated above an ornately carved pedestal in front of his throne. Then there was a flash of pure, white light, and Hgale appeared next to him. He looked around at Lunor's home, and cast a scathing glance at the moon god.

"I see you haven't done much decorating or changing to your abode over the past few centuries." Hgale grumbled. Lunor grinned wryly.

"I'm not particularly the fussy type. I'll keep things this way for many years to come. That is, if Evaelc doesn't defeat us." Lunor's grin faded to a grimace, and his hands tightened around the side of his throne. Hgale, his face grim, floated over and glanced into the globe. He smiled slightly.

"So, they've found the Sword of Raenas." He said, a hint of pride in his ancient voice. Lunor nodded wordlessly. Then, Hgale resumed his watching, and his smile vanished.

"Lunar… not much in the way of friendliness, eh?" Hgale said, turning to Lunor with a frown. Lunor shrugged.

"She has much to learn from the group, just as they have much to learn from her. I can't change her, it's her choice. Only time can tell."

"If we have time at all." Hgale muttered darkly. "It was a good thing that the sword wasn't too heavily guarded, otherwise they would have been slaughtered." Lunor nodded.

"They were in too much of a hurry to send it to the dark clerics for study."

"A stroke of luck on our side."

"We used to be able to turn the tides with a wave of our hands, but now…" Lunor said bitterly.

"I know how you feel. But this is not the time to dwell over the past. This is now, and we have to offer what help we can. I must depart now, I have much to do." So saying, Hgale bowed deeply and vanished. Lunor made no movement, made no sound. He just sat there, staring into the globe endlessly…

~~~~~

How Arkeson managed to get through the day was beyond him. Everything was a blur, his head hurt, and all he recalled was placing one leg in front of the other endlessly. He had refused all help, and trudged along behind, while the others were far ahead, either thinking about the artifact that Arkeson held in his hands, or talking merrily to one another. Lunar remained ahead still, that proud air still keeping others away. Thgan was chatting with Heyior, while Ralin walked next to them, thinking of the sword. When night fell, they were close to the edge of the forest, and they set up camp by a waterfall. By the time Arkeson had dragged himself to the edge of the fire they built, he was almost dead with exhaustion and pain, his wounds reopened. He sat down on the ground abruptly without much of an appetite.

Thgan offered to watch for the night, and nobody argued. Soon everyone was asleep, save for Arkeson, who remained awake despite being so tired. He tossed and turned on the grass, and eventually gave up trying to sleep, and decided to wash his wounds at the waterfall. When he stepped out of the icy water, he was feeling far better, the pain in his body all gone. He walked over to the opposite bank and sat down on a rock, drying his wet clothing.

"That sword… how did those goblins get their hands on it anyway? And who's going to believe our story? I hardly believe it myself." He muttered to himself, looking around. Then he stopped, gasping, his face flushing a deep red. In the water some distance away was Lunar, washing off all the dirt. Arkeson groaned inwardly and quickly clambered off the rock, trying to get back to the others. It was a fatal mistake. Lunar, having a powerful sense of hearing, immediately heard him, and glanced over. She saw Arkeson desperately trying to swim back to Ralin and the others. She blushed a little, mostly out of anger that he had seen her. With a defiant cry, she raised her hand and threw a spell at the water where Arkeson was. It exploded, and Arkeson was flung out of the water unceremoniously, landing in the trees on the bank with a startled cry. Satisfied, Lunar quickly left the water, and used a spell to dry herself.

She then went over to the tree, where Arkeson was lying in a daze. She pulled him down furiously.

"What were you doing there?" She demanded fiercely, in a far harsher tone than she had intended. Arkeson flinched visibly. He began to stammer out an apology, and gave a jumbled explanation. Lunar, not quite comprehending, pulled him to his feet, and delivered a blow that sent Arkeson flying into the water with a faint scream. Smirking, she went to find a quiet spot to rest.

Spluttering, Arkeson jumped out of the water, gasping for air, his hair dripping wet. He then sat down on the shallow part of the pool and looked at the bank gloomily.

"It wasn't my fault." He grumbled.

~~~~~

Things weren't looking better for Arkeson the second morning. Lunar was refusing to talk to anyone at all, while the others stayed further back. Arkeson sighed dismally.

"We are probably the strangest group of people in the world." He said flatly.

They were out of the forest soon afterwards, and they found themselves in a large grass plain. Thgan pointed east, stating that that was where they were supposed to head if they wanted to go to the knight's main headquarters. The group traveled far easier now, since they were out of the stifling forest. The breeze that blew over the plains was cooling, and the group was in high spirits as they journeyed. All except for Arkeson, of course.

He was still wondering how he was going to explain the situation to the knights.

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Whew! Even longer chapter than the previous one. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! Next chapter will be filled with journeying, and a development of relationships!

Also, many thanks to Comrade Terror AKA The §upreme Øverlord of Ðarkness for his help in this story. He has offered me many indispensable tips.

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