Arc The Lad Fan Fiction ❯ Aftermath ❯ Chapter 28 ( Chapter 28 )

Chapter 28

Once they arrived back at the village the bodies of the slain Deimos were taken away to prepared for burial.

Alisha led the way to the house that now belonged to her. She closed the door and sat down, still weeping silently over her parents deaths.

Ganz turned to Darc. "Now that we're back I'd better take a closer look at your arm." He removed the hastily applied bandages, studied it, then frowned. "That's a deep slash, but the tendons and muscles don't seemed to be damaged."

Darc scowled. "That couldn't be right. My whole arm went numb. I couldn't even hold the sword. Hell, I still have no feeling in it."

"That's odd. Wait, let me wash it out a little." Ganz carefully cleaned the wound then frowned. "There's some kind of substance in the wound that isn't familiar to me."

Darc scowled. "Great, just what I needed to hear."

Alisha looked up at that, wiping her eyes then came over. "Let me see." She took Darc's arm and examined it. "It's aslian sap."

Ganz frowned. "What's that?"

Alisha sighed. "It can be used on weapons to cause numbness and loss of muscle control. Once you clean it out of the wound it will wear off. There won't be any permanent damage."

Darc relaxed. "Nice to know."

Ganz nodded and went to work cleaning the wound.

Just then Lilia and Camellia came down the stairs.

"What's nice to know?" Lilia asked.

"That we don't have to cut Darc's arm off." Delma paused and looked thoughtful. "Though it would have been interesting."

Darc growled. "Sadistic bitch."

Delma smirked. "Bet your ass."

Tatjana shook her head. "I'll look over the guns we took from the guards and see if they're usable."

Kharg nodded. "If they are see if you can find Deimos that are willing to learn how to use them and start teaching them, please."

Tatjana nodded. "Use their weapons against them."

Kharg smiled grimly. "Their guns are their biggest advantage over us. Let's see if we can take it away from them." He felt someone watching him and glanced that way. His gaze met Darc's for just a moment before his twin looked away. Kharg thought he saw approval in Darc's eyes, perhaps even faint respect.

Ganz finished cleaning out the wound and rebandaged the arm. "That should do it, at least you don't need stitches this time."

Darc stepped away from Ganz. "Yeah, thanks."

Lilia looked around suddenly with a concerned frown. "Where's Adrienne and Stalker?"

Tears rose in Alisha's eyes. "Dead, both of them."

Lilia went to her and hugged her. "Oh Alisha, I'm so sorry."

Alisha sobbed, entire body shaking with the force of it. "Neither of them had a chance, the guards just...shot them down like beasts. Damn them! Damn them all!"

Darc glanced over at Alisha then turned on his heel and walked out of the house. The door thudded shut behind him.

Ganz frowned. "What's with him?"

Kharg had a good idea what was wrong, but he shrugged. "Could be about anything. It seems like he just gets that way sometimes."

Darc walked away from the house aimlessly. He had no idea where he was going, he just wanted to get away. Eventually he left the village out of sight in the trees then he found a clearing. A large flat rock was in the middle of it. Darc sat down on it.

Back at the house Kharg stood. "I'd better go find Darc. It isn't a good idea for him to be wandering around alone. I think that should include all of us. No one goes anywhere without someone else."

The others nodded in agreement. The rule made good sense.

Kharg left the house. Once outside Kharg took a deep breath to clear his mind and tried to open the strange link the twins were just starting to learn about. Finally he started to walk.

Darc hadn't been sitting there long when he heard rustling. He looked over his shoulder as Kharg entered the clearing. "I knew you were coming. I felt you searching for me."

Kharg sat down on the rock next to Darc. "You could have blocked me so I couldn't find you."

Darc shrugged and returned his gaze to the sky.

Kharg studied his brother. "You alright?"

Darc sighed heavily. "I'm not really sure."

Kharg reached out and laid a hand on his twin's shoulder, careful to avoid the spike. He was rather surprised and pleased when Darc didn't tense up. "Want to talk about it?"

Darc gave his brother an annoyed look then snorted. "How can I when I haven't even decided what...hell... if something's wrong?"

Kharg sighed himself. "You can't." He took his hand away and stood up. "Come on, it's not safe out here. There's probably patrols out looking for us after that mess."

Darc had to admit Kharg was probably right. He stood and they headed back.

Kharg took another deep breath. "I just wanted to help."

Darc didn't answer, but finally when they were just entering the village he did. "The attempt was appreciated."

Kharg smiled. "You're welcome."

Lilia was the only one in the living room when they walked in. She smiled at them.

Kharg looked around. "Where is everyone?"

"They were tired. Alisha went to stand vigil over her parents' bodies, evidently it's some sort of tradition." Lilia looked at Darc. "How's your arm?"

"It's fine now, except for the gash aching." Darc turned and headed for the stairs. "Sleep sounds good right now."

"Good night, Darc!" Lilia called softly.

Darc paused and glanced over his shoulder. "Good night, Lilia." He continued upstairs.

They heard the door close behind Darc.

Lilia turned to Kharg. "Is it just me or was he actually polite to me?"

Kharg laughed. "It's a dream, Lilia. Enjoy it while it lasts."

Lilia giggled then sighed. "I guess I'll go to bed too. I'm only up because I wanted to make sure you two got back safely. Night."

"Night." Kharg walked upstairs with her then they separated and went to their rooms.

Darc wax still awake when Kharg came in of course. He silently studied his twin then rolled over to put his back to Kharg

Kharg wasn't bothered by it anymore. He undressed enough so he'd be comfortable enough to sleep then laid down. "Good night, little brother."

Darc muttered something under his breath. "Don't call me that."

Kharg smiled and closed his eyes. Soon he was asleep. He didn't know how long he'd slept when something woke him. He sat up and looked towards the noise. It looked like Darc was having some sort of a nightmare. Concerned, Kharg got up and went to his brother's side.

Darc shifted restlessly. "Bitch, if you ever hit me again I swear I'll find a way to kill you!"

Kharg reached out and shook him. "Darc, wake up!"

Darc jerked awake and sat up fast then instinctively slashed out with his left hand, barely missing Kharg.

Kharg jerked back. "Easy, Darc."

Darc glared at Kharg. "What the hell are you doing?"

"You were having a nightmare, so I thought I should wake you," Kharg said.

Darc took a deep breath and slowly laid back down. "Thanks, but you know that's a good way to get your face ripped off."

Kharg grinned. "At least I would have had the comfort of knowing if you had ripped my face off would you have been sorry."

Darc scowled at him. "Are you sure about that?"

Kharg winked. "Yeah."

Darc rolled over so his back was to Kharg. "Then you're a bigger idiot then I thought."

Kharg laughed and went back to bed and was back to sleep in minutes, but Darc didn't sleep again that night.

As a result Darc was tired and in an even more foul mood than usual the next morning.

Delma and the other Deimos had seen Darc in this sort of mood before and stayed away from him.

Kharg and the others followed their silent example and did the same.

Darc didn't bother to stay around for breakfast, instead he stalked out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

Miko gave everyone a concerned look. "Is he alright?"

Delma shrugged. "Probably, he usually gets that way when he tired or someone annoys him past what he can tolerate." She frowned suddenly and looked at Lilia, eyes narrowed.

Lilia looked hurt. "I haven't even talked to him this morning. I'd have to go into the bedroom he and Kharg were in and I would never be so rude."

Delma looked at Kharg.

Kharg shook his head. "He was still lying there when I came downstairs. I thought he was still asleep, so I didn't say anything." He shrugged. “He had a nightmare last night and I had to wake him up, maybe that’s what’s bothering him.”

Volk frowned. "A nightmare?"

Kharg sighed. "Yeah, but I don't think Darc would like me saying anything more."

Camellia yawned delicately. "Probably not...he can be so....touchy at times."

Volk snorted. "He's earned the right to be many times over, especially putting up with you and Delma."

Camellia frowned. "Whatever are you talking about?"

Delma's eyes narrowed and her tail twitched. "Yeah, Volk."

Volk snorted again. "Please even you two can't be so dense." He glowered at both of them. "You both did nothing, but bitch and bicker though out the whole journey. Darc deserves credit for not killing both of you in the first day."

Delma's tail twitched more violently. "Now wait a minute....."

Volk ignored the Orcon girl. "You stabbed him in the back in Asheeda Forest and left him to bleed to death. If Lilia hadn't found him he would have died."

Lilia let out a soft gasp then covered her mouth.

Volk looked over at Lilia. "Yeah, Darc told me that you helped him."

Lilia blushed.

Camellia sniffed. "Well, I didn't try to kill him."

"No, you didn't, but you betrayed us twice, once in the temple where we met Bebedora, then again in Rueloon. It might have been a lesser betrayal, but it still was a betrayal."

Camellia looked hurt. "I was only borrowing it! I meant to return it!"

Volk scowled at her. "Then you should have asked. As it was it got taken away from you by Droguza and we had to chase after him to get it back."

Camellia looked ashamed and couldn't meet Volk's eyes.

Bebedora looked from Delma to Camellia with interest. "Hee, hee....sickly green of shame."

Volk folded his arms. "This is way off the subject, I realize that, but it needed to be said. Darc was the one who carried all the burdens, hell, he still carries more than his share. You should both remember that."

Delma's shoulders slumped and her tail stopped twitching as she made herself think about what Volk had said. "You're right. I'm gonna go look for Darc. Kharg's right about no one wandering around alone." She had just reached the door when it opened.

Alisha smiled weakly at them. “It‘s time to bury our dead. I thought maybe you would all like to be there.”

They did, so they followed Alisha to the burial site.

Once there Delma noticed Darc was already waiting. She hesitated then made a decision and walked to Darc’s side.

Evidently burials were carried out in silence as the bodies were laid to rest, ending with Stalker and Adrienne.

At the sight of her parents’ bodies Adrienne began to cry. She buried her face in Volk’s chest, shoulders shaking as she wept.

Volk looked a bit startled, but he rubbed her back in an attempt to console her.

Bebedora looked around. “Deepest, blackest, despair. I do not understand, all thing cease to function.”

Several of the Deimos close to her frowned, not liking her remarks.

Noticing the frowns, Maru hushed her. “It’s different to people, Bebedora. Please be quiet, I’ll explain later.”

Bebedora still looked confused and puzzled, but she nodded. “Alright, Maru, I will be silent and wait.”

After all was done the Deimos silently left the burial site. Alisha pulled away from Volk, wiping her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

Volk smiled. “No apology necessary, it’s understandable.”

Alisha managed a smile, it was rather weak, but it was a smile.

Darc finally turned and walked away.

After only a brief hesitation Delma followed him. She still needed to talk to him.

Whew, this wasn’t an easy chapter to write! Sorry for the long wait! Welcome to my new reviewer Ace31592.…Feed the muse and R/R please!

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