Fan Fiction ❯ Stone of Souls ❯ Yakov ( Chapter 2 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Kuruta Kurapika 
Karenth and his friend Yakov agree to help the Persle, but find out that they have to go through the barren lands of Letitia, where bandits and evil creatures roam about.
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 04.13.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.1K | Visits: 213 | Status: Completed
Karenth and his friend Yakov agree to help the Persle, but find out that they have to go through the barren lands of Letitia, where bandits and evil creatures roam about.
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 04.13.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.1K | Visits: 213 | Status: Completed
`Whiteoak? Isn`t that place just a myth?' Karenth asked himself, staring at the peice of paper. He then looked at the sleeping girl, and finally put two halves together. This girl is one of the fabled Persle. Persle were beings that were neither beast nor man, but were actually half and half of both. But they were thought to be a myth, and nothing more... just like the island they were from, Whiteoak. But here he was, giving shelter to a Persle! If only he could tell someone about this...
Just as Karenth began fussing over this situation, there was loud knocking on the flimsy wooden door. He immediately froze. Who was it? Was it someone who is looking for the Persle? This could be trouble, and it's all because he decided to bring in someone with wings. Reaching for the nearest weapon there was, which was a knife, though its edge was blunt. Slowly, he made his way towards the door, getting ready to strike at whatever it was. Opening the door, he swung the knife straight at the unlucky person who was standing on the doorstep.
"Woah! Karenth! Stop!"
The familiarity of the voice made him stop right before the knife was about to penetrate the person's skin. The `dangerous' person he was about to strike was indeed, the infamous Yakov.
"Oh... It`s just you," Karenth said, letting out a sigh of relief.
"Just me? Well, aren't you the most thoughtful person out there!" Yakov replied, letting himself in. "Especially after you almost killed your best friend!"
Karenth chuckled, and then looked away.
"Sorry, I'm slightly edgy today." Karenth glanced at the room where the bird girl was sleeping in.
"Something wrong?"
".. Yakov, can I show you something? But you have to promise not to tell anyone."
Yakov sensed the urgency of this, and nodded.
"Of course. Now, what's so important?"
Karenth led him to the room where the bird girl was sleeping in. Yakov had to check twice to make sure that his eyes were not tricking him when Karenth pulled up the covers a bit to show him the wings on the girl.
"So... those tales and ballads of the Persle were not just myths...," Yakov said, his tone matching the enthusiasm on his face.
Karenth nodded. "It seems so."
"Where did you find the girl? I doubt such a creature would come out of its - I mean, her- hiding place." Yakov kept his eyes on the girl.
"The story is not complex. I simply found her underneath a tree, and bought her into Valedge. Of course, she had lost conciousness. Just as she is now." He, too, began to stare at the girl. "She wouldn't tell me her name, or where she was from, but..."
"But...?"
Karenth took out the peice of paper that the bird girl had written on, and handed it to Yakov. "Apparently.. she wants to go home."
"So, what is your desicion?"
"... I have not decided yet." Sighing, Karenth walked into the kitchen. Yakov followed.
"Well, I say that you shouldn't get involved," Yakov said as Karenth filled his bowl of chicken broth.
"I can't just let her stay here. I'm not sure about how Persle behave, but if I were in her situation... I'd go, regardless of what the answer of whoever my rescuers are. She would probably not make it far on her own..."
"This doesn't matter to you. It's her problem." Yakov sounded somewhat cold.
Karenth shook his head. "Yes, it is. I decided to help her. Besides..." He took another glance at the room the Perlse was sleeping in. "I am curious on what Whiteoak looks like."
"Curiosity killed the cat, my friend."
The analogy sent a shiver down Karenth's spine. An odd silence followed afterwards.
"... I have decided..."
Yakov took his concentration off of his bowl, now looking at his friend.
"... To help her."
Yakov frowned slightly. "Very well then."
"Will it be much to ask you to check on my livestock while I am journeying?"
A small smirk on Yakov's face surprised Karenth. What was he planning?
"That would be a problem, afterall, I am traveling with you."
Karenth blinked. He couldn't be serious... "What about your parents? Will you send them word of your leaving?"
"Bah, those old coots? They don't care, as long as it won't get them in trouble."
"But it would be an uneeded risk to take."
"Risks make life more exciting."
Karenth sighed once more. It seemed that his friend would not be moved. "Alright. We shall leave tomorrow."
~ * ~ * ~
That night, the two boys had already began to prepare for tomorrow. Yakov had left to tell his parents in Lorhall, which was just about two hours away on foot. Karenth was in the middle of preparing their rations when he heard a sudden noise. Was Yakov back? No, it was too soon.
"... Who is there?" Karenth called out, his voice showing signs of fear. No one answered. Turning around, he saw nothing. Was his mind playing tricks on him again? No, someone, or something, was in here. Just as he reached out for a nearby knife, something tapped on his shoulder. Letting out a yelp, Karenth turned around almost losing his balance. What his eyes met were the chocolate brown eyes of the Persle's. Backing up a few paces, he slowly began to calm down.
"Oh... you are up..." Karenth said, sounding breathless. The Persle nodded.
"I have decided to help you. Do you know where Whiteoak is?"
The Persle nodded again.
"Will you show me?"
Once again, there was another nod. Karenth took out a map that looked worn and musty. Handing it to the girl, he also handed her a quil already dipped in ink. The Persle girl marked a small island that was off the shore in the nothernlands. She handed Karenth the map, and he studied it. An ill feeling of dread began to crawl over him as he saw where he would have to cross to get to their destination. It was Letitia, a place no Reginaldian man ever dare set foot on.
Just as Karenth began fussing over this situation, there was loud knocking on the flimsy wooden door. He immediately froze. Who was it? Was it someone who is looking for the Persle? This could be trouble, and it's all because he decided to bring in someone with wings. Reaching for the nearest weapon there was, which was a knife, though its edge was blunt. Slowly, he made his way towards the door, getting ready to strike at whatever it was. Opening the door, he swung the knife straight at the unlucky person who was standing on the doorstep.
"Woah! Karenth! Stop!"
The familiarity of the voice made him stop right before the knife was about to penetrate the person's skin. The `dangerous' person he was about to strike was indeed, the infamous Yakov.
"Oh... It`s just you," Karenth said, letting out a sigh of relief.
"Just me? Well, aren't you the most thoughtful person out there!" Yakov replied, letting himself in. "Especially after you almost killed your best friend!"
Karenth chuckled, and then looked away.
"Sorry, I'm slightly edgy today." Karenth glanced at the room where the bird girl was sleeping in.
"Something wrong?"
".. Yakov, can I show you something? But you have to promise not to tell anyone."
Yakov sensed the urgency of this, and nodded.
"Of course. Now, what's so important?"
Karenth led him to the room where the bird girl was sleeping in. Yakov had to check twice to make sure that his eyes were not tricking him when Karenth pulled up the covers a bit to show him the wings on the girl.
"So... those tales and ballads of the Persle were not just myths...," Yakov said, his tone matching the enthusiasm on his face.
Karenth nodded. "It seems so."
"Where did you find the girl? I doubt such a creature would come out of its - I mean, her- hiding place." Yakov kept his eyes on the girl.
"The story is not complex. I simply found her underneath a tree, and bought her into Valedge. Of course, she had lost conciousness. Just as she is now." He, too, began to stare at the girl. "She wouldn't tell me her name, or where she was from, but..."
"But...?"
Karenth took out the peice of paper that the bird girl had written on, and handed it to Yakov. "Apparently.. she wants to go home."
"So, what is your desicion?"
"... I have not decided yet." Sighing, Karenth walked into the kitchen. Yakov followed.
"Well, I say that you shouldn't get involved," Yakov said as Karenth filled his bowl of chicken broth.
"I can't just let her stay here. I'm not sure about how Persle behave, but if I were in her situation... I'd go, regardless of what the answer of whoever my rescuers are. She would probably not make it far on her own..."
"This doesn't matter to you. It's her problem." Yakov sounded somewhat cold.
Karenth shook his head. "Yes, it is. I decided to help her. Besides..." He took another glance at the room the Perlse was sleeping in. "I am curious on what Whiteoak looks like."
"Curiosity killed the cat, my friend."
The analogy sent a shiver down Karenth's spine. An odd silence followed afterwards.
"... I have decided..."
Yakov took his concentration off of his bowl, now looking at his friend.
"... To help her."
Yakov frowned slightly. "Very well then."
"Will it be much to ask you to check on my livestock while I am journeying?"
A small smirk on Yakov's face surprised Karenth. What was he planning?
"That would be a problem, afterall, I am traveling with you."
Karenth blinked. He couldn't be serious... "What about your parents? Will you send them word of your leaving?"
"Bah, those old coots? They don't care, as long as it won't get them in trouble."
"But it would be an uneeded risk to take."
"Risks make life more exciting."
Karenth sighed once more. It seemed that his friend would not be moved. "Alright. We shall leave tomorrow."
~ * ~ * ~
That night, the two boys had already began to prepare for tomorrow. Yakov had left to tell his parents in Lorhall, which was just about two hours away on foot. Karenth was in the middle of preparing their rations when he heard a sudden noise. Was Yakov back? No, it was too soon.
"... Who is there?" Karenth called out, his voice showing signs of fear. No one answered. Turning around, he saw nothing. Was his mind playing tricks on him again? No, someone, or something, was in here. Just as he reached out for a nearby knife, something tapped on his shoulder. Letting out a yelp, Karenth turned around almost losing his balance. What his eyes met were the chocolate brown eyes of the Persle's. Backing up a few paces, he slowly began to calm down.
"Oh... you are up..." Karenth said, sounding breathless. The Persle nodded.
"I have decided to help you. Do you know where Whiteoak is?"
The Persle nodded again.
"Will you show me?"
Once again, there was another nod. Karenth took out a map that looked worn and musty. Handing it to the girl, he also handed her a quil already dipped in ink. The Persle girl marked a small island that was off the shore in the nothernlands. She handed Karenth the map, and he studied it. An ill feeling of dread began to crawl over him as he saw where he would have to cross to get to their destination. It was Letitia, a place no Reginaldian man ever dare set foot on.