Magic Knight Rayearth Fan Fiction ❯ Call of the Heart ❯ Awaken Rayearth ( Chapter 10 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

STUDIO X PRESENTS

MAGIC KNIGHT RAYEARTH:
CALL OF THE HEART

A Story by Miyu, Vampire Princess



Episode Ten - Awaken Rayearth




"Zan? Hey Zan! Come on, stop! It's getting too dark to see anything!"

"Yeah, man. We're all tired, and hungry. We need to stop to rest."

"Puu pu puu."

Zan sighed, halting in mid-stride and cursing under his breath. He glanced
ahead of him. Dragon Mountain stood out like a sore thumb in the baron
landscape of the valley.

A little farther, he kept telling himself with grim determination. Just a
little farther!

They had started to trek across the valley in order to find Emera and had been
traveling, on foot, for over an hour. The rain had thankfully stopped, but a
light mist had rolled in to take its place. The sun had already set and the sky
grew ever darker.

Perhaps Aarn was right. It was time to stop and rest. But Zan was anxious.
Anxious to save Emera. Anxious to return to Cephiro Castle. Anxious to see his
mother and father. Never in his life had he felt so...so...childish. But he
just couldn't help it. Being away from his family had taken its toll.

He stared back at his companions. Both brother and sister looked very tired.
Aarn had acquired a nice sunburn during their trip, his skin marked where the
rain had hit him earlier. He was a tough young man, but the pain was beginning
to show on his face.

Neiven wasn't just pretending to be tired. She hadn't tanned like her brother,
but the rain had hit her, too. She looked a little thinner than normal and she
certainly hadn't complained much. That was usually a sign that she was tired.
Her droopy eyes and constant sighing confirmed it. She carried a weary Mokona
in her arms.

Zan sighed to himself, shaking his head and turning away from his friends.
"Let's find another cave." He looked back over his shoulder as he started
walking forward again. "And this time, check for dragons."

Brother and sister nodded, following behind him. Aarn spotted another cave,
this one at the base of a dune. He jogged ahead to check it out.

"This one's shallow," he told the others. "No dragons. We should be fine."

Zan peaked inside to double check. Unlike the outside sand, the cave had been
hardened to clay, and in some parts it was nearly glass. It was indeed shallow,
the wall only some several feet away. But it would be big enough for the three
of them for one night.

And it had a wonderful view of the sun setting behind Dragon Mountain.

He motioned for Neiven to step inside, then followed. Aarn settled himself
against one cave wall, sliding down the wall until he sat on the floor. He
sighed, just letting his body relax. His burning skin was grateful for the
shade and his aching muscles were grateful for a chance to rest.

Neiven stayed to the front of the cave this time, not wanting to take any more
chances in the deep shadows. She collapsed opposite her brother, leaning her
full weight on the wall. The wall was cool against her back, helping her to
relax. She sank to the floor, pulling her knees to her chest. She rested her
forehead on her knees, closing her eyes. She wanted nothing more than a good
night's rest.

Zan also stayed close to the cave's opening. He leaned against one of the
walls, staring out into the valley. He was so focused, lost in thought, that he
hadn't realized Mokona had come to sit with him.

"Pu puu?"

Zan blinked, but didn't look down at the creature snuggled at his ankles. "Do
you think she's okay, Mokona? Do you think we'll find her and return to the
castle with the third key?"

Mokona leaned against the young man's ankles, staring out at the sight of Dragon
Mountain. The large shadow faded into the backdrop of the night. The only
indication that the mountain was still there was the faint, fiery glow near the
top of the mountain. It stood out like a beacon in the darkness.

The tiny creature shivered, snuggling closer to Zan. He, too, was worried about
Emera. He could sense danger. There was plenty of it within the valley.
Averting his eyes to the ground, Mokona slumped, his ears falling to cover some
of his face.

"Pu puu pu," he said sadly.

Zan sighed. "That doesn't sound promising."

Mokona shook his head. "Puu."

"Well then, let's get some rest."

Mokona was surprised when strong hands picked him up. He looked up at Zan
curiously. They boy had certainly changed since the beginning of this journey.
He felt that Clef would be pleased.

Smiling from ear to ear, Mokona nodded, resting comfortably in the circle of
Zan's arms. As Zan took his place against the far wall of the cave, Mokona
snuggled more into the boy's embrace. Closing his eyes, he fell quickly to
sleep.


**M*K*R** **M*K*R** **M*K*R**


"Owie. *sniff* I hope someone got the license plate of that truck.
Huh...nani?"

Slowly Emera sat up. It was a difficult task at first. Her muscles ached
through to the bone. She felt as though she bumped her head against a concrete
wall several times. The thumping increased as she moved upward. She groaned,
finally in a sitting position.

"Where...am I? Neiven? Aarn?" she called out. "Zan? Where are you?"

A small candle lit the room, burning on a wall several feet away. It didn't
illuminate much. The shadows in the corners were still long, dark and
foreboding. Her eyes adjusted slowly to the darkness, taking in her new
surroundings.

She was in a cave of some kind. But it was unlike the one she and her friends
had found earlier in the day. The walls of this cave, just as the ceiling and
the floor were smooth to the touch. Like glass, her mind mused. Only she
couldn't see her reflection.

"If this is a joke, it's a very poor one," she muttered.

A light breeze blew through the cave. It was warm and rather comforting, but it
carried with it a foul stench. Emera quickly covered her nose and mouth with
both hands.

'Kami! What is that smell?!' she wondered.

As if in answer, one of the walls...blinked.

'Uh-oh,' she thought, memories of the past few days returning. They had found a
cave, yes. But it had contained a dragon. And that dragon had dragged her off
to...to...well, how was she supposed to know? She passed out before they got
there!

The wall blinked again. //So you are finally awake. That is good.//

Emera jumped backward, nearly stumbling and falling down. Thankfully she bumped
into the opposite wall, using it for leverage. Adrenaline rushed through her
system causing her to gasp for air. She stared at the wall in disbelief.

"A talking wall?" she asked aloud.

A chuckle reverberated in the back of her mind. The actual sound, however,
caused the cave to rumble. Emera closed her eyes, pushing herself as close to
the wall as possible to avoid being injured.

That's when she noticed she wasn't touching a wall. What had looked like glass
now felt like skin. It was pliable, yet stiff. Smooth, yet with a definitive
texture.

Emera pushed herself away from the wall quickly. The chuckling continued.

"What ARE you?" the girl asked.

The laughing settled, as did the shaking cave. Emera slowly began to calm down
as well, the immediate threat apparently gone. She glanced at the wall, which
blinked again.

//I am fire. I am life,// came the reply.

Okay, now she was REALLY confused. It was bad enough she hated riddles, and
this...well whatever he was...seemed to enjoy talking in them. But it was even
worse that she had to face this alone. She so wanted her friends to be there,
to help her.

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Emera replied, her voice cracking in mid
sentence. She was still very much scared, no matter how much she told herself
she would be all right.

//I am fire. I am life,// the strange voice repeated. //I am hope and I am
strife.//

The girl sighed, shaking her head. The voice wasn't making any sense! Okay,
okay, she told herself. Think this out. Fire? Well she was taken away by a
dragon. Perhaps the...voice...she was speaking with was also a dragon. Maybe
even the dragon that took her away.

'Well that solves that, I guess,' she thought, staring at the wall, which
blinked yet again. That would also explain all the blinking. It was watching
her as they talked. 'Life?' Well that was the opposite of fire, or so she
thought. But she couldn't think of a decent analogy to apply.

"I'm sorry," she said. "But I'm still at a loss. What does all this mean?"

//You will know,// the voice stated. //You will learn.//

"O-kay," Emera said, still confused.

//You are the chosen one.//

Emera blinked. Now THAT she had heard before. Not herself. Not in person.
But from both Aarn and Neiven. They had been called the 'chosen one' when they
first met the mashins.

Then...was this...?

'It couldn't be,' her mind reasoned. 'Aunt Hikaru always described it as more
of a lion. But...lions do live in warm places....' She shook her head
vigerously. 'No, this couldn't be Rayearth.'

//Why do you doubt what you know is in your heart?//

The girl looked up, surprised. "Why do I...doubt?" Had he read her mind? Did
he know she doubted who he said he was? Or was this something else entirely?

"Ugh!" she cried out, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm so confused!"

//Then let me help you.//

Again surprised, Emera cried out as the cave began to shake. This time much
worse than the last. So bad, that the ceiling began to fall. Emera curled into
a ball in the nearest corner, huddling with her arms over her head for
protection. But it did little to stop the floor from caving as well.

Emera screamed, falling into darkness.


**M*K*R** **M*K*R** **M*K*R**


Zan awoke with a start. He bolted upright from his semi-laying position against
the back wall of the cave. His eyes blinked rapidly, his chest heaving as he
gasped for air. It took only a moment to realize that what had happened was
only a dream.

Calming down, Zan sat upright, leaning back against the wall. With a soft thud,
he rested the back of his head against the wall as well. His eyes adjusted to
the growing light in the cave as he remembered what had happened.

'I heard Emera scream. Heard her clear as day. But how? She was sitting
inside a room when it exploded. She wasn't injured, just...falling. I wanted
to help, but I couldn't. I was...frozen. Almost like, I wasn't really there.'

He sighed, closing his eyes. 'Is she all right? Are we too late?'

A groan to his left jolted him from his thoughts. The boy looked down to see
Aarn slowly waking up. The blond haired boy stretched his arms over his head,
rolling onto his back and yawning loudly. One of his eyes crept open to see
what was going on.

"Is it morning already?" he asked sleepily.

Zan nodded, glancing towards the opening of the cave. Sunlight, not too far
over the horizon, poured down into the valley. Already the temperature was
getting warm, and would be warmer before mid-day.

The warm air rolled into the cave, causing Aarn to stir more. His burns from
the previous day looked nearly healed, yet they were still sensitive to the warm
air. He hissed, rolling onto his side in an effort to hide some of his
injuries.

"Doesn't take long to heat up the place, does it?" Aarn said, not really
expecting an answer.

Neiven rolled over, muttering something in her sleep. Her arms, which were
crossed over her face, uncrossed so they spread wide on either side. Her head
tossed from the left to the right, her eyes coming into contact with the morning
sun. She muttered something again, rolling so that she faced inside the cave.

"Good morning, sister," Aarn said. He reached over and poked her in the side
with a finger.

She groaned in response, one arm automatically reaching out to smack him in
return. But he was too far away and she was still too tired. Her arm fell to
the ground in mid swing.

Beside Zan, Mokona began to stir as well. Only, it didn't take him long to wake
up. Once the small creature's eyes were opened, he was full of life. He smiled
happily, bouncing up and down a few times to get someone's attention.

"Ah, good morning, Mokona-san," Zan said with a small smile. "Sleep well?"

The creature nodded, moving his whole body with the effort. Then he bounced
towards the cave opening. He sighed contentedly, watching the sun move upward
over the horizon. Only after sucking in a large breath of warm air did Mokona
lose some of his spark. He was much more somber as he bounced back inside.

Neiven finally roused as Mokona bounced past. She rolled onto her back, wiping
her eyes with the backs of her hands. Stifling a yawn, she sat up. She blinked
sleepily as her eyes adjusted to the light.

"UGH! I was hoping yesterday had been a bad dream," she muttered, shaking her
head.

"Not a chance," Aarn said, standing. He looked outside with a sigh. "I guess
we should get moving. It'll only get warmer, and there's no telling if Emera's
still alive...."

"She's still alive," Zan answered quickly. He stood also, using the wall for
support. He stretched his arms over his head and stifled a yawn.

"How do you know?" Aarn asked, surprised.

"Puu pu?" Mokona added.

Zan shrugged. "I just...do."

Mokona looked at the boy oddly, as did Aarn, but neither one said anything in
disagreement.

"What's for breakfast?" Neiven asked, breaking the silence.

Mokona sprang to life once again. He bounced up and down several times then
BOOM! A cloud of smoke appeared. When the gray mist disappeared, there was a
small buffet laid out on an equally small table. A tub of water also appeared
with a small curtain to shield it.

Neiven smiled. "What would we do without you, Mokona?"

Mokona simply blushed, his entire body turning pink.

"Let's not waste any time," Zan warned the group, stepping closer to the buffet
table. The smell was very tantalizing. Hopefully none of the other valley
inhabitants would catch on. "Aarn's right, it will get warmer. And we need to
find Emera as soon as possible."

"I thought you said she was still alive," Aarn teased, picking up a plate from
the buffet table and filling it generously.

"She is," Zan answered. "For now."

"Well, I get the bath first," Neiven said, walking towards the tub. "Zan, make
sure Aarn doesn't eat the entire buffet."

"I will if you don't hurry," Aarn replied.

"Then I'll make sure the water's nice and WARM for you," she replied haughtily.

Aarn nearly choked on a bun.

Zan just shook his head.


**M*K*R** **M*K*R** **M*K*R**


When Emera awoke, she was lying on her bed. Slowly she yawned, stretching her
arms over her head as she sat up. Her eyes blinked sleepily as she threw her
legs over the side of the bed. She wiggled her toes before settling her feet
onto the floor.

"Emera, dear. Time for bed!"

The young woman blinked, taking in her surroundings once again. She was indeed
in her room, although it wasn't quite how she remembered leaving it. There were
far too many stuffed animals on her bed...several of which she remembered
throwing away after her mother disappeared. She grabbed one of them, a stuffed,
pink bunny. She eyed it carefully before holding it to her chest lovingly.

'This is too weird,' she thought.

"Okay!" cried the voice of a little girl. Emera could hear her footsteps as she
rushed past the room and into the bathroom. Was it her imagination, or had that
been HER voice?

Emera stood from the bed and walked over to the door. She opened it carefully,
unsure of what was on the other side. But there was little to fear as she
opened it further. It was indeed her home. From the strange paisley wallpaper
in the hallway to the odd painting hanging on the wall that Fuu had loved so
much.

Speaking of which...Fuu walked up the stairway, smiling and humming. She still
held the dishtowel she had used to dry dishes. She now used it to wipe her
hands. The smile she wore was tired, and sad. It was the same smile Emera
remembered seeing as a child.

The night her mother disappeared.

"Okasan?" Emera said, amazed at what she was seeing. She stepped forward,
holding one hand out. Fuu had come close enough for her touch as she passed
into the bedroom, but she seemed to be intangible.

Or rather, Emera was.

Fuu sat down in a chair next to the bed as a young girl ran into the room. She
was the spitting image of Emera, only younger. She jumped onto the bed,
knocking down several stuffed toys. There was a loud running noise behind her
as Hikari followed her into the room. The large dog didn't pause, instead
jumping onto the bed and the little girl. The girl smiled and laughed, yelling
at the dog. Fuu smiled as well, still that same sad smile.

The little girl must've noticed it because she frowned. Hikari settled down to
one side of the girl, snuggling up to the covers. Even he seemed to take
notice. The girl stroked Hikari's gray fur, watching her mother intently.

Emera stood in the doorway, simply watching the scene play out before her. All
the signs were there, she thought to herself. She remembered little about that
night, but it all seemed to be coming back at once.

Even I knew it was going to happen. Even Hikari....

Suddenly the little girl brightened, her smile reaching from ear to ear.
"Momma, will you tell me that story again?"

Fuu blinked, obviously surprised. Or rather, like she'd just been startled from
a dream, her thoughts not her own. She stared down at the girl, a wan smile
passing her lips. "Which one, dear?"

"The one about the other world."

"But you've heard it every night this week," Fuu said. She leaned over to
stroke the girl's hair out of her eyes. She tried to force a happy smile, but
nothing came. "Wouldn't you like to hear another story? Perhaps from one of
the books in the study?"

"No, no, no. I wanna hear the one about you and Aunt Umi and Aunt Hikaru."

Emera had to hold back tears. She took another step into the room, all the
while watching her mother. Why hadn't she realized it before? Fuu had looked
so sad that day. She knew. She knew! And still she wanted Emera to be happy.

'No,' Emera's mind screamed. 'She left without telling me! She didn't love
me!'

'That's not true,' another voice answered, one she had heard before but couldn't
quite place. 'Fuu loved you very much, or she would not have left.'

'That's a lie!'

'Is it?'

"I'm afraid mommy doesn't have the time to tell a long story tonight."

The girl's eyes grew wide. "They've been keeping you busy at work, haven't they
momma?"

Fuu's smile faded slightly as she nodded in reply. "Yes, dear, they have." She
tapped the tip of Emera's nose with her fingertip. "And so have you,
sweetheart."

The little girl chuckled, wrinkling her nose at her mother. "Will you tell me
the story tomorrow then, momma?"

Fuu hesitated, the smile disappearing all together. "I don't know...."

Emera blinked. There it was. The moment of hesitation she hadn't picked up on
before. And there was another list of emotions that weren't present. Sadness.
Hurt. Regret. Anger. The young woman wasn't sure where these feelings were
coming from, or the thoughts that followed. Of Hikaru. Of Umi. Of herself.

Her eyes began to cloud with tears as she realized that these were her mother's
feelings. Her thoughts. She knew she was leaving. And she hated the very
thought of it. But there was something else there...an overwhelming sense of
commitment, of duty, and the thought of seeing Hikaru and Umi again. And Ferio.

Emera let the tears fall down her cheeks as the little girl pleaded with her
mother to tell her the story tomorrow night. Fuu grudgingly agreed, leaning
over to kiss her daughter good night as she snuggled into the sheets.

"Momma?"

"Yes, Emera?"

"Do you...want to go back there? To that other world?"

Fuu was clearly startled. "Why do you ask?"

The little girl shrugged under the covers. "I don't know. Something just
feels...wrong. I don't want you to leave."

"I would never leave you alone, sweetheart," Fuu responded almost immediately.

'But you did,' Emera thought, the tears still flowing. 'You did leave me
alone.'

'No, she didn't,' that strange voice answered again. 'You were never alone.'

Emera looked up, startled with a realization. The voice in her mind had been
right. She had never been alone. Her aunt had come to watch her. She had
Hikaru's brothers, and Hikari. Even Mokona had appeared.

She was not alone.

Her mother had kept her promise.

The little girl fidgeted as her mother hugged her and settled her back in to the
bed. Fuu stepped away from the bed watching as the little girl fell asleep. She
walked toward the door, turning again in the doorway.

Emera hurried after her before she could close the door, turning one last time
to look at the sleeping girl in the room. 'Don't worry,' she thought to the
little girl. 'Momma always keeps her promises. Always.'

Fuu closed the door, a tear falling down her cheek as she turned away from the
door. "You'll never be alone, Emera," she said, clutching her hands to her
chest, letting the tears fall freely. "I WILL make certain of that."

"Don't cry, momma," she said aloud. " I was never alone. You kept your
promise. I was never alone."

Emera stepped forward to hug her mother. It was a useless gesture since she
couldn't physically touch the woman, but it was the thought that counted. She
wanted to hold her mother, tell her that everything would be okay. That she'd
be happy and that the little girl would be all right too. But the words escaped
her as she began to cry with her mother.

A bright light caught her attention just moments later. It began to fill the
hallway taking both Fuu and Emera by surprise. The young woman flinched,
expecting it to hurt, but it was strangely warm...and inviting.

Fuu's tears continued as she stepped into the light. Her form slowly
disappeared, the sound of her sobs still lingering in the hallway. Emera
watched her leave, knowing know that she had been wrong.

Fuu had loved her. She still did. And she had never been alone.

//Do you doubt now, little one?//

Emera shook her head, still staring into the light where her mother had
disappeared. "No," she answered. "I was wrong. For so long, I was wrong."

//Then come,// the strange voice said. //You have shown me the strength of thy
heart. Collect what is yours...what has always been yours.//

The light changed color right before her eyes. It dulled from a white to a pale
pink, then to red. She stared at it, equally amazed. There was an object in
the center of the light. She couldn't quite make it out. Was it a person? A
thing?

//Come,// the voice said again. //Take what is rightfully yours.//

Emera hesitated only a moment before doing what she was told. She flinched
again as she moved. But again, the light was warm, tingly. It didn't hurt or
cause her any pain. With a bit more confidence she stepped further inward, one
hand reaching out for the object in the center of light.

Fingertips lightly brushed against the object. But she couldn't quite wrap her
hand around it. She stepped closer until finally she clasped the object in her
hand. A sudden jolt passed through her body, taking her by surprise. She felt
the electricity jump from her hand, down her legs, through her feet and back up
to her head.

The force of the jolt was so great, she blacked out, falling into nothingness
once more.


**M*K*R** **M*K*R** **M*K*R**


"Really, Lantis, I'm fine."

"But, Hikaru--"

Hikaru shook her head, her long braid waving back and forth. She smiled
lovingly, placing a finger over her husband's lips. They had this argument more
than once this morning. But she was determined to do something for herself for
a change.

"You know I appreciate the help," Hikaru said sweetly. "But I feel just fine.
And I would like to do this, just once, by myself."

Lantis sighed. Arguing with his wife was a bad idea in the first place, but he
had to try. He was worried, although he'd never actually admit it. No matter
how many times she'd deny it, Hikaru was still ill. She was even paler today
than usual, and she hadn't eaten much at breakfast. He wasn't sure if letting
her walk in the garden by herself was such a good idea.

Lantis shook his head. "The garden is so unprotected...."

"And beautiful this time of year, don't you think?" Hikaru interjected. It was
a futile attempt to change the subject on her husband. She sighed. "Please,
Lantis. Just this once. I promise not to be gone long."

The corners of Lantis' lips curved upward. It wasn't a real smile, but as close
to a smile as the man usually got. Hikaru had that loving, pleading pout on her
face. She just wanted a few moments to herself, which really wasn't much to
ask. Still, she was ill and if something should happen in the garden...Lantis
would never forgive himself.

But the loving, pleading pout won over the doubts in his heart. He sighed,
nodding to his wife. "Just for a little while," he replied. "No more, no
less."

"Arigato," Hikaru said, standing on tiptoe to kiss her husband on the cheek.
Smiling contentedly, she walked away from him and towards the garden entrance.
She knew he was watching, and would watch her while she walked, but she didn't
mind.

The garden was beautiful this time of year. The children had only been gone for
a week, yet the blooms in the garden signaled the start of the warm season.
Hikaru would stop at each tree to glance at each bloom and smell the fragrance.
With each sniff she would close her eyes, savoring it as if it were he last.

She knew her time was nearing. Umi and Fuu were already in the infirmary,
unconscious and supposedly on the brink of death. Their connection to the Rune
Gods had caused this illness, the loss of the mashins only making matters worse.
And now, with the keys being sought by the children and two of them already
found, Hikaru knew it was only a matter of time.

As she sat by the fountain, a strange pain gripped her chest. She tried to
ignore it at first, but the pain worsened. She winced, one hand clasping the
edge of the fountain while the other pressed tightly against her chest. She
tried to control her breathing, which was growing heavier. Slowly gasping in,
then blowing outward, Hikaru felt the pain getting worse.

Instinctively the woman stood up. She had to get back inside. Had to find
Lantis, or Clef. No sooner than she had the thought, Lantis was there. Strong
arms wrapped around her shoulders, reached behind her knees and picked her up.
Strong hands clasped her shoulder and her thigh. He whispered something in her
ear to keep her calm and quickly rushed her inside.

She silently thanked Lantis for not being far away, but the smile she wanted to
give him gave way to another grimace. Her eyes went wide as she felt the pain
in her chest hit a peak, then slowly subside. It felt as if something had
exploded from within, but there was no blood or mark to show for it. She
continued to gasp for air, her eyes dropping sleepily and her body going lax.

"Hikaru," Lantis called, urgency in his voice. He cursed himself for allowing
her a moment to herself. He knew she deserved as much, but it was just too
dangerous.

Moving on instinct himself, Lantis carried Hikaru inside and towards the
infirmary where the other two knights rested. The halls seemed much longer than
they should've, and much darker. Was it an omen?

Clef was waiting for them when they arrived. He instructed the warrior to place
Hikaru on the only available bed left in the room, between Fuu and Umi. Lantis
laid her down carefully, whispering again in hopes that she would open her eyes.

She did not.

"The third key has been found," Clef informed him calmly. "The children should
be home soon. I will make her as comfortable as I can. Then I must attend to
certain...matters."

Lantis turned from Hikaru to stare down at the Master Mage. He knew Clef meant
well, but the children could not possibly return soon enough. And just what was
he planning on attending to?

"I have discovered the cause of my troubles," Clef answered as if reading his
thoughts. "I will take care of it as quickly as possible."

"Is there...anything I may do to help?" Lantis asked, uncertain.

Clef nodded. "Stay here with Hikaru and the others. I fear that the worst is
not over for them."

Lantis looked over his shoulder to Hikaru. She looked like she was sleeping
peacefully now, not in any pain. A stray lock of red hair covered one eye,
giving her a childish air.

Could things really get worse?


**M*K*R** **M*K*R** **M*K*R**


"Are we there yet?"

"Keep quiet, sis. We don't know yet."

"Then why don't you go inside and find out, you big oaf."

"Both of you keep quiet."

Zan sighed, shaking his head. They had left their safe haven hours ago to begin
their search for Emera. There were a lot of caves and crevasses cut into Dragon
Mountain. It felt as if they had explored more than the twelve they actually
did. All of them were empty, or far too long to explore in one day.

They had climbed several yards up the mountain. They still had quite a bit of
ground to cover, and after some logical thought, Zan believed they'd have a
better chance of finding their missing companion if they searched the higher
ground. The mountain was steep, so it was slow going as they went.

And with the sun pushing it's way higher into the sky, the heat was taking
advantage of them as well. The sun was almost to its highest peak for the day.
Outside felt like a warm oven. It wasn't quite as warm inside the caverns, but
it was still hot.

Neiven, while exhausted and sweating more than she'd like, still managed to make
passes at the younger member of the group. She would whine about little things
and walk closely behind Zan as they moved. At one point she even clasped his
hand, claiming she didn't feel safe walking on the ledge without some kind of
anchor.

Aarn either didn't notice or didn't bother to acknowledge his sister's actions.
They were becoming habit anyway. He just wanted to find some shade...and some
food. He carried a weary Mokona, who looked so unlike his usual bouncy self.
He drooped in Aarn's one arm embrace as the boy moved behind his friends, making
an occasional noise to let everyone know he was okay.

Zan, however, remained focus on their goal. The dream he'd had kept playing
over and over in his mind. He had no idea what it meant. He just knew they had
to hurry.

To everyone's relief, they came upon another cavern. Zan stayed close to the
mountain, trying to peak inside. The noise Aarn and Neiven were making should
have...or rather, would have...already awoken any dragon sleeping inside.
Carefully he edged himself around to get a better look.

"Be careful," Neiven whispered. The worry was clear in her voice. She didn't
want a repeat performance of yesterday.

Zan nodded, his eyes focused on the darkness of the cavern. He kept close to
the wall, one hand on the hilt of his sword. He inched his way along the wall
carefully. Once he was about ten feet inside, and nearly covered in the mid-day
shadow, he turned to his friends. With a wave of his hand, he motioned for them
to follow.

Neiven tiptoed inside the cave, staying relatively close to the wall. She dark
shadow actually felt good on her burning skin. It was much cooler in the cave
than it was outside. Strange, she thought, that the temperature could vary that
much within only a few feet of each other. But her mind placed that thought
aside and she followed Zan deeper into the cavern.

Aarn trailed the group. His hand was also on the hilt of his sword, his eyes
focused on whatever might be in the darkness. He let out a sigh of relief as
the cold shadows touched his scorched arms and face. The sores from yesterday
were barely healed and beginning to reopen. Being out of the sun was the only
good thing he could say about the cave. Quickly he placed a hand over his nose
as Zan and Neiven did the same.

"Puu pu puu?" Mokona asked, wrinkling his tiny nose.

"What is that SMELL?!" Aarn exclaimed, his voice slightly muffled by his hand.

"Sulfer, I think," Zan replied. "Dragon's use it as fuel, to keep there hearts
burning."

"Ugh, why would they want to do that?" Neiven asked, disgusted. She stepped
closer to Zan to help hide the smell, but it didn't work. Even their clothes
smelled rank.

Zan turned on Neiven, eyeing her evenly. "So they can continue to live," he
answered simply.

Neiven blinked. Never before had she seen the young man this intense. It was
like looking at someone new, but it was still the same old Zan. Was he really
that worried about finding Emera?

Well of course he was, she answered herself. He was a knight of the realm, and
that meant protecting everyone near to them. And while her reasoning calmed any
argument she might have given, she couldn't shake a tinge of jealousy.

Still, there was something a little...different...about him. Maybe this trip
had matured him. Not that he wasn't already mature, she amended quickly. He
was nicely built, with muscle in all the right places. She meant it more in the
mental sense than the physical.

Hey, it could happen!

"I see something up ahead," Aarn said, nodding towards the increasing shadow of
the cave. He handed Mokona to his sister so he could be ready to draw his
weapon if necessary.

There was a light roar, then a squeal. Neiven stifled a scream, moving in
closer to Zan, pressing against his back and squashing Mokona in the process.
The creature wiggled in protest then stilled. Something was moving towards
them, and quickly.

Aarn jumped to the front beside Zan. Zan drew his sword as Aarn did. Together
they stood and waited, swords at the ready.

"Puu?"

"What is it?" Neiven whispered anxiously.

"I don't know," Aarn replied, his gaze transfixed on the shadows ahead of them.
"But it's getting closer." He nodded his head towards Zan. "How big do you
think it is?"

"Not sure," Zan said, also eyeing the darkness carefully. There were several
large bangs, another roar, then a scurrying noise.

"I see it!" Neiven screamed, pointing wildly with a finger. "Over there. Over
THERE!"

Both boys positioned themselves opposite of where Neiven had pointed. The
shadows they were facing remained unmoving. Meanwhile the scurrying noise grew
louder. All three grimaced as the noise became high-pitched scratching.

Then it stopped.

Aarn blinked, looking sideways at Zan. "What...what happened to it?"

Zan shook his head, unable to answer. The cave had once again become silent,
save for the howling of the wind from outside. Keeping his sword at the ready,
he stepped closer to the shadows. His eyes remained focused on whatever or
whoever was out there.

"Look out!" Neiven screamed, hugging Mokona tighter.

Aarn stepped back to protect his sister while Zan jumped backward several paces.
He lowered his sword as something moved from the darkness. It blinked its beady
little eyes up at the children then hurried away quickly along the cavern floor,
dragging its small tail behind it.

"It's a Guana lizard," Aarn said, almost laughing. Then he did laugh, whole-
heartedly, joined by his sister and then by Zan. Even Mokona joined in, hopping
down from Neiven's embrace and bouncing happily on the cavern floor.

Guana lizards were indigenous to the Valley, but rarely ever seen.

"Let's keep moving," Zan said, the first genuine smile in what may have been his
entire life spread across his lips. He stepped into the darkness, re-sheathing
his sword. Neiven followed with Aarn watching their backs.

They walked for what seemed like miles. The cave twisted through the mountain,
eventually taking a downturn. And for all the shadows and darkness, it kept
getting warmer. They stopped several times to catch their breaths and drink
what water was left in their sacks. Even sparingly, they were running low.

After a much needed rest, they continued. Zan carried Mokona now as Neiven rode
piggy-back on Aarn. She was a bit heavier than he remembered but kept his
thought to himself. He was too tired to argue with her and vice-versa.

"I see an opening," Zan said, pointing to a small pinpoint of light ahead.

Both boys hurried their pace in hopes of reaching the exit sooner. They were
rewarded with a deliciously cool breeze as they neared the opening, a warm red
light greeting them. Once they passed through the opening, they were met by an
even greater surprise.

"Oh my--" Neiven said as she slid from her brother's back and onto her own two
feet. Her eyes were transfixed with the surroundings. There were lush tropical
plants lining the walls and the floor. A small waterfall poured for a nearby
cliff into a pond below. Colorful flowers were everywhere, even sprouting from
the rocks themselves.

Neiven closed her eyes as another cool breeze swept past her. "This is heaven."

"That's not all it is," Zan said, his voice even. His eyes were transfixed as
well, but not on the oasis surrounding them.

Aarn blinked, utterly amazed. "By the Master Mage! What is THAT?!"

"Pu puu! Pu puu!"

Neiven turned to look at what her brothers and Mokona were staring at. In the
backdrop of the oasis was a large wall of red rock. But it didn't look like any
rock she had ever seen before. This rock looked slick, shiny, almost wet.
Perhaps it was the water that made it look that way, but something in her said
otherwise.

And as her eyes adjusted, she was able to see past the illusion of the water.
The rock wasn't rock at all, but metal. The gleaming red, yellow and orange
that filled the room with such intense color wasn't light, but a reflection.
She gasped as she realized what it was.

"A monster?" Aarn speculated.

Zan remained transfixed. If it was a monster, it was HUGE! There was no way he
and Aarn could take on the beast...if it decided to attack. They had been
standing there for several minutes and yet, the beast did not move. Was it
docile, he wondered? Or was it waiting?

"Um guys," Neiven answered as she stepped up between them. Her voice was shaky.
She was as nervous as the boys, but she didn't want to admit it. "I think I
know what that is."

Zan turned his fixed gaze to the girl. "What?"

"It's a mashin," she answered, her eyes never leaving the metallic beast. "I
think it's the final Rune God, Rayearth."




~~TO BE CONTINUED~~