Sorcerer Stabber Orphen Fan Fiction ❯ Velvet Flames ❯ "Zephyr? Zephyr!" ( Chapter 1 )

:: Velvet Flames ::

Sorcerous Stabber Orphen

Disclaimer: I don't own Sorcerous Stabber Orphen or any of the characters mentioned.

Rating: PG

Pairing: Krylancelo(Orphen)+Azari, Hartia+Krylancelo, Childman/Azari, eventual Krylancelo/Majic

Warnings: slight AU, more-than-likely OOC, mild language

Changes: Orphen will, for the most part, be known as Krylancelo, at least for the first few chapters

Chills ran down his spine. It was stupid and dangerous, yet he knew he was going to end up doing it anyway. He always got suckered into it somehow, but then, was it his fault he had a crush on his closest friend?

"I don't want to do this, y'know," he objected, pouting as he folded his arms over his chest. "We could get in major trouble for this."

His friend shot him a coy smile. "Then don't help me. I'll go alone."

He panicked. "I didn't say I wouldn't go! Zephyr! Wait!" She laughed as she skipped along ahead of him, running faster as her legs were longer. She was five years his senior and very smart, pretty, talented...

Then she faded from sight. Startled, he tripped over his own feet and fell flat on his face. "Zephyr? Zephyr?!" he screamed, scrambling to his feet. "Ze--"

A sickening 'thunk' echoed throughout the suddenly vast, empty black space surrounding him. He turned to see a sword gleaming in the light, impaling a pale body, dark, curly hair falling around a beautiful face... Zephyr...

"AZARI!"

Krylancelo awoke with a gasp, his heart racing like mad. He clutched at his chest as though in attempt to slow it, breathing heavily as fear-borne sweat dripped from his forehead onto the blankets.

'What... What was that? Azari-san?'

A cool breeze caressed his hot face. He looked up and threw his legs over the side of his bed, walking over to the window. Had he left it open again? Azari always scolded him for that, saying he was going to make himself sick, especially in this cold season. This time he was glad he'd forgotten, though. That dream...

'That couldn't have been Azari-san,' he thought, leaning lazily against the windowsill that overlooked the courtyard. 'What did I call her in the dream? Sphyre? Something like that... And it doesn't even remotely sound like Azari.'

Comforted by the thought, Krylancelo smiled faintly and pulled away from the window, shutting it firmly and making sure to latch it. He really should get back to bed. He had an exam in the morning, a very important exam that would determine whether or not he was ready for the next level. He didn't have much confidence in himself, but he would do it. If not for himself, then for Azari.

He'd do anything for her.

"Oh, shit!"

Golden eyes rolled up towards the ceiling and a frown played on the red-haired boy's lips as the curse echoed throughout the halls. "Y'know, you're really going to get in trouble someday," he remarked acidly as his friend came to a halt before him, gasping for breath. "Swearing like that... What happened to you?" he asked suddenly, noticing his friend's pale complexion and odd shortness of breath.

"Huh?" was all Krylancelo could gasp.

"Krylancelo... You're pale," he said quietly, reaching out and brushing his hand across the brunette's face. "And sweating. What happened last night?"

"Last night?" Krylancelo straightened up, a thoughtful expression flickering on his face before it died. His shoulders lifted and dropped in a lazy shrug, the red folds of his robes moving with him. "I dunno."

"Did you sleep all right?"

Krylancelo made a face and playfully slapped his friend's hand away. "You're being strange, Hartia. C'mon, let's go."

'I'm being strange?' Hartia thought in vague amusement. 'Krylancelo, you look like you had a nightmare or something... And a bad one at that. Why won't you tell me?'

Krylancelo took a seat on one of the stone benches outside, lazily resting his chin in his hands as he waited for class to start. Master Childman had yet to arrive and only a few other students lingered about, most of then in groups or pairs talking about numerous different things, things Krylancelo could really care less about.

"Good morning," a woman's voice said cheerfully as she knelt just beside the mahogany-eyed boy. Krylancelo grinned back at her.

"Morning, Zephyr."

Azari blinked in surprise. "What?"

Hartia shot his best friend a suspicious look. 'Zephyr?'

Krylancelo looked lost suddenly, blinking rapidly as though trying to clear his head. He gave it a small shake before he looked back at Azari. "What's wrong, Azari-san?"

"Did you just call me Zephyr?" she asked, sounding vaguely disturbed.

He shook his head. "No, I don't think so..."

'He doesn't... What?' Hartia was beyond confused now and very, very suspicious. Something had to have happened last night... But maybe even Krylancelo didn't remember it. He looked calm enough, but he still looked almost sickeningly pale.

"Azari, Krylancelo. Come up, please." Childman's deep, unbelievably neutral voice glided across the courtyard. All students present stood as Azari and Krylancelo obediently made their way to the front. It was their exam day, Krylancelo remembered.

Azari pulled him aside for a moment. "Just remember; relax and focus only on you task," she whispered, smiling encouragingly. He nodded eagerly, perhaps a bit too eagerly because she found it amusing and chuckled. He ducked his head and raised his arms at his master's signal.

"Hikari yo!"

Krylancelo felt his eye twitching. For nearly the entire class Hartia had been shooting him funny looks and they were really starting to get on his nerves.

"What?"

Hartia started at the sudden outburst but recollected himself quickly. "Why did you call Azari-sama 'Zephyr'?"

Krylancelo shot him a dark look, opening his mouth to say that he hadn't called her that...

"Zephyr? Zephyr?!"

He blinked as something faded as quickly as it had come, the words slipping through the crevices of time as he tried to get them back. He simply shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't remember calling her that."

He'd done it again, Hartia realized. He's had a strange flash of... Something. But it had obviously gotten away again, because then Krylancelo was back to normal and acted as though not a moment had passed, even if several had.

Maybe it was nothing but bad dreams, but Hartia was still worried.