<center>Mega-Part</center>Arc opened the unlock door cautiously, watching Luneth stand by on the other side of the street.
One day, I’m gonna get Luneth to really respect me.
Arc stepped inside the bar/inn and looked around. From what he could tell, nobody had been in there for up to three days. But he also remembered that the ghosts of Kazus couldn’t touch live objects.
“Hello?” he called. “I’m looking for someone named Cid.”
Standing completely still, Arc perked his ears up and listened for some sort of reply. Knowing he could not be attacked, Arc calmed himself.
“Aye.” The voice Arc heard was low and a tad raspy, with an accent known as Irish only in our world. This man had been through a lot, had spent a lot of time on this planet. It also sounded as if he had a big heart. It was also unlikely he was a skinny man.
“The name’s Cid.” The voice drew closer to Arc, as if it were a real man.
“I need to talk to you about something important; a woman tells me you can help me break this curse,”
“Aye, indeed. Well, not a whole lot, but some’s better than none, right?” Invisibly, Cid smiled, excited deep down, that someone would be able to rescue him.
“What do I have to do, and how can you help me?”
“Oy, right to the point. Alright then, I’ll fill ye in. I come here from a city called Canaan, flew in with me airship. Unfortunately, shortly after I arrived in this region of the continent, a giant rock blocked my exit route. Ain’t it a shame?”
“I’m sorry about that…” replied Arc in a low voice.
“No need to be, t’isn’t your fault. Now, from what I hear, the curse can be dispelled through the power of a mythril ring. With the mythril mines in Kazus, you’d think we’d be bathin’ in the dang things, wouldn’t ya? Well, it seems that the people livin’ in this fine town here had just run fresh out o’ the stuff. Normally, more would be made with the snap of a finger, but…”
“Ghosts can’t touch real-world objects, right?”
“Good to see you use yer head, lad!” Cid laughed a hearty laughed, his soul jumping for joy at sight of a worthy savior. “Aye indeed, I think you’re just the lad we needed to help us outta this mess. Anywho, even our smith, Takka has been turned into a ghost! Good thing he taught his daughter how to smith mythril…but she’s out missin’ too!”
“OK, so how do I find out how to smith mythril?”
“Right, almost to that. My airship, not too far from here. Take the bird and fly it to the castle in the northwest. Takka made the king of Sasune a mighty powerful mythril ring a while back. Use his to reverse the curse.”
“Thank you sir. I’ll get the mythril ring in no time!”
Ready to have his own adventure, Arc walked towards the door, hopes high, self-esteem better than ever.
“Son, wait. I never did catch your name. What is it?”
Luneth, perhaps?
“Arc, sir.”
“Oy,” he said agreeingly.
Just as good, maybe better! Cid thought.
“Arc, son.”
“Yes, Cid?” Arc was right at the door, holding it open, ready to walk out.
“I’m countin’ on ye. Don’t let me down.”
Arc nodded and smiled, determined to show the world exactly what he was made of.
Cid…the only person to ever have believed in me!
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“Arc! Where are you going?”
Luneth quickly ran to catch up with Arc, who had not come back to get him on his way out of town.
“I thought we were in this together.”
Arc stopped, thinking of the great tag-team they’d always made in the past; Luneth the hero and Arc the sidekick, where Arc would only get a chance to show his stuff when nobody cared.
“Maybe…but we’re moving at my pace.” Arc began walking again, quite a fast pace.
“Wha…?” Confused, Luneth just followed his friend, not knowing what at all was going to happen.
As they came upon the airship, Arc stepped inside without question or pause. Luneth, however, still did not know of the game plan.
“Arc, what’s this for?”
“For saving the people of Kazus.”
Arc ran up the stairs to the inside of the airship, only to see a redheaded girl, pretending to steer the wheel.
“What do you think you’re doing on Cid’s ship?!” Angry and suspicious, Arc ran over to the girl and pulled out his knife.
“Holy ****!” The girl stepped back into the steering wheel, having absolutely no idea as to what was going on.
“Who are you?” she asked, afraid for her life, but not nearly shameless enough to show it. “And I’ll have you know that my father and I forged the parts for this ship back and Kazus!”
Arc brought his knife down one inch. “Are you the daughter of Takka?”
“Yes…what’s it to you, and why are you intruding on this ship?” She jumped at Arc and grabbed the handle of his knife. “I can flip this over and stab you fast enough that you wouldn’t even get a chance to have a final blink.”
Arc instantly dropped the knife and backed up against the wall. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Arc pleaded for his life, unaware at what he had gotten himself into.
“Hey, that kid is mine!” Luneth jumped down the stairs to Arc’s defense, not at all ready to let him leave his side for even a second. Luneth was Arc’s protector, he needed to be there for him, and that’s exactly what he was going to do.
Luneth! Arc screamed at Luneth in his head. Why does he always have to be a hero?! I can handle this on my own!
“Luneth, I’ve got this covered!” Luneth and Refia both stared at him blankly for a second, and then burst into laughter.
“Honestly,” she said between her chuckles. “That’s got to be THE most BLATANT lie I’ve ever heard. I might cry I’m laughing so hard!”
Luneth planted his hand on Arc’s shoulder. “Arc,” Luneth burst back into his laughing fit before he could start his sentence. Dying down again, he tried to speak once more. “Arc…don’t worry, I’ll protect you from this. No need to worry yourself.” The two kept on laughing at Arc, caring nothing for his feelings at all, just being cruel to him, butchering his self-esteem.
Arc’s face was now flaring red; half from anger and half from embarrassment, he was at a total loss of what to do now.
Arc got up from the wall as the two continued their laughing fit, and grabbed Luneth’s longsword straight out of his pocket. Wielding it in a threatening manner, Arc had to improvise best he could.
“First, you girl.” Arc pointed at her with the sword, both her and Luneth no longer laughing and hands in the air. “Who are you?”
“My name is Refia,” she said cautiously. “I’m the daughter of Takka of Kazus.”
Arc nodded. “Drop the knife.” Refia did as told, but still showing no sign of fear.
“Hey, buddy,” whispered Luneth to Arc. “What’s goin’ on? What are you doing?”
Arc swiftly pointed his longsword toward Luneth, causing him to back up and put his hands back up in the air.
“Let ME handle this,” he said angrily and quietly.
“Hyah!” Out of nowhere with the knife back in her hand, Refia kicked Arc to the ground, dropping his longsword.
“Now,” Refia was not happy in the least, having been threatened in her own ship. “I want to know EXACTLY what’s going on, RIGHT NOW.”
Arc tried to get up and stand on the wall along with Luneth, but was pushed back down to the ground.
“You can answer me from there.” Refia said sternly. “Now tell me, what the hell are you doing here?!”
“We’re trying to help the people of Kazus.” Luneth was now calm, trying to make Refia act the same. Much more of this madness could result in the death of him and Arc.
“Right then.” Refia waved the knife around a little bit, reminding them of the threat that she was. “Who told you about this place?”
“A man named Cid,” replied Arc. “He only wanted to help you and your father. He said that your dad made the king a mythril ring, which could be used to reverse the curse.”
“I know what you’re talking about, fortunately for your lives.” Refia put the knife in her pocket, and kicked the longsword on the ground to the side. “If we leave now, we can make it in half an hour, about 8:30. People will probably still be awake then, so we can talk to the king.”
“Alright then!” exclaimed Luneth. Luneth walked toward the steering wheel, but was suddenly stopped by Refia, holding a knife in front of his chest.
“Ah!” he jumped slightly. “What’s wrong now?”
“You, white-haired boy, go outside.”
Luneth walked off the boat to the outside, as Refia followed him. When he was finally off, she shut and locked up behind him.
“What’s your name?” she asked Arc, walking back towards him.
“My name’s Arc.”
“Right then.” Refia got up behind him and pointed the knife toward his back. “Walk towards the pillar,” she commanded.
Arc walked to the pillar, nose touching it. “Now turn around,” she continued.
Arc turned around as Refia got on the other side. Pulling some rope out of her pocket, Refia tied his hands tightly to the pillar.
“Aah!” he yelped quietly. “They hurt.”
“Suck it up.” Refia turned and began walking towards the door to get Luneth. “What’s your friend’s name?”
“Luneth,” he said, wiggling, trying to get out of the rope.
“Luneth!” Refia called for the arrogant white-haired boy outside the ship as she unlocked everything and opened up again. “Get back in here!”
Anxious to get on with things, Luneth ran up to Refia on board the ship.
“Hey,” he whispered to her. “Thank you for helping me handle Arc. He’s a bit of a handful sometimes, and it’s great to know that I don’t have to carry the world on my shoulders, y’know?”
“Pfft.” Refia finished closing the door. “One little boy isn’t anywhere NEAR being considered a burden. Look around you, there are a lot of worse problems in this world.”
“Meh, I guess you’re right. I guess that means you’ve done us both a favor, huh? Lemme show you how I say thanks…” Luneth bent into kiss Refia on the cheeks, but as soon as she realized what was going on, she smacked him straight across the face.
“Who the hell do you think you are?!” Refia reached for the knife in her pocket and pulled it out.
“Hey, whoa! I thought we were past that?” Luneth rubbed the spot on his cheek.
“Who the hell do you think you are, coming in and kissing girls like that? I’m PUTTING UP WITH YOU, I don’t WANT you to be here, I’m doing this to save my father.”
“Aaah…” he said in pain. Luneth continued rubbing his face as he looked at Refia. He looked her in the eye to see anger covering a feeling of lost-ness. But more importantly, in her eyes, he saw the third warrior, the one that the crystal had sent him out to search for.
“What are you looking at?!” Refia pointed the knife at his chin, 100% ready to stab him. She was ready to save her father and dump this jerk ASAP; he was crawling up her spine all too quickly.
“Err, right, sorry.” Luneth hurried over to the pillar parallel Arc, and stood in the same position he was. Refia tied him up and walked to the steering wheel.
God, I can’t wait for this to be over…, thought Refia.
God, I can’t wait for this adventure to really get started!, thought Arc.
God, I can’t wait until Refia finally realizes how amazing I am!, thought Luneth.
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Luneth and Arc stood tied to the poles as Refia steered the boat toward Sasune Castle.
“So, who are we looking for once we get there?” asked Refia.
Luneth turned to Arc knowing he knew the answer.
“The king. He says your father knew him, but it seems Cid has met him before too.”
“Pfft. I doubt it.” Refia continued to steer past the mountains toward Sasune Castle, anxious to meet the king herself, so that she could tell similar stories, without lying, albeit.
“Well, I believe him.” Arc picked up his head from looking at the ground and smiled. Refia looked back and watched him admire his hero.
“I know Cid.” Refia tried to pull herself into conversation with the two boys, hoping she could find something good in them before they drove her completely up the wall. “He’s a good guy I guess.”
“He seems to be great.”
“Meh.”
“I think he knows what he’s talking about.”
“I think he’s spent a little too much time at that pub, but that’s just me.”
“I think Cid’s great.”
“It’s cute how you admire him. How old are you?”
Arc blushed as the word fourteen slid off his lips.
“And your friend?”
“16,” spoke Luneth for himself. “The BIG Leagues.” Luneth winked at Refia, leaving her only to scoff in disgust.
“Oh look,” she said sarcastically. “We’re here!” Refia violently landed the ship on the ground in front of the castle, shaking up Arc and Luneth.
Refia used the knife to slash the rope that held Arc to the pillar. Turning to him, she handed him the knife. “I think I know where you’re coming from, so I trust you won’t pull any **** like that again, amirite?”
Arc smiled and nodded enthusiastically, excited that he had gained two believers in one day, more than ever in his life! “Yes ma’am!”
“Good, now wait outside for a moment, while I talk to Luneth.”
Arc ran outside with his boosted self-esteem, confidence, and knife, as Refia walked over to pick up the longsword on the floor.
“Do I get a reward for good behavior?” Luneth smiled at Refia, arrogantly assuming she was playing-hard-to-get.
Annoyed, Refia picked up the longsword and lunged it into the side of the pillar.
“Whoa!” stunned, Luneth was at a lost for words. Fortunately for his slick demeanor, he regained his mind and thought of something good to say. “You’re a good fighter, maybe we could vanquish evil one day…with love.”
Refia scoffed and pulled the longsword out of the pillar, and held it up to Luneth’s chest. “I don’t know what the hell your problem is, but you really need to learn to treat people right.”
“Wha…?” Refia pushed the longsword further into his chest.
“For now, I’ll let your crude attitude and behavior towards innocent teenage girls slide, but only because your relationship with Arc is more important and more broken.”
Luneth was shocked and confused. “Hey, listen Refia, just for the record, earlier today I had a COMPLETE change of heart, and now Arc has nothing but my utmost respect. Maybe if you’d met me yesterday you could say something about how I treat him badly, but don’t go around badmouthing people you don’t know anything about, especially with false accusations.”
Refia scoffed and walked behind him. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. You think you’re such a great person because you acknowledge Arc’s existence, but you have a long way to go before you can even begin to call yourself respectful.” Refia slashed through the rope, leaving a small cut on Luneth’s finger.
“Hey!” Luneth called to Refia as the rope fell to the floor as he was freed. She was already halfway to the outside. “Look who’s talking about respect now!” Refia shook her head and walked off the airship, ready to drop Luneth immediately.
Outside, Arc was chatting with a tall blonde-haired teen, not much older than their group. Arc turned around to see Luneth and Refia walking off the ship, and excused himself from the boy’s presence.
“Guys, you’ll never guess how much this sucks!”
The three of them caught up to each other, Arc once again holding all the information.
“Sasune castle has been hit with the curse too!”
“What?!” barked Refia. “What are we supposed to do now?”
“It’s OK. Ingus—that guy over there—said he could arrange a meeting with the king, right about now.”
“Great.” Luneth flashed Arc a thumbs up and smiled. Arc nodded determinedly and ran back over to Ingus.
“Hello guests.” Ingus spoke in a low, soft voice. His shyness was detectable, but you could also hear that he was trying to be formal and outgoing, for the sake of his job.
“Ingus, these are my friends, Refia and Luneth.” Arc gestured to the two.
“Hah,” muttered Luneth under his breath. “Hardly consider her a friend…”
Smiling at Ingus, Refia inconspicuously elbow-jabbed Luneth in the side. “I really can’t wait until you have to leave,” she smiled through her teeth.
“Yeah, sure,” he replied in an undetectable whisper. Refia hit him again harder, now having to cause him to rub his side.
“Hello madam,” Ingus smiled and bowed at Refia as he introduced himself. “My name is Ingus. Your name is…Refia?”
“Yes,” she giggled. “My name is Refia.” She curtseyed to him in return.
Lolchivalry and lolcurtseying, thought Luneth to himself.
Refia smiled dreamily at Ingus as he walked over to Luneth.
“Good evening sir, I trust you’ll enjoy Castle Sasune.” His entire statement was horribly staged, but Ingus was trying. He stuck his hand out to shake Luneth’s.
“Oh yes, how rude of me.” Luneth recklessly snatched up Luneth’s hand and kissed in the same fashion Ingus had done Refia. This made Refia boiling mad, wiping the happiness clear away, now only sheer anger and hatred left for Luneth. Ingus on the other hand, just smiled politely.
Wow he’s waaaaaaaaaay too polite if he can take that… thought Luneth. Ingus smiled a little nervously at Luneth, but easily brushed it off.
“Luneth, stop!” whispered Arc.
“Arc, it’s OK, Luneth is fine.” Speaking in his soft childlike voice, Ingus continued on to show them the castle. “Please, follow me to the king’s throne room, so that you may speak with him officially.”
Luneth followed eagerly to meet the king, although he was unsure of Ingus in general, he followed anyway. Arc was just anxious to prove himself, possibly gaining a third person who believed in him. Refia, however…
“LUNETH!”
The sound echoed, but Arc and Ingus just ignored it.
“Oh yes, dear Refia?” Luneth pranced sweetly and mockingly, just praying for a death wish.
Refia grabbed Luneth’s vest and pulled him close. “I don’t know what the hell you’re doing, but Ingus is a better man than you could ever dream to be, and that’s pathetic seeing how long I’ve known both of you.”
“O RLY?”
Refia sighed and dropped Luneth, whom was laughing at only himself.
“You’re a really pathetic excuse for a ‘man’, do you know that? You act as if you were eight. You’re sixteen, start acting like it.” Refia followed Arc and Ingus’ trail into the castle, with Luneth trailing behind, not finding any significant meaning in Refia’s words.
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Ingus knocked on the door to the king’s royal room.
“Come in!” called a voice from the other side. “We’d open the door for you, but we’re in a bit of a…condition, it seems.”
“Hey Ingus?” said Arc quietly. “Where’re Refia and Luneth?”
“The last thing we should do is have royalty wait on us. Come, he’s ready now.” Ingus opened the door to the throne room, seemingly empty.
“Um…your highness?” asked Arc. Arc wasn’t sure if the room was amazingly crowded or creepily deserted or not.
“I am here,” called a voice from the throne.
“Oh! I’m sorry!” Arc frantically bent on his knee to show a sign of respect to the king of Sasune. Ingus kept himself from chuckling lightly and bent down on one knee gracefully.
“Ingus, you know of our current situation, and I trust your judgment that you called this meeting for such reasons.”
Ingus stood back up, in a much more proud and strong posture than when he stood outside. “Yes, sire.”
“Excellent. Explain the specifics.”
“Your highness,” Ingus stuck out his arm and gestured to Arc. “This is Arc of Ur; he is the reason for this meeting.”
Arc got up and bowed in front of the king. “Hello, your highness.”
“A pleasure, Arc. What is it that I must hear from you?”
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“Luneth, where the hell are we?!”
Refia stood a few yards behind Luneth, who was looking around, trying to find his way to the throne room.
“How am I supposed to know?”
“Because you said you did!”
“Oh…well I guess I do. This way!”
Refia sighed, but seeing no other option, followed Luneth. Before long, they found themselves in front of a large tower.
“Are you honestly dimwitted enough to think that the throne room would be in the tower?” Refia put her hips at her sides and stared at Refia annoyedly, waiting for an answer.
“OK, so it’s not up here, but maybe Ingus and Arc are?”
“Why would they be up there?! Ingus lives here, he’s not going to get lost!” Refia was spewing air out of her nose worse than a bull.
“Wow, you have really bad temper problems.”
“Only when I’m around you…” Refia shook her head and sighed, ready to completely give up on her father due to this imbecile.
“Atop the tower is a mighty power that can be controlled…but has yet to be.” The voice spoke lowly and mysteriously, trying to entice the children to be the ones to control this “power”.
“Y’know, it really sucks that you guys have been cursed and turned into ghosts,” said Refia turning around. “Talking to people is kinda difficult if you don’t know where they are.”
“Up the west tower, you will fight many battles, but the Wightslayer shall reward you with more mightiness than you can ever imagine.”
“Great!” exclaimed Luneth. “We’ll get the Wightslayer, while Arc and Ingus talk to the king.”
“OK, now you’re just being stupid,” said Refia stressfully. “What makes you think I want to go on some wild goose chase, searching for some supposed “power” that’s barely even controllable.”
“Because I am.” Luneth smirked and chuckled as he ran through the door to Sasune’s west tower, heading straight towards the stairs.
“Oh my God!” he exclaimed in fright.
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“Ah yes, Cid.”
Arc had explained to the king the entirety of his story, everything that Cid had told him, and what it had taken to get to where he was. Arc’s hopes were high, for in the king’s voice he could tell that he wasn’t reluctant to lend him the ring.
“Have you met Cid before?” Arc wanted to prove to Refia that he could trust his hero, even if Cid never really directly talked about meeting the king.
“Oh no. But I have heard good things about him.”
“Oh,” said Arc disappointedly. “Oh well.” Arc shrugged it off, ready to focus on more important things. “So does that mean we can borrow your mythril ring?”
“It is with great regret that I must tell you that I cannot.”
“Why?”
“My daughter has taken up ownership of it. Sadly, she went missing, but luckily, it was not much more waiting before the curse hit.”
“I see.”
“King Sasune!” spoke out Ingus. “If Sara holds the ring, then the djinn may have very well kidnapped her by now!”
“Yes…I fear for my precious Sara. The djinn must have taken her to its cave to the north.”
Arc put his fist to his chest and put a stern look on his face. “Your highness, my friends and I…we will save your Kazus, your kingdom, and your daughter.”
“Very well, then.” The king’s voice rose to a more declarative voice. “If and when you return, I shall forever be in your debt.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Ingus approached the throne. “Sire. I would like to ask you for your leave to accompany these brave souls to the Sealed Cave, and assist them in rescuing Lady Sara.”
“Ingus, you have my leave. Arc, are there any objections!”
“No sir!” Arc replied excitedly.
“Good.” King Sasune turned to look at the clock on the wall. “Now, it is late. Ingus, you and your friends may depart at sunrise tomorrow. Get rest.”
Ingus bowed. “Thank you sire. I appreciate this more than you know.” Ingus backed up away from the king’s presence and turned to Arc with a smile.
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“Luneth, what the hell have you gotten us into now?!”
“Y’know, you really need to stop cursing so much.”
Luneth used his leather shield to block the incoming slash from the zombie. Taking every turn to attack, Luneth stabbed it in the forehead with his longsword, and watched it disappear into the air.
“Finally!” Luneth put his longsword in his pocket and got ready to walk up the next flight upstairs.
“A little help here?!” screamed Refia. “It’s your fault—“ Refiasliced off the zombie’s arm, getting it off of her. “—I’m here anyway, the LEAST you could do is help me.”
“Don’t worry Refia,” he said mockingly sweetly. “Luneth, you’re hero is here!”
“Never mind,” she said lowly. “I don’t think I need YOUR help, thank you.”
“You’re always welcome!” Luneth laughed hysterically at his own joke, knowing for sure that all the girls in his hometown would be laughing right along with him.
Refia jumped on the zombie’s back and used one arm to hold it’s arm in place, and the other to put around its neck, the latter hand with the knife. With that, she stuck the knife through the zombie’s chin, and pulled its outer face off, leaving the zombie to disintegrate into nothing.
Refia pointed at Luneth with her weapon and tried to start up another fight. “Now I KNOW, that you’re not going to say something sexist about women and fighting, amirite?”
Luneth nodded smugly. “Right, because then you might fall out of love with me, and it was hard enough to get you to fall in.” Luneth winked and began walking up the stairs.
“Hey!” called Refia after him. Refia chased after Luneth until she caught up. “I don’t know what your problem is, or what the problem is with your hometown, but women are nearly the exact opposite of what you make them out to be. More of the world is filled with self-respecting women with their heads on straight like me, instead of those naughty, flirty girls whose object in life is to get rich men to fall in love with their figure so that they can live off them until they die alone.”
“Listen lady, I don’t know what you’re trying to say, but I’ll have you know that I am no where near rich.”
“Maybe not, but you fight well, which means that those Urian girls are expecting you to protect them, as they lie on their asses all day.”
“O RLY?”
Refia slapped Luneth clear across the face, leaving a bright red mark. “Ouch! What the he—“
“It’s only been a couple of hours, and I am already sick and tired of trying to teach you respect. You better learn fast, or else I’ll be slicing YOUR arm off with a sword.”
Luneth and Refia continued walking up the flights of stairs towards the masterful wightslayer. Throughout the whole time, they didn’t encounter conflict with themselves nor monsters, for they were finally both shutting up. Until however…
Refia shook her head and sighed. “Y’know, because you LET those poor little girls come on to you like that, you’re not even a self-respecting man.”
“What?” Luneth was shocked, he had always thought very highly of himself.
“Why would you let all those girls come on to you like that, knowing that they’re trying to throw their life away? All you’re doing is setting your self up for a life full of fail.”
“What if I happen to like those girls? Because personally, I’ve pretty much give up on you.”
“Well, good! And any man who could fall for a silly little girl who prances around in skin-tight clothing that shows almost everything except for the ‘untouchables’, and who lives a life of nothing but flaunting all she’s got, really couldn’t be considered a man at all.”
“Hah. You’re just jealous because you don’t HAVE anything to flaunt.”
Refia boiled. “Y’know what, FINE! When I become extremely successful, and I have the ability to flaunt what REALLY matters in this world, you can hear about me through Mognet, while you wait on hand and foot for your wife, whom I guarantee you is going to be a selfish, white, sl—“
“--ayer!”
Luneth ran from the stairs and gazed upon the beauty that was the wightslayer. “Oh God. It’s so beautiful!” Luneth pulled the longsword out of his pocket and handed it to Refia. “Runner-up, amirite?”
Refia boiled and snatched the longsword from his hands. Furiously, she lunged it into the side of the wall. “I told you, self-respect.”
Luneth shrugged and said “Whatever” as he stroked the blade of the sword.
“It’s a sword for God’s sake! It’s used to KILL people!”
Ignoring her completely, Luneth continued to bask in the beauty of his new weapon.
Refia shook her head in disgust and looked through some of the other things: some holy arrows and some light arrows. As she picked them up, she heard a shrill cry. As Luneth did awesome poses with his new weapon, Refia looked up to the sky, to see something flying toward them in the distance. “Luneth, we’re leaving NOW,” she said hurriedly. Refia began backing up towards the door when she noticed that Luneth hadn’t moved an inch.
“Luneth!” she screamed.
Luneth turned to Refia to see what she was screaming about, but before he could yell back at her, he was knocked on the ground by a gryphon.
Refia swiftly snatched the longword and prepared for battle, as Luneth got up from the ground to a safe position, and wielded his wightslayer.
“Make sure you know what you’re doing, before you kill yourself!” Refia screamed at Luneth.
“Power of the wightslayer, baby!”
Luneth gripped the wightslayer with both hands and charged towards the flying beast. Luneth slashed and jabbed like a fool, not paying attention to any of the gryphon’s movements, who swiftly dodged most of them. The gryphon kicked Luneth to the ground with the powerful force of its forelegs.
“Luneth!” screamed Refia, running up to him. “Battles aren’t all about strength…” Refia grabbed his leather shield and held it up in front of them, shielding them from a Fire attack. “Use your head and your defenses, before you die.” Refia took her knife and Luneth’s leather shield and stood up to face the gryphon. It kicked the shield fiercly and knocked her back a few feet, but not down. Refia removed the shield from in front of her for a quick second to deliver a blow from the knife to the gryphon’s chest, gashing it, causing the beast to cry out in pain, ultimately infuriating it.
“Right, defense, brain, I get it.” Luneth stood up with his wightslayer and ran back up to the beast. Luneth watched as it struggled with the burn of Refia’s slash, and stabbed at its left wing. Before impact, the wing immediately floated up along with the gryphon as it let out a fierce, bellowing, battle cry. It flew to Luneth and used its head to ram him in the stomach, knocking him down.
“You have to do more thinking than that! Don’t be stupid!” Refia screamed at him. She was growing even more frustrated with him than she had ever been before, worried that he would get them both killed. Luneth stood back up and held his stomach, wighstlayer still in his hand. “Ah, crap…” he said lowly in pain. He opened his eyes to see the gryphon flying towards him at high speeds, ready to ram him again. Trying to be like an amazingly athletic and strong hero, he charged back at the gryphon.
“Luneth, you idiot!” screamed Refia. Refia ran towards the gryphon at the side, trying to catch it before the collision.
Luneth jumped at the gryphon’s head with the wighstlayer in hand, in an attempt to shoot the sword straight through its brain cells. Unfortunately, the gryphon instead succeeded in shooting its head directly into Luneth’s stomach, causing him to fall to the floor and black out.
“Graaaaaaaaah! Dammit, Luneth!” exclaimed Luneth. Though she really didn’t have that much faith in Luneth’s fighting abilities, she knew from experience that every man contributes to a fight. Refia ran to the gryphon and stabbed it in its leg whilst it was too busy watching over Luneth to notice. Even more furious now, the monster turned to face its final opponent.
Refia backed up a bit and tried to walk sideways toward Luneth to get his leather shield. The gryphon slowly followed, but before Refia got too close, it lunged at her with its sharp beak. Using her longsword, she stuck it in front of her as defense, and whilst she succeeded in not getting stabbed, her longsword was now in worse condition, and she got blown back onto the ground.
Still alert, Refia frantically crabwalked over to KO’ed Luneth, trying desperately to avoid the gryphon, constantly swiping its claws toward her. The gryphon tilted its head back for a fire attack, but Refia was able to grab the shield in time and protect herself from the blast, even able to fully stand up. Sliding her left arm through the strap and longsword in her right hand, she knocked back the gryphon’s foot as it snatched at her. With a small opening of opportunity, she was able to use her longsword to stab the gryphon in its chest, killing it.
Refia looked over the dead gryphon and sighed, dropping her weapons. She could hear all the other creatures scurry and fly away from the scene, as she collapsed to her knees. Looking at Luneth and sighing again (albeit this time disgustedly), she pulled her only phoenix down out of her pocket and used it on Luneth, reviving him.
“Wake up, we’re going back,” she said angrily. Refia was sick and tired of Luneth’s games. It was bad enough when he was just annoying, but putting her life in danger was too much.
“What?” Luneth rubbed his head and picked up his wightslayer. “What’s going on?” he asked, lost.
“We’re going back to the throne room, so we can find out what’s going on, get a good night’s sleep, save Kazus and Sasune, and you’re going home.”
“Heeeeeeeeeey,” he said tiredly, running up to her. “I thought we were friends now?”
Refia scoffed in disgust. “You really don’t know anything do you?”
Luneth smiled and shook his head as he drank the potion he had gotten out of his pocket.
Refia dropped her sword and shield and grabbed Luneth by his shirt, her face a furious bright red.
“Look, Luneth!” Her voice had risen, she was angry now. “You really need to shut up with your attitude. Your right, there was a point where I my hate for you was gradually turning into a dislike, but now you’ve ruined it, do you know why?”
“No, I don’t. Please, Refia, educate me.”
Refia shook Luneth up furiously. “What is it with YOU?! Not even for one moment, can you be serious! I am sick and tired of your attitude! In fact, I’ve BEEN sick and tired of your attitude!” Her grip loosened as fear struck into Luneth’s eyes. “It was bad enough when it was JUST your attitude. I thought you wouldn’t be completely useless, but now I’ve realized that bringing you along has put my life in your hands, which is pretty much suicide! You’d think, that maybe, you might be good for SOMETHING, and not the completely worthless piece of **** you ARE!” Refia released Luneth as he backed up a few steps.
“Coward…” she muttered under her breath. “A coward, fool, and jackass, all-in-one.” Refia left Luneth the longsword and leather shield and began to walk down the tower herself.
“You get yourself killed,” she called to him. Refia disappeared into the stairwell, leaving Luneth lost (emotionally and mentally, all but physically) and distressed. Luneth picked up his things and ran after the girl.
“Refia…” he began, but was cut off by a harsh and furious “I **** told you already!”
Luneth grabbed her wrist. “I’m sorry…for almost getting us killed, and being stupid, and—“ before he finished, Refia used her other arm to sock him in the face.
Luneth stopped for a moment to rub the pain whilst Refia continued down the stairwell. Shrugging it off, he ran up to her.
“I…pushed you…over your limits, and…” Luneth touched the spot on his face. “And I deserved for you to leave me here.”
“Damn straight.”
“You cu—“ Luneth stopped himself for ragging on Refia for cursing a bunch, and instead remained on topic to rag on himself. “I never meant to hurt you, or Arc, or your father, or anybody else.”
Refia turned to him. “Well I guess your plan worked out perfectly, because you didn’t KILL anyone, and you’re just TOO damn arrogant to care how close you may have brought them to that.” Refia turned back around and grabbed the railing. “I really doubt that there’s anything you can say to me right now that won’t make things worse.”
Luneth frowned. It’s the first time in a while he’d done that, and the first time since he could remember that it was a girl that had done so. Girls always made him happy and boosted his ego, rolling all over him for his looks. Never once had he met a girl with enough self-respect and dignity treat him how he deserved to be treated.
Luneth chuckled, trying to ease the pain between the two. “Y’know, you’re the first girl who’s ever tried to ‘put me in my place’. In fact, you’re the first girl who’s ever though I needed to be put in place.”
“Well, that’s one thing about you that makes me the slightest bit glad,” she said calmly. “It’s good to know I’ve done something good for you, because all you’ve done for me is made my life ****.”
“I know, and I’m apologizing.” Luneth ran in front of her and looked her in the eyes. “Ever since we met earlier, you’ve had to watch after me like a seven-year-old.” Luneth stopped and thought for a moment. “You’re a baaaaaaaad parent.”
Refia chuckled in her mind a bit, loosening up her facial muscles to a more relaxed position. Her mouth twitched.
“Anyways, I won’t let you do that anymore. I…refuse?”
“Damn right you do.”
“OK.”
The two of them continued to walk downstairs in complete silence. About halfway there, Luneth popped a question.
“Still mad?”
“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”
“Are you still mad at me?”
Refia stopped and turned around.
“What, so you think you can make up this whole “I care about your feelings charade” and then everything will be fixed and I’ll just come crawling back to you?”
“So you’re saying that was a stupid idea…?”
“UGH!” Refia turned back around and walked back down the stairs.
“What about being friends?”
Refia stopped and clenched her fist on the railing. “If you do not shut the **** up, RIGHT NOW, I will chuck you down these stairs.”
Luneth jumped down ten stairs and reached the bottom.
Luneth made a mocking frowny-face at Refia.
“UGH!” Refia walked down the rest of the stairs and went to the door.
“Will you ever grow up or be serious?”
Luneth took the goofy look of his face and walked towards Refia. Refia shook her head and walked out the door. Trying to think up something randomly, he spewed out…
“Let’s go to the other tower and find some more stuff.”
Refia spun around instantly. “What makes you think that I want to spend any more time with you?”
“Because we had fun…?”
Refia chuckled. “Sure, you can think that.” She shook her head and began to walk back towards the king’s room.
“I’m going to be with you for a while,” tried Luneth. “Maybe you could teach me to fight better?”
“So that you won’t get us killed?”
“Why not?”
Refia stopped for a moment and thought. “Fine,” she said smiling. “Maybe those monsters will kill you.” She walked toward the east tower, with Luneth eagerly following behind.
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