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Memories	By : Asirainis Category: +A through F > Dragon Quest/ Dragon Warrior Views: 1615 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Quest VIII, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Memories
Chapter Twenty Four: Alexandra's Eyes and Jessica
When they went inside, Airlia followed Alistair up as both suppressed an urge to shudder at the memory of what had happened that fateful night so long ago. They quickly went inside through the strange gate that Yangus lifted up for them. They quickly followed the path that Airlia and Alistair had done so long ago, climbing up the old ladder onto the second floor and outside the small guard post. They quickly went down the open path and into the proper tower, Alistair having to unlock the door, and then relock it once they were all inside. He knew they all didn't have to come, but it was better that they did. To believe what Airlia had lived through, they had to see it. Passing through the remainder of the tower was relatively quick as he gave Airlia a reassuring squeeze of the hand when they passed by where she had been blinded before, detecting a slight shiver. However, neither could suppress the shudder when they finally arrived on the top floor of the tower. The stain of blood on the floor told the group much as they looked at the pair. "Wow… I believed you two, but seeing it… That's something else." The pair nodded as they approached the statue of the woman at the back of the tower, whose eyes had two red jewels set in it, glittering in the light. Alistair frowned, he didn't like having to remove part of their family history, but he had no choice if he wanted to save his sister. The group looked at them as a voice filled their mind…
Brave travelers… I am Alexandra. Many years past I lived in your world. It was my hands that sculpted this statue.
Suddenly, they could see the woman that the statue was carved from, beautiful as her own statue as they gazed at her. Cerulean blue eyes, like the ocean with sun spun golden hair. She wore a purple dress, with a white undergarment that sat only on her left shoulder. She had silver bangles on her wrists and held a staff that imbued power. On her head was a silver circlet with a deep reddish purple stone set in it. She was beautiful as her gentle voice carried onto them…
Let me tell you a tale. A forgotten moment lost in the great ocean of history. The story of the bloodline of the sages… I was born into the Kranbartle family, a family descended from one of the legendary seven sages. But my generation saw the legacy of the sages pass to the Albert family when I married. You see, I was the chosen heir. The blood of the sages remained in the Albert family ever since…
Until you died Alistair. I believe I owe this brave young lady my thanks for reviving my descendant. Unfortunately, since you did pass Alistair, the bloodline of the sage itself has been extinguished. However, I digress.
Nevertheless, I am an ancestor of the Albert family. So I will do everything I can to help preserve the Albert family line. I want you to take the Kran Spinels from the statue. I have no doubt they will be of use to you. I want to protect both of my descendants as they are both vital to continue the family line. Please help Jessica… I beseech you to go to her aid.
Airlia nodded as she said, "I will gladly help her as I helped Alistair. I'm just sorry I couldn't save the sage lineage." The woman gazed at her fondly…
And for that, I'm eternally grateful to you, Airlia for all you've done for my family line. All of you be safe, and save my descendent from that darkness before it consumes her…
The group smiled as they nodded, promising to help her. Alistair gazed at the woman, burning into his mind the image of her spirit. She came over and touched his cheek fondly before fading, a peaceful smile on her face as she did such… Once she fully faded, the red gems that made her eyes released from the statue, coming to rest on the floor at the statue's feet. Alistair walked over to grab the red stones, and put them in his bag on his waist as he turned to them with a nod.
Draco smiled as everyone gathered for him to cast "Evac…" to have the familiar golden light encase them to remove them from the tower and bring them back to where Trode and Medea were waiting for them. Airlia rubbed her arms, seeking to warm them as she processed what she had just heard and seen.
Alistair nodded, "I agree Airlia, what an incredible event that was. I can't wait to save Jessica so I can tell her all about our ancestor." She smiled as she nodded. A Zoom spell later from Angelo and the group went to Arcadia in a flash of blue light. Once they arrived, they saw night was starting to fall as they could only hope that she hadn't come back yet to kill her target. Hurrying up the stairs to the mansion they saw Dominico and Leopold were facing David down.
Airlia glared at Dominico as she saw him spitting in anger at David, "You disgust me! I didn't know you from Adam, but still I took you in. And this is how you repay me!?"
David held a bowl of food for Leopold in his hand, quivering as he spoke, "I, I didn't do anything! Please believe me! I, I was just feeding Leopold as norm-"
This angered Dominico for some unknown reason as Airlia stepped in. "We're back Dominico. No I will not use your title, especially with how you mistreat this poor boy! You don't deserve any title with that attitude of yours!"
She ran to David as he tried to push her away. "I must have done something wrong, even though I did everything as I normally do."
Airlia shook her head, "Doesn't matter David, he can go jump off a building if he thinks I'm going to allow you to be mistreated any further."
Dominico ignored her as he continued to rail at David, "Such impertinence! No doubt the vile layabout's put poison in your food as well!"
As soon as she heard Dominico accuse David for putting poison in the dog's meal, she was about ready to lunge at him. She rolled her eyes into a glare at the fat magician. "Why should he waste his time poisoning a dog's food?"
He glared at her before realizing that they were back with the Kran Spinels as he spied the red gems in the bag of the tall knight. He turned to the boy, "Prove to me you haven't put poison on it, by putting it on the ground and eating from it like an animal would. You'd better look like you're enjoying it too!"
Airlia glared at him as she stilled David. "You'll do no such thing to the boy. Leopold can eat his dinner."
David looked up at her, as he said, "I honestly don't mind Miss."
She shook her head, "But I do mind David. You're a human being and deserve to be treated as such. Just set the bowl down on the ground for the dog." He nodded as he set it down.
She looked at Leopold, "Go eat your meal or it will be thrown away." He looked at his master before going to the bowl.
After a few minutes, Dominico sniffed as he glared at the girl. "You stay out of my way wench." She ignored him as she kept her gaze focused on David.
Turning to Draco, he held his hands out. "If you've come to report, then come up to my room."
Airlia nodded to the others, "Go ahead. I'm staying with David for now." Angelo and Alistair shared a glance before nodding in agreement with one another.
Angelo spoke for them both, "We'd like to remain here too guv." Airlia nodded as the pair joined her near David, watchful for trouble. Suddenly, the skies darkened as lightning flashed and thunder boomed. As the three of them stood in a triangular formation around David, they looked for signs of trouble. Leopold, who had finally had his fill of the meal, went over to his kennel to lay down in peace. Suddenly, Jessica was there, standing on top of Dominico's statue of himself.
She looked eerie with her green skin and red eyes as she spoke, "I see you've ignored my advice to prepare a stronger defense!" Airlia glared at her as Angelo released an arrow, aimed at the scepter. She jumped as the arrow went whizzing by into the waters below. Alistair used his whip to try and wrap it around the scepter. It did get around it, however, the scepter glowed an eerie blood red before the whip came unravelling.
David spoke, frightened, "Sh-Shut up! You won't get past me! I won't let you lay a finger on Master Dominico!"
She cackled, "Dominico? Ah ha ha ha!"
Airlia glared as David demanded, "What's so funny!?"
Jessica spoke as the sorcery of the scepter weaving itself tighter around the sorceress with every passing minute, "Such a pity… that you should die never knowing about your noble origins… I could tell from the start that the absurd show-off was not the one! The scepter is all-knowing! No, I seek the chosen heir of the great sage, Kupas, one of the seven who sealed away the Lord of Darkness, Rhapthorne."
Angelo growled; he had heard that name in the Dark Ruins and it made his blood chill as he demanded, "That's who Rhapthorne is? Then the cursed bird must be on our side if they hate her that much!"
Airlia nodded, "You'll fill me in later then?" Angelo nodded as they readied their bows again. Alistair aimed his arrow, hoping to knock it free while Airlia wanted to buy time for the others to join them.
Jessica nodded as she came up to him, pointed the scepter at the servant, "And that, David, is you. What a pity, that the one who should be protecting you is unaware of his responsibility!"
Airlia stepped in front of David as she shot an arrow at the scepter, only for it to be flung away by the wave of Jessica's hand. "Stay out of this, wife! He's mine, and then I will find a better suited body to be your husband."
Draco and the others ran up to them as they looked at Jessica. "We have to get through to her you guys!"
Leopold, who had been lying down after eating growled as he looked up. The scepter frightened him as he ran away from the confrontation, hiding behind the fountain in hopes of not having to deal with it. David remained cowering behind the group as Jessica glared. "Fine! I knew I'd have to fight you somewhere along the way! Still, I have to admit I'll be a little sad to watch you die!"
Airlia hid David behind her as Jessica jumped in the air to summon a giant fireball. However, Dominico got into the area after shoving the townspeople out of his way. "You villainous fiend! Take my life, would you!? Well, you'll have to break through my barrier first! Alakazam!"
He used the barrier to shove Jessica back, knocking the scepter from her hands. Dominico laughed as he spoke, so sure of his win. "Behold, I am a mastermind!"
Alistair and Angelo ran to Jessica's side as Airlia remained with David. "I won't let anyone hurt you my friend."
He nodded as he clutched her hand tightly. She ignored the fat mage as she looked around for the scepter. "Oh no! The scepter… It's gone!"
She was vaguely aware of what was going on as she heard him offer Draco the honor of killing Jessica. "No!"
Alistair said firmly as Dominico looked at them before he screamed in his deep voice. "What!? Why on earth not? Explain yourself!"
Alistair explained everything from the beginning up to the point where they met his pompous ass as Airlia sent him death glares.
She pulled David over to where Jessica was and said, "Can you help me to lift her over to the inn, please… I can handle one side, can you grab the other?" He nodded with a small smile.
The fat mage's words grated on her nerves as he spoke, "And she's been under some kind of curse ever since you defeated this… Dhoulmagus? Hmph. Hardly a good excuse! But I don't care anymore. This girl is yours to do with as you please!"
He cackled as he spoke, "Consider it a reward for attempting to protect my life. There won't be any financial reward, of course!"
Airlia stopped David for a moment as she spat at the gaudy man, "You think this is all about you? Pompous ass. I bet you have those powers because Kupas gave them up so to try and hide his bloodline."
He glared at her as he looked about for a way to get revenge on her. He suddenly realized the dog wasn't at his side as the pompous mage frowned. "Wait! Where's Sir Leopold? He's gone! He must have been scared off by all the disturbance!"
Dominico, still in a rage at the wench's verbal assault turned to David in order to get revenge on her as he spoke, "And what do you think you're doing boy?! Find Sir Leopold since he is also your master! Let her get the girl to the inn by herself!"
Airlia glared as David apologized meekly to her while Angelo took up Jessica's other arm and together, they got her up the stairs past the item shop to where the inn was. The innkeeper saw them and paled when she saw Jessica's pale face, "Why the girl's so pale! Let her rest on the bed. It's on the house for protecting David." Airlia smiled at the innkeeper as she nodded her thanks while they got her to the bed as Jessica continued to dream. Everyone set into a waiting pattern as the girl dreamed. Angelo leaned against the wall, relief filling him that Jess was safe. Trode sat in a chair next to the sleeping woman while Airlia and Alistair shared seats on a bed next to her. Draco and Yangus sat on the edge of the bed across from where the mage of their group slept.
Finally her eyes opened as she uttered, "King Trode… Guv… Airlia… Alistair…" She went to sit up as she continued to speak, "What…? What happened? I feel like I've just woken up from a really long dream…"
Airlia nodded, "You did, Jess. You don't remember do you?"
She shook her head as Trode filled her in. "You disappeared the day after we defeated Dhoulmagus. You left with the scepter."
She nodded, "Yes… I remember… But wasn't that all a dream? I was being controlled by a hideous magical force… Just like Dhoulmagus… Our only difference was I didn't want the power, but he did."
Jessica took a deep breath, and then turned to the brunette woman before continuing, "It seemed like that creature, Rhapthorne, is what wants Airlia to be his bride… Being a woman, I wasn't the right fit…"
She let the words drift off into nothing before continuing. "From what I could tell though as I observed from what had felt like a dream Airlia… He wasn't the one to cast a curse on you, nor was it Dhoulmagus. I don't know who did it, but you and the guv both glowed white. I assume it is the curse… since Trode was also glowing with that same white light from my perspective…" Airlia and Draco traded glances, both of them were cursed?!
The auburn haired woman took another breath before she continued back on her information that she had gathered, "It was this huge, terrible, evil, magical… being… that controlled me."
Airlia nodded as she supplied, piecing together bits that she gathered from what Angelo said earlier, "The Lord of Darkness, Rhapthorne, right?"
Jessica nodded, "There's just so much to tell you…"
Airlia smiled as Trode tried to slow her down, "There's no need to rush. Just take your time, and start at the beginning."
Jessica looked down at the bed, focusing, "Rhapthorne was ordering me to do things. He told me to seek out and destroy the heirs of the seven sages so his seal would be broken. Rhapthorne once terrorized the world, and it was the seven sages who managed to seal away his soul. They didn't have the power to destroy him completely, but they shut his soul away in the scepter and sealed it with their mystical blood. Rhapthorne's curse, it seeks to destroy those sages' heirs… Master Rylus, my brother Alistair, Abbot Francisco, and the man from Baccarat too… Everyone who's been killed has been an heir of one of the seven sages. I think the reason that it breaks the spell even though you've brought many of them back is the scepter was what spilled their blood – breaking the contract so to speak…"
Trode looked down in thought… "The plot thickens. Did you mean to say the reason Medea and I haven't been turned back to normal is also to do with this Rhapthorne fellow?"
Jessica shrugged, "I don't know… But there are only three heirs left. David and two others whom I don't know, I was never told."
Airlia looked down, "I think it's possible that one of them is Calchas, The Lord High Priest. He and my father were drawn inexorably together and have been friends for ages; it would make sense for that to be why."
Angelo nodded, "That one makes sense Airlia."
Jessica nodded as she continued, "That could very well be, but I don't know for sure who any of the others are aside from David. However, if the heirs of all seven sages are wiped out, Rhapthorne's seal will be broken and he'll escape from the scept-… That's it! The scepter!"
Jessica looked about for the scepter as Airlia supplied, "We're not sure where it went. But if anyone has it, they will have been possessed by Rhapthorne now."
Jessica got up quickly as her body screamed from the exertion, "David's in danger! We have to find him now before it's too late!"
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Memories