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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.

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Memories
Chapter Twenty Eight: Dangers Lay Around Every Corner
Marek eyed the unknown herbs with joy. "Nook grass! I knew it! Dobroe. This will be perfect! Normally we drink this diluted in tea, but now I must take it straight…" He grabbed a fist full of herbs from the pouch, leaving some behind. He placed them in his mouth where he swallowed them neatly. His eyes opened wide as his dark brows shot up, his face turning red from the grass. His gloved hands shaking as he sat up quickly. Quickly standing up, he shouted, "Oh-yo-YOOOOOOY!" He gasped as he welcomed the cold air into his body, the red hue to his skin slowly subsiding as she could see his hat actually had a tail protruding from behind. They watched as his dark hair instantly started to dampen from the sweat that quickly formed on his face as he wiped it away with a gloved hand, "Hurgh, hurgh. So, nook grass must always be diluted!"
He let out a chuckle, "At least it was not the powdered form. No one wants that up their nose!" Airlia giggled at that, knowing if he could laugh at it, then they were allowed to as they quickly introduced themselves.
He turned back to them in gratitude for saving him from freezing to death, his accent steadier making it easier to understand his words, "Anyway, now I am warm that is for sure! Thank you. You have saved me, my friends. And she saved me too. Now I believe her old saying that there is no bad without good. But how could she have known this would happen?"
Airlia shook her head, "Sometimes a mother just knows…"
He looked at her, "I never said…"
She again shook her head, "You didn't have to. The fact that she gave that to us to give to you, she probably knew you were in trouble and had no way of getting to you, herself. A mother's love knows no bounds."
He nodded, "Yes, that's true. She is my mother. Now, if you fine people are going back to Orkutsk, could we perhaps travel together? I fear the wolves are still nearby!"
Draco smiled as he said, "Of course!"
Marek gave them a grateful smile as he spoke, "Thank you. I am very grateful. Those wolves weren't normal… If they should attack again, we are better to have safety in numbers." He bent over to grab his walking stick as everyone gathered close together.
Airlia chanted her Evac spell, encasing them with a golden orb, bringing them to the entrance of the cave. They could see Trode with Medea and several monsters at their side. Running up the stairs to where they were Airlia could see clearer that a frostburn, which was like a blue flame creature trying to protect Trode and Medea. She could also see a killing machine, made of metal with four legs, a sword in its right hand and a rapid releasing bow and arrow based in its left hand was there. Oddly enough though… next to him were a second killing machine and a second frostburn next to him helping to fend off some wolves. Stranger still, it seemed as though they were at a stalemate with the wolves. Once the group had placed themselves in front of the monsters that were kind enough to save their friends from the wolves, they saw there were well over a dozen of them in number. Airlia grabbed her bow and arrow as the others armed themselves.
Marek gasped in fright, "Have they been waiting here for me!? There are so many of them… Be careful everyone! I'm now sure that these are no normal wolves!" Airlia nodded as she pondered Leopold holding the scepter. Could he be influencing them somehow!? She watched the wolves warily as she fired an arrow off at one of the wolves getting closer to them. Angelo and Alistair both fired an arrow at the others in warning. A wolf jumped in from behind, grabbing Marek's leg in its jaw as one of the killing machines fired an arrow – spooking the wolf away from Marek.
Marek swung his walking stick around to keep the other wolves at bay. However, a dark voice came over the group, making Airlia pale in fear. "Wait. He is not the one. I sense sage's blood, but it is not him. There must be another… We must find the chosen heir of the sage." As suddenly as the wolves surrounded them, the wolves fled.
Marek put his gloved hand to his chin. "What… what was that voice!? And what does it mean by the 'chosen heir'?"
Airlia paled as she knew then what it meant. She turned to the group, "Marta, she is in danger! We must hurry to her!" She refused to let the nightmare come to pass.
He shook his head, "I cannot understand. It cannot be real… we must hurry to Orkutsk."
Angelo gathered everyone together before he turned to the two frostburns and the two killing machines. "Thank you both for your help. It's no longer safe for you to travel with us though. Take this chimaera wing and go to Morrie's Monster Haven. If you four gather together, it should carry all of you there. Tell him Ragazzo sent you." The killing machine put away his sword as he took the wing and flung it into the air, the four of them vanishing in a flurry of feathers. Angelo then casted the spell Zoom, taking them quickly to Orkutsk in a blue light.
They walked Marek inside as he turned to them. "Your delightful friend on the cart may come in with us because I cannot thank you enough my friends. But I have an important matter I must discuss with you in private, could you please follow me to my room?"
Airlia bit her lip, uneasy, but nodded. "Very well Marek, but we must be quick. I have an uneasy feeling growing in my stomach."
The group quickly stopped to remove the grips from their shoes, as Jessica spoke, "The town lent us these to allow us quick access to you, knowing there is lots of ice there."
Marek smiled as he said, "I'll be sure to give them my thanks." The group handed over the ice grips so the townspeople could continue to make use of them. Marek smiled as he took them and placed them amongst his items before going down the steps, now that the guard moved the fallen drunk from the stairs fully as they went downstairs and quickly to Marek's room.
Once they arrived, he went to the fire as he looked deep in thought. Marek blinked as he came back to reality before speaking to everyone, "As Airlia figured out, Marta is my mother. I should be the one to take over from her. I should look after the ruin behind the house when she is gone. So I suppose you wonder why I am living here?"
Everyone nodded in agreement as the dark haired man sighed hard, "The truth is… I abandoned my home … and my mother too." He looked down, ashamed of his failure to abide by his family traditions. Nodding resolutely, he continued, "She is a wise woman. I wanted to put all I had learnt from her to good use. But I could not do that if I stayed in the mountains. So I made my decision to leave. And I came here to help the people of Orkutsk with my herbs. And I should be happy because I have helped them very much. But still I am guilty for leaving my mother all alone…" He felt a lone tear slip down his cheek as Airlia handed him a piece of cloth to wipe away the tears. He looked at her gratefully, "Thank you Airlia."
Taking a steadying breath, he continued, "Then today you appear with a bag of herbs she sent to me. I cannot tell you how happy I am. It makes me feel that she has finally accepted the choice I made."
Trode smiled as he spoke, "That's what parents are for. We always try to take care of our children and help them out if they're in a pickle. But I'm sure you didn't invite us here to tell us your life story. If I'm not mistaken, you have a favor to ask."
Marek nodded in agreement before he heaved another sigh, feeling a weight on his chest, "Forgive me. You are right. There is something that is worrying me about my mother. You heard it too. That strange voice when the wolves tried to attack me… It said something about me having the blood of a sage. But that I was not the one. That it must find the chosen heir."
Airlia nodded, "You fear it's going after Marta right?"
He nodded, "Well, an ancestor of mine was a sage. One of the sages that sealed away the Lord of Darkness. Now my mother and I are the only ones left from this bloodline. So if I am not the heir… I am worried for her safety. So I have decided to visit her and see that she is all right. And this is where I must ask you a favor. Will you come with me? I am a little uneasy about going alone."
Draco smiled as he nodded, "Of course. We're worried about Marta too." He didn't spare a glance at Airlia, knowing how pale she likely was at that very minute.
Marek smiled, "You will? Spasibo! Then we must hurry! We should leave at once."
Angelo nodded, from his post against the wall near the exterior door. "I agree… we need to hurry. I feel the darkness in the air, much like back at the abbey."
Airlia frowned as she nodded in agreement. The group started to gather in preparation when a knock came to the door. Marek frowned as he opened the door to see the guard with the drunkard who couldn't help but sneeze several times.
The guard spoke to Marek, "Excuse me, Dr. Marek, but there is a patient here to see you." He turned to the shivering drunkard, "It is madness! Drinking yourself into a stupor and passing out in the snow dressed like that! Of course you'd catch a cold."
Airlia looked at the man, bare-chested with regular pants and boots on. She rolled her eyes at the ignorance the drunkard showed in this frozen region of the world. Marek shook his head, "I'm sorry, but I'm in a hurry."
The drunkard shook his head as he sneezed, "Apchkhi! Uurgh, I feel terrible. So dizzy… I'm dying, I'm dying!"
Marek shook his head as he spoke annoyed with the man, "All right, I will see you. I have just gathered some herbs that will cure you quickly."
He turned to Trode, "I apologize. I have no choice. Forgive me, but I must stay here for now. I will come after you as soon as I can. Will you go on ahead to my mother's house? I hope that there will be no problem, but… Please go and see that she is all right."
Airlia shook her head, remembering the dreams. "Marek, if you're not coming with us now, stay here until morning. Please."
He sighed as he nodded. "Very well Airlia, I will."
Angelo sent her a look as she shook her head, mouthing the word, "Nightmare."
He nodded as the group quickly left Orkutsk, gathering together as Draco chanted. "Marta's Cottage, zoom send us there please!" The blue light enveloped them as they flew off to the cottage.
When they arrived, they found wolves all over the home. Airlia saw footprints in the ground that looked fresh. She pointed to them as she said, "Follow me everyone. She's not in the house."
They ran around the side of the house as Airlia followed the footprints.
They came around to the back of the house to see a cave there, as Yangus said, "Wait! That's it! She's back there guv! Those old ruins o' 'ers!"
Airlia nodded in agreement. They ran into the cave and started hurrying towards the back when they heard a familiar growl. Angelo pushed Airlia behind him, "Keep running Airlia, don't stop until you find Marta!"
Airlia nodded as she gazed at the group in worry, "Be safe, and run back towards me when you can!" Alistair nodded as she took off down the tunnel to see Marta and Boris on some sort of circle.
Marta looked up, surprised to see Airlia, "If your friends are behind you, tell them to hurry into the safety of the circle. The demonic creatures can't touch us here!"
Airlia nodded as she screamed to Draco, "Run guys! Marta has a protective circle for us to stay inside!"
Not liking the odds of the growing number of wolves, they ran towards Airlia as Yangus grabbed Jessica, "Pardon me Jessica, can't 'ave you fallin' behind us now can we?" She was grateful for the help, though she would never say it as they made it into the circle.
The wolves that had been hot on their heels were hit by the circle. Momentarily stunned by the white light, the wolves shook their heads before hurrying back to the edge of the ruins when Leopold came out, still holding the scepter. Airlia grimaced as she realized it was just like in her nightmares. She could only hope that Marek would truly listen to her. She looked at Draco and said, "My nightmare, this was it… Only Marek shows up, gets trapped and Marta gets killed."
Draco looked at her as he nodded. "Alistair and I were both awake. We heard you go upstairs before either of us sat up in worry on the bed. We knew it was a nightmare, but neither of us knew what it had been about. Though if your moaning, groaning and sobs were of any indication… it was vicious." She nodded as they waited to see what they could do to get Leopold to leave them in peace.
Marta smiled, "I have an additional pouch for you Airlia, it holds extra nook grass and it also holds herbs for your dreams. Steep one quarter of a leaf in tea for no more than five minutes, let it dry then you can reuse it later on. I call it the dreamscape herb."
Airlia took the pouch with a small smile. "Thank you Marta, I will use it sparingly, I promise." She tucked it into her bag. The looked around at the stones surrounding them.
Marta smiled knowingly, "This is a holy place. My ancestor inscribed in stone the story of the Godbird Empyrea. It says she can travel between worlds, but yet we've never seen her in this day and age. However, it is said there is a place that cannot be reached by normal means that she can be found. Take this key; it will lead you to her. Find the pirate's cove; it will give you a map that will guide you to her home."
She gave Draco was a golden key that had a ruby laid in its handle, forming an eye. On the side was a wing as Marta explained, "This key is supposed to open any lock that cannot be opened by either of your current keys. Please take it, and be careful."
Draco put it into his bag as he nodded. She smiled at the group, "Did you give the bag to Marek?"
Alistair nodded as he spoke, "Yes, he wanted to come to see you, but Airlia advised him not to come simply because of the dangers she knew would be here. So we came here to help you."
Marta looked at them, "So you have more than your share of bad luck chasing the devil around to end it, huh?"
Airlia nodded, "Seems the Lord of Darkness wants me for his own…"
Marta paled as she looked at the girl, "That's terrible. I'm glad you advised Marek to not come. I can only hope he listened."
Airlia nodded in agreement as she refused to take her eyes from the edge of the cave, hoping and praying Marek would listen to her. However, a thump outside of the cave set Airlia's nerves on edge. "Oh no… Marek."
Marta didn't hear her as she said, "What was that noise!?" Marta's face turned serious as she continued, not waiting for an answer, "I have a very bad feeling about this. Something is terribly wrong…" The herbalist sighed as she said, "The time has come. I must confront this evil for better… or worse."
Airlia looked at Marta, "No! I can't watch you die as I've watched every other sage die! I refuse!"
Marta smiled as she patted the girl's hand. "It will be okay. No matter what happens, keep that in your heart." Airlia gave her a sad smile as Marta walked up to the cave with the group in tow.
When they arrived at the edge of the cave, they could see the flickering of flames from the distance. With fright, they looked on as they saw the wolves surrounding the cave, Leopold there with his paw holding someone down! As the cottage and all of the surrounding buildings that were part of Marta's home on fire, the form under Leopold groaned. "F-Forgive me. I was hurrying after you when I was attacked by this dog. I'm sorry Airlia that I didn't listen to you…"
Airlia frowned; her nightmares were becoming reality, telling her what would happen next. Leopold growled as Rhapthorne saw the girl again, but because she was surrounded by her guards, he couldn't do anything to her yet. So he growled, "You again… I can say I am grateful that you keep such a careful protective detail around my future wife, but you are becoming tiresome. Always appearing at the most inopportune moments. I have other needs that have to be addressed first before I can take my wife for my own. Heir of the sage! Show your face and accept your fate! Defy me and condemn your own flesh and blood… Defy me and your son will die!" Airlia knew he was now directing his attention to that of Marta.
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