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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 Forty One: The Path to the Mysterious Village
Airlia smiled as he touched the emblem and they all began to glow as an eerie voice called out to them over the air… "Two of Dragovia's own long since cast from here seek to return. To prove you deserve your lineage, you must trek through the depths of the path… Good luck."
They all vanished as Marcello reached out to his brother and Airlia in worry, gripping their hands tightly as they reappeared in an oddly open cavern. Airlia gave Marcello a gentle smile as the words hit her hard… "Draco!"
He twisted around to look at her, "You caught that too then Airlia?" She nodded as her eyes dimmed with the thought of her dreams that had first caused her to begin this long journey.
"Draco, if I'm right… mother and father… then we're…" she left the words to drift into nothing as he nodded.
Trode didn't like being out of the loop as he spoke, "Could you tell me your whole line of thought Airlia? It may help us to figure out just what is going on…"
Airlia nodded, "As you know, I had that dream again on the ship. Of the man in green, with chestnut brown hair dead on the ground. He had blood staining his uniform, and a sword lay broken on the ground next to him. What I didn't tell you right away, was that there was a woman who loved him very much that was heavily pregnant from that union. Seeing him dead on the ground shattered her heart and soul into pieces. She gave birth, but I never saw the baby, or babies as it may now turn out from that message from before. However, she died shortly after, from what I don't know. As Draco knows, it often resulted in me waking up crying, or at least my pillow soaked in tears. Next came the dream of the man who turned into the dragon that saved me at Neos. He was begging for our help, and now that message… I think I know what the curse is on Draco and me. I also think I know why the curse didn't break on me when I tried the water at the spring…"
She let the words drift as she brushed the tears from her eyes and went to the pot to put in another item that she felt would work with the old rusty sword that Draco had grabbed from Trodain long ago. She placed it in the pot with the orichalcum and the slime crown. While it worked she let a broken sob as the memories of the dream came over her. Jessica came over to her – to comfort her as Trode looked at her with renewed sympathy. "You have no idea who they are though?"
Airlia nodded brokenly as she said, "I have my suspicions, but until I can confirm it… I don't want to get anyone's hopes up or hurt them unnecessarily." Marcello sighed softly as he came over to her, and a gentle look in his eyes told her he felt horrible for what he had done all over again.
The chime from the pot told her that her creation was ready. Opening it, she found a liquid metal sword as she gazed at it in wonder. Gleaming in the light from the torches, she gasped, touching it. It was light as air, but durable to be sure! She turned to Alistair and smiled, "Why don't you take this one Alistair? You're due for a weapon upgrade." He nodded as he took it, feeling how light it was, but how strangely powerful it felt in his hands. He placed it in his sheath and smiled at her.
She looked at everyone's equipment – to get an idea of what everyone might need… Draco had the Hero Spear – a gift from Morrie and the Flametang Boomerang, a gift from Dominico for saving David's life. Airlia, Alistair and Jessica had the Gringham Whips that they were given as a gift. Airlia had her sword, while Alistair now had the liquid metal sword. Jessica had her blizzard blade. Airlia, Alistair, Angelo and Marcello all had Odin's bows. Marcello and Angelo both had shamshirs of light. Jessica, Alistair, Angelo, Marcello and Airlia had staves of resurrection. Yangus had the flail from Red, the megaton mallet, and his conqueror's axe. Everyone had the king metal armor thankfully. She knew she had to get a helmet of some sort for Marcello, where at least she and Jessica both had the sun crowns. Yangus had been given the metal helmet from Princess Minnie. Alistair and Draco had great helms. She pulled a mythril helmet out of the bag and gave it to Marcello, "Until we can get you a better helmet Marcello." Angelo still had his mythril helm, as she mentally promised him a better helmet as well. Everyone except for Jessica and herself had silver shields.
She smiled as she pulled out her Saintess shield – and looking at Jessica, she saw that she also had the same shield. Nodding to each other, they proceeded up the slope, not quite sure what the place had in store for them. Airlia reached into the bag for another torch as Jessica lit it with her frizz magic, showing just how far she came along with her magic, and with mastering it. They went up the incline, Medea huffed nervously – hoping to hurry them along. As they continued along the path, Airlia stopped for a moment to listen to the sounds around her. Holding her hand up for silence, she listened and heard a whisper that she couldn't quite make out. Shaking her head, they continued up the path and into a clearing with a pond of water surrounding the giant stone formation in the center. They looked around and she listened… The sounds were more distinctive, as she heard someone or something talking and growled. "Sounds like we have company guys!" They nodded as they, too, prepared for what may come.
As they went to the door to their left, going into the water so Medea could continue following safely to avoid the fallen stone. Looking around, the place was so eerie, just like out of the dark realm – somehow otherworldly and yet, as real as any of them. Going further into the hallway before them, she heard the voices again and found it coming to her left. "We should go that way you guys, the voices are getting stronger. I need to find out if it's someone who can help us, or if they need our help. Please…" Trode nodded in agreement as everyone got their preferred weapon ready. It was always beneficial to have options for weapons, just in case the enemy wasn't an average enemy. Airlia opted for her bow, as did the other archers in the group, except for Alistair who pulled out his sword. Jessica got her whip ready as Draco pulled out his spear. Going further – they saw the path went downwards. Coming out of the steps, they saw murals on the wall, one of a man similar from her vision, but his hair color was different. Her brows furrowed at what it could mean, and the picture depicted many others bowing to him. On the other wall, a little further down was a green dragon letting loose a fireball. Still, they continued on the path to see several invisible swordsmen and a dog like creature that was barking orders at them.
"They're here! You must destroy them, or you will never find peace!" Airlia looked at them sadly as she knew the problem lay with the devildog. Glaring at the creature, she quietly readied an arrow. Going forward, Marcello tried to stop her, but she refused to be stopped as she hurried down the path, and jumped straight into the air. Everyone was surprised as she aimed the arrow with deadly accuracy, placing it in the creature, where its blackened heart was.
He screamed in agony as she looked at the swordsmen, "Please… run! It's not safe here! My friends are over there and will protect you all!" The group of swordsmen would have looked conflicted … if you could see their faces that was.
Turning to one another in confusion as she said, "My friends and I can help you to get on your way if you want, or you can live to see another day if that's your preference. But please… run!" She readied another arrow as it released its spiked collar at her. It missed the chocolate haired woman, but not her hand as it sent the weapon skittering away from her. Marcello and Alistair ran over to help her as they paired up for an attack. Marcello let his arrows rain over it, while Alistair struck like a falcon, fierce and quick. The pair quickly extinguished the life of the creature as Angelo looked after the swordsmen.
"We want to thank you, truly you saved us all. All we want to do is stay on the other side, where we can't hurt or be hurt anymore… Please, take these in gratitude though they're not much…" They left with the group, their swords, and their dark robes.
Angelo smiled as he opened the gates to heaven for them to be embraced once more by peace. Their sighs of joy really hit the others that they had been in agony up to that point. Airlia stood, smiling at the others, "Thank you for helping you guys… Wow, they left that for us!?" She collected her bow as she walked over to the items left in offering. More of the strange, rusty old swords and dark robes had been laying there as she took each into the group's bag, collectively. They proceeded back to the fork in the road as Airlia began more alchemy. She set the sword with more of the orichalcum and slime crown.
As she waited for it to brew, they found themselves walking through knee high water as Jessica and Airlia found themselves sat on the wagon thanks to Angelo and Marcello respectively, "You two have skirts, it'll take longer for you to get through the water as you'll gain extra weight. Soon as we're out, you can walk again."
They had wanted to walk through the water, but agreed that it would take longer for them as they took the chance to rest. Once they were through the water, the chime went off as she gained another sword. This one, she gave to Draco, to replace his older sword. She took the sword and put it back into the bag as she set about making another liquid metal sword. The place was oddly quiet, which worried her… Could it be there was something so dangerous, so malicious that other creatures were afraid of it?
The group went down the next slope and found themselves in a circular part of the cavern with only one path outwards. She looked along the path and saw one branch out to the left, and felt a pull… as if there was something she had to see! Looking on the wall, there was another demonic creature breathing fire… It didn't seem to be a dragon, but it was attacking those depicted from the earlier scene, but with no one around to protect them. They followed her as she came into the tunnel and saw a sapphire blue dragon attacking the people as the man in black and red came to their aid with a bright power. Again, so much like the man pleading for her help, but yet different… She could only guess why.
Seeing nothing else around, she left to rejoin the others… "These pictures, they feel familiar. The man is like the one who came pleading with me for help and I can't picture his face… I wonder what it all means…" The others shrugged, unsure of what it could be. They went back to the main path once more, continuing onwards. They went down the path, under the one where they had saved the swordsmen as the pot chimed. She pulled out the sword, handing it to Jessica this time as she replaced the blizzard blade of hers.
She set about making the next sword for Angelo as they continued onwards. On her left, she saw a scene of another blue dragon blowing a fireball – but yet… no one was there. Continuing along the winding path, she saw the people bowing before a creature… it wasn't the same man in red and black as before, it was distinctly animal of some kind with a staff pointing at them. They went left, and came to another depiction of the creature, the one that was revered by the people, again attacking them. Glancing at the others she said, "I have a bad feeling about this, that these people really need our help." Draco nodded as he stepped closer to her, feeling much the same, and an odd confliction of who to protect.
The chime went off as she gave the sword to Angelo and prepared the last one for Marcello. She had to think about what to do with the mysterious dark robes. They were alchemy, she could feel it. She smiled as she felt a gust of wind, telling them that they were near an exit. Running down, they went outside to find that the clouds were actually below them! "Whoa! Careful everyone. I don't want anyone to fall off this path!" Draco said as he calmed Medea down.
They walked slower as she heard the chime and got the sword for Marcello. "Keep it and yourself safe Marcello…" He couldn't tell, but he suspected her voice was becoming a little softer in tone towards him, and not just because the frightened or often angry timber was gone either. She looked at the newest piece of armor in question and knew it wasn't cursed. So she put it in with a piece of headgear that was merely lying in the bag of their goodies and waited to see if it was rejected. When it was obviously not rejected, she jotted it down quickly in her book before they moved on. Inside the room that the path led towards poison lingered in pools around them as they watched their steps and went straight for the next room. "Anything in a poisoned room can't be good… leave it be!" Yangus nodded as they went down the winding road to find yet another circular room with seemingly one exit.
Outside, they saw more winding open paths as they had to walk even slower this time, fearful of the many bumps, and not wanting Medea harmed. When they reached a set of dead end paths with chests, she watched as Marcello, Angelo and Alistair went to get the first one, off to their left. She found her breath caught in her chest as she waited for them to come back safely. Marcello handed her an elixir of sorts as she put it amongst her items. "Thank you Marcello… But I want all of you to be careful… something feels off here…"
He nodded as they went a little further and Draco, Yangus and Jessica went to the other chest. They found in the other chest was the Metal King Spear! Airlia smiled brightly as it dimmed when she caught sight of something else as she screamed to the others, "Behind you!" She, Marcello, Alistair and Angelo took off like a shot when they saw the chest stirring into a creature… She pulled out her bow and sent an arrow rain on it, stunning the creature.
Marcello growled as it set its sights on Airlia. "You stay away from her!" He lashed out with his sword, and sliced it cleanly in two.
Replacing his sword, she smiled at him, "He wouldn't have gotten very far Marcello, but I appreciate the help and support." They got back to the wagon as they continued onwards. They saw a path leading straight to another image of a dragon carved in the ground. Stepping on it – they felt themselves pulled upwards.
Going forward, Airlia felt a tug to her heart as she looked at Draco to see a wave of pain sweep across his face. He had felt it too! She took off running as fast as she could to find the site of a grave! She collapsed into a sobbing heap as she saw on the grave…
Here lies my beloved Eltrio…
Airlia screamed in pain as her vision flooded her once more… She could see his face clearly now! And the woman who was sobbing over him was even clearer than before as well. As she fell to the ground, Marcello who had been racing Angelo and Alistair saw her collapse. Draco felt a wave of the pain that he was sure Airlia was in, and had no doubt as to why she fell unconscious. Marcello cradled her closely as he looked at her face, tear stained and her expression agonizing as she suddenly shot awake. She gasped deep, shuddering breaths as she looked at the grave… "I'm… I'm so sorry…" She murmured as the others shook their heads, not understanding what she was apologizing for.
After a moment, her eyes cleared as she tried to get up only for Marcello to still her. "It's okay Airlia; relax for a few minutes while you get your bearings." He hadn't wanted to tell her that he enjoyed holding her so close to him, so tenderly.
Airlia gasped in between heart breaking sobs, "Eltrio… Eltrio died here…? I'm so sorry King Clavius…"
Draco sucked in his breath, understanding the name and was beginning to understand how it linked to her dream. "Eltrio was the man in green… the missing Crowned Prince of Argonia!?" The sobbing brunette nodded in Marcello's arms as she continued to apologize to no one in particular.
Jessica looked at the grave – puzzled by what made her first take off like a shot, and then scream so heart wrenchingly. Marcello carried her to the back of the wagon as he said, "Just rest Airlia. Surely we're almost there…" She nodded sadly as the pot was surely done after being so long from it.
Opening the pot, she found a white mask, covering just part of the face around the eyes. She smiled as she handed it to Marcello, "May this keep you safe…"
He nodded as he placed it on his face, and felt indeed a little swifter as he took off the helmet. "The mask seems to be very powerful indeed Airlia. Perhaps you could make another for my brother?" She smiled as she had noticed he long since dropped the 'half' part of brother from his references to Angelo.
She set about making another mask as Alistair came to check on her… "I'm okay… Something about that grave… it just set me off and suddenly I was back in that dream… I can't explain it." He nodded as they proceeded to follow the path, eventually coming to the gates without strife. Draco went to the door as he tried to push it open, tried to pull it open.
Even Yangus, powerful Yangus had tried his luck to find nothing budging it. Stepping back he muttered, "That gate's a whopper, innit! Wonder wot's behind it eh?"
Angelo glared at it as he said, "It won't move an inch! What do we do now?" Marcello and Alistair shrugged, wondering how to get to the village if the gate was so tightly sealed. Jessica watched as Munchie got out of Draco's pocket, and touched the door from below, opening the gate! Airlia got out of the wagon to see the familiar location and paled further, tears still tumbling down her cheeks. The group came up the path to find Munchie, but instead found an elderly man with strangely tipped ears that were almost reptilian.
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Memories