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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 Four: The Truth Comes Out
He slammed his staff into the ground and their bag felt heavier, "I've given you all of the Dragovian equipment, so you now have a full set for Draco. Airlia, for you, I have placed a special dress that belonged to your mother, it was her favorite dress that she wore when she met your father. I've fixed your alchemy pot so it will instantly give you each item as it's made. I've awaken powers in you both that will hopefully help in the fight against Rhapthorne. Now I will transport you to Chen Mui's house so he can explain everything to you both. Again, I can't express deeply enough about how sorry I am."
When they arrived back at Chen Mui's place the stress of all that she had been through, all that she had just found out was simply too much for her… She collapsed as Marcello and Alistair quickly grabbed an arm each. Chen Mui looked at her pale face as he said, "Lay her here, on the bed. Once she awakes, I will tell everyone everything. It hurts me to have to talk about this and I don't want to reopen the wounds more than necessary." Draco nodded as he left his grandfather to check on his sister.
Sitting on the edge of the bed near her head, he gazed at her and felt the pain in his heart that echoed likely in Airlia's heart as her expression darkened. Marcello noticed it as well as he gripped her hand gently, "I'm right here Airlia. We all are. You're safe!"
Her expression relaxed slowly until she opened her eyes. He smiled as he traced a finger along her cheek tenderly, seeing her blush lightly which only made him smile more. "Welcome back my dear, are you feeling better?" She nodded as she tried to sit up, while both Alistair and Jessica came to check on her. Jessica handed her a glass of water she had gotten from the kitchen while the woman slept.
Drinking the water in one gulp, she looked expectantly at Chen Mui, as he nodded. "So Airlia, Draco. I have a few items in here to explain your heritage." He opened the chest in the corner as she sighed heavily. She had simply wanted – no deserved answers… She and Draco both deserved these answers!
He pulled out several pictures, depicting a woman and man that Airlia had seen so many times over. Setting those aside, he pulled out a peculiar red ring that Airlia recognized instantly as an argon heart ring. Chen Mui smiled as he gave the ring to Draco, "This is a keepsake of your mother, Xia. It was given to her as a present by your father. Judging by Airlia's expression, the ring is familiar to her at the least. Your father obtained that ring twenty years ago during his initiation as the Crowned Prince of Argonia." Chen Mui turned to the drawings that he had set aside earlier. Holding them up, he showed two people so obviously in love. A long dark haired woman in a red and white dress. The overdress was white, with red threading along the sleeves. The underdress was red, with a red belt around it. Eltrio had been wearing the same uniform that King Clavius had been wearing, except he didn't have the stiff ruff around his neck. His dark hair was much like her own, as she noticed her mother wearing a circlet much like the Lord of the Dragovians wore. Her brow furrowed as she remained silent. The look hadn't passed Chen Mui, but he let it go for the moment as well, determined to get the pain out once and for all. He began his tale…

Long ago, some twenty years previous, a curious Dragovian girl by the name of Xia decided to visit the world of the humans. There she chanced to meet a young prince named Eltrio. It was love at first sight! But her father Chen Mui, none other than yours truly, objected.

He then showed another picture of the pair that he tore in half, where the lovers' hands clasped each other.

He took Xia back home to the Dragovian Sanctuary so that the couple could never meet again. He thought it was the right thing to do. He believed there would never be any way for a Dragovian and a human to build a happy life together. But he was wrong… His foolish decision caused no end of sadness and tragedy for his beloved daughter Xia.

He moved onto the next picture that caused Airlia to start crying as Marcello sat on her left, holding her helplessly, unknowing of why she was sobbing so hard. Jessica, who was also at a loss sat on the other side as she tried to bring the woman comfort. Alistair and Angelo both glared at the man, angry for upsetting their friend so. Chen Mui nodded sadly as he continued on with the sad tale of a man stained in blood with is broken sword at his side, obviously dead…

Shortly after Chen Mui forced his daughter back to the Sanctuary, a human body was found just outside. It was Eltrio. He had fought desperately to find Xia again, but died just before reaching the gates of the Sanctuary. His sword was broken and his uniform was stained with blood.

He went to the next picture, as Airlia continued to sob helplessly as Chen Mui nodded, "She knows this tale all too well. I know sure this is the dream she had been having for some time now. I was the reason Draco came to check on her and heard about the dream. It was reinforced when she spoke of it on the ship. It was what told me I had finally found my other grandchild." Marcello continued to feel grief for how he treated her, and anger at those who hid her heritage from her willingly for so long. He saw a dark haired woman sitting on the bed, weeping at her loss.

The death of her true love wounded Xia to her very soul. She plunged into an inconsolable sorrow. Her life ebbed away from her day by day. One day, even while absorbed in her grief, Xia realized that she was pregnant with Eltrio's child. At the time she only thought it was one child, but none the less, every single one of the Dragovians objected, but she stood firm and decided to keep the baby. We only found out it was twins when she delivered two babies, a healthy baby boy and a healthy baby girl. Looking at the children, they could see Eltrio in both, but the girl somehow also depicted her mother as well. However, in her weakened state, Xia never recovered from the strain of childbirth and passed away soon after. You saw she was buried in the Heavenly Dais while her love was buried outside of the Dragovian Sanctuary.

He showed the next picture of a grave, with flowers laid freshly on the stone. Airlia glared at the picture as anger rushed through her veins, "That's a lie! She's not there, I know it! I know she is buried with Eltrio!" Chen Mui looked at her with surprise clearly in his visage as he blinked and resumed the story. In the picture, Airlia could just make out the two children, one in each arm. The next page, he showed the elders talking, with two baskets on the table, a child in each one. Both seemed to be happy for the moment with Chen Mui looking upset.

The Council of Elders convened a discussion to decide what should be done about Draco and Airlia, the half-human, half-Dragovian children. It took several years, but finally the Council of Elders announced their final decision. The children's memories would be sealed away, and they would be banished from the Sanctuary forever. Needless to say, Chen Mui had changed his mind about the children. He argued against the cruel and closed-minded decision at great length.

At this point, the next picture was revealed and they saw Chen Mui, usually calm and easygoing suddenly alive with righteous anger at everyone, as he held the circlet he had saved for his granddaughter that had belonged to the former Dragovian woman. The children had wormed their way into his heart with their tiny hands and tiny smiles. Marcello interrupted Chen Mui, "How is that possible when she was an infant when the Abbot Francisco found her?"
Chen Mui nodded as he explained, "Up here, my people age much slower than down in the world of the humans. So a few years here, they would have barely aged. But years down there, they would grow at the rate of a normal human, especially so far away from their homeland." Marcello turned away from Chen Mui to gaze at his love knowing he had to tell her how he felt, but it wouldn't be wise until after the fight with Rhapthorne, less he distract her with worry over his safety. Chen Mui continued the sad tale slowly coming to an end.

But the Council of Elders refused to reverse it. Chen Mui cursed himself for his powerlessness. Shortly thereafter, the Lord of the Dragovians used is power to seal away their memories and the two children were expelled from the Sanctuary. Chen Mui had realized the two infants were his only remaining connections to his only daughter. He knew he could never truly abandon them. So Chen Mui begged the Lord of the Dragovians for permission to follow his grandchildren into the human world.

He removed the angry picture to show a picture of the Lord of the Dragovians, Ishmahri, holding a hand over one child, leaving the others to assume he had already done whatever magical procedure to one of them already. Chen Mui nodded, "Airlia was the first one, sent away after being sealed with her brother right after him. They were fated to never even know they were related… So I tucked away a sword into her blanket to ensure she would somehow know of her heritage, the Lord of the Dragovians never knew I did it. The curse on the two of you has been lifted, by knowing who you are to each other, and by seeing me now after the fight with the Dragovian Lord…" He then moved to the next picture, Munchie was shown running through the gates.

The Lord of the Dragovians told Chen Mui that he would only allow it if Chen Mui disguised his true appearance as a mouse… A dragon, my other form, would have been too scary for either child. I was also forbidden from speaking directly to them. Considering the hardship his grandchildren would be facing as exiled and orphans in a totally new and unknown world… It took Chen Mui no time to make up his mind. He transformed himself into the likeness of a mouse and chased after Draco, and hopefully Airlia as well as quickly as he could hope that both children were there together…

"As you all know, she didn't wind up where Draco ended up, however, thankfully the blade I had placed with her did. It had kept her safe as I hoped it would until we met up. I wasn't sure at first when I saw her, but she looked so much like my Xia, that I somehow knew but never wanted to get my hopes up. The dreams and the sword merely confirmed my suspicions. I'm just sorry that I never found you until then Airlia, so many years later…" She put a hand to her head, not sure what to make of things. Chen Mui placed the pictures back into the chest. He turned to the pair and said, "Now you know the whole story… both of you. My apologies for keeping it from you both until now. Please, try to forgive this doddering old man." Airlia closed her eyes painfully as she stood up and left the room to think on her own. She found herself outside of the house, going towards the edge of the Sanctuary as other Dragovians approached her. Turning, she fished into her bag and pulled out a bottle of holy water.
She splashed it on herself as she went outside – much to the dismay of the approaching Dragovians. Running, she found herself at their grave. She knew now, why her heart was so weighed down… it wasn't just her father's grave… "Father… Mother… I've returned home, but I find no home here for me. My heart doesn't belong here… Grandfather is here, sure… but why spend my life here with people who casted the two of us away. The tried to fate us to never know of each other even if our path had crossed in any other manner. What am I to do mother? I'm tired of being used by everyone as a pawn, and while thankfully some have broken free of the bonds still others use me so…" She fell to her knees, sobbing – knowing now she would likely never see the Dragovians again because of the pain seeded deeply within her heart.
She heard steps coming towards her, telling her that someone had followed her. She turned her head slightly to see Marcello there, understanding on his face. "By the Goddess! Airlia truly we were far too alike for our own well-beings. Here I had been tossed from my father's home, my mother dying only a few years after. Still, I knew who my father and mother were and that I even had a brother! However, not only were you tossed from your home, but never having met your parents and your memories were sealed so you would never know your own brother if you saw him! Airlia… when this is all over, I would like to take you up on your offer to talk… just the two of us like we promised on Neos."
She nodded – looking in his eyes, and saw only love there for her, like Draco's gaze when it came to Medea, both in horse and in human form. She smiled as she said, "I would be more than glad to. But could we do it after Trodain is freed of its curse? I also want to show my uncle… his brother's grave first. He deserves to be able to have some closure that he has been denied over twenty years."
Marcello nodded in agreement. "Truly, I would be glad to. I just hope that what I have to say will not come across as it ever did in the past."
Airlia shook her head with a gentle smile on her face, "Considering all you have seen on our short journey thus far together, I don't think it will come across as it ever has if it's indeed what I suspect." He smiled at her gently as the others came out to join them.
Draco looked at Airlia still clearly coming to terms that he now has a family, "Considering that… creature… is after you, I want you to stay with our… Uncle Clavius sis. Going there, we'll be going into the belly of the beast – who knows what kind of troubles we will walk into… If we lose, I want you to have a running head start sis." Airlia looked downwards as she considered everything.
She knew it was best for all of them as she looked up with a nod. "I will, but first, I want to do something for you Draco. May I see your sword that Lord Ishmahri gave you?"
He nodded as he turned the sword over, "And could I see your other sword that I gave you?" He nodded as he handed over the liquid metal sword. She turned to the alchemy pot and opened it. She placed them in the alchemy pot as it brewed and chimed immediately.
Opening it, she found a new sword and smiled as she took it to Draco, "Use this brother, please, to protect yourself. I can't do much more than I already have."
Chen Mui came up to them, "I know you were collecting these medals. Take them; it should be able to help you now." She took the remaining medals as they flew off to Princess Minnie's castle.
When they arrived, they hurried off to find Princess Minnie at her throne. She smiled as she welcomed the group back once more to her throne room. "Welcome back to one's castle. Please, did you bring us those teenie tiny medals?"
Airlia nodded as Yangus approached with the final three medals. "Oh … oh my! You've completed my requests. Take this flail of destruction. We pray it will serve you well!"
Yangus blushed as he took the flail and tucked Red's flail away for safe keeping. He didn't mind using it, but he would rather keep it safe to return to her when the fight was over. The group nodded as Airlia tried to think of any reason to delay the inevitable. She didn't want to leave them alone to fight that creature. Sadly when nothing came to mind to prevent the inevitable Draco spoke seriously, "Right then, time for us to go."
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Memories