A Knight's Quest

[Mason Smith]

"Hey Gus, would ya' look at that!" belched an overweight middle aged brute, smelling rich of alcohol, sweat, and failure; his head mostly bald, a few teeth missing, and generally the definition of ugly. Next to him stood a lanky, thin man with a bit of a beer belly and a long greasy nose, smelling equally rich. How they came upon the angerian isn't known. Maybe they spotted her wings reflecting off of what little candle light reached this area? Maybe it was blind luck? None of that mattered now though. What mattered was that the two had the angerian healer cornered near the base of the steps. Would she be able to escape them? Maybe if she ran back up, maybe they'd be too drunk to grab her?

"Hehe, sure do Lu. She's a beaut." The thin one responded, his eyes widening at the end with revelation, "Hey Lu! She could be the girl on the wanted poster!" The fat one raises an eye brow, "Huh? Ooooh yeah! An' even if she ain't that one, she's got wings. She close 'nough, yeah?" The thin one laughs, "Yeah we eatin' good when we bring 'er in. Lets grab her!"

The fat one's face darkens, a sick grin crossing his face, "Oooh lets grab 'er alright. Lets have some fun first. Ain't never been with an angerian before." The two laugh sickly as they move in on the healer.

Meanwhile up stairs Mason slept, unknowing of his friend's, one who he found himself falling for, predicament. Deep in his dreams he found himself before a wall of crystal, words of many languages chiseled upon it. Growing nervous he looked about and saw one of the great heads of his god Arameas looking over him. Quickly kneeling he exclaimed, 'My lord!' The massive, reptilian head didn't respond, but instead it motioned to a segment on the crystal wall.

Mason turned to look at the segment and saw upon it a great red orb rise, surrounded by three great red flames. 'The Eternal Flame?' Mason exclaimed in confusion. Beneath the flame a map of Chaladonia appeared, and one by one each part of it fell to darkness. 'I... I don't understand...' The massive head spoke, its voice rattling Mason's very spirit, "You know the flame, it is Zodo. Darkness comes before him, and follows him for no light is given from his flame, only xodod fire. One of his has already surfaced, and the first battle of the coming war is soon to start."

Mason sighs, 'My lord, I'd give anything to be able to stop it. But how?' The image of the map on the crystal wall zooms in, and the town of Maya comes into view, with a red jewel and an ancient crown. "The girl is the key. Where is she?" The massive head spake as darkness overtook the room.

Mason shoots up wide awake and covered in sweat. Taking a moment to regain himself, he looks about and notices with horror that Emerald is not there with him. The knight didn't know how or why, but he could feel that she was in danger, and quickly moved to grab his weapon...

[Emerald]

Emerald wasn't an idiot, she knew these men were dangerous from the moment she glimpsed them. Yet, despite that, Emerald had been too wrapped up in her fears and emotions to pay the men much mind. Still, as she shrank further into the shadows the cloak she wore fell a little to the side, exposing one brilliant white wing. Hastily she pulled the cloak back around herself, hiding her wings from obvious view. 

The damage had been done though and she heard the men approach and begin to corner her. Her emerald eyes shot to view the would be attackers, and they darted looking for an escape route. There was only one. She’d have to take her chances and push past them to run back up the stairs. It wouldn't take much for them to grab her but she had to try. Emerald needed her cold logical self more than anything right now if she were to survive. 

Mason was asleep and couldn't help her, so she'd have to help herself. Maybe, just maybe with enough surprise and strength on her part she could get past them. Decision made, Emerald waited until they were just about on her. Then she struck.

Knowing the general size of the larger man and knowing her own strength, she reached out and shoved the smaller of the two into the larger as hard as she could. Then, without a moment's hesitation she darted for the stairs, clambering up them as quickly as she could. Would she make it? Could she make it back to Mason? If she did, she owed him an apology. Emerald still did not understand the feelings she was having for him. But she knew they were dangerous.  Did she dare give into those feelings further? Did she dare ruin her life again? 

It didn't matter at the moment. What mattered was her getting away from the foul smelling men trying to capture her. She would deal with feelings and emotions later.

[Mason Smith]

The thin one let out an oomph as he fell backwards into the fat one, letting out another squeal as he was easily pushed away by his larger companion. "Oh no you don't girly," The fat one squealed as he leapt forward, managing to grab the angerian by the left ankle just in time. With a grunt, he snorts "We ain't done yet sweetie", and he yanked backwards to pull the healer girl down and back. "Go on, scream, ain't no one gonna get to you in ti..." he falls over dead in an instant, with a dagger protruding from his forehead.

The dagger had flown easily to its target. The one who threw it, Mason Smith, stood atop the stairs, his sword drawn and a threat of death written plain as day across his weathered face. The thin one quickly backs away and makes a run for it. Sighing, Mason lowers his sword and extends his left hand, "Are you harmed Emerald?"

[Emerald]

Emerald yelped in surprise as the fat man's hand grabbed her bare ankle and yanked her back towards him. She tumbled, rolling down the few stairs she'd been able to make it up. She tried to tuck and roll but it was no use and her cloak had already tangled about her limbs. At the bottom of the stairs near where she had started, she came to an abrupt halt and her body cried out with pain as a sickening crunch seemed to reverberate through her. Tears of both pain and embarrassment streaked down her face and she scrambled to get away from the now dead, fat man. 

It was over before it ever really began and it was thanks to Mason. He had saved her life. Again. It seemed as if he was always saving her. She looked up at his weathered face, through her tears. Emerald saw his hand through the blurry tears and reached to take it. She owed him everything, she owed him her life. She loved him. She knew that now. It was more clear than any thought she had ever had. Did he feel the same? His actions before he had gone to sleep confused her. He had given into her kiss, had even kissed her at one point before that, and yet had been so abrupt when he broke their kiss. 

Emerald grasped his offered hand and with his help started to stand. Started being the key word. As soon as she put weight on her left ankle, it crumpled as did she with a yelp of pain. From the feel of it and the remembered crunch she knew the damage was bad. Not a simple sprain or a twist but something much worse. Broken.

Looking up at Mason she carefully started to crawl up the stairs towards him, making sure to keep weight off the offending ankle. "I'm sorry Mason. I never meant for this to happen. I only wanted to think. Please, don't hate me." Her breath hitched in her throat as she fought tears that went so against who she was. Would he hate her? She wouldn't blame him if he did. But it would only break her heart. Something that her cold logic had been able to prevent until now.

[Mason Smith]

Mason's brow wrinkles, "Hate you?" He shakes his head, "Dear Emerald, my emotions for you lie far opposite of hate, and while I can not yet risk the dangers of the word that my heart is so wanting to say, I can assure you," he reaches down and pulls Emerald to him, lifting her up in his arms easily, "it could never be hate." Mason sighs, "Come, lets get back to our room."

He easily carries the injured girl and lays her on the bed, "My dear, let your thoughts carry you to sleep. It is where I go to think. In the world crafted in our minds, we are safe to explore our thoughts."

Mason sits on the bed next to her, "I dreamt, you know. In my dream I talked to my god Arameas. He showed me a glimpse of what is to come, something far worse than any of us could imagine." He looks down, his hands begin to tremble at the thought. Turning to Emerald, a look of terror dances in his weathered eyes, "Zodo is coming."

Mason looks back to the closed window, "If anyone else had told me that, I'd not believe it. Not for a second. Xodod, I'm not sure I should believe it even now, having dreamed it. But.... I feel it to be true. The dark god sealed away during the Great Magic War. Who are we to stand against such a foe?"

Mason turns back to Emerald, "But I intend to try. I'll start with finding the next true king, as instructed by King Ian. The town of Maya was shown to me, it must be key to this quest." Mason grabs Emerald's hand gently, "It has been long since I've allowed myself to feel any emotion towards anyone. I still do not know if what I feel towards you is true or a trick of the mind. But, if you stick with me.... if we can figure this out together, I am hoping that I will understand more."

[Emerald]

The moment she was in his arms, the way he held her close and so effortlessly,  she felt it. That feeling of belonging, of peace, of love. It frightened her, but Emerald knew it for the truth it was. She was hopelessly and irrevocably in love with Mason Smith. 

He wasn't sure what he felt, so he claimed, but at least he did not hate her. He probably thought her foolish but still he did not hate. The thought made her heart leap in her chest and it pounded so loud against her ribs that she was sure he could hear it. 

As he set her carefully upon the bed and sat beside her, she was careful to avoid letting any weight fall upon her left ankle. It was already starting to swell and it would need setting. That and probably some strong medicines and magics to make it heal properly. 

"I wish I could let my dreams absorb my thoughts, but the thoughts, they refuse to let me sleep."

Emerald smiled weakly at him and listened with care and concern at his words of what was to come. She'd be lying if she said it didn't scare her as well. But then she said nothing, so couldn't lie, and took his shaking hands into hers.

"Together. All of it. We will face it together. Whatever may come a united front, even if only made up of two, is stronger than a front made of only one."

She leaned back against the headboard and tried to hide her grimace of pain as the pain shot up her leg from her ankle. Closing her emerald eyes and shifting so her wings were not bothering her she said, "I am afraid that I will be of little help for a time. Unless you know of a healer here with magic. My own abilities in that area are severely lacking and I've never used them on myself. If we do not set my ankle and get it to healing,, I'm afraid that I will be of little use to you."

Her white wings shifted with her irritation at herself and her own weaknesses. Yet this was Mason. Surely he would understand. He had been understanding so far. Why not further?
 

[Mason Smith]

Mason frowns, "I fear we shall have a hard time finding anyone we can trust, especially here." He sighs, "But I've been a knight of the realm for enough time to know a trick or two."

Mason stands up and takes out his dagger. With it he cuts some fabric from the end of the sheet. He then goes back to Emerald, "Reach somewhere deep within you. I'm going to set it." Mason then goes to the offending ankle, gently grabs it and pushes it into place. "Now I am no skilled mage or healer, but I do know the basics of field care, and I am born under the sign of fire..." Mason places his hands on Emerald's ankle and concentrates for a bit, allowing his hands to warm greatly, like a waterskin of hot water. The heat would ease the swelling and bring some relief to the pain. 

After a few minutes Mason stops, obviously mentally drained. He takes the bit of cloth and ties it tight around the ankle and heal of her foot. He looks back to Emerald, "That should help some, I hope...." and passes out.

[Emerald]

She knew he was right. Finding anyone they could trust when they were both fugitives would be beyond difficult. The people at the camp had been so kind and had helped them, but they could only do so much. It was up to Mason and Emerald to do this on their own. It would be tough, of that much she was certain, but they would persevere, they just had to keep the faith.

When he told her to search deep within herself, that he was going to set her ankle, Emerald nervously bit her lip and nodded. She'd done the same for others hundreds of times, but had never had it done to her. She knew the pain in a round about way and knew also that it must be tolerated. Always when she set a bone for someone, she would tell them something similar and it seemed to help them. Would it do the same for her? She had to at least try.

Letting go of her bottom lip, she gripped the sheets in her hands and tried to force herself into another world. A world of her own making where she was happy, loved and respected by all. And though her mind went there, it was still a great shock when Mason set the bones in her ankle. Emerald couldn't help it, she cried out in pain, her wings shifting in irritation mainly with herself for being so weak, especially once she felt the tears of pain rolling down her cheeks.

It was over before she knew it though and the intense pain had been short lived. Oh the pain was still there, but thanks to Mason and his magic, her ankle was already starting to feel better. She'd need to take it easy though and not put too much weight on it. Emerald was so glad that Mason knew enough to help her and that he was willing. And even as he wrapped it with the strip of sheet, she felt something warm and tingly in her chest. Yes, she had it bad for Mason and his actions just made the feelings go that much deeper.

Just as Emerald opened her mouth to thank him, his words faltered and he passed out at her feet on the the bed. She smiled a sad smile and shifted herself around, careful of the ankle, until she could pull him more fully onto the bed. They were both laying there, horizontally across the bed, and Emerald found herself cuddled up against Mason, her head on his chest as he breathed deeply in an exhausted rest. Closing her eyes, she let her wings flutter over the both of them to keep them warm, and soon enough she too was asleep, her mind finally silent and her fears and worries put to rest. For the time being.

[Mason Smith]

As the two were in deep sleep a woman in brillian white with brilliant white hair stood at the end of the bed and watched them. Smiling faintly, she reached down onto Emerald's ankle and made it new. She then glided around to Emerald's head, leaned down, and whispered into her mind, "Do not let uncertainty, doubt, or even Zodo frighten you young daughter of Remes, for I am with you." As the Kymara uttered those last thoughts she faded into the light.

As the sun peeked over the horizon, Mason sat up feeling fully refreshed and strangely very hopeful. He gently shakes Emerald's shoulder, "We should get moving. We need to get a horse and buggy and some supplies before we head out." He had thought about leaving her here in the room as he did those things, but the events of last night showed him that he shouldn't leave her side.

"How's your ankle?" he asked as he went to check on it. Looking it over a puzzled expression grows upon his face. "I didn't realize Angerians were such quick healers," he muttered, astonished at the fact that the ankle looked perfectly fine.

[Emerald]

"No doubt...no uncertainty...with you." 

Those words she muttered over and over as she slept as if reinforcing them in her mind and heart. The words gave her hope and as Mason gently shook her, she uttered them one last time as her eyes fluttered open.

"Huh? What?" As her eyes fixed on Mason she smiled, remembering how he had rescued her, helped her and even the passionate kiss they had shared. Her lips curled into that smile so rare on her face. A smile that she only shared with him. Folding her wings, she pushed herself to sitting and looked at her ankle that Mason was looking at. There was no swelling and it didn't even hurt. Carefully she reached down to touch it. It felt whole and strong.

Then, ever so gently she rotated her ankle, first one way then the other. There was zero pain, as if it had never been broken in the first place. Yet she knew it had been. She had heard the crunch, felt the pain and seen the swelling. 

There was just one more test she wanted to do. Weight bearing. Sliding to the edge of the bed, she lowered her feet to the floor. It was cold, but she ignored that for the time being and slowly stood up. The ankle bore her weight as good as ever. As if it had never happened. 

Excited at being back to full health, she leaped at Mason, throwing her arms around his neck and letting out a small shriek of pure delight. It was all very uncharacteristic of her. She didn't care though. Emerald was so happy not just because of her ankle but because she was with Mason. 

She held him tight, breathing in his scent and felt so at peace with herself and everything that she didn't want to ever let go.