|
"Invisible Prey" (Greenhill/Outskirts) It is funny how the world around you can change with the blink of an eye, alternating all your expectations and goals. You wake up one day, not knowing what fate would throw at you, and suddenly your one objective becomes many. The path that you thought was right, turns out to be only a detour, with no signs to warn you. Ha, it’s funny how my life is now important. Someone out there needs me. Wants me. Someone is sending other people to capture me and use me. My life is not expendable. Is it wrong because the intentions are dark? I have made a friend, finally, and yet why do I feel like my calling is not what it is suppose to be? Why do I feel like everything that Fox is fighting for is all for nothing? He is fighting hard. Fighting for me? "Hey Bob. We better get going before Corvus and his gang come back." Bob slowly opened his eyes, and quickly noticed a man with blonde hair and bright blue eyes staring at him. This triggered a jolt of shock through his body, making his heart beat twice its speed. He lost his breath. "Don’t do that! You scared the living daylight out of me!" Bob gasped. "Sorry Bob. But you were mumbling in your sleep, and I figured I’d better wake you before you said something you would regret!" Fox laughed. Bob slowly got up. "Yeah, we better go before he gets here." Bob mumbled as he rubbed his eyes. "So, how are you feeling? Better I hope." Fox said as he got a glass of water from the table nearby and handed it to Bob. "Wow, backlash can sure make you tired." Bob yawned. " Yeah, I’m doing alright." "Good. Well, I’ll be downstairs waiting for ya. South of here there is a village called Two-River. I figure we should head there, since it is the closest place other than Forest Village." Fox started to walk out of the bedroom, but paused. "You should maybe say good-bye to Erika. She has been waiting for you downstairs all day." He smiled as he walked the rest of the way downstairs. Oh yeah. Erika, the one who saved us. Yeah. I have been quite a jerk to her. I better say good-bye. Bob slowly got to his feet and walked down the stairs to the restaurant portion of the Inn. There he saw Fox standing by the entrance, talking with the waitress from the day before. He was working his magic again. And it was working. She must have been weak for stuff like that. Bob just shrugged it off as he continued to walk towards Erika, who was sitting down at a nearby table, her back turned. "Uh… Erika?" Bob stumbled with his words when it came with woman. He wasn’t really sure how to perceive them. He was really familiar with them. "Yes Bob!" Erika said with a tremendous burst of excitement. He looked into her eyes, and he was amazed to see how bright they were. He eyes lit up with a sky blue that he has never seen before. This must be what love does to a person. Too bad he never felt the same. "I want to…uh… thank…you. For…. uh… helping us back there." He stumbled again. He didn’t want to be there. If he had his way, he would shake on it and that would be that. "That isn’t a problem Bob. I’d do anything for you! But I hear that you are going now. Is that true?" Suddenly her tone from extreme excitness and giddiness swiftly changed to a dark, lonely whisper. "I’m afraid so. We don’t want to put this town in danger anymore." He said with a sort of sympathy that he had never felt before. "I want to go with you!" Erika shouted. "Please let me go with you!" "I’m sorry Erika. I don’t want to put your life in danger, as well." He had to let her down, gently. But he knew that the blow wouldn’t be forgotten that easily. "I will be waiting for you, always." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a medallion. "Will you please take this? At least you can remember me by this." Bob took the medallion. He stared at it, and realized that it was beautiful. It was gold, with a nice flower design laced around it. In the center of the medallion was a bright red gem, with a faint picture of a dove engraved on it. "This is very nice. I will keep it. Thank you." Bob smiled. He didn’t want to hurt her. She was young. She doesn’t know what love is. This was just a crush. I didn’t mean for her heart to be broken. But she is young, and she has plenty of time to find her one true love. Sometimes hearts need to be broken in order to be stronger in the future. My heart sure has had its times. "Come on Bob. We better got going." Fox said as he placed his hand on Bob’s shoulder. "Yeah." Bob slowly walked towards the door. He heard Erika faintly crying as he walked out of the Inn, and towards the entrance. Fox followed a few steps behind him, waving at the waitress, giving her a cunning smile. I know how Erika is feeling right now. I was once there. Someone that I loved, slowly pulling away from me, with no intention of coming back. But she has only known me for a few days, so I guess this is different. As they walked through the forest path out of Greenhill, they were both silent. Not a single word cam out of their mouths as the sun slowly trailed along the sky and the landscape changing in front of them, like they had stopped but time did not. Finally, Fox had the guts to start up a conversation. "Are you alright Bob? You know, young love can be a…." Fox started off but was quickly interrupted. " I’m not upset about that. It is just that, now I have a whole clan after me, as well as a missing sister to find. Everything is happening so fast that I can’t keep up anymore." Bob stopped walking and stared at a tree beside him, housing a nest of birds. " I left Forest Village with an objective to find my sister, and now it has changed, and I’m running from my life." Fox stopped and look at Bob. " You know, life is always throwing you obstacles. Sometimes, these obstacles will in fact change your path in life. There is nothing you can do about that. Fate is unchanged." He explained. " I don’t believe in having your life planned out for you." Bob said, turning towards Fox. "It is people who don’t want to grasp their own path who say stuff like that." "Wow, Bob, I didn’t think you were so philosophical. But believe what you want. Even the great Leknaat knows what your life will soon to be. Fate does exist. Whether you believe it can be controlled or not is your opinion. The fact is that by some mysterious reason, we met. You being a true Lycanthrope and my past with the Hybrid Clan have collided. Don’t you think that it is more of a coincidence?" Bob paused. "Fate also has its ways too. You are looking for your sister, right? Maybe, meeting me, and knowing about the Hybrid Clan will enable you to find her. Every event that has been brought before has been linked with the previous one. Don’t you see that?" Fox asked. Wow. I didn’t know Fox was so philosophical. He does have a point though. Maybe this IS all linked together. I only hope that my path is going in the right direction. Soon it became dark, and they both knew that camping for the night would be the best solution. They were about halfway down to Two-River. Bob built up a camp fire while Fox prepared some food that Erika had giving them before they left. As they both munched down on the beef jerky and miso soup, the images of what happened in Greenhill ran through Bob’s mind. Kat, Ursula, and Corpus, changing into were-beasts. Kat and Ursus using elemental magic. Elemental magic?? What a minute….. "Hey Fox, you remember when Kat and Ursus used elemental magic, and you said that you couldn’t believe that they found out how to do that? How to do what?" Bob asked while finishing off his jerky. "Oh. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. You know that their runes were made from hollow runes right? Well, it seems like Leo and his researchers have found a way to implement their technology into not just hollow runes, but actual real runes. It looks like Kat’s rune was originally a lightning rune, while Ursus’s was an earth rune. I only assume that Corvus has one as well." "This isn’t good." Bob shrugged. " No, it isn’t." Fox replied. "So what do we do? They are bound to find us." Bob pointed out. " Yes, I know. Well, I figure something will bound to show up when we get to Two-River." "Relying on fate then?" "Yeah, I guess I am." Fox smiled. "We should get to sleep. I’ll keep watch for a while." "Okay. Good night Fox." Bob laid down beside the fire and fell asleep. "G’night Bob." Fox stared at the sky, watching the stars fall and be reborn. It reminded him of when he was a child. He used to look at the stars every night with his older brother. But the happy memories would suddenly change to vile screaming and the sound of bullets screeching. Fox closed his eyes, as a tear fell from his eyes. "Ever wonder what is up there Fox? Beyond the stars?" "Yeah! I’m going to explore it all when I grow up!" "Fox. You know that can’t happen! Space travel is impossible." "Nuh- uh! I will make it possible! You’ll see!" "I’m sure you will." "Shane?!! Shane!! Are you okay!" "Fox…. I’m bleeding hard… I cannot be saved. Run Fox! Save yourself!" "Shane! No! I won’t leave you big brother!" "Fox……GO, GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" "Shane!!!" Fox jumped up with sweat running down his face. He sighed. "I must have fallen asleep." Fox glanced at Bob, still sleeping near the fire, then to the stars. He thought long and hard about his next step. He knew he had to do it. I was fate calling him. "I’m sorry Bob. I must do this. Please forgive me friend…" The sun rised from the east, above the mountains, signaling the birds to greet the new day. The light crept into Bob’s eyes as he slowly opened them, following a big yawn. He got up and rubbed his eyes. "Ahhh… good morning Fox." They was only silence. "Fox?" Bob turned around and he was alone. He got up and paced around the now dead fire with confusion. "Fox!!" He was not answered. "Where did he go?"
| ||||
