Anethandez Adventure

"I've got a better idea," Ryouku said. "How about both of you sit down and I'll go get the others to help mend your wounds?"

They both said at the same time, "I'm fine."

Ryouku sighed. "No, you're not fine. You both need to lay down and rest. Let someone else take care of your wounds. All this arguing and moving around will only make things worse."

Warren said, "Ryouku, I don't need-"

"Lay down!" he roared. They both lay on their backs like obedient children. Ryouku went off to find the others to help with their wounds. As he left he sighed and said, "Kids..."

Julia

"Sweet aren't they?" I whispered in reply to Ryouku's whisper. He turned and glanced at me in surprise and then laughed, a deep, hollow sound that resonated through the air.

"Any chance you know a bit about healing?" Ryouku asked.

"Not really," I replied. "But I can sure do more than you."

"Okay. I'll go look for Sonya."

"Okay." Smiling I crawled over to the other two and settled myself in front of them.

"You should relax," I told Karana. "The wound is rather deep. You shouldn't have pushed me out of the way like that."

Karana

"Is it wrong to help someone, then?" I asked, trying to keep my voice level. Now that I was still and the battle was over, my head was spinning and my shoulder felt like it was on fire.

"No, but..." Julian stammered for a minute. "But it was foolish! You're only sixteen!"

"What does that have to do with anything?!" I knocked her hand aside as I sat up. I was hoping to prove a point even though the movement was torture. "We're in this together! We help each other! That's what teams - and friends - are for!"

Julia

"Well I know that, silly," I replied, taking hold of her shoulders and pressing her back down. She resisted little and when she was settled again, I wound a piece of the linen around her wound.

"Then what is it with you?" Karana demanded in that fierce tone of hers.

"You wouldn't understand," I replied softly. "And I wasn't saying what you did was a bad thing. It was very brave and kind of you but..." I fell silent and climbed to my feet.

"But what?" Karana demanded.

"You said that it's what friends do but I'm no friend of yours. You think I don't know that you hate me? And if we're not friends I owe a debt to you by law of the pixies."

Seeker had been surprised by the zombie onslaught, but was pleased with his performance. He had taken out his opposition very quickly and had actually been able to help the others out.

He came up to Karana.

"You're injured."

"I'll make it."

"Do we have a healer?" Seeker asked.

Julia

"You're looking at her," I giggled and rolled my eyes when Seeker turned to face me.

"Not me, silly. Karana. But don't worry. Sonya knows a few bits and pieces too so everyone will be just fine. In fact, there she is." Ryouku and Sonya approached with a human Luna not far behind.

"How bad is it?" Sonya asked.

"It's fine," Karana insisted.

"Hmmm. It doesn't look fine to me," Sonya noted as she removed the bandage. "Can someone go fetch some water?"

Tyrin

My staff cracked the skull of the nearest zombi, and then they were upon us. Hordes of them surrounded us, ever encroching closer, tightening their noose about our necks. We began to spin, still back to back, getting faster and faster. I rammed and smashed with my staff, while Ralo stabbed and slashed with his big two-handed sword. The zombis began to pile around us, sending up torrents of smoke as they died. The smoke rose, blotting out the very sun above us. We were in our own little dome of death, ever spinning, ever killing.

The walls of smoke around us began to make things difficult. A zombi could pop out of it not an arm's length away before we saw it, and we would have to kill it quickly, or it would kill us.

A zombi appeared in such a manner, smoke puffing as he came through it, opening a sort of doorway. I smashed its chest with my staff, sending it flying sideways and through the wall of smog. For a second I could see the blue sky, but then the smoke closed its jaws over the opening and we were once again enveloped by the overwhelming darkness.

We fought on, constantly surrounded by our foes. As always time went on, and our limbs grew weak. Yet fight we did, killing more enemies in that short while than either of us had ever fought before.

Suddenly a spear came ripping through smoke to my right, slamming into Ralo's side. He gasped and fell to his knees. He looked up into my eyes, pain etched in every feature. The spear had gone about halfway into his lower chest...he had no chance.

"You are a good fighter...just like your father," I said.

A zombi appeared throught the smoke and I knocked him to the ground. He turned into a mass of smoke and floated off into the air.

"You know my father?" gasped Ralo, but I didn't respond.

Suddenly he lurched up from the ground and stumbled through the wall of smoke, disappearing.

"What are you doing!?" I yelled, but no answer came. I ran into the smoke after him. It stunk, and my eyes watered, leaving me sightless. It slowly thinned out and I caught a glimpse of the far off sun. Suddenly I was in the open, and the land around me was strewn with zombi weapons and armor.

Ralo was in the open, surrounded by the small remainder of zombis. He was fighting as best he could, killing many. A zombi managed to get behind him and put a sword through he chest. He fell. My vision blurred and a madness came over me. I seemed to grow as I charged full-speed towards my enemies. The battle that followed was quick and visious. I killed them all.

I approched Ralo and picked him up, setting him down in a sitting position, away from the carnage. He blinked once and looked at me, alive, but not for long.

"Did you get them?" he coughed.

"All of them."

"How do you know of my father?"

"I...I killed your father."

There was a long pause, until finally he spoke, "Let me die."

I began to walk off.

"Wait," Ralo coughed blood all over the ground. "Give my friend Kilen...give him my regards."

I nodded. And Ralo died.

Karana

I was still as Sonya tended to my shoulder. I'm no friend of yours... Had she really meant it? You think I don't know that you hate me?

That wasn't true. I didn't hate her! I just didn't like how she spoke to me sometimes...and this would count as one of those moments.

Ryouku, I thought, hoping my mental pleading would work as before, what should I do? She hates me, and I don't know why! Without realizing it, I let tears fall.

Warren was bored out of his mind. He reached his hands behind his head, but winced and abruplty brought his hands back down. He looked over at Karana, who looked troubled.

"Whats on your mind?"

"I dont want to talk right now, the silence is treating me better."

Hearing that, Warren settled down, as he felt himself easing into sleep. Who knows how long later, he woke suddenly as he felt pain across his chest. He looked up to so Sonya checking how bad the damage was.

Tyrin

I approached the cave slowly. Karana was lying on the ground, wounded but alive, and Warren lay beside her, much the same. I walked silently into the cave and slumped tiredly against the wall. Everyone was looking at me. I realized I was still clinging to the bowstaff...I dropped it down beside me and took the quiver from my back. I had not used many arrows, but I still should probably make more. This thoughts ran through my head, but I could not seem to focus...I was too exhausted.

Ryouku finally swallowed and asked the question, "Where is Ralo?"

"He is with his father...I buried him."

Julia

"He's dead?" I knew it was stating the obvious but I couldn't believe it. Why hadn't my visions warned me? What use were they if one of my companions died anyway? Companion. The word sounded so cold. Why hadn't I tried harder to get to know him?

"I...I think I'm going to take a walk," I whispered, stumbling to my feet. Of course, I knew it was a bad idea seenas I had barely given myself a chance to rest from the exhaustion of my vision and the battle but what could a little walk down to the stream hurt? And they didn't need me here. Or want me.

I left the cave with no resistance - they all seemed to be deep in their own grief and troubles. The stream wasn't far and when I got there I sat beside it and stared down at my reflection. Two deep, green eyes looked back at me from a pale, delicate face that was framed by my fierce, red hair. The soft mouth moulded itself into a gentle smile.

'You're worrying too much. That's not like you. Why wont you smile?' My reflection asked and I realised I must have fallen asleep but that wasn't such a bad thing.

'I don't feel like smiling. How can I help them? Why can't I have a useful vision?'

'Again with the visions. I think I'd call that last one pretty useful and you're begging for one now but as soon as you get one, you complain.'

'I know. But I heard Karana and Ryouku talking you see and she wants to know about her past. Now if I could get that vision, I could start to pay back the debt I owe.'

***Sorry I haven't posted much, our computer got a virus, and we haven't had internet for weeks. I'll try to post as much as I can now. Please keep my character going!!!***


Luna fought with grace, changing shape every now and again. She started as wolf, attacking whatever came at her with claws and teeth. (Zombies tasted absolutely horrid, by the way.) Then she changed again, into a dragon, which was much more effective. She changed many other times, but stayed a dragon mostly.

Now she was sitting next to Warren, who was sleeping off his pain. Sonya was checking Karana, who looked very upset. Luna knew better than to prod, she obviously didn't want to talk.

"Should I check Warren?" Luna offered.

"Sure, if you'd like to." Sonya replied without looking up. Luna nodded and placed her hands on Warren's chest again. He was just waking up as she did so.

"Your hands are cold," he muttered.

"I'm sorry," she replied. "You're an idiot, did you know that?"

"What did I do?" he replied defensively.

"You shouldn't have fought! I could've gotten you out of there, had I realized you were going to fight like this! You're so messed up now..." Luna gave him a mad glare, that was obviously fake.

"I'm sorry!"

"Tis ok, I'll fix you." She smiled and began humming a strange little song. Her hands glowed, the light getting brighter as she hummed louder. Sonya stopped working long enough to see what Luna was doing. Slowly, her humming got softer, and the light died away. "There, you should be able to move to some extent. Of course, they aren't completely healed."

"That was amazing." Warren exclaimed as Luna removed her hands from his chest.

"Thanks. Now sit up so I can bandage you."

"Why do you need to bandage me?" he exclaimed, obviously not caring for this idea.

"So you can't move as much; you, my friend, are a danger magnet. I'm going to do whatever I can to keep you safe. Oh, by the way, can you ride a horse?"

"Yes, why?" Luna stood back and shapeshifted into a gorgeous black stallion, then back into her human form.

"Meet your new steed!" she exclaimed as she began bandaging Warren up.

**Where'd everyone go? No letting this die, peeps!**

Karana

At least there were some humorous, friendlier people in this odd little group. Luna, Ryouku, and Warren were the best friends anyone could ask for!

I slowly sat up as Luna turned into a beautiful black horse and back again, annoying Warren by insisting he ride her back from now on...

Julia had walked off. Everyone seemed a little upset by Ralo's death, but that was how it was. It was sad, yes...if only we'd had more time to get to know him.

Ryouku noticed Karana's sullen expression and decided to try and cheer her up. He sat beside her and asked, "How are you holding up?"

"Not that good." She replied.

Ryouku sighed. "I know it is difficult to deal with the death of a companion. I know not many of us had really bonded with him, but I know you would have if you had the chance."

"I don't think I can talk without crying right now."

Ryouku moved closer to her and wrapped his wing around Karana's body. "I know all too well the pain of having somebody you know die. It is a very heavy burden for anyone to carry. I also know that it makes it much harder to bear if you keep your emotions bottled up."

Julia

I awoke and stretched my stiff limbs before gazing up at the sky. The sun had risen completely now. In fact, it was almost noon. Stiffling a yawn, I pulled myself a little closer to the stream and washed my face in the cool water. I smiled back at my reflection and happily washed away my sorrow, my fear and my pain.

Walking up towards the cave, I passed Seeker who had stationed himself outside.

"Hi there," I greeted him in a cheerful tone. "How is everyone?"

"They're fine. Why not go in and tell them it's time we moved on?" Seeker shifted and stretched his wings impatiently. I nodded and entered the cave.

"Hi everyone," I beamed around the room. "How about finding that library now?"