VG Rumble

(Are you trying to get Raven and Luke together like Karana and Ilum? )

Luke sighed. "It doesn't matter, I can't sleep anyway."

"Why not?" Raven asked.

"I'm an insomniac," Luke answered, his voice solemn.

Raven cocked an eyebrow. "You are? How come?"

"After I was thrown out of the king's service for what I did I was so horrified by my actions I couldn't sleep anymore. I kept having the same dream, over and over. I dreamed about the exact moment my arrow pierced the head of my ally, and then I would wake up in a cold sweat, more weary than when I fell asleep. For sanity's sake, I just stopped sleeping all together."

Raven grabbed his arm and gave it a gently, comforting squeeze. "It wasn't your fault, Luke."

"I know," he told her, "but I still feel the guilty even five years later."

"I'm sure if you had the chance you would undo the damage," Raven told him.

He gave her a weak smile. "You words are comforting, and for that I thank you."

"Your welcome," she said with a smile of her own.

"Why have you chosen a life of adventure?" Luke asked suddenly.

Just working on relationships =)

Raven

"It is my destiny," I replied.

"Your destiny?"

"Yes. I was chosen for this role." I wriggled closer to him and took his hand in mine with a small smile. "Look out there. Look at this world, is it not worth fighting for?" Luke did not reply and a weary silence fell between us.

"Go to sleep,"I said suddenly.

"What? I already told..."

"I know but I'm here now. Let me help you. Sleep is only a status of the mind and if I can heal the body why not the mind as well?" I gave the hand a gentle squeeze and grinned across at him.

"I don't know..."

"Trust me. I wont let you dream."

Luke was still unsure of what to do. He was still afraid of falling asleep and having the dream again, but something about the look in Raven's eyes told him he could trust her.

Before he could decide what to do Raven grabbed his head and gently placed it on her lap. As she stroked his hair she said, "You don't have to be afraid. You can trust me."

Luke sighed and said, "I know." He closed his eyes and began to sleep. The last thing he remembered before losing consciousness was the warmth of Raven's body under his head. Luke did dream, but it wasn't the dream he had for the last five years.

He dreamed about Raven.

Raven

I felt Luke's breathing ease and smiled gently, withdrawing the trickles of magic I had used to probe his mind. Something had shifted, that much I knew though whether it was through my magic or some power of his own I did not know.

"Be at peace, Luke," I whispered and there I sat as the stars burned in the abyss, swallowed by the night and the sun beat against the other side of the world. The sky grew darker and as it did, the stars seemed brighter, for light is better seen where there is absence of it. Just as hope is better felt where no hope is to be found and love can grow in a world of hate.

I stayed awake until the sun completed her journey and returned to wave good morning, casting rays of golden light across the landscape like stray kisses from her heart. Never would they return to her, instead disperse and fade and be forgotten but the next day would come more kisses, more affection, more light to guide us lonely wanderers of the night.

Ilum awoke first. he slowly stood. He felt better, but he had trouble moving his left arm. Must have channeled too much power into it. Looking over he saw Raven starring out into the sun rise. He made his way over and stood next to her.

"You feeling better?"

"Yeah, but I can't really feel my arm."

"I'll heal it once Luke wakes up."

"No, don't." Raven looked shocked, but Ilum continued to starre into the sun rise, "This pain reminds me of the old days. it'll heal on it's own, and I'll be stronger for it."

Raven sighed, "Very well."

Karana

I drowsily sat up as the sun hit me evenly across the face, turning my sight red. I opened my eyes, only to clamp them shut again. The sun was exceedingly bright for some reason...

Ilum had already risen, and he was standing next to Raven. Was that Luke asleep with his head on her lap? Raven, Raven, Raven...getting friendly, huh? I giggled at the thought.

I stood and took my place beside Ilum. "Sleep well?"

Name: Izuki (female)
Age: Early teens
Species: Izuki (she doesn't know)
Class: Performer?

Appearance: Turquoise eyes that change colour, extremes are purple when she's exhausted or yellow when she's really awake or alert. She has short, blonde, fluffy hair, and a mousy face. She wears a blue thin jumper with three white stars down each sleeve, white shorts. Long white socks with blue trainers and blue finger-less gloves.

Weapons: She has two small daggers which are mostly for style and distraction. When fighting she does so with a lot of coordination and purpose, so it usually looks like a stage fight.

Personality: Genrally she's happy, cheerful, and very naive. She rarely worries about anything and is always playful. She rarely stays still, usually skipping, flipping, hand-stands, that kind of thing. She loves rain, gems, eyes, anything that sparkles.

History: She used to be a well-known performer (by her stage name) in a famous circus. When her family decided to stop and settle, she set off on a quest to make a new one, and ended up getting distracted with minor tasks like saving the Arkadia.

---
<Izuki>

I hang upside-down from the branch, watching the heroes as they start to stir. It doesn't surprise me they're waking so late. Their battle yesterday was amazing. I bet if they will train me, I could be as strong as them.

I drop down onto my hands, flinching onto my feet when a dreadful pain shoots into my hand like a pinicle of ice. I look down at the blood leaking across the heal of my hand, pick up the dagger that had fallen from my pocket the night before and stab it viciously into the ground.

It hurts! My vision blurs with tears as I tell myself over and over not to cry, the pain spreading through my wrist in a terrible throb. I shut my eyes tight, press my lips together as a soft moan rises into my throat.

Then I start to sob, eyes still closed, teeth digging into my bottom lip. The pain won't stop. Of all the times to hurt, why won't it stop now?

These guys aren't crying. They're hurt and worn out, so why can't I stop crying? If I have to be a hero, I'm not allowed to cry.

Ilum heard a faint sound and looked out of the corner of his eye towards the brush. He continued to talk to Karana focusing on that one spot. After a minute he could determine the sound was someone crying. He was quickly thinking of a plan when Karana noticed too, "Do you hear something?"

Ilum dashed towards the brush, his hand on the hilt of his sword.Leaping forward the landed behind the figure only to see a young woman crying, he hand bleeding. She look startled, but Ilum gave a sigh of relief. "Raven, we need your help over here."

Karana

"Ilum, wait!" I took off after him, following him into the brush. Was that someone crying?

I found him just behind the first layer of shrubs, standing beside a young woman. Her hand was bleeding, and she looked like she was fighting back the tears. Was she trying to be tough?

I sat down in front of her, extending my hand to her. "Let me see it."

She looked up at me, green-blue eyes shifting back and forth between blue and amber. It was a startling sight, but I supposed it was just my imagination. Right now, we had to see to her hand, and the least I could do was try and prepare her for Raven's treatments.

The world came back in flashes of white and yellow as Luke began to awaken. Before he could enjoy the fact that he had made it through the night without having the dream he heard someone's voice in the distance. The voice didn't belong to anyone in their group. Luke sprung to his feet and grabbed his sword out of reflex.

"Luke, calm down!" Raven said from where he had slept. There were black circles under her dazzling blue eyes. She hadn't slept a wink last night.

"Raven, hurry up!" Karana shouted from further out in the brush.

"What's going on?" Luke asked.

"I'm not sure," Raven said as she got to her feet. She wrapped her arms around Luke's. "Let's go find out." Luke cocked an eyebrow at Raven's action, the confused gesture made her laugh.

Raven

I laughed softly and hurried him towards the others.

"What is it?" I called, pushing through the brush to see a young girl nursing a bleeding hand. Karana was crouched beside her, making soothing noises while Ilum hovered awkwardly.

"Hello," the girl tried to smile through her tears, resulting in a slight grimace. I bent down and gently took hold of her hand, aligning my eyes with her own.

"Let me help you," I whispered softly as I closed my eyes, pressing tendrils of magic through her hand and then I opened them again and released her wrist. She looked down at the blood as it dried and flaked away and then back up, her eyes momentarily flashing a bright yellow and then fading to a glowing amber.

Ilum gave a wary smile that Raven noticed. She stood up and grabbed him, "Please let me help you, you're not well."

Ilum pushed her off, "I'll be fine."

Karana came up and slapped him, "Don't you act tough. If you're hurt let Raven heal you."

Luke help the girl up and left with Raven. They could tell what was about to happen was none of their business. Ilum put his hand on his cheek and smiled at her. She seemed taken back for a moment, but then regained her stern composer.

"This pain is simply a tribute."

"Tribute, to who?"

Ilum looked up at the brightening sky, "By brother. He was killed by the Dark Knight because he tried to protect me. He deserves something." He looked back at her and put his hand on her shoulder, "If anything goes wrong I'll let her heal me, but until then let me be."

*If I make errors, forgive me. I'm hurt at the moment...

Karana

I sighed, shaking my head at him. "You're so stubborn, but I can't help but love you," I whispered.

i gasped at what I had said, realizing what I had stated far too late. My secret was out; he knew how I felt, now. Of course, I imagined everyone here already assumed that much...

I looked at him, hoping he wasn't mad at me for proclaiming anything so soon...

Ilum gave her a smile a slowly pulled her in for a kiss. It was brief and Ilum began to walk back to camp leaving her there blushing. She soon snapped out of it and ran after him latching onto his bad arm. Ilum sighed, but didn't flinch or wine.

Once at camp Karana sat down with the other girl and Raven, but looked up when he didn't follow. "I just need a moment to be alone." She smiled and nodded. Ilum turned around and made his way to a small ridge. He wasn't alone long for Luke had followed him.

"I don't like your attachment to Karana."

"Well that was straight to the point."

"Maybe, but still. it may cause you to take unnecessary risks. You have a habit of doing that."

Ilum huffed in remark, but his face soon remarked pain. He fell to his knees clenching he shoulder. He coughed up a small amount of blood and he nearly collapsed catching himself with his arm. Luke yelled for help has he slowly stood.

"Stay down Ilum!"

Karana

I heard Luke yell for us. I heard him say something to Ilum, and what I thought I heard chilled me. Something was wrong, horribly wrong.

I didn't wait. I was on my feet in a heartbeat, running at full speed towards the ridge. I didn't care that I stumbled and scraped my hands and knees a coupe of times; Ilum needed us, and he needed us now.

"Ilum?" I burst from the trees to find Ilum on his knees, holding hisweight up with a shaking arm. Blood was on his lower lip, even more of it on the ground, as if he'd spit it. I could tell he was in pain.

"Luke, what happened?!" I shouted, kneeling in front of Ilum.

"He just...collapsed! He was fine one minute, and then this happened!"

I too Ilum's face in my hands "Look at me, love...Stay with me, okay? You'll be fine."

I was terrified. What had happened to him?!