[Fiction] Puppeteer's Relics

[Kon]

ICH BIN GAAF.

Yeah!

wat.

Chapter 8

Never yet had Zack felt so refreshed.
Even though he was wounded and hobbling along ways he didn't know, being supported by a girl he never had known, he was just glad for the food and drink he had received.
It seemed to him that if he only got to sit down somewhere and closed his eyes, life would be perfect. The earlier doubts about his future had shattered or at least moved out of the center of attention.

"Laura?"
She kept her eyes focused on the ground. "Hm?"
"Can you tell me a bit about this place?"
"Uhm... there's not really much to... know about our home. There's just a few villages."
"How come people are so close to nature? Other places don't have that."
Zack was worried. Why was she avoiding all eye contact to him?
"There's only legends. Word is that we came from a group of people with the ability to talk to nature. Sometimes... when I am in bed, I think I can hear people outside, but it's empty. My aunt and my uncle, they say it's the wind, but I'm sure it isn't!"
"What about your parents?"
"They..."
Laura let her head drop even more as Zack realized he shouldn't have asked.
"Look. We arrived."

Zack lifted his head and saw simple, ordinary houses on a place where the trees seemed to make room.

"And what are we doing now?" Zack asked.
"Well, you should get real treatment, I have the things we'd need at home, but... you'll have to stay in the village over night."
"I'm awfully hungry though, and I'll need a new shirt."
"You can have one from me.., some time ago, I bought something too big."


/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\


Zack ended up with a black shirt that had a white, smiling cloud more or less puking out a rainbow. But he prefered it over his bloody one. With Laura's help, his wounds closed and she told him not to bandage it, then it could get more oxygen and regenerate faster. What kinds of herbs had she used...?
She was living on the upper floor of a house belong to her uncle and aunt who currently were out. They were in her room, a simple one, kept tidied up, which fired up a suspicion of Zack.
She wasn't behaving like a normal girl of her age would behave. She was hiding from everything and she was extremely timid.

"Laura, do you feel left alone by your aunt and your uncle?"
"Why... why do you think that?"
"It's obvious. Even though I didn't meet them in person yet, I'm pretty sure they're keeping you down and not helping you find your way in life."
"Zack, h-how did you find that out? You're scary."
"You could figure that. It's not that hard. I'll talk to them if you want to. It's not a big deal, it's the least I could do for you. You saved me."
"Well... not many people understand me... I guess, no one does. I'm glad that I got to know someone who understands me... I, I don't want to think about it now. Let's just talk about something else. Okay? Let's... let's do that."

Zack stepped near the window to look out of it. "You see, I used to be a child like you. But I left home and started to live by myself at the age of twelve. Sometimes I think that my parents miss me, sometimes I'm glad that I left."
"Really? What happened then?"

Zack smiled as he noticed that this time, she wasn't looking down on the floor. "I've traveled through the continent. I always wanted to see the worlds, and I lived from what I hunted. That's how I learned to use my sword, later, someday, a special person taught me some techniques, but that's another story. I've traveled through Flaris, through Burudeng and through Eversun. I've been to almost every place on the continent... but I've never really been sad about the life I lead. Sometimes I just miss that I can't have any real friends because I'm always on the way... I've got some people I visit when I'm around, but they wouldn't visit me if I asked them too, I think. The worst part about it is the loneliness.
And the greatest part is that a life like this is an adventure every day. Some people go to work every morning, return every evening and that's what their life is about. I respect those people for their determination to work, but I couldn't live like that."

"Can you tell me about Flaris? I... remember that I lived there before my parents passed away."
"It looks similar to Eversun and the emptier regions of the woodland in Burudeng. It's just a lot colder in Flaris. In Flaris, the magic took its origins, therefore, most people there can cast spells. There's even fighters that use spells only. I don't like being in Flaris though, it's just too cold for someone who's used to the Namidian sun like me."

"I can use magic too."
"You can?"
"My bow, I don't use arrows with it. I can make arrows out of the wind. I can also cast spells without the bow, but for some reason, it's easier with my bow."

"That could be because of the way your bow is forged."
"My parents... they died when I was outside. Playing with a friend of mine. Our house exploded back then... the bow's the only thing I found."

Zack didn't know what to say anymore. It was pretty sad that they had turned to that topic again.
"My uncle and my aunt have returned. I hear their steps down there."
"They don't even say hello to you?"
"It's not like they really care if I'm at home or not. They don't greet me. I think they see me as a burden."

Suddenly a person down there called her name. Her uncle?
"Can you wait up here, please, Zack?"
"Fine."

Zack sat down on the floor and waited for Laura to return. Soon, he decided to put his head on the floor and he heard people talking. Two people. Where was Laura? The voices were two males - her aunt wasn't there. It seemed like they were talking about serious business - Zack had an idea.
He climbed out of the window and walked around the house, then knocked on the door.
"Hello?" A man with grey, short hair stared at him through the narrowly opened door.
"Can I speak to Laura?"

He opened the door and Zack caught a glare at a person in black clothes, with brown, spiky hair, maybe around thirty years old.
"Laura, who is this?"

She was standing in a corner, obviously she had been told something that frightened her.
The guest, at least Zack assumed him to be a guest, suddenly focused his eyes on him. "This is an interesting coincidence, I suppose. Instead of having to look for the culprit, we get him knocking on our door."
Culprit? Zack took a step back, his instinct wanted him to move his hand to his swordhilt, but his thoughts told him not to.

"Culprit? What do you mean?"
"We've been tracing a path of clues to you. Do you know a person called Stephen Foster?"
"Foster? I killed him."

Zack knew that things people didn't expect always gave him a moment of surprise. He jumped forwards, grabbed the hand of the investigator or whoever he was to prevent him from being armed, then pressed him against the wall.

"Do you care whatsoever what kind of person Foster is? Do you?!" Zack yelled at him. "Treating people like slaves? Lending people money just so they had debts which he could use to get EVEN MORE SLAVES?"
Even though he was being in the lower position, he replied calmly. "No matter how cruel a person is, he or she always deserves to live."
"Unfortunately, I don't think the way you do. He was killing people. He didn't give a damn about the life of other people. He doesn't deserve a thing like mercy."

Zack threw the investigator to the other edge of the room and left the house. He was angry at the world. Yes, originally, he had intended to steal the ring, but killing Foster was only because of Jane. Because he had to do it to free her.
The investigator stepped out of the house, looking directly into the tree Zack had hidden on.
"I just want the ring. The ring is all I need."
"Why does everyone hunt me for that damn ring?"
"Have you ever heard about the Puppeteer?"

Zack jumped out of the window and pulled out his sword in a defending stance. "I haven't."
"You should open up your ears, kid. The legend is going around everywhere... and it's well known that Foster had one of his relics."
"You're not any investigator, are you? You've just come for his ring. Like all the others who attacked me for now."

[Fraizen]

Ohh this is getting good, relics :D
I wonder what the whole set will be like :)

[Kon]

Thanks, Fraizen, for all your comments!

Chapter 9

"This is funny. You want to get the ring and stalk me while I don't even have it."
"Oldest trick on earth."

Zack felt exhausted. Sick of fighting and with wounds finally recovering, getting involved in a fight was the last thing on his mind.
"Just leave me alone. I don't have the ring.

The person in black raised his fist as he charged towards Zack, who pulled out his blade and whirled it towards him. With a smile on his face, Zack's foe caught the sharp edge with a hand while the other, clenched to a fist, shot Zack through the village. How could that guy be so strong...? Zack landed on his back, rolled around, but he couldn't push himself up - his enemy knelt down on his back and pulled back his head.

"Give me the ring."
It was getting hard to breathe, not to mention the pain in his neck.
"I... don't... have it!" Zack coughed out.
Zack's face got slammed to the ground, then, pulled back even harder. It was going to crack soon.
His chest was getting warm, had his wounds opened?

"The ring."
"Stop it!" Laura yelled, grabbing her bow and shooting an arrow right at him. He just stood up and pulled up Zack in the blink of an eye, holding him right in the way.
Zack closed his eyes. This had to be the end.

"Witr... Witr..." Laura mumbled as her wind arrow curved up, missing Zack's head and going straight into the enemy's chest. Zack stretched out his legs to get up, then rammed his elbow into his face.

The foe fell down, howling in pain, and bounced himself three steps away.
"I'll see you again, man on man, I promise that."
He ran off towards the woods. Zack knelt down to grab his hat which had fallen down earlier, then turned around to see Laura attaching the bow to her belt again.

"Sorry that I got you involved, you two." He put on his hat, turning towards the forest. "I think it's time to leave for me."
"Wait, Zack!"
He looked at her, seeing that her uncle was trying to pull her away. She shook him off and ran towards him.

"Will you be okay?" she asked.
"Yes. I will."
"Zack... remember when you told me -"
She was interrupted by her uncle. "Damn it, Laura, let him go! He's only danger for me!"

Her eyes darkened as she got even more determined in her decision. Zack could hear anger and desparatioh stored over years in her trembling voice.
"I'm... leaving home."
"WHAT?!"
"Suddenly you care? You never treated me the way real parents would. For you, nothing will change."
Zack just gazed at both sides, not realizing what was going on.

"You're not going anywhere!"
Laura burst into tears and ran away.

"Stupid little..."
"Hey. Aren't you too harsh? She could have a reason to think like that."
"And who asked you?!"
"Nevermind. Good bye." Zack muttered, walking off, following the trails Laura's feet had left.

His head felt empty as he slowly followed the way Laura had run on. How far away had she moved? Soon, he saw the sea. Laura was sitting on rocks at the coast, eyes pointing to the sea. She was trembling and Zack heard her sobbing.
Zack approached her, but she just yelled at him to leave her alone, so he decided to sit down on another rock, waiting for her to calm down. What had she been thinking? Zack figured he shouldn't have spoken about his life.
Some seagulls flew around the sea and caught Zack's attention. He watched them searching for food.
Was this the ocean...? Zack wondered how he had reached the east end of his continent so fast.

"Zack..."
"You don't have to talk if you don't want to. I know how you feel... I still remember how I felt."

Zack got up and got closer to her, sitting down next to her.
"Your uncle... I noticed it. A person like him doesn't deserve being a parent. He said that you brought him into danger..."

She just sniffed and tried to stop her tears, but soon, she burst out again. Zack turned to her and hugged her, letting her cry out on his shoulder as he tried to comfort her.
"Your parents would be proud. They're watching over you and they're happy you were strong enough. I'm sure."

Soon, he felt that she had stopped crying.
"I... I want to see the place again... where I lived when I was small. I want to see Flaris."
"I'll take you there."

[Fraizen]

Your welcome and you know Kon you could just call me by my real name :L

Keep it coming.............

[MonstrousBow]

Moar. Nao

Too short post there.

[Fraizen]

Yes more more more more haha
Thank you in advance

[Kon]

Chapter 10

It was getting colder around Zack and Laura, the wind's velocity had most probably doubled in the passed three hours and Zack had still not talked a single word to Laura. The only thing he had heard from her was her sniffing as they moved away from the place she had been forced to call home for a very long time.
Zack was only reflecting about how to find the place she used to live, could people remember things like an explosion for over ten years? He was in doubt.

His arms were starting to tremble and he instantly planned to grab a coat in the next village he'd spot. Soon, he was glad that Laura was trying to say something to him to break the silence.
"Is it always this cold in Flaris?"
"The east side is a lot colder than the west. Kind of like Burudeng - it's warmer in the west, too."
"I don't think that it was this cold where I lived... I'd surely remember it. Let's turn west."

They turned 45 degrees to the left and wandered on. It still was getting colder and colder as they turned more and more towards the west.
"How do you think we'll find that place?"
"I hope I'll remember anything if we get there. We'll just have to search."
"Search through a whole region... Let's hope we're lucky..."
"Zack, I think you were right. I feel like I'm taking my life with my own hands right now."

He didn't answer.

The paths they had been walking on had changed. Grass was rare, most of the time, they walked over rocks and mud. Trees weren't nearly as huge as in Burudeng's east and the rivers they'd seen so far were bigger and surely more dangerous than in other regions.

Zack longed for the heat in Pokitaru, the city he was born in, and decided to visit the Namidian desert as soon as he got out of Flaris. Laura didn't even seem to be cold, though a lot more of her body was exposed to the cold wind.

"How can you not be cold, Laura?"
"Cold? You're cold?"
"Don't you even feel the wind cooling everything?"
"I can't."

A while of silence later, Zack figured the wind didn't touch her since it was one of her main elements as a magician.
Laura stopped all of a sudden.
"What happened?" Zack asked.
"Can you sense it? Can you sense the ground shake?"
"Now that you tell me... oh crap. This has to be an earthsnake."
"Earthsnake?"
"Once I tell you, we run away as fast as we can."

Laura was excited. She never heard about Earthsnakes, let alone seen one,
Zack waited for the vibrations to increase. He unsheathed his sword, then rammed it into the ground, yelling at Laura to run. An enormous howl filled the muddy path they were on as Laura ran on as fast as she could.
Wait.
Why wasn't Zack with her?

She whirled around and grabbed her bow, raising her right hand, ready to shoot an arrow, as she saw the earthsnake.
"Dear god..." she whispered, her heartbeat speeding up.

It was huge! It was almost as long as the river they had crossed earlier and as big as a humas. Zack was jumping around, trying to get... behind it? Why? Laura pulled her bowstring back, then released it, shooting an arrow towards it as forcefully as possible. She felt strain in her arm immediately. The arrow just popped off its shell.

"I! I!" Zack yelled.
"You? What about you?"
"No! Aim for... it's... I!"
"Zack, I'm serious, stop that!"
"Its I! It's the only... Stay away!"

Zack jumped up as fast as he could, avoiding getting hit by one of the hundreds of claws attached to its body. He landed on the claw, bouncing off higher and ramming his sword into the snake's eye. The snake howled as Zack hung down from his sword, trying to find a grip.

The eye! Of course! Laura created an arrow and shot it into the other eye as the huge snake collapsed.

[gutterball930]

Now That Is One Good Fight Its Just Good That That Snake Isn't Bush Xd

[Fraizen]

Thanks for getting more up Kon :)
Hope your doing well

[Kon]

Thanks a lot, Timmy, I'm fine. I've been working on a self-portrait project in Arts class.

Chapter 11

"I'm sick of these plains... I wanna go sleep already..." Laura complained.

After they had killed the snake, they'd made food with a few vegetables they had found and wandered on towards the sundown.
"I told you, either we find trees big enough to sleep on or we find a village. We'll sink into this mud."

Zack yawned. It was probably very late already and he was wandering in a trance-like status, not paying attention to his environment.

"My legs hurt..."
"Want me to carry you?"
"Never mind, I think I'm fine again..."

Laura yawned as well, then suddenly she stopped walking. "Can you smell this?"

Zack held on and tried to catch the smell she'd mentioned, but he could not sense anything.

"It's... I think... people! A village!"

Laura laughed in joy and started running towards the smell. Zack just raised his head, then, slowly, followed her. Soon, Zack saw purple roofs appear on the horizon, Laura had already disappeared from his point of view. He yawned.

As he raised his arms to stretch himself, something inside him started to cheer as he realized his wounds had finally healed. Grinning, he entered the little village.

Despite their tiredness, Laura had decided not to go to sleep until she had asked every single villager whether they remembered her parents' accident, which Zack had to because she was too shy to talk to strangers, but unfortunately, no one had heard or remembered it.

Then she changed the topic to possibilities to stay over night and they were directed to an inn which they soon stayed in for the night.
As they entered the room, which had two beds in separate corners, Zack fell on one of the beds immediately.

"Zack... I can't wait to see the place I grew up in, but I've been thinking about what to do after it. I thought, maybe you could show me Namidia? I've never been to there before... what do you think?"

Laura, who had sitten down on her bed, turned her head towards him. He had his eyes closed and drool was dripping down from his mouth which gave out snorts. He fell asleep that fast? Laura lied down and closed her eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep.


Mmh... why'd he wake up already? The sun was shining outside, but Zack wanted to go on sleeping, so he turned around, trying to get the sunlight out of his face. He sighed, wanting to dream on, but apparently the sun wanted to force him awake.

Zack gave up. He sat up on the bed, scratching his head and looking at Laura who still was sleeping.

Zack got up and stretched himself, then realized he had to wait for Laura and sat down again, watching her. She was turned towards the wall and only her head stuck out from the blanket, her brown hair apparently hanging straight into her face. She looked so cute...

Suddenly her head shot up, still facing the wall. "Zack... can you hear this?" she asked with a frightened voice.
Zack concentrated, yet, he wasn't able to detect anything irregular.
"The trees... they're screaming... oh my god... the trees..."
Eyeing her suspiciously, Zack walked towards the window and looked out, but everything seemed normal. "They're in horror, they scream they'll die, help me, Zack!"

She grabbed her head in pain and dug her hands deep into her hair. Now, Zack was getting nervous too, but he was worried about Laura and not about trees.

"Do you recognize these trees? Have you ever heard them?"
"No... No, never!"
Laura tried to get up, but she collapsed on the floor. She was sweating all over and it was getting hard to breathe for her.

"They... they are dying... every single voice... they're dying..."

Zack knelt down and lifting her torso up, feeling that she was trembling. What could he do...? He pressed her to his body, head on his heart, hoping that what worked for little children would work now, too, and his heartbeat would calm her down.

"It's horrifying... they all... died..."
Zack felt a wet drip on his chest, but he couldn't tell whether it was a tear or a drop of sweat. He just pressed her warm body against his and hoped that it ended... in his head, he imagined hearing people die, and then he sympathized with Laura, because Zack knew she was probably stronger than him.
"They... they are dead..."
Laura closed her hand, grabbing Zack's shirt. "Dead... why does life have to end?"
"We can't change it. That's what life is like..."
Zack put his hands on hers as they loosened their grip.

"I... I think I'll have to wash my face."
"We'll find a place. We'll eat something and wash ourselves. The most important thing is that we get out of this place."

They left the inn as soon as possible and walked towards the east. If Zack was right, they'd soon see the river from yesterday on its way to the mountains.
"I think I smell..." Laura soon stated, lifting her arm and smelling the axle.

"Not that I knew. I think I have a cold... I'm more suited for the desert."
"Zack, I've heard of wars in the past... about territories and land... I know that Burudeng has the council of three, where the rulers of the three biggest cities unite to make decisions, but Flaris and Eversun?"

"Eversun is ruled by Queen Elia, who resides in Elia. Eversun names that city by the current monarch's name. Hmm... Flaris? They've just given the crown to Karan, the oldest prince, but I don't remember where he lives."
"Zack... You're from the desert, have you ever seen a... rat-person?"
"What?!"
Zack gulped. Was she talking about Shekars? "Blue-ish skin, long mouth and nose sticking to the front?"
"Yes..."
"Those are Shekars! They're terribly proud, if you call them rat-people, they'll kill you!"
"Zack, what are they like?"
"Like normal people... they just look different. Look, there's the river."
"Yippie!"

Zack smiled. Hopefully she had forgotten the morning already...