Part 2:

The Stray Dog

Chapter 10

“The fear that I have yet to conquer… is you.”

It was the day of the arrival of Amana’s fiancé, along with his two loyal servants. The two servants, by my knowledge, were twins. One was a girl and the other a boy. They loved their ‘beloved master’ as a father and were extremely loyal to him.

From what I was told by a fellow guild-mate, they never left his side. They served and trained under him day and night. In return of their loyalty and loving service, he treats them as though they were his own children. Needless to say, he expected Amana to show much more love and loyalty to him more so than his two loyal servants. But whatever my mistress had said of her fiancé before, she stated oh so many times…

“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

A few hours before the arrival of her fiancé, Amana appointed me a task to fulfill her sinful desires in her bedroom. As a man, I could never had refuse such a task that no other man may get from such a woman. However, I wasn’t at all comfortable with the fact of being used by her in such a way.

“Shut up and enjoy it.” She ordered. Without hesitation, I enjoyed It.

One of the loyal servants, the girl, had found Amana and me together, committing an act that was most sinful and disloyal to her beloved master, Amana’s fiancé. We both stopped our sinful dance and turned our attention towards the servant girl of the Priest, who opened the door, who caught us, and stood there in shock, a dumbfounded look displayed on her face.

“Oh! I-I’m so s-sorry Miss!! I didn’t mean to intrude!” the servant apologized.
“What is it that you want, Sybelle?” Amana said, covering up her nude flesh within the sheets of the large bed.
“M-Miss…” the lonely, terrified servant called unto her, “M-My master, Sir Michael, is here e-early from his training. H-He wishes to see you.” She bowed pathetically as she spoke. She stood there as she bowed in respect, her head only directed to the floor waiting for the Miss to complete whatever she was doing. Clearly, she was busy.

Amana never told the girl to leave nor did the girl have the commonsense to leave. She just stood there, bowed. She heard, perhaps even watched, us as we completed this sinful dance, the devilish act, which caused our essence to disburse forth from our bodies. We were completely lost in the Garden of Eden that she and I shared. Amana, that unfaithful beautiful woman lay with me only for a brief moment; within that moment she stole my strength. Oh for that very brief moment, she stole my sight, voice, and hearing… I fell weak. Breathless. Relieved.

Unclean, unfaithful…

Amana then rose from the bed and began to dress herself. I saw her from the corner of my eye as I slowly opened them. I lay there with one arm over my head, trying to catch my breath. She wore beautiful skin-tight jeans with a blazer. Her hair was adorned with a beautiful Korean flower. She stood in front of her vanity and sprayed that intoxicating perfume of hers in front of her large mirror. She dressed her face lightly with makeup, pouting her lips as she lightly dabbed lips gloss on her lips. She then straightened up her hair and stood before the loyal servant of her fiancé.

“Where is he?” she asked of the servant.

The young servant girl dared not look up at the Priest’s future wife. After witnessing her sinful act with someone that is not her fiancé, watching her sinfully enjoying herself in the act. Witnessing her master’s future wife release her essence to a man that she was not promised to. Only in my mind could I image what she thought of Amana, the wife to be of this young servant girl’s master.

Wh*re.

“H-He’s in his study, M-Miss, behind the bar” she answered her, moving to one side as she was still bowed, her head lowered.

As Amana left the room, she slowly stood up straight and raised her head high, turning her attention towards me. I released a small sigh of fatigue as I rested there on the bed for a moment. I felt the loyal servants’ eyes lay on me.

“Do you have any clue who she is!? Do you have any idea what, or even who, you just did?!” she shouted at me in a harsh, semi-embarrassed, tone.
“Yeah, she’s my boss.” I said tiredly, slowly sitting up on the bed pulling the blankets slightly to cover the lower half of my body.
“You have no idea who she’s engaged to do you?!” she shouted once more.
“Yeah.” I answered calmly as I reached for my clothes that were scattered all on the left side of the room.
“My master is going to kill you if he finds out.” She said in a worried tone voice.
“Are you that worried about me? Besides it was an order from Amana herself. It’s not like I forced her onto the bed and ripped her clothes off. She asked me to do it to her.” I bluntly said to her.

As I started to dress myself, my eyes just happened to glace over towards this girl’s face. Her soul-piercing sapphire eyes were widened with disbelief. It was as though she couldn’t believe what I was saying to her. The look on her face carried a disgusted look. Her eyes moved up and down my body as I dressed myself. It was as though her eyes were eating me alive. It was as though she could see right through me. There was no other woman in this world, beside my mother, who gave me such a cold disgusted look.

This girl, Sybelle, stared at me. She stared at me with her accusing eyes that screamed out “Disgusting Creature”. She stared at me as my mother stared at me. This girl’s stare unnerved me so.

Stop staring at me…

“I don’t even understand why that Woman would sleep with something like you!” she said in a sarcastic tone, “It’s disgusting… You’re disgusting. So filthy, I can’t believe people like you actually exist.”
“What? Don’t act as if you’re so pure child.”
“Oh I am pure I would never engage myself to such a degrading act!” she exclaimed, her cheeks lightly blushing.
“You’re such a terrible liar”
“I am not lying!” she shouted lightly
“Do you want to know how it feels?” I asked her.
“What!?” she said in shocked, almost in a confused tone, “NO!! Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not engaging myself in such a… disgusting act! Not by the likes of you! I’m saving myself!”

I couldn’t help but to laugh at the fact of how ‘pure’ this girl was. Clearly she ranked higher than I but she hardly knew of the outside world, how cruel the world could actually be. I placed my eyes over her body that was adorned with a white and gold dress, a calaf I believe. She hadn’t worn her circlet. However, my only guess would have been that she was ranked in her early or mid 50’s.

My eyes were focused on the area of her hips. Her hips were wide as though she was a complete woman, much like Amana’s hips. This girl was complete in every inch of her body. She was a woman, with the mind of a child perhaps even with the mind of a nun.

Your eyes unnerves me…

“You know that you’re not saved.” I said bluntly to her as I tried on my newly bought dark shadow top with the matching bottoms, a pair of dark shadow pants. I secured my armor in place, seeing that I was to train myself for several weeks, away from this place.

“What are you talking about? Of course I’m saved!” she said in an angry voice.

I approached her and stood before her. She moved back, the back of her dress touching the wall. I placed a hand on the wall close to her head and I stood close, in front of her. I moved in and whispered closely to her ear.

“You may hide it well from your brother but I can truly see your secret. You’re not a virgin.”
“Trust me, I am a virgin.” She whispered back, “Now please back up off me.”
“Prove it.” I challenged her.

“Believe her, she is a virgin.” A soft voice spoke from the doorway.

We both turned our attention to find the boy servant of the priest, her twin brother, standing there. He stood taller and stronger than her. His appearance perceives him to be the quiet type. He stood tall and slender. His slender frame was adorned with a white anakamoon and a white serapis. He was much stronger than Sybelle or I. However, his appearance can be quiet deceiving. His eyes were a heart-piercing amethyst and the color of his skin was pale. The color of his hair was the opposite color of Sybelle’s, it was as dark as the night itself; jet-black. However they had completely different hair design. Sybelle’s hair was semi-short, that partially covered half of her face and her hair was a pale blonde, which could possibly be mistaken for snow-white hair in indirect light.

“I take good care of her and make sure that she doesn’t loose what’s most precious to her.” He said calmly as he extended his hand, which was adorned with a steel manute. “Let’s go Sybelle.” He said to her gently.

I stepped back from her, giving her room to breathe and to move from where she stood. “All right Mercuric.” She walked towards him, placing her hand in his as they walked out of Amana’s master bedroom. I sat on the corner of my bed as I placed my Black Red-Lined Shoes on my feet. I reached towards the floor and grabbed my dark pilfer.

As I walked out of Amana’s master bedroom I couldn’t help but think about Mercuric, Sybelle’s twin brother. His appearance was ghastly. Tall, thin, frail even. I couldn’t tell what kind of wizards they were but by the meaning of Mercuric’s name, which in a nutshell means Mercury, he must be a fire mage. The look of his eyes frightened me a bit. His eyes seemed to be painted by a soulless painter. They were filled with fear and shame. They were dark and reflected grief, he eyes said it all ‘I want to die’.

I left out the bar and wandered the streets of Kerning City. As I walked passed the train station, I saw a familiar face. It was her face. I used the power of haste and tried to quickly run passed her but she caught my face.

“Rogue?” she asked. I couldn’t continue to run. Something stopped me in my tracks. I turned around and saw her. I saw her face once more, that face that I feared of not seeing again. As I looked at her my chest began to ache; it was as though my heart fell into the pit of my stomach. Everything that I’ve said about her, everything word uttered from my mouth came back to haunt me. Those words (I don’t care about her anymore, I don’t love her anymore) that I preached heavily to Sktyhe about her were filling me with regret.

For the first time, I felt regret for the things that I’ve said and done. Her eyes were on me. I didn’t feel hate from her warm purple eyes. She didn’t look at me as though I was some disgusting creature. Her eyes gave me peace of mind, love, and warmth. Something that I have not felt for ages.
My heart raced inside of my chest. To have looked at her face brought chills to my spine. For once, it had made me feel human. I had not felt distant with her. I had set my eyes upon her. Her maturing body did her justice. She had grown up just as Skythe mentioned.

“Aaru?” I asked as though I couldn’t recognize her. Personally I wished I hadn’t uttered her name. It hurts to much to say it. Aaru
“Oh my god.” She said as she walked over, “How… How have you been?” she asked as she lightly gave me a hug. I held her close yet parts of me shouted insanely to release her and to not let her touch or get near me for I was filthy, stained and tainted by sin.

She was pure and I was impure.

“Good, just working, training, the usual.” I said.
“Oh, um same here.” She said.

Her voice even changed from that of a nervous little girl to a young adult. She was only a year younger than I, however I doubt she did the things that I’ve done when I was her age. I even doubt she knows how cruel the world could really be. I remembered her being a small-undeveloped girl ready to become a magician and challenge the world with her magic. I have not seen her since then. We were young. Oh how nearly two years could change someone so quickly. Now she and I are both in our mid-teens ranking high in our classes. She, however, ranked two levels under me.

“Say… Aaru… I know I haven’t talked to you much, but can you do me a favor? By the end of the week, I want to meet you at Florina Beach. There we can catch up and chat and at least try to eat some Lorangs for dinner. Ok?” I said to her, “There something I want you to know before I leave and I leave next week. And I want to talk to you before I go.” I just wanted to see her again, tell her who I really am. The other part of me lied.
“Oh? Where are you going?” She wanted to know, the look of her face displayed disappointment.
“I’ll explain that when we’re in Florina Beach. I got to jet so I’ll talk to you later.” I gave her a light kiss on the cheek and a hug.
“Oh, ok.” She said.

At that moment, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into.

I abused the powers of haste and quickly ran away from her. I felt sick. I felt as though I wanted to vomit. It was that same feeling as I murdered my mother on her deathbed. I wanted to run away from it. To get as far away as possible from her. Something inside of me wants to lie to her, hurt her, and even kill her. It was far too soon to have seen her, to talk to her. It was far too soon to have held her in my arms. I felt so sick.

Something inside of me roared with deep wrath. That demon that is caged within me clawed away at my heart so viciously. It ached. It brought me great fear. A fear that I have yet to conquer. I feared for her life and of my own. As battled and as bruised as my heart is, I could never deny its true feelings. Those words that I have uttered about her, stating that I didn’t care about her, that I hated her… were false.

However, I could not let myself to fall into these emotions. I couldn’t let myself to get close to her, or let her get close to me. She and I will never be. No matter how much my heart will have to fight. In the end, I will end up killing her. In then end, my hands will be stained with her cold blood. Her eyes will never open, as I will call her name. Her skin will be white as snow and her face lifeless. In my arms she will not move as I struggle to keep her warm. Her death will be peaceful, unlike my mothers.

Oh how this dream has haunted me in my sleep ever since I have seen her last. This was my fear. The fear that I have yet to conquer.

Before I could realize where I had ended up, I found myself near Sleepywood. I had rested along a side of a shack in the middle of the swamp. I couldn’t hold this feeling back anymore. The hot bitter taste of vomit rushed up my throat causing my eyes to tear up. I leaned over and vomited behind the small shack. “Damn it,” I whispered to myself, “what the hell is wrong with me?”

“Who knows, but you got to stop throwing up all over the place. Its disgusting.” someone said behind me.
“Mind ya own business.” I snarled at the person, wiping the access vomit off the corner of my mouth.
“Struck a nerve haven’t we?” she said in a slight sarcastic tone.
“Don’t start with me girl.” I warned her as I sluggishly turned around and rested my back on the side of the shack. My head thrown aback with my eyes closed. Releasing a heavy sigh.

I heard her footstep approach me. The sound of her pink gold-winded shoes tapping along the planks of wood that gave a solid base for the shack to stand. The light taps of her thorns against the planks of wood chimed with the rhythm of her footsteps. She stood next to me. I felt her eyes lay over me. Those same eyes that unnerved me. Those eyes that judged me as a disgusting creature.

I took another deep breath, calming that creature inside of me. That untamed beast. That devil. That thing that laid dormant in my soul. As I took that deep breath, I inhaled her scent. That scent which very familiar to me. It wasn’t intoxicating as Amana’s scent. Nor was it disgusting as a cheap prostitute. Her scent was the scent of blood… and ice. A frosty winter scent, as though she was cold to the touch.

“What do you want?” I asked her.
“Nothing.” she replied.
“Then why are you here?”
“Because I can be.”
“Leave me alone.” I said to her.
“I’m not even bothering you.”
“You’re close to me.”
“I’m not that close to you.” she said.
“Go away.” I said to her, my right arm lightly twitching.
“Why? I shouldn’t have to. It’s a free world.”
“If it’s a free world then why are you a servant to that Priest?” I asked.
“Because I want to be. Why are you servant to that woman?” she asked sharply in return.
“Because I’m in it for the money.” I answered.
“Do you love her?”
“No.”
“I see.” she said

She stood to the left of me. Her right arm lightly grazing my left. I heard her sigh softly as she placed her thorns to her left, placing it gently against the wall of the shack. I slightly opened my eyes and looked down at her from the corner of my left eye. She wore an aqua golden circlet that adorned her head like a crown. She stood there with her hand slightly extended forward as she manipulated the moist environment to create ice particles with her finger tips and the palm of her hand. The ice particles began to take form into three ancient Ossyrian stress balls. Mist surrounded the ice stress balls as she twirled them in her hand.

“Stressed out much?” I asked her.
“Yeah.” she answered.

I took another deep breath and stood up straight. I shook my head lightly, shaking of the grawgy feeling that lingers right after vomiting. I started to walk towards Sleepywood when she shouted for my attention.

“What’s your name?” she wanted to know.
“Rogue.” I said to her.
“What’s your real name?” she asked once more.
“Rogue Inez.” I said.
“Inez, My name is Sybelle and I’m an Ice and Lightning Wizard.” she said.
“I’m a Strength Bandit. And I will become a Legendary Chief Bandit.” I replied to her.
“Good luck.” she said.
“I don’t need it.”

I headed towards the gates of Sleepywood. The gates covered in vines. Beyond the gate were trees that could reach the sky. Old statues of the first habitants of Sleepywood are in ruins and the platforms of brick covered with grass were most likely temples or homes. Beyond the gates was dark and cold. Creatures lurking around in darkness aimlessly wandering around in the paths of humans, ready to be killed by them.

I placed my hands on the old iron gates and walked through. I wandered around the ruins aimlessly until I was able to find my way to the small village that still inhabits the Sleepywood grounds. As I approached the village, a small buzz came from my communicator.

“Hey Rogue, it’s Tracy.”
I didn’t bother to answer my communicator as she spoke
“I know it’s been a few months now. I was wondering if you found Rebecca yet? Please contact me asap. It is very important that I may speak with you. And if you are at least a bit curious about my child, it’s a girl. I haven’t named her yet…”

I picked up my communicator and interrupted her as she spoke, “Name her … Mercy”
“Oh! I thought you were busy.” She said.
“No I’m not busy.” I said to her.
“Did you find Rebecca?” She asked.
“Who?”
“Ms.Fire, my little sister.” she said, “Don’t tell me you forgot Rogue!”
“Sorry, I just had a lot of crap in my hands right now.” I said to her.
“Can you find her tonight? She on the boat on her way to Ellinia. She just became a cleric. And I got your first payment ready!” she said.
“Fine… fine… what time?” I said to her.
“Um… is now a good time?” she said nervously.
“You have got to be kidding me.” I said to her.
“Please please please,” she pleaded with me in somewhat of a childish tone, “You promised me that you’re look after her… please.”
“All right! All right!” I said to her, “I’ll be there to meet with her shortly.”

I turned off my communicator for a while and walked my way to Ellinia. There was nothing for me to do in Sleepywood, let alone knew the reason why I was heading there in the first place.

As I arrived on the harbor of Ellinia,I waited next to the ticket booth. I sat on the cargo boxes as I waited for, what seem to be, hours for the boat to arrive. I picked up my communicator to see who was available to talk with. Luckily enough Skythe was around. I messaged him privately and asked him the most commonly asked question of all time…

“Where you at?”
“Ninja, you talkin’ to me?” he replied back.
“Yeah you ninja. Where you at?” I asked him once more.
“I’m over at my lady-friend’s house, why what’s up?” he asked.
“I saw her today.”
“Saw who?” he asked.
“Aaru you damned Ninja.”
“Oh yeah? What she say?”
“She said hi. I asked her to meet with me a week from now at Florina Beach.”
“Why?” he asked, “I thought you hated her.”
“Look, what I said doesn’t matter right now. It’s what I’m going to do.” I said.
“You better not do anything to hurt her.” He replied.
“Nah it’s nothing like that.”
“Then what is it?” he asked.
“All that sh*t that I said about her was false. So I’m going to open up to her, then leave for good.” I explained.
“Why?” he asked.
“Because I’ll end up killing her if I do stay around ya know?” I tried to explain.
“Where you at?” he asked.
“At the docks waiting for a friend’s sibling.”
“I’ll be there.” He said as he disconnected the communicator.

I heard the loud horns of the boat arrive to the docks. In my whole entire existance I have never took a ride on the boat to Ossyria before. I, in all honesty, never though of moving from Victoria to anywhere else. I looked over towards the area where the people unboard the boat. I must have recognized her at first sight. Her hair was spiked and brown. Her eyes were a soft red-like color which were large and innocent. Her skin a light tan. She was well dressed in her dark amoria out fit and her dark jester along with her black magic shoes. I wanted to call her out to get her attention but I could had been wrong about that girl.

She approached me, nevertheless, and smiled. She handed me two meso bags full of money. “Here’s your payment for this month” she said softly as she presented the money to me. Little to my knowledge did I know that Skythe was standing behind me, looking over my shoulder.
“Aint she a lil young for you Rogue?” he said staring at her.
“What!? No. It’s not like that.” I said to him, “I just have to keep an eye on her until she’s strong enough and old enough to fend for herself. I’m something like a babysitter, or a body guard.”
“Hey!” she shouted, giving me an aggravated look. “I’m not a baby, I’m not little. My sister is just overreacting. She’s not my mother any freakin’ way. I don’t know why I need a stupid body guard anyway. I can take care of myself.” she pouted slightly folding her arms across her chest, her wizard wand nuzzled tightly against her chest.
“Well little lady, you have a find body guard!” Skythe said with a big grin and slap my back giving a thumbs up.
“I’m not little old man.” she barked at him.
“I’M NOT OLD!” he shouted back. He nudged me on the shoulder and shouted, “Tell that b*tch to be cool”
“B*tch, be cool…” I said to her.
“Who you callin’ a b*tch?!” she demanded to know stomping her foot on the ground.
“YOUR FACE!!!” Skythe shouted over my shoulder.

I gave a deep sigh and side-stepped to the side for them to have ‘more room’ to ‘talk’. They argued for what it seemed to be no more than five or ten minutes. What they argued about I had no idea. I blocked them out as I walked towards the exit of the docks.

I couldn’t understand why Tracy entrusted me with her little sister, Ms.Fire. I don’t know why I was trusted to begin with. I felt a light buzz on coming from my communicator. I looked down on it and found that Amana was contacting me. I was stuck on whether to answer her call or let her leave a message. As in buzzed once more I answered out of impulse.
“Yeah?” I answered.
“Rogue. Are you free at the moment?” she asked.
“Yeah why?” I wondered.
“Can you do me a favor?” she asked.
“What is it, woman?”
“I need you to come back to the bar.” She said.
“Why?”
“I just do. And bring that little girl with you.”
“What little girl?” I asked as if I didn’t know what she was talking about.
“Don’t play dumb with me. Michael and I already know about Rebecca. So just bring her with you and she’ll be sworn into the guild.”
“Oh, Fine then.” I said to her as I hung up.

I looked over towards Skythe and Ms. Fire. They were much calmer than they were before. She was smiling and laughing at Skythe, talking about things they have in common. Each asking those questions of “Have you done this” or “Have you seen that”. I motioned over to Ms. Fire to come towards me. She looked around a bit and pointed towards herself. I nodded and motioned for her once more. She hugged Skythe and did the special hand shake that I knew nothing about. She approached me and smiled.

“I’m ready to go!” she said with excitement. I looked down at her then towards Skythe. He then approached me, then slowly walked passed me. He placed a hand on my shoulder. He smiled at me. It was a reassuring smile as though everything was all right.

In the surface everything appeared to be all right but in reality everything was sent to hell. As much as I tried to think about something else, she always appears in my mind. It’s not that I love her but I fear for the worse of her. Perhaps that it is love, but I’m a monster. What do monsters know about love? What do I know about love? God knows.

Are we really friends, Skythe? You smile at me as though we are… Why?

~R