-=Amber’s Personal Tragedy=-

Ever since reaching Perion the night before, the party of Shadow Viper, Lance, Skye, Emma, Genya, and Amber were thankful that they had made it. They were also exhausted from all the traveling, Lance and Skye even more so thanks to the boars. Their chance for sleep had finally come, along with the next hopeful step in their quest. They took the time to see if Dances with Balrogs was able to have an audience, but the locals told them he had already withdrawn for the night, but would be back in the morning. Thus, the group eagerly took to bed at the inn.

During the night, Shadow couldn’t help but stay awake for a while, even after he was relaxed in his cot. He was sat up, staring into the darkness that was his room. He had been through so much since arriving in this world. He’d made many friends, faced down a good deal of monsters, and even discovered secrets of the great evil that may have been responsible for the attack on his home village. Most importantly, he was making progress towards his ultimate goal. He knew there was still a long way to go, but he was grateful for the progress he had made. He also felt blessed for the friends he had made. He wasn’t sure how far he’d get with this adventure if he was on his own. He felt rather confident that, with their help, he would finally uncover the hidden evil and destroy it once and for all. As he finally decided to lay himself down for rest, he even believed there would be more friends to be made in the future….and possibly more enemies.

Morning arrived…

A barely-awake Genya let out a soft but gaping yawn as she felt a hint of sunlight settle on her closed eyelids. She slowly sat up on her cot, rubbing her eyes. She looked around her room, her eyes settling on another cot, which was used by her sister Emma. It was empty.

Genya sighed. She figured she’d overslept. She always woke up far behind her older sister ever since she stopped talking, and resented it a little. Though she was hardly ever reprimanded for it, she still felt like she was being irresponsible, as though her sister had left to do something important, and she never got up early enough to help her out, or at least wish her well.

Genya grabbed her wand and put it in her pack. Then she grabbed her wizard hat and threw it over her long brown hair. With everything in tow, she slowly walked out of her room, still trying to get the last few yawns out of her system.

Just outside her room stood Amber. The 17-year old redhead wore a kimono ensemble, the top part red and the bottom dress and belt white. She smiled pleasantly at the approaching Raine. “Hey, glad to see you’re finally up,” she said cheerfully, giving Genya a hug.

“…Thanks,” Genya replied with a smile of her own, hugging back. “Where….is…everyone..?”

“They’re already over at Dances with Balrogs’s temple,” Amber answered. “We can go if you want. I remained behind to wait on you in case you did.”

Genya was about to say yes, but suddenly found herself reconsidering. It had actually been over a month since she last saw Amber, before the redhead had left Ellinia to visit her aunt in the far-off land of Orbis. The two of them had been the closest of friends since they first met, their friendship made even stronger during Genya’s silence. Ever since seeing her after the Victorian Oni’s attack on Ellinia, the younger Raine was inwardly overjoyed at her friends return.

“I…think…I’ll…stay…” Genya slowly managed.

“Okay, that’s fine,” Amber said with a nod. “To be honest, I figured I’d stay behind myself. I thought I’d take a little longer rest today after all that walking in the hot canyons yesterday. The heat was starting to get to me. Do you want to sit down?”

Genya nodded, and the two girls took a seat at a nearby table in the tent’s small but accommodating lobby. Genya knew that Amber was naturally susceptible to prolonged heat exposure.

Once they were seated, the two broke into lighthearted conversation as they talked about the past month. Amber had headed off to the town of Orbis to visit her aunt in response to a request to do so. Her aunt was terribly ill, and wasn’t sure of the likelyhood of recovery, and thus wished to see a member of her sister’s family. Amber eagerly and respectfully answered, since her mother was busy teaching her little brother about magic. The month was spent between the two of them taking in the sights of Orbis, along with Amber’s aunt teaching her niece about potion brewing.

“She always had, every time I visited,” Amber explained. “I had always been curious about potions ever since a decade ago, and she decided to put my curiosity to good use. I’ve enjoyed brewing potions to help people ever since. In fact, it had even given me an idea for her illness.” Amber went on to explain how she used her past knowledge, along with a few ingredients she’d never used before, to concoct a new type of antidote. The antidote successfully purged her aunt’s illness. “I was so excited from the results, I showed it to the town’s potion shop. It’s become a regular item in Orbis ever since. My aunt was eternally grateful to me. Even after all that, though, we were never able to figure out what my aunt’s illness was, but I don’t worry about that anymore.”

Amber continued going on with her tale, but as she spoke, Genya noticed something; Amber was sounding more and more somber and even heartbroken as she went on. It didn’t stop her from listening, though, not even to when the unexpected happened.

“And…two days before…I had to leave…” Amber struggled to say through tears. “My aunt and I…she took me…to a place…we’d never…been before…and once there…” the redhead found herself unable to continue as her head fell into her hands and she sobbed uncontrollably. Thinking quickly, Genya immediately went over to her friend and gave her a warm hug, intent on comforting her for as long as she needed. Eventually, Amber returned the hug, whispering into Genya’s ear at the same time.

“Genya thank you. Somehow, even now, you’ve always been nearby when I needed you most.”

“As…have…you,” Genya replied.

When Amber had regained enough composure, she continued with her tale. Amber’s aunt had taken her to a secret garden in the cloud parks of Orbis. The area was beautiful, the most amazing sight ever laid before Amber’s eyes. There, they relaxed, picked flowers, and reminisced on memories long gone. As they did so, however, trouble suddenly arose when the flowers of the garden inexplicably burned into flames. At that moment, a squad of six ninja, led by one dressed in yellow and black, surrounded them. The yellow-clad ninja explained why they were there; one of their kind, disguised as an everyday Orbis citizen, overheard Amber’s discovery of a new antidote. He didn’t give manage to catch all of the details, but he knew the ninja could make use of such an item, so they made a simple deal: either Amber gives up the details, or she dies. Amber resisted at first, not wanting a secret to fall into such vile hands, but her aunt convinced her to, telling her that her life wasn’t worth the resistance, and that she didn’t wish her niece to die before her. Reluctantly, the young promising alchemist gave them what they wanted.

“Then, they did the unthinkable,” Amber whispered, straining against losing control again. “They…they killed her. They KILLED HER!” Genya recoiled with a horrified gasp, though she still willed herself to listen. “This…weapon that the yellow-dressed…FIEND had…it shot out of his sleeve and stabbed my aunt…I dare not say where it went. I screamed, frightened from what happened to my aunt, and angered…angered at what those heartless curs did. I yelled at them that they would pay…that the Orbis officials would punish them. He said something confusing in response, something like that the officials had no power here, then disappeared. I passed it off as boasting and quickly attended to my aunt, but in her final moments, she said it was too late. She told me how proud of me she was…how much she loved me…then she died.” Amber quickly wiped away oncoming tears before continuing. “Her funeral was the next day, and I came home the day after. I already told you about my almost dying there. Ever since I was saved, I’ve promised myself never to take my life for granted, especially since I’m now the last of my family.”

Genya gently patted Amber’s shoulder. “Don’t….forget…” she slowly encouraged. “We’re….family…too.”

Amber nodded, her old smile reforming on her face. “Genya, thank you for your words,” she said gratefully. “I could never repay you or the others for the support you’ve given me.”

Genya then went into thought for a moment. “Will…you…stay…with…us?” she asked, looking into Amber’s eyes with curiosity.

“Yes, of course I will,” Amber answered, nodding. “I may not have any sort of combat training that you and the others have, but I’ll do what I can to help. I can always brew a potion for you if you want!” She giggled at that thought, but soon found herself cutting it off. Her eyes went down to her hands that rested on the table. A darker to see him pay for what helook crept her on her face. “I have to confess,” she admitted bitterly, “that…monster, dressed in black and yellow…he caused me no end of pain and torment just by taking a member of my family away…I want to see him pay for his actions…I want to see him DEAD!” Her hands became fists and slammed into the table.

Genya, scared from the change of behavior, gave a squeeing hug to Amber. “NO!” She yelped. Amber looked at her in confusion.

“I mean…don’t do….that…stay…with us…but…”

Amber quickly realized the error of her ways and returned the hug she was given. “Gen, I’m so sorry,” she apologized. I shouldn’t have done that…it isn’t me.” Genya nodded in response and let her friend go.

Amber soon returned to her bright and cheery self. “All right then, how about you? What has your last month see you do?”

With a smile of her own, Genya told her story, grateful deep down that she would get to be with her best friend once more.

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HOLY SKITTLES! IT’S AN UPDATE! *Trumpet fanfare comes from nowhere* Oh, is it good to move this story along again! I never realized how much I’ve really missed this story until I started writing it again. In all honesty, this chapter was supposed to move the plot along, but as my ideas were coming into play, a side story came into mind. Thus, you have this. Angst and sap mixed together. Heh, put those in a blender! Molasses, anyone? XD Well, I don’t know what the two would become, I just know they came up with this chappie. Enjoy!

Mountain Dew for you!^^

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