Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

They had been walking for three days. The jungle-like forest was a tangle of roots and leaves and moss and bushes, confusing enough to set an earth Elemental off-course, but Azrael and his guards, Erik and Jaden, found their way through it with ease. Kyatsu stayed close to Azrael as he was the only one she trusted right now. He had his cape, as well as his arm, wrapped around her shoulders, and she felt safe with him.
It was on the fifth day that they finally emerged into a clearing occupied only by a large house and a small pond. A family of ducks swam in the water, dipping their beaks in from time to time to either drink or preen their feathers. Kyatsu thought she saw a frog jump into the pond from the tiny patch of lilipads.
"Have you brought me another one, Azrael? Or have you finally made your choice?" a clear voice called. It was a woman's, and it bore a thick accent that Kyatsu had never heard before.
"Kirin, my friend, I believe I have finally found her," Azrael replied, bowing low.
"She looks pretty young," Kirin said. "Are you sure she'd be ready to handle the crazy adventures you go on?"
Azrael lifted a finger to his lips. Kirin gave him a cynical look and turned back to the house. She shooed away several other girls, all of them looking at Kyatsu with curiosity.
"Bring her in anyway. You should know better than any that it's not safe out here when it's getting dark."
He nodded and led Kyatsu inside, holding her closer with his arm. As they entered the doorway, the other girls followed them, whispering amongst themselves.
"Who's she?"
"I dunno. She's really pretty, though."
"She looks nervous."
"It's probably his guards."
"Yeah, probably."
Kirin shooed them away again. "Off with you, girls. Let her alone for a while."
"Who are they?" Kyatsu asked, looking up at Azrael.
"Other girls whose families fell because of Erik and Jaden. I really should get rid of them, but they're the strongest people I could find, and the only people who would fit in the armor. After a group of hostile rougue Elementals attacked us, I had it made. Unfortunately, they can't seem to understand that it only is meant for defense, not to make you invincible so you can attack innocents," he said, casting a backwards glare at Erik and Jaden.
"You are kind of at fault too, Azrael, for giving them the armor," Kirin pointed out, busily going from room to room and scolding some of the misbehaving girls.
"If I had known they would act like this, I wouldn't have had it made."
"Didn't I warn you about this before you made the decision?"
Azrael sighed, but a smile stayed on his face. From his behavior, Kyatsu could tell that he relaxed near Kirin. From Erik's and Jaden's nervous actions, she could tell that Kirin scared them. She cast a questioning look at Azrael, and he seemed to know what she was thinking.
"Kirin's a master at water and fire magic. She can break through the toughest Elemental barrier that any man, elf or dwarf can create. She could go through that armor without even trying," he explained.
"Are you telling my life story again, Azrael?" she asked from another room.
"Of course not. Kyatsu was wondering why Erik and Jaden are so nervous in your house."
"...Kyatsu?" Kirin's head emerged from the doorway. "Did I hear you right when you said 'Kyatsu'?"
Azrael nodded. Kirin's face seemed to drain of color and she hurried upstairs. Kyatsu exchanged a confused look with Azrael. "What, did I say something wrong?" he called up the stairs. There was the sound of moving boxes, and a crash, before Kirin replied.
"No, you didn't. Something about the name is familiar, but I can't put my finger on it. Ow!" There was a thud, and Kyatsu guessed that Kirin had dropped something or fallen. A pause followed the thud, and then "Here it is," followed the pause. Slowly, Kirin descended the flight of stairs, flipping through a book small enough to fit in a pocket. 'Notes' was imprinted on the scarlet cover in gold lettering.
"What is it?" Azrael said, his interest piqued.
"Az, could you leave the room for a few moments? And close the door behind you." Only when the door had shut did Kirin look up from the book. She looked at Kyatsu, her bright green eyes piercing and gentle at the same time. "Can you show me your left shoulder? It's okay, you can trust me," she added when Kyatsu hesitated.
Kyatsu moved the sleeve of her dress to reveal her shoulder as Kirin had asked and heard a surprised gasp behind her. She felt cold fingers tracing a familiar pattern on her skin. "You've seen this mark before?" she asked.
"Only in this book.... It's my father's journal--he gave it to me before my family was killed--and it's got that mark in it. I'll have to thank Azrael later..."
"How come?"
"...He's brought my little cousin home."

To be continued...