[RP]Obake Blade

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kyo accepted the scroll from the monk with a slight incline of his head, handling it delicately in his gloved hands.

 

An unknown scroll, unrecognizable by Brother Hanzo, found laying next to the now-unconcious Toa. Why did this seem suspicious?

 

He opened the scroll, rolling the parchment out between his hands. He looked at the single sentance with narrowed eyes and a black glare.

 

Death to all who seek the Obake Blade!

 

"You're sure you've never seen this here before, Brother?" the warrior verified. He looked back to the scroll after recieving a nod from the librarian.

 

"I know every book, scroll, note, and letter in this library." he reassured, "And I've never seen this particular item before."

 

Rolling the scroll up again, Kyo moved swiftly to where a fire crackled in a grate. Without a pause, he tossed the scroll into the flames, where it hissed before falling into the embers.

 

"Someone planted it there." he muttered, folding his arms across his chest as he watched the parchment blacken and burn, "Someone knew we would be here, and meant for us to find it."

[Rexraptor2000]

“Mom, why do you only smile around me?”

 

This was the fifth thousandth time the young child had asked a question as they walked down the volcanic path, but this was the only one that merited the mother actually looking down at her child.

 

“Wherefore dost thou sayest that Toa?” She asked as they walked around the old remains of a lava serpent.

 

“Because you never smile around anyone but me, not even Dad.” The twelve-year-old Toa said, taking a moment to kick a rock into a puddle of lava.

 

This sent the mother into a moment of thought, before she responded with "Thou art my son, of my own creation, and of more likeness to me, as compared to the others."

 

Toa glanced at her and asked "Does that mean you don't love Dad or the rest of my brothers and sisters?"

 

She sighed and said "I used to love thine father, but now tis dead. And I dost not intend to let thou growest up to the expectations others, but only to thy own."

 

They were coming up on a small camp with a man who looked as old as a mountain. The man spotted them and waved them over as he tended a fire, actually sticking his hand into the fire without burning it at one point. The mother stopped before reaching the camp, handing the pack she had hefted over her shoulder to Toa before coldly saying "Farewell."

 

And then she walked away, leaving Toa alone, and shocked, with the man. He called out to her, praying that she would turn around and wave at him to join her as part of some joke, but she didn't. She never looked back, leaving Toa with tears streaming down his cheeks.

 

"I know that was a bit cold of her, but she's only doing what she thinks is best for you kid. Now cheer up! We're going to have a great time together, and I bet you've never seen a clear sky at night before. I'm Baston in case you were wondering." Baston said gruff, but cheery, voice as he patted Toa on the back.

 

Toa turned away from the site of his mother walking away, bitterly and angrily saying "A great time."

 

Toa was reliving memories. Painful ones. Like this, and others. He had no control. He had no resistance. Only the link that he could feel with Aya, through which he sent cry of pain before the darkness strangled him.

[Rogue Nine]

Carwyn arched an eyebrow. "You mean Toa fainted again?" he asked as they walked along towards the library. Maggie threw him an inquisitive look over her shoulder. "Toa does that a lot," Carwyn explained. "We're thinking of making him wear a crash helmet, just in case he decides to keel over on some hard granite or something."

 

He looked over at Aya, who seemed to be a bit out of sorts. "You okay?" he whispered to her, knowing she was probably being affected by Toa's most recent catnap, which were really becoming quite annoying, now that he thought about it.

[JasraLantill]

Aya stopped mid-track and put a hand to her brow. Whatever Toa was feeling, Aya was feeling too. A tear spontaneously trickled from her eyes.

 

"My head hurts," she said to Carwyn. "A lot. And I've got a bitter taste in my mouth, and it feels like there's a pit in my stomach." She looked up, realising that she probably shouldn't be saying things like this in front of Maggie and Brother Kitanga. They weren't aware that Aya had 'changed' and Aya was reluctant to let them know.

 

So, despite her discomfort, she started walking again, following the others to the library. "Probably just something I ate," she said dismissively, although she knew Carwyn knew the true cause of her ailments.

 

"Might have been the beef," Brother Kitanga commented over his shoulder to her. "That's why I never eat it. Never eat meat, that is."

 

"You never eat meat?" Aya asked. She knew a lot of the Southern monks didn't eat meat, but the Northern Monks... well, being as they lived in the North with its short growing season and little arable land as it was, meat was a fairly common food item. "Ever?"

 

"Never."

 

Aya raised an eyebrow. "Huh," she murmured. She thought she knew all the monks rather well and it surprised her to find out something new and also something fairly substantial about Brother Kitanga. "Learn something new every day...."

 

Her headache was getting worse, and Aya quickened her step.

[Rogue Nine]

The four of them entered the library at a jog, Maggie leading the way to where Tellis, Kyo and Brother Hanzo were gathered standing over the unconscious Toa. The pyromancer was paler than usual, and his chest rose and fell arhythmically. Carwyn regretted making the joke earlier as he saw the condition Toa was in. Kneeling next to Tellis, he asked, "How is he Tel? Anything you can do?"

 

Tellis gave him a curt shake of her head. "Once again, he's out of my ability to aid him," she said, the strain obvious in her voice. "However, Brother Hanzo said that he knew of someone who might be able to help him."

 

"That would be me, kind lady," Brother Kitanga stated, his deep voice full of concern as he knelt next to Kyo to examine Toa, his broad, practiced hands already grasping gently at the pyromancer's neck.

[JasraLantill]

Aya knelt down on the other side of Toa from Brother Kitanga. Her brow was furrowed. Her headache was growing worse and she felt as if she were about to be sick.

 

"He's in pain," she said to the monk. She swallowed hard. "He's...." She suddenly shivered, feeling icy cold inside. "He's dying." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She dreaded doing this 'spirit thing' again. It always made her feel weak afterwards and want to sleep. And she'd done enough sleeping for one day. She had things to do, people to talk to, and, quite possibly, Carwyn to kiss again. She didn't want to sleep.

 

She opened her eyes and looked at Brother Kitanga. If the wise Brother Hanzo thought that Brother Kitanga could help Toa, then quite possibly he could. And, maybe he would know what could be done about this 'spirit bond' she and Toa had as well.

 

"Brother, can you help him?" she asked the dark-skinned monk.

[Quist]

Brother Kitanga nodded. "I will try." He reached out and straightend Toa's limbs so that the pyromancer lay straight on the floor. "Everyone, please give me some space," he said. As they complied, he knelt down on his knees, sitting on the backs of his legs. Bowing his head and closing his eyes, he whispered a few inaudible prayers, then reached out and touched Toa's forehead with an outstretched hand. A few breathless moments went by, then the dark-skinned monk started to glow. It was a curiously marvelous sight: the short, bald and dark Brother Kitanga giving off an ephermal glow, which seemed to envelop both him and Toa.

 

With his eyes still closed, Brother Kitanga said, "Toa's soul is in great peril." His voice resonated through the whole library, powerful and vibrant. It was still his voice, but somehow it was not his own at the same time, as if he were possessed. "He hangs on to life by a tenuous thread, his soul coupled with another's." It was then he opened his eyes, revealing that they too were gleaming with supernatural power. "Who among you has lent your spirit to his?"

 

Aya, awestruck up until this point, meekly stepped forward. "I have, Brother," she said, her voice nowhere near the timbre of his.

 

He smiled. "Take my hand, child," he said, offering his up. Aya tentatively reached out and placed her hand in his. The glow from his body slowly crept up her arm and he inhaled deeply. "You have a strong soul, Aya S'Ornaku. Much power, but your ability to wield it is still raw, untrained." He looked back down at Toa. "Nevertheless, you saved this one's life through the linking of your soul to his. I imagine it has caused much strain on yours, to feel what he feels."

 

Aya merely nodded, still frozen.

 

"You have a gift, of that there is no doubt." He closed his eyes once again. "However, to place such stress on you so early on in your awakening would be a hindrance to your development." He paused, then spoke again, lower than before. "If you wish, I can attempt to sever the bond and make the both of you whole again. Do you want that?"

 

The merchant woman did not speak for several moments, a myriad of thoughts going through her troubled mind. "Yes," she finally answered.

 

"Then take your broken soul back the same way with which you gave it," Brother Kitanga stated. "I will act as a mediator and supply you and Toa with my strength, to mend and seal the severed bond."

 

"'The same way with which I gave...?'" Aya asked, not understanding. Then it dawned on her, the light shining in her eyes. Nodding impassively, she knelt down, put her glowing lips to Toa's icy blue ones and kissed him deeply. A surge of power ran through all three bodies linked in unison, punctuated by the glow becoming almost too radiant to look at. It dissipated quickly as Aya broke the kiss and she slumped down to her knees.

 

Brother Kitanga held her hand fast and steadied her as she sat. "Your part is finished, child," he said, taking his hand from hers. "Now let me seal the bond." He placed his newly freed hand on Toa's lips and uttered an incantation in a strange, archaic sounding language. Toa glowed bright, his aura turning fiery red, then dissipating as quickly as it had come. Brother Kitanga drew back slowly, his own glow fading fast. He sat back on his haunches and exhaled slowly.

 

No one said anything for several tense moments. Maggie broke the silence as she was unable to contain herself any longer.

 

"Wow."

 

((This was done in conjunction with JasraLantill. ))

[JasraLantill]

Aya felt tired, but at least her headache was gone and she didn't feel like losing her dinner anymore. She sat on the floor unable to move for a few moments, watching Brother Kitanga and Toa recover.

 

"Wow." she heard Maggie say.

 

Aya looked up at her. She was hoping that Maggie wouldn't think she was some sort of a freak by what her friend had just witnessed. She swallowed hard, not knowing if Maggie would think less of her.

 

"I... I didn't know, Mags," Aya finally stuttered. "The glow. The bond. It just happened one day. It's not my fault."

 

She looked at Brother Kitanga, then Kyo, then Carwyn. She had just kissed Toa, and she wondered how Carwyn felt about it. "It's not my fault," she repeated.

[Rogue Nine]

Carwyn had watched the whole scene with baited breath. It was all so mystical and foreign to him, what had transpired. The auras that Brother Kitanga and Aya had given off were so powerfully palpable, he couldn't help but feel them, despite his professed non-magicalness. When Aya had kissed Toa, he had clenched his fist, but unclenched it just as quickly when he realized that it was necessary for her to do and did not carry any connotations past the whole spirit mumbo-jumbo that Brother Kitanga had initiated.

 

When they had finished, his first instinct was to rush to Aya's side, but he didn't for fear that he might get in the way. He may not have cared for magic, but he did respect it quite a bit. Everyone stayed put for several long, strenuous moments, but finally Maggie broke the ice by saying, "Wow."

 

Aya looked up at her friend, obviously concerned about how the revelation of her powers would affect what Maggie thought of her. "The glow. The bond. It just happened one day. It's not my fault," she said, her voice subdued.

 

She looked from Brother Kitanga to Kyo and finally to Carwyn. "It's not my fault," she repeated, almost petulantly.

 

It was then Carwyn allowed himself to surge forward and come to her side. "What's not your fault, Aya?" he asked her, steadying her quavering shoulders with his hands. "The fact that you saved Toa's life? The fact that you have a gift? The fact that you're an extraordinary person?" He resisted hugging her and instead brushed away a stray lock of hair that had fallen into her eyes. "I'd like to think that all of those things are indeed your fault."

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Indeed they are," Kyo said, smiling faintly as he knelt down, extending a hand to again check Toa's pulse. It was stronger now - the swordsman hazard that it was safe to say that the pyromacer would be alright.

 

"The powers you have are a gift, Miss Aya." he continued, looking at her from the corner of his eye, "They are not to be ashamed of. They are a surprise, yes, wild, yes, but a gift nonetheless."

 

Looking to the rather steady-looking Brother Kitanga and Tellis, he said, "It might be best if we get him up to the dorms." Kyo hefted Toa up a bit, "That way he can rest easier."

 

Pulling one of Toa's arms over his shoulder, and allowing Brother Kitanga to do the same with the other, the two moved out of the library.

[Master_Archon]

A man stood listening to the commotion ensuing in the library, it was, in fact, Old Yuri, the quick and frantic moment over, the one thing that had drawn him was the sudden use of spiritual wielding abilities, but it was not Aya's, it was a monks, his name being, Kitanga.

 

This did not surprise Yuri, but he was surprised Aya had not done anything more, then again, she wasn't able to hone, or focus her abilities yet, so he couldn't blame her. Old Yuri remained out of sight, the enigmatic man staying away behind some bookcases, he had listened to the words exchanged.

 

A name struck his mind as he heard it spoken, Toa, that was a familiar name, he pondered in thought for a moment, the person was there, before his eyes, but he couldn't quite place him to memory.

 

But then it struck him, 'Oh! That's Toa, no wonder I couldn't quite place him with my thoughts...indeed.' Old Yuri thought to himself, as the realization set in.

 

As the swordsman, Kyo, and the monk, Kitanga, began to carry Toa out of the library, Yuri stepped back into the shadows, seeming to dissipate from sight within them, but little to their knowledge, he was following them.

[JasraLantill]

Aya's brow crinkled with concern. "Some gift...," she murmumed as she watched Kyo and Brother Kitanga take Toa to rest. She looked at Brother Hanzo. "So, what happened to Toa? Who or what caused him to faint like that?" She looked worriedly over her shoulder. "Is he still in danger?"

[Quist]

"He should be fine, Brother Kitanga does his work very well," Brother Hanzo said, getting slowly to his knees. Maggie scooted over and helped him up. "Well, I think that's more than enough excitement for one night." He gathered his papers up and moved off towards the stairs again.

 

Maggie looked at Aya, Carwyn and Tellis. "I'm inclined to agree with Brother Hanzo." She wrinkled her nose at the shifts Carwyn and Aya were wearing. "I guess your clothes are off drying in the common room? Let's go get them, shall we?" She gave Aya a look, hoping to get the merchant woman alone at some point, as she had quite a few questions for Aya.

[Grace]

((Can't resist ))

 

 

At that moment, the wind picked up, tossing a few scrolls out of place and Takara flew in through an open window, crashing to the floor with a shriek of surprise. Almost before she had a chance to settle, Kaori perched herself on the windowsill.

 

"Brother Hanzo," she greeted. "Kitanga." Then, Takara was back on her feet and she lunged at her mother, who rapidly said, "Nice seeing you all! OoF!" And with that, mother and daughter left the window, dropping rapidly out of sight.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Meanwhile, Katsuro had stopped following, for the winds were far too fast for him to keep up. He'd stayed behind with Kai after the man had asked why Takara and Kaori were fighting.

 

"You intend to stay out here all night," the boy observed. It wasn't a question; it was obvious to Katsuro that Kai had not entered the monestary and equally obvious that he would not. "Gets a little uncomfortable indoors," the boy went on. "I know... I've traveled most of my life. But something I don't know if you've discovered yet or not is how much better a night under the stars is with company."

 

He gestured some distance away to Kai's fire. "I'll stay with you, and I'm not taking 'no' for an answer."

[3yks]

Kai arched a brow at the boy, which was odd looking, because his other brow was covered by his eye patch. "Kai will allow it." He nodded, and then shrugged faintly and turned heading back toward his fire. He considered the wind mage's absently for a few moments. They used their power's simply for sport? Kai had spared duringh is training, and continued to hone his abilites, and his power's, but ... that had seemed more for their own amusment than the further of their abilities. People could be strange.

 

"Kai has not much to offer in way of blankets, Kai lost his in Ryuu-tokai, but Kai knows how to keep the fire going all the night." he nodded, sitting down lightly, "Has this boy heard of popped corn?" Kai asked, as he dug around in his pack fo a few moments, before pulling out a metal pan with a lid that fit tightly, and a small container of a golden colored corn, he poured some into the pan, and then added a little oil from another container and set it on the fire.

[Rogue Nine]

As Maggie, Aya and Carwyn walked down the hall, the ranger couldn't help but marvel at how quickly women seemed to be able to talk when they wanted to. Maggie had prodded Aya as soon as they'd left the library and the two were happily chatting away, speaking in low tones. Carwyn walked a little off to the side and away, not wanting to interrupt them.

 

Pulling open the heavy old wood door, he held it open for the two women as they scuttled into the common room and moved over towards the fireplace. He strode to the mantle and took down his now dry tunic, leggings and coat and flapped them out. "That was pretty quick, eh?" he said, putting his arm into a sleeve to check the dryness of the garment's inside.

 

"Yeah," Aya agreed as she carefully took down her own clothing, standing on tiptoes. Carwyn reached over and handed her leggings down to her.

 

"Well," Maggie started, suddenly looking bashful. "I think I'll leave you two here again to..." she trailed off.

 

"Oh no no," Carwyn said. He'd seen how happy Aya had been to see her friend and talk with her and didn't really want to spoil that for either of them. Besides, he figured that Aya needed some time to reflect on the happenings of tonight, because Carwyn definitely did. He reddened slightly as he remembered the kiss next to the fountain. Shaking his head, he continued talking to Maggie. "You two have a lot of catching up to do, don't let me get in the way." He slung his clothes over his shoulder and stepped quickly over to Aya, taking her hand in his. "I'll see you in the morning, okay?" he told her quietly. She nodded and smiled. Carwyn returned the smile, then raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. Giving it one last squeeze, he strode away towards the exit.

[JasraLantill]

Carwyn returned the smile, then raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. Giving it one last squeeze, he strode away towards the exit.

 

With large brown doe-eyes, Aya watched Carwyn until he had left the common room, then she turned to Maggie and grinned broadly. “He is so... lovely,” she sighed. Then she grabbed Maggie’s forearm and pulled her over towards the rug that Carwyn and she had shared earlier when they were drying off. “I’ve got so much to tell you, Mags, I don’t even know where to begin!” she whispered excitedly as she motioned Maggie to sit down beside her.

[Quist]

Maggie observed as Aya watched Carwyn all the way to the exit and couldn't help but giggle as she took a seat next to her friend. "You're glowing, y'know, she said, clasping Aya's hands in hers. "Well for starters, you could tell me where you found him." As an afterthought, she added, "And the rest of your lovely companions, I suppose." She favored her friend with a knowing grin.

[JasraLantill]

Aya let out a short sigh. “Gee, Mags? Where do I begin?” She considered for a moment. “Well, we all started out as travellers in the caravan to Ryuu Tokai. Carwyn was friendly, and we just sort of got to talking. I sold him some arrows and a bowstring in the inn where the caravan starts up, and then later we got to talking some more on the trail.” She grinned. “He shot some apples for me and Bob off of a tree that was yards and yards away! Always nice to have a travelling companion with a weapon…especially a cute one,” she added with a slight giggle. “He’s just lovely, Mags. Perfect. Kind, good sense of humour, considerate… even when I would get tongue-tied around him and say....” She frowned slightly. “Which reminds me… I need to do some research on some guy named Frood. Carwyn mentioned something about him knowing a lot about tongue-tiedness.” She shook her head to rid herself of the thought. “Now as far as the others go….

 

“Kyo… let’s see… took me a while to find out why Kyo was even in the caravan. He’s a warrior, that much is obvious, but he only seemed interested in keeping to himself. He was so stoic and quiet most of the time. Not at all boastful like a lot of warrior types are. Didn’t say much at all.”

 

“So, as usual, you did most of the talking,” Maggie surmised, with a knowing grin.

 

“Yeah, well….” Aya shrugged and grinned. “Eventually either people talk back to me or they tell me to shut up and go away. Anyway, he finally told me that he had this artefact thing, and he was on his way to see this crazy old woman there, though,” she added thoughtfully, “I’m not quite sure if he knew it was her he wanted to see. He wanted someone to translate the writings on the artefact, and I mentioned that the old woman had lots of that kind of stuff in her house, and so that’s where he went. You know the woman I’m talking about, right? Father used to sell the artefacts he found to her. I think I told you about her. You know, the creepy one?”

 

Maggie nodded.

 

“Well, he dragged me there with him—and I mean dragged. Threw me over his shoulder and carried me like a sack of flour!” She rolled her eyes. “Totally embarrassing. Anyway, that’s how I found out that the coin Father gave to me was part of his artefact thing. It was actually some sort of puzzle, like a decoder or something.” She lifted the coin from underneath her shift. “See that hole there? It actually fits onto the end of Kyo’s artefact, and it lines up with markings. Kyo said that the puzzle would give the location of the Obake Blade. First we had to answer a riddle to open it—think Akira was the one to actually come up with the right answer as most of us were drunk at the time—and when it finally opened up, there was a message that said, 'Return to where it all began... Go'North.' So, that’s why we’re all here now.” She grinned and squeezed Maggie's hand. “And I’m really glad to be back, Mags. Things have been so confusing.”

 

She looked over her shoulder to the doorway through which Carwyn had exited moments earlier, then turned back to Maggie. “Carwyn asked me something earlier that I really don’t think I understood. He wanted to know ‘where we were going from here.’ I’m not really sure. I mean, I like him. Really, really like him.” She let out a longing sigh. “When he kisses me, my knees go weak, and my heart goes all fluttery, and…. Oh, Mags, he’s just lovely, but….” She bit her lip and began to wring her hands. “Do you think my father would’ve approved of Carwyn? Father Abbot didn’t seem to keen on him when he caught us together earlier.”

[ForceFightWMe12]

Step by step, Kyo, Brother Kitanga, and the strange, silent man proceeded up the stairs, carrying the unconcious Toa. Though the pyromacer - in addition to his weapon and armor - was quite heavy, between Kyo's strength and Kitanga's stout build, they were able to make their way to the visitors' dorms.

 

They moved to the room that Toa had lain in prior, and brought him to the bed. With a slight bit of uncoordination - a human body, Kyo noted, could be quite unruley - they managed to get him spread out on the matress. Kyo stood straight as the monk went about settling the unconcious pyromacer in, pulling the sheets over his sleeping form and placing a palm against his forehead to check his temperature, then two fingers to his neck for his pulse.

 

"He seems to be quite well now." the healer said, looking at Toa and giving a sigh, "Though I'm still at a loss as to what exactly put him in this state."

 

"It had something to do with that scroll." the warrior replied, his green eyes also on Toa, albeit with a far-away look, "I've seen something like it before. A dark form of spiritual magic."

 

"You speak of demon magick?"

 

Kyo's eyes turned to Brother Kitanga with a subtle flash. "I'm not yet sure," he answered, his voice rather guarded, "But I do know that that scroll was not placed there by accident."

 

After a few moments of silence, the swordsman closed his eyes and, with a sigh of his own, ran a hand through his hair. "You will look after him, then?"

 

"For the next hour or so." Brother Kitanga answered, "If there is no trouble by that point, then he should be quite safe."

 

"Very well," he answered, "I'll be returning to the library, if I am needed."

 

And return he did. However, he did not do so directly, for, as he was passing the common room, voices were drifting from a door that was propped slightly open. The voices were those of Aya and Maggie and - unable to help himself - he slowed his pace to listen.

 

"...to talking some more on the trail.mHe shot some apples for me and Bob off of a tree that was yards and yards away! Always nice to have a travelling companion with a weapon…especially a cute one..."

 

Now Kyo stopped entirely, staying back in the shadow of the nearly-closed door. She was speaking of Carwyn again, and he was compelled to listen by a small spark of - was it frustration perhaps? Something of the sort, at least.

 

“He’s just lovely, Mags. Perfect. Kind, good sense of humour, considerate… even when I would get tongue-tied around him and say..."

 

He leaned back against the wall, entirely silent as he crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes closing and head drooping slightly. He listened as she recounted the past few days, telling of how everyone first came together to be on this trip, the same events tossing in his mind as he focused on her lilting voice...

 

"I mean, I like him. Really, really like him. When he kisses me, my knee go weak, and my heart goes all fluttery, and…. Oh, Mags, he’s just lovely..."

 

What the hell was she saying??

 

For some inconcievable, inexplicable reason, the spark had grown into a roaring fire inside him, and he gritted his teeth as his eyebrows knitted together. Losing himself for a moment, he slammed the wall behind him with the side of his fist.

 

This was human infatuation, he reminded himself as he fought to calm his emotions. She was bound to think of him that way...and for some reason, Kyo hated knowing that fact. Why couldn't he just be happy for what they had? Was it because such a thing was beyond his reach?

 

In the back of his mind, he knew that punching the wall - solid stone, as it was - would probably have been slightly audible to the occupants of the room. Kicking himself for hanging around as long as he had - he had no right to have been there in the first place - he forced himself to move. Moving silently by the door, he nudged it softly with a knuckle, pushing it fully closed on his way to continue down the short hallway and up the stairs.

[JasraLantill]

Before Maggie had a chance to answer, Aya heard a dull thump coming from the corridor. She turned toward the doorway again and noticed the door slowly start to close, seemingly by itself.

 

"Hello?" she called out, her voice wavering a bit. "Someone there?"

 

Aya glanced quickly at Maggie, before turning her attention back to the door. It wasn't usual for the monks to eavesdrop, and with all the strange happenings of late, Aya felt, for the first time, insecure in the familiar monastery.

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kyo had only moved a few steps away from the door, his foot on the first step of the staircase, when Aya called out.

 

"Hello? Someone there?"

 

He cursed himself silently, stopping in his tracks. Idiot! he yelled at himself. Aya had heard him, and by the tone of her voice, seemed rather nervous though not quite frightened yet. The angry fire was quenched instantly and, against his better judgement, he turned back and opened the door enough to poke his head in.

 

"It's just me," he said, "I was just returning to the library when I saw the door open. I didn't think you'd want anyone to eavesdrop, so I closed it on my way by."

[Quist]

Maggie turned to see the blond swordsman poke his head in. "Is everything alright, m'lord?" She stood, still with Aya's hand in hers. "We heard a thump outside..."

[JasraLantill]

Aya breathed a small sigh of relief on seeing Kyo. "For a moment there, I thought... erm, nevermind. Just a little jumpy tonight with all that happened." She glanced over at Maggie. "We were just talking girl talk. You know, catching up and stuff." Turning back to Kyo she said, "Maybe I'll catch up with you later, if you're still up. Is Toa going to be alright?"

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kyo nodded to Aya's question. "He'll be fine," he answered, "Brother Kitanga is with him now. He has said that Toa is quite healthy, and that if no complications come within the next hour, he'll soon be right as rain."

 

Turning to look at Maggie as she spoke up, the swordsman shook his head. "Everything's fine. The thump you heard was probably me being as graceful as ever - I hit my foot against a corner further back, nearly ran full into it. The torches in this corridor seem to be mostly unlit.

 

"I'm sorry for interrupting you," he said after a moment, "And for worrying you; it was rude of me. I'll probably be in the library for a few hours longer if you'd like to talk, Aya. If not, then I bid the both of you goodnight."