by Adam Wan
"Ok..."
We got up and decided to exit the cave. Zeynox was no where in sight. I also didn't feel an evil presence there anymore.
We ran all the way back to the palace. We went the throne room.
"You're back quite late. Where are the guards?"
"They all died. Zeynox attacked real bad" said Ayla.
"We hid in a cave until the coast was clear" I said.
"Hmm... Let's talk at the dining room. You must be hungry"
XFire 17: Strategy
We entered the dining room, dinner was served.
The food served seemed to be Barbequed Cuckoo. It had some black colored sauce at the side of the plate.
Ayla was eating already. She has to be hungry. Well, it has been a long since last ate anyway.
"So, Zeynox has killed more people than last time..." said the king.
"He almost killed Ayla"
"I'm still terrified from that..." said Ayla.
"Zeynox wanted to fight me at Radiation Sands. He left a note in the drawer of that bar he killed those people in. I have no idea of what he is up to..." I explained.
"He is a dangerous man. He is basically a heartless. He kills people just for the fun of it, I guess" said Ayla.
"He could still be killing some people now..." I said.
"Are you planning on going to Radiation Sands?" the king asked.
"Yes, I'm going there tomorrow"
"What?! You already know how dangerous that maniac is!" said Ayla.
"I know, but I have to. I'll do my best to kill him once and for all"
"I'll go with you!"
"No, its too dangerous. You just got shot today, I don't want you to get hurt anymore"
"I'll snipe him then!"
"Is there any good places to snipe from?"
"Uhh, I don't know..."
"Its too risky... He might go for you first"
"He wants you! He's targeting you! I'll be fine..."
"Huh... Fine. Don't make me regret this..."
After the talk and dinner, we headed to our bedrooms. On the way there, I was thinking about the fight.
"This is risky... Even more so because Ayla is joining me... I can't let anything happen to her..." I thought as I was walking to my bedroom.
"Good night" I wished, "Goodnight" she replied. I entered my went and laid on bed.
"Man, I'm nervous. I wish I could go back to Cielo... I hate living a life of fear..." I thought.
"Knock knock*"
Someone knocked on the door. I wondered who it was.
"Hello, its Ayla. May I come in?"
"Come in"
I sat up while she was opening the door.
"Does your shoulder hurt? "
"Not anymore, thanks for asking"
"I couldn't sleep... I am scared about tomorrow" she added.
"Don't worry. After this, its all over" I said as I rubbed her head.
"Yea, thanks for making me feel secure..."
"You're welcome. You should go to bed"
"Yea, I think I could try and sleep now. Good night"
"Yea"
I laid back on the bed and slowly drifted into sleep.
XFire 18: Sands
"What do you want for breakfast?"
"What did dad say?"
"Let's go to the garden!"
Sora... Your voice... I miss it...
"This flowers smell good right?" she said handling me the flower for me to sniff.
"Sniff* Wow! That smells good!"
"I'm taking this one"
Sora... Your face... Your smile... Everything...
"Its a beautiful sunset, right?"
"Yea, I love being with you during these kind of times"
Everything... Is beautiful when you're around...
"Tea time!"
"Wow! Mmm, smells good!"
"Mhmm!"
"Knock knock*"
I heard a knock. I opened my eyes and saw the ceiling I didn't want to see.
"Cel Alt! Breakfast is ready. Come to the dining whenever you are ready"
"Alright..."
"It was a dream... I thought I was home... Sora... I miss all of Cielo... I wanna go home..." I thought. I started to cry a little bit, I wiped the tears off and went for a bath.
After the bath, I got dressed up. When I look at the armor and the jacket, I started to miss home even more.
"Come on... This is the last day, hold yourself together..." I thought.
I left the room and went to the dining room. I was holding myself together. I knew that it was the last time that I'll stay in Galaya.
Grilled Geliebeth meat soaked in hot cheese and mayonnaise was served for breakfast. I also had a lot of gingerbread.
"I think its time to go"
"Yea, we have to go Radiation Sands now, Your Majesty"
"Very well, you may leave"
We left the dining room and exited the palace gate. Some guards gave us a ride to the desert.
I drew out my sword and looked at it. It had started to break. "Hold on for a little longer, Lucinar. Please, this is the last thing I want from you" I said silently.
"It looks like it is going to break anytime soon" commented Ayla.
"Yea, I think that it'll break in this battle. I better hope for the best"
"That's risky. Don't you want to take a different sword?"
"No, I'll use Lucinar til it breaks. I'll think of something if Zeynox isn't dead yet"
My double edged sword, Lucinar was coming to its end. The once shiny blade has turned grey. The edges were chipped quite badly. The golden hilt looked scratched. Using it to block arrows might've made its life shorten.
We eventually reached the desert. Ayla and I hopped off and walked into the desert.
XFire 19: CrossFire
The desert was empty and quiet. It reminded me of Zuriesta in Ayrus. But the sky was visible this time. The sun was setting upon this world. The ride here took a long time, we had to eat lunch along the way.
"Ayla, go to the top of that dune. Be ready to snipe Zeynox"
"Sure!"
She went up that dune. She was ready to shoot. I didn't want her to get harmed.
I was scared. My heart raced. I drew out Lucinar.
I was standing alone in the quiet desert. I was ready for him to attack me. He could shoot his arrow anytime he wanted.
"I hope he is waiting for me" I thought.
"Phew!!!*"
That sound, it was coming from behind. The sound of an arrow flying through the air.
I went to my left. The arrow passed by me, it was close.
I turned around and saw Zeynox far behind me. He stood up and took out a different bow.
"It was the rapid firing bow!" I thought.
I charged at him. He pulled the trigger.
"Pheww Pheww Peww Sheeu!!!*"
I slashed that them to avoid getting hit. I was running while swinging my sword around.
//Ayla's POV//
I had him in sight. I aimed at him, I was ready to let go anytime.
"Cel, prepare to see my shot!"
"3... 2... 1... Fire!"
"Phesheww!!!*"
//Cel's POV//
"Guuhh!!!"
His bow was shot away by Ayla. The bow was rendered unusable.
"Nice shot, Ayla"
I jumped in the air to tried and hit him.
"Claang!!!"
"Huh?"
He had a sword. Our swords clashed. I jumped back.
"You have a sword?!"
"Its fair now isn't it, Cel?"
"Who are you? How did you know my name!"
"You knew me. You made me suffer!"
"This guy's from Cielo? And I knew him?!" I thought.
"You wouldn't know who I am! And so be it. Arghh!!!"
"Woah!!!"
We were blocking with each other's attacks. He was fast. We weren't able to hit each other.
I jumped back, I then jumped back in with a jump attack. He pe
rformed a circle strafe. I couldn't catch up to him. I was getting hit left to right.
"What the heck?! How is he doing that?!" I wondered.
I eventually knocked him away. I charged in again, we clashed swords and jumped back.
I predicted that he will perform another strafe since he was far away. I had to watch his movement carefully.
"Crunch*"
He tried up fool me into going right but he went left. I did too. I did a spin attack, he did too.
"Claaang!"
We jumped in and started attacking each other again. Every hit was blocked due to our attacks meeting at the same spot every time.
"Who is he?! He's quite a skilled swordsman!"
//Flashback//
He strafed to the right... Tricking me to go left... "Sonic Boom"...
"Cyan!"
I did a loop die loop... Speed...
//Cel's POV//
"Cyan!" I thought. Zeynox's fighting style was just like his.
"Cyan!!!" I shouted.
We stopped attacking and jumped back.
"You're Cyan, right?"
"Hmph... You figured it out"
He took of his mask. I saw his face. His face was scarred.
"What happened to you?"
"What happened? What happened?! Let me tell you what happened. I was so close to becoming a royal knight!!! But you... You shattered my dreams... I ended up becoming a knight, sure, but my dream to be with the princess was shattered to pieces because of you!!! During practice, I fought like it was war. I almost killed my practice partner. I was sentenced to being thrown out of the kingdom. They think I'm crazy... I learnt the ways to survive in this dreaded world. I learnt to use a bow... I improved my sword skills... And there was one thing left... I needed to kill you... I killed all those people to get the king's attention so that he'll call you to help! I knew that he would because he always asks for help from Cielo. Now that you're here, I'll kill you!!!!!!!" said Cyan ragefully.
He charged at me. I took out my crossbow and shot him.
"Guhh... What?"
I jumped in to attack. I slashed at him multiple times. And we clashed again.
"I won fair and square. You must die from killing all those people!!!!!"
I raised my sword and sliced really hard.
"Gaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!" I yelled while slicing him furiously.
"Claangkk*" Lucinar has done its job.
He fell to the ground. Blood was gushing out of him.
"I hate you... Curse you... CEL ALT!!!!!!!"
His whole body lied on the ground. It was a blood bath. The ground was filled with blood.
"That's what you get for killing people who didn't do anything wrong to you. Those villagers... Those teenagers... All of those victims!!! You deserved this. I'm sorry for winning the fight that day. But I don't regret winning it. It was a major turning out in my life. And I won fair and square"
"Cel..."
I heard one of the voices that I wanted hear. The voice of Ayla.
"You did it!!!"
She hugged me tightly. She started by cry.
"I'm so happy that you're alive!!!"
"It's over. This nightmare's over" I said.
"Yes, at last!"
"Let's head back to the palace"
"Yes! Let's go back... I'm so relieved"
We returned to the palace and slept there for one more night. We celebrated our victory there. I would return to Cielo the next day. I was so relieved that it was over.
XFire 20: Home
The day I've been for had finally arrived. The day that I get to go back home, to Sora, to Spica, to everyone.
"Thank you so much for helping us, Cel Alt. This is a great victory. Here's the grand reward, 55,000,000 Cies"
"You're welcome, Your Majesty. I am extremely happy with this victory"
"I guess this is the last time I'll be talking to you..."
"Yea, I'm sorry. Good bye"
"Good bye!!!" said the guards.
"Good bye!!" she said as she hugged me and cried.
I got to the portal. Just as I was about to go through. I felt empty, it was like I'm leaving something important to me.
I already knew what I was missing.
"Ayla, would you follow me?"
"I would like to!"
"Your Majesty, can I take Ayla with me?"
"Hmm.... Haaa... Yes... You may..." he replied, he didn't seem like he was willing to let her go to Cielo with me. But since he allowed her to go, I'll just take her with me.
Ayla and I walk through the portal together.
<
Through the portal, I saw all my friends cheering loudly and happily to see my return.
"I'm home... At last!!!" I thought.
"Welcome back!" said Sora as she hugged me. Ayla seemed jealous.
"Umm, who is she?" Sora asked.
"This is Ayla. She was my partner in Galaya. She is an amazing archer. I recommend her to be the first Royal Archer"
"What?!" said Ayla in shock.
"Ayla. Welcome to Cielo. Do you accept the job as a knight for this kingdom?"
She looked at me and said "Yes".
"Cielo's first archer is here" I commented.
It has been a week since the Zeynox case in Galaya.
"Predict it! Remember!"
"Phew!"
"Piing!"
"Nice shot, Cel!"
She became my archery teacher while I am her sword teacher.
"Let's take five!" said Ayla.
We sat at the bench, Sora was there.
"You're getting better, Cel!" said Sora.
"Thanks for the compliment!"
"So, want anything special tonight?"
"You know me"
"Yea, hahaha"
"Hahaha"
"I don't get it" said Ayla.
//Ayla's POV//
"Are you used to this world yet?" asked Sora.
"Not really, but I'm getting there"
"This world is much more peaceful than Galaya, right?"
"Much more peaceful. I had to worry about people shooting my head off at night there"
"Yea... This world is far more peaceful..."
"I had some feelings for Cel. I didn't know why or how but I just grew these feelings... Sora seems to be really close to him. And I didn't want to disturb my friend, Sora... So I'll just let it be" I thought.
//Cel's POV//
I went to visit my mom. I wanted to check and see if she's alright.
I went up to the door of the house I spent most of my childhood in, I knocked the door.
"Mom? Its me, Cel. Your son"
The door opened, I saw the delightful sight of my mother's smiling face.
"Come in!"
Inside, I started to feel nostalgic. The rooms that I used to go through everyday. I felt like I had a connection to them.
"Mom, I went on a quest in another world"
"Ooo, that's nice"
"Here's some of the reward"
"No, no need! Really!"
"Please, take it. This is my token of gratitude. Thank you, mom"
"Aww, Cel"
My mother hugged me. I felt happy to see mom happy. I was also happy to still be alive. I feel so grateful to have met all these wonderful people in my life. And have such a colorful life that was full of happiness.
End of Arc 3: CrossFire