Voyage

Kyros was looking over the castle walls of Savannah Castle. Looking over the desert, he thought back of his way towards the castle. The wind played with his cloak that he loved to wear. Kyros was a 30 year old man that didn’t like loads of people. He was a lonely man that liked his peace around him. His favourite place was on the surrounding wall of Savannah castle, where he was the high prince.
Kyros had dark brown hair, and clear blue eyes that pierced through every one that dared to come close. He had only one person who had come close in all these years that he knew he was alive. Egan, a rather extravert person that always said his mind, usually in a rather sarcastic way, had been his friend since diaper-ages.

This story all started when both Egan and Kyros were bored as hell.
”Why won’t we go somewhere..” Egan yawned in the hot summer sun.
“But where should we go to? We have to watch out for our teacher.”
“Since when are you a scaredy-pants?”
“I’ll show you!” Kyros got up and  started running towards the cool shades of the forest.
Both his mother and the mother of Egan had strictly forbidden both early teenagers to ever go in the woods all by themselves.
Egan quickly followed his friend and they both were lost soon after.
“Where are we?” Egan asked Kyros.
“I have no idea. But if we keep going in the same direction, we’ll get somewhere right?”
“You’re the brains of us two, although I’m starting to doubt that.” Egan whispered softly to Kyros’ back.

Lots of miles later, they were even deeper in the forest, and it was getting darker and darker.
“we should go in the same direction..” Egan mimicked Kyros.
Kyros turned around and looked angry with his clear blue eyes towards his friend. “Why don’t you think of something.”
“We should go back. Go the same direction, but only the other way than we were walking towards now.”
“How wonderful of you to think of something so great all on your own.”
“What’s that supposed to …”
“Be quiet.. I thought I heard something.”
“Yeah right.”
“Really.” Kyros said dead serious
Egan heard it too right after Kyros had said ‘really’. He looked scared at his friend. “Who would it be?”
“I don’t know, but I think it would be best to start walking..”
“Right.” Egan walked faster than he had ever done before.
Egan remembered all the lectures that his mother had ever told him about going to far from the town, the nex necii and all other evil things that lurked around in the forest.
Kyros walked first, quickly followed by Egan. Egan himself watched every 5 steps over his shoulder.
“Wait.” Egan stopped and put his hands on his hips. “Why do I have to walk on the rear side?”
“What? You want to search the way?”
“yeah! It won’t be that hard.”
“You’re right, we can’t get more lost then now right.”
“Right.” Egan grinned, but when he was walking in front, he disliked it already after a couple of meters.
“Let’s switch.” Egan said
“Again?”

About an hour later, when they were getting tired of the tension and many miles they were travelling, Egan got too tired and fell over some roots of an old tree. He sprained his ankle and called Kyros.
Kyros kneeled down next to his friend and started examining Egan’s ankle. “Are you able to walk?”
“I don’t think so. It really hurts a lot.”
“Lean on me then, we have to get going.”
“Thanks.” Egan got up and leaned on Kyros. It hurt to step on it, even if he could lean on his friend. But he had to be strong. For both their lives.
“I really can’t go any further..” Egan whispered through his teeth. He had gotten pale and sweaty.
“Ok.. We’ll stop here.. It’s an open spot here.” Both young men could hear the unspoken words. ‘better chance for any fight’
They waited long, Egan got some of his strength back, and Kyros looked for a good weapon to use. He found a large wooden stick. It would have to do for now. He walked towards Egan and then saw something move at the other side of Egan. Kyros ran to his friend and covered him with his own body and felt a sharp nail over his back. He tried to swing with the stick and forgot to cover his face. The nex necii that looked at him with the reptile eyes of a harsh killer, scratched his face and Kyros screamed in pain. Egan tried to help his friend, but he couldn’t do anything because Kyros body was lying on top of him. And his friend was much better built then him.

What seemed like ages, just a  few seconds later, was a helping hand that rescued both young men.
It was one of the ninja’s that lurked around the forest surrounding Acicade castle. Both boys were blinded by fear, but when the nex necii was lying death on the ground in front of them, they saw the man that rescued them.
“Come both off you. My earth drak will bring you to the nearby castle. He first picked up Egan, and then carried Kyros to his drak.

 

At Acicade Castle

Egan didn't need so much time to recover. His ankle was broken, but with the good care of the medics of Acicade Castle he got back to almost the same. Unfortunately he would have to learn to live with a limp. He had walked on it for too long, unprotected. But he didn't really care that much about it. He was more worried about his best friend Kyros. Kyros hadn't woken up for a few days now, and Egan hovered around his friend far too much for the medics. Finally Kyros stirred a little and Egan jumped to the chance.

Kyros woke up on a soft bed and opened his eyes. The bright light hurt his eyes, and he quickly closed them.
“You’re awake!” Kyros recognised Egan's voice.
“Yeah..” His voice was harsh and raspy.
“Do you want something to drink?”
Kyros nodded softly. He felt a sting in his left cheek. He tried to touch it, but a strong hand stopped him.
“You can’t touch it yet.. It might get infected.” A soft but firm voice told him. He tried to open his eyes, but it hurt him to much.
“Try to rest some more.” The same soothing voice told him. Kyros fell back to sleep.

--

It was a warm and sunny day when one of the medics spoke to Egan:
"They are looking for riders at Chindor Castle. You have to decide quickly."
"You're all trying to kick me out?"
"Maybe a little?" The medic smiled softly. "But we do think you'll be a good rider, and they need one."
"Thanks for giving me a choice really." Egan said "At least let me say goodbye to Kyros."
"Of Course."

After saying goodbye, Egan got to the main landing spot and waited for one of the draks from Chindor to pick him up. He didn't have to wait long. A green and brown drak landed softly on the ground. A rider hopped off and greeted him.
"So.. You're Egan? I'm Mary, and this is Issnidi" The Forest drak bowed.
Egan nodded. "Let's go. I can't wait." He grinned his boyish grin and hopped on.

--

Days later, Kyros was strong enough to sit up right. “I want to see my face.” He said on a warm day. The ninja reached him a mirror, and Kyros looked at it. He saw a reflection of a hard face, with a red stripe running across his cheek. His eyes had changed the most, they were looking cold. His best friend had almost died, and he couldn’t forgive himself. He threw the mirror away, and it shattered.
“Didn’t like what you saw?”
“I don’t care anymore. Thanks for saving Egan’s life.”
“No problem. But I’m more interested in yours.” The black eyes of the ninja looked directly towards Kyros.
Kyros laughed “What would my life be worth to you?”
“Join the ninja’s. Pair with a drak if you want.”
“And what then?”
“When your training is finished, you can go your own way.”
“Fine.” Kyros shrugged. “What will happen with Egan though?"
“He’s going to another castle, Chindor Castle.”
“And he didn’t say something to me?”
“No, but you were sleeping, and he had to go quickly.”
“When can I see him again?”
“When your training is finished.”
“I don’t know if I want a drak.”
“then just train to be a ninja.”
“Alright.”
Kyros tried to get up, and the pain in his back and face pierced through him. But he stood just as well.
“Out you! Kyros still needs to rest!” It was the high knight of the hospital and looked really crossed at the Ninja.
“I can take care of myself. I will go with you.” Kyros answered and started walking to the door.
The ninja smiled approvingly and said “You’ll be a good Ninja one day. I’m Aruno.”

 

Years later

Years passed, and Kyros got stronger. His body healed well, but his heart didn’t. He trained every day and didn’t stop training. He even adopted a spider that stuck to him. Kyros first didn’t want it to be around him, but he warmed up to it, and started to train it in attacking.
Once he had mastered the way of the ninja, he left Acicade castle and travelled to Chindor to meet Egan.

Spider adopted from Acicade Castle

“Egan! Long time no see.” Kyros hugged his best friend and thought that he looked good.
“Kyros! Where have you been.”
“On Acicade..”
“I thought as much. Come! I’ll show you around.” Egan started walking, and Kyros saw that he had a soft limp.
“Is that from when we were in the forest?”
“Yeah… It was broken, and I made it worse by walking on it.”
Kyros grew glum, feeling the weight of guilt grow in his heart, Egan noticed it and said:
“It wasn’t your fault Kyros. You do know that?”
Kyros kept silent.
“Please. We were both at fault there. And we lived  to see another day.” Egan grinned and pushed his best friend.
“I’ll show you around.”
“And last but not least.. This is my drak Fedext.” Egan walked to the drak and tapped it on the side. “He has a temper, but I like him a lot”
“Hello. You mussssht be Kyros. I heard a lot about you.” The drak said softly and reserved.
Kyros bowed to the drak and looked at him without showing any emotion.
“I like him Egan..” The plant drak said and walked to Kyros. The drak lowered his head to come at the same level as his eyes.
“You look dark my friend. See that it doesn’t consume you.” The drak whispered softly to Kyros.

Kyros woke up from a nightmare and shook his head. He touched the scar on his cheek and sighed. He had the same returning dream since he first woke up at Acicade. He had been 15 then. Now he was 26 years of age, and had changed so much since then. He was a ninja now, but couldn’t find any peace in his dark days.
He walked from his bed to the window and looked outside. It was a dark night. No stars nor moon were lighting the darkest time of the day on Icarus, but he didn’t mind. He had well-trained eyes. But when he looked outside, he saw a light bolt and saw it crash on Icarus. Fire lit the night sky. He quickly got dressed and woke up Egan and Fedext. He told them to get dressed and be ready to fly. Egan noticed that Kyros' eyes did't show any emotion when he told him about a crash that he had seen.
About 5 minutes later, they were up in the air and flying to the spooky red orangey sky.

When they finally got there, Kyros jumped of the drak and told Egan to stay put and ran towards the strange object that had fallen from the sky. It had done loads of damage, and its surrounding was burning.
What the hell had happened here? It flashed through his mind, but years of training made him fearless. He got close to the fire, and found a young woman there searching for something.
“Get away from there!”
“I can’t.. Annora!” She screamed. Kyros didn’t have time for silly games and grabbed the girl and pulled her away. She was unusually strong he thought. She struggled and got loose again.
“Don’t try to stop me!” She screamed and hit him with a strong upper swing. Kyros felt his nose bleed, and got really angry.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I have to save Annora!” And the girl ran back into the flames and seemed not to be affected by them although Kyros saw that they were scorching up her clothes.
Kyros couldn’t go after her, even if he wanted to, and couldn’t do anything but watch.
“So what’s going on here?” Egan asked when he got next to him.
“Didn’t I tell you to stay there?”
“Yeah.. But since when do I listen to you?” Egan looked to Kyros and grinned a boyish grin.
“You haven’t changed a bit.” Kyros sighed.
“You have.” Egan said back seriously. “Don’t carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. I’ll always help you.”
Kyros was about to answer something to that, but the girl got back, and this time with another young girl in tow.
Kyros ran to them and took the youngest girl in his arms and ran together with the other to safety. At least he thought he did. But the girl didn’t follow him. She stood there, in some sort of trance, with her eyes closed and humming softly. He didn’t really want to know. He felt irritated by her. And as soon as he realised that, he was shocked. He hadn’t felt anything for ages…
A bright light surrounded her and the burning sight got swallowed by it. Kyros turned to look at the girl, but couldn't find her in the blinding light. He covered himself and hoped that Egan and the girl would be doing to same.
Eganwas turned to the youngest girl and got on his knees. "Are you alright?" He looked at her and was surprised to look in her purple eyes. She smiled softly, waiting a little and then said "I am, thank you." She looked at her sister and turned back at Egan. "You should get on the ground and cover yourself from the light." As she said that, she herself laid down on the sand. He didn't look behind him, but did the same. There was a loud bang, and everything went black for a moment.

Impressions

Egan woke up on the sand, he brushed some from his clothing and stretched himself. He looked around and saw the two girls sitting together. He also saw Kyros and he was lying on his back, snoring a little.
"Hello, I'm Egan, this is my plant drak." He pointed over his schoulder. The drak yawned in greeting.
"I'm Annora, and this is my sister Una." The youngest of the two said.

When Kyros woke up, he felt his spider on his chest, he heard the soft waves over the sand, birds singing in the distance and laughing of people. He got up surprised and saw both the girl and Egan sitting on the warm sands. His spider looked angry at him because she had tumbled down in the sands while he got up.
“Oh he’s awake.” The girl that had hit him, the older one of both girls said as she looked with her purple eyes at him. She had light grey hair, was small and looked as if she would break easily.
“What are you?” Kyros blurted out. “I saw you walking in flames, I saw you blowing up the space ship..” He looked at the place where he had thought he had seen a space ship, but there were only trees now.
“Kind sir.. You must have been dreaming.” She said smiling softly. Her voice made it all difficult not to believe her.
“Una! Don’t say that. He is confused enough.” That was the youngest girl. She also had purple eyes, but her hair, unlike Una, was pure white.
“Phuh.” Una said and turned her head away.
Kyros grumbled and strode away. Egan was left with the two girls and sighed. He hadn't seen his friend act like that in a long way. He smiled. She would be a good medicine.
"Since we're stranded here until Kyros comes back, we should get to know each other better don't you think?" Egan looked at both girls. Annora smiled, Una turned and walked away.

Kyros was seething. So many years of training.. so many times he had to control his anger, and now, all that training was for nothing! She got under his skin just as easily as the sun came up every day.
Kyros went inside the tall savannah grass and in his anger, he soon lost his way.
He kicked some dirt and cursed Una. How could she make him forget all his training and long practiced temper?
“It issss dangeroussssh being alone” Kyros look up and felt a strange presence around him. He looked behind him, and two bright blue eyes were lurking from the shadows. Kyros tensed all his muscles and went to his side with his hand to grab his dagger.
“Una has it..” The voice said mockingly. Again anger flashed through his whole body. Why had she taken it? Did she want him death.
“Not everything revolvesss around you. Everybody hasss a passst.” Kyros could hear that the beast lurking there was moving closer.
“If you want to kill me, just do. Hasn't you’re mother told you not to play with your food?” Kyros called.
“if I had wanted you death, you would be cold already by now. I find you interesting.” And it was then that Kyros saw a drak in front of him. It was the most beautiful drak he had ever seen. With it’s soft movements and graceful paws, he slid through the tall dried up grass.
“I would like to point out that I am a female drak. Most draks you come in contact with, aren’t wild. I don’t want to be bound down. But I’ll stay with you to the end.”
“I’m flattered. What is your name?”
“Just call me Gruyzel”
“Will you come with me then?”
“Yesh. Hop on.” The drak smiled her sharp teeth and flew back to the others.

Kyros got back when the night fell and the others were making a fire. Or at least Annora was making one by using just her hands, and Una was sitting a bit away from the others. Egan was the one to greet his friend together with his drak.
“Welcome back!” Egan grinned “I see you made a friend.”
“How have you been ?”
“I was in good company with these fine ladies.” he said while Una snorted and Annora smiled
“We had a fun time.” Annora said with her soft voice.
Kyros arched an eyebrow and looked at Una. She was irritating him again.
Egan grinned at Annora and hit Kyros on the shoulder.
“Una is just scared.” The soft voice of Gruyzel said.
“Scared?” Kyros hissed back in an attempt to not let the others overhear.
“You’ll find out soon enough what has happened to her.”
“Could you speak less in riddles?”
“Well I am a rare drak.” The storm drak looked mysteriously at Kyros and then snorted and left.
“What was that all about?” Egan asked when he saw the drak leaving.
“She’ll be back.” Kyros looked at the light eyes of the drak disappearing into the night.
“We’ll need her when we want to go away from this isle. I’m hungry!” Egan complained to nobody in particular.
“Una could always make you something.” Annora said to Egan
“I don’t know what you’re talking about Annora. I know no such things.” Una said a little too fast
“We can trust them Una. Please?” Annora looked at her older sister, and Kyros could see that she couldn’t say no to her little sister, especially not when she was looking with her puppy eyes.
“Fine.” Una closed her eyes and waved her hand. A second later, all sorts of delicious food were stalled in the open space where they were sitting.
“YUM!” Egan sat down and started eating. Annora quickly followed, but neither Una nor Kyros had one bite.
“Why aren’t you eating?” Una asked him when the others were rubbing there full belly.
“Let the others have it all. I don’t need it.”
“There is enough for everybody you know.” She looked at him with her purple eyes.
“Why aren’t you eating?”
“I’m not hungry.” She said simply.
“Look what the hell is wrong with you? I didn’t do anything wrong!” Kyros had raised his voice, and hadn’t meant to do that at all. Irritated, he grew silent and stared into the fire.
“You are all the same.” Una said softly after a while.
“huh?” Kyros hadn’t suspected her to talk at all. Egan and Annora had fallen asleep and Egan was snoring loudly. Perhaps she hadn’t talked at all.
“You men, or at least you bulky men.” She looked haughty.
“Why don’t you tell me what happened. I’m sure your troubles aren’t based on true statements.
Una snorted and walked to him. Perhaps it was just because of the bad light, but she didn’t leave any footprints at all.
“I’ll show you.” And without waiting for his answer or even a little reaction, she grabbed his hands. He felt a soft and silent spirit entering his mind and with a shock he saw a film in front of his closed eyes.

He saw a young girl, and she seemed like Annora, but not quite. He saw a beautiful blue world with patches of land and all connected through pretty glass bridges. It was sunny and he saw the child smile, and it was a wonderful smile. But then everything changed. He saw the same girl crying on a bed with two people in it. Both were pale, and unnaturally still. Both man and female were covered with beautiful cloths and many jewels. And he saw Una a little bit older, but still very small and she was holding her baby sister Annora. Next to them was an old man standing, and he was grinning, an evil aura surrounded him.
Una and her sister, not older than a toddler, were put by the man in a carriage. He smiled sweetly to Una, but it was just sickening. He said something, but Kyros couldn’t quite understand it. “Don’t worry, it’s my home language” It was Una’s soft voice that started guiding him through these visions.
“That was our uncle. He took us in when both our parents died.” Una showed him the next images. It was a dark castle, completely different from what he first had seen. “My uncle used me. He never had magic, and he used me to do everything for him. Then, when I was getting older, he turned his eyes on Annora. I couldn’t let him.” Una showed him how she had killed him when he had been standing above Annora. How she had made Annora forget it and how she and Annora had to live. “We are both princesses in our world, but when I killed my uncle, nobody believed me, because he was such a respected man.” Una said it with so much hate. “Then we left with a ship and crashed here.”

Una let go of his hands and looked with her now purple eyes. Kyros was shocked for a moment. Although she didn’t let him see everything, he had a good image of what happened to her. He looked at her, and she was about to leave, back to where she had been sitting, when he pulled her into his strong arms and hugged her. “I would never Una.” He whispered. He had felt her tence, but then she relaxed and started crying. “Gruyzel had been right..
“I’m always right Kyros.” The voice that started to be so well known answered from the distance.

Many tears later, Una had fallen asleep in his arms, totally exhausted and he watched over her the rest of the night. He felt how his own heart gently opened up for this young woman. She was older than he first had thought. She made him feel. It had been so long.. He smiled softly, closing his own eyes.

The next morning, Una woke up and he smiled at her.
“See? I won’t ever hurt you.” Kyros said softly, scared she would run away.
Unsure, she smiled to him. “It’s been so long since I ever smiled to anyone.”
“Thank you for trusting me.”
“Silly!” She got up and left. Had he done something wrong? He looked at her puzzled and sighed.
“She’ll eventually fall for you. Just give her time.”
“You think?”
“Kyros. You should trust me.” Gruyzel said a tickle angry.
He got up and woke Egan.
“You snore.” He said roughly and went to Annora who was still sleeping peacefully.
“Annora?” He softly touched her shoulder and woke her up.
“I’m hurt! Why can’t you wake me up like that.” Egan muttered, running his fingers through his hair.
“Because you aren’t a girl. You are my childhood friend.”
Egan pushed Kyros away and ran towards the water. Kyros went after him for revenge. He tackled Egan and pushed him under the waves. Egan came back up. Annora soon followed and seemed to be an excellent swimmer. She played along and all 3 of them had loads of fun. Kyros looked after Annora as if it was his own little sister and both of them went against Egan. Even Egan's drak pushed him under water once or twice.
What all 3 of them didn’t notice was that Una had returned and was standing smiling on the shore.
“Una! Come join us!” Annora yelled when she first spotted her sister.
“I… Oh what the hell.” Una strode into the water and swam towards them and soon was laughing and yelling with them.
Kyros had never seen such a beautiful sight. There was a warmth inside him, that hadn’t been there for so long.