Chapter: 2
New Friends - First fight
When Nicholai awoke his head was in pain as he got up. He found himself in his bed in his house which seemed to be untouched by the attack. Which he hoped was another horrible dream he had that night. But he knew that wasn’t true. He had no clue of what happened after he blacked out and wished to find out from someone, anyone he could.
The sun was out and he could hear people talking outside of his room.
He got out of bed and headed for the door out of his room and opened it to find that in the next room there was a town meeting. They seemed to have been talking about the events from that night, and from what he saw, the thoughts everyone had in the room were not good thoughts. He could see and feel them glare at him with hate and discuss. Nicholai felt small and wanted to run and hide. So he did, he ran for the door out of the house and he continued running until he reached the spot under the tree he always went to.
When he got there, he found Lace kneeling down back towards him. She was facing the tree, or something under it. He walked up beside her and noticed that she was crying, he then placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, she looked up at him and suddenly her mood changed. It wasn’t a good mood either. Something in her eyes told him that she did not want him to be there. It was hate. She began to whisper something so soft and quiet that he could not hear her.
Apparently something had happened that made everyone, even his closest friend hate him. He backed away slowly from her, as she began to get up. Her whispers becoming slowly louder, then without warning she lunged at him with a killer intent grabbing him by the neck and bringing him to the ground. As she did her voice had become a yell “They were after you!” she repeated over and over as she had his neck in her hands squeezing titer and titer. Nicholai’s eyes widen and he stopped struggling with her when he heard what she was saying, and that’s when it all made sense to him as to why everyone hated him.
A great sense of remorse came upon him, and he suddenly felt real sick. He could feel Lace’s hand growing titer around his neck and he wished she would just kill him already. To know that the GARDs were really after him made Lance’s death seem meaningless. Tears fell from his eyes as he cried. Lace was still in her anger but when she saw Nicholai cry, her anger subsided for that time and she let go of him and got off of him. Nicholai just laid there tears running down the side of his face. Lace sat by him knowing that he was feeling worse. To have such a burden and blame be forced upon him like it was, was something that was tearing him apart inside.
After awhile of thought Lace got up and headed for the village, Nicholai had already stopped crying. He saw Lace get up and walk over him toward the village. He sat up and turned to her.
“Where are you going?” he asked her. She stopped where she was and looked down and said “I need to talk to the elders.” She was just about to continue her walk when Nicholai said “I’m sorry, It should have been me.” Lace stood there a little longer then without a response continued down the hill.
Nicholai looked up at the great tree that stood before him then followed it down to its great roots and then to the ground where he saw it.
Nicholai got up and walked over to a stone plaque near the tree. He didn’t remember it being there before. He took a closer look and read “In memory of Lance, A hero among the rest, a great friend, son, and protector.” Nicholai could feel the tear threaten to come out as he read it. His best friend was dead and for all he knew, it was his fault. Lance died for him.
Nicholai stood there for a long while partly to say his respects and ask for Lance’s forgiveness. But also because he was afraid of what everyone will say, think and do when they see him.
Near the plaque Nicholai saw that everyone placed a flower there in respect to Lance. Then he saw just below that plaque a small shiny necklace that very much resembled Lace’s.
“Maybe she dropped it.” He thought. “I know one thing. If Lance were here, he would want her to keep it in memory of him.” He said to himself.
He stuck the necklace in his pocket and took a deep breath as he closed his eyes and turn to the village. “I guess I should go down there.” He said as he began his walk.
When he got to the bottom of the hill he saw Chris, Markus, Timmy, and Lace gathered in a small group. They were discussing something so he decided to join them.
“We should leave now, while everyone’s recovering.” Chris said
“Your right, I’ll get my things.” Lace agreed then ran off toward her home.
Nicholai had just reached the group. When the remaining company turned to look at him.
“What’s going on?” he ask a little uncertain.
“Chris, why don’t you tell him while I get everything ready.” Markus said. Chris nodded and walked over to Nicholai.
“Timothy, I will need your help” Markus said and the both of them left to their home.
“We need to leave the village.” Chris began as he walked with Nicholai back up the hill one arm over Nicholai’s shoulder.
“We do? Why?” Nicholai asked in wonder.
“To protect it” Chris stated with a partly triumphant voice. “Their after you, so now that they know where you are, they will continue to return.” Chris continued.
“Who?” Nicholai asked with a little fear in his tone.
“The Zarian Empire” Chris answered.
“Wait, but aren’t they the good guys?” Nichlai asked spellbound
Chris gave him a look of disbelief then said “Would good guys do this” as he point over his shoulder at the remains of the village.
Nicholai looked down “No, I guess not” he said quietly. “But if that’s true then why are we taught different” Nicholai asked looking at Chris.
Chris looked up at the tree at which they had stopped at, then after a time said “Because it’s the victors who write history.”
It didn’t take them long to prepare. Nicholai figured it’d be best if he didn’t see his parents in fear that they might try to stop him. So he decided to go with Chris back t his home, waited for everyone there.
Once Chris, Lace, and Nicholai were ready they waited outside of the Markus’ house.
It wasn’t long before they felt a rumbling and saw the ground in front of the open up to reveal three flight-dragon personal GARDs.
Personal GARDs were small one person GARDs that were used for transport and protection in small areas that were too small for a normal size GARD.
The dragon type GARDs were armor like GARDs said to be real dragons whom evolved into these. There were three types of dragon types when it came to the personal size GARDs. There was a land type which were slow but quite strong, the air type that came in different forms and were fast, and the sea type which were only good in the water where their speeds were unrivaled.
Standing next to them was Timmy and Markus, and next to them were several bags that needed to be loaded on to the GARDs.
“Here are your transport.” Markus said as Timmy and Chris began to load the bags onto either side of the GARDs.
“There’s only three.” Nicholai said party asking.
“Because only three of us are going” Lace said as she walked past him and loaded her bags on to her own GARD.
The dragon-type personal GARDs were blue, green, and white. They had long necks and two front claws and two hind legs designed for high jumps into the air. They had long tails and two big long wings which were at the moment folded.
Lace had taken the green one leaving the white and blue. So Nicholai took the white. Leaving the last one for who ever was going to use it.
“Nicholai!” Timmy called to him. He was holding a sheathed sword. “here” he said as he tossed it up to him. Nicholai caught it and unsheathed it revealing a fine crafted silver double-edged blade. On it there was writing that seemed oddly familiar to him, yet he could not read it. He swung it around as he heard the blade cut through the air. Then he took one last look at it before sheathing it.
“Like it? That sword’s yours” Timmy said.
Nicholai looked at him for a time. Then asked “what do you mean mine?”
But before Timmy could answer he was called over by his father.
Nicholai hooked the sword to his belt and took a look around him. He watched Lace for a while thinking of what she was thinking. There was no expression on her face or in her eyes so it was very hard to tell. He then looked over at the blue GARD and saw that it was Chris who was going to be the pilot for it.
Once they were done loading the GARDs Markus told them to head for the Capital city east of the Tenjal forest. There they will find what their looking for. The trip would take close to three days. So with this information they set their GARDs for final fight preparations then one by one they opened the GARDs wing and launched into the air Lace went first then circled the area waiting for the other two. However before Nicholai launched, Chris told him that he would catch up to them later. Chris said that he had something to take care of in the other direction. Nicholai agreed with some uncertainty to what Chris had to do. But he trusted him and trusted his words.
The launch of his GARD was something Nicholai had rarely done. He had flown in a GARD before, he even learned how to pilot one. But he never got over the fear that something could go wrong.
He got his GARD to open it’s wings which seemed to expand for some distance. It’s wings were reddish with a wed like design that looked sort of like a lizards feet. Then with certainty he pulled back on the reins of the GARD.
The personal size dragon GARDs reflected it biological count parts, as they were controlled with reins much like a horse. The way you hold and what you do with the reins will decide what the GARD itself will do. The GARDs would also at times show their biological side and act as an animal would, giving cries and clicks and other sounds as if they were communicating to each other, as well as other actions. The truth to if they were living creatures was still an unproven theory.
The GARD lifted its long neck and launched itself into the air giving a small screech as it flow upward into the sky. Nicholai could feel the rush of adrenaline as he felt the wind blow past him with great speed. He didn’t want it to end, for that short time he had forgotten the events that had happened, until he looked back hoping that Lance had followed him as always. However as he did he remembered that Lance was no longer with them.
He then banked off and lowered his GARD to where Lace’s one was he remembered all the times the three of them would fly with the three GARDs and he would imagine that the three of them were on some grand quest even though they stayed close to the village. They would go no more the 50 yards out. He remembered how they would race to a point and back, and of the times when he and Lance would try to impress Lace by performing air stunts, and how Lace would out perform the both of them. Those days however were gone now, that he knew.
The two waited for Chris to launch and watched him leave to the west as they headed east. They didn’t know what Chris had to do, they only knew of what they had to do. Nicholai couldn’t help but look back and watch the only home he knew fade off into the distance. Would he ever see it again? That question rang in his head. Looking down he knew that the only way he would ever see it again is when the evil whatever it maybe was eliminated.
Until then his home will always be in danger as well as his friends and family.
They traveled for what seemed like hours, large fields of greens, yellows, reds, and blues past below them and mountains of whites, grays, greens, browns, blues and silvers pasted on the right of them, sometimes on either side of them with phenomenal speed. All through out the trip neither one spoke a word, occasionally Nicholai would look over at Lace to see how she was doing. But all she did was stair straight ahead, what she was thinking and how she felt was a mystery to him.
He then looked down at his new sword to admire it a little more. “What did Timmy mean by “It’s your”?” he thought to himself. What was the reason for it?
It had been a true total of twelve hours before they had finally reached the Tenjal forest. It was an ancient forest, it’s trees raised higher then any trees in the world. It was the passing point between the great deserts and the green plans. On the other side of the forest was a whole new world of heat and sand. It was said that the other side was a vishious place with many pains and sorrows, deseat and thievery. That nothing there was what it seemed. The two weren’t sure themselves on if those stories were true, all they did know was that they were soon going to find out.
Lace was ahead of Nicholai, when she stopped and the edge of the front of the forest she waited awhile for Nicholai to catch up.
They stayed there for a while thinking of weither it would be easiest to go over or through the forest. Many went over for the creatures within the forest were many and dangerous, that even though it was a two day trip through, the smart travelers kept going till they reached the end. How ever there were those who were brave and either went through or stop for the night. The weak ones were never heard from and the strong would get through. For a forest as big as it was even half way to the top of it was a good deal dark to where you could not see the floor level.
“So, what do you think?” Nicholai asked Lace “the sun is setting, I think we should make camp here then continue in the morning.” He suggested.
Still Lace did not answer. Instead she brought her GARD around and flought towards the trees at full speed then at the last minute banked upward. It took her only a few minutes to get to the top at that speed, she then stopped and took a long hard look at the horizon over the forest squinting her eyes at the setting sun, then she looked down at Nicholai then back at the horizon.
Nicholai had no idea what she was planning. He decided to fly up to where Lace was, so that he could try talking to her and finding out her plans.
It took some time and thought, however they eventually decided to go over the forest. If they ran into any Imperial GARDs they would duck down and fly through the forest until it was safe enough to come out again.
They had traveled for 12 hours in the cold windy climate. For those hours they had not spoken to each other. However Nicholai would ever so often look over at Lace to see how she was doing. Her face was still emotionless and hard to read.
Everything seemed to go well until they saw it, four Imperial GARD (warrior type) units. In the front was the leader, a custom GARD, it was black, green and blue. On it’s left arm was a red symbol with stated that it was the leader of the group.
The others were normal Imperial GARDs with blacks, greens and blues.
Once Lace had seen them a big and evil grin appeared on her face. She was not thinking properly. She increased her speed and headed toward the Imperial GARDs. They had spotted her and started firing at her. But Lace dodged every shot.
As she headed close toward them the clouds became dark and big, covering the area in a great shadow.
Then out of no where, hale and huge rocks began to fall from the sky. The rocks and hale were not big enough to cause damage to the GARDs however, just dents in the metal.
However, after a few minutes the storm of rock and ice became more fierce, and another element was added. Fire mixed with the rocks began to pore down on the Imperial GARDs this time ripping through their armor. One by one the enemy GARDs fell victom to the onslaught of elements.
The lead GARD pilot was good however, as he dodged the rain of flaming rocks. But his luck only held out for a short time as he was struck in the left arm. The arm was ripped from the units socket and fell toward the trees below. He had made the mistake of letting the event phase him long enough to where he had become over powered.
All that time Lace’s GARD had weaved in and out between the units trying to find a good spot for a close range kill. She did not know what or how the storm happened, but she thanked whatever god or gods caused it. for without it her enemies would have struck her down quickly.
As the lead Imperial GARD pilot realized the result of his mistake he began to think of his family, his wife and children who would never see him again. Then as his unit fell he decided that his death would not be in vane. He took aim at Lace and fired just before a huge chunk of flamed rock crashed through his units cockpit crushing him as it came out on the other side. The unit exploded in mid-air.
The shot fired from the enemy GARD, Lace did not catch in time. The shot struck the left wing of her GARD and everything went black.
To Nicholai the whole battle had taken no more then a minute. The storm stopped right when Lace’s GARD was hit. He saw as it plumited toward the burned ground of where the rain of rocks happed fallen. Up until that moment everything had gone so quickly, but once Lace was hit, everything seemed to slow down.
Nicholai felt helpless. He didn’t know what to do. He was going to lose another friend that he cared for, and he could do nothing to help her. He closed his eyes hoping that he would wake from another nightmare. But it was no use, this time it wasn’t a nightmare. This time it was real.
Just as he gave up hope, he felt his GARD increase in speed. He had not done anything. The GARD as acting on it’s own, and something told him that the GARD knew what it was doing.
It’s speeds became remarkably fast that Nicholai had to lean forward in fear of falling off.
Once the GARD had reached a close distance to Lace’s, The GARD went into a corkscrew spin right under Lace’s GARD. The wind resistance generated by the spin hit Lace’s GARD and brought it to a guided glide to the ground.
The pressure of the spin and speed had made Nicholai dizzy and he pasted out once his GARD had landed safely in the clearing.
Nicholai phased in and out of a deep sleep. When he was conscious for the short times, he heard voices of people talking, he also heard the sounds of GARDs. Were they Impirial?
He couldn’t tell. They didn’t sound like empirial GARDs. He couldn’t see anything, so he only had sound to go by.
When he finally awoke it was dark and he found himself resting against the root of a large tree. In front of him there was a fire and four people sitting around it. One was a girl about his age. He only saw the back of her. She had a slender figure and nice long hair that stopped just below her shoulders.
She turned towards him and he could make out some of her facial feachers, and that’s when he realized that she was beautiful. He had never seen anyone as beautiful other then Lace. Her eyes were that of a kind hearted person, her smile was just the same. She was like an angel. One of which he had never seen before.
“I see your awake finally” she said. Her voice was nice and yet a little playful like.
She got up and walked towards him, she wore a long pants and shoes, she had a sleeveless vest over a sleeveless shirt. Her hair came down a little past her shoulders.
She was holding something as she walked closer toward him. It seemed to be a bowl with food. Nicholai tried to sit up from where he was, and found that not all of his strength had returned to him.
Once she was close enough to him, she knelt down and handed him the bowl. “You shouldn’t push yourself too much.” She said with a smile.
Nicholai looked around for a few seconds then realized that he couldn’t find Lace.
“Lace! Where is she?” he said in panic
The girl grabbed him by the shoulders and looking into his eyes to calm him down “Don’t worry, she’s safe.” She said pointing to the sleeping figure in the shadows.
Nicholai was relieved. “She regained conciousness a sometime before you. She had just gone to sleep a few hours before you awoke.” she reassured.
“I don’t know how you did it, but you saved her life.” The girl said
Nicholai began to remember what had happened, how Lace had battled the Impirial GARDs and how his GARD took control when Lace’s was shot down, and saved her.
“It wasn’t me” he said unsure and wearily.
The girl looked at him with surprise, “If it wasn’t you then who?” she asked.
Nicholai looked at her for a moment thinking of what to say. Would she believe that his GARD had flown itself to save her? Before he could think of an answer the girl interrupted him, “oh sorry, where are my manners?” she said back to her original expression.
“I’m Jennifer, I’m the leader of this group.” She said pointing to the guys sitting by the fire. But somehow Nicholai could feel that he already knew that. Had he met her before?
She took a seat to the side of Nicholai, and continued “We were told to come here, because you would be here.”
Nicholai was surprised in that she would know where he would be.
“We’re part of the allience against the Zarrian Empire.” She said looking at him.
Nicholai had heard about a resistance force who called themselves an alliance force. But he never thought that he would meet them.
“Aren’t you guys on the wrong side?” He asked, He was lead to believe that the Zarrian Empire was good, that they tried to help people.
Jennifer looked at him in puzzlement. “Didn’t a Zarrian force attack you?” she asked at length.
Nicholai looked at her, then answered “not really, we sort of attacked them.”
She shook her head. “No, I mean your home.” she said. Nicholai was speechless. After a time he then asked “How… How do you know about that?”
She smiled at him, “I have my ways” she said mockingly tapping her head with her finger and giving a little laugh.
The two of them sat in silence for a while after. Then Jennifer told him in a compationate “Your something special, I can feel it in you” Nicholai wasn’t sure what she meant by that. But he shook off the thought and continued to eat. He then realized something, “You didn’t finish your introduction.” He said to her. “I guess I didn’t” she said looking up. She then got up grabbing Nicholai by the arm. “In that case you’ll have to join me and my team at the fire.” she said with a playful smile.
Nicholai gave in and followed her to where the other members of her team were around a small camp fire. There were three people sitting around the fire, to Nicholai’s surprise they were all men.
“Our princess returns with her prince” One of them said sarcasticly. The guy was of fairly big size. Jennifer quickly gave him an irritated look.
The two of them sat down and she began to introduce them one by one.
Since the guy had said something, she started with the bigger one. “This is Keo, Don’t mind anything he says” she said to Nicholai. She then pointed to the next one over, he was a medium built man, who seemed busy with some type of small book that Nicholai had never seen before, a light seemed to shine from it. “that’s Lohan he’s kind of quite.” Lohan wore glasses similar to Nicholai, he also had shoulder length brown hair “He’s also my science officer.”
She then pointed over at the last guy who in size between the two, he was sharpening a big knife. “that’s Jin, he’s my second in command.” The man looked up as she said it. Jin had short hair and was wearing what seemed to be an black sleeves outfit over a chain mail body suit. “He’s from an assassin group allied with us. I can trust him more then anyone.” Jennifer said.
She then turned to Nicholai “well, that’s everyone.” She said. “you should get some sleep, we have a busy day ahead of us, and I’ll tell you more tomorrow” Nicholai wanted to talk more but thought it best as well because of all he had been through. He went over to where he had been. He watched them until he fell asleep.
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