Upon a Star: Karyana's Journey: Chapter 23

Two individuals find their calling, as one's heart and mind begin to mend.

Chapter 23

Alban watched on as Demyan parried the wandering cut-throat’s wild swing. The heavy cudgel struck the elegant blade the boy was holding, but it was the would-be thief who was in trouble.

 

Onyx relaxed his hands on the pommel of his battle axe as he examined the boy’s inexperienced, yet polished fighting style. It was actually quite the twist of fate when that hasty beggar tried to snatch “Medy”’s mask when he asked the boy for some coin. Still, aside from being a bit too trust-giving and a bit wet behind the ears when it came to adventuring, when it came to sword-fighting, it was actually quite impressive to see him defend himself.

 

The young man actually smiled, even when the burly thug, dressed in grimy rags and sporting a muck-filled beard, used all his strength, which would have been more than a match for him in fisticuffs, to strike him with the large piece of oak that served as a crude club. His smile was for two reasons: first, he enjoyed fighting someone for real, without having to worry about rules of combat, first blood or even his own safety. In fact, his left arm hurt when a wild swing smacked him at the elbow. Second, he wanted to know if Eclipse, the blade forged from his efforts at reuniting Kaina and Laurinya, would hold strong.

 

Not only did his hand not shake, but it felt like the blade itself was guiding his hand. Every slash, parry, thrust and slice felt as if he was experiencing a whole new view of life, one where he wasn’t trapped behind the walls of Citadel. Rather than being scared of the unknown, the road ahead sparked a feeling he remembered only in vivid dreams, where he, Karyana and Chime would play in fields of tall-grass and buckwheat; he was hoping for a new adventure, for a leap into the unknown, for a chance to experience Medierth in its entirety.

 

“Watch your feet!” Alban commented, as the thief tried to tackle Demyan. The clumsy maneuver ended up with the thug catching nothing but road dirt, followed by a hard kick from the young man’s boot. An audible crack made both the ranger and the dwarf cringe, as they knew that the young man’s iron-capped boot had just broke the thief’s nose.

 

The thief roughly got to his knees, trying to check if his damaged nostrils were still functional, and was surprised when Demyan lowered his sword just two inches from the man’s broken beak.

 

“That was a good warm-up.” the young man said, his voice making it clear that he enjoyed that unplanned spar. “Now, be on your way, or I might have to get serious.”

 

The rough-faced burglar took a painful snort, wiped blood from his nose, and grit his teeth. Spitting insults that only Onyx could understand �" and did not want to translate into common tongue -, the thug grabbed his cudgel off the ground and swung it in a wide arc.

 

The last thing the man noticed was the boy lifting his legs, one after the other, the left leg landing down in the dirt while the right fell against his skull.

 

Demyan rose from his rough landing as Alban and Onyx’s hands clapped out of time. Turning to look at the two, he gave Eclipse a counter-clockwise half-spin, grabbing the hilt as quickly as his hand loosened his grip on it, and placed it back in the leather scabbard that rested at his side.

 

“You’ve got a fancy step, for a so-called servant boy.” Onyx commented, adding sarcasm to his last words, which made the young man roll his eyes, then shake his head lightly.

 

“Alright, I admit. I’m not an aristocrat’s lackey…” the boy answered. “So what?”

 

“So, nothing.” the dwarf answered. “You can use that sword, I admit. You can definitely fight well to disarm or end a skirmish, but what about taking a life?”

 

Demyan hadn’t thought about it. “You mean… killing a person?”

 

“Not everyone will be easily taken down.” Alban retorted as he walked over to the young man. “You might also find yourself facing beasts, creatures or even people who want your head… or more than just that mask on your face. Do you think you can handle that?”

 

The inexperienced adventurer gulped. “I, um… I didn’t think of that.”

 

“Well, there’s two options, kid.” Onyx commented. “Either you travel in a carriage all your life, or you take up a sword and learn to fight for your life. My guess is, you’re probably got that wild spark somewhere, and you’re not the kind to take orders, am I right?”

 

Demyan let out a sigh. Onyx had seen through him; he did enjoy what little time he had had so far with the two traveling warriors, from learning how to strike iron in a forge, or exchanging blows against a ruffian who wanted nothing but to rob him blind.

 

“I suppose.” he concluded. “If Karyana had to travel the roads like an adventurer, along your side, then I-“

 

“She didn’t travel with us.” Onyx commented a bit flatly. “Her two… whatever-you-want-to-call-them… those two did.”

 

Demyan shrugged. “I know, but since Kaina and Laurinya are parts of her, then-”

 

“How do you know those two names, anyways?” the dwarf cut in.

 

Demyan let out a sigh. “Let’s get out of here first, and I’ll tell you everything over a pint or two.”

 

Alban smiled. “Well, you definitely got that part of being an adventurer all figured out.” he said, trying not to laugh at the young man’s current moment of embarrassment as those words were spoken.

 

 

Karyana examined Allision as both ate outside of the chapel, startled to see that this young woman, with fiery red hair, mid-summer sky blue eyes and delicately-clean skin was the same dark elf who shouted at her, almost had her eat raw meat… and saved her life.

 

“Sayeth, how did you-” she muttered, only for the young priestess to place the tip of her index against the black-haired mageling’s lips.

 

“Nuh uh. It’s Allision, now. Sayeth’s as good as gone.” the red-haired girl answered.

 

Taking a moment to look around, Karyana noticed the children feeding Chime and her lady friend �" which the kids named ‘Bell’ �" pieces of their own meals, under the less-than-watchful eyes of their parents. “I don’t understand. How is it possible?” she asked the young woman.

 

Allision shrugged. “Well, I guess it started after I passed out. The tribe’s shaman used to say that the spirit is anchored to the body until either one dies. If the body dies, but the spirit lives on, the whole person can be saved if powerful-enough magic is used.”

 

Karyana’s look of confusion made the young priestess smirk. “Now, don’t make that face. It doesn’t do you. Where was I? Oh, right… all I remember after that, was hearing you cry, and plead for my life to… what was it, a boy? Well… after that, all I remember is waking up here, like this. I don’t know where this place is, or who those people are, but they seem to know me like I’ve been here for years.”

 

The black-haired young woman placed her hands together. “That explains it. I mean… you look almost my age, but… I don’t remember anyone named Allision.”

 

“Well, I don’t mind.” the former Sayeth said. “Sure, I’m not going to live as long as a full-blooded elf, but even being a half-elf feels right. I’ll probably live a little longer than you, but now, I won’t have to always run or fight for my life. Besides, those kids are kinda nice.”

 

“Are you sure you’re still… yourself?” the young mageling added. “I mean, I remember being so… rough. You even say you’d-”

 

Allision shook her head. “That’s all in the past. Besides, when I woke up, I heard a woman’s voice. She said that I was given another chance, as long as I help you make sense of your own life.”

 

Karyana cocked an eyebrow. “W-what?”

 

The half-elf redhead tapped the young woman’s forehead with the tip of her finger. “You can still hear those two, right?” she said, her gaze dropping to a place under Karyana’s neck. “And from that sweat on your skin, you’re trying not to listen to them, correct?”

 

The young woman’s eyes shifted between blue, green and brown in a matter of seconds, before Karyana placed her left hand palm against her forehead. “Ugh… sorry. They really talk loud.”

 

Allision placed her hand on the struggling woman’s left shoulder. “I figured that. You see, I think it was Prolectae I heard, ‘cause I still hear her, somewhere in the temple. And you know what she’s saying right now?”

 

Karyana shook her head before the young priestess answered her question. “She knows you’re special, and she knows there’s someone special for you. For now, she wants me to help you… and the best way to do that is to make all three of your voices speak as one.”

 

Her eyes quickly shifted to brown. “Wh-what do you mean?” Kaina asked meekly.

 

“I don’t understand everything, you know.” the former dark elf answered, her old personality showing up as frustrating dripped into her words. “It’s a lot of cryptic ramblings, when I don’t concentrate on it. Look, all I can make of this is that the Planars got some dragon-sized plan for you, and I’m supposed to help you take the first step.”

 

Green. “You really think I’m gonna stay here and just let them do whatever with me?” Laurinya answered gruffly as she tried to get up.

 

The former Sayeth pressed her hand down on the young woman’s shoulder. “Alright, Goldilocks, sit down, or you’ll just end up caged up like a madman.”

 

Blue. “Goldilocks?”

 

“Don’t ask.” was all Allision said before taking a drip of apple cider from her tin cup. “My, this is definitely tasty. You should enjoy your time here while it lasts. You never know when they will be calling.”

 

Karyana cocked an eyebrow as her friend pointed skyward with her right index as she put her cup down on the table.

 

 “Now, then. I’m sure there’s healthier and tastier things they mutton. How about we talk a little over stew? Oh, and maybe you could help me with the children? They can be such a handful…”

 

 

“Imbecile… Idiot… you can’t do anything right!” Xelnos bellowed, slamming one fist after the other against what remained of Pison’s body.

 

The mercenary’s trip to the Underdeep was not the way he wanted it to. Normally, he would travel through shadows, into passages where the choirs of screams were barely hushed by lashes of thousands of whips. This time, it was one of the annoying devils that dragged what little remained of the half-demon’s carcass. Being raked on the ground as clawing hands tried to grasp at anything and everything to escape their doomed fate without arms to defend himself with was one problem; the devil hauling him by the broken horn on his half-demon head was just insult to what felt like more injury than even the torture within the realm of his memories dealt to him.

 

Pison’s grotesque face was too battered and bruised to wince, and his jaw in so many pieces from the Planar-Demon’s volley of strikes that uttering a word was impossible.

 

“Did you honestly believe you escaped me?” the obsidian giant questioned his defeated lackey before grabbing the broken corpse and throwing against the ground. “I made you the feared assassin you are… or are supposed to be!”

 

Xelnos’ immense foot crushed the broken mercenary’s legs as if the Aspect of Destruction’s foot was squashing a worm underfoot, making the half-demon scream until the sound of blood gurgling in his mouth was heard. “You’re nothing but a broken puppet… Look at yourself now. I thought I destroyed every sense of pain you had, and now, you’re squealing like a pig before being gutted!”

 

The Planar-Demon kicked the almost lifeless body about like a pebble on the ground, landing in a vat of boiling blood. “Hmph. If you can’t kill a simple woman, then what use are you to me?” the immense form roared.

 

The Aspect of Destruction then looked through the cracked obsidian mirror. “The child of Asuna…” he muttered to himself as he examined the reflection, which showed Karyana talking to children in between two spoonfuls of stew. “A star granted flesh and blood… She’s merely a parcel of a Planar, yet…”

 

Xelnos rubbed his chin from under his helm. “Hmm… Perhaps, to destroy a Chosen, I will need a Chosen… or an army of them…”

 

Turning towards the field of ravaged corpses and mutilated souls, the demonic titan’s burning eyes narrowed. Would his wicked grimace be seen under his grisly full helm, any mortal would been mortified at the rows of razor sharp teeth that grinned in a blood-icing, sinister sneer.

“What is a year to a Planar, but merely a pinch of sand in eternity?” he commented. “I will raise such an army that no one in Medierth will dare oppose it!”

 

Turning back to look at the bubbling vat, he sneered. “Maybe once you stewed in your own misery, you’ll understand that I do not accept failure!”

 

 

Karyana lay down on the feathered mattress of the spare room of the chapel. She had wanted to see if her parents were there, but it felt like most of the people she knew… she didn’t know them anymore.

 

In fact, most people just remembered her as Rauz’s disciple, or the “girl who scared the beast”. Since her parents had moved to Ravenhold, even the old house was no longer the one she remembered. Gone were the rows of bottles and the myriads of nostrums and components her mother used to sell. Gone was the small patch of land that her father used to till, and where she would help remove the weeds, with Chime always making a mess of himself as he would try to snag growths with his maw, only to flip over when the roots finally gave. This used to make everyone laugh, and it was those moments she missed.

 

Still, all these children, who grew up with the story of how a young girl, barely old enough to know what magic was, who stopped a ravenous monster from nearly destroying the town, were so full of energy and curiosity, and were so eager to learn… She had spent hours telling them, through Laurinya and Kaina’s words, what experiences she had before coming here. Most children wondered how it was possible for her to be in two places at once, but Allision spun a clever tale of how she had found a relic that could let her live a different life �" one during the sun’s light, one during the moon’s. Most found it farfetched, but they didn’t bother to ask more when the half-elf began her class, to the children’s disappointment and Karyana’s relief.

 

Even as Chime and Bell fluttered about, landing at her sides �" the female creature to her left, while the scruffy male to her right, the young woman let out a sigh. “I thought this was home…” she said to herself. “…but there’s hardly anything left for me here…”

 

Both furry little forms looked at the young woman as they lied down close to her thighs. Karyana slowly lifted her head to look at the two. “And what will I do with you two?” she wondered before letting out a sigh, then resting her head against the hard pillow. “Maybe I should just sleep on it… today was…”

 

She didn’t have time to finish her words as her eyelids closed shut, her body and mind drifting off to sleep.

 

 

The Viceroy examined the sleeping Demyan from the safety of the immense looking-glass, then shifted the view from the campsite north of Myst to the sleeping town of Warmcreek with a wave of his hand.

 

“Hmm… that young man did say he met her once upon a dream.” he wondered, scratching his balding skull. “I wonder…”

 

Moving the lens, as if it was the eye of Progeny itself, was no simple task, and examining two places at once was even more difficult. If the creator of the artifact was still alive and sane of mind, it would be even a challenge for him, as gazing into two directions at once would feel, to an inexperienced mind, like looking left while trying to catch a glimpse at something on the right.

 

“Eye of Hanad, show me Demyan’s dream.” the aristocrat commanded, not sure if the artifact had the power to do it.

 

The reflection faded into mist for a few long moments. “Hmm. Maybe that old hermit wasn’t wise enough to think that could be possible…” the nobleman thought, before he noticed the mist clearing, a landscape appearing on the other side of the glass.

 

Examining the lush fields of buckwheat, the lone apple tree watching guard on top of a small hill, and the mountain range that seemed hesitant to appear in the south, Viceroy Hale frowned, befuddled of what he was seeing. “Hmm… I don’t remember this place. Where in Medierth is his dream leading him to?”

 

 

Karyana rose from the bed of grass she rested on, easing her eyes to notice the rising moon and setting sun in the distance. Examining the fields, she let out a heavy-hearted sigh. “I thought this place was home...” she muttered to herself, “…but I guess Warmcreek isn’t my home anymore.”

 

Looking down at her feet, she noticed both Chime and Bell waking, almost in sync, stretching like kittens as their wings flapped a few times. She wasn’t as surprised as she should’ve been to see both creatures, as Chime had followed her time and again into her dreams, back when life was innocent.

 

Taking a few steps, she noticed a mild wind make the grass flutter lightly, even as she let her hand be tickled by the brushes of buckwheat. Before, that same gesture tickled her, and she would giggle gleefully as she ran through the field. Now, it just didn’t feel the same.

 

Even as Bell and Chime followed by flapping a few steps behind, the two creatures playfully pranced in mid-air, crisscrossing and twirling about. Chime soon ended his antics as he noticed her mistress walk away. Mewing for her to stop, he flapped his wings as quickly as he could to catch up, followed by the butterfly-winged Bell.

 

Karyana looked to her side as the furry creature landed on her shoulder, just as the other one fluttered before her. “Bell? What is it?” the black-haired young woman asked, putting her hands before her, to which the fluttering familiar landed softly in them, letting out a squeak, followed by a series of chirps, as if the almost-feline creature was speaking to her in birdsong.

 

The young woman made a relieved smile. “You’re probably right; I’m happy to be here, even if it’s not the same as I remembered.” she answered.

 

“You’re probably the first person I know who can understand what those little rascals say.” came a voice behind them.

 

Karyana turned around, making Chime wobble at the brisk movement, and noticed Demyan, his clothes covered in road dirt, his mask still showing signs of soot. A few scratches and tears were seen in his shirt. “You’re… You’re Demyan, right?”

 

The young man removed his mask, showing dark brown eyes. “Yes. I see your memories haven’t fully returned.” he said, before noticing Bell. “Who’s your new friend?”

 

The young woman looked down at Bell, who jumped into the young Magelord’s arms. “That’s… Bell. Umm… a few children in Warmcreek asked me to summon a monster for them, and, well… Chime appeared out of nowhere.” she replied with a good degree of embarrassment.

 

Demyan wasn’t sure what Karyana just said about their furry protege appearing “out of nowhere”, but he was impressed at how similar the two were, and yet how different. “Hmm… those two are like us. Not quite the same, but linked to one another.”

 

Karyana blushed. “Wh-what do you mean?”

 

The young man rose his hands so that Bell would jump back into her creator’s arms, then grabbed the dusty bag off that dangled from his shoulder. “Pay no mind. Oh, I brought you something. It’s probably a bit crude, but I think you’ll like it just the same.” he said, pulling out the circlet that he and Onyx worked on. “A friend of yours made it… with my help.”

 

The young woman looked startled as she examined the object, a half-crown of silver filigree, holding a polished gem that looked etched into the metal. “Oh, my… is that…?”

 

Demyan examined it, then blushed as well. He didn’t notice it before, but now, as he looked down at it, the relic did look like a wedding tiara. “Uh… well, I…” he tried to say, but the words didn’t come out. “I wanted to make something special… I didn’t think it would-”

 

Bell took the initiative of jumping out of Karyana’s hold before she stepped forward, filling the space between the two. “I… I don’t know what to say…” she said, blushing deeply as she looked in his eyes.

 

Demyan simply handed her the tiara. “Easy now… I need to make sure it fits.” he said, trying to keep calm at her sudden display. “Would you please put it on?”

 

While Karyana examined the headpiece, the young man noticed a few beads of sweat snake down her neck and into the neckline of her dress. “Are you… alright?”

 

The young woman took a step back. “I’m sorry… I keep hearing them, but… it’s hard to block them out… Laurinya’s telling me I shouldn’t trust you… Kaina’s afraid this is a mistake…”

 

Demyan grabbed his mask and wiped the rest of the soot off with his sleeve. “Well, what do you think? Who do you believe?” he said before attaching the relic’s ribbon around his head, tying a knot in the back.

 

Karyana let out a sigh. “I don’t know… but I want to try…”

 

The young man took half a step closer to her, then gently grabbed the silvery gift. “Just close your eyes, and let me do it.” he finally worded, delicately lifting the tiara before  sliding it into her hair.

 

The moment the stone touched her forehead, myriads of images flashed in her mind; scenes of her childhood, moments of him growing up without his parents, flashes of him meeting Kaina, then Laurinya, and even a scene where the young man was speaking to an elderly scholar, who she now remembered as her teacher. Her eyes fluttered open and shut, making her lose her balance, falling into Demyan’s arms.

 

Bell and Chime looked on worriedly for long moments before their mistress and creator slowly awoke. Both creatures let out hesitant mews as she let out a whispered sigh.

 

“I… I remember…” she uttered, her heart pounding in her chest. “It’s all coming back to me…”

 

The young man closed his eyes and made a relieved smile. “I’m glad it worked. How do you feel?”

 

Karyana looked up at Demyan’s face. The mild ruggedness of his traits, now wearing the tell-tale signs of a budding adventurer, made her heart skip a beat. “Medy…”

 

The young man rolled his eyes. “I told you before not to call-” he said, cut short as the young woman lunged, grabbing him by the shoulders, raising herself on her tiptoes before placing a heartfelt kiss on his lips.

 

The two scruffy creatures mewed delightfully as they fluttered around the two, playing “catch-me-if-you-can” in mid-air, before Chime got the upper paw, flying just close enough to lick Bell’s “cheek”.

 

Karyana opened her eyes after having shut them during the kiss, then pressed her forehead against Demyan’s mask. “Thank you… it doesn’t hurt anymore…”

 

Understanding that she meant that her mind wasn’t encumbered by Laurinya and Kaina’s voices, the young man’s smile widened. “I’m glad you like it. I put my heart in this…”

 

The young woman made a mischief-filled smile. “Does that mean… I took your heart?” she said, her eyes flickering with a taint of green before returning to cobalt blue.

 

Demyan let her wrap her arms around him, just as she let him place his arms around her waist. “My beating heart… belongs to you.”

 

 

The Viceroy had trouble keeping himself from growing misty-eyed. “Dear boy… how quickly you have grown…” he said, wiping his face with his sleeve.

 

“Indeed.” came a young boy’s voice from next to the aristocrat. Looking down, the aging man noticed a child, dressed in a simple white tunic, held by what looked like a brass-colored tauk, hemp rope as a belt and leather sandals. “Asuna’s blessing has brought these two together.”

 

The nobleman looked puzzled. “What are you talking about? And how did you get in here? Just… who are you?”

 

Progeny simply smiled as he gazed into the looking-glass.

Author's Note

Any and all comments, reviews, critiques and notes will be accepted.