บท 13: Light For The Dark

(A/N: My bad for the late chap, school been kicking my ass.)

Sylvia covered the boy with her wing. A stone-like object seemed to be within the boy's hands. The angelic white-feathered dragon and the sleek black armored horned figure harshly stared at each other. 'They didn't hear me? Good.' I thought.

"Lady Sylvia! I advise you to stop your stubbornness and hand it over. You've already caused us quite the trouble after hiding yourself! If you submit, the Lord may even heal your wound," the armored figure reasoned impatiently.

Immediately after he had finished speaking, something happened. The world around me seemed to pause. The colors of the world and my surroundings turned inverted. I looked over at the figures. Sylvia, Arthur, and I could still move. But everything else, including the black armored intruder, was frozen still.

Sylvia lowered her neck to talk to the boy. I couldn't hear what they were saying. But then, the boy raised his voice. "No! I won't let you die here. If you refuse to go with him, then please, just come with me!"

They continued talking for a bit longer. I chose not to interrupt their goodbyes.

"NOO! I don't care about all that! I'll say it as much as you want if you come with me! Grandma! Grandma! You can't! ...I-I-I...Please, I'm begging you, just come with me. I-I don't know what you did but everything is frozen right now; we can escape! Please Grandmother, don't go. Not like this!" Arthur held onto Sylvia's claw, trying to pull her away with him.

Sylvia showed a bright beautiful smile as she pushed Arthur through the portal. Her last words to him ringing through my ears, clear as day.

"Thank you my child."

I moved my gaze from the portal over to the mighty dragon in front of me. Her eyes are already peering into me.

"Come," she said, her voice springing with warmth and authority. I could see the blood that had leaked out of Sylvia, coating and staining the ground holding us up. My daggers were still in hand. I tightened my grip. Syliva seemed to have noticed, as she voiced her thoughts to me.

"Do not worry, you will not have to fight him," Sylvia glanced at the motionless horned figure.

She turned her gaze back at me, her snout practically touching my face."That boy," Sylvia looked at the portal Arthur had just walked through,"that boy has great importance to me," she said as her own bitter smile showed. I wanted to voice my concerns and questions, but I chose to keep them to myself and let the mighty dragon go on. "His path will be dark, with steps others couldn't hope to overcome. He is stubborn, so he will need allies...strong allies." Sylvia took a deep breath.

"It's your turn," she said.

"What?"

"It's your turn to go through the portal."

"..."

"Child, I know you want to attempt to fight and save me, but that would not fare well for you. You may be strong, but not strong enough. Not for what is standing up there."

"Why would you bring me here if I was simply going to leave?" I asked, rather confused about the meaning in her actions.

"Oh...yes...I apologize for bringing you here, here into this mess. It was selfish of me. I needed to see you, face to face. I know this doesn't seem like a reason, nor does it excuse my actions, but that is all I can say as of now. So please, go through the portal." She answered.

'What? That's all? There's got to be something more.' I reckoned.

The happy mask she had shown to Arthur was starting to crumble, unsettingness shown on her face.

"Please child, please go through the portal now. I can not hold it much longer." Looking at her, I wanted to help so bad, I was just that type of person, but this wasn't the time. I tightened the grip on my daggers and made my way to the portal.

I twisted my face around once, the pained look on her face was eating me inside. But this was what she wanted. "So long," I said, waving her off with my dagger in my right hand as I stepped through the portal.

"So long…

...Arthur...

...Zefrow...

And may fate shine light when you are in the dark."

***

(POV: Arthur)

The trip through the dimensional rift invoked a very peculiar sensation. It felt as if I was trapped in the middle of a fast-forwarded movie scene. My surroundings were whizzing by in an indistinct blur of colors as I sat on my ass, staring blankly off in the distance with no more tears left to cry.

The ground I landed on cushioned my fall with a pile of leaves and vines. It didn't matter, though. Even if I landed on jagged rocks, I probably wouldn't have noticed.

I remained in the same, seated position I was during the trip, not even bothering to take in my surroundings.

She was gone. I would never have the chance to see her again.

Those two thoughts triggered another wave of emotions as I heaved out dry sobs.

I began recalling the near four months we had spent together; how caring she was, treating me like her own blood. I didn't care that she had prolonged sending me home so that I would stay with her. Through the short time I had been with Sylvia, she had taught me so much and given me insight that I had been lacking since coming to this world.

Succumbing to the faculty of my mind that desired sleep in order to cope with the pain, I curled up into a ball where I landed when a searing pain propped me back up.

The burning sensation spread from my mana core throughout my body until a voice echoed in my head.

"Ahem! Testing, testing...Ah, good! Hello Art, this is Sylvia."

My heart fluttered as I instantly responded to the voice. "Sylvia! I'm here! Can you hear-"

"If you're listening to this right now, it means I have shown you what I actually am…"

Ah, it was some kind of recording that she had infused into me when she gouged that small hole in my mana core.

"...You're nowhere near ready right now to know the truth, Knowing you, if I were to have told you who that figure in the sky had been, you would have brashly tried to fight. Little Art, you are barely passed the age of four. Upon looking at your mana core, I have realized that you have a rare talent, seeing as your mana core is already dark red in color. I will leave you with this: I have infused with you my unique will. This is something incomparable to a normal beast's will. Your future progress as a mage depends on how well you will be able to use my will that is embedded into your mana core…"

'Was that why the purple in her eyes and golden patterns disappeared?'

"The moment your mana core reaches a level past white stage is when you will hear from me again. At that time, I will explain everything and what you do from there is your choice."

'There was a stage past white?'

"I know you may be in grief, but remember that you have your family to look out for and the stone I entrusted you with. My only wish is for you to embrace the joys and innocence of childhood, train hard, and make your parents and I proud. Do not go chasing after shadows in a fit of rage. Killing the ones that are responsible for my death will neither bring me back to life or make you feel better. There is a reason for everything and I do not regret what happened.

"Lastly, Art…you should have met him by now," as if on cue a boy appeared a couple meters away from me, landing on his ass. A groaning sound came from his mouth. The message from Sylvia continued. "This boy was brought here by me. He, similar to you, is on a rugged path to obtain strength. You both will face obstacles within your respective paths. It would feel wrong for me to tell you more about him. So should you trust him is completely up to you. With this, I bid you farewell for now. Remember, protect your family and the stone, study what I have left you, and enjoy your life, King Grey."

I glanced over at the boy once again, he remained on his ass, pure shock in his widened eyes.

(POV: Zefrow)

As I came out of the portal, I landed on my ass onto a pile of leaves. I was surrounded by trees and a boy, 'Arthur.' But before I could make a move a voice spoke within my head, not my own but another, a similar voice, the one of a mighty white dragon. 'Sylvia?'

""Ahem! Testing, testing...Ah, good! Hello Zefrow, this is Sylvia." My eyes widened from the shock of hearing her again. I knew she had left a message to Arthur after he had gone through the portal. But I didn't expect she would leave a message for me as well.

"What you saw in the cave was a personal matter and conflict, so do not feel as if you must indulge yourself in said conflict. But enough about me. I brought you here because I caught a glimpse of you, your future, or potential future I should say. Though I saw only little bits and pieces of your future, it was very clouded, like it was being protected, or hidden rather. You have no reason to trust me, but I must inform you, when I looked into your distant future and distant past I was halted by something I didn't understand. Some sort of light. It looked like a light, but it didn't feel angelic like one would think. No, rather dark and mysterious, with a sort of clairvoyant authority to it. I don't know if it was a person, a presence, or something even higher than that, I'm not sure. But that "Light," whatever it may be, I feel it poses danger." The word danger made the hairs on my neck stand up. "That is all I can say, but before I go...As I have probably already told you, Arthur will need allies, as the path he is now on will no doubt be harsh, and as will yours. So be careful...not so young one."

"Hmnn." I thought hard about the information Sylvia had just told me. A deep and heavy breath refreshed my train of thought. 'Thank you for your wisdom Princess Sylvia.'

I changed my focus to my right, Arthur was sitting on his ass, just as I was, his eyes widened. Our eyes met. 'Well this is going to be interesting.' I thought. Arthur's emotions fully showing on his face.

I got off my ass and took a step towards Arthur's direction causing him to twitch. He got off his ass in response to my movement. Arthur seemed to never have noticed me when we were in the cave, otherwise he would have been aware of my presence before this.

"Hi-"

"Who are you," Arthur asked in a not so welcoming tone, interrupting me.

"Woah, nice to meet you too," I said, sarcasm laced in my words.

"Sorry for my impoliteness but I happen to not be in the best mood, so I will ask again. Who are you?" He asked once again, slowly putting the egg-like stone behind his back

"Ok, ok. My name is Zefrow," I walked closer and held my hand out to the boy, "nice to meet you."

(POV: Arthur)

'So this is the kid Sylvia told me about in her message. There's definitely something fishy about him. Even though we are both in the middle of who knows where, he doesn't seem scared. And the way he talks is so...normal, too normal. It almost reminds me of myself.' I brought my hand up to my chin. 'Is this what others think when they hear me talk?' I asked myself.

He leaned in, his hand reached out waiting for me to shake it. 'I don't feel any hostility from this kid so I guess it's ok.' I thought as I brought my hand to his. The handshake was firm.

"And your name?"

"Maybe later," I replied.

"Later huh. Are you implying that we are gonna pair up and search this forest for hope?" A light smile surfaced on his monotone expression.

"Making jokes at a time like this," I rolled my eyes.

"Hey that's a serious question, I mean two is better than one right?" he added.

"..."

"So...anyway, how did you end up in a forest all by yourself," he asked, his face now monotone again.

"I could ask you the same thing. Zefrow was it?"

"Touche."

***

(A/N: Damn, Arthur's character feels hella weird to write so my bad if I don't do that great. I didn't really portray his emotions as the best, especially since he just lost Sylvia. But anyway…

Till next time."