Chapter 4: Depression672Please respect copyright.PENANAjQau62lElH
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When dawn came the pair began their travel onto the other cities on Flora which weren’t too many. Alura seemed a bit unnerved and quiet so he didn’t question her on what was wrong since he had a good idea, but not wanting to make her think he made it a habit to snoop he didn’t come out and say anything about last night. They spent the day and into the next searching but each time they found no sign of Amoxious, Alura was both pleased and disappointed at the same time. She was glad he was not in Flora as it seemed but at the same time she had hopes to find some lead as to where to find him.672Please respect copyright.PENANAE3UH74lFl6
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Alura and Marenzo would travel in quiet after visiting the fourth town before he’d look over at her again to see her watching the ground. Damn it. I swear the second we find Amoxious is the second I’m going to make him pay for throwing her life out of whack. He cursed silently. Not able to take the silence anymore the wizard spoke up as he pushed back some silver hair. “So…do you think we should stay in Flora or have you thought of where we should look next?” she shook her head in a silent no to his question while not meeting his eyes.672Please respect copyright.PENANAgnolKGSnXB
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“I’m not really sure where to even go next or if we’d even get anywhere doing it. Besides, I’m nothing like my father.” She muttered softly as she kept her eyes on the ground. “I used to think I could be powerful and strong like him since he was able to defeat an entire army. Me?” she released a breath, “I couldn’t even defeat one man on my own.” Marenzo moved a hand to try and intersect while opening his mouth only to be cut off before he could begin. “I know it was you or Ginsu who used that spell that injured Amoxious for me.” She turned her eyes up to look at her friend. “Maybe it would be best if Ginsu and the others found someone more suitable to use against Amoxious or face him themselves.” 672Please respect copyright.PENANAe4RWOMYn9H
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Marenzo shook his head lowering his hand to touch her shoulder. “Alura, listen to me, please snap out of this. You are powerful and you’re strong.” He tried to assure her. “I bet that’s why the Gods chose you to help them. I don’t understand the workings of Gods and Goddesses but they probably could deal with him without any trouble, yet for some reason they want a mortal to deal with him for them.” 672Please respect copyright.PENANAeLPNW40jf7
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“How am I anything like my father or even Synto Nightrayne?!” she snapped sharply at him with her fists clinched. “If that Nephilim really was mother then I’m not even as strong as her.” Her hand rose to grip her shirt at the base of her neck. “I trained for years in the way of the sword with a freaking God and I still got my ass taken down by a lone demon!” tears broke into her emotional, nearly shouted, words as her eyes closed tightly. 672Please respect copyright.PENANAazknabSahS
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“Alura,” he began softly as she jerked away from his hand. 672Please respect copyright.PENANApEgONubgaF
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“Just…” she stepped away once, “give me some time to think, okay?” she moved walking past him to get some time alone. He didn’t follow only watched as she made her way through some knee tall grass.672Please respect copyright.PENANAQtJU6Htror
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Marenzo sighed sadly and pushed his loose bangs back with his head so when his eyes opened he was staring at the sky. “What am I supposed to do to help her out of this? I mean, I am so sick of feeling useless so you better get your butt down here and tell me what to do Ginsu or anyone of you.” He ordered quietly under his breath as he stared at the clear afternoon sky.672Please respect copyright.PENANA9SoHhJ9OEC
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Alura walked quietly across the uneven ground as she pulled the book out of her bag to look at the cover for some moments, and then turned her blue-brown eyes to the horizon. Something inside felt dead or numb she wasn’t sure as she held the book close to her chest as the wind blew around her shoulder length brown hair. Why me out of everyone else who would be more qualified would they want me? She thought as her grip slightly tightened on the book. I don’t even know how me as a Syta links me with Nightrayne. Those last names aren’t even remotely the same. She tightened her jaw in frustration as she tilted her head down with her eyes closing. “What in the hell am I even supposed to do when those years of sword training did absolutely diddly shit to make me able to handle a freaking demon?!” she snapped in heated frustration to no one in particular.672Please respect copyright.PENANAqaLa4Qdh6g
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“Well, maybe you could cut out the crying for once in your life. Maybe you could also cut the complaining as well while you grow a spine.” A male voice responded which caused her to jump while turning to see who was speaking behind her. “Then again, maybe that’s a bit much to ask from a little girl who seems to have bitten off more than she can chew.”672Please respect copyright.PENANANboG04rs1X
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She eyed his strong figure, pulled back mild-long blond and dark silver hair with bangs blowing in and out of his navy blue almost black eyes. “Who are you?” she questioned sternly while narrowing her eyes. “Tell me now or I’ll blast you. I’ve been practicing magic and I’m getting good with fire.”672Please respect copyright.PENANATg6QXVuCBk
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He softly chuckled and waved a hand through the air dismissively. “Sorry little thing but I don’t think you really need my name. That information isn’t going to help you one little bit.” She growled at the dismissal as if she was nothing. “But,” he began which stopped her from starting to yell at him. “I do know the guy you’re looking for yet you can’t really speak to him unless you’re able to whisper to spirits.” He released a soft chuckle. “Also, before you ask it’s because the guy’s dead already for roughly three or four years now.”672Please respect copyright.PENANANVAkduQW37
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Alura's teeth began to grind together as she worked up to intergect. “Tell me who you think I’m looking for because I don’t know you.” She barked with a strong stomp forwards.672Please respect copyright.PENANAZXDb4Rssf9
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“I believe you’re looking for a man named Nightrayne or is it Syta? It’s so very confusing when a man cannot keep one identity.” This made her face fall in shock with her eyes widening. “Oh? You didn’t know they were one in the same?” he inquired curiously while leaning forwards. “Either women are slower than men or it could be just you who’s slow. Tell me, given how much you question yourself, were you ever abused as a child?” this question brought her out of her shock. “I bet you were. Am I right?” he asked with a small smirk.672Please respect copyright.PENANA68DNT7HZNi
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“No!” she barked forcefully, “I was never mistreated as a child!” she snapped hotly while glaring him down. “I am not slow either! Gah!” she yelled, “why is everyone assuming I’m slow right now?” she growled as he began to chuckle.672Please respect copyright.PENANA491xFSfzw5
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“Okay, okay,” he lifted his hands in defense, “no need to get defensive about it. I was simply taking a fun little guess.” He tried to play it off as a joke before giving a sweeping bow. “My sincerest apologies to a lovely little flower such as yourself,” he stood up while keeping his confident gaze on her. “You are as delicate as your mother in her second life.”672Please respect copyright.PENANAIX03A0z4K3
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Alura’s shoulders tensed. “Tell me your name now as well as what you know of my mother. Was she previous a Nephilim and if so how did she become human?” she demanded to know.672Please respect copyright.PENANAC5uwAE2lKf
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“Oh tisk, tisk, what an unruly child you still are.” He shook his head with a shrug and release of a sigh. “I guess you were never taught by that loser Syta or the other one Lyru ever tried to instill manners into you.”672Please respect copyright.PENANAMV8xAw2IGc
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“Shut up!” she screamed with her eyes closing tightly as a blast of fire and wind shot out of the air from in front of her at him. He stepped to the side dodging the straight blast with an impressed glint to his eyes.672Please respect copyright.PENANAJK7s2DPR5r
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“Very beautiful but,” he paused with a small click of his tongue, “you’ll never be able to control such power that was unique to that particular croen.” 672Please respect copyright.PENANAqFtko16FGr
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“What do you mean? What’s a croen?”672Please respect copyright.PENANA5aJ2lbbjn3
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“If you don’t know you will sooner or later if that book works like it’s supposed to.” He folded his arms watching her amused. “You have skill but it’s lacking something to be desired for a good use of it. I’ll be impressed if you can hold a pinky to the power and glory to a race known for their shadow colors.” 672Please respect copyright.PENANAujjoNSgnOQ
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“You mean Nightrayne?” she took a few steps quickly closer. “Tell me what you know about him, now!” she held a hand out with her palm opened. “I’ll blast you if you refuse and tell me what you know of Sophia Lyru.”672Please respect copyright.PENANAKxJnyOzozf
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“Sorry girlie but I can’t do that as it would take all the fun out of watching you learn bit by bit either on your own…or with aid from an outside source.” He remarked with another chuckle which irritated her. He lifted a hand and waved smirking, “tah-tah for now.” He smirked and vanished in a flash of blue light just as Alura shouted for him to wait.672Please respect copyright.PENANAIZ8KV2FfGA
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He vanished before she could reach him as she had tried to race up and grab him only to miss. She sighed heavily with a small groan and her head lowering before lifting to look at where he once was. “Who was that guy?” she muttered under her breath softly as the wind once more blew. He seemed familiar somehow. A small noise of paper crinkling drew her attention down to the ground where she knelt down to find a semi-unrolled piece of paper. Alura put away her book then picked up this discarded parchment before unrolling it. “Hmm, let’s see what you have got to say.” She scanned it silently then read it aloud to herself for the second read through.672Please respect copyright.PENANAr6TEYq96nQ
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“The steps move in the flowing stream of Meldano only to flow into Lunar and up the hills to the mountainous Azumara before the final hour rings its bell.” Alura whispered softly while admiring the fluid cursive that seemed to flow like water. Should I trust this? She pondered while looking up from the note before standing as she folded it up to slip it into her pocket. If it is then we should go to Meldano first to ask around for any sightings of Amoxious and about Nightrayne. She thought while starting to head back to Marenzo.672Please respect copyright.PENANABr5IcV0l5F
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In a tree hidden in the leaves sat the man who was watching Alura walk then jog back to her friend. He smiled as a soft blue aura surrounded him and began to change his appearance. His body shifted to show the lightly outlined muscles, his hair returned to its longer length and teal blue color, and as he opened his eyes they changed back to their sea blue green eyes. “Heh, good luck out there, Alura,” he quietly commented seeing her meet up with a waiting Marenzo. “I hope this has gotten you out of your rut and given you some drive to move forwards.” He took a soft breath before exhaling quietly. “You’ll do great if you don’t worry so much and trust your friends. I’ll be back on guard duty after I get my dues.” Ginsu knew he was in big trouble with Hiatsu but in this moment he didn’t care one bit as Alura was his focus, to help guide her in the right way when she becomes stuck in doubt and indecision.672Please respect copyright.PENANAKwOCXnduYn