Chapter 21
Raven stared at the unconcious human on the bed while leaning against the wall. She kept staring down at him with an intense glare…
“It won’t wake him up if you keep staring like this.” Callo yawned on his bed while looking over at the mercenary.
“Hmpf.” Raven bit her lip. “How long is it going to take until Morgana finally finishes this stupid potion!?”
“They said it is going to need about one week… Suppressing a goddesses’ holy aura in a world like Utgard is not exactly easy, you know?” The elf rubbed his chest and stared blankly at the roof. “Besides… Allen is stabile. It won’t matter if they take a day, a week or a month… as long as we get him back on his feet anyway…”
“You are in such a great mood since we are here? How come?” The young human asked sarcastically.
“Just leave me alone…” Callo stood up all of a sudden and left the room.
“Ouch, what was that?” Raven asked herself before walking towards Allen, placing a hand on his forehead.
“Hey, Callo!” Shade floated in front of her master with glee in her voice. “You look so grumpy, what is wrong?”
“Do you really have to ask?” Callo muttered while deathglaring citizens that dared pointing at him.
“Well… Uhm…” Shade felt rather bad for the question all of a sudden. “Come on… you managed to stay here six days already! Tomorrow Morgana will be done with the potion for Narwa! Then we can leave this cursed town!” She hopped on her master’s shoulder and leaned against his head playfully.
“Shade, stop that…” Callo sighed and looked up at his friend. “It is not this town but…”
“Alright, alright! You don’t have to say a word.” Shade shut him down with an unusual harsh tone. “You miss the desert, but that’s just natural! How about we take a look outside?” She chuckled and took her master’s arm.
“I better don’t-“
“You better don’t what? Don’t take a look at the land again you used to live in over 80 years of your long, long life, where you met your very, very, very best spirit-friend ever?” Shade grinned evilly, not leaving much space for complains of her friend.
“Alright… one little look won’t hurt, right?”
“Where is he headed to!?” Raven hissed to her friend while following a tan elf through town. Spying the blonde man she tried to hide between the people passing the streets but towards the edge of town the mobs turned lighter and lighter so the hiding-spots grew rare.
“This feels so wrong, Raven… shouldn’t we-“
“Narwa! Callo acts weird ever since we entered this town! As his companions it is our duty to find out what is wrong with him!” The mercenary grinned sheepishly.
“You are just curious, are you?” Narwa stared unimpressed at her friend, sighing at her replying grin.
“Hehehe…”
“Come on, I just want to go and get some fresh air!” Callo grunted as the knight guarding the gate towards the desert didn’t want to let him pass.
“I can’t let you outside without an adventurer-pass.” The knight stepped back a little.
“Do I look to you as if I need something like this!? I’m a well-experienced warrior and if you don’t believe me we can just fight this out right here and now!” The elf drew out his rapiers, ready to face the frightened guard.
“N… no doubt about that, Milord, but… I have orders I must follow…” The human knight grew more and more nervous. “B… besides… I can’t let a desert-elf just freely leave and enter Nihil like this. N- not that I don’t trust you. I just can’t risk it!” He added hesitantly as a rapier sudden pointed at his chest.
“I’m not a desert-elf. I’m a… uhm…” Callo thought for a second, thinking of a different word for his kind…
“He is a dark elf!” Shade suddenly appeared next to her master, smiling innocently.
“A darkelf? Aren’t they supposed to have… grey skin?” The guard eyed Callo curiously.
“Not a darkelf! A dark elf!” Shade had to suppress a chuckle. “Look, unworthy filth… the desert-elves are worshippers of Sol, the Great Spirit of Light! Dark elves in return prefer dark spirits like me! See? Isn’t that proof enough that he is none of that desert-elves of yours?” She made a teacher-like face had showed an expression of ‘How comes you don’t know something as simple as that!?’ on it… Callo tried his hardest not to laugh at his friends explanations… Yet they had a true core…
“I won’t go out for long. I just want to take some fresh air. I will be back in an hour or so…” Callo added to angry Shade’s explanations.
“Alright, alright, you are allowed to exit…” The knight stepped aside, opening the door with a small golden key. Callo pushed the door open. He could feel the heat of the desert entering his lungs as he stepped towards his former home.
“It feels as if it has been ages already…” Callo closed his eyes as the first beams of light touched his tan skin. Sand flew around his legs and a soft wind, barely able to feel, made his golden hair wave in the air.
“Come on! Let’s go in a little more!” Shade took her friend’s hand, leading him up some of the dunes.
“Callo, wait!” A familiar female voice rushed through the sandy land. The desert-elf turned around all of a sudden, facing the silver-haired goddess and her raven-haired friend…
“What are you two girls doing here?” The man asked annoyed.
“Hey! Same goes for you! Why are you out here in the desert!? It is forbidden to come here!” Raven snapped while trying her best not to fall due to the soft ground.
“Hmpf! Look who is talking!” The elf crossed his arms in front of his chest, deathglaring the annoying human.
“Weeeeee just followed you cause we were worried.” She chuckled innocently.
“You mean because you were curious.” Narwa corrected her friend chuckling.
“Whatever… Now, what are you doing out here?” Raven leaned against Callo’s chest, puppy-eying him while biting her lip in an innocent manner.
“Ugh… I…” Callo tried to look away, but those intense, clean eyes… and this sad expression… Where did she learn that from!? “I… I used to live here before I joined Allen’s team.” Callo sighed, beaten by a puppy-eying girl… He just hoped none of the others would ever find out about this…
“Oh…” Raven suddenly felt bad for teasing the elf for this… “I… Sorry, I didn’t mean to…”
“Don’t worry about it.” Callo sighed and looked towards the open desert, towards where he knew the Temple of Light had to be…
“…” Minutes passed without anyone saying something. Until suddenly…
“Wait a second…” Callo suddenly took the girls, hiding them behind him, drawing out his daggers in fighting-stance. Someone was coming, he could feel it.
“Huh? What’s wrong, Callo?” Raven took out her saber just in case and so did Narwa with her wand.
After a few seconds though, Callo could see who was coming closer, and at the sight of the woman, his daggers fell to the ground.
“?” Narwa stepped aside a little, seeing the person coming closer. It was a female elf with dark skin and silver hair… was she one of Callo’s kind?
“Would… would you mind leaving…?” Callo didn’t even look at the girls anymore. His eyes were fixed on the woman coming closer and closer. Narwa grabbed Raven without a word and dragged her back to the town.
“Huh?! Hey! Narwa! But I wanna see that!” She shouted while being dragged off the place.
“Callo!” Serena waved with her slender arms while running towards her old friend. Shade flew right next to her. As she reached him she jumped right into his arms, throwing the man back against a sandy dune.
“S… Serena, why… how…?”
“Shade told me you were in Nihil. So I came to see you!” She smiled softly while hugging him tightly. “I’m so sorry about what happened at Sol’s temple…” She sighed and leaned back.
“…” Callo stared blankly at the ground, feeling ashamed as well.
“You stupid idiot…” She chuckled softly and pressed hear head against his chest, breathing in the familiar scent.
“Aren’t… aren’t you supposed to… you know… uhm… Kill me or something? I’m a traitor after all.” Callo swung his arms around the slim body of the princess, unable to suppress his happiness about her visit.
“You should know me better than that…” She sighed looking at the man smiling, knocking his head softly as punishment for the stupid question. “You are my best friend, my closest companion, … If I wasn’t the princess of our tribe I would have come with you without hesitating! I just… can’t leave our people like this… but as long as they are not around, you will always be my dear Callo…” She chuckled and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek before standing up. She offered him a hand.
“Want to take a walk?” He asked, taking a look around. Shade was gone again… This little beast… she had planned this all out!
“Those cloths look great on you.” Serena giggled while eying Callo’s new set of ‘Non-desert’-cloths Allen and Zeyir had bought him when they had first left Yora.
“They are rather comfortable, but they come in the way easily during fights…” Callo complained with a smiled on his face.
“Haha. I see.” Serena looked up into the sky. It was rather hot, but they were used to the heat… They had taken a break on a high dune where they could spot the wide land without problem, enjoying the wild beauty of the desert.
Shade suddenly popped out above their heads, smiling eagerly.
“I wondered when you were about to show up again.” Callo smiled softly at his spirit. She only chuckled and sat down on his lab, receiving a smudging pat from Serena like in old times.
“This feels like back in the old days, huh?” Shade smiled and rubbed her hands, proud of herself to bring the old team back together again.
“Do you remember the day when we were going to the forbidden part of Yora? The day you met Shade? Those were really the good old days…” Serena smiled at the little spirit with satisfaction in her eyes. The memory rose within her as did in Callo.
A long time ago…
“Serena! We shouldn’t be here!” A young boy, about eight years old, ran after the princess of desert-elves. The little girl just turned and lolled her tongue out.
“Come on, Callo! Don’t be so broing!” She chuckled.
“I think you mean ‘boring’…” The boy sighed, fastening his pace to catch up with the little princess. She wore a white dress with short sleeves, yet little ribbons hang all around her. She looked really cute in that dress.
“Ough, you are just as bad as Dad…” She bit her lip and took her friend’s hand. He wore his typical moon-guard-uniform. The golden rings and bracelets, dark fingerless gloves, sandals and short black trousers. His golden hair shone in the light of the sun.
“He ordered me to take care of you, Serena… He is going to be mad at both of us!” Callo sighed and followed her deeper and deeper into the desert.
“Aw, but he doesn’t have to know!” She chuckled eagerly while hugging her guardian’s arm tightly, happy that he came along none the less… “Besides, aren’t you curious what lies in the forbidden zone of Yora?”
“My father taught me that curiosity is not one of the adornments of a knight, especially not one of the Moon-guards!” Callo replied flatly, yet he felt how the curiosity within him was very well present all the time. “And I need to follow my father as leader of the Moon-guards one day!”
“Aw, come on… Uncle Temra is always so strict… Just as Father…” Serena dragged him forwards, not allowing resistance.
“Might be because they are brothers, right?” Callo chuckled and bit his lip. He WAS curios what this forbidden area was all about! “Alright, alright, let’s hurry so we will be back before dawn!”
“Callo, you are best!” She kissed him on the cheek and hurried up a little.
“So… this is it?” Serena was visibly disappointed by the sight… “I thought there was… something special to this area… but this looks just like any other part of the desert as well!” She placed her hands on her hips, staring at the open fields.
“Hmm… I’m not so certain about that…” Callo stepped forward, taking a look around. “Do you see those dunes? They look unnatural… Something is not right with this place…”
“Now you really sound like your father…” Serena sighed annoyed… She hated it when Callo tried to see something bad in everything… “There is nothing wrong with this area at all!” She started running towards the open field.
“Serena! Wait!” Callo ran after her but she was already on top of the next dune, keeping up her fast pace. How did she manage to run that fast with a dress like this!?
“Catch me if you can!” She chuckled and ran on towards the next dune.
“Serena! No! Please wait!” Callo had such a bad feeling about this area… All the dunes, the ruins,… it seemed so unnatural here! Something was definitely not right! “Serena! The dunes don’t match with the direction of the wind! They are formed by nature!”
“Oh, won’t you shut up already!? You sound like a grown-up all the time…” She lolled out her tongue again and kept running.
They were already in the middle of the field as Callo finally managed to catch the princess.
“This is no fun anymore, princess! Please, let’s go home already!” Callo felt his legs shaking. Was he really that nervous already?
“Uh… Callo…” Serena leaned against her friend. “I feel so weak… it is as if my feet are shaking…”
“Huh!?” Callo grabbed her, looking at the ground. Those wasn’t his legs! The ground was shaking!!
“What is going on here?!” Serena suddenly screamed and pointed towards a dune. Callo stopped breathing as he saw a giant wall of sand coming towards them. It was as if something was moving under the sand, pushing the ground away.
“Run!” Callo grabbed the girl’s slender arm and pulled her after him as he ran towards some ruins.
“What is that!?” Serena was crying by now. Tears ran down her cheeks freely as her voice shivered afraid.
“A sand-dragon! We must get out of here!!” Her guardian shouted while pulling her forward. There were some ruins not too far ahead… if he just managed to…
“I’m so sorry, Callo!” Serena sobbed behind him, desperate. “I didn’t mean to put us into danger…”
“Stop crying and start running! I have a plan!” Callo turned his head and felt back for shouting at her right away… her eyes were red due to her tears already, and the trembling fear was visible all over her face.
The sandwall came closer and closer and every once in a while, the snake-like head of the dragon was visible as it dived through the sands like a dolphin in the sea.
“There it is!!” Callo pushed Serena on some of the rocks as they reached the ruins they were running to. “As soon as it is gone, run back to the castle! Get some help!!”
“B-but—!! CALLO!!” She screamed as her friend ran back out into the open desert.
‘It feels our footsteps on the sand… if Serena stays at the rock, it won’t feel her any longer and she is out of danger!’ Callo kept repeating this to himself while he kept running as fast as he had never ever run in his whole life. His chest felt as if his heart was about to break out of it at any moment. The beating was so intense, Callo could feel it in his whole body.
The dragon came closer and closer and from time to time, Callo turned around, checking the distance between him and the beast… He was chanceless! Serena was never going to make it in time! He was lost… But his pride as desert-elf forbid him to give up! He was not done yet and maybe he would be able to find a way out anyway!!
“No!” Callo jumped aside as he felt the ground underneath him break as the dragon pushed himself through the ground. The young boy was flying through the air while he pressed his eyes shut in fear. He felt himself landing on the sandy ground again, ripping his eyes open just to see, the dragon had missed him by a few inches. Callo stood up right away again, running on. The dragon needed a few seconds to regain its orientation so Callo managed the regain some distance between the two of them.
The young elf left the forbidden area behind him, still hunted by the mighty dragon but now the dunes were natural again, so he had at least some orientation and confidence about the surroundings. Forbidden… yeah, now he knew why that area was forbidden… But why didn’t ever anyone tell them about this!? They wouldn’t have dared entering the zone if someone had just told them!
The dragon came closer again. Callo knew that this time he wouldn’t have so much luck for sure… His hair flew wildly around his shoulders as he turned his head again. The dragon changed its tactic by now. It dived through the sand, trying to catch Callo from above instead of beneath.
“Sol… I need help!” Callo gasped desperately as he felt the dragon right behind him, missing him only by two meters.
The dragon jumped out of the ground again. Callo turned around, unable to run any longer. He faced his fate, his destiny, … his death… Closing his eyes, he felt how the ground underneath him started to shake. The sand around him seemed to whirl up and suddenly… He felt like falling.
“What the-!?” Callo looked around. The whole ground was breaking. Sand fell into giant cracks on the ground and the dragon was held away from Callo by the sudden weight of the ground lasting on him as it fell on its body, giving in to gravity.
A terrible growl was heard from the beast, almost like a scream of agony as it was dragged down the ground. The little desert-elf was unsure what was just happening but he was stuck as well! Not only the ground around him was falling apart, his feet were stuck in the moving sands.
“Uah!” Suddenly the earth broke down and he fell… fell into a deep abyss. And the world around him grew black.
“U..ugh… Ah… My arm!” Callo slowly opened his eyes. He was shivering all over his body. He looked down at his right arm and a painful gasp left his lips. He was lying on the dragon’s dead body, but his arm was almost pierced through a sharp broken horn of the dragon. As he slowly ripped the horn off, blood ran down his hand, painting his skin crimson. The cut was deeper than he had thought… He must have land on the dragon’s soft body after the fall… Wait… how far did he fall anyway!?
“How-!?” Callo looked up, gasping at the sight. The giant crack he had been falling down was a mere small slit from down here… He couldn’t believe he had actually survived this… This must be the tunnel-systems underneath Yora his father had told him about… “Thank Sol…” He gasped more than talking but yet, his desperation grew even heavier on him. How was he supposed to get back up there!? The exit was too far away to reach even if he had two healthy arms… The onlyway was into the deep darkness of the tunnels leading away from the giant abyss into the darkness of a lightless cave…
Shivering but without another choice, Callo made his way towards one of the tunnels, hoping for an exit somewhere within.
After a few hours of stumbling through the pure darkness, falling every few steps, Callo had given up… He was lost… His arm ached and he was hungry, thirsty… He was never going to find out of these tunnels again… He could feel tears running down his cheeks. Slowly, the young boy tried to push them away with his glove, but they came running down his cheeks again and again…
“Serena, Father,…” He sobbed, giving up on suppressing his desperation, crying for his friend and family. He was never ever going to see them again… How was Serena going to explain this to his father? How would he react on the message of his son’s death? Would he cry as well? Would he just live on with his duties? Or would he remember him?
“Why are you so sad, boy?” A female, shrill voice suddenly appeared next to him. Callo nearly had a heart-attack at the sudden interruption of silence. “Does it hurt so badly?”
“Wh… what?” Callo rushed to dry the tears on his face. No one was supposed to see him like this, even though it was impossible to see anything in this darkness…
“Your arm! That looks bad. Must hurt really much, huh?” The voice came closer. Callo shivered as a red eye suddenly appeared in front of him, staring at him in curiosity.
“I…” Callo tried to push himself back a little, but the stonewall prevented this.
“My name is Shade! I’m a small spirit of darkness, and my duty is to defend a treasure of Nocturne.” How about you?” She chuckled playfully and sat down on Callo’s legs.
“I… My name is Callo Moerbin…. I’m the son of the Moon-guard-leader of the desert-elves!” The boy’s voice shivered, even though he wasn’t exactly afraid of that little creature in front of him anymore, now that he knew what exactly he was facing there…
“The desert-elves, huh? That’s cool! You like light much more than darkness, huh?” Callo couldn’t see it, but somehow he knew she was smiling warmly at him.
“Y… yes…”
“Alright! Then let me lighten this place for you a little!” A giggle was heard before suddenly the darkness seemed to fade around them. Callo stared in disbelieve at the small kid-like creature on his lab. Now that he looked at her… she wasn’t creepy at all, even though her red eyes really gave her a dangerous look… She was somewhat… cute even… “Is it better this way?”
“Yes, thank you very much…” Callo rubbed his eyes to get used to the light again. He was so thankful…
“That wound looks bad… You really should hurry back to your tribe…” Shade looked at the boy’s arm, helping him up.
“I’m lost… I can’t find the way out of here!” Callo looked down at the small shadow-creature. His tribe had always taught him that only light was good… darkness was evil… But somehow this little spirit didn’t seem bad at all! After those hours of desperation and darkness, she was the first one he was able to rely on and even more: She lightened the darkness for him!
“I can lead you out of here if you want. It is a long way, but… Oh well… forget about it… Let’s go!” Shade smiled and took the boy’s healthy hand, leading him.
It had been two days by now that they walked through the dark tunnels… Shade had braught him something to drink and plants growing in the cave every once in a while. To keep him cheered she had told him all kinds of stories about the Great Spirit of Darkness Nocturne and about Sol… How Nocturne stole Sol’s crown to lighten up the night for Midgard and how the stupid little light-spirits turned into stars to protect this crown. Callo had to chuckle at that one. Yet after a while… Shade somehow seemed to dim the light in purpose so only the ground was barely visible. Additional to that she had told him to be silent now… Callo didn’t really know what was wrong, but he trusted the small spirit!
“Uah!” Suddenly Callo tripped over a rock on the ground, falling against the wall. But different from what he had expected, it was not a hard landing. He could hear a crack, like the sound of fragile breaking bones and a pained scream. “Sorry!” Callo hopped back and looked up at Shade. The small spirit’s eye grew wide in fear. She suddenly grabbed the boys hand and dragged him on.
“Run!!!” She screamed and lightened the cave up again. Callo gasped at the sight. Hundreds, no thousands of small white, batlike creatures flapped angrily on the roof of the tunnel, ready to attack. “They are going to attack any second!”
“What!?” Callo gasped and ran faster. Suddenly he could feel the first shadow-spirits rushing through the air, crashing right against him, cutting him with their little claws.
“Stay away from him!” Shade shouted and formed her scarf into something that looked like rapiers. She pushed away some of the spirits, keeping them off of the elf as good as possible. Callo had only one single thought left within him: Running! “It’s not far anymore! Up that stairs!” Shade pushed him up a stairway. Callo could see small slits of light shining through the roof. He hurried and pushed away whatever was blocking the way out. Callo put all his remaining strength into opening the way while Shade blocked the attacking spirits.
“Shade!!” As Callo finally managed to push the door open, he jumped out of the hole, dragging the spirit behind him. The small shadow-creatures followed them out the hole, like a swarm of wasps, but all of a sudden, a shining light casted them away. Callo turned around, just to face a familiar face…
“Sol!” Callo gasped, unable to stand up anymore. The Great Spirit of Light smiled down at him warmly, disappearing in soft light.
“Ouch…” Shade shivered and tried to stand up, but she was too weakened by the light. Callo laid next to her, exhausted, in pain, yet happy to recognize the surroundings… This was Sol’s temple… The altar-room even! He could feel the warm sun shining down on his skin. He closed his eyes.
“Shade… Thank you…” He turned his head a little. “If there is anything I can ever do to pay this back to you…”
“…” The small spirit smiled warmly, taking Callo’s hand. “Do you want to be my partner?” She asked weakly. Callo nodded sleepy.
“Let us form a pact on this promise: We will stay partners no matter what ever might happen! We will go through it together…” With these words he fell asleep.
“Tse, I don’t mind what you are saying! I formed a pact with him! I will stay at his side! Bleh!” Callo could hear Shade’s voice from next to him… Everything felt so soft… He must have been lying in a bed… His arm didn’t hurt that badly anymore either,… Someone must have treated it by now.
“Brother, this might be… very exotic for a desert-elf, but… if this small creature really saved my son, maybe we should allow her to stay here.”
“Father…” A soft whisper escaped Callo’s lips at the sound of the familiar voice. He opened his eyes slowly, seeing his father standing next to King Geera and Serena who was cuddeling Shade playfully like a wool-pet.
“Callo!” Serena suddenly dropped the poor spirit, jumping on his bed, hugging the boy tightly. “You stupid idiot! I was so worried! We thought you died!!”
“Well then, Temra… I guess I will make this one exception…” King Geera patted the small spirit and looked down at Callo, smiling proudly. “Come on, Serena. Callo needs his rest now.” He took his daughter’s hand and led her out.
“I will go as well, Callo… If you need something, just tell me, alright?” The tall elf with the long silver hair stroke over his boy’s golden mane and left, smiling relieved.
Shade looked towards the closing door while flying on her new partner’s bed.
“When did…”
“They found us shortly after Sol defeated the shadow spirits. They wanted to check out what had happened in the altar-room as they saw the beam of light and found you unconscious on the ground.” Shade looked at the exhausted boy smiling. “There is one thing I must still tell you…” She looked a little ashamed.
“What is it?” Callo smiled softly.
“I told you about that treasure I’m guarding, right? Well… I promised Nocturne I would give it to my master one day when I formed a pact, so I want to give this to you.” Two rapiers formed in her hands with red crystals attached on them.
Back in real time
“I have them up until today…” Callo patted his rapiers and looked over at Shade and Serena.
“We always were such a great team ever since that day.” Serena chuckled and cuddled Shade softly. “What are you guys doing right now?”
“We formed a pact with Luna and Sol… But Allen didn’t wake up afterwards anymore, so we will have to find a way to return him back to normal… We will head to Utgard tomorrow.
“Wow, Utgard…” Serena looked up into the sky. “Somehow… this is funny… You have always been the one of us that wanted to stay at the palace or the temple where it was save and now you head to another world even…”
“Yeah…” Callo sighed and looked at his friend. “I guess it is time again…”
“Yes, I know… You won’t be coming back anymore, right?” Serena sighed.
“Probably not… but maybe one day when our journey is completed, I will return and pick you up, alright?” Callo smiled warmly and stood up.
“Deal!” Serena smiled and looked at him. “I will think about you wherever you are…” She suddenly leaned forward, embracing her friend, giving him one last kiss of good-bye.
“How was your date?” Raven chuckled as Callo entered the Inn. She seemed to await him.
“What is it Raven?” Ignoring the question, Callo deathglared the mercenary.
“Ah well… Morgana is done with the potion faster than expected so we packed already, only waiting for Romeo to return.” Her evil grin reminded him awfully much of Shade’s at the moment…
“That’s great news… I’m going to get Allen.”
“Yupp! We will be waiting with your packs at the dragon-station!” Raven waved and left the Inn, smiling.
In the boys’ room, Callo looked down at Allen, a small smile appearing on his lips. “Alright my friend… Time to get to Utgard!”
