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| Ivy Dewshine: | Ryouko Hirosue |
| Adonis: | Ueda Yuuji |
| Randoruun: | Ryoutarou Okiayu |
| Man In Ivy’s Dream: | Junichi Kanemaru |
Another
dream…no! No! I must wake up! Ivy looked ahead at the lilac fields. The fragrant
essence of the flowers didn’t soothe her. She heard a rustling
behind her.
"Who’s there?!" she spun around, and her heart stopped.
Manasse stood a few meters from her.
Ivy took a step back, and began to run into the lilac fields, This may be a dream, but I can’t let him catch me!
Her legs grew heavy, I can’t run forever!
She was yanked to a stop as Manasse clutched her right wrist. She yelped, and looked behind her.
Adonis’s golden eyes met with hers.
Ivy smiled with relief, "Ado--!"
The man didn’t allow her to finish. He clutched her wrist tighter, and threw her over his shoulder, slamming her into the ground.
Ivy screamed as she felt the ground break under her body. She opened her eyes, "Randoruun…."
The elf stood over her, looking down to her.
"…help…me…." Ivy managed to say, for she got the wind knocked out of her.
Randoruun bent down, and slipped his fingers under the diamond-shaped jewel on her necklace. He slipped his fingers under the beads, and lifted Ivy off of the ground by them.
Ivy’s eyes began to water as she felt the skin of her neck get pinched between the beads. Randoruun twisted the necklace, to tighten around her neck.
Ivy reached for her neck. Tears began to run down her face, "Ran…do…ruun…!" she squeaked.
An evil smiled spread across the elf’s face.
Ivy squeezed her eyes shut, and was able to take a gasp of air. She opened her eyes to see herself standing. She tasted the delicious air. However, that didn’t stop her heart from racing. She apprehensively searched the location with her eyes, too horrified to budge.
She felt a sharp jab in her back, which pushed her to the dusty dirt ground. Her face throbbed as it hit the floor. With extreme effort, she pushed herself up, to see Adonis, Randoruun, Arlen, Hiko, Quinn, and Jonothan surrounding her, glaring down on her with deadly intentions.
This can’t be right….! What does this mean?! Ivy’s heart ached incredibly. She looked on every side, No where to go…!
She felt a soft hand take her wrist. Her head jerked in its direction.
A cloaked figure took her, and they fled quickly.
Ivy struggled to keep up, but she refrained from asking any questions. She remained silent, until she felt the ground break away from under her.
The figure turned around, and grabbed a hand with both of his. She swung her other arm up, and grabbed his hands, "Whoever you are…please don’t let go!"
The figure began to pull up Ivy. Ivy closed her eyes as dirt and tiny pieces of rubble hit her face. The falling dirt became heavier. Before she could scream, she hit the ground, and felt dirt cover her.
She didn’t hesitate to get the thick layer off of her. Gasping for air, she fanned away flying dirt. She looked around for her rescuer. Her eyes fixed on a limp hand next to her right knee. She immediately began to uncover the mysterious man. She saw a thick linen covering the bottom half of his face, while the hood of his cloak covered the rest of his face, except for his now-closed eyes, which she didn’t get a good glimpse of earlier.
Ivy timidly slid off the man’s linen mask. She took in a breath as her eyes fixed on the pink animalic nose, which softly contrasted the darkly tanned skin this mysterious creature had.
She lightly placed the fingertips of her right hand on the man’s right cheekbone.
He’s real…she thought, But what is he…?
Her heart skipped a beat as the man’s eyes opened. She froze. His huge eyes were a deep blue.
"…are we alive?" the man spoke.
Ivy flushed a bright red, "Uh…! Yeah!"
The man sat up, and a thick layer of dirt crumbled off. He winced as he tried to move his left leg.
Ivy looked down at the man’s left leg. A large boulder crushed his ankle. She gasped, and began to pull it off.
The girl fell back as the rock gave. She sat up, and looked at the man’s leg. A red stain bled through his pants.
"I wasn’t supposed to get hurt…" he spoke again, and began to cast a healing spell on his wound.
"Thank you," Ivy was a little hesitant to show her appreciation, Who knows what this guy wants…
"Nothing good could come out of the situation you were in," the man bent his leg after healing it.
"Mmh…" Ivy looked at the boulder that formally was on his leg.
"I’m sorry that had to happen," he stood, and offered his hand.
Ivy looked at his hand, and then to him.
"You don’t want to stay down here, do you?" he politely asked, and took her hand.
Ivy felt light-headed as she stood.
The man looked up to their previous position before the fall. He looked to Ivy, who stared back at him.
Ivy quickly inhaled a light gasp as he grabbed both sides of her waist, and lifted her up.
Ivy put a foot in a crevice, and pushed herself up. She let out a sigh as she sat on the ground next to the deep pit their fall created.
One of the man’s hands got a hold of the ground. Ivy knelt in front of it, and took his other hand. She began to pull him up.
He pushed up, and managed to get out of the pit.
Ivy felt his breath brush across her cheek as they both sat down for a moment. She once again felt queasy, and light-headed.
The man heaved a sigh, and leaned back on the grass, "I guess I made a wrong turn somewhere."
"Eeeh?!!" Ivy backed away from him, "Just where do you plan on taking me?!"
The man turned to her, laying on his side, "Well, you’re on my property."
"But this is my dream!" Ivy stood.
"Really?" the man rose his eyebrows, "How interesting."
"Hmm?" Ivy took a step back.
"I could have sworn this was my dream," he stood.
Ivy rose an eyebrow, Okay….
"Well, I guess we’re lucky we came across each other," the man turned to her, and smiled.
Ivy timidly smiled, "I’d say."
The man’s smile faded, "Huh?"
"Nothing! Nothing!" Ivy nervously laughed, Stop thinking out loud, idiot.
"My home shouldn’t be too far from here," he shrugged off Ivy’s awkward behavior, "Let’s go."
"Right," Ivy put her hand on the handle of her sword.
"You won’t need that," the man quietly stated.
Ivy took her hand off of the sword, and took a few steps to catch up with her fellow traveler.
They silently walked for a few minutes.
Ivy studied the man better. He not only had a cat-like nose, but animalic ears as well. She tried to remember of any creatures her grandmother told her about which matched his description.
"What are you staring at?" the man didn’t even glance at her.
Ivy’s heart jumped to her throat.
"My nose? My ears, perhaps?" he glared angrily at her, his eyes welling with hurt.
Ivy blushed furiously, "N-no! I wasn’t staring…!!!"
The man angrily looked away again, obviously upset.
He isn’t hideous or anything…Ivy searched her mind for something to say. Actually, her rescuer was quite handsome.
"Will you stop staring?!" he quietly growled.
I can’t help it!!! Ivy’s thoughts screamed, "Sorry…"
He quietly sighed, "I’m part griffin, okay? Now stop thinking about it."
"I’m not thinking about it," Ivy replied.
The man looked to her, and looked ahead, "There’s my house."
Ivy looked in the same direction as he, to a small cabin.
"It’s not much, but I live alone."
Ivy followed the man to his cabin, and walked in. The inside was dark, until its resident lit a lantern, which gave the home a warm glow.
The man sat down in a wooden chair, and with a foot, pushed one towards Ivy, "Sit."
Ivy looked at the chair, and took a seat.
"Well, dream-girl…" he stood, and took two mugs out of a cabinet, "Do you have a name?"
Ivy watched the man make some tea, "Ivy Dewshine."
"Where are your wings?" he set a cup in front of her.
Ivy grimaced, Why do I keep getting asked about that?
"I change to elf form," Ivy took her cup of tea, and inhaled the aroma. She closed her eyes and smiled as the sweet scent invaded her senses.
Ivy opened her eyes, and found her head resting on Randoruun’s back, "Mm??" she lifted her head, and looked around.
She was being carried on Randoruun’s back. Arlen was leading the party. Adonis followed beside Randoruun, Hiko on his back.
Gray, Jonothan, and Quinn must’ve been behind them, for she couldn’t see them.
Randoruun sighed, and pushed Ivy a bit further up on his back, "She’s getting heavier."
Ivy grimaced and clenched her teeth, Why I---!
Adonis looked over to Randoruun, and his eyes widened, "Ah--!" he pointed to Ivy.
Randoruun looked to Adonis, confused. He looked behind his shoulder to Ivy. He smiled a little nervously, "Ah. Good evening!"
Ivy bapped Randoruun on the head, "Let me down!" she climbed down, and folded her arms in a huff, Amazing that someone so quiet can be so rude!!!
End Installment Five and a Half