The Dragon Children

10 | I Still Love You.

CHAPTER 10 - I STILL LOVE YOU.

Naphtali covers his mouth. He starts breathing heavily. He attempts to get out the memory, but he is unable to. Ahriman walks toward Naphtali. "You're the boy that was chosen by Viola, correct?" His footsteps were menacing enough to make Naphtali tear up. "You're from the future. Right?" Ahriman was right up in front of his face. "Note this." Ahriman hit Naphtali across the face, knocking him into a large rock. It was quick. Not even a millisecond. There was no way Naphtali could have dodged that, or seen it coming. "Tell your friends. I am coming. I will destroy everything, and everyone they know, and love." He suddenly appeared in front of Naphtali, faster than he could have blinked, and knee'd Naphtali in the face, hitting him into the stone. "Pathetic. If this is all you have, you should give up already." Faolan and Cecilia did not understand what was going on. For them, Ahriman was beating the hell out of a stone. Naphtali had a bleeding face, as he looked over toward them. He reached out his hand. "Hel-" Before he could finish, Ahriman had a grip on his neck, choking him. "You're but a kid. And you must go through all this. Such a shame, such wasted life." Faolan shouts out. "NAPHTALI!" He breathes in. "I have.. no clue on what's going on. But if what Ahriman is saying is true-" Ahriman growled at him. "I mean.. if what my lord is saying is true.. and you really are there, then.." He took a powerful stance. "I know we've been through a lot. Everything's gone to hell ever since.. that day. I know we're fighting against each other right now.. and we're in a war.. but no matter what happens, no matter who dies.. I.." He took a deep breath and shouted out. "I STILL LOVE YOU!!" Those 3 words rang through Naphtali's head as he came back into the present time. He came back, bloody-nosed, and a bruise under his right eye. He dropped to the floor in pain. "Ach.." Ruthven caught him mid-fall. "What happened?!" She asked, panicking, and worried. "It's.." Naphtali got up. "Ahriman. It's Ahriman." They were all shocked. They started panicking. "M.. Maybe we should turn back around." Ruthven said, her voice shaking. "I don't.. I don't feel well." Akuji threw up. "No turning back." Lilith said. "It's time to fight." She faced her small army. "Let's talk about our plan. Who will fight who, and the sorts." 

They stood in a circle, thinking. "Let me take that bastard, Euryale." Akuji put her fists together. "I have to pay her back. Show her I'm wanted. Besides, she probably already guessed it was me who will be fighting her anyway." Everyone nodded and agreed with that. They knew Akuji would want revenge. "I'll take on Cecilia." Ruthven stated. "What? Why?" Naphtali asked. "You have to take on Faolan." Naphtali gasped. "You're the only one that can kill him. We believe in you." Naphtali took a moment to think before he nodded. Everyone turned to Lilith. "Me? I have.. my own business to attend to." No one understood what she meant.. so they all moved on. Our heroes all put on their disguises and stood on the edge of the cliff. They overlooked the kingdom in which their battle would end. Naphtali grabbed ahold of a necklace he wore. which he received from Rem. He viewed another memory.

"One day, I'd love to be with you, Nap-Nap!" At the current time, Naphtali gasped and turned around to see.. his favourite day ever. He was on a date with Rem. Rem talked about their future, and how she wants to live with him. And spend all of eternity with him. He wanted to cry, but he couldn't. He had to stay strong. For her. He would win this war, because it's what she would have wanted. He returned to the present time. The heroes rode their horses to the entrance of Kraghon. They rode through the forest surrounding Kraghon. Ruthven and Naphtali used to play football here. They arrived at the front gate. The guard stands in front of the entrance. "What is your purpose?" He asks the Holy Stones. "To kill you." Ruthven covers his mouth and nose, and silently, he stops breathing. "Easy does it.." 

They entered through the gates. Naphtali looked up to see the place he once called home. "The final stop. I can do this." There were flags with Faolan's face printed on them. He sighed, wondering if this was the right thing to do. His friends walked alongside him, getting no second thoughts. "I'm so excited to burn this place to the ground.." Akuji smirked. They all got excited about burning and killing everyone. Naphtali burst. "SHUT UP!" He shouted. The civilians of Kraghon paid no notice to this. They assumed it was another drunken. "Naph.. what's gotten into you?" Ruth placed her hand on his shoulder, but he quickly pushed it off. "It's always about you. What you want to do. You're just SO excited to burn this place to the ground, but have you thought about me? How hard this must be for me? Stop acting like everything is okay!" He turned around. "Naph.. we're sorry." "It's.. whatever." He walked ahead. 

They walked until they got to the town centre. Naphtali strayed ahead of the group. The only thing he was thinking about right now is Faolan, and their childhood. He grits his teeth as he walked toward a soldier. The rest of the Holy Stones were confused. "Hey, sir.." The soldier turned around. "What do you want, brat?" Naphtali took his hood off. "My name.. is Naphtali." The soldier grinned and knocked him out. Ruth was going to shout his name out, but Akuji covered her mouth. "Shut it! We can't give away our cover." She whispered. "What is he thinking?" Ruthven asked, angry. "Obviously he decided.. on a side." Akuji sighed.

Naphtali woke up on a bed. He groaned and rubbed his head. "Damn.. he hit me kinda hard." He tried to sit up, but he was chained to it. He looked down to see the bed was made of stone. He was in the dungeon underneath the castle. He screamed. "FAOLAN! COME DOWN HERE!" There was no response. He waited for an hour, before the door opened. "Apologies, I had to run an errand." He sat down in front of Naphtali. "Faolan.." His eyes glowed. "I missed you, friend." He reached for a key in his pocket. "I will release you. As long as.. you join our side. Fight for Kraghon." He smirked. "Kill your friends." Naphtali looked down. "Yes..  my king." Faolan let him go. "Good.." They left the room. Naphtali saw every statue that once was his father, which was now Faolan. Other than that, nothing had changed, other than posters with his face on them, saying "WANTED ALIVE." There were posters for the other Stones too. They all had, "WANTED DEAD." on them. Rem's had a massive red X on it. This pained him. He wondered if his room was still there.

Back to the Holy Stones, they were rethinking their entire plan. "Okay, one of us has to take Faolan and Naphtali on now." Akuji said. "No, I take Faolan, you take Naphtali!" Ruthven said, grabbing Akuji. "NO! I can't fight Naph! You take him!" Akuji replied. "I CAN'T FIGHT HIM EITHER!" Ruthven shouted. There was a tension growing. "ENOUGH!" Lilith shouted. "Don't you worry, dears. Everything is going to plan." She grinned.

Naphtali entered his room to see.. nothing has changed. It looks exactly like it did 2 or 3 years ago. He looked at his desk to see the last thing he did. "My Royal Diary" is what the front cover said. He sat down at his desk. He picked up a pen. He started writing.

Dear Diary, .....