Phoenix: The nuruk beast.

Chapter twenty four: The last star

 Lydia waited by the border of Dameran on horseback along with Evelyn and three other knights. The evening air came along with a chill as it combed through the grassy terrains and gently lifted what remained untied of Lydia's hair. "Do you think he will come?" Evelyn asked,

"Of course he will." Lydia replied shrilly, "He's probably convincing bidding his father farewell." She added. Evelyn drew out the dagger she had collected from Aldrich the night before, she stared at it for a moment and said;

"Probably, I need a favour from you by the way." At these words, Lydia faced Evelyn with a questioning look wondering what she might need her for.

"What is it?" She said rather curious,

"Last night, Aldrich came to me seeking help concerning a nuruk." She glanced backwards making sure the other knights were not listening. "Lydia, I want you to teach him how to tame It." Lydia looked to Evelyn with her brows slightly puckered.

"Is now really the best time for that?" She said glancing back.

"I think it might be the key to him getting over his fear of the beast."

"I guess you may be right. But we only have so much time, do you think with all that's going on Slage will be able to tame a nuruk?"

"He has to." Evelyn said in a solemn tone. Finally, she noticed Aldrich arriving from a distance atop a horse a few moments before everyone else did. Something else caught the corner of Evelyn's eye immediately after, it was the mouthpiece of a bronze horn sticking out of the top corner of Lydia's satchel, "You brought that?" she said to Lydia still looking at it.

"We might just need it." As soon as Aldrich met up with them, they rode out under the sunset. The group had taken a path through the western part of Dameran's border away from the beasts assumed path, and into a forest. One very much like the one they had passed through on their way to Azzryn, enjoyably serene. Aldrich had remained silent since the beginning of the journey. Time and again, he pondered the grave thought that he might very well be riding to his own demise. Both Lydia and Evelyn had realized his trance-like state wasn't his usual silence since he insisted on riding behind them and simple greetings were the only words exchanged between them. He was soon taken from his thoughts as he heard familiar voice call him from behind him,

"Hey, Aldrich, Aldrich!!" he turned around to see who it was and to his unpleasant surprise, he saw Alston slightly kicking his horse trying to catch up to him.

"What?!!!" Aldrich said in shock, "What are you doing here?" he said scanning his person in disbelief.

"I decided to come with." Alston said with his usual excited demeanour. Aldrich looked over to Lydia who was riding ahead with Evelyn by her side, he pressed his horse to move faster until he was by her side leaving Alston behind with the two other knights.

"Why did you let him come?" he complained to Lydia.

"Who?"

"Who else, Alston." He stated in a slightly aggravated manner.

"Because he asked to." Lydia said sounding much more composed than him. As Aldrich looked back at Alston, for the first time since the journey he felt not fear for himself but for someone Alston. He looked back to Lydia and warned;

"You know how dangerous this is."

"We really couldn't be picky when taking volunteers Slage, these knights you see here are the only ones that agreed to come."

"But still, he's too young for this."

"He's been training for a year and a half now."

"And I'm the best in my rank!!" Alston yelled loud enough for Aldrich to hear.