The Nightrose Chronicles I: Broader Horizons

Grotto of Love

As soon as they had dismounted Freya had run to the cavern's entrance. "No..!" She ran to a fallen soldier, "Come on! Get up! Please!" She ran to the other soldier, "Dammit! Say something!"

All Tessa could do was stare in shock as tears welled in her eyes, she covered her mouth with her hands and tried to hold back the bile that rose, flinching when Lailah came up and hugged her. "The mages did this...?" Vivi trembled like a leaf.

Zidane ran to Freya, "Oh, man..."

"The black mages! Who are they!?" Freya asked.

"Um..." Vivi started.

"If we--- if we had--- gotten here--- s---s---sooner..." Tessa choked. "It's my--- my fault--- I could've---..." Zidane walked over to her.

"Tess, you didn't do anything, neither did you Vivi. It's not your fault. They've been gone for a while, we couldn't have gotten here in time to save them."

"Vivi, aren't they your---," Freya started, then realization struck her. "The king might be in danger! Come on!"

"I sure hope Silver didn't come here," He said looking around. "Let's go," he ran inside with Quina at his heels.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! You're just a kid..." Lailah said as tears slipped down his cheeks. "I wish you didn't have to be here! Didn't have to see this!"

"... Dad...?"

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I wish you didn't have to see these things but, this world needs you. God wouldn't give you anything he thinks you can't handle..."

"... It's okay... You're here..." She said hugging him.

"Come on Tess, we can still save other people!" Vivi urged, "We're they alive when you played the game?"

She shook her head and sniffled, "No..."

"Then it was going to happen."

"But we--- we saved--- the--- messenger..."

"Yes, but he was already alive when we saw him," Lailah said wiping his eyes. "Come on, we can still save people."

"A---alright," They came in to find the others huddled around a soldier, "Dad?"

"You heal him Sweetie."

She nodded hesitantly and touched the man's shoulder like her father had showed her.

"What are you---?" He asked weakly.

"Relax," Lailah soothed.

He relaxed into her touch as the light emanated from her and she could feel his flesh knit itself together beneath her hand. He sighed in relief, "I feel so much better already."

"Just rest a little while longer. It'll help. Then go to Lindblum."

"But I have to help."

"No you won't be strong enough yet. And Lindblum could be attacked next," Lailah said.

"A---alright, I will. Take care of everyone."

"We will."

He handed Freya a bell and she used it on a door after Tessa had healed him as much as she could. She rang the bell in her hand until the one on the door resonated with it and the one in her hand shattered. They ran in in time to see three mages surrounding a soldier shouting, "Kill!" Lailah made his way along the bridge, jumped like a Burmecian Dragon Knight, and landed between the soldier and the mages. He hefted the soldier over his shoulder as the mage readied a spell before jumping down to the bridge below. He set the man behind them as Tessa ran over to heal him.