Arch of the Lost Ruin

Of Walks and Worries

“Your father ran away for some reason…” Tessalyn shook her head slightly, “I don’t know what’s gotten into him…”

I wanted to cry. I don’t know whether it was either because my mom was crying, or the fact that my father could run away and never come back. She sat down, breathing rapidly, feeling the water travel up my eyes.

“Oh for hell’s sake!” Mynona mumbled, noting my weakness, “Toughen up, Elixa! I can’t possibly be related to someone as unstable as you!”

Normally, I would’ve cried even more at this point, but Mynona was right. I can’t be weak; I have to be strong. I blinked my eyes, wiping my paw over my head, discarding of the tears that were going to travel down my cheek, “Who’s unstable?” I replied, smiling with strength.

Mynona faintly smiled and rolled her eyes, looking back to Tessalyn. My godmother was trying to help Evalyn get on her four paws, because Evalyn sunk to the ground, tears forming another ocean as she weeped.

Delphyra observed the moon’s location in the sky, “It’ll be a few more hours until sunrise, mum. Should we get them to go to sleep?”

And by “them,” I knew who she was talking to: Raevyn and I. I hated how Delphyra treated us like we’re kids and thinks she’s an adult.

“Tessalyn shook her head, “They won’t go back to sleep, Delphyra. Rynoarc is their father, and him running away suddenly isn’t going to help them in their sleep.” Her soft lavender eyes connected to mine and Raevyn’s.

Delphyra sighed in apprehension, sitting on her rump. For a while, we sat in complete silence, hearing the faint sobs of Evalyn as I felt the sun’s rays tickling my pelt.

“Come on, Evalyn.” Tessalyn urged my mother to stand on her paws in her usual lady-like position.

“W-Where are w-we going?” Evalyn looked at Tessalyn with clouded eyes.

“To find Rynoarc,” Tessalyn smiled, “Come on.”

“Bu━”

“We’re going and that’s final, Evalyn.” Tessalyn replied, in a strict tone that I have never seen her in, “Delphyra and Mynona, please take care of the camp while I’m gone.”

“Yes, mum.” Mynona nodded, watching as Tessalyn dragged our depressed mother down the hill, trying to comfort Evalyn with soft words.

Delphyra watched as Tessalyn and Evalyn were out of range, sighed, then turned back to us, “So I guess it’s like a godsisters day, huh?”

I could tell she was attempting to lighten up the mood, “Looks like it.” I shrugged. But really, I just wanted to rest some more.

“I’ll tell you guys of something.” Delphyra said, in a grave tone, “Something magnificent.”

I perked my ears. What could be so magnificent? Through my months living as a pup, Delphyra was the one that I could never impress. She couldn’t be impressed easily. So hearing something “magnificent” from her could be worth the time.

“You’re not.” Mynona narrowed her eyes at Delphyra, seeming to know the hybrid’s topic.

“I am, Mynona.” Delphyra smiled, and laid down on her stomach, to get in even eye contact to us, “Actually, two things… By now you’re probably wondering what’s gotten into Rynoarc, ey?”

Raevyn and I nodded rapidly. Mynona was shaking her head, but stopped and swiveled her ears toward Delphyra, suddenly interested on the incoming subject.

“Rynoarc… I suspect of him having a disease…” Delphyra said, slowly, looking at the edges of her sockets, trying to search her mind, “...something called Alzheimer’s… It’s where people lose their mind, memory, behavior, and all sorts of stuff. He won’t be the same.”

“But there’s got to be a cure… There has to!” Raevyn exclaimed, leaning her head closer to Delphyra’s. Being a person who hates war and into medicine, I knew she would be the first to react. She only learned the good side of medicine and healing at the time, but she didn’t know the negative side.

“Is there a cure to the world, Raevyn?” Delphyra asked, briefly glancing to Mynona as she settled down next to the blue haired hybrid, “The world is a place full of broken hopes and tormented dreams… There’s no cure to Alzheimer's, Raevyn.”

“Except maybe death, Delphyra?” Mynona spoke, looking at her sister quizzically.

“...Death.” Delphyra nodded to the crimson haired female, then turned back to look at us, “These few moments will be his last, girls. As for his death… it is going to be because of himself or someone else.” She sighed.

“Then who would take care of us?” I mumbled, barely audible. The thought of Rynoarc out of my life was unbearable. He was my father, my mentor, my hero, my idol, and so much more. Without him… life to me was meaningless. Nothing would matter to me, not even family, because Rynoarc was my only true family. Before I could go on, Delphyra started to answer my question.

“That’s what I was going to address next, a new home. I know where we could live. It would be a far away trek, but it’s going to be worth it in the end.” Delphyra explained, “I knew about Alzheimer’s from Professor Dufreichtz, a researcher in the neighboring empire. He’s been studying demons for some while now, and he believes he has an solution which could magnify our powers by percentages unbelievable. And we could dominate the world.”

I let this sink in for a moment. I wanted to be me, just a demon who has toxic, acidic, and radioactive components, not anything fancy. But it would be wonderful to rule the world… Maybe the solution could save Rynoarc. Before I could inquire Delphyra, I heard the faint murmurs of Tessalyn and Evalyn, along with my father’s vocals.