Alitia: Welcome to Millenia

XXI: Rune

Helena had been walking alone for about fifteen minutes now. She glanced around through the greenery, praying to catch a glimpse of Rune. He couldn't have gotten too far... Then again, hadn't he shown earlier he had the power to teleport using those dimensional rifts of his? Maybe he was long gone. Her search could have very easily been pointless.

She sighed and shook her head. "Rune?" she called out. Helena's voice echoed through the air, sending a shiver down her spine. She had wanted some time to think to herself after the attack, but she still didn't feel like this was as good an idea as she initially thought. After all, the one behind this incident could still return, and if she was alone, it wasn't good to face him now.

Helena paused her walk and began to look around. Suddenly, fear was settling in the pit of her stomach. Her bad feeling was only worsening. She didn't want to be here anymore. She wished she had Isolis to fly away and return to Sacred Heart. Or Alitia. Or anywhere. Her intuition hadn't failed her yet, so she was going to trust it and leave as soon as she possibly could.

She started running towards the enormous tower that was Sacred Heart. She knew the way perfectly well since her route hadn't been too complicated. All plans of seeing Rune went forgotten as she began her desperate dash to return to familiarity.

Something flashed in front of her eyes. Helena slid to a screeching halt, a gasp leaving her lips in between heavy breaths. She looked up and saw the outline of a person standing before her. She didn't need to think twice to know exactly who it was.

The hooded man had returned. 

~~~~~

"I wonder about Rune," Iris admitted aloud as she picked up a rock from a large pile of debris. 

"Is there any reason in particular? Do you just think he's weird, or is something else going on?" Luce asked. She had a broom in hand and was sweeping away the smaller chunks of wall that had fallen onto the grass.

"Rune is a figure of legend where I'm from. Loduke is based around the monarchy and the knights who serve the royalty," Iris began. "You see, a few generations ago, a princess of Loduke was kidnapped. She was the great-grandmother to the current princess, Anneliese. Lena Tiabeanie was taken and held hostage by a dark sorcerer by the name of Claudius. Her knight, Rune, tracked her down and managed to distract Claudius long enough to rescue his love. They married soon after and conceived a child within a year."

"It's a legend about love then, huh?" S.M. questioned.

"Yes. Rune was known for having green hair and wielding a sword. He could ride a horse or go on foot when fighting. Some call him the White Knight, others the Legendary Paladin. He's known everywhere on Loduke... Our Rune didn't ride a horse, but he sure did use a sword and fight on foot. Plus, he had green hair," Iris frowned. "I'm starting to wonder if something is afoot here..."

"Afoot? What is that supposed to mean?" Luce picked up a particularly large rock. She had seen others make the stones levitate and fly off to the garbage bin Minerva had set up, so she attempted to do the same. As was expected, the rock exploded, leaving her to sigh in frustration and try not to slam her head into the nearest flat surface (the brick walls of Sacred Heart). 

"What if Rune came back from the dead?" Iris wondered. "I mean, it's possible. There are many variations of magic on Loduke, and some of them involve spiritual manipulation. I'm sure somebody could pull such a thing off..."

"Rune looked a bit too real to be a spirit back from the dead. Maybe that's just how I feel though," S.M. shrugged. "Then again, there's no such magic where I come from."

"I guess we'll just have to see later on," Iris sighed with a shake of her head. "It bothers me is all. I don't know of anybody who would have that same skill with a sword and the green hair. It's not exactly common on Loduke. It's something that's been passed down through the Tiabeanie line ever since Rune came into the family, but before then, it was rare at best. Even now, there aren't many, commoners or otherwise, who have that green hair color."