Canceled Version 4 Chapter 4

Hunter pulled the bike over, lifting his goggles. "We just ask 'nicely' around then where we kill the person." s.h.i.+fting his weight around. "That's how it usually would be, but...," His voice hesitant. "We need to keep a low profile for this one."

Kyle raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?"

Hunter got off the bike. "He might turn tail and, well, run and hide if they catch wind they are being hunted." His expression stiffened more.

"True, especially if he here's a look-alike is causing him trouble." He looked over to Kyle. "Hitting the nail in the coffin, aren't I?"

Hunter scoffed at him, looked over at sea. He noticed there was a storm on its way in the distance. "Let's find a place to make camp." He walked over to the supplies, getting ready for a long night.

Kyle looked over to him. "Why? We still have half a day of light left. Besides we are only a day and a half away from Stonebeak. So, why camp here?" Kyle puzzled by Hunters willingness to set camp early.

Hunter looked over at Kyle. "Look over the waters. A huge storm is approaching and if we continued we'd be caught in its wrath on the road and be goners." Lifting the camping gear off the bike.

Kyle turned his attention over to the sea; his eye's widened. "Oh yeah, its storm season here." Hopping off the bike. "I totally forgot that." Helping Hunter with carrying the load of gear.

"Set the camp up, and I'll go look for some firewood. Plus, with the possibility of some forest food." Hunters face concerned about something. Kyle went to ask him what's bothering him so much but was too late; he was gone. He then turned his attention back to fixing camp up for the night.

A few hours later Hunter returned with firewood and two rabbits in hand. Kyle Finished covering the bike to weather the storm. Dropping his load, Hunter began to set up the fire. Kyle looked over to him, walked over to him. Standing just out of view. "What's got you worried Hunter?" Kyle concerned for his friend's unusual behaviour.

"Igneous, Flareous!" Hunter lit the fire, his attention then turn to Kyle's question. "It this 'Lovell,' the fact that he looks an awful lot like me in his appearance. Makes me uncomfortable." Sitting back while he stoked the fire.

Kyle turned his head over to the approaching storm, now only kilometres away. "Well, it does limit your actions." Kyle turned back to Hunter. "He would be more of a ha.s.sle if he was like Fang." Readying the rabbits to roast, as he sat by the fire. "But I can see your more concerned if you tipped him off, and he disappears before you can reach him." Staking the meat by the fire. "Or is the fact that you might be related make you unsettled?"

Hunter stared at the fire. "Both, and I have no idea why it makes me concerned. I'm a clone of the Lord's dead grandson." Shaking his head. "Ark's wife died long ago with their son. But the possibility of him being his grandson. Does make me concerned as well."

Kyle turned the roasting rabbits. "If he is his Grandson, you will try and convince him to join? Won't you?" Looking up at Hunter.

"If that's even possible." Grabbing one of the rabbits. "besides from our sources say a woman called Marie Keya raised him. A human. Where Azoths wife was a beastman." Tearing a chunk off. "besides he shows no beastman traits."

Kyle grabbing his share. "true but is said that theyan, beastman crossbreeds don't show their beastman heritage out in public.'" Taking a bite. "Besides, if it was him. He would only be quarter beastfolk." Kyle lowered the cooked rabbit. "Azoth is only half theyan, half human after all. So, he would be half theyan, quarter human, quarter beastman."

Hunter scowled at the thought. "Let's finish eating. The storm is almost upon us." Kyle nodded as they finished their meal.

Dawn came with the storm pa.s.sing by only moments after they woke. Kyle restarted the fire, then prepared some warm food with coffee. Hunter dragged himself out at the smell of food. Kyle handed him some coffee.

"So, glad the storm left. It was worse than Fredric's lectures." Kyle commented as Hunter slowly came back to the world. "You slept well?"

Hunter took a sip of his coffee. "Like a log. It was so soothing that sound of thunder overhead." He pulled out the holographic map. Taking another sip. "if we cut through the forest we should reach Stonebeak by lunch."

Kyle expressed his displeasure on the thought. "What is there a landslide on the road?"

Closing the map., "Yes, at the junction."

Kyle glared at the thought of going through the forest. Sighing, "Fine, but no stunts where our lives are at risk." Getting up, Kyle started to pack up the things. Hunter finished his coffee to help, insured Kyle that would not happen with the condition of the ground.

Packed up the two, the readied themselves for the rough ride ahead. Hunter began revving the engine, Kyle preparing himself on the back as they took off. Upon arrival, Kyle glanced around the old mining town, had seen better days.

"Let's head to the pub." Kyle suggests as they got off the bike. "they might have more info for you Hunter, than the locals."

Hunter agreeing, locked up the hoverbike. They headed to the pub. The bartender was looking over as he was still fixing some damage. "May I help you, men?"

Hunter walked over. "Yes, but first what happened in here." Acting as if he cared.

Kyle found a seat; the bartender wiped his hands. "About a month ago a daemon picked a fight with a young man. Ending up being killed by the young man. Though –"

Hunter cutting him off, "Who was this young man?" now interested.

The bartender was grabbing his chin in thought. "If I remember right I think it was Lovell?" Hunters eye lit up, Kyle turning to Hunter. "Yes, it was Lovell! Though some soldiers took him from Grand Dale." Hunter enraged from finding out that his quarry was in Grand Dale. "Why do you ask?"

Kyle answered his question, "We were looking for into some rumours about someone named Lovell." Smiling at him. "It piqued our curiosity that's all." Kyle was covering up the fact that they were Faremin soldiers. Hunter kept silent.

"I see well that's all I know of him. Since I hid away for most of the disaster." The bartender was looking at the damage.

Kyle was smiling as he coaxed Hunter out. Once outside, Kyle looked at Hunter. "Let us head to Mourn Fortress."

Hunter agitated, "Why?"

Kyle cleaned his gla.s.ses, "We need a new approach to finding him now that he's been in Grand Dale." Placing his gla.s.ses back on. Hunter stared at him. "He might not even be there anymore, and the men of the fortress might have heard of something. Like where he went from Grand Dale." Looking into Hunter's glare. "It seems to me he's not going to stay put or has moved on in the search for our prized quarry." Hunter remembering that they had to let him find Luna.

Before they headed back to the bike, Kyle dragged Hunter down the alley. He was covering Hunters mouth. Hunter was trying to remove his hand till seeing a dark-haired man with brown skin walk past the alleyway they were hiding. Hunter was shaken by what he saw looked at Kyle.

"That was Fang, wasn't?" Hunter quietly asked as Kyle removed his hand.

"Yes," Kyle softly spoke going into thought. "but why is he here?" Hunter just as puzzled, shrugged his shoulders. Looking out to see if he was gone noticed that he was not alone. "Who is that he's with." Hunter peering around the corner noticed the person. It was a young woman with pale skin and silver hair.

"I don't know, but he looks like he's guarding her or something?" Then noticed Fang bowing at the woman. Her stance stern as she seemed to hide concern for something.

"Luna we must be heading out. The champion you seek is no longer here." Fangs voice echoed. Hunter and Kyle overheard the name. Froze, they realized that the same Luna they where seeking was with Fang.

"We will find him." Her voice reached their ears. They continued to eavesdrop as they were stuck until they left. "Even if I don't know his name. I will find him with your help mister Krisnik."

"Luna please call me Fang. It makes me uneasy when others hear that last name." Their voices were fading away. Kyle looked around the corner again.

Letting out a sigh of relief. "they've left." Looking at Hunter. "Now we know that Luna is with Fang, this is not going to be easy."

Hunter was glancing over. "yeah this mission just got really hard." Smiling, "and I like it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey, Lovell? When will we reach the border to the elven kingdom?" Lance complained.

"Tomorrow for sure," climbing over the small ledge. Then pulling Gale up before Lance got over. "it also depends if we can get to the top of the ridge without you stopping every ten minutes." Lovell was slightly irritated with him.

Lance groaned as he helped him up. They all looked up. Seeing the top, a short distance away. Lovell continued shortly after with Gale behind him. Lance was groaning at a range, made his way up after them. By the time he reached the top, Lovell and Gale were looking at the forest's edge. Falling flat on his b.u.t.t, exhausted.

"You feel uneasy too." Gale was looking over to Lovell. A cold sweat was running down his back as he looked into the forest.

"Yeah, like there's an ambush waiting inside the moment we enter." Lovell gripped the hilt of one his of long swords. Lance still huffing behind them.

He looked over. "Are. We. Going. In?" He huffed.

Lovell and gale looked at him. "Yes, we are, Lance."

"Oh, great. Just...just let me get my breath back." Flopping onto his back.

"Gale be ready not to attack." Lovell's eyes fixated deep within the branches of the forest.

Gale looked over at him. "So, that we don't cause a problem?" Lovell nodded. "Great, so we tie our gear up. To ensure we can't draw them?"

"Yes," Looking at Lance. "Did you hear us, Lance?" Lance was giving a thumbs up. "okay we are camping here to ready ourselves for what's inside these forest walls." Gale was setting down his gear. "come on you. You need to help out or no dinner." Lance jumped up, Lovell giving him his pack.

Lance glared as Lovell walked over to a spot to set the fire. Lance then began to set the sleeping bags up, as Gale chopped the food. Lovell readied the cooking stand as Gale asked if the cuts were alright. Lovell said they would do. Lance gathered the cured meat from his bag. He was pa.s.sing it to Lovell, adding it to the meal, placing the ingredients in the pot together for a stew. Once the stew was done, Lance moved the bowls of food to Gale and Lovell.

As he sat, Lance turned to Lovell. "So, what's possibly waiting for us in the forest?"

Lovell, taking a mouth full of the stew looked up. "Elven sentries or of the sort." Taking another mouthful before continuing. "possibly to find intruders to their land." Lowering his bowl, Lovell looked back at the forest. "They know where we are and know that we have intentions of entering, but." Looking out of the corner of his eyes. "they will wait till we are too far in to run back out. With the other possibility of us being surrounded at the same time."

Lance was not feeling secured by the thought. Looked over to the forest. "So, we are just going to walk in and be captured?"

"Yes, Lance." Gale sat his empty bowl down. "We have no other choice if we want to find Grandmother K."

Lovell was getting up. "well, you're finished eating. You'll be on the first watch, Lance."

"What? Gale tell me I don't have to listen to him on this?"

"Sorry, but I'm with Lovell on this one. Though I'm on the second watch." Looking over to Lovell as he tucked in for the night, getting up to do the same.

"But—but?" Lance tried to protest. Sitting like a b.u.mp on a log, pouting to himself.

As the sun peeked over the horizon, Lovell woke Lance and Gale. Lance still groggy had a piece of bread shoved in his mouth when he yawned. They all sealed their weapons to ensure no bloodshed. They packed the last of the gear. Lovell glanced at the edge of the forest once more.

"Ready?" Gale asked.

"Yeah, I'm ready." Lovell looked over to him.

"I'm not!"

They looked back at Lance placing the last of the gear on his pack. "Hurry up Lance. They don't have all day, waiting for us to enter foolishly."

Lance ran up to them, now all packed. "well they kind of do really, but you also said—" Lovell growled. "okay, never mind me."

The trio walked in. Just as Lovell thought, they followed them as they had entered. Keeping an ear to them, Lovell held calm. Lance was trailing behind as Gale walked close to Lovell. After walking for two hours, Lovell stopped. Gale stopped just short from Lovell's position, while Lance ran into them.

"What are we—" arrows are drawn towards them, "—stopping for?" Lance was raising his hands, while Lovell and Gale did not.

"State your business here Humans?" One of the elves demanded.

Lovell smiled. "where is your leader?" They drew their bows back farther.

"Lovell this is not the time." Lance gritted out.

They were ready to release their arrows when a voice shot out. "Wait, did you say Lovell?" An elf with a beast like features appeared from the treetops.

"Sire, they are –"

"You will not harm my little brother and his company!" The young lord barked. Lowering their bows still drawn. "Sorry, about that. My name is Kratos."

Lovell stunned when he said he was his brother. Gale stepped up. "I'm Prince Gale McKnight. This is Lance Pendragon, back there and this is, as you already know, is Lovell Krisnik." Lances waved sheepishly at Kratos.

Lovell snapped out. "Whoa, whoa? How are you even related to me?" confused about the matter.

Kratos turned his back to Lovell. "we have the same mother." As he walked away, the elves forced the group forward. Lovell still not understanding what was going on.

'I have a brother?' thinking to himself. 'this is just crazy. It might have been in the letter,

but I left it with Grailla for safe keeping.'

As they approached the elven city, Kratos looked back at Lovell. He seemed to be surprised that he had to know idea he had a brother. Kratos started to deal with the guards; a sour look ran across his face. Looking back at the trio, he nodded. The men that guided them there left. Though they were not out of the woods yet, a set of palace guards surrounded them. Lovell, no longer impressed by what was going on, looked at Kratos. His expression was the same as his. The men led them to the King with Kratos at the head.

Once they reached the throne room, Kratos walked next to the king. "So, what business do three humans want in our kingdom?" The king roared. "To so blatantly enter?"

"Lord Vain, we—" Gale trying to speak.

"Silence you! I can tell you are not the leader of your quarrel." King Vain barked.

Lovell stepped forward to the king. "We are on our way to see grandmother K. Lord Vain."

"Little old me, you say?" the voice of an elderly woman approached from the shadows. Lovell stared at the old woman. "and who might you be a theyan mix?"

Her words catching the king and his men off guard, Kratos sneered a smile in the corner. Lovell closed his eye's "I'm Lovell Krisnik ma'am."

In the blink of an eye, she was at Lovell's face. "Oh my…" Her eyes filled with joy. "How is Marie doing my boy?"

Lovell shocked to learn that his mother knew her. "She was killed a little over twenty years ago." His voice saddened.

"So, she died protecting our secret." She said to herself. "well, its high time you know who I am, Lovell." Her attention turned to him. "I am Kora Krisnik, your grandmother." Lovell dropped his mouth as words could not escape. Lance trying to clear his ears and Gale stood still in shock. "Lovell, have you read your mothers letter?"

The words were returning to him. "No, I left it with a good friend to take care of, why?"

Kora closing her eye's in disappointment. "Well, it tells you who you are? Who your mother and father are? As well as both of your half-brothers."

"hhalf-brothers!?" Lovell stuttered

Lance and gale stood in shock as the words rolled out. "Yes, your father had a son a hundred years ago with another woman before meeting your mother. Who was married to an elven lord at the time." Lovell looked at Kratos, "Kratos is only a year older than you. Though his father only married her for status."

Kratos looked at Lovell. "My father was a drunk n.o.ble. The king raised me out of our mothers wish. For my safety." Looking at the lord Vain. "thankfully your grandmother came to visit me. She kept me in line more times than I could count. Even though the king has never known that I had any siblings."

Lovell looked back at Kora. "Why?" anger started to build up inside him. "Why did you not try and find me?" Yelling at Kora. She could only close her eyes. "Why did you not look into seeing if I was ok or that the woman I-I called mother was alive?" tears began to well up. "Did you not hear of Blacklights fall? Huh? Some family you are?" the tears streaming out. "Why? Just why?"

Kora opened her eyes, "because I hoped that you would seek me out if anything happened to you. I had hoped Marie told you to find me." Tears escaped her own eyes. "I could only hope…please forgive me, Lovell. Please forgive me."

Sadness filled the room as they conversed their feelings. Lovell looked at his grandmother. "I did find you though. I'm both overflowing with joy and frustration." Hugging her tight. "You could only hope. Whereas I suffered without even knowing that I had any family left." They looked in each other's eyes. "I found you not knowing I was going to find family." Lovell let out a smile.

Kora still teary-eyed, dried her eye's. "So, what is it you were looking for before all of this?"

He was drying his eyes. Lovell looked back at Gale and Lance, they both nodded with a smile. Closing his eyes, he regained his composure. "I'm looking for a girl with silver hair and eyes with a milky complexion."

Kora stared into his eyes, "what's so important that you find her?"

Lance and Gale looked at each other. Even they Had no idea why she was so important to him. Lovell closed his eyes once more. Then looking long and hard into Kora's, "because I made a promise to her as an infant to protect her. For the fact is that she the is the reincarnation of Lunatica."

The room echoed of whispers of shock. Kora's jaw gaped open. "Lovell are you certain?"

Lovell glanced at the people in the room. "More than certain. She has the mark on her chest." Lovell's eyes burned with pa.s.sion. "So, do you—"

Kora stopped him. "I am going to stop you there." Lovell stood back. "No, I don't know of her. Though you should probably check the last place, you saw her?"

"Marewood, of course." Lovell felt dumb after thinking about it. "Mr. and Mrs. Humbly! Do you know if they are still alive?"

Kora smiled. "Yes, they should be, but Lovell?" Her eyes dimmed. "Marewood is now part of the Faremin kingdom. Just as a friendly warning."

Lovell looked at his friends. They all smiled. "No worries, grandmother will be just fine."

Kora closed her eyes again. "once you find the girl. You will come back here, and we will discuss the next steps on what should happen—"

Lovell cut her off. "To deal with the Lord Tamora?" Hatred filled his eyes.

Kora was turning away. "Yes, that." Something was bothering her as she turned away, though Lovell did not want to ask what she had on her mind. Lovell decided to ignore her worries. "Kratos."

"Yes, Kora?"

They are looking back at Lovell. "Lead them to the dragon grounds. So that they can reach the outskirts of Marewood." Kratos nodded, leading Lovell and his friends to the dragon grounds. "Oh, Terrance. Look at what have you done. To your family." Tears are flowing down as King Vain helped her to the gardens.