Prologue


The young boy twisted and writhed on his bed, sweat running down his forehead, falling on the pillow he rested on. Nearby him, two healing-women were watching worriedly.

"What do you think it is, Nela?" The younger of the two asked timidly. She had a fearful look on her face, and seemed wary of approaching the bed the feverish boy was laying on.

"It's like nothing I've ever seen before. No herbs, or white magic will cure him. I'm mystified myself. The best we can do, as I see it, is to make him as comfortable as possible." The older, more assured woman said with conviction, but if you had good hearing, you would be able to detect the faint strains of doubt in her voice.

She made as if to approach the bed, and her companion followed with obvious reluctance.

When they were about two feet from the bed, the boy suddenly began to convulse. His back arched periodically, and his eyes, previously shut, shot open. Weak, hacking coughs, came from his mouth, and seemed to sap what little strength he still had.

The two healers instinctively hurried to his side, but in doing so, were coughed on. This fact, however, went unnoticed.

30 minutes later, the young boy left the land of the living.

Four days later, the healing woman and her apprentice joined him.

Somewhere Out There ...

"Hey, Lina, where are we going now?" A tall, masculine blond man, with the look of a mercenary around him asked a shorter, redhead girl.

"Well, the nearest village from here is a day's walk, so I think we'll reach it tomorrow afternoon." The little redhead girl said.

"Sounds good to me."

Behind them, two voices could be heard muttering.

"Why don't they ever ask us before they decide where we're going?" one asked petulantly.

The other sighed. "Amelia, they are the most inconsiderate people in our group."

Amelia blinked. "That's true Zelgadiss-san."

And so the merry group continued on it's way.


Chapter 1   |   Fanfiction