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Ruin Explorers	By : yukisan Category: +M to R > Ruin Explorers (Hiky? Tanken Famu to ?r?) > Ruin Explorers (Hiky? Tanken Famu to ?r?) Views: 1023 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Ruin Explorers or the characters nor make any profit from this.

Chapter List
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Ruin Explorers

Chapter Two: Trouble in Reon
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lyle woke in a cold sweat again. It was the same dream that he had been having since he sent his friends off a week ago. It was plaguing him. It didn't seem to matter if he was awake or asleep. The visions were so vivid. He felt like it had happened or would happen. Something seemed so familiar.
But it was always the same. The woman that he saw was blurry and he could never make her out clearly. But he remembered her black hair and blue dress. He got out of bed and dressed before splashing water on his face He had learned in the last few days that he couldn't sleep after the dream.
He descended the stairs and met Eileen, the head kitchen servant at the bottom. “Your Highness? What are you doing up so early?” she asked as she continued to knead the bread. “It's not even dawn.”
“I couldn't sleep,” he replied with a half smile.
“Well, we can fix that,” she said before stopping and turning around. She retrieved a pitch and cup, pouring him a drink then handing it to him. “Warm milk, Your Highness, it does wonders.” Eileen winked at him.
“Thank you, Eileen,” he replied before drinking the beverage. It couldn't hurt. If, by some miracle, it worked, then he could get a few more hours of sleep before dealing with the issues ahead.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
They had been in the village for three days. And it would take another three before they would see the castle. Rasha was getting antsy. “Hurry up, Miguel. By the gods, you are slow,” she hissed at him as he lingered in the market for goods. The soldiers would be moving out soon and she wanted to go back to the camp to hurry them along.
“Just give me a few more minutes. We aren't set to leave until noon,” he snapped back. Rasha had become a pain in the ass the last three days. She seemed to never want to be away from Lyle's side. Her thirst for money had become ridiculous. He turned and walked toward her, passing the woman by as she was looking the other way. “Are you coming?” he called back.
“Dammit, asshole,” she huffed as she started after him.
By the time the two arrived at the camp, the soldiers had already packed what little they had and had put out the fires. Miguel glanced at Rasha who had rode ahead to talk to Rais, the first lieutenant of Lyle's growing army. Within the next half hour, they were on their way home.
The journey over the proceeding three days was uneventful and boring. All Miguel had for entertainment was Rasha and her thin tolerance for his goading. It wasn't until they topped the hill that overlooked the valley where Lyle had the castle rebuilt that he noticed a change in her.
He pushed his horse next to hers as they descended the grassy hill. “Happy to be back?” he asked, glancing over. She stared off in space. “Rasha?”
“Yeah,” she replied at his clipped tone.
“What's wrong?”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“I asked are you happy to be back?” he repeated, watching her closely.
“Of course,” she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. She hoped that Miguel didn't notice. The sense of familiarity came over her but Rasha pushed it aside. It was a ridiculous notion because she knew Ihrie wasn't even on the same island. The woman was out trying to recover some crazy imaginable treasure that just didn't exist. Rugudorull taught her that. Looking for power would destroy you.
The gates opened when they approached and the group began the trek through the outer part of the city.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
In a dark room in Reon, a man sat smiling at his reflection. The mirror worked and he was finally able to see his prey. They would all pay for their interference in his plans and he would have what he wanted. He had worked twelve long years trying to find Ihrie. Her magic was the strongest and she was the only one that could oppose him. And he couldn't let that happen, he was so close.
The sounds of footsteps echoed around him. “Master,” a voice whispered, breaking the silence and echoing off the walls.
“Yes,” he replied, not taking his eyes off of his reflection.
“We have the location of where she might be traveling to,” the man spoke, kneeling to hand him the papers. He hoped to win the favor of his master.
“Good work, Talgen,” he smirked. “That was faster than I expected. Now bring her back to me alive,” he stressed.
“What about her friends?”
“I care nothing for her companions.”
“I understand, Master,” he said and stood. The man was tall with jet black hair and dark blue eyes. His clothes suggested a master sorcerer because of the detail in the fabric. The robes were a dark red with black lining and he wore a golden dragon around his neck. He retreated into the shadows before vanishing in a black cloud.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ihrie could see the castle through the trees as they followed the road. She was relieved to see it looked older than the accounts she had heard. With luck and hope, there would be something that would give her a clue. After the last quest, she needed something solid and promising. And no princes with revenge in their eye would be welcomed. “Come on. We have to find a safe way in,” she shouted over her shoulder before heeling her horse forward.
The trio trotted to a stop at the edge of the rumble and descended the horses, securing them to a tree before the questions started.
“What about Shigeo, Ihrie?” she asked as she glanced from him to her.
“I'm coming,” he answered her, staring at Ihrie, waiting for her to argue. “I could be useful to you, and besides, I don't want any treasure you might find.”
She relented, not wanting to delay the search. “Fine, let's go,” she said hastily, walking toward the front of the building.
Shigeo smiled, looking at Fam who winked at him before following the woman's led. The group made their way through the fallen stones and overgrown brush and roots. Ihrie cut a path straight in, toward the old greeting arch before she stopped. Shigeo stilled, waiting and watching her until she moved to the left, away from him. He glanced at Fam who nodded before he followed her. It wasn't until he had round the taller set of rumble and saw what she must have known about, a break in the exterior wall of the castle.
Ihrie slipped in, taking a few tentative steps forward before stopping to wait on the two behind her. She didn't want to be caught in a trap. Her eyes studied the floor, walls and ceiling. Shigeo stepped beside her as Fam spoke an incantation for light.
“Ihrie?” she whispered.
“What?” she asked, turning to see the woman who was pointing at some of the engravings on the outside wall.
“I think we should go this way,” Shigeo spoke, gaining the duo's attention.
Ihrie glared at him until he pointed at a glimmer that caught her eye. Why hadn't she noticed that before Fam chanted the spell. “Good eye,” she mumbled as she began studying the floor.
“I think it's okay,” he spoke and took several steps toward the long hallway.
She shook her head. “It's foolish to just go walking about,” she bit at him, following his led. A noise behind her caught her attention and Ihrie glanced back to see a very large, and very sharp, razor swinging her way. She heard Fam squeak before she was push out of the way. The heavy weight on top of her made it hard to breathe and she opened her eyes to see Shigeo over her.
“Are you okay?” he whispered to her.
“Shigeo,” she spoke, confused and unsure of what was happening.
“I'm sorry, Ihrie,” he said, heaving himself off of her, extending a hand to the woman.
She took it as he lifted her to her feet. “Thank you,” she whispered. “That was really weird.” She followed him as Fam moved to their side of the hall.
“Ihrie, are you alright!?” she spoke, concern filling her voice.
“Yeah, I'm fine,” she replied, smiling at her friend to ease the worry. But the truth was, it wasn't the near-death experience that had her trembling, but the man that stood beside her. 'What the hell is wrong with me?' she chastised herself moving to the front of the group.
“We'll start at the end and work our way back,” she told them, carefully taking note of her surroundings. She didn't want another incident. And she didn't want Shigeo to think he was invaluable in their searches.
Ihrie paused as a feeling of familiarity swept over her. She was staring at the other end of the corridor when her vision began to blur. A green field came into focus, the tall grass swaying in the wind, as a castle on the next hill emerged out of the mist. It looked to be a new castle and when she glanced down, her clothing gave her pause.
Instead of seeing her armor and tattered, dirty clothes, Ihrie found herself in a dark blue dress that fluttered with the wind and grass. She glanced back up to see a shadowy, fuzzy figure walking toward her. Black hair was kicked into her face from a strong breeze and when she pulled it away, the figure was gone. She stood alone on the hill that overlooked a peaceful kingdom. Then, just as suddenly as the vision appeared, it disappeared and Ihrie found herself looking down the hallway of the old and musty castle.
“Are you okay?” Shigeo asked the woman, lightly touching her shoulder as he looked at her.
“Yeah,” she replied, moving forward. Whatever she had just seen, Ihrie knew that she couldn't began to understand, or even explain, what had happened. She knew that Shigeo didn't believe her answer but there wasn't much he could do or say to get her to talk.
“Ihrie?” Fam spoke, causing her to stop in her tracks and turn. “You don't look well.” She knew she had to be careful and keep a close eye on the female. The trance-like state she had slipped into sowed a seed of uneasiness in Fam. Their voices hadn't reached her and shaking hadn't helped either.
She glanced at Shigeo, remembering the comments he had made before. Ihrie's eyes looked like he had described them, hollow and blank. It ate at her knowing that her friend choose to keep it to herself.
“Come on, Fam,” she said, lying a hand on her friend. “I'm okay, so don't worry.” She smiled, reassuring the woman. “We have to find something or else this is a waste. Treasure doesn't wait around forever.” She moved to take the led again. They didn't have to treat her like a baby. She could take care of herself, but Ihrie also realized that they must know something was wrong.
Fam looked at the man who nodded.
“Fam, get up here. You have the light,” she clipped behind her.
“Coming,” she called back, hurrying to her side.
The trio walked the hall in silence, carefully taking their time until they could see the light was coming from behind a door. The entrance had elegant and ornate engravings with jewels embedded deep within the grain. In the center, there was a waning moon, letting the light that drew their attention exit.
“Look like this is it,” she replied as she hesitated before moving to open the door. Ihrie wasn't completely sure of what was in the room and she suddenly felt like she wasn't sure if she wanted to know. But there seemed to be a pull and with the two behind her, silent urging her forward, left the woman with no chance.
The block of wood opened to reveal a trunk, just as ornate, sitting on the other side of the decorated room. There was a plush and decorative rug under the chest as well as tapestries hanging on the walls, surrounding them in a story of images.
“Wow,” Fam's voice echoed around them, “look at the beautiful pictures, Ihrie.”
But to the woman, her voice had faded to a low hum. She was alone in the room and the strongbox glowed, beckoning her to it. The surroundings seemed to disappear as Ihrie took the first few steps. Shigeo's voice was lost to her until she felt hands grab her from behind.
“I said stop, Ihrie,” he huffed at her, angry that she was not listening and obeying his order.
Ihrie blinked and glanced down, seeing the blue dress from before fading to familiar red armor. She noticed arms around her mid-section and felt a hot breathe on her neck.
“Ihrie,” he whispered, “please wake up.”
Everything suddenly focused and she found herself in his hold. Embarrassed and confused, Ihrie jerked away. “What the hell are you doing!?”
“Trying to get your attention. I guess it worked,” he bit back, dropping his grip on her and taking a step back. “What did you think you were doing?”
She stared at him for a moment, unsure of what he was talking about. The confusion could be seen in her face but she knew what she saw. However, to her friends, it appeared that she was blacking out. Or going crazy. All Ihrie knew was that, whatever was in the trunk was important and something she had to see. Especially if she was hallucinating.
“I was walking to the chest,” she piped back. “We came here to see if there was anything valuable and I'm going to look and see what's inside.” It wasn't a lie, but her intentions had become altered since she entered the ruins.
Shigeo didn't believe her and stepped around the woman. “I think someone else should open it,” he spoke, moving to touch the trunk only to be thrown back.
Fam yelped in surprise before running to Shigeo's side. “What happened?” she asked, looking to Ihrie who shrugged her shoulders.
“I don't know,” she finally replied in exasperation.
“Should I-” Fam began before her friend cut her off.
“No, I don't want you hurt,” she ordered as Shigeo picked himself up off the floor. “I didn't cast the spell you know,” she smiled at him as he caught his breathe. It served him right to think he could meddle so easily with magic.
“Who the hell are you?” a female voice in the threshold caught their attention.
Ihrie looked up to see a medium height woman with sandy blonde hair and green eyes. A tall man stood behind her but she couldn't make out his features in the shadows. “We're looking for treasure,” she spoke, carefully watching them as she moved into their eye-line of the trunk.
“We were here first,” she spat out and stepped inside, walking past the woman. The reds and greens of her clothes told Ihrie that she was a magic-user. And when the man filled the door frame, the woman didn't need to see the sword on his side to know he was the muscle of the two. His light armor was polished and he wore dark green shirt with black pants.
“I wouldn't do that if I were you-” she said, cutting her words off when the trunk rejected her. “I told you,” she commented, staring at the angry woman on the floor.
“You bitch,” she started before the man took a couple of steps toward her.
Ihrie could see his black hair and sharp, cold, steel-blue eyes. He reminded her of Shigeo.
“Calm down, Ava,” he spoke, “it has a spell.” She glanced up at him then over to the trunk then to the woman staring at her.
“You should have at least listened to me,” Ihrie barked out, turning to move toward the chest.
Everyone held their breathe when she reached out to touch it.
Ihrie could feel the tension in the room dissipate as a field came into focus around her. The chest sat a foot away. She looked behind her, finding herself alone before noticing her change of clothing. The woman took a deep breathe and tentatively reached out to touch the top of the wood. She felt a strange tingling begin in her hand before she pulled it back, but it continued.
The contents suddenly began glowing, letting light peek out through the cracks of the box. She looked for a lock but it didn't seem to have one. Whoever placed the spell believed it would be sufficient protection. But she wondered why she was able to get so close. She didn't hesitate a second time to open the trunk.
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Ruin Explorers