"Anything for you, baby." Sheena said casually. She turned with her back to the sky, leaning on the railing. She flipped her luscious red locks over her shoulder. She was clad in a skimpy set of lingerie and high heels.
"Sheena..." she said dulcetly. He turned to her.
"Yeah?"
"I've been wanting to tell you this for such a long time..." she murmured softly. "I find you...so attractive. I was wondering if...if, well..."
"Go on..." Sheena urged hungrily. She batted her eyelashes and giggled bashfully.
"Would you make love to me? Right now?" she begged. "I cannot wait any longer!" Sheena grinned from ear to ear.
"Why, of course I would, baby. I'd love to." he said suavely. He took a step towards her.
"DRAGON!" an enthusiastic voice cried. "I must ride it!" Kent flew out of the shadows and landed on the beautiful woman's shoulders, gleefully kicking his legs.
"EEEEEEEK!" the woman shrieked, losing her balance and toppling over the cliff to her doom. Sheena, stunned, sat there for a moment.
Mostly, he was wondering how that idiot, Kent, had wandered into one of his fantasies.
"You are so dead." he growled at the pre-teen.
"Who are you talking to, Sheena?" Haley asked worriedly. Sheena snapped abrubtly back into reality. Dang it, not only did he not get the girl, he couldn't even live out his Kent-maiming fantasy. Nuts.
"Uh...Kent?" he offered, hoping he didn't sound like a complete lunatic. Haley frowned.
"Kent's stuck in the tree across the road, remember? Ozzie's over getting him loose. Were you daydreaming again?" she said. They were sitting on rocks beneath the shade of a tree beside the road leading back to Highway Village. Indeed, Sheena could hear the shouts of Kent from across the road, and the agitated replies of Ozzie.
"Something like that..." he replied to her.
"I'm stuuuuck~!" Kent wailed from the tree.
"If you don't try a little harder, I'll get myself a big stick, you hear me?!" Ozzie's bellow floated across the road.
"...Maybe we should help him out." Haley suggested.
"We might as well, although I think we'd be better off leaving Kent in the tree..." Sheena sighed.
"Be nice." Haley said, rising to her feet with a smirk. She certainly seemed to be in a better mood now that Zelda wasn't bringing them all down.
"Oh, sure, easy for you to say...it's his own fault he's up there..." Sheena protested.
"You've done plenty of stupid things before, Sheena." Haley countered. "Remember the time you swiped that Fire Rune of my father's and ended up backfiring and burning off all your clot---"
"Let's go help Ozzie." Sheena said sharply, rushing across the road. Haley smiled triumphantly, and followed him.
******
The blue-gray baby dragon cocked his head to the side, gazing questioningly at his master. It was a suspicious scene, to say the least. Sprawled out on the road from Highway to Rockaxe Castle were two healthy, albeit nervous, parents. Healthy, aside from the fact that they had inhaled a noxious cloud of smoke and were now unconscious. Standing over them, muttering annoyedly, was a child-sized creature---a goblin, rare in any part of the world---clad in grubby brown robes that did little to compliment or conceal his leathery gray skin. He had miniscule, apparently non-functional batlike wings protruding from holes he had cut messily in the back of his robes. Two small horns adorned his forehead. On the side of the road was a tiny winged dragon, a hatchling, not yet mature.
"Of course I've got the antidote, Solomon." the goblin snapped irritably. "I'm not so stupid as to leave it behind!"
The dragon, Solomon, snorted skeptically and shuffled away to find something to eat. The goblin continued to search through the pockets of his garment.
"Where is that blasted powder...??" he wondered aloud.
After a few more minutes of fruitless searching, he found the vial he was looking for.
"Eureka! Come, Solomon. I have found it!!" he cried shrilly, dancing an evil little jig. The dragon poked his head out of the bushes, uninterested.
"Grrrrl." Solomon grunted. The goblin faltered.
"Wait...but if I revive them here, they will surely attack us! Curses! How am I going to remove these nuisances, Solomon?" he said. Solomon made a swishing motion with his tail. The goblin's beady eyes lit up.
"Mwahaha! Perfect, Solomon. I shall throw it at them, and run away with great haste! What a miraculous solution!" he cackled. He beckoned to his dragon, who plodded over from the side of the road. Solomon was apparently just the right size for the goblin, who eagerly hopped on his back.
"Ready, Solomon? When I count to 'three', you go as fast as you can towards Highway, understand?"
Solomon moved his head lazily in a sign of his acquiesence.
"Onnne...twooooooooo...." the goblin counted. Solomon, tired of waiting, took off. "Aaack! Solomonnn!" he cried. Almost forgetting his goal, he tossed the vial backwards at the last second. The glass shattered as it hit the dirt road, enveloping the unconscious parents in another oddly-colored smoke cloud.
"Kwahahaha! Victory!" the goblin piped, turning his head frontward again just in time to see the pack of wild boars that was charging straight at them.
His anguished cries echoed across the valley.
******
Glorious battle hymns roared through Lepant's mind. He could feel the surge of dramatic battle music pulsing through his veins. It was to be his finest hour! Finally, he would be recognized as a true Hero once more. He raised the large stick he had been using in battle.
"Lepant, we can't last like this any longer..." Eileen said desperately from behind him. He ignored her pleas---he had dealt with this before. Adventure, Quests, Destiny---this is what he had been born for. Eileen was merely playing her role as the damsel in distress at the moment. Soon enough, he would be victorious, and they could make sweet, juicy, passionate love once more.
"That's disgusting." muttered Giovanni, his loyal assistant.
"I didn't even say it out loud. How did you...?" Lepant mused.
"I can always tell from your facial expression, you pervert." Giovanni said with a hint of a rare smirk. "Your mind's usually in the gutter."
"Nonsense, my loyal Giovanni!" Lepant laughed. "My mind is in the loftiest of places, in the hallowed halls of Glory!" Eileen cried out in terror.
"Lepant, we need to escape. Look at that--the Harpy is still paralyzed, still frozen! However, do you see the size of the wind-energy field it's generating?? It'll blow us all to Kanakan!" she urged. Indeed, the scarlet-feathered birdwoman was gathering all the wind forces in the area to its aid.
"The Shredding," Giovanni chanted, attacking with his Wind Rune. To his dismay, the wind force of the spell only served to make the growing field of magic even stronger. "Rats...! We really can't carry on this way, you know."
Lepant ignored him, and shook the stick at the Harpy.
"Villain!" Lepant boomed. "If you would only consent to dying, this would all be over!"
The Harpy, apparently, did not agree with this splendid plan. It screeched deafeningly, and continued to gather the massive ball of wind magic energy.
"Why did you marry such a stubborn man, Eileen?" Giovanni moaned, shaking his head.
"He's a good lover." Eileen said, smiling.
"I'm sorry I asked..." Giovanni grumbled.
******
Clark moaned and rubbed his head. Where on earth was he? He sat up, and blinked. Bleary-eyed, he examined his surroundings. He was covered in dust and dirt and powder of various colors, and there was broken glass everywhere. He was still holding his axe, while his wife's had fallen a few feet away from where she lay beside him.
"...Kent!" he remembered suddenly. As if someone had said the magic words, his wife Lois sprang to her feet abrubtly.
"Clark!!" Lois cried, panicked. "What's going on??"
"I don't know. I don't even remember what happened, but I know we were looking for Kent..." Clark offered. Her eyes widened considerably once more.
"Kent!!! W-we have to find him! Before something terrible happens!" Lois sputtered, grabbing her huge axe. In the direction of Highway Village, they suddenly heard a shrill, horrid cry followed by the bellows of what sounded like a herd of wild boars.
"This way." Clark said nervously, walking westward in haste.
Several hours passed as they walked at a fast pace to the west. At the same time that Sheena, Haley, and Ozzie were attempting to pry Kent out of the tree alongside the northern road on the fork that led to Mount Rakutei, Kent's parents were rushing past the fork towards the seat of Matilda government, Rockaxe Castle.
Along the way, they met two mounted Red Knights.
"Oh! Sir Knight, please..." Lois appealed to him.
"Are you having some trouble, madam?" the first knight inquired. He was a young man that looked to be in his twenties. He had a gentle face crowned by black hair that was pulled up and back into a neat little bun-deal. He was wearing the red uniform marking him as a Red Knight of Matilda, and wore a sword at his side as well.
"Yes, we're looking for our son. He ran away towards Rockaxe..." Clark said. "We live in Highway, and...our son gets overexcited sometimes." The second knight frowned. He was an older man, probably in his late thirties to forties. He was bigger, with broad shoulders and the same red uniform. He had short-cropped brown hair and a stern face with a strong jaw.
"I'm not sure we..." he started.
"Please, we're afraid he'll hurt himself..." Lois begged.
"Of course we'll help them, Mornican." the younger Knight interjected kindly, smiling at Lois.
"Thank you, good Knights." Clark said gratefully.
"If he's in Rockaxe, we should be able to find him fairly easily." the young Knight said. "...Oh, forgive me. I forgot---I'm Sir Kladahar and this is Sir Mornican." He gestured to his less-friendly companion, who nodded wordlessly.
"If you're in a hurry, you'd better ride with us, then." Mornican surmised. He offered Clark a leg up into his horse's saddle. Lois was helped into the other saddle similarly by Kladahar. With that, the two horses trotted off towards Rockaxe Castle, in search of Kent.
******
"You said there was a dragon." Kent sulked as the four kids from Highway walked towards their home village.
"I did not. I said dragonfly. There is a huge difference." Ozzie said darkly.
"Meanie. You've shattered all my dreams." Kent whimpered.
"Somehow I doubt that." Ozzie said.
"Yes you have. They'll never be the way they were." Kent insisted.
"Look, Kent. A rock that looks kind of like a dragon." Sheena said, pointing without a drop of enthusiasm.
"WHERE???" Kent shouted, looking wildly around him.
"Told you." Ozzie said with a smirk.
"Hmph." Kent said sullenly, crossing his arms. "You wouldn't like it very much if I stomped on your destiny." He stuck his tongue out at Ozzie and Sheena.
"Somehow, I get the feeling you'd get along well with my dad, Kent..." Sheena said, rolling his eyes.
"My dad says I'm not to talk to your dad." Kent said matter-of-factly.
"Consider yourself lucky then." Sheena said.
As they neared Highway Village, they passed an area where it looked like a small struggle had taken place---there was dirt strewn everywhere, and broken glass littered the road.
"What happened here?" Haley puzzled.
"I'm not sure..." Sheena replied. "It sure wasn't here when we came through."
"It wasn't here when I came through, either!" Kent said, swelling with importance. Sheena shrugged.
"Whatever it is, it's not important..." he said, turning back and walking towards Highway once more. Ozzie paused, however.
"W-what's that?" he asked, pointing to a plume of smoke rising from the east.
"I don't know." Haley said, peering at it.
"That direction is..." Sheena said uncertainly.
"It couldn't be..." Haley desperately said.
Frantically, they all broke into a run, sprinting for home.
Arriving in Highway, to their horror, they saw a scene out of a nightmare. Well...a bad dream, perhaps. Okay, a mildly unpleasant dream at the very least.
A carriage was overturned in the street. Crates of fresh vegetables had been dumped onto the ground. Two stacks of hay were burning. A crowd of villagers had mixed reactions. Some shook with laughter, some shook their heads in disgust. Some were actually a bit distressed.
"Oh, no...my hay...!" a man moaned, unenthusiastically.
"Burn!!! Burn it all!!!!" cackled the apparent culprit, a runty goblin riding a miniature dragon.
"What's goin' on...?" Sheena inquired.
"Fools! I am the great Grundylicious, destroyer of souls!!!!" the goblin announced shrilly, waving his arms. The villagers chuckled.
"Kill them!!! Kill them all!!!!" Grundy ordered Solomon, his dragon. Solomon obliged, stomping towards the crowd. They began to take things seriously then, jumping backwards.
"S-stay back!" one man cried, waving a pitchfork at the dragon.
"Pigs!! You're all pigs!!!" Grundy spat.
Kent stepped forward.
"He's...got...a...a...a..." he said slowly. Sheena barely had time to process what was happening. He felt it burn the back of his head, and he knew the feeling well, but it was too late---Kent's eyes were filled with the Lepant-Glint-of-Adventure, and there was no force in the universe powerful enough to stop him.
"DRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNN~~~!" Kent wailed, diving over the entire crowd in a single bound.
"Oh, dear god!" Ozzie swore as he flew overhead.
"Yeah, that's quite a jump he made." a villager observed.
"Not the jump." Ozzie said, terrified, "The Lepant Glint."
"......oh, dear god!" the villager swore, terrified.
Since he was diving in slow motion, Grundy saw Kent coming and knocked him out of the air with a swift goblin punch. He flailed into the crowd, bowling over a little girl who was holding her pet on a leash. Unrestrained, the pet ran into a nearby alley.
"No, come back..." the girl cried, running after her pet. Cackling, suddenly Grundy swooped off of Solomon's back and into the alley after the girl.
"S-stella!!" screamed a woman who could only be the girl's mother.
"Hahahahahaaa!" Grundy's voice came from the alley. "I'll let you live if you act like a pig."
"Yes, yes!" came the girl's voice. "Oink, oink, oink..."
"W-wait a minute...!" Sheena said, trying to shove through the crowd to the front. He was too late.
"Die, pig!!!!!" Grundy's shrill cry came, and then there was a dull thud. The crowd inhaled sharply.
"My babyyyy!!!" the girl's mother shrieked, hysterical.
"You big ugly dope!" came Stella's voice suddenly from the alley. "You hurt Piggie!" There was suddenly an even louder thud, and a painful wail from the goblin. The little girl emerged carrying her pet on its leash---an actual pig---and an annoyed expression on her face. Her mother ran to her and hugged her tightly. Grundy stumbled out of the alley, looking sheepish and rubbing his sore head.
"What do you think you're doing, you miserable creature??" a woman who Sheena recognized as old Mrs. Lidoll demanded. "You trampled my flower beds, and now you vandalize our whole town!" Several villagers echoed her sentiments. They were on the verge of changing from a Dazed Crowd of Villagers to a real Angry Mob.
"I am on official business!" Grundy announced loftily, hopping on Solomon's back. The dragon snorted. "I must retrieve a citizen of this town for my Lady." Sheena's blood went cold.
"Who??" Kent asked stupidly, reaching out to pat Solomon on the head. Grundy slapped his hand away.
"Don't touch!!!" he commanded shrilly. "I am looking for a teenage boy. His mother may or may not engage in practices of odd magic. A priestess---"
The entire gathered crowd, except for Ozzie, Haley, Kent, Stella, and a man Sheena recognized as Ozzie's father pointed at him.
"H-hey! You guys are supposed to protect me, not sell me out!" He felt extremely betrayed. Suddenly he found himself stared at by Grundy.
"Er, what I meant to say is, you've got it all wrong! I'm not the guy you're looking for. I've never even heard of a Sheena."
"I never said his name." Grundy said triumphantly, grinning broadly to reveal a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth. Ozzie and Haley suddenly stepped in front of Sheena.
"You're not taking him." Haley said simply.
"Oho, a fight? How positively Grundylicious!" the goblin cackled. "Prepare yourself, Solomon!!"
******
Sir Mornican and Sir Kaldahar rode up to the gates of the splendid Rockaxe Castle, home of the Knights of Matilda. Lois and Clark wearily dismounted from the knight's horses, as they weren't used to riding horseback.
"Excuse me." Mornican addressed the watchmen. "Have you by chance seen a...a..."
"Twelve year old boy, with red hair, brown eyes, brown cap?" Clark supplied.
"Has anyone like that come through here today?" Kladahar asked. The gatekeepers considered for a moment.
"Not today, no..." the first one replied.
"No one like that, I believe." the other said.
"That's odd." remarked Kladahar.
"Are you sure the child came this way?" Mornican inquired. Lois pursed her lips.
"He...he...just ran off...to the west." she said, flustered.
"We'll check the city a little, anyway," Kladahar said. "It would be a pity to have ridden so far and missed him because we were careless..."
"Shall we split up while we look...?" Clark asked.
"I think we'd better." Mornican said. "One of you and one of us knights, each in a group. We know the city better."
"I'll go with Kladahar." Lois volunteered, perhaps a bit too eagerly. Clark shot her a look.
"We'll start at the stables, so I can take care of our mounts." Mornican said, leading his horse and Kladahar's to the stables. Lois and the younger knight had already left to begin their search.
"Hmph." Clark grumbled as he waited.
"Don't worry." Mornican remarked.
"What? Worry? Who's worrying? I'm not worrying." Clark insisted. Mornican chuckled.
"You're jealous that your little wife is a bit sweet on young Kladahar, right?" Mornican said, hitting the nail on the head.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Clark said defensively.
"No need to worry." Mornican assured. "Kladahar respects marriage, and he's aware that you two are married. Especially since we're out looking for your child! Think about it---if he tried to romance your wife now, what kind of knight would he be??"
"I...guess you're right." Clark sighed. "Let's start looking."
"That's the spirit." Mornican said. His friendly demeanor suddenly melted back into his ordinary unfriendly tone. "Now hurry up, I haven't got all day, you know."
******
Kirinji gleamed ominously as Sheena drew it from the sheath at his side. The crowd had divided into two throngs on either side of the road, but had not yet dispersed, when Sheena drew his weapon. Ozzie had his sword drawn as well, and Haley lay ready to attack. Kent had not stood back with the rest of the crowd, but merely stood behind the three teens.
"Hiyah!" Sheena said, realizing afterwards how incredibly lame it sounded. Luckily, the goblin topped it.
"Now is your day of dying-time, Sheena. Only you can't die, or I'll get in big trouble from my Lady." he said not-so-ominously. Grundy whipped out a short sword from within his grimy robes.
"Sword of Thunder," the goblin cast suddenly, drawing magical energy into the blade. Suddenly, Solomon shot forward with Grundy standing on his back, swinging his magic sword at Sheena's torso. He parried the blow with Kirinji, giving Haley an opening. She invoked her Boar Rune and let loose with a thunderstorm of blows on the already-bruised goblin. Solomon whipped his tail around and tripped Haley, who was unbalanced from her attack. Ozzie slipped off to the side of the crowd for a moment, seeking out a man in black.
"Father! You've got to help us..."
"I know, I know. I can't find an opening, they're too close." Osmond's father said tensely.
"You don't have to attack. When there's even a moment of distraction, create a diversion sufficient enough for us to escape." Ozzie said. His father looked at him.
"You mean to go with them?"
"Yes."
"Be careful, Osmond."
"I will." Ozzie promised. He withdrew from the crowd and suddenly shot out at the dragon from the side, sword swinging. Solomon managed to dodge the attack, but Grundy lost his balance and fell off the hatchling's back. Seeing his best friend come out of the crowd, Sheena knew what to expect. He knew Ozzie's father was a fairly adept magician when he tried---he had seen him able to cast more than one spell in rapid succession before.
"Hurry up, Solomon, you fool, we're losing!" hissed Grundy impatiently. The dragon growled, and charged at Haley. Ozzie moved her out of harm's way but got knocked down himself by the dragon's charge.
C'monnnn...we need a distraction! Sheena willed to whatever powers that be out there. Apparently, they were out to lunch. He looked around quickly. He could use his Earth Rune to cause a large disturbance, however, his rune didn't provide any cover for escape. He would have to count on Ozzie's father to produce something workable. He whispered a few choice words under his breath, and selected a close, convenient target---Zelda's house.
"Voice of Earth..." he murmured. Suddenly a shower of huge boulders rained down like meteors on Zelda's house, ripping holes in the roof and battering it severely. Startled, Grundy whipped around to stare.
"What the??" he gasped. Ozzie's father acted, casting Fog of Deception on the area where Sheena and his friends were fighting.
Sheena, Haley and Ozzie lost no time in slipping away in the mist to the one place they could hide....Sheena's own house, away from town.
******
"Lepant...as soon as that powder dissolves, that wind magic will be unleashed." Eileen warned firmly. Lepant nodded, finally consenting to their pleas.
"Very well. It appears to be a stalemate, but next time sweet victory shall be mine to taste once more!" Lepant vowed.
"Save the speech." Giovanni said, helping Eileen to her feet while swiping something from her pack. "Can you walk, Eileen?"
"Not really..." she said. "The powder was too concentrated. My legs are like stone."
"Never fear." Lepant said valiantly, hoisting her into his arms. Eileen smiled.
"Oh, Lepant...you're so romantic, even in the face of danger." She suddenly dozed off in his arms. Giovanni shrugged.
"Speaking of danger, I'd like to get out of here." he said impatiently. "If you've got her all right, then I'm going." He turned and hurried down the path leading to the foot of Mount Rakutei. Lepant followed, carrying Eileen. He turned back to the partially frozen Harpy.
"You were a worthy opponent, Harpy." Lepant nodded to it, pursuing Giovanni down the slope. The Harpy had a glint in its eyes that somehow said 'This isn't over yet.'
******
The mist cleared slowly, leaving the villagers in a state of confusion. Not nearly as confused as a certain goblin named Grundylicious, but baffled nonetheless.
"Where did he go?! Where?? Find him, Solomon!" he shrieked. The dragon sniffed about, but gave a half-hearted shrug of sorts. Grundy turned on the people of Highway Village.
"If someone doesn't tell me where that boy went, I will tear this village apart to find him!" he declared. A figure stepped forward. Well, stepped would be an understatement---sashayed is more like it. Strutted. Like a peacock. A peacock in a purple dress.
"I know where they went." Zelda said smugly. "I can even show you the way if you like."
"Zelda!" Osmond's father reprimanded. "You wouldn't dare!" Zelda turned her nose up at him.
"I most certainly would." she said haughtily. She began to walk off in the direction she intended Grundy to follow her.
"Guffawhawhaw!" Grundy laughed. "Most excellent! My Lady will be pleased, indeed!"
"What are you going to do to Sheena...?" Stella asked uncertainly.
"No harm will come to him....IF he cooperates." Grundy said dramatically. He walked off after Zelda with an air of importance. Solomon followed, treading on Grundy's barbed tail.
"Ouch! Don't step on that, you fool!" snapped the goblin.
"Kent, you shouldn't have followed us." Sheena said, annoyed.
"I had to! That monster has a dragon, and he's looking for you! The only way I'll ever get to free that dragon is by sticking with you when he captures you!" Kent insisted.
"Excuse me? The point is NOT to be captured, Kent..." Haley said wearily as they hurried down the path to Sheena's house. He ran up to the door, casting a furtive glance at his mother's Welcome to Our Home (Unless You Are a Servant of Evil) doormat. How ironic---he never thought that warning would actually apply to him in his lifetime, but here he was, fleeing evil servants.
This was what happened to adventurers, right? This was just like all the nonsense his father always blabbed on and on about, and yet, where were all the token damsels falling at his feet? Where was the glory and prestige? So far, nowhere. He opened the door and went inside the house, followed by Haley, Kent, and Ozzie. He slammed the door and locked it quickly.
"Kent, you can keep watch."
"Hurray!" Kent cheered, jumping over to the window. Sheena, Haley, and Ozzie sat down at his kitchen table.
"...What are we gonna do?" Ozzie asked.
"Lay low for a while, I guess. Hopefully we gave that goblin dude the slip." Sheena said.
"Sheena, someone's coming...!" Kent warned from the window. Sheena drew Kirinji, before Kent continued. "It's not a monster, though, silly." Sheena sighed a sigh of relief and put away his sword.
"It's Zelda." Kent reported.
Sheena drew his sword again. Kent suddenly ducked out of sight of the window.
"T-the goblin is with her!" Kent gasped from his hiding place.
"S-she ratted us out!!?" Ozzie gasped. "I don't believe it!"
"I wouldn't put anything past her." Haley spat.
Zelda rapped impatiently on the door.
"Sheena, come out of there, I know you're here." she said. There was no answer, of course. Grundy fumbled in his robes.
"Lemme handle this. Get out of here, I don't need your help, now..." He withdrew a large vial.
"Hmph. I'll leave when I want to. I want to see the look on that idiot's face when---" Zelda declared.
"Beat it, wench, or I'll have Solomon eat you." Grundy snapped. Solomon licked his chops. Zelda quickly scampered away. The goblin threw the vial, and the door exploded off its hinges.
"Wonderful." he said with a broad, toothy grin.
******
Lepant, Eileen, and Giovanni were nearly at the bottom of the mountain when it happened.
"M-my legs are softening up...!" Eileen exclaimed.
"Wonderful! A miraculous recovery, my sweet." Lepant cooed. "I couldn't have done it better myself had I---"
"Oh, no." Giovanni cried, interrupting Lepant.
"That means the powder wore off on the Harpy...!" Eileen gasped. There was an earth-shaking cracking sound, followed by a flash of light that could be seen for miles away.
And then the wind came.
******
"I'm beginning to wonder about this, admittedly..." Kladahar sighed, after hours of searching. "There are only so many places a child could readily hide, outside the castle, in this city..."
"I don't know what to tell you. Kent's---" Lois began, but was cut off by a flash of light that brightened the entire sky considerably for a few seconds. The flash was followed by a sudden gust of rather strong wind.
"Oh my goodness!!" Lois exclaimed, nearly losing her balance. Kladahar steadied her, and a chill went up his spine.
"By the gods...I think that came from Mount Rakutei..." he said, stunned. Lois tensed.
"Oh Lord!!! Oh no, NO! KENT!!!" she screamed, running for the gates as fast as she could.
"Madam, wait!" Kladahar cried, running after her.
******
It was said that there was no lasting damage from the magical burst of wind energy in Matilda that day. A few trees were rattled here and there, but the blast, concentrated mostly on Rakutei, was largely spread out and lessened as it went until it was nothing but a gentle breeze.
Late that evening, Lepant, Eileen, and Giovanni were trudging towards Highway Village, when they paused. Something was burning, and this time it was more than haystacks.
"Ohhh...!" Eileen gasped, limping as fast as she could. Lepant dashed off towards his home, with Giovanni tiredly following.
"This is awful." Eileen sobbed, gazing at the smoldering wreckage of their beloved tool shed. The house, as it turned out, was perfectly intact, with the exception of the front door. It was empty, and there was an indication of a struggle inside. But now they had far more serious matters. "Where will we store our tools?!"
"How horrible." Giovanni remarked.
"Our efforts were..." Eileen breathed.
"That's right. In vain." Lepant said in anguish. "All of our efforts were in vain. But why? Why? Please tell me, Giovanni. What good were our efforts? Why did this happen? We did our best! I was insulted and abused, but I fought on. And yet...yet..."
"Lepant..." Eileen said. Lepant backed away.
"Nothing...nothing remains! Everything I tried to protect." Lepant lamented. He pulled a silky bra out of his back pocket and dabbed at his eyes with it. Giovanni's eyes bulged.
"When everything was over, I planned to give this bra to Eileen. Poor Eileen. Now this bra has no body to adorn. It's useless now." Lepant said despondently. Eileen blinked.
"I'm right here, hone---" she said. Lepant ignored her and forged on in his sorrowful speech.
"There's nothing..." he said, dropping the bra on the ground. Giovanni approached it smoothly, and bent hungrily to retrieve it. Eileen hit his hand with a stick.
"Ow!"
"Lepant," she said, picking up the bra, "this lingerie is your hope. And you must never give up hope. With just a little bit of hope, you can survive, live on. And that goes for men as well as women." Giovanni stared uncertainly at his masters.
"...are you telling him to wear the bra?" he asked, puzzled. Lepant came out of his sorrowful mood long enough to chuckle and mutter 'kinky' under his breath.
"Eileen..." Lepant murmured.
"Giovanni, let's go back indoors. We must never let this tragedy repeat itself." Eileen said. "Let's defeat the armies of evil, and destroy the Burning Hatred. That is our only deliverance."
".......Let's go. For the sake of Eileen." Lepant vowed.
"I'm alive, dear." Eileen sighed good-naturedly. She put her arm around her husband and walked back to the house with him. Giovanni glanced back at the tool shed, wondering if he had somehow missed the element that had made losing the shed such a terrible tragedy, and why on earth Lepant suddenly thought Eileen was dead. He shrugged, and then had another thought which had seemed to have slipped everyone's minds.
"....Whatever happened to Sheena?"
