| "What are you humans doing, tresspassing in this land? This is not your realm!" It spat. "We are lost," Kye-Ren hissed just as severely. "My friend is hurt and we need a place to rest. He will catch a fever if he stays out in this cold." "What realm do you come from?" "Ayriss and Earth," Kye-Ren answered. "I am Kye-Ren, and he is Ryo." The creature looked at both of them for a minute, flexing his long, sharp claws. It seemed as if it was deciding whether ir not they were telling the truth. Finally it sighed and shrugged. "You can come to cabin for the night. But in the morning you must leave. Understood?" "We understand, Sir," Ryo said quickly before Kye-Ren could protest, for that's what she was about to do. "What may we call you?" Ryo asked politely. "You may call me Th�n. Follow me." Th�n didn't wait to see if they were following, he just headed off into the woods. Ryo and Kye-Ren followed quickly, taking only a moment to moutn onto Big Black, since riding bareback was getting to both Kye-Ren and Naaki. As they rode behind Th�n, Kye-Ren whispered in to Ryo's ear, "Why did you agree so quickly? We need more time to rest than that." "Because I know what he would do if we disagree. It'd take him only a few seconds to tear us apart and be done with the job. His manner reminds me of someone, but I can't think of who. It hurts too much." "Well, you'll have to remember your past sooner or later, or it will put you in danger," Kye-Ren whispered back. "What is it you two are whispering about?" Th�n demanded. "I was telling Kye-Ren that some of my memories were trying to come back, but something is blocking them," Ryo quickly explained. He hoped that Th�n would believe him. "You have no memories?" Th�an sounded surprised by this. "You are not the only one suffering of such an illness. There are quite a few who have lost their memories after the Great Demon was vanished." "Great Demon?" Kye-Ren asked. "Then he was seen in this realm as well?" "Hmmm... I pity the realm that had to actually deal with him, rather than just see him. That was bad enough for our people. Here is my cabin. You can put the horses in the barn." Kye-Ren and Ryo did so quickly, wanting to be out of the cold as quickly as possible. Once the horses were settled they entered the cabin, and were nearly knocked over by the wave of heat. Th�n was making the fire larger, and then lit several lamps that were scattered about the cabin. In the light they were able to see Th�n clearly, and his appearance was an odd one, to say the least. It stood upright and wore clothes like a human, but his body was that of a very shaggy wolf. His long fur on the backside of his head was bound back in a loose ponytail, and the rest of his fur hung down like a shaggy beard. His hands/paws, while rather large, were quite agile, and could do anything that a human's hands could do, possibly more. He gestured for them to take a seat in two of the wooden chairs, and they were happy to do so. He took a seat in another chair and stared at them as they were doing to him. After a length of time he spoke. "So, the boy has no memory? It seems that most of those who were close to the Great Demon when he appeared lost their memories." "With all do respect, Sir, Ryo's memories were lost when he crashed into a bolder, not from seeing the Great Demon," Kye-Ren chided. Th�n took the rebuke with good humor. "Is that so? So he doesn't know what we are talking about?" Kye-Ren and Ryo sook their heads. Th�n laughed even louder. "Then allow me to explain it to him." Ryo nodded at Th�n to show that he was paying attention, and Th�n began his explanation. "Well, about 4 months ago we all saw another Realm appear in the skies, a realm different from all the others. This was the Nether Realm, what we all call the World of the Dead. We don't know if that is its true nature or not, but when we saw it we felt death within its air, so that's what we called it. Any way, the Great Demon inside of it was attacking another realm, I believe it was yours, Ryo, the Earth Realm. As far as we all knew and could see, the Great Demon was succeeding until so humans not unlike yourselves showed up. Had some sort of armor that had powers of some sort. Beat the Great Demon to pieces, far as anyone can tell. Then everything was peaceful, so it seemed anyway. But we still feel strange vibes from that realm, my people do. Hope those warriors still guard your realm. That reminds me, you appear to be a warrior yourself, judging from the way you held that sword. Makes me wonder if you somehow are connected to those other warriors..." "I wish I could tell you, Th�n. What did you say that realm was called?" "The Nether Realm. Why? It ring a bell in you mind or something?" "Yes, but everything is so fuzzy. Its hard to see anything, and it hurts when I try to make it clearer." "Well, my answer to that it stop trying. When you're ready to remember your mind'll clear up. But enough chatting. You too look tired enough to sleep a week. I have a spare room in the loft you can use, straight up that latter. I'll leave you two alone now." Th�n pretty much did ignore them after that, and Kye-Ren used that time to usher Ryo up into the loft, since he looked about ready to pass out from fatigue. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the hay, and Kye-Ren covered him with his cloak before settling herself down next to him. She listened to Th�n working down below, and wondered what he was up to. He certainly wasn't what he seemed to be. Just like Ryo. She hadn't known he was a warrior, for he certainly didn't look like one. But she had a feeling he was stronger than she knew, maybe more so than he himself knew. All she did know was that she was falling in love with him, even though she had only known him for less than a day. But still, it was possible, and it was happening to her. That was all she could think of before she was fast asleep. |