MHD: Chronicle XIII - Leaving the Mysterious Beyond

It took everyone who had participated in the battle - Taka, Illeera, Tenris, Relcia, and Vulcan - a full week to get over their injuries. Vulcan was now fully healed from the various wounds that Renalimas had given him, and Illeera's wooden leg had finally reached the last of its integrity. After the Battle of the Beyond, as they now called it, the prosthetic limb had become so stressed that it snapped in two.

Now, she was perched on Vulcan's back as she always was, deep in thought. Almost as soon as they had arrived back in Canyon Village, they had begun to mourn the loss of Taahnn. Burying him had taken them until mid-morning, and after Taka had finished carving his gravestone, they had propped up his Hunting Horn against it as a testimony of his bravery.

Taka, especially, was grateful to Taahnn for saving Relcia's life. He had broke down sobbing at the funeral, and Vulcan and Illeera had led him away and comforted him. Then he was truly thankful for having such good friends as the two of them. They will always be my dearest friends, no matter what, he thought, still very sad but not as depressed as he had been earlier.

Now, a week later, the celebrations could start. So far, the party had been going for a full twelve hours, and it was almost midnight. Taka yawned as he sat facing the huge bonfire that had been lit. So much had happened on this adventure, and he felt as if he hadn't slept in an age.

So tired was he that he never noticed Relcia approach until she had sat down next to him and wrapped her arms gently around him. Taka looked at her with half-closed eyes and rested his head on her shoulder in pure exhaustion.

"It feels like forever since things were normal," she said softly, tightening her grip a little bit. Taka smiled idly as the memories flooded back to him. "We were in the Forested Spring when this whole mess started," he whispered, relaxing visibly.

Relcia bent her head a little closer to his. "Our first date..." she said in his ear, smiling at him. Taka slowly sat up and smiled back at her. The next thing they knew, they were kissing passionately, just like the last time they had been alone together.

Well, well, said a voice from right behind them. Oh, sorry. I couldn't resist ruining such a tender moment. Instantly, Taka and Relcia broke apart and whipped around. The first thing they saw was a heron-like Bird Wyvern staring at them with a toothy smirk on its beak.

"Helix!" exclaimed Taka. "What a surprise!" The Moardea's smirk became a grin as she wrapped her neck around him and nuzzled him with her beak. Nice to see you again, Helix said fondly. She straightened up and turned her gaze to Relcia. And you are a friend of Taka's, I assume? Relcia blushed a bright crimson at Helix's sarcastic, but good-natured, tone.

REST COMING SOON