The Search for Freedom CH2 A Story of Nightmares
by Zachary Dovel


LAST EDIT: 6/08/00
C&C appreciated to pzach@mac.com or Yahoo Messenger username pzach816!



Spyn held his ground without a flinch, staring blank mindedly for a minute. Finally it struck him like a piece of lightning. "Gourry." He casually marched over shouting over the crowded laughter from the next room, "Gourry! Long time no see!"

The long haired blond turn warily. His eyes brightened in realization when he saw Spyn. "Spyn! Man, I haven't seen you in forever."

Gourry was a tall man of stature. He was built a lot like Spyn in ways, both appeared to be strong youthful swordsmen. Though he carried a bit more armor than Spyn and his sword was sized a bit smaller.

The men shook hands with an energetic type of renewed energy, even though both looked like they could collapse at any time. Spyn motioned to the bar room, asking, "What's been happening all these years? I'll get some drinks."

"Gourry! You dummy," a little red-head bellowed a to the blond. "You're gonna get us killed staying in this town any longer than you have to. This is no time for honor!"

"Who's he?" asked Spyn, noting the conversation's intruder.

The persons face was quick to take aggression with a flat rough tone. "I'm a she."

Gourry threw a questioning glance to Spyn. "Flat, isn't she?"

"One more word from you on that...." Lina spoke as she shook her fist, handing off threatening glances.

"Er, uh," Spyn stuttered, a little more careful of his actions. There was a long pause before he said anything again "So....you two together?" Spyn let out a contained laugh, one that would never escape without being forced. It eased himself at least. Even that little bit helped. "I didn't think it would ever happen."

"We aren't together!" they chorused sharply. Gourry's and the girl's faces were a beet red for a moment, slowly flushing out again a to their usual color.

Spyn shrugged nonchalantly. "Sure okay, whatever you say." He wasn't trying to bring more trouble upon himself than necessary, yet in the hole he dug himself into, could be his grave. Then was a good time not to make any more premature assumptions, even if the reaction was funny.

"May I have your order?" the waitress was back.

"Sake everyone?" Gourry looked to everyone at the table they sat down at.

Lina agreed with a nod. "Sure."

"I'll go for it." Spyn's words made it aqueous.

"'Kay, three cups of sake. I'll be right back."

Spyn took the moment to take a better focus to the girl, short and red headed. He noticed her hair flailed about the black bandana, almost like a fire consuming her head that didn't give smoke. In how she confronted Gourry, she gave the impression of having a lot of personality in her constitution. As he could see, a lot of it was held in how she talked, knowing exactly what she wanted and how to get there. Her heavy black cloak coated her other garb: including a yellowish shirt, violet pants, dark brown leather boots, and a little bit of grotesque armor at her shoulders. She concealed a dagger holstered at her left hip. All together, she almost looked like little kid hiding in grown-ups armor with her little wooden practice sword.

Finally addressing her directly, he gave a nod. "Didn't mean to insult you if I did. Could you introduce us, Gourry?"

"Oh yeah! Sorry, I forgot. Lina, this is Spyn. Spyn, Lina."

"How do you know each other?" inquired Lina to Gourry.

The waitress wordlessly appeared, laying the drinks out on the table. With grace she went unnoticed and disappeared back to where she had once come.

"Me and Spyn trained under the same master." Taking a sip, Gourry replied, "We use to compete against each other all the time."

"And were the best of friends," added Spyn, giving Gourry a playful knock to his arm that almost spilled his drink. "Why were you two out in the middle of the night like this? Having some misadventures?" He split a grin at his final word.

Gourry dimmed in the face, reminded of the day. "It's a long story. I'll get to that later. What's with you?"

"I'm busy looking for the legendary Aegis Cup." The way Spyn made it sound, it was one of his usual trifles.

Lina and Gourry froze, faces as white as snow. Gourry let his sake drop. "You don't want the Aegis Cup, really." Gourry quivered, his expression was still warranting curiosity that Spyn really would've rather not have had.

"You didn't..." stammered Spyn.

Lina's look of sorrow and shame covered her like a veil before she slowly spoke. "Gourry shattered it."

"You idiot!!! That could've been my chance!" Slamming the table with his fist, Spyn continued on his rampage, "You were always such a klutz!"

"Yeah, right! You remember Master Lumaar's sword and was the one who lost it to the well? Huh?" Gourry then returned danced a quick glance of madness to Lina with childish tongue stuck out.

Spyn himself looked caught between rage and tears in a violent tug of war. Leering hatefully at Gourry and Lina for but a moment, he swung around and stomped upstairs. If a person was listening he could hear a door slam.

Gourry's head was down, only leaving his hair visible. He felt so guilt stricken. "Let's stay for the night Lina, I still just don't feel right moving out yet. There has to be some way to warn and save these people. It's our fault."

"Okay, but if we can't help....we HAVE to get out of here before the beginning of the day after tomorrow.."

Gourry nodded slowly with understanding. The drive of life just wasn't there to do much more than take another drink now. In a low tone, he slowly started to talk, almost to himself. "That cup was so important to him."

"Why?" Lina perked up with curiosity, adversely contradicting the appearance of Gourry's mood.

"I only heard part of it myself from Master Lumaar and Spyn. Spyn really didn't want to talk about it much.

" I'll never forget the day he came back. He was gone since noon the previous day. He was the same, yet different. You could tell something was wrong...and that green tint to his hair appeared. It was a lot less apparent than it is now. A curse."

"I thought that was just dirt or something." Lina looked a little startled at the thought, but she recollected quickly. She ask him again to make sure. "A Curse?" Gourry nodded.

"All else I know is it was some witch. He now holds a grudge against any magic user. Best to hide your power at least for now."

Lina sipped some of her drink. All of the drunken laughter in the world wouldn't penetrate the void of silence covering Lina and Gourry. They had been thinking of the same thing when Lina shattered it.

"Well, it looks like we're gonna have to set things right since you dragged me back here. The town should have a few days before a full scale attack."

"Yeah. Let's get some sleep and start early tomorrow." After plunking down some money for the drinks, Gourry stood up from his chair and stretched.

Lina walked over to the counter, ordering a couple rooms from the innkeeper. The little fat man was a jolly looking little fellow. He kind of fit the atmosphere of the bar with his half balded head and smiling face. His clothes were in nice condition. Black pants with a white baggy sailor type shirt. He probably missed riding a ship from the looks of it. They were at a port town after all. With that connection, almost anywhere else would be more exciting but here. He was rooted here by the inn though.

Lina returned, handing Gourry his key to his door. "It's on the second floor. I'm just across from you. G'night!" Bounding up the stairs swiftly, she surely seemed content. Gourry followed, but but not in the same matter. Pausing where Spyn was, he felt it too now. Something wasn't right. He ignored it and went to his room.

Lina was busy in her chamber, readying for bed. She actually looked rather cute in her pink pajamas. She was listless though. She just couldn't absorb the idea of rest yet. Laying there on her bed she finally came to a conclusion, sitting up. In her soft slippers, she soundlessly walked into the hall closing the door behind her with a small click. She readied herself with ever cute eyes for getting a man's attention. About ready to knock on the door she was when a scream shot up from the main floor.

Spyn and Gourry were mere seconds apart in bashing open their doors. Armor and all, they were both ready to dash into battle, only Gourry paused for a moment at the sight of Lina before her. "Lina, what are you doing?" he inquired.

Starting back towards her room, Lina was blushing as she said, "...uh...I was just getting some water. Just....help those people while I get dressed!"

Parading down to the action, it look like it was still only half over to the long haired blond. One obra was already slain and Spyn was addressing the second.

Lumbering it's great ax, it struck several times missing each as the agile human jumped and dodged. Now with it's back faced towards himself, Gourry leaped into the air at the monster, sword drawn and ready to pierce it's soft flesh. Letting out a sharp cry, it collapsed after being stabbed into he head down.

"Only two?" Gourry asked. Lina had just arrived, way too late for any action. She eyed the bodies ruefully.

"Yeah." Spyn looked to Gourry's face, full of puzzlement. "Sorry, this is my fault."

Lina poked at the body, making sure it was dead. "You don't know the half of it." Now Spyn took a turn being puzzled. "In search of the Aegis Cup, there were slight more complications to it after breaking it."

"Yes?" He asked incredulously, not believing they were at fault.

"Well, the Aegis Cup is what kept their bond of brotherhood together. They protected it so viscously because if it was ever lost, a new dark age would be brought upon them where they have no connection of wills. There will be great battle and violence within a few days. Now is just the preview."

"You mean...I was attacked on my way here because of you guys!?!?!"

Gourry let out a heavily weighed sigh, ignoring him. "When it broke, they all howled at the same time."

From Gourry's words Lina continued, "It was like they had lost something dear. All civility is gone in them. Now on their own missions, they're trying to hunt us down, and anything else of human origin that may cross them. In a few days, this town will be gone. You'd better get out of her while you can."

Spyn stood there, quiet for a moment as he took it in. "I'm going with you." Gourry and Lina gasped in consternation. "Well, you are going after the other cup, right?"

"Er...other cup?" Gourry didn't know what to say.

"Yeah, they're twin cups."

Lina lunged forward. "We can't. We'd never make it back in time."

"Well, then we'll have to find a way to repair this one then."

Lina hung her head down now. "Well, this is what we had saved."

It was shattered into roughly 15 pieces, a lot for such a small cup. The ornate little pieces still gave it the auric look of an artifact, probably created from ages ago. The golden object must have been the one thing that held the brood of animals together.

"Well, after we glue it back together all we have to do is return it?" Gourry questioned.

"Gourry, you know nothing of magic." Lina let out a sigh, seeing Spyn was equally as confused. She decided to continue with an explanation. "Breaking it released the enchantment. A new one must be laid, or if we're lucky the old one will be able to be just reinitiated."

Gourry said, "Who'll we get who can to do it?"

"Hmm...I've heard there is a great prophet who lived atop a mountain a few miles due east of here. He is known for enchanting items for people, but at a great price." Everyone was wincing at her final word.

The innkeeper then poked out of his hiding place behind the front desk. Terror still crawled in his eyes, though less rampant now. "Wha..what happened?"

"Obra.." Gourry answered.

"Ohmigod!!! " the pudgy was now nervously eyeing the deceased animals, "The prophecy must be coming true! The cup must be broken!"

Lina silently tapped Gourry and Spyn forward trying not to be noticed. "I think it's time to get out of here." It didn't take much to get the two to egress under their own power before any more panic could strike its hand. "It's going to be around town before we know it, and people will be blaming each other every which way."

Dashing into the stables once out of view, Gourry and Spyn pulled out their horses from the stables to the building's side. Once saddled up, they were off at a gallop before any one could take notice of them.

Darkness shrouded everything slowing them down eventually to a trot. The animals were tiring anyway at what was their present speed. Thankfully the moon was out for what estranged light it gave was left. Though, tomorrow would end up being a full moon. That could mean worse trouble than they needed at the time. The obra get very testy in its light, adding to the confusion and ruckus of that their plans held. Lina didn't want to think about it then. She hoped neither Gourry or Spyn noticed either, but that would be too much to ask. She could see Spyn eyeing the moon, then becoming sullen in thought as he looked back forward. He seemed to do that a lot. Maybe he didn't figure it out.

The smell of farms now permeated the air a little farther out. Manure in the fields gave off a stench meaning they were still in civilization, yet outside of the town itself. A few local dogs barked at their passing by, but that was they only real sign of life at that time of day. Spyn barked too, though in a form of a laugh to himself. It was at the thought of wondering if it was safer in the village or out out in the wild.

Slowly the farms became more and more sparse, the ground more hilly, and the road less worn. At the same time, dawn was arousing it's bright blinding head in the horizon, though, through the middle of it stuck a silhouette of three mountains. The one to the left was the one they were heading to. The estimation was about a quarter day's ride.

As the group paraded on, Lina's eye caught a gleam. It had originated from Spyn's belt. She was sure of it after it blinded her a few more times. It looked like a simple belt, but it encased in it's golden holder found a gem at it's center. Looking closer Lina saw the symbol of Aegis barely visible engraved in it's black lusteried shine. The simple checkered shield was plain to anyone who took notice. Black meant it had enchanted properties as well though.

"Breakfast!" Gourry called, breaking the riding silence.

The animals slowed to a halt. Lina took the time to ponder about her strategy of attack. Gourry took from his sattle backs some bread and water. Nibbling some taken bread, she decided to go straightforward in her approach. Master of trickery and driving hard bargains as she was, she thought this would be an easy buy.

"Looks like we still have a little way to go," Gourry bit into his bread as he talked with his mouth full.

Spyn responded nonchalantly, "I'd say more than that."

Gourry passed some water to Spyn and Lina now, to wash down the food. The bread was a bit stale, but no more could be expected. It still filled the stomach, and made the weary traveler feel better.

"Spyn," Lina said, with a barder's selling and buying tone, "How much for the belt?"

The man went a tad pale to the face at her words. "There is no sale. No matter what."

"Oh c'mon. Everything is for sale, just at different prices."

"I said no."

"Okay...well I have about ten-thousand gold pieces here worth of stuff. That amulet is at least worth 1,000. That's a huge markup!"

"No! It came from my father!"

"It can't be that important. fifteen-thousand gold pieces. That's my final offer. You can't refuse."

Spyn's face slowly reddened each time she asked, half of it came from being flustered, the other half arrived with anger. "I SAID NO!!!"

Lina turned and started to cry. Gourry looked like he was about to die from nausea. He had enough seeing the same moves put on so many people to know what to expect. However, unlike most of her prey, Spyn was nowhere near giving in. In fact, he had become more stubborn as he went on. "You heard my words," he said in a gentler tone, "I wouldn't be able to live without this. My father had died bringing me this as a boy." The great man frowned, bringing back bad memories. Taking a seat he eased himself.

"Why?"

Spyn was about to speak but then stopped. "Oh, to hell with it. I guess I can explain this once. I never could even tell you, Gourry; and I should have." Gourry perked up at his words, wondering if it was what he thought he was thinking about.

Spyn began to solemnly talk, carrying a subdued feeling of sadness across to his audience. As he rambled, he almost relived the incident. More and more it seemed real, picturing with such a clarity of it happening then and now. As he discoursed, his dreamy eyes reimmersed themselves in another reality as he remembered the past.

Gourry was a young boy then, around ten, maybe eleven. He wasn't nearly as tall or strong yet. Still, he was under the strict training of his master that made him more than other boys his age. Spyn was about a year older than he. Both matched each other for skill almost exactly. The boys could wield their family weapons, passed down for generations. Gourry's being the legendary sword of light, Spyn's being the Earth Sword. Never would they point anything more than a wooden weapon at the other though. Spyn's style went for for the route of strength, as Gourry's style was more for speed. Always whenever they'd practice, the battle would be close and exciting. In the end, whoever won didn't matter, as they were too tired to talk much and just went to bed. For by then, it had reached well into the night. The two were inseperatable.

As all lads, his friend and he dreamed of great things as becoming warriors of legend and fantasy before the realities of life set in. Always playing games of good verses evil, neither really being evil. Or perhaps they would pretend to be knights sometimes. Smack each other silly, the couple would have fun all the while. They basically were your boys of the normal town, with dreams like everybody else. "You'll become great warriors someday," Master Lumaar always said, "but it's up to you to protect the people from what evil could happen if your weapons are lost."

The tragic sequence started when when they had been fetched to the market to pick up their dinner that night. The market was a bustling place. People almost always were there, buying things and doodads into the dead of night.

Usually there was always plenty of time to do what you wanted before they had to buy the food. Which was the case today. Gourry knew something was up with Spyn. He hadn't believed it himself until he heard it directly. Spyn had met a girl and had started hanging around each other in town.

Gourry had first taken an edge having heard his best friend could be lost to him. Spyn's attention just wasn't what it use to be after that. Slowly the heavy swordsmen was being out paced by Gourry. To Gourry, he could only wonder what kind of person could have done that. But that was the first day he had disappeared without any sign.

Spyn had disappeared from the market, that was the disturbing thing. That was so unlike him. That was when Gourry ran back home for help.

Spyn, mean while still had his mind entangled in thoughts of the next meeting with her. Something was different this time though. Also, the memory of her face was faded to Spyn, but he remembered how she said she couldn't see him anymore. He had refused fiercely no matter how hard she tried to change his mind.

From the corner of his eye, he then saw something flash. It was a the witch in a black robe. You could just tell. She was the thing stories were surely made of. With her large nose and piercing eyes that looked to kill, the kind of things that made it so he couldn't move a muscle.

She roared an evil crackling laugh that chilled his bones, chanting some spell. Its encompassing light threw him back against a tree, the last thing he remembered was seeing that girl...disappear. It was so vague to him.

Later on, he had learned the witch had cast a life draining spell. It brought his aura directly to her slowly, but incessantly until his death. It's side effect was a malignant green "highlight" to his hair. It also caused nightmares until it was lifted in you sleep. That included the long sleep.

Spyn was bed ridden for weeks as his father searched the lands for a cure. Peace wasn't brought to the family until a soldier arrived at the door with the news. "He had been slain by a dragon holding the belt in it's cave," as the soldier had said. The family had mourned for months, but alas the child Spyn had more of a life to live now.

The belt itself had the power to block most magic. That was the main use of it by lords before the dragon had killed the one wearing it. The thing was, it wasn't enough to stop the curse entirely, but it slowed it to a mere crawl. It stopped the nightmares until as of late. Alas, it did it's job, bringing the time needed for the Dovadaog heir to grow and start his own quest to find the antidote he needed.

Slowly, Spyn backed out of the memory. He stayed stone faced though through forced effort a man often used. Words were still escaping his lips, even though he would've never noticed until now. "My father will not have died in vain!" Spyn pounded the ground with his fist. "I should have killed you the instant I saw you."

Lina turned pale white at his words. "What do you mean?"

"You think I'm stupid, I know a witch when I see one."

"Sorceress."

"Witch."

"Sorceress."

"Witch."

"Sorceress."

Spyn gave up. "Ah, whatever. The same thing. There was something about you, though. Your red head I think it was. It reminded me of something, but I can't pull it out."

"Oh..." Lina still had little color as she quivered, "Girlfriend?"

"Never. I would never date someone like you."

"Okay," Gourry burst in, lightening the atmosphere. "That was a good story. We had better get back moving." Maybe it was jealously that prompted Gourry, maybe not. Lina had split a small grin at it, but no one spoke of it.

I guess I'll have to try for the sword later when he's calmer, Lina sighed.

They all mounted, trotting a brisk pace. As the tall ahead figures came closer, all Spyn could hope for were some help and answers. Worry and doubt had crossed all of their minds in turn. They had all the time in the world to think on it. They would if they answers were there soon enough.