Misunderstood Destinies

Layla looked away. She didn't want to answer. She turned her eyes to her necklace and pulled it off. The thought of her not being able to return home she had pushed away from her mind so she could find Jargos without worry holding her back. "I suppose not." She swallowed hard to hold back the tears of losing Airen. "But, I don't think it was entirely a bad thing. I already had plans to leave. I couldn't stand such a dull, provincial village. So many couldn't accept outsiders and I hated that. That's why I left for Garlan." She looked back at Jargos. "I don't blame you for any of it. It wasn't your fault. That creature was attacking and you tried to protect Zeiza. They should've treated you like a hero. They should've helped you. But, even Airen couldn't see what I could... I told him it was over when he attacked me."

Jargos sighed. He got up and went to get more firewood. It was his fault and he knew it, but what could he do? Let that thing attack the village? Could the barrier take that kind of damage? It hit with more force than Jargos had ever seen before. And if it could, could the Guard destroy it? He was unsure, but he knew he had cut her off from the one she loved, and would never forgive himself for it. He came back at about the same time the hunting team brought back an Elk for them to eat

While they had been gone, Layla had sat back against a tree to think. She didn't blame Jargos for all that had happened. She couldn't. He was doing everything in his power to stop the creature and the people she lived with couldn't bear that. She was a bit depressed after losing Airen. Layla knew it wouldn't have been much longer before they were going to be together if the village had not have been attacked. She looked at the necklace she had been given. A tear ran down her face. Layla couldn't understand why Airen couldn't see what she had seen.

Finally giving up on the chance that he would understand, she stood up and wrapped the necklace in a cloth. She then placed it inside a hollow tree. Maybe one day one of the Guards would find it and bring it back to him to prove her point to Airen.

Jargos brought back more wood and set up a spit for the Elk. He took it away for a minute to gut it, then brought it back and started cooking it

Layla greeted Jargos upon his return. She smiled. "Welcome back."

He nodded, still too upset with himself to speak yet. He started turning the spit

"I believe you need someone to light up the wood. Do you want to or me?" Layla had plans to show Jargos a trick she learned back during her training.

"You can, if you wish" Layla could hear his manner of speech had changed, he no longer spoke in thee's and thou's.

Layla noted a sudden change in speech, though didn't say anything of it. "Are you all right, Jargos?" she asked. "Listen, do not feel worried on my behalf or Zeiza. You're a hero. Everything they said is not true about you, and you know this."

"Yes, I am fine, but too tired and hungry to be worried of such things. I am upset with myself. Even if what I did was right, it cost you your love. I have broken the law of the forest." he said, still turning the spit, mostly to let the wood groove itself so he could turn it easier later

"What he did was wrong of him to do. Severely. He broke his own code without everyone realizing it, and thus it was the law of my people. Elder Ramona will most likely talk to him about it. Airen couldn't see some things the way I did. Compared to him, people of our village would say I was the nutter. Compared to him, people of Garlan would say he was the nutter. Zeiza has been isolated from the world just far too long."

Jargos knew she didn't understand, but her words were true. The village had been isolated for too long, and it took seeing monsters in combat to prove it. He nodded to her, asking for the fire to be lit

"Let me show you something before I light it. Something that'll give you a taste of fire power. Take my hand and aim your free hand at the fire."

Jargos stood and did as instructed

"Now, concentrate on your inner fire. Concentrate on the warmth within your body. Feel my energy flow from my hand to your open one. Don't try to control it. Just guide it. Let the energy become an extension of yourself. And if you do it correctly, you'll see something magical happen."

Jargos nodded and closed his eyes. He began breathing deeply and soon felt her energy in him. He used his own primal energy to guide it to his open hand, then opened his eyes to see the result

When he opened his eyes, a small ball of fire had appeared and landed on the firewood. The fire lit up like normal and warmed the two. She took her hand back and clapped a bit. "You did it!" She smiled. "It's called channeling. As long as you're holding my hand, you can use my power if I channel it to you. You also have to be open to accept it." She picked the potion off of her belt. "After you eat, if you want, I can show you what this thing really does. You'll need at least a bit of your energy for it to work, however." Layla was happy that Jargos really could use magic like hers.

Jargos smiled, proud of himself. He then went back to turning the spit.

Layla sat back at the base of the tree and decided to meditate. She needed to prepare herself for when she used the potion.

After an hour, the second team returned with sacks in their jaws. Jargos stood and took the sacks and laid them out, examining the contents. There were four tents, some rope, extra clothes, herbal medicines, and several gourds of water. He nodded and thanked his animal friends, then went back to cooking

While Layla was meditating, she cupped her hands together and fire formed in her hands. She normally only formed small flames; however, this time she contained a fire ball itself.

"Dinner is ready. I hope you don't mind eating with your hands" Jargos said as he tore off a leg and began eating it. His animal friends went to find uncooked meat

Layla stopped her meditation. "Perfectly fine by me." She smiled. She also picked off a piece to eat and sat near the fire.

Jargos ate the entire leg, then tossed the bone aside and tore off some of the rib cage to eat. He was starving and with food finally in his system, his strength returned quickly

Layla ate enough to satisfy her seeing as she wasn't too hungry that night. When she had finished, she stretched a bit in satisfaction.