CHAPTER I-Soul of Flames: Ifrit

Part VI - In The Forest

A multitude of eyes watched the couple as they ran through the forest. They had been running without stopping for hours since they left town. They hadn't stopped for food, not for water, not for rest. The soldiers had long given up the chase, but the couple still didn't slow.They weren't safe as long as they were still in the valley.

They went on for a few more miles in this manner. Finally, the lass tripped and fell when her foot caught a rock she didn't see. Only then did they stop.

"Ow... My feet are killing me," complained the lass.

"So are mine," Xeno replied sharply.

"Why are we running in the first place?" asked the girl.

Xeno didn't answer her. He just sat on a rock with his head in his hands.

"Xeno...' the girl moved over to Xeno and placed her arms around him lovingly. "You can tell me anything, you know that."

Xeno looked at her with wet eyes. He embraced her and hid his head in her bossom and cried freely. The girl did not push him away but let him let out his emotions. She could do naught but hold him close and shut her tear filled eyes.

As the sun began to set, Xeno pulled away from the girl but still held her in his embrace.He looked at her with eyes that told of a great loss.

"Lynn, I'm sorry I dragged you into this, I'm sure you hate me now," Xeno said somberly.

Hearing that, Lynn said nothing. She stood up and stared at him hard and cold. Xeno couldn't bear to hold her gaze and turned away. As he looked at nothing, Lynn slapped him hard on his right cheek. He did nothing to show that he felt that. Lynn sat down beside him and stared in the opposite direction.

"Xeno, you dummy! How could I ever hate you! I love you more than anyone in this world!" she said.

Xeno stared at her with wide eyes but otherwise kept his mouth shut.

"Have you forgotten the moments we spent together? How I promised you that I would love you forever?" she asked. "If you did, then I would truly hate you and curse you to the darkest pits of Hades' hell."

"Lynn," was all that he could say.

"If losing everything is the price of being with you, so be it," she said passionately.

Xeno lay back on the rock and looked at the darkening sky with wistful eyes. In his mind, he went trough the recent happenings again silently and painfully.

"I'm cold," Lynn complained. Xeno opened his arms as an invitation to her. Wordlessly, she crawled into his embrace as his arms closed around her slim figure.

"Mmm... much better," she moaned, satisfied.

After a few minutes of silence, Xeno asked, "still wanna hear what happened?"

"Sure I do," said Lynn quietly.

Thus, Xeno told her of all that had happened. He told her of the hidden room and its traps, the box and its chains, Abane and his men, and the soul of flames, Ifrit. He told of his mission, his objective, his goal and his aim. He poured his heart out onto Lynn's listening ears.

All the while, she said nothing but gave a few 'mmm's' and 'ah's' through the recollection. When he finished, she asked, "better?".

Xeno gave a laugh and ruffled her hair. "Just go to sleep."

So she closed her eyes and went to sleep in her lover's embrace. With the ground as their bed and the sky over their heads. The last word she heard before drifting off were the words 'I love you'.

Part VI - In The Forest