The wax spills over the mantle, the candle burns its last little, she barely notices it's dying, sweat drips off her forehead and onto her paper, she wipes it off and continues reading, the candle light slowly dies out. She sighs in frustration

It's been three days of around the clock work, surfing through books and books for the answer to the ratio.

The moonlight peaks through the tinted windows, it illuminates the room enough for her to find a new candle. She replaces the candle, she jolts back in pain as her hand touches the scolding wax. He lights the new candle and takes her to see. The veins on her head pulse,she looks up to the flickering flames, thinking.

You add the arvine mix with glob sirupt, hold over with wait… the ratios are… She screams in frustration, pulling her head.

Why can't I make it work

The sprite flies closer to her to comfort her.

I'm sorry I screamed yuki, it's just, I just don't know what to do about this, the effects are weaning on his body. We've got to help him.

The sprite twits

Oh no yuki, your powers aren't enough to heal him, she taps it on the nose, you've helped him enough already. We'd need some serious magical beast for this one. They won't bring one over here, since it's just one person

It tweets again sounding rather inquisitive

He's not fit for travel plus they won't let us fly one over , the tops won't waste it on a lurker.

She sighs.

I don't know what to do, the only thing that'll save him now is me, I've got to figure this out, I'm all he has

The blue eyed lurker smiles in his sleep, he mind falling into an old memory.

A white haired woman smiling down at him, she can't see her face as he eats gruel from her palms, the steam rising from it burns his face, as he eats he sees a trail of red run down the woman's arm and into the gruel, he eats it regardless.

The burning head of a dragon, larger than life to him, he's all alone, everything burns around him. But he shivers, his feet cold and his heart beating like the drums of Wars. The flaming beast turns to him, he see white hair thrashing between the monsters feet, glowing white hair, flowing in the hot arid wind, blood sleeps from underneath it's feet.

The monster turns to him and growls.

He's running, running again, running away, away from what. The flash of a sharp yellow becks piercing through the torso of an old man, then in a flash it's pierces through a women, the beck lifts her of the ground, he runs into a wall and finds no escape, no options left but to watch the killbill cut her in half.

Dull, dull your mind, sleep sleep your presence, you'll survive, the last words they echoes through his memory, words spoken with a bittersweet love, he see glowing white hair draped over his face,

You're me and I'm you, the gentle voice of a woman's life, the calming oceans, tranquil. Don't be so quick to die, okay, don't rush into battle like that.

But I, but I wanted to protect them, I wanted to save them. He feels an embrace around him but can't see who or what

Be honest with me, you wanted this for yourself, something tender strokes his hair, it felt like a hand. I hope you'll forget me one day, I hope you'll be free of me one day.

He's back to wall again

What can I do?

What could I do? If it moves it'll know I'm here,can't it see me? Is it toying with me?

The bill pecks on the woman's corpse, picking flesh off and gobbling it down. It's eyes bloodied one of them had a piece of wood stick out of it

Is squawks flapping its wings, he shiver against the wall

No it can't see me, he turns to the windows,he turns back to the bill

Quiet down a somber voice says, emanating from everywhere,

A field of yellow, wheat or something, by appearance it seems like wheat its but not this yellow. He hears blissful laughter, they fill his heart with such joys. Through the fluttering field he sees a young woman flowing white hair running through the field, barely seeing her face, but clearly hearing her gleeful laugh. In a fast gust of wind a bill chases just being her, he sees it too, through the fluttering field

It's after you! He screams but all he hears is another gleeful laugh

A loud squawk, he jolt back, trapped by the wall, the bills head turn directly at him, it's flaps its wings furiously. It's jumps at him, he dives away into a roll he quickly makes it's to his feet.

My my, says nurse Luzia, he is sweating load. She places her palm on his forehead.

The bright outside, filled with fields of yellow glowing grains, it's a sweet season, a season to reap, the blues of the sky, the ever present hues of a perfect life all outside the window.

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He get, closer and closer, he could feel the warmth of it, the warmth of the embrace again, the warmth of that life, all from the windows, all on the tip of his fingers.

It's feels cold, his feet's drags back against the wooden floors

Why? Watching the windows move aways from him, everything gets dimer, cold and distant. He looks down and sees…

In a flash he could see everything, feel everything, the blood on the floor, the ash in the air, he could smell her burning hair. White hair covers his view, he parts them to see. He sees himself off the ground, choking on his own blood, writhing in pain, how, how? I didn't die here, he says. How I'm I dying now? Blood spurts out of his mouth, I didn't, I didn't die. The bill raises its head straight into the ear impaling him on its beak.

No I didn't…. A flood of blue feathers flush his view, drowning him in the dread of a twisted memory.

He jolts up out of the bed, breathing heavily.

Calm down, calm down, it may sting but it'll help you,

He panting, no it's not that,

A bad dream? He nods he's head, he puts his hand on his chest rubbing it on the bandage

Are you okay? He's still breathing heavily, he looks at his hands and then runs his face

I'm mostly, fine, still breathing heavily

Alright well I was….. He scream loudly

What!

It stings, why does sting

I told you it will

But why

You're lucky I figured it out, now just relax, I'll go down in a while. I still have to rub some more, she grabs a flat short stick on the bowl and scoop a gulp of the mixture, she slaps the stick on his back, he shrieks trying to stop himself from screaming, she rubs it around with the stick.

Yuki looks at him, as though in pity, it flies to comfort him.

He kick at it, chasing it away

Yuki, he doesn't like you to remember. You know it just wanted to help

I've had enough of curses for one day,how do you live with that thin..ouch!

Sorry about that, the way I see it's a curse and you're a lurker,I find such things always come down to perspective.

By the way it's been three days

What?

Yeah, you slept through it all.

No way I'm behind, I've gotta go practice my flying

What!, not I this condition you're not, I almost killed myself trying to fix you, you idiot, why did you use magnus anyways

Oh I forgot about that, how are they by the way

They're fine

That's good

And that curse too, he's okay.. So why did you do it

I had no other choice

What do you mean you had no other choice, have you got a death wish, using something as volatile as the agent all for a black rider.

It's wasn't just the black rider, they was yeah, they was this large dragon

Really, she ask a bit in disbelief, how big

As big as the barrack

Oh my, you're kidding me, and them what happened

You don't believe me do you,

Not yet, you're usually up to trouble, always trying to best everybody, always reckless , you went into battle with a delivery curse, I'm certain that makes my point. Why would I believe you when I know you'll do anything to prove you're better than those nobles.

But…. I Really did fight a Terrazor, me and the black rider we did

Let's say I believe you, didn't you just flee, why didn't you run away after the first magnus, I'm sure, Gyo, you had that choice at some point. But now you've damaged not only yourself but the curse two. You don't seem to understand you could have die and what for then all to kill one rider

But?

What I'm saying is Whether you fight a terrazor or a rager, just don't be reckless, okay, if not for you, do it for me.

There I'm done rubbing it, now don't lay on your back, you've got to let it dry first.

If got to go see the captain

You've got to rest, come on that can wait

As your physician, you know I won't let you

How about you come with

Just sit down, she walks to a coat rack and takes one out, he throws it at him

Pull it on, he smiles at her.

They walk of the door of the small of hut, gyo, is on crushes, he scratches his hair, as she looks the door

Whats that she asks,

My hair, it's starting to itch

Just your hair?

Yeah, he scratches it again

Lets go. They walk off together, lucia ever the overactive worker, lessens her pace to match his. They walk. Past, wrecked buildings and bright lit tents, they could hear people talking in the distance, they get closer to an iron drop gate.

What yaar doing up haar, lurkas. Gyo clenches his fist.

Swallow your remarks quill they don't sit well with him, he may beat you to a palp

He burst out laughing, this frail little thing, urglies lurker if I ever saw one, now what you fine thing roaming by this hours with this here worm. He won't protect you miss

Open the gate Quil , Gyo says

Quil looks at him, a bit of gruf to his mustache, he has a rough face, it looks blackened from soot and rough around from scratches, he looks him scratches the side of his bushes stache

What you say to me luk….

Quil if you'd please, she says

Alright, lucia but you owe one of your twisted rum

So your whole twisted stunt was to get beer out of me

I like other things but it's the only thing you'll give me. He chuckles to himself then pulls down a lever, the gates go up and they walk through.

Hey Gyo! I heard what you did over thar at heldaroth, great job fending off the dragon. But I still don't like you worm, he chuckles

He turns back to him in surprise, then to luciar. The gate drops behind them

She smiles at him.

How does he know

Everybody knows, you did good, just don't be reckless next time okay. Let's go see the captain.

The captain stands facing his windows in his office looking off into the night sky. He brushes his hand across his bald head.

It's been a loooong day. The tops will let me end it in peace, he sighs. I wonder how he's down.

He hears someone talking in the distance

Are you okay?Keep that feet off the ground, you'll get infected!

I'm tired, okay! Let me rest a little

You can't rest here you'll get it infected,

It's them, he face lights up, he puts his head through the windows to see the

Lucia grabs his arm and putting it around her neck

Okay let's go, lazy.

Do you think the captain will be furious.

No, his face lights up, he'll just kill you for using magnus, he face drops.

Who over there's this late at night, a thundering voice yells at them.

It's the captain, they look up to the window,

Captain it's us, Gyo says.

Oh lucia,he says completely ignoring him. Have you brought the idiot?

Yes, captain he's right here and as dumb as ever.

Alright come up, he puts his head back inside

He ignored me, he whispers to her.

You're in trouble.

A knock on the door.

Yes, come in, it's open. The two of them walk into his office

Working hard or hardly working, aye captain

The captain stair at him, stone faced, looking a bit angered by his joke

Shut up, Gyo you'll get yourself killed, she whispers.

Take a seat the two of you,we've got a lot to talk about.