Chereads / The Lockheart's Ruin / Chapter 53 - Chapter 53

Chapter 53 - Chapter 53

(As the next day begins, behind the waterfall Dante continues to coalesce with the Astral Cube. Inside the hideout, Eden exits from Dante's room, her long dark red hair flowing down her back as she walks outside where she sees Kitara sparring with Marcy.)

Marcy: It's you again.

Eden: Hello little one. Is this your attempt of training her, Kitara?

Kitara: Mind your business, Eden.

Eden: I will.

Marcy: Where are you going?

Eden: To the top of the waterfall.

Marcy: What for?

Eden: To jump off of it into the water down below. Have you never done anything fun before, kid?

Marcy: What?!? I've never done anything like that before! Just who are you?

Eden: Why, my name is Eden Altaire, but my enemies call me Lady Of Red. I alsp have the displeasure of being the only daughter of The Black Crow herself, Lenneth Altaire.

Marcy: Wait...You're The Black Crow's daughter?

Eden: Unfortunately I am, but forget about that.

(She says as she offers her hand out as Marcy shakes it.)

Marcy: Why do they call you that? Lady Of Red.

Eden: I'm not sure you want to know.

(As Eden says this as she starts to walk away.)

Marcy: You're really going to do this? You're crazy...

Eden: A little, yes. Don't tell anybody.

Kitara: As if it was a secret.

Eden: And yet you continue to poke at me as if I'm corpse. I say it's long overdue you have your feathers ruffled.

(Eden says as she chuckles to herself. She then walks over to the top of the waterfall and dives off. As she soars down, for a glance through the waterfall, she sees Dante before splashing into the waters below.)

Marcy: That looked like so much fun!

Kitara: Since you are distracted, I think that will conclude our training session.

Marcy: No! My apologies, Kitara! I wish to continue.

Kitara: No it is fine. Get cleaned up, we're going into town today. There some supplies we need.

Marcy: For spells or food?

Kitara: Both.

Marcy: Alright! Be back soon.

(As Marcy runs off, Kitara uses her magic to teleport to Dante. Once there, she sees the Astral Cube floating in front of Dante as he holds his deep focus. It's here where Dante sees flashes of fire and screams as it seems to be a village burning. Seeing this causes him to lose his concentration and the Astral Cube drops to the ground.)

Dante: Ah!

Kitara: What is it?

Dante: It's nothing. I'm still trying to get use its energy. Trying to bond with it mentally is proving to be more difficult than expected.

Kitara: Is that what you've been doing the whole night?

Dante: Yes. I've been in meditation since I left last night.

Kitara: Maybe you should take a break. You should come into town with me. Marcy and I are going to replenish our supplies.

Dante: Are we out of food already?

Kitara: No, but I thought we'd go out and buy some of the premium stuff in the town.

Dante: Where were you planning on buying these things? There aren't any places around.

Kitara: You have lived in these mountains for how long and you mean to tell me you haven't explored the land?

Dante: I usually prefer to hunt my food.

Kitara: I know. I figured you would appreciate quality of the meat.

Dante: I would, but the towns nearby isn't known for their quality in meats. If you're serious about this, then you should go to the town a few clicks south of here.

Kitara: You're not joining?

Dante: No. There are things I must discuss with Eden. I also am in need of a blacksmith to sharpen my blade. You and Marcy can go retrieve dinner for tonight. I'll figure out out why Eden is here.

Kitara: Very well. I'm gonna go see if Marcy is ready.

(As Kitara says this, she teleports away back into the mountains. As she goes in Marcy approaches her.)

Kitara: There you are. Are you ready to go?

Marcy: Yes I am.

Kitara: Alright. So Dante told me of a town south of here so that's where we'll be heading.

Marcy: Wait!

Kitara: What is it?

Marcy: How are we going to pay for this? Are going to steal?

Kitara: No we not. Dante and I collectively have enough gold and silver to buy whatever we need. We aren't thieves, Marcy.

Marcy: Then what are we?

Kitara: We are free people. That is what we are, now head outside. I'll be with you in a moment.

Marcy: Okay.

(As Marcy leaves, Kitara heads to her room and sees an old newspaper regarding an attack on a village. As Kitara stares at the paper, Eden walks in with a towel drying her hair.)

Eden: What's this you're looking at?

(Eden takes the newspaper from Kitara which causes Kitara to take it back and push Eden back with her magic.)

Eden: What's with you!

Kitara: Don't take things from my hands.

(Kitara and Eden then get into each other's face, and for a moment it seems things are going to boil over, but Eden grins as she backs away. As she lends against the wall with her arms crossed.)

Eden: So what does the attack on that village means to you, Kitara?

Kitara: It doesn't mean anything.

Eden: You may be able to fool Dante, but you cannot fool me.

Kitara: I don't know what you're going on about.

Eden: Does that has anything to do with your family? It was your mother that passed wasn't it?

Kitara: You don't know what you're talking about, Eden.

Eden: No. I do recall my mother telling me of your mother's passing, but she never divulged the details.

Kitara: That's because it is none of your business. What happened to my family isn't anyone else's business, but my own.

Eden: And I assume Dante knows none of this? Just what kind of partner are you?

Kitara: I always have had Dante's back. Never have I not been there.

Eden: Really? Because if I recall correctly, you weren't there when he was ambushed in New Dawn City by Ragnarock. You also wasn't there for him in Lexington when he was nearly killed by Mikael. And you weren't there in the battle for Astral Cube in The Lockheart Kingdom. So as far as your claim of always being there, its nothing but lies.

Kitara: How dare you....How dare you come here uninvited and not only eavesdrop on our conversations, but even more so, insult me to my face. So quick of you to forget that I saved your life.

(As Kitara says this, she fires an orb of magic at Eden, but she's dodges it.)

Eden: Does this mean you'll finally ready to fight?

(As Eden says this, Kitara hits Eden with a wave of magic that sends flying out of the cave's door. This alerts Dante as he plunges through the waterfall.)

Dante: Enough Kitara! What's going on here?!?

Eden: Why don't you control your witch!

Dante: I said enough, Eden! Must you two be at each other's throats?

Kitara: She shouldn't even be here! You're just a distraction.

Eden: How funny...I was about to say the same thing about you, little girl. You're nothing but a tease to him. You don't care for him and you certainly don't love him. Sure you heal him, tend to his wounds, but you will never be truly by his side.

(After hearing this, Kitara takes a moment before responding.)

Kitara: I suggest that you leave before things take a turn.

(As Kitara says this, white magical aura begins to glow around her.)

Eden: Well what are you waiting for? This is your invitation.

(This causes Dante to jump in between them, but Eden takes this moment to hit Dante with an open palm uppercut to the jaw. She then quickly follows that up with a swift kick to the abdomen of Dante that sends him off the mountain down the waterfall.)

Eden: Now he isn't holding your hand.

(Kitara then charges towards Eden with a few strikes that Eden easily dodges with her hands behind her back.)

Eden: Is this the best you can do? Surely I thought my mother would've taught you better than this.

(Kitara then lands a punch on Eden, but this causes Eden to laugh only to then suddenly headbutt Kitara to the ground.)

Eden: Quit wasting my time. Are you truly angry or you just acting?

(Eden says as Kitara picks herself off the ground. Kitara then uses her magic to forcibly pull Eden to her and hit her with a stiff punch to the stomach. She follows this up by creating an orb of magic and firing it at Eden. Eden quickly gets off the ground in time to catch the orb with her hands, but the sheer force of the orb is pushing Eden's feet back. At this point, Marcy teleports back with Dante and he immediately slashes through Kitara's magic orb dispering it's magic.)

Dante: If either of you make a move, I won't hesitate to put you down.

Eden: I'd love to see you try.

(This procs Dante to get into Eden's face.)

Eden: Relax...I was only kidding. I just wanted to see this side of her. Don't worry, Dante. I'll take my leave.

(She says as she looks at Dante before walking away. This procs Dante to follow after her.)

Dante: Eden...Don't go.

Eden: I won't stay here and watch as you continue waste your time and energy with her. It's clear that her mind is fixated elsewhere.

Dante: What do you mean by that?

Eden: The newspaper she was staring at. It looked old. Talking about attack on a village years ago, but if you wish it looked more like a witch hunt.

(As Eden says this, she walks off.)

Eden: Everything I've said wasn't said to cause further distancing from you two, but it is the true. I can see the push and pull in her eyes. She isn't content, Dante. See you soon.

(As she says this, she leaves. After this, Kitara walks up.)

Kitara: Dante...

(Just as Kitara says his name, Dante puts his hands on Kitara's shoulders.)

Dante: Just what were you thinking facing off against her?!?

(Kitara then knocks off Dante's hands.)

Dante: Tch! This isn't the time for you to be picking a fight, let alone with Eden.

Kitara: She was digging through my things! My past....My mother! Things she shouldn't know about and that she only learned from Lenneth.

Dante: Even still, she wasn't the one to step too.

Kitara: You're saying that I would've loss?

Dante: No...You would be dead.

(Caught off guard by Dante's remarks, Kitara in her haste, hits Dante with a wave of force that knocks him onto the ground.)

Kitara: Maybe you really do take me for granted?

(After Kitara fires off her attack, Marcy runs up alongside her and puts her arms out in attempt to stop the fighting.)

Marcy: Stop it! No more fighting, please!

(Dante picks himself off the ground and dusts himself off.)

Dante: I'm not the one you need to show off for.

Kitara: On the contrary, you are if you believe I'm weaker than Eden...Weaker than you.

Dante: You're not getting in my head. I'm not fighting you, Kitara.

Kitara: But what if I want to fight?!?

(Kitara's white magical aura starts to glow around her.)

Marcy: Kitara please stop this!

Dante: Have Eden gotten into your head this much that you cannot hear your student's plea?

(As he says this, Dante simply walks past her as if nothings happened.)

Dante: Maybe it's time you go and deal with what's really bothering you instead of lingering around here.

(Upon saying this, Dante walks back inside hideout. At this moment, Kitara calms down and begin to think.)

Kitara: Maybe....Maybe he's right. Maybe it's time.

Marcy: To look for your mother's killer?

Kitara: Yes. I know that I told you that I didn't want Dante's help, but would you lend me your hand on this journey?

Marcy: You want me to go with you? Are you sure?

Kitara: I am. This way I'll always have my eye on you. We'll solve this together!

Marcy: Yes we will, Kitara. I promise.

(Marcy says as she gives Kitara a thumbs up.)

Kitara: Before we talk to Dante, how about we get one more good look of this place? We won't be seeing it for awhile.

(This in turn causes Kitara and Marcy to look over the forest below and the waterfall.)

Marcy: Yeah...Lead the way.

(Kitara then creates a portal, but just as they begin to walk in Kitara stops.)