FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 9 - Trust

---

"Isn't this just dandy?! Flying over the great fields and the pretty grass," said Gilbert looking ahead of him.

"This would be much better of the land behind us didn't have pockets of fire and things shooting lasers at us," said the Ice Phoenix as a thin red beam shot passed them.

"Don't rub it in! I'm trying to be optimistic!" snapped Gilbert.

"Sure, if you live I'll shut up about this," responded the Ice Phoenix.

Gilbert flew over great lands of grass where farms dotted the land growing many kinds of crops. The small orbs persisted relentlessly as he flew this way and that. The Ice Phoenix was growing frustrated as the time passed for Gilbert stopped his assault and moved onto defense just hoping to survive to the sunrise.

"You're really pathetic, you know?" said the Ice Phoenix.

"You don't have to rub it in," muttered Gilbert.

Three of the many small orbs flew past them during the small conversation and caught them by complete surprise. The three stopped for a moment before firing three lasers in the opposite direction as the Ice Phoenix made a daring twist in the air to dodge the on coming attack. The orbs behind them made three small holes to allow the lasers past them.

"Cut them already dumb ass! I'm a super powerful weapon and you can't do squat with me?! You're just some really fucked up person!" scolded Demos trying to provoke Gilbert.

"You try cutting these things when they move at the speed of light!" shouted Gilbert.

"You need better skills when it comes to combat. It will be bad if my master has to save your ass," said the Ice Phoenix.

That did it. Upon the notion of Leo saving Gilbert's life returned Gilbert's state back to the offense but he still didn't have a clear plan of how to destroy the orbs. Being void of magic himself, it became a complex strategy that will require a lot of dodging and maneuvering through out the battle field.

"That's an idiot's method to killing things. I'm sure they'll be expecting you to fly towards on the orbs. They shoot, you dodge, and the orb you were heading towards gets blown to bits. That's the oldest trick in the book," stabbed Demos.

"How do you know that it is already bad?!" shouted Gilbert evading a geyser of lasers.

"Cause these are machines dumb ass. If you want to kill them then...USE ME!!!" screamed Demos as Gilbert's mind exploded with pain.

"Don't give me a head ache unless you want me to die!!" snapped Gilbert.

"You're both giving me a head ache," said the Ice Phoenix.

"Whatever! Now how the hell do I use you! You don't have any magic!" exclaimed Gilbert making a u-turn towards the orbs.

"I never said I didn't have magic. I just never told you," said Demos.

"You are so messed up, you know that?" said Gilbert annoyed.

"That's what makes me super special," said Demos proudly.

"When I get the chance, you're getting melted down and smashed to bits," said Gilbert.

"That makes no sense, how can I get smashed to bits when I'm already melted?" inquired Demos.

"I don't know but I'm going to do something to you!" shouted Gilbert.

"That's it, you're on your own kid," said the Ice Phoenix as it began to dematerialize back into water vapors.

"NO! I'm like...way above the ground! I'll die!" shouted Gilbert.

"That's the idea," said the Ice Phoenix as it completely dematerialized.

"NO!!!" screamed Gilbert as he plummeted to the ground.

Gilbert fell past the orbs on the way down and the orbs redid their directions and continued the pursuit. This time the orbs are able to level off with Gilbert and began charging to create thick lasers that will basically vaporize him and maybe Demos.

"Now's the time to tell me what to do!" screamed Gilbert.

"Don't do, just think," said Demos.

"How the hell is that supposed to help me?!" screamed Gilbert as the beams grew darker and bigger.

"Just do that and you'll see what happens. Or you can not do that die like a complete dumb ass dumb ass!" commanded Demos.

"Stop calling me a fucking dumb ass!" snapped Gilbert loudly.

Taking Demos's words, Gilbert stopped trying to make up an emergency plan and started to think. At first, he didn't have much to think about except for the beams. After a few seconds passed, he started to think about a place to have his funeral. The first thing that came to mind in that scenario is a warm bowl of soup followed by Leo standing in the middle of the beach just waiting for him. The beach had palm trees and food on a table under the palm tree. The ocean crashing against rocks and Leo looking across the ocean as the clouds were painted white and blue.

"That's not a good thing but oh well, I'll just have to make do with it," said Demos.

"Make do with what?" questioned Gilbert but the scenery around him quickly changed to what he thought about.

The beach that he was present at was missing a palm tree, a table with food, and a white and blue sky. Leo was standing there but rather than looking across the ocean, he was looking at his surroundings trying to figure out what was going on. Still drenched in blood and holding his Eternia, Leo felt the presence of someone looking at him and turned around.

"How the hell did I get here?! Don't tell me you did this, Demos!" exclaimed Gilbert the moment he saw Leo.

"I was about to say the same thing but you beat me to the chase. What ever happened to you and the orbs?" asked Leo.

"Well...you see..." began Gilbert.

"All I see is an almost naked person shouting at Demos," said Leo flatly.

"Almost...naked?" thought Gilbert as he looked down.

From the constant running, Gilbert didn't even think about paying attention to where the beams were flying during the time he was worried about losing his life. The pants were completely worn and barely hanging on at the waist. The shirt was practically falling off of his body as he looked down at it.

"Oh," said Gilbert quietly.

"Ya," confirmed Leo turning away.

"Why don't you think about clothes and maybe I'll get some on you?" asked Demos.

"I'm afraid of what's going to happen. I still think you're unreliable when it comes to magic," said Gilbert.

"Anyways, I guess things won't be happy for that city. Wonder how Vanessa and the dragons are doing," said Leo.

"They're just fine. Remember, they are basically you but with some differences," said Eternia.

"Really now," thought Leo as he tried to remember what has occurred.

"It is true though no matter how you think about it," said Eternia.

"Huh, are the dragons apart of something bigger?" thought Leo.

"Everything is very confusing!" shouted Gilbert. "First you can transport me here and you can bring me clothes! What the hell is up with that?!"

"You think I'd know your size? Well I don't!" countered Demos.

"Well what do we do now? I have no clue where we are," said Leo.

"Uh...well...I never thought about that," said Gilbert dully.

"You should have thought about that or else something like this wouldn't happen," stated Eternia.

"It doesn't matter what happens now. We must let things work out on their own and continue on our way," said Demos.

"Geez, can't I get some clothes!" shouted Gilbert.

"You figure that out on your own. I'm going to take a look around," said Leo.

Leo followed the waves down the beach as Gilbert argued with Demos about what he was supposed to do about clothes. After a couple of steps, Leo stuck Eternia into the sand and continued on his way. He left behind red foot prints in the sand as the water washed the blood out of the sand. The water rushed up and washed against Eternia as it filled in the small holes and lifted the red.

"Where are you going?" asked Eternia but Leo didn't respond.

Leo walked on for a few miles before stopping and realizing that the sandy beach is very long. He decided to lay down on the sand look into the sky as the clouds constantly changed shapes to create new images. Everything that led up to this moment is a burden upon his mind as he tried to understand anything that has happened from the moment he became encased in the sphere to laying on the beach. The waves continued to slip onto the beach and gradually inched its way to Leo.

"Like water, everything moves and flows for a reason," said Leo softly.

"Everything happens for a reason of course," said a familiar voice.

Leo closed his eyes and say the image of a woman whom he met a while ago appeared in the darkness. She stood there dressed in a Chinese dress of blue butterflies and red silk. Her hair was bundled up and dangled down. She looked at him with a kind face.

"Yuuko," said Leo softly.

"How have you been doing?" asked Yuuko.

"Okay I suppose," said Leo.

"I know that you are confused with what's going but things happen for a reason. You just need to allow time to play itself out. There are things you still need to learn about whether it is about yourself or about others. Believe me, Watanuki is like that even as we speak. Though he rarely sees me, he continues to slowly understand what is going on and lives on his own," said Yuuko.

"When you mentioned that things happen for a reason, is earning a weapon apart of it?" asked Leo.

"Eternia is a different story, that is not the weapon that you are destined to wield. Valhalla knows that there is a weapon destined for you that will work with what she is making. It takes the willing to find what they cannot see in an eternity. Eternia is only using you for her own good. You can never trust anything that is willing to go with you on the spot," said Yuuko.

"Shouldn't trust be immediate?" asked Leo.

"It depends on how things are taken within the immediate time. Life threatening situations are questioned by even the greatest minds. Everything is up to you when it comes to trust because people are more than they claim to be," said Yuuko.

"If that is so, then should I trust your judgment?" asked Leo.

"That is up to you because there is nothing I can do to change your opinion. I may be able to make your wish come true but that would require a hefty price that even you would not appreciate," responded Yuuko with a hint of humor.

"How would you know my wish if I haven't even told you?" asked Leo.

"I don't need to know if you don't want me to. It was you who called upon me and I have answered your call," said Yuuko.

"Is there a separate story that I am following?" murmured Leo.

"You are, it is a parallel road that you jump off and on from time to time. Your will is trying to get you off the path but the enemy is bringing you back. I'll tell you this and only this, Eternia is the secret to complete distinction of which path you follow," said Yuuko.

"Is there such a thing as complete distinction to any future?" questioned Leo quietly.

"I believe there is but it is only up to the person," said Yuuko before fading back into the darkness.

Leo opened his eyes and the sky looked bright as day. Rays of light shot through the clouds and rained upon the ground with its bliss. Everything around him was quiet aside from the slight breeze that tousled any loose strand of his mane. He sat up and watched the wave move to and fro as the calmness washed over his body and dissipated any current thoughts he had.

"Isn't the water beautiful?" asked a calm voice.

"It sure is," replied Leo.

"You should get back to Eternia. She's worried about you," said the calm voice.

"But you're right here Eternia. Is there a need for me to get up and go?" asked Leo.

"How can you tell it is Eternia?" asked the calm voice.

"Because your essence is the only one that resonates with my aura," answered Leo.

"Don't listen to that woman. She doesn't know what she is talking about," said Eternia.

"Why shouldn't I? She is what brought me to where I am right now," responded Leo.

"She is a work of dark magic that will do nothing at all costs to take over the world and destroy everyone's most precious things and memories. You cannot trust a person that appears in your dreams either," said Eternia.

"If I shouldn't trust a person like that then, should I trust you?" asked Leo.

"Yes, trusting me is the only way to survive in any harsh situation," answered Eternia.

"How can I trust you? I only did so to survive," said Leo.

"You're just over thinking the situation. You are always in danger no matter how you look at it. That is how life works," responded Eternia.

Leo sighed and stood up as the waves started to become harsher. The water rushed up the beach with great ferocity and clashed with his the base of his legs. A chill crept up his legs as he shifted his position in the water. Without any indication of any form, the water froze at the base of his legs.

"Huh?" thought Leo as he couldn't lift his left leg.

Looking down, he noticed the frozen water but the odd thing is that the temperature is rather warm around his feet. The warmth is that of the feeling that a mother gives to a child, the maternal love. Fierce winds came to life and whipped about Leo as a small quake opened the earth beneath him and heat broke the ice. Leo dropped into the hole and light of great brilliance exploded before a light of darkness consumed the brilliance.

"Leo!" exclaimed Eternia.

"There's nothing you can do to change the outcome of what has happened. I will never let you have your way Eternia. Not ever since what you did to me and my world," said a strong feminine voice.

"You and your world? Ruth, you don't understand. You and your world is a vile place the defiles the will of god and all that is good within the universe. Don't you understand? You are an abomination to all the eyes of those who are holy!" stated Eternia.

"No, you are wrong. I never did anything to set my people to shame! You, on the other hand, are different because you can't understand what love is!" countered Ruth.

"Love is nothing but a meaningless tool in anyone's life," stated Eternia. "No matter how you look at it, love destroys everything."

"Love doesn't only destroy everything! It also brings life! You can't just create a world without love! It's just not possible!" shouted Ruth.

"We'll see about that," said Eternia