“My, Leone, you’ve been quite the busy Clockworks delver lately. Saving up money for another costume?“ his friend, The Bard ribbed him.
“Yep. Got a real nice one planned!” Leone smiled.
“You always do,” The Bard responded with a smirk.
The truth was he’d been making numerous forays into Clockworks in hopes of the slimmest chance of meeting up with “her”. Although the various clans and guilds fought for territory on the surface of the planet, underneath was quite a different story. In the Clockworks, knights regardless of clan fought side by side against the monsters below for the mutual benefit of gaining crystals, minerals, and other valuable treasures that lie below. By joining various random party groups, Leone was hoping he might luck into one with Mawashimono. The odds against made it a fool’s quest, but perhaps his . . . (love?) feelings for her had turned him into one.
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Mawashimono had lost her desire for glory in locking down control points for territory. Her heart was conflicted and troubled, and thus she made for rather poor company these days. Consequently, she spent most of her time soloing the Clockworks depths, at least trying to make herself useful until she could regain some peace in her spirit.
She had elected to enter a danger room. It cost some energy to do so and was risky to do alone, but the potential payoff made it worthwhile. She could see by the set up what lay in store for her. Devilites, rats! Shock, double rats! Perhaps this had been a rash mistake. She could still leave the room, but then that energy she spent to get in would go to waste. Oh, well, as it is said “Fools rush in . . .”
She was taking some damage but managing alright, Blast those reavers!
“Back you foul fiends! Get . . . a . . . way . . . from me.” Each word accompanied by a sword swing. Second wave done, just one more to go. Two Trojans appeared, one just out of view. She was maneuvering one into position and never saw the club coming as the second Trojan hit her. Wham! She tried to stagger away, but it was like walking through hip-high mud. Not enough room to maneuver, blast it. Wham! The first Trojan had hit her as well. As stars swam before her eyes, she could feel her life force slipping away. The last thing she saw was a vision of Leone, whose image had played over and over in her mind so often these past few weeks. She regretted not having a chance to say goodbye to him.
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Leone joined yet another PUG party with very little hope in his heart of finding her, but he would not give up, he knew that now, knew that at some point he had turned a corner in his hearts and could never go back, nor was it his desire to. As he appeared in the Clockworks he was immediately greeted by a cacophony of noise. Two Trojans were snorting in delight while devilites danced around with arms upraised. In the middle of this was a bent over figure, staggering or falling, he could not tell. Leone switched out his Final Flourish and quickly dispensed a Trojan with its back turned toward him. The second became aware of this new threat and move powerfully toward him. Leone let it begin its attack, side stepped and whirled before slash-slash-slashing its vulnerable back jewel. The Devilites howled in anger at the intrusion of this new foe, and begin hurling their shock balls in his direction. Leone patiently shielded while advancing, and with the same sword that had done in the Trojans, methodically whittled down their numbers until he had skewered the last of them.
He was now able to see to the fallen fighter who had been so near to death. He sucked in his breath sharply at the sight of his beloved Dragon Princess. She had been beaten and bloodied, and hovered within lethal limits of her health expiring. Gently he raised her up.
Her breathing was very shallow. “Leone?” she whispered. “Is it . . . really you?”
“Shhh, quiet now. Yes, it’s me. And my heart is filled with sadness to find you so hurt, yet joyful that I am able to be with you again.”
“You found me,” she gasped. “How?”
“I’ve been looking for you ever since that day,” he laughed softly, “the day my life was changed forever.”
“And mine too, Leone. I’ve been hoping we could become . . . friends.” She tried to smile then winced at the pain she still felt in her mouth.
Leone tried to return her small smile with one of his own and queried “Only friends, Princess? Could we never be more?”
She looked up into his eyes with moisture along the bottom of hers, from pain or some other emotion, he knew not which, and said, “I’d like that, Leone. But my father has already promised my hand in marriage to a man in another royal family. In fact, the wedding is just two months hence.”
Leone stood to his full height. “Who is this fellow? Perhaps I could have a word with him,” and he gripped his sword meaningfully.
“No, Leone, you can’t do . . .” She stopped mid sentence. That was not quite true. There was a moment in the wedding when anyone with any objection could speak up, and if so desired, even challenge the groom for the hand of the bride. She had heard stories of this happening, but not to anyone she ever knew nor in any wedding in her city. She looked into Leone’s glowing eyes trying to decide whether or not to share this information with him. Not that it would do any good, since the cultural laws of Dragons did not apply to Beasts of any kind, naturally.
“Well,” she said, “it’s true that another dragon could challenge the groom for my hand in marriage, but for a Lion such as yourself, it would not be possible. In fact, you’d be killed for trespassing as soon as you set foot inside the city gates. But, Leone, we could be friends and fight in the clockworks together as much as we wish.”
“Very well,” he smiled, “friends then.” For now, he thought to himself.
