Past: Run

Several days passed after making the plan with Lofgun and the Wolves. Several days where everyone tried to keep their moods light, but were all thinking of the potentially soon attack that would take place. Lofgun was the worst. He wasn't as he had been, nor was he like his usual self. The Captain spent most of his time either watching Coolyala or at his ship, brooding. He didn't partake in social jokes or training with Coolyala, but stood and stared. His eyes, normally a fiery orange that shone with humor and gentleness, were dark with anger and sorrow.

On the other hand, Coolyala tried to enjoy herself as much as possible with whatever time she had left. She knew she was being a bit melodramatic considering she didn't think she'd die, but she knew that once this was over, they would go back to whatever they did between worlds while she went to her own and learned how to rule it.

The Wolves could sense their Captain's surliness and Coolyala's forced joy, but none of them knew how to approach something so important. They all could see that their Captain had fallen for their Butterfly, and vise versa, but it was between the two of them, it was their battle. They all hoped they'd come through in the end.

Now, Coolyala was on her way back to Lofgun's home, wanting a shower and some food. She was also wanting to get away from his intimidating glare he seemed to wear permanently. It chilled her bones to see him like this.

She entered his home and went to her room, finding something to wear after her shower. When she turned to the bathroom, however, Milbaral's form was standing near the bed, watching her. He wasn't in a Human form though, but his true form. The stone in his chest, multicolored and seeming to glow, glared at her menacingly. Coolyala paused in her task and stared at the Ohuo, half relieved this moment had finally arrived, half disappointed it came so fast.

"No screaming for your friends, Ylfrettub?"

She smiled politely. "I don't scream. At least not when I planned for everything."

Milbaral narrowed his eyes slightly, then looked around. "I'm done playing around, Yala. I'm tired of chasing you, tired of being nice. Tell me how to open the box the stones are contained in. Tell me, or my spies will barge in and bring you to me with as much force as is needed. Even if it means killing a few to get the task done."

Lofgun was in his ship, staring at the wooden ceiling of his room, feeling sorry for himself, when he sensed something was off. He didn't know what it was. He didn't know why.

He sat up and waited, listening for a sign someone was on the ship, deciphering the weird feeling but unable to tell what it was. Nothing sounded from above him or around him in the other belowdeck rooms. There hadn't been a summons of any kind by anyone.

Lofgun didn't dismiss this feeling, knowing that the reason for it would reveal itself in time, but he did lay back down.

He stared at the ceiling.

Shifting, he turned to his side and stared at the door.

He sighed.

The feeling intensified.

Lofgun jumped to his feet, stormed out of his room and up to the deck, then off his ship. It was a ten minute walk to his home and the field, but the captain ran, getting there in quarter of the time. He opened the door to his home and looked around.

Nothing seemed amiss.

He slowly walked further in and around, seeing nothing in the kitchen, nothing in the hall. He went to Coolyala's room and was about dismiss it when he saw the neatly folded up pair of clothes and a towel on the bed. He knew it hadn't been there before she left to the field. He also knew she wouldn't just leave stuff out of place. She would have used it.

Lofgun stepped further into the room and narrowed his eyes, seeing nothing else. But he was very alert now.

Lofgun went into the bathroom and looked around. Nothing had been moved. He went back to the bedroom and slowly let his gaze roam over everything. And that's when he caught sight the small slip of paper peeking out from under the bed.

Rushing over, he knelt and opened it up. At the top had two words:

Ionpurificat Rgecha

He didn't know what it said, as it was a language he hadn't studied in all his time roaming the planets. Lofgun knew it was some kind of spell though. Something about the way the lines were small and centered indicated that. But he couldn't read it. He remembered Coolyala saying she was from Tedniver Obegl, but it was one of the few he hadn't bothered to visit because he'd heard it was too friendly and bright. Being a pirate, he didn't want friendly. He wanted fights and loot. Sure, Tedinver Obegl had loot, but they probably would have only given him a scolding for his action instead of a sword fight.

Now, he wish he had gone, if only to learn the language.

However, Jin seemed to have understood it, so Lofgun went to the field. When he got there, Jin was messing around with Coomarrah. Everyone stopped what they were doing when he walked closer, even Jin.

"Can you read this?" Lofgun asked his man.

Jin took the paper and looked down. He frowned. "Purification Charge." He continued to read, the frown deepening, before he looked up. "It's what I brought back. But it's a good thing we stopped Butterfly from using it."

"Why?" Keayo asked, he and the others having gathered around.

Jin looked Lofgun dead in the eyes. "Unless being a Queen or with great magic, the one who uses this spell will die."

There curses all around. "Anything else we should know?" Lofgun asked.

"Her parents left a note that says it will only work if the stones aren't together as one, but to use only as a last resort." Jin swallowed soundly and looked back up at Lofgun. "It destroys the stones, but it would kill her too."