Chapter 31: “Myfetus”

Water Nymph: “Miss Iris, Miss Anais, your back, Saria has just returned as well.”

Iris: “Are the Grassvalley tribesmen with her?”

Water nymph: “Yes, I’ll take you to them.”

Anais and Iris followed the nymphs towards she was busy having a conversation with a group of men. The conversation ceased, once they both drew near.

Saria: “Miss Iris, I’m happy to see that you are alright and Miss Anais, it is great to see you as well, but where is the Hero, is he alright?”

Anais: “He’s fine, no thanks to your crazy murderous sister.”

Sarai: “There nothing I could say to excuse what she did, but still I’m sorry for everything.”

Iris: “There is no need for you to apologize, but I can’t say I will forgive the guilty party, has she returned yet?”

Saria: “Yes, she was here at one point, but she flew off long before you arrive.”

Anais: “Oh yeah, where did she go?”

Saria: “I don’t know and really don’t care, I have nothing to say to her any longer. What she has done, simply will not be forgiven, by you or by us.”

Iris and Anais were shocked at her reaction, murder or not, they were still sisters. Other nymph’s around her nodded in agreement with Saria, she was now completely shunned by her sisters. This must be what Nathan meant when he said, “Nothing you do to her, will be as bad as what Saria would do”. It was as if she had lost her place amongst her family. More importantly, she lost the one she cherished most.

Saria: “If you need to speak with her, I send someone to find her.”

Anais: “Oh yeah that would be-”

Iris: “For now, we’ll set that aside, Anais could you step over here for a moment?”

Anais: “(Whisper) Why’d you cut me off?”

Iris: “(Whisper) We shouldn’t reveal our intention to anyone here, especially the ones standing behind her.

Anais glance over to the Grassvalley tribesmen. They seemed to be discussing amongst themselves. If they knew that they wanted revenge, it could pose a problem. Iris doubted they would sit idly, while one of the ones they meant to protect was attacked.

Anais: “She almost killed me and Nathan, you want me to just let it go?”

Iris: “I would not ask you to do such a thing, however there is always a time and place, neither of those are right now. Master needs these men in order to realized his plans, having them at odds because of our vendetta, would that not be problematic?”

Anais: “Fine, but one day I will get her for what’s she’s done.”

Iris: “In on that day, I’ll shall accompany you.”

Saria wonder what the two were whispering about, until she caught a them looking at the Grassvalley tribesmen.

Saria: “Oh my goodness, it completely slipped my mind, Miss Anais, Miss Iris, these are the men of the Grass valley tribe, Lord Gaelin, Lord Edwyrd, these are the member of the Hero’s party.

Gaelin: “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Saria did not tell me one member was a fairy, I must say I’m surprise.”

Iris: Nice to meet you as well, I’m Iris the Hero’s guardian.”

Gaelin: “(A Fairy as his guardian, this may prove troublesome.)”

Edwyrd: “Ah, you must be Anais, you’re a guardian as well?”

Anais: “No, it just benefits me to travel with him, but we have more pressing matters, you all hear the rumbling getting closer?”

Saria: “The Gorgon?”

Iris: “Master is luring it here as we speak, if everything is ready. we should evacuate everyone as far from here as you can.”

Saria: “Right away.”

Gaelin: “We will assist in the evacuation.”

Saria got to work evacuating her sister, with the help of members of the Grassvalley tribe.

Edwyrd: “Excuse me, Miss Iris, Miss Anais, have any of you come across Celes?”

Anais: “Did you try that huge tree?”

Edwyrd: “Yes, but, not long after we arrived, she left to meet up with all of you.”

Iris: “No, but if so she most likely going to meet up with the Master if so they would be arriving here soon.”

Edwyrd: “I see.”

Anais: “Are you worried about her?”

Edwyrd: “Of course, she the next Mother, if she got hurt.”

Anais: “Nathan wouldn’t let her get hurt, he’d most likely send her away, as soon as they met up.”

Edwyrd: “Is that so?”

Iris: “For now, I would like to explain to you the plan.”

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Nathan sped through the forest, the Gorgon hot on his trail. The Gorgon was going as fast as it could to keep up with Nathan, but he was just too fast. It didn’t help that three of its ambushes were completely destroyed by Nathan. Nathan knew the Gorgon would try this pincer thing again, after realizing that the area he was in was the territory of the plant creatures, he understood that there would always be some ahead of him.

Using his plants, he fired random shots all over the area. No matter where it landed, as long as it grew, anything passing by would be annihilated. Over time, more would grow. Now every so often, Nathan would hear the Uzy firing off in the distance and he’d come into a clearing littered with fallen plant creatures. Nathan simply leapt across them and continued forward, the Gorgon rolled right over them, shredding what was left of them.

Nathan: “Hey, they fought for you, respect the dead.”

His words fell on death ears, the Gorgon would not be stopped, he hoped that the girls arrive and was prepared. He needed to lose it for a moment, sure it couldn’t catch him, but he needed to arrive before it could, at least by a few minutes.

Coming into the next clearing there were a field with patches of flowers. He hadn’t seen any of them before, Pink with long petals that pointed at the end. It was strange that some of his plants were around, but not one corpse, as if they avoided this field all together. Was it because of the flowers, but he didn’t feel any particular threat from them. They looked nice, but it was a shame, it was far too late for him to change directions, he and the Gorgon were going trampled right through. However, as Nathan tread into the field, the Gorgon suddenly stopped.

Nathan: (Huh?)”

Celes: “(NO, YOU MUSTN’T!)”

Nathan: “Celes?”

*poof* *Tsssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh*

Nathan: “What the hell?”

A cloud of green smoke and dust, exploded all around.

Nathan: “Ahhh, the smell.”

The smell was terrible and burned at his eyes. Nathan quickly cleared the patch of flowers and rubbed at them, but that did nothing he was blind. Unable to see and losing his footing, he fell to the ground and skidded into a tree. He jumped back to his feet, but now he couldn’t see and the rumbling was getting louder, he brace for impact.

Ruuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmbbbblllllleeeeeee

Nathan: ……………………..Huh?”

Nathan stood confused, by the sound of the Gorgon rolling right by him. Nathan wasn’t going to waste the chance, but at the moment he couldn’t see and the chance of running into the Gorgon was high. Time was of the essence, though highly unlikely, if the Gorgon was to open up its eye right now, he would be screwed.

Celes: “(Hero, Hero, if you can hear me, you must remain quiet, the beast is looking for you. Please raise your hand into the air.)”

Nathan did as he was told, as he did he felt something wrap around his arm and then lift him into the air. Slowly he ascended and pass along as one thing after another grabbed him. After a minute, he was gently sat down.

Celes: “(Okay, you can speak.)”

Nathan: “Celes, what are you doing here?”

Celes: “(One moment Hero.)”

*Splaaaassssssshhhh*

Nathan: “Puh, puh, Hey, warn me if you’re going to do that.”

Celes: “(Sorry for that but, it should help with your eyesight. How is it?)”

Nathan wiped away the water, slowly his vision came back.

Nathan: “Yeah, that did it, where are you?”

Celes: “(I’m here.)”

Nathan watched as a large shadow moved along the tree toward him. Phasing out of the tree she stepped down on to the branch.

Nathan: “Whoa…………since when could you do that?”

Celes: “(I could always do it, it just I don’t unless there an emergency and thinks to a few levels I was able to extends its duration.)”

Nathan notice there was an odd distance between them, she seemed straining to smile.

Nathan: “………….. Celes, why are you standing so far away.”

Celes: “(Well you see, the Spores from the “Myfetus”, have a truly foul smell when released and you have been cover in it.)”

Nathan: “Those plants huh, so I stink?”

Celes: “(Don’t worry the smell is only temporary, it will vanish in a time. Until then, I…………shall keep my distance.)”

Nathan: “I see, that’s why it didn’t kill me, it lost track of me.”

Celes: “(What?)”

Nathan: “It can’t see us, our abilities are in effect, it’s been tracking me by scent.”

Celes: “(Ah, so when you were douse in the Myfetus gas, it covered up your scent.)”

Nathan: “Right, this is a blessing, while it can’t locate me, I’m going to get away from here, stay here and recover, that ability really drains your mana.”

Celes: “(Right.)”

Nathan got up, but then stopped and looked back at Celes. Nathan cleared the space between them. Celes cringe from the smell, but all her sense besides touch stopped working the moment Nathan patted her head. She looked up at him as he smiled down.

Nathan: “Thanks for saving me.”

Celes: “(N-n-n-no pr-problem.)”

With that Nathan leapt from the tree and took off once again. Celes sat there, face flushed. She felt the top of her head, the spot was still warm, she smiled a goofy smile.

Celes: “(Hehehehehehe)”

*ruuuuuuummmmmmbblllleeee*

Celes: “(Huh?)”

*Crash**Smash*

Celes: “(HERO!)”

The Gorgon smashed through the tree Celes was atop, with no time to react, she was thrown from the branch and crash into the ground. The fall knock her unconscious and she laid there as the Gorgon plow through the debris towards her. Nathan hadn’t made it far away, came just in time to see the Gorgon nearly atop Celes, he quickly pulled her out and move out of the way.

With the smell, the Gorgon couldn’t get a lock. Nathan stood still watching the Gorgon float around trying to pick up his scent, slowly it moved further away, but he didn’t understand why it attacked Celes. Iris nor Anais were ever targeted, for that matter he has been the only one targeted. For it to suddenly decide to change targets was strange, there must be something. Nathan look down at Celes.

Nathan: “Hey Celes, get it together.”

Celes: “(Hero, you saved me again.)”

Nathan: “Of course I did, okay, up you go.”

Celes: “(Kyaa!?)”

Nathan lifted Celes up into his arms, who quickly turned red.

Celes: “(H-Hero put me down.)”

Nathan: “No way, you can’t keep up with me and I’m not leaving you behind again.”

Nathan looked over to the Gorgon, it was confused again, wondering around.

Nathan: “I don’t get it, it doesn’t attack Anais or Iris, it’s soul target was me, but it loses my scent and attacks you, why?”

Nathan couldn’t wrap his head around it, if it attacked Celes, then is not tracking them by their scent. What was the difference between them and everyone else.

Celes: (Hero, could we leave the area, I know we’re safe for the moment, and no offense, but I would like to move away from you as soon as possible.)”

Celes clenched her nose shut. Nathan laughed at her attempts to block the smell.

Nathan: “Sorry, I had a whiff of it earlier, but now I can’t smell anything.”

Celes: “(Trust me, it is there and it is awful, please hurry away from here.)”

Nathan: “Hahahahahaha, you sound like Saria, right before she made us take that bath.”

Celes: “(Well, we were both covered in blood.)”

Nathan: “Yeah we we-”

Nathan stared off into space, before he face burst into a smile.

Celes: “Hero are you okay?”

Nathan: “That’s it, I know why it attacked you and if that’s the case, then we need to go this way.”

Nathan took off back in the direction he came.

Celes: “(Hero, why did it attack me?)”

Nathan: “Celes its simple, it attacked you, because you stink.”

Celes's heart drop into her stomach, she could not believe what she just heard.

Celes: *(I-I-I do not, I bathe thoroughly every day.)”

Nathan: “No, you’re not getting it, I stink too.”

Celes stared at Nathan, a blank expressionless stare.

Celes: “(……I see this is what Anais and Iris meant when they said you have……………. Moments where you babble.)”

Nathan: “I gonna have a real long talk with them later. Blood, it tracking us by the scent of its child’s blood. Remember everyone saying it had a foul odor, maybe the scent never fully went away, even after we washed.”

Celes: “(That could be the it, but if that’s the case, it will come after us the second the smell wears off.)”

Nathan: “I know, so will have to prevent that.”

Celes: “(How do you plan to do that?)”

Nathan smiled down to Celes.

Nathan: “…………You might want to close your eyes and hold your breath.”

Celes caught to his plan and looked ahead, they had re-entered the field of Myfetus.

Celes: “(HERO, NO DON’T DO IT.)”

Nathan: We have to, it’s the only way to put some distance between us.”

Celes: “(NO, I BELIEVE IN YOU, YOU CAN DO THE IMPOSSIBLE.)”

Nathan: “Thank you for that vote of confidence, but this will guarantee we get away, at least for a little while.

Celes: "(SOMEONE HELP, THE HERO'S GONE CRAZY)"

Nathan: "Here we go.”

Celes: “(NOOOOOOOOOOOO!)”

Nathan leaped into the air, landing right into the largest flower bed. Instantly both were engulfed in a cloud of spores.