Lita
Chapter
Grail Mountains

Ryudo smiled and patted Roan's head "Not so bad right?"

Roan's grip loosened as he smiled, tears in the corners of his eyes as he nodded, a choked "No…I'm fine" escaped his throat. Ryudo's fringe covered his eyes as he fought back the tears of relief "Lollypop lane kid. Lollypop lane."

That was days ago. Right now the sky had grown dark and only the light of the fire could reveal the concerned faces of the men in this traveling group of friends. Ryudo glanced at Roan, the teenagers hands fiddled nervously as his forehead wrinkled in worry. Ryudo looked equally distressed.

Although the horns were sealed and they could be close without having to worry there was this feeling in their gut. How did Millenia describe it? An urge? That was perhaps the best way Ryudo could describe it. He wanted to fight Roan! When distracted by travelling and talking to everyone they could easily ignore the urge to the point they forgot about it completely but when all was quiet and their mind had time to focus on the bodies needs and wants, the urge was much stronger.

It's almost like that nagging thought at the back of your mind that you can't shake. It gets louder and louder until you feel like smashing your head on a brick wall! Alas there was a short supply of brick walls on grail mountain. Although that large rock was looking quite tempting to Ryudo.

With an inward groan Ryudo looked back at the young boy and forced a smile "So Roan, cold tonight isn't it?!" Small talk was obviously not Ryudo's forte and Roan snickered to himself in response.

'Yeah it is. Ryudo, can I ask you something?" Ryudo was thankful for any annoying question Roan could think of if it got his mind off this urge.

"Sure shoot!"

"What will happen to Lita if all this ends happily?" Okay maybe not that question. Ryudo looked at the open tent and Watched Lita snuggle up closer to Elena, Tio laying on her other side. The three girls were asleep peacefully and due to all the excitement from three days ago, Millenia and Centeria were likely also resting in their host bodies.

"I don't know." What would happen? Ryudo wasn't her brother or father. He wasn't her family at all. Lita had no family. If everyone went back to their lives would a castle be a place she could live? Roan would be happy to take care of her but wouldn't he and Tio be too busy? Elena would travel around with her troupe but that was no place for a little girl. And could Ryudo really care for a child himself.

"Want to hear my dream?" Roan asked as he leaned forward. He had relaxed now, the talk of a happy future distracting his mind from the horns. Ryudo nodded as he leaned forward, also happy for the distraction.

"Wouldn't it be great if we all lived in Cyrum kingdom! I know you don't like crowded cities so you can have a little house just outside of the city in the fields with Elena, Millenia, Centeria and Lita! Then during the day Elena can perform in the streets with the other performers! You can do your Geohound work for the villages! Cyrum is really busy I am sure there are lots of customers for you! Or why not open a sword fighting school and teach! Lita can stay in the castle while everyone is working, I have some really friendly maids that will love her! Wouldn't that be great?!" Roan was beaming at the thought of their large makeshift family being all together.

To be honest Ryudo really liked this idea. He remembered the dream he had after his fight with Gatta. Could they really do that? Could that dream be fulfilled? He slid closer to Roan before playfully ruffling his hair

"Sounds to me like a lolly pop lane dream." Roan pouted but a smile crept up on his lips.

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Millenia's voice rang loud and clear as she draped her arms around the two men.

"Millenia! I haven't seen you in days!" Roan said as he smiled broadly.

"Everything that happened was extremely tiring. I've slept like a log! But I like your idea Roan. Ryudo we should make it our goal!" She was beyond excitable, all her energy renewed as she oozed enthusiasm.

"I think our goal should firstly be to fix this whole mess! Then we can think about happily ever afters if we do. Right now….Everything feels farfetched to me." He sighed as he looked into the fire. Roan and Millenia frowned, both being dragged to reality.

"Mood killer." Roan grumbled as he stretched. Ryudo felt almost guilty at the truthfulness of those words but his blunt honesty and logical thinking would not let him say otherwise. Yes he wanted that to come true, yes he wanted to say 'let's make that our goal!
let's keep that plan!
let's work toward that dream!'
but truth be told, that would only get his hopes up.

"Lets go to sleep boys. I only came out for air but truth be told I am far too tired to stay up talking about hopes then dashing them." Millenia said with a yawn as she walked back into the tent. Roan agreed and followed her and Ryudo only followed suit when the rain started to set in.

Still Roan's idea of a perfect life ran havoc in Ryudo's mind as he spent hours staring at the tent roof and listening to the rain falling outside. Thankfully he was also annoyed at everyone in the tent so from time to time his annoyance distracted him for a sweet moment free of Roan's daydreams.
realising this he decided to focus on his petty annoyances.

Like the fact he had somehow ended up between Millenia and Lita, both were clingy which meant he had Millenia hugging one arm whilst Lita snuggled closer into his side like a damn cat! There were reasons he put girls on one side of the tent and boys on the other but somehow everyone decided to roll toward Roan whilst he took his time.

Millenia snuggled closer holding his arm tighter which only made his annoyance grow. Was she really asleep or was she just playing with him? Damn wings.

That's when he looked at Lita. If Millenia was restored enough to come out for a few minutes would Centeria be?

He unlatched Millenia from his arm before sitting up and whispering in little Lita's ear

"Centeria? Can we talk?" Lita stirred from the sudden sound but did not wake before glowing white wings enveloped her and Centeria appeared, sitting next to the Geohound. Ryudo nodded to the tent door and both silently got to their feet and walked outside.

Centeria looked up at the starlit sky as the cold breeze played with her blonde hair and the mist like rain wet her skin. Ryudo was quiet as he rummaged through his bag. She allowed herself to enjoy the fresh air, the air she waited thousands of years to enjoy.

"Ryudo… Please hurry I shouldn't remain out like last time." Ryudo paused as he looked back at her quizzically. What did she mean by that?
"I though you would want to be out like Millenia?" He mumbled as he stood and shuffled through some old pieces of paper. Truth was…she really did! But Judus was right, because she wanted to spend time with Millenia, because of her selfishness, they were not able to stop Ryudo and Gatta before it got too bad.

She blinked in shock as a piece of paper was held just before her face. It was another letter in the writings of granas. The one found where the untouched orb had sat.

"W-what does this one say?" Ryudo asked as she took the piece of paper, He then draped a blanket over her and held one side up so the paper was safe from the rain. She felt warm beneath that blanket and the look on Ryudo's face told her he was hiding the fact he had also wanted to keep her warm.

She read it out loud, all the while glancing at Ryudo to watch his expression.

"The fifth letter ... the infusement orbs. They are orbs that hold the monsters created by Granas and Valmar. When the brain is released from its orb the other orbs are awakened. As a person comes in contact with the orb the orb takes their body, it preps it for injection and infuses the body with the monster that inhabits the orb.

The brain will search out for the others pieces, taking full control of the person it dwells within.

After all the brain is that of Valmar himself, and as Granas copied it for the worlds survival it is of Granas himself."

She watched Ryudo's nose wrinkle in thought as his brow creased with concern, mumbling to himself as he sorted out his thoughts.

"So that is why Judus used Gatta…He is collecting the pieces like Zera did. But unlike that coward he is collecting the pieces himself. That also explains why the orbs of Granas decided to come to life. The brain was not released last time. The sixth letter said the pieces would fight to have less competition. Is that why he just watched our fight? And whose brain did he have? I think Centeria mentioned something about that earlier…"

Centeria remained silent as she looked back up at the stars, Ryudo letting the blanket go in his concentrated thoughts. Without diverting her gaze she finally spoke,

"Do…Do you love Millenia Ryudo?" Ryudo's thoughts came crashing and disappeared from his mind.

"WHAT THE HELL? Why would you ask me that?! I was trying to link the letters and you ask a question like that? Why would you care anyway?!" Centeria ignore his complaints and simply replied

"Don't hurt her. She has seen enough pain, more then she knows." And with that her wings engulfed her and Lita now sat on the log, still asleep. Ryudo rushed to the log, catching the girl as she fell to the side. "What does she mean?" He mumbled as he returned with the young girl to the tent.

A/N: sorry about it being so insanely long since my last update. my schedule has been insane with a new job, training for said job and life in general. Please forgive me!