Well told lies
by Okami
Fri, 2 Jun 2000, at 7:48 a.m. CST

Okami stopped at the Skara/Yew/Kinship/Britain cross roads and caught his breath. His chest was throbbing now, mostly from running like hell from the monsters in the area. He cursed his own stupidity for being unarmed. Hearing the cries of the monsters around him, he quickly jogged up the road. Not much further.
Before he knew it, he was at the brigand fort, and he heard sounds of an epic battle inside. He stopped to think before entering, then quickly slid through the gates. Upon setting foot in the fort, he had to stop himself from laughing. A troll was fighting the brigands! The troll was making easy work of them too, and Okami realized that the brigands weapons were usually stored or discarded inside the fort. Quickly looking around, he grabbed the only weapon he could find. A poorly crafted halberd, that had a rusty look to it. Before he could look around for a more suitable weapon, the troll had turned from the brigands, and was barreling towards the ranger, with a huge war mace held high above his head.
Okami quickly hopped backwards, the mace barely missing him. Adjusting for the weight of the halberd, he attempted to counterstrike, but over extended and left himself open. The troll swung at Okami's shoulder in a sideways motion. Okami closed his eyes and braced for the impact, which sent him flying to the fort entrance. Dropping the halberd, Okami looked over at his destroyed shoulder and winced. He then looked up, and saw the troll grinning wildly, mace primed for the death blow. The troll brought the mace down straight on Okami's chest, where a sickening crunch could be heard. Gasping for breath, Okami could feel the grey realm calling him as the troll reached and grabbed his pack. Fluid began to course into the ranger's throat as he saw the troll toss the pack aside and return to the brigands, this time to gloat instead of fight.
Okami felt a set of hands pull him away from the fort, and fell unconscious from the pain.
He awoke a few hours later, with that feeling people get when freshly ressurected. His body was intact, and his belongings were there, but the soreness that had plagued him all week was noticeably worse. He looked around and saw himself in the deep forest healers of Yew. An elderly man in brown robes came to the rangers bedside.
"Ahh your awake..." The healer quickly poured a yellow potion down Okamis throat, and he felt his body heal a little. "What the 'ell have ye been doing lad? Yer body is a mess!"
Okami quickly recounted the times he had fell in the past week. The first being when he chased Ryan into the front yard of the abbey, only to encounter twelve empirials. That had been brutally quick and painful. Then later that day, an arrow to the chest had sent him sprawling to the grey realm, where he had remained for a night. The next day had brought another death experience, as two ettins and a troll had surrounded him in the woods and pounded him with maces. Then there was the duel with that Bishop fella, another hammer wielder. Then the next day...
Okami shuddered slightly. He had only fell once, but it had been the worst. It was when he was trying to save Aeeyia, only to have a drow shove a sword through his chest. Okami sighed, remembering multiple falls against the Empirials after that. It had been a violent week.
The healer looked at the ranger wide eyed. "Ye been hurting that long? Why didn't ye have it checked out?"
Okami shrugged. "More important things to do..."
"By the Virtues! Lad, we healers can work miracles, but only limited ones. If ye get yerself restored and still feel busted up, ye should get some rest!"
"I'll get my rest in the grave..." Okami stood, rubbing the soreness out of his chest. He turned to walk out the door, and the healer yelled for him to stop.
"Lad, ye should know... Ye got several bruised ribs and one fractured. Ye chest muscles are also severely bruised. Ye keep getting yerself killed, and ye gonna find yerself to be a permanent spectre."
Okami slid his skullcap on and adjusted it. "That it?" The healer was too dumbfounded to give a response. Okami quickly left and headed for the abbey, findind Aeeyia's tracks along the way. He followed the trail to her boat, where it looked like she was preparing for a trip.
Okami quickly spoke. "Hiya Hon...." Aeeyia glanced at him, and then returned to her task.
Okami stammered a bit. "I been thinking about what ye said..."
Aeeyia glanced at Okami. "Yeh?"
Okami nodded quickly. Aeeyia kicked the gangplank out, and Okami hopped on the ship. He quickly found a seat. "Yer right hon... I beat myself up too much over things." Even if I do deserve it, he thought.
Aeeyia stopped and sat across from him. "So yeh realize everything bad that happens t'me aint yer fault?"
Okami nodded. Just most of the bad things, he thought.
"And yeh realize ah don't need protecting?" Okami nodded again. Not that it meant he was gonna stop trying.
"And yeh not gonna feel bad everytime I get hurt?" Okami nodded again. Okay, so he was blatantly lying now.
He glanced up. "I'm still gonna feel a little bad, just not gonna destroy myself over it..." Aeeyia nodded. "So I'm forgiven?" he asked.
"Silly, yeh didn't need forgiving..." Aeeyia smiled sweetly, and Okami's heart sank once he noticed the bruises and cuts again. It'll get better, he thought.
"So where ya going?" He quickly changed the subject.
She held up two bottles and a fishing pole. "Ahm a going t' hunt treasure!"
Okami forced a smile. "Want company?"
"Yeh!" She leaned down and hugged him tightly, causing him to wince. "Did yah go see a healer like ye promised?"
Okami nodded.
"What'd he say?"
Okami looked her in the eyes. "He said it was nothing but a little soreness, and that it would work itself out in a day or two." He rubbed his chest lightly. Hey, there was no need to worry her right?
Aeeyia looked at him and nodded slowly. "Okee. I dont want ye fighting none though..."
Okami nodded. An impossible promise too keep, but if it made her feel better.
Aeeyia smiled. "Well les go!" She began barking orders to the tillerman, and the boat started moving.
Okami layed his head back, closed his eyes, and quietly drifted off to sleep.