Chronicles of The Omniverse Archived Lutetia City

as written by Ronin

Luka shrugged. "I dunno. I think I'll sleep all day. Ask mom if she can make me that soup I like. The one with the chicken and the zucchini she grows in the garden out back." A grin tugged at her lips. "She's always complaining that she doesn't get the seasoning right, but she does. Every time. It tastes perfect. She calls it something, I forget. I just call it 'zucchini stew' cuz' that's the most-"

It hit him quickly, violently, without remorse. His words caught in his throat, color flooding into his face. His eyes glazed, his mouth dropped open, lips trembling.

"My mother is dead."

He was frozen for a long while, unbreathing, before the tears reached his eyes and he began to weep like a child.
 
as written by SerinaBloom

Crista moved closer and wrapped her arms around him in a warm hug. She knew the pain he was feeling and she wasn't going to let him suffer it alone like she had to. She stroked his hair gently and let him cry as much as he needed to. She then remembered a song that John once used to sing to her when she was upset. Crista wasn't as talented as John was in many things, singing included but she hoped she could used his song to comfort this boy.

"Coo roo koo, cooruku, coo ru ku, coo ku

Oh hush thee my dove, oh hush thee my sweet love
Oh hush thee my lap wing, my dear little bird.
Oh, fold your wings and seek your nest now
The berries shine on the old rowan tree
The bird is home from the hills and valleys

Coo roo koo, cooruku, coo ru ku, coo ku~"
 
as written by Ronin

He held her close, wrapping his arms tight and clutching her like a dying man clutches a plank of wood. He was sobbing, sobbing - tears flowing freely down his cheeks, staining her clothes, great heaving breaths flying in and out of his lungs between exasperated moans. His whole body moved with it, pain wracking every muscle, every tendon, his grief expressed in every fiber of his anatomy. His mother was dead. His friends were dead. These thoughts, unconsciously repressed for his own survival, manifested themselves in his mind with the sharpness and precision of a throwing knife. Had he been alone, it would have ruined him.

But he was not alone. Crista's presence warmed him, her embrace holding back the wave of sadness just enough from overwhelming him entirely. Her lullaby crooned through his ears, lulling his mind through the impossible torment, giving him a spiritual anchor to weigh himself upon as the storm raged through his being. Minutes passed. Half an hour. His sobbing died slowly, his body convulsing occasionally in a fragile whimper, before he went still, the rise and fall of his breathing body as he dreamed his only movement.
 
as written by SerinaBloom

Crista held him for as long as he was awake and when he had fallen asleep, leaning against her she laid him back on the hospital bed. It was now very late and she should be returning to the order, but she didn't want Luka to wake up alone in the morning. So she stayed, sat in a chair by the bed where she fell asleep.

"I'm going to look after this boy, John. I know you'd want me to. I'll make sure that he gets to have the life we could have had."
 
as written by Ronin

Luka awoke at seven in the morning, bleary eyes blinking awake. He was still cuddling Crista. His sleep had been full and restful; a blessed relief after the pain he'd experienced last night. Already he felt the weight of his grief on his soul, but it was not like before. The wounds had already been inflicted. What came next was the slightly-less sharp but no less burdensome pain of living with the scars.

He nuzzled closer to Crista, taking in her warmth. It helped.

"Thank you..." he murmured.
 
as written by SerinaBloom

Crista, still asleep, was woken by Luka's cuddling. She mumbled slightly and yawned as she woke up.
 
as written by Ronin

Luka sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes. He looked at Crista and smiled. "You stayed all night. I thought you'd be gone when I woke up."
 
as written by SerinaBloom

Crista sat up as well.

"I didn't want you to wake up alone. Besides if you are leaving the hospital today I have somewhere you can stay that will be safe."
 
as written by Ronin

Luka blinked. "Somewhere I can stay? I thought I would just go back to my village and tough it out." He smoothed a hand through his hair. "Where did you have in mind?"
 
as written by SerinaBloom

"I have a place here in the city you can stay but it's up to you where you go. I want to help if you're alright with that."
 
as written by Ronin

Luka thought the matter over. Going back to his village was the end goal, but truthfully, Luka wasn't sure whether or not he was ready to go back to his home. He knew he wasn't in for much good once he went back to his home ... maybe some time in the city was what he needed.

The boy nodded slowly. "Yeah I... I think that would be good."
 
as written by SerinaBloom

"Okay then. I'll wait for you outside and once you've checked out of the hospital I'll take you to the place where you'll stay."
 
as written by Ronin

Luka nodded. "I'm going to have breakfast first, and the doctor will want to check on my bandages, but yeah. I'll probably be a couple hours." He checked the clock. "I can meet you down there around 9:30. Is that okay?"
 
as written by SerinaBloom

Crista nodded.

"I'll wait outside."

She stood from the bed and waved as she exited the room. She stood outside by her destreir and waited.
 
as written by Ronin

Luka emerged an hour and a half later in a set of clothes loaned to him by the hospital. He carried a bag with Crista's cape in it.

"Hey," he smiled as he saw her. He blinked at the massive motorcycle she stood by. "Wow. That thing is huge." He hadn't been conscious enough to get a good look at it yesterday, but now Luka realized just how massive the destrier really was. Each tire was 40" in diameter and looked like it belonged on a monster truck. The bike itself was a beast, armored and plated like a miniature two-wheeled tank. He looked with child-like curiosity for any weapons stashed on the vehicle. Rumor had it that paladins carried a rifle as big as a man.

"What part of town is your place in?"
 
as written by SerinaBloom

"It's near the market on the better side of town. I'll be taking you there."

Crista helped Luka up onto the destrier and then got on herself.

"Hold on to me."

She revved the engine and sped away down the streets, heading like she said towards the market street.
 
as written by Ronin

Luka mounted the bike behind Crista and held on to her, allowing the paladin to take him wherever she willed.
 
as written by SerinaBloom

Crista slowed to a halt in front of a small cabin-like house. Judging by the dust on the windows, it had not been lived in for a few months at least. Adjacent to the house was a Blacksmith's forge that was locked up and out of business. "Here we are."
 
as written by Ronin

Luka dismounted, walking up to the shed-house hesitantly. It was small, but in a city as vast and crowded as Lutetia, even a small property was valuable.

"Is that a forge?" he eyed the workshop, "do you metalwork?"
 
as written by SerninaBloom

"No, John was a blacksmith. He made armor and weapons here as well as other things."

Crista took a string with a key from around her neck and unlocked the front door before stepping inside. She couldn't smell it of course but to a werewolf, John's scent was likely lingering in the house. The scent was a mix of pine, earth, and after tones of whiskey.
 
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