The Winds of the Past [Rune Factory 4]

Chapter 1

He smiled as he explained, "You are in the city of Selphia, in the kingdom of Norad. I'm afraid our calendar would be meaningless to you, as it is believed to have changed several times since your time. However, I believe that you have lain asleep in the tower of Leon Karnak for at least half a millennia, quite likely more. That can wait until later. I am Prince Arthur of Norad, and I know of you from the Lady Ventuswill, who sent our finest warrior to rescue you from the tower." His face became anxious then, as he asked, "But tell me, Leon, what of the Lady Avani? Clearly she succeeded in her quest, as you stand here before us, yet she failed to return with you as promised."

"Venti... is that Lady Ventuswill? Is she really still alive?" I asked, hope rising in my chest that we had succeeded after all, that my sacrifice had not been in vain. "I'm afraid I can't tell you much. I dreamed... for how long I cannot tell. Then I suddenly found myself awakening. There was bright light, and I found myself being drawn into a portal. A little ways from me was a girl with green hair and eyes. She appeared to be wounded and beyond exhausted, and her eyes were full of sorrow. She asked me to tell Venti what had happened, but to be honest, I don't really know what transpired there."

"Yes," Arthur said, "I think you had better come to see the Lady Ventuswill now. Hang in there, Dylas. Perhaps there is still hope," he said to the distraught man supporting me.

I turned to face him, and as I looked at him, I realized that he had some unusual features. His hair was blue, and it flowed not like a man's hair, but more like a mane, with the sensitive, pricked ears of horse on either side of his face. His brooding eyes were hazel, and he wore black clothing with blue and mauve accents, and numerous straps and buckles that reminded me somewhat of equine tack. As we walked, I felt something brush the back of my leg, and looking back, I was surprised to see a blue horse's tail swishing back and forth in agitation.

Then I noticed another tail... and a moment later, I realized it was mine. A thick, full tail, like a bushy fox's tail, only the fur was a pale silvery-blue. That was when I became aware of a peculiar sensation on my head, and reaching a hand up, I realized that I had large, pointy, fox-like ears instead of human ears. I stumbled with surprise at this realization, and Dylas grabbed my elbow to keep me  steady. He noticed my look of surprise as I gingerly felt around my ears, and said, "Yeah, man. Looks like you got it, too."

"Got what exactly?" I asked, and he gave me a small half-smile.

"We former Guardians seem to have retained some... traces of our monster forms. My hair and eyes changed color, and I've got the tail and ears and this mark on my face. Dolce doesn't seem to have acquired anything so obvious, but she woke up skilled with sewing and knitting—things that involve strings, that is. Her monster was kind of a puppet or a marionette. And Amber has butterfly wings and antennae. You've got the ears and tail and those marks on your face, at least, and you might find some other things have changed, too." I opened my mouth to ask him more questions, but he shook his head, saying, "Save it for later. We're here." And with that, he opened a large, heavy door, and we stepped through.

The great hall of the castle was large and open to the sky above. Perched on a central dais was Venti, her green and gold scales sparkling in the morning light shining through the open roof and her colorfully feathered wings stretched out in the sun. "Leon!" she exclaimed as I entered her chamber, propelled forward by Dylas. "It's been many, many years, my dear old friend. I'm very happy you have returned."

"Venti," I replied with a smile. "Indeed it has, or so I am told. It's good to see you. You've grown quite a bit since last I saw you."

"Well, I was still quite a young dragon in your day, you know. I'm so grateful that Avani was able to rescue you. Speaking of whom, where is she? Was she wounded? Is she being tended at the clinic?"