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A sneer crossed Lonewolf's lips. "That is my decision to make! Leave him be. If anyone is going to end his pain it will be me. No one else." He looked at Locke who was struggling to even breathe. "I've already tried countless times to heal him with my magic, but nothing worked. He was given this disease by a demon that broke through my window awhile back."

He looked at his broken window and looked down to the ground, "I need to rest for the coming tournament." He stated, quickly changing the subject.

Lonewolf nodded. "Yes. A sorceress named Arianna has announced a fighting tournament to begin within the next two weeks. She had stolen all of my powers, leaving me with nothing. I cannot cast any of my spells anymore until I somehow get my powers back. However, I don't know how I am going to be able to do that at this level." He looked down at his own hands, then clentched them into fists. "I do not know what she is planning to do with this tournament, but it is not going to be good." Lonewolf looked up at Relena, "I don't know what the others are going to do, but I plan on getting my powers back from that b***h one way or another."

Oric and Muchie came out the other end of the bush. They had eatten alot of berries. But while digging through the bush, Oric's hair got dirty, and sticky. Muchie seemed to get out clean though.
"That was delicious!"
Muchie squeeled in agreement.
Oric looked around for the next thing he'd eat. Berries were good, but he had a big fight, and he needed nurishment if he was going to continued his trek. He looked around for the next thing he could munch on before he continued walking. He looked in bushes, and trees, even dug around after finding a mushroom, but nothing. But what he did get was a very dirty head of hair. His bright red hair was so dirty, it looked brown. Eventually Oric did spot an apple tree. "Jackpot!" the boy exclaimed. He ate two apples, but put about thirteen in his bag. He hopped out of the tree and continued west.
"All I have to do is head in the direction of the setting sun and I'll be fine. Oric was pleased with his sopund reasoning of heading away from the sunrise to get more hours of light. And after meeting Lonewolf and being told to head west, He was certain that he had picked the right way.
He was pleased with himself, until a certain began to squeek at him.
"Yes, I know that's alot of apples, but I don't know whats up ahead, and there may or may not be more food for quite awhile. But if you're sure, I could always just eat the apples by myself and bare the guilt alone."
Muchie shut up, knowing that within and few hours, he'd be hungry again, and Oric had won this arguement.

Relena chuckled slightly and nodded.
"I understand. May I ask something though?"

"What happen these past 600 years? After the last war, everyone vanished...why."
Relena had to stay with her people and Ocarina decided to stay with her but everyone else just seem to drop off the end of the earth.
"And...if I may..."
Relena looke up at Lonewolf.
"Why have you become so distance...old friend?"

"......"

Lonewolf remained silent for awhile before answering her questions. "Honestly I have no idea what went on with the others during the past 600 years. From what I've seen so far, Lionheart is now a teacher at some school in Cliffside City. Inferno still roams the earth. Pana still lives, as well as Hajimate and apparently, you're still around too. As for what has been going on with them? I don't know, nor do I care."

He heaved out a sigh, "As for myself...that is far too long of a story. Let's just say the courageous light-hearted leader you once knew is no more." He gestured towards his surroundings, "This...is my home now. I have been living here for hundreds of years. The only reason why I'm going to fight in this 'tournament' is to get my powers back. Whether we save the island from this witch or not doesn't concern me."

"........"

The mention of Ocarina sent a jolt of a very old memory back into Lonewolf's mind.

In the past:

30 years had gone by since Lonewolf's dissappearance, but that did not deter Ocarina from his search. Now, over 50 years old, he continues to find the guild's lost leader. He did not know why...he supposed that it was an ultimate goal of his. Something to do before he passed on to the next life.

For years he had search far and wide throughout Croatia at first, then various other continents. As he traveled he kept a notepad and pencil with him, as he began writing a book about the legendary hero who restored peace to Croatia.

Eventually he had stumbled across an old abandoned cabin in the forest back on Croatia. It had not been there when he searched the forest before, so this was certainly something worth investigating. As he neared the cabin, he was stopped by a savage wolf that bared its teeth and growled at him. It seemed defensive...as though it was protecting something within the cabin. Ocarina unsheathed his blade...

"Locke. Heal." The wolf obediantly obeyed its master who stepped out of the cabin. He was clad in black robes, and a black bandana. An eyepatch was strapped over his right eye as well as a jagged scar that sloped diagonally down over his right eyebrow.

Even with the strange clothing and the eyepatch, Ocarina could recognize his old leader anywhere. Though something struck him as strange...Lonewolf looked as though he hadn't aged a single day since he last saw him. "Wow! I can't believe it!.....It's you.." Ocarina could barely contain his excitement. Lonewolf's mini-robotic friend popped her head from behind Lonewolf's neck and smiled widely when she saw who was there. She walked out onto Lone's shoulder and bowed respectfully, "Hello, sir Ocarina! This one has not seen you in aaaaaaagggeezzz." Lonewolf's facial expression remained stern and unwelcoming.

The look on Lonewolf's face made Ocarina a bit hesitanat to speak, "Uh...long time no see buddy! I've been searching for you for a very long time! I.." Lonewolf's harsh voice interrupted him, "Why?" He hissed. Ocarina seemed baffled by the cold nature of the legendary dragoon. "Why..? I..I dunno. I guess I was..." Lonewolf interrupted him again, "Well it was a waste of time. I suggest you leave immediately." He turned in a 180 and headed back for the cabin's door. Violet seemed confused by all this as she reluctantly stayed on her master's shoulder, waving goodbye to Ocarina.

"Wait! What happened to you? Why are you acting this way? The Lonewolf I knew was never like that..." The mention of his name stopped Lonewolf in his tracks. He slowly turned to regard Ocarina with a menacing glare, "The man you knew...is dead!" He held out his palm and shot a large purple blast of energy at the unsuspecting Ocarina.

The flash of light from the blast in his memory snapped Lonewolf back to the real world.

"...whatever." Said Lonewolf in response to Relena. It was very silent in the small cabin room. All that could be heard was the crackiling of the fire in his fireplace. Despite the warmth the flames gave off, nothing could supress the coldness of the room at that moment.

"You have my word that I won't tell her. Seeing as I have absolutely no reason to even talk to her anyway. Like I said, I'm only fighting to get my damn powers back. Makes no difference who or what is fighting beside or against me."

Lonewolf had a plan alright. The way he sees it, he was in a win/win situation. If he somehow (however unlikely) found a way to get his powers back, he'd be able to stand a fighting chance against that witch and interogate her on how to heal Locke from his poison. However, if he failed and gets killed in the tournament, then he would join his pet in the afterlife. He is ready to die. He's been ready to die for over 500 years.

...so sick of this world... He thought to himself. I have nobody to keep me company other then an artificial robot and a dying wolf.

He smirked to himself as he realized the irony of the situation. If his wolf dies, he dies. If it lives, he lives. But will he live in happiness? He doubted that. At least he'd have a living, breathing companion by his side for a little bit longer. That was another setback of having a prolongued life span. Everyone you had ever cared about, grows old and dies before your very eyes. Ark...Ocarina...Majik...Aerial...everyone. All gone...except...

Hajimate.

Lonewolf felt a small pang of guilt in his heart for what he had done to his old friend and rival during his brief lapse of madness. He still needed to return his old friend's cape.

He looked up at Relena, "Lion and the others are in an apartment building within Cliffside City. Here..." He wrote down some directions on a piece of paper and handed it over to Relena. "If you want to get more details on the situation, I'd advise speaking with him. His hospitality towards others is far greater then mine. Now if you'll excuse me..." He got up and headed to the far room in the back of the house, "I need to get some sleep." He flopped down onto his bed.