108 StarsBy Lady HarkenThe leader of the Liberation Army paced back and forth in his room in Toran Castle, looking extremely bored. Gremio, who was sitting by the desk writing his diary, lifted his head. "What is it, Young Master?" He asked. McDohl stopped for a while. "So. We're preparing the last attack. It takes some time to get all the troops moving. And Mathiu tells me to go get some rest!" "But what's wrong with that? You should rest. It'll be the last battle. You need to save your strength for that, Young Master." "Whatever. I can't just stay here doing nothing... I think I'll go do something useful. Like jump to the lake and swim around the island." Gremio looked a bit worried. "But Young Master..." He was too late. The young army leader had already left the room. After walking around the castle for a while, McDohl was convinced that he wasn't needed right now. Everyone was busy preparing for the battle - except Qlon, who was standing near the gate as usual, stating the obvious to anyone who walked by. And... Luc. No reaction could been seen on the young mage's face when McDohl walked to him and stopped to check the stone tablets. "Bah... So, here I have 108 Stars..." "What do you want?" Luc asked in a cold voice. "Ah, nothing really, just reading this." McDohl's eyes continued to study the tablets. 108 stars, 108 names. He didn't actually remember who most of those stars were... Wait, that's right. I don't, he thought. What kind of a leader doesn't know who's fighting for him? An idea struck him. He ran back to his room. "Gremio! I need a pen and some paper." Gremio, who was organizing the bookshelf, turned around surprised. "Well, Young Master. You look much better now." "I'm fine. Well? The pen and the paper!" Gremio smiled and picked up the items from the desk. "Here you go, Young Master. What are you..." He was too late again, as the boy was already gone. "What do you want?" asked Luc, looking more arrogant than usual. What's with him? "Ah, nothing." McDohl grinned. He started writing down all the names and stars of the 108 Stars of Destiny. After completing the task, he stepped back and read the stone tablets for a few times. Luc started to look a little annoyed. McDohl smiled at him and continued reading. When he was sure he knew all of the stars, he left and went back to his room. He handed the paper over to Gremio, who was sitting in the chair, mending his cloak. "What is this, Young Master?" "Oh, a list. All 108 Stars of Destiny. I figured that if the war is going to end soon and stuff, it'd be nice if I knew all by memory. The people who fought for us. For me, for Odessa. So here. Now. I am the Tenkai Star. Correct?" Gremio knew that without checking. "Yes, you are, Young Master" The boy smiled. "Okay. Then, Lepant is Tengou Star. Mathiu is Tenki Star. You're Tenei Star, Cleo is Tenman Star and Pahn is Tentai Star. Right?" Gremio checked the list. "That is correct, Young Master." "Great. Then, Flik is Tenan Star and Viktor... uh, Viktor is... Tensyo Star?" Gremio looked it up from the list. "No, Young Master. Clive is Tensyo Star. Viktor is..." McDohl stopped him. "No. Don't tell me. I want to learn them. You keep the list. I'll just... I'll be right back." "But, Young Master..." Gremio protested. He shook his head and watched the boy leave the room once again. What now, Luc thought. "What do you want?" "Nothing," replied the young leader of the Liberation Army. He stepped in front of the tablets and started reading. Yes, indeed. Clive was Tensyo Star. Viktor was Tenko Star. Luc didn't move, but his eyes studied McDohl carefully. You're here again. What are you up to? After reading the tablets several times, McDohl closed his eyes. Better learn them in the order they are written here. Right...? He glanced at the tablets and closed his eyes again. I'm the Tenkai Star, Lepant is Tengou Star, Mathiu is Tenki Star... He opened his eyes. He took a deep breath and smiled to himself. Yes... He walked back and forth in front of the tablets, trying to memorize what he had just read. Finally, he stopped, read the stars and the names once more until he was sure he got them. Then he gave Luc a warm smile and left. Gremio was sweeping the floor. He stopped when the boy entered the room. "Oh, Young Master. What is it?" "I got it now. Okay. I'm the Tenkai Star, Lepant is Tengou Star..." The boy listed all the stars in the order they were written on the tablets. "All correct so far, Young Master." McDohl smiled and continued. "...then, Alen is Chiki Star and Grenseal is Chimou Star... Gremio?" Gremio studied the paper. "Very good, Young Master. But it's the other way round - Grenseal is Chiki Star, Alen is Chimou Star... Young Master?" The boy was gone, again. McDohl wasn't sure, but he could've sworn that Luc looked annoyed. "What (the hell, Luc added in his mind) do you want?" Why are you always looking me like that and smiling? "I've already told you. Nothing," McDohl said, smiling a little. He started reading the tablets again, not noticing how the young mage's eyes studied him. Oh I get it, Luc thought. You want me, don't you? About fifteen minutes passed. McDohl had read the stars and the names a few times. This time he was sure he got all of them. He returned to his room, where Gremio was packing some clothes. Seeing the boy return again, he stopped working. "Young Master?" "Okay, Gremio, here we go again. I'm Tenkai Star. Lepant is..." This time he listed all 108 Stars. Then he looked at Gremio. "What?" "That went great, Young Master. But... um... Actually, Apple's star is... Young Master?" It was late in the afternoon when McDohl stopped in front of the tablets for the tenth time. Ten, Luc thought. Yes, I'm counting. Can't you just stop that and leave me alone? "What do you want?" He asked. "Nothing." McDohl started reading again. I'm gonna get it right this time. I have to. This time, he read the tablets more carefully than before, making sure he remembered all. When he was leaving, he glanced at Luc who looked almost angry. What's his problem? "Hey... Luc? Are you okay?" The mage didn't reply. "Well okay then..." McDohl left and went back to his room. Gremio was polishing his axe. "Young Master... You really should try to get some rest. That is enough for one day. Besides, I don't think it's good for you to..." "But I've decided that I want to remember them. Here goes." McDohl listed all 108 Stars again. Then he looked at Gremio. "Now what?" "Nothing, Young Master. That was all..." Gremio sighed as the boy grabbed the paper from him. "Don't try. Aha! Stallion. Wrong star. I'll be right back." The hallway was peaceful. There was no-one except the young mage. But this time McDohl could see that Luc really was getting really annoyed and angry. You're still at it, kid? That's 11 times, now. "What do you want?" "Nothing." Luc watched him but kept quiet. Actually, he really wanted to be alone and get rid of that irritating kid who happened to be the Tenkai Star. Well. He had been planning to get rid of him for a while, but he just couldn't remember that teleport spell Leknaat had taught him. Luc closed his eyes for a few seconds. Great. Now he's gone again. It'll be exactly... McDohl returned to his room where Gremio was trying to write his diary again, looking more worried than usual. "Young Master..." "Don't start with that." McDohl listed the stars again, then stopped as he realized that this was the second time he had not remembered Viktor's star right. It was... and not... He blinked. Uh, what was it? "Damn. Just wait a minute..." Gremio shook his head. He was really getting worried now. ...4...3...2...1 here he comes again. For the 12th time. That's it. I've had it. McDohl started to read the tablets. "Now listen, kid...." McDohl stopped reading and turned to look at the mage surprised. Until this point, he had kept asking that one, same question. But now... "Uh, yeah?" Luc suddenly stepped forward, grabbed McDohl by his collar and pushed him against the stone tablets. "That's it, kid. Enough of this. What the hell do you want? Do you really want me that bad?" McDohl's face was getting red, mostly because he had trouble breathing, but also for what Luc had just said. What? What does he mean by that... oh, that. "I was just... trying... to... learn the stars..." "Yeah right. And Flik is sleeping with Viktor. Well?!?" McDohl almost smiled. "Uh... you didn't know? Flik is sleeping with Viktor." Luc tightened his grip, making it even more harder for McDohl to breath. "That's not the point! I... Ah, the hell. Let's just get this over with." The mage leaned closer and kissed him. McDohl grinned innocently as he felt one part of him getting hard. "Um... Luc. I wasn't... You don't have to..." "Shut up. And after this..." Luc moved his hands lower and started to work with McDohl's pants. "...Leave me alone. Please." He knelt down in front of the leader of the Liberation Army. "But... uh... Luuuuuuuc...!!" Gremio sat by the table, getting (if that still was possible) more and more worried. He stared at the door trying to think a way to get his Young Master to get some rest. The boy was so determined. This had to stop. McDohl stumbled in, weird smile on his face. "Oh... hi Gremio..." "Oh, Young Master. What happened?" McDohl slowly moved to the bed and sat down. "I'm fine... thanks for asking... By the way, Viktor is Tenko Star. Apple is Chifuku Star, Stallion is Tensoku Star... Tengaar is Tensui Star and Joshua is Chikyou Star..." Gremio checked the list. "That's correct, Young Master. Now you got them all... Young Master?" The boy was lying in the bed, sleeping. "Young Master?" Gremio looked at him, then smiled. He walked to the bed, removed the boy's clothes and gently wrapped the blanket around him. Then he returned to the desk and started to write his diary again. At least he could stop worrying now. Young Master was here, resting. Gremio smiled to himself. But what made you change your mind, Young Master? And why... Gremio stopped writing and looked at the sleeping boy. Why were you smiling like that?
END.
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