AND WE ARE BACK FINALLY! The first chapter of Part 2! Look out guys, things are gonna get juicy! :D

Grasping Fate

Chapter 12

"Remember you can't reach what's in front of you until you let go of what's behind you."

"I understood the first hundred times! You don't need to repeat to me what I need to say!" Jerome huffed in annoyance. His hand gripped the edge of the windowsill. He turned to stick his tongue out at Mitch before climbing out and leaving the palace. Jerome was speedy, honestly, if he knew he the guards were this dumb, he could've snuck in and killed the king ages ago... But he's glad he never did think to.

Mitch on the other hand was slightly worried. Not for Jerome's sake, he knew Jerome could take care of himself, but he was more worried about how soon that message would be delivered. He knew he left the problem in Jerome's hands, but he felt anxious nonetheless. He wanted to leave it to Jerome, but felt he should follow him anyways.

Perhaps just for a little while.

Mitch adjusted his crown and tugged at his clothes. The weird thing is he'd rather be back in those commoner clothes, they were more comfortable, but he could worry about that later. He was quick to leave his room and close the door behind him. Before heading out he needed to stop by his mother's room.

Mitch walked quickly and knocked on the door to her room, "Come in."

He opened the door and stepped in, he offered a slight bow of his head, "There are some errands I need to take care of in the kingdom. I'll be gone for a few days."

Her mother smiled from her dresser as she combed through her long hair, "Alright, be safe. Afterwards you must immediately begin preparation for the festivities next month."

Mitch nodded and swiftly turned on his heel as he left, softly closing the door behind him. He moved with haste, he spotted a guard standing at his post, "Please have a horse ready for me," The guarded bowed and left to the stables.

Mitch had this habit to bite his nails, but he held his arm down as his fingers twitched. He needed to catch up quick, only because he felt the need to deliver the message too. The weaponry room was open, two guards posted outside the door. They bowed and let Mitch passed. His fingers skimmed and grabbed a quiver of arrows and a bow. He slung them over his shoulder, and then clipped a sword and it's sheath to his side. He was ready, and a horse should be waiting for him by now.

~~~~~

Jerome sniffed the air. He needed to make sure it was still where he left it, hidden in the hollowed form of a large dark oak tree, covered by the underbrush and grass. Jerome spotted the tree and quickly made his way over, he was relieved to see the diamond axe still hidden. It would've been hard to climb palace walls and stay hidden with a weapon on his back, so he hid it before checking up on Mitch.

He beamed after the weapon was safely on his back before trekking through the forests. He didn't feel like climbing, mainly because the axe on his back would make the effort harder on him.

Jerome let out a contented sigh, he always did like the forests. The shade of the trees, the feeling of the grass on his feet, the wind that ruffled his fur, the scents of nature free of human influence.

Jerome hardly realized where his feet were instinctively taking him and he stopped in his tracks. He was heading there.

He didn't want to go there, not when for the first time something was actually good in his life. He turned away in a sour mood, but...he stopped and looked back. Several feet farther in the direction he was heading would be his 'home'. Or the place that was his home for sometime. Humans stayed away from this part of the forest because they were there, Chaos.

Mitch was traveling quietly on his horse, he looked carefully through the trees to see if he could spot Jerome. He just caught a glimpse of him, due to the bright blue, metal weapon on his back. He saw Jerome and took this chance to dismount from his horse who neighed quietly. Mitch placed a careful hand on the side of the animal's face and calmly shushed him as he tied the reins to a nearby tree. He glanced around to see if Jerome had spotted him, or if anyone was around.

Thankfully no one was, his eyes narrowed as Jerome started walking again, but he was not heading back to Adam and the others. Mitch decided to follow him in silence.

Jerome could smell it, all the scents, he could hear the familiar voices. But he wasn't filled with happiness, only fear, yes, he was afraid. He was the leader of all these murderous morvics, he created them with his words and his influence, and now he had to face them. He knew eventually he would see them again. Whether they found him or he worked up the courage to return. He guess it was the latter, but only somewhat, he didn't have the courage to face them, but he was going to do it anyways.

Mitch ducked behind some bushes and trees, he could hear voices just like Jerome. Mitch put two and two together. He realized what this place was, the thought never crossed him that Jerome would think of returning. He had a better life now, so why? Mitch was a little torn, he...he wouldn't call Jerome a friend, not yet, and maybe not ever, a real friendship was unlikely in this world. But there was this sort of bond with Jerome, a similarity despite being two people that should hate each other. There was a pit of betrayal and anger growing in his stomach but he stayed silent to listen.

Jerome emerged into a clearing, he shielded his face from the sun's rays, the talking went quiet and many faces turned to look at him. First with hostility, a few grabbing weapons and baring teeth or fluffing feathers in intimidation, however when Jerome removed his hand from his face and blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light, the morvics recognized him.

Amber-brown eyes, a scarf the color of blood, even with a month gone he was unrecognizable. There was silence and then a figure broke away from a larger crowd of morvics in the far back.

"Jerome, is that you?" Another bacca like him walked towards Jerome, he a few inches taller and two years older, Garnrick, his second hand morvic. He only wore pants, a pair of cheap golden tags hung around his neck.

"Garn!" Jerome smiled and the two embraced, why? He didn't want to be here yet he immediately moved back into the groove of things like he was never gone.

"D*mn, those humans forced clothes on you, when news reached us of your capture we were shocked, how could such a small human have bested you--but you're back now, you killed them right?" Jerome didn't stop smiling, even as Garn slid an insult into his remark.

Jerome was 10 years old when he met Garnrick, who was small, quiet and weak. Jerome took the guy in and helped care for him and filled his head with the same awful beliefs that had drove him only a month ago. They were close, close for they were like brothers. With a bond unbreakable, until Chaos was formed.

Jerome made it a rule to never kill a woman or a child below the age of 18, something Garnrick never agreed with. Every time they argued about it, Jerome always won, he suppose this is when their brotherly bond slowly started to crack. He even knew that Garnrick was waiting for the chance to assume control, and with his capture he probably took the chance.

"No," he responded to Garn, he moved away from him and felt the shocked eyes of all the other Chaos members on him.

"No?" Even Garn was a little confused, if there was one thing they agreed on, it was their hate for humans...but things changed. In this month he's changed his views on a lot of things, yes there were terrible humans, but there were just as terrible morvics.

Jerome looked towards all the watchful eyes and his gaze hardened, he clenched his fists and sucked in a deep breath, "I didn't kill them. I was bested by them yes, but even with capture, there was one who never treated me like a prisoner. The boy I almost killed, he never had hate in his eyes, his name is Seto."

He heard the whispers around him, he felt the accusatory glares, he noticed a few tighten their grips on their weapons.

"What are you saying, you befriended a human?!" Garn roared with anger.

"A sorcerer! Sorcerers have it far worse than us you know, hunted to near extinction, and here was this small, frail magic using boy traveling with a the prince of Emedo. A kingdom that hates and slaughters sorcerers," Jerome paused to laugh, "hard to believe, I know. For the longest time I thought it was foolish, there is no way it was possible."

He paused and watched everyone around him, "In this month, I've done things I never would have done had I not met Seto. I realized morvics aren't the only ones with hardships, I realized it was possible for a morvic to be friends with a human, Not just any friendship, one that should be impossible. I realized...that everything we're doing is not bringing our freedom or our happiness. All the blood we shed, all the pain we spread doesn't bring back our lost ones and hide the pain in ourselves."

"Bullsh*t! Don't listen to him!" Garn ordered, he looked back at Jerome and jabbed a finger into his chest, "You're losing yourself Jerome, you were around humans for too long, snap out of it. Or you're a traitor--"

"I'm not longer part of Chaos!" Jerome hissed and bared his teeth, he let his eyes met Garn's eyes, his gaze never wavered. The Chaos morvics looked to each other, with uncertainty. Garn growled in Jerome's face, he sneered in response before moving back and shouting, "Not all humans are as bad as we thought, some are, yes, but if we close ourselves off, we'll never be free, only feared. I'm leaving, and what you choose to do now is on your heads only."

Jerome turned away, but Garn snarled and lunged at Jerome. Jerome didn't have time to turn and block, he was tackled to the ground, Garn's nails digging into Jerome's shoulder.

"You're destroying everything we've worked for! What about your parents!"

"I was blind! My parents never wanted to harm humans, they only wanted to live peacefully among them! Maybe they didn't do it in the best way, but it is me who should be ashamed! I've been trampling over everything they believed in!" Jerome tossed Garn off and they rolled across the ground together. Snarling, Garn swiped at Jerome's face, he missed by a hair.

Jerome punched Garn giving Jerome a few moments to push the angry morvic off and stumble to his feet, "There is no reason for us to fight!"

"There's all the reason to fight! You created all of this!" Garn wiped at his face and stood up, "And now you're throwing it all away because of some belief that humans will actually accept us!" Garn hissed. Jerome narrowed his eyes and watch him, he didn't answer which made Garn angrier, "Don't you all see! Jerome here is trying to be all buddy, buddy with humans now. Like the sissy Human Morvic Alliance!" This made the morvics angry, it was common knowledge that the HMA and Chaos did not like each other, they stayed off each other's territory, but did not associate with each other. To think that their leader was like them was an insult to Chaos.

"Fight me Jerome! Prove that all your times with the humans didn't make you as weak physically as they did to your head!" Gern launched himself at Jerome, this time he was ready. He swung his axe from behind him and used it to block Garn's attack. The were stuck in this position, Garn pushing against Jerome, Jerome pushing against Garn.

"There was a time you were like a brother to me," Jerome whispered as their faces were mere inches from each other. Jerome never meant to get into a fight, dammit! This would delay what he was out here to do, but he couldn't run from the fight. It would defeat the purpose of coming here and making a final stand.

The bushes rustled behind Jerome, he was caught off guard and pushed to the ground, the axe ripped from his hands. He winced but didn't make a sound, he opened one eye. Garn was standing over him, the sun casting dark shadows on his face but making the axe glimmer in his hands with it raised above his head.

"Any last words, traitor?" He saw no way out, the sadistic grin on Garn's face made Jerome sad. Poor Garn, poor, poor Garnrick. Twisted and cruel because of him, the quiet bac who could hardly defend for himself... that was 12 years ago...

He closed his eyes, and let out a sigh.

"Checkmate."

Jerome's eyes opened in shock, that voice, no way.

A sword was pointed at Garn's neck, there were gasps of shock, and Garn's eyes flickered to the newcomer. A crown of strings with jewels dangling from it's hold rested on the human's head, a cheeky expression on his face, that over confident gleam in his eyes.

Yes, it was. It was Mitch.

"Miss me?" He snickered and glanced down at Jerome, but never letting the sword leave Garn's neck.

Jerome chuckled, "What happened to looking over your fair kingdom, princess?"

Mitch wavered and turned to face Jerome and pointed the sword at Jerome's face, "Seriously! Now of all times, can't you drop the stupid nicknames?" Mitch's face was red, and Jerome laughed.

"Don't know, it has a nice ring to it," he pushed the blade aside and stood up. The morvics around them were in shocked silence, few whispers could be heard.

"That's the.."

"It can't be..."

"Why is he here!"

"Jerome is friends with him??"

"He's..he's the prince!" Garn yelled, "You're befriending the root of the problem, you've gone mad!" he took a step back.

"On the contrary, he's my pet--" Mitch smacked him and Jerome laughed, "Right, right."

Jerome approached Garn, he hardly moved as he took his axe back and placed it back in it's hold around his back. He waved and started walking out into the forest. Mitch narrowed his eyes at the morvics before turning and running to catch up to Jerome. No one from Chaos made a move, but Garn did see Jerome pull a hand out of his pocket, and in his hand dangled two cheap golden tags hanging from a thread. Garn placed a hand at his neck to find they were gone, that thief!

~~~~~

Jerome smirked, what could he say? He only stole what was his originally. Mitch sheathed his sword and sighed, "Jezz what a workout you put me through you crazy furball."

"Heh," he shrugged, "I try...here." Jerome tossed the necklace to Mitch who caught it in surprise.

"Wha--"

"It's not fancy ruby amulet, but it is something right?"

Mitch glanced at Jerome curiously, his expression seemed calm and carefree even after almost getting killed, he smiled and put the necklace on, "You're right, it just a cheap necklace...but thank you."

~~~~~

A figure cleared their throat and shifted uncomfortably as they stared through thr sturdy metal bars of a dungeon and to a chained figure on the wall. The dungeon was dark, only a torch held by the guard that lead him here illuminated the area. He did his best not to shake as he looked at the half human, half beast creature in front of him.

"So... This is him right?" The figure spoke, the guard beside him nodded, "I see, thank you. I'd like to leave now." The guard nodded and lead the person away. As the light cast from the torch moved away from the monster's face, the figure caught the faintest of whispers.

"Seto... I'm...I'm sorry."

*cough* Ty *cough*
What did you guys think so far? I hope you have your popcorn ready because I sure do! :D
By the way, my 400 follower contest is still going, I've seen some awesome entries so far, and if you are interested, join. Detail are in the part labeled Part 2. Pm me any questions!