A/N: My first Magi fic, finally!
Enjoy!~
(xOxOx)
Click
These channels seriously leave much to be desired.
A series of quite click sounds could be heard throughout the entire apartment, proving to be quite annoying to the two occupants in the room. Well, mostly just one occupant.
A girl, well into her late teens sat on the black leather duvet, a bored look framing her face as she continued her search through the cable box that insisted it had what she originally was looking for; a good movie. Of course, insisted was a grave understatement.
A low bark sounded to the left of her, and the girl turned to glare at her companion. The golden retriever gazed at her with large brown eyes, clearly annoyed with the constant noise the controller she held was making. She let out a huff.
"Hush, Cyris. It's not my fault I can't find anything good."
With an indifferent lift of his snout, the medium-sized dog rolled onto his side, the couch blocking her view of his head. Rolling her eyes, she turned back to the television mounted on the wall. And not a single movie was found.
Forcing herself to keep ahold of the controller and not throw it, the girl placed it on the couch and stood. Letting out a long sigh, she headed for her bedroom, whistling over her shoulder to Cyris. The golden-haired companion followed obediently, its tail wagging furiously behind it.
Might as well go out for a walk, it's nice out today. She thought to herself, her spirits lifting a tad at the beautiful walk she would be taking very soon with her beloved friend. Humming a soft tune, she made her way to the walk-in-closet attached to her room. "How about a walk today, boy?"
The canine barked happily, jumping to lay himself of the edge of her bed like a sentry watching over a vast land. The girl grinned, giving him a quick pat before opening the closet door.
But what was behind the door wasn't her selection of apparel.
A walkway, framed by palm trees and small shrubs lay in front of her, the vast blue sky not far ahead of it. The girl blinked in confusion, a noise of discontent leaving her as she stared with wide eyes into what use to be her closet.
"What the hell is this, Narnia?" she said aloud, sarcasm lacing her tone. She took a step inside the closet, turning back and giving Cyris a look that said 'stay here' before continuing onwards. One by one she took slow, calculated steps, wary of her surroundings. When she looked over her shoulder, the door was only a backdrop against the starkness of her surroundings.
And then, it closed.
Much to her horror, everything in sight turned pitch black, robbing her sight from her. The floor dropped beneath her, effectively cutting off her scream while the air pushed up from underneath her.
Everything was no more.
(xOxOx)
"..iss…"
The girl gave a pained groan, trying to find the strength to wake herself up and rise from the cold, heard ground.
"Miss, can you hear me?"
This man sure is persistent, she growled in her mind while opening an eye. At first, her vision was a bit blurry, but she could see the outline of a blonde man wearing green clothes. When everything returned to it's normal, clear state, she was finally able to justify who the man truly was.
His clothes were definitely…strange. His hair was a silver-blonde color that was kept in a long braid that met his calves. His eyes were a cobalt blue color, and although they shone with life, the girl could tell that he was much older than he appeared to be despite his youthful appearance. The baggy green and white clothes fit his body like a loose glove, and he wore a green magician's hat with feathers attached to the ends.
And that wasn't all.
What surprised her the most was that there were white, butterfly like creatures fluttering around his form. They appeared to glow in the midst of where he was standing, and he seemed to be slightly unaware of their presence. The blonde-haired man blinked in uncertainty, raising an eyebrow at her obvious examination of him.
"Is everything alright, Miss?" He asked, and the girl gave a firm nod. She reached out as if trying to capture one of the beings in her hands.
"Why do these butterflies seem so attracted to you?" She wondered aloud, but it came as a question to the young man. Much to her excitement, one of the butterflies had landed on the palm of her hand before taking flight once more around him.
She can see the Rukh? But how? The man thought in bewilderment, his eyes widening a fraction before retaining his usual smile. Could it be that she is a Magi as well?
"Butterflies?" he echoed, allowing one of the Rukh to land on his hand. "These 'butterflies' are actually called Rukh. Have you ever used any of your magoi before?"
The girl's confusion was easily readable on her face. She didn't have a clue of what this man was talking about. Magoi? Rukh? What did this all mean?
"No…I haven't…" she shook her head, a frown marring her features. "But you didn't answer my first question."
"Ah, that is for me to know and for you to find out." The blonde man smiled, and the Rukh began to dance around him as if entranced by his mischievousness. He placed a hand over his heart, bowing and giving a charming smile. "I go by the name of Yunan. And you, Miss?"
"My name?" the girl narrowed her eyes at the question, trying to remember that small piece of information on herself. But there was nothing that she could recall. In fact, there wasn't anything she could recall. Her mind was blank when she tried to remember her current whereabouts. "I…can't remember…" she added dejectedly, making the man kneeling in front of her frown.
"Anything?" Yunan's expression was troubled, and the Rukh around him went crazy to signal his distress. "Not even where you originally came from?"
She tried thinking back once again, but nothing came up. Sighing, she shook her head in dismay. "Nothing."
The Magi thumbed his staff, trying to contemplate just how exactly he was going to help this girl. He was a wanderer; someone that hardly made exchanges with others and this was exactly the reason why. He didn't want to go through the trouble of taking care of something that wasn't entirely his problem. But he just couldn't find it in him to turn away from this girl, who was obviously in dire need of his help.
Yunan took in the unknown girl's appearance. Wavy, light-blonde hair that was a bit disheveled from being unconscious on the ground, and bright magenta eyes that reminded him of rubies. She was wearing a white dress tunic that looked a bit like slave clothes. On her feet were some type of shoes that were made of black cloth, but they didn't look big enough to press comfortably around her feet. Around her frame was a tan cloak that protected her from the sun. A traveler, maybe? Except for the fact that she wasn't carrying anything on her person, either. He didn't know what to make of her.
He thought about turning to the Rukh for guidance, wondering if he could tap into her memories and find any information on her. Nodding his head in finality, he reached a hand out to the blonde.
"If you'll let me, I'll try and see if I can figure out anything about you. But I can't promise anything, I'm afraid." Yunan gave a hesitant smile, gesturing for her hand. The girl tensed but gave a firm nod, extending her hand and clasping it with his. The two sighed in unison, the warmth of their hands meeting for the first time. Little by little the Magi began to draw out her magoi, combining his Rukh and hers together to try and get any image he could find.
Closing his eyes, Yunan began his search for the girl's apparent lost memory. And dare he say, it was difficult as all Solomon. The Rukh guided his mind through hers, finding nothing but bleak darkness and fuzzy images. And then, he heard a faint whisper.
At first, he couldn't make out what the words were. If only they were a bit louder, he would be able to decipher them easily. Yunan commanded the Rukh to dig as deep as they possibly could, and he even began to sweat a little with the difficulty he was having. He couldn't believe he was having this much trouble, despite how much magoi he possessed.
'Sione…'
Letting out a breath he had been holding, the Magi felt relief wash over him as he could finally hear a part of the whispers. He finally had a first name. Nothing else, but a name at least.
'Sione…the name of the preordained.'
"Preordained…" Yunan whispered, and the girl let out a noise of confusion.
"What?"
The blonde man took his hand away from hers, letting out a cheerful laugh and waving his hand nonchalantly. The Rukh separated from each other, disappearing from around the girl as if they were never there. His Rukh returned to him as he had a disturbed thought. Strange…her Rukh is gone, but I can still feel it around her…
"Nothing, nothing at all!" he assured, patting her head gently. Yunan's eye's sparkled with glee, standing up to full height and pulling the girl with him. Her head was just past his shoulder. "But I do have some great news! You do indeed have a name."
"I do?! What is it?!" She clasped her hands together in elation, grinning from ear to ear. Yunan chuckled at her seemingly childish attitude, somewhat glad he did help her.
"I do believe it was Sione. And quite the beautiful name, too."
"Sione…I like it." Said girl's eyes widened in realization, playing the name over and over in her head. It did prove to be fitting for her, and she was glad that she could go on in life with at least an alias. That was if she could go on in this mysterious world.
"You know, your name fits you too, Yunan." Sione complimented the Magi, watching as he picked up his staff and wiggled his fingers around it. He patted his hat bashfully, a wry grin crossing his features.
Sione's eyes wandered elsewhere, taking in her surroundings. Even if she did find out her name, she still didn't have the fondest clue of where she was. A few trees spread out here and there, and a vast field containing flowers of all types. The magenta-eyed girl tilted her head, gazing at the Magi questioningly. "Where are we right now?"
"We are on the outskirts of Sindria, a kingdom owned by Sinbad of the Seven Seas." Yunan recited as if he had said it dozens of times. He shrugged, taking an empty sack that he had previously used from around his thigh and filling it with gold and silver coins.
"Considering you aren't familiar with the kingdom, I shall give you some coins so that you may get situated."
Sione stuttered, pushing the bag away from her and back into Yunan's chest. "N-No, that won't be necessary! I couldn't ask for you to do something like that!" He had helped her enough today; she didn't want to burden him with anything else. As of right now, she was on her own and wouldn't rely on anyone unless it was absolutely necessary. "I can find work, like any normal person would. It's not a big deal."
Yunan pursed his lips, crossing his arms and looking at the blonde thoughtfully. "Are you sure? I would feel extremely saddened if you were to be in trouble."
"I'm positive! In fact, do you know any place where I could start? In Sindria, I mean."
The man bit his lip in thought, snapping his fingers once he caught an idea—albeit a somewhat dangerous one—and his eyes lit up. "I know! There's a dungeon that's not too far from here, if you clear it you will get a pretty hefty reward." And maybe it will clear some of your amnesia, as well.
"A dungeon?" Sione sputtered, eyes widening in disbelief. "Like one of those scary, dark places filled with monsters?! I'll get killed in there!" she cried, shocked that the blonde-haired man would suggest something so dangerous.
Yunan chuckled, and extended a hand to pat the startled girl on the head. "I assure you, everything will be fine. Unlike other dungeons, this one is quite mild. It's nothing you shouldn't be able to handle even if you're new to this land."
The girl's eyes narrowed suspiciously, unsure if she should trust the cheerful stranger even if he had helped her to a large extent. What if he was sending her to an early grave? Even so, the Rukh that floated around him suggested that he was being honest and that she really didn't have anything to worry about.
Biting her lip in hesitation, Sione gave a defeated sigh. Yunan knew that he had convinced her. "Alright, I'll go…but if you end up being wrong about this, I will haunt you while I'm in the afterlife."
The magi's eyes crinkled in amusement, and he nudged her in the direction of the dungeon. "Excellent. If you keep going down this road, you will eventually come to a stop in front of a large tower. Once you get there, just pass through the gate and you'll be inside."
Sione sputtered, confused at why he was being so persistent to get her out of there. "H-Hold on, Yunan!" she tried to stop him, but the young man just laughed, pushing her another few feet forward and nearly making her fall over. Once she looked back again, he was already a medium-sized dot in the distance.
"Yunan, wait!" she cried desperately, waving a hand at him to stop his movements. He didn't comply but she didn't give up. "How do you know where this place is?!"
"How do I know? That should be quite obvious actually," he yelled back at her, giving a mischievous smile. "It's because I'm the one who raised it!"
"What do you mean, raised it?! Hey!"
Her words were left unclear when he suddenly vanished, not visible to her anymore. Huffing out profanities, Sione glared at the way he left, turning on her heel and proceeding to the dungeon on the path that Yunan had pushed her to. It was getting to be quite warm, so she hoped that she would come across it soon.
I don't know the next time I'll be able to get some water or food, so maybe it would be best if I stopped somewhere first. Just in case.
True to her word, the blonde continued to follow the path and came across a small stream, perfect for taking a drink. Leaning down and holding her hair out of her face, she placed a hand in the cool water and brought it up to her lips for a drink. It was cool and refreshing, just as she had hoped it would be.
Sione sighed in relief, shaking her hand free of the water and standing up to full height. Unbeknownst to her—until that moment—her sight fell on the large landscape that she had been searching for.
THAT'S the dungeon?!
Sione stuttered in disbelief upon seeing the jewel-endowed tower, sticking out of the ground at least a couple hundred feet up. It looked like a giant monument, and you would never guess that it was dangerous.
The walk would be at least a mile away, but now that the blonde was refreshed it shouldn't be a problem. Sione felt the eagerness to get the whole thing over with, and began to eat up space between herself and the tower as she nearly ran to get to her destination.
The sooner I get there, the sooner I'll be finished! Yunan better be right about this.
(xOxOx)
There is no way in hell that I'm going through with this.
If the magenta-eyed girl had thought Yunan was crazy before, than she was one-hundred-percent sure of her hypothesis now. The gate that led inside the dungeon held much to be desired. It screamed danger, further raising Sione's doubt.
She couldn't do it.
She didn't want to do it.
But she had to.
If there was any way that she had a chance of getting any money, she would have to clear the dungeon or else she would be broke for the rest of her journey. And she did not want anything to come to an end so soon.
But what if a monster of some sort attacked her? She had no weapons, no trump cards whatsoever on her at the moment. It was either take the risk and dive in, or have her life come to an abrupt end in the country called Sindria.
"Oh for God's sake, what choice do I have?"
As much as she hated to do it, Sione had to trust her instincts and Yunan's judgment. That, or figure out some other difficult way to earn riches. And what better way to do it then participate in something right in front of her?
I'm going to regret this, I just know it.
Readying herself, Sione took a large step forwards, plunging into the universe-like dimension that was the dungeons entrance.
A couple of minutes later, she felt her feet touch the cold ground as the decent to the bottom stopped. The air inside was frosty, but fresh, and she could see her breath in front of her face as she breathed. It was freezing.
"Jeez, who turned up the AC?!" Sione shouted in dismay, rubbing her arms for warmth that never came. Her voice echoed off the walls, the vibrations rumbling all around her and making a torrent of wind come rushing past her. She shivered, beginning her tirade down the chilling corridor.
All that she could see from every direction was slate-grey walls, jagged rocks hanging from the ceilings and coming up from the floor. It was almost like an endless, dark maze that continued down a straight path for eternity.
Or, so she had thought.
Sione continued walking for what seemed like miles before coming to a stop in front of a dead end. Cursing under her breath, she turned around to go back the way she came—
Her eyes widened a fraction at the new sight in front of her.
Before her lay two different tunnels on the left and right, definitely different from before. There was no way she could have missed them, she had only just turned around for a second!
"This dungeon is playing tricks on me..." The blonde muttered, biting her lip as her eyes traveled over each of the routes. Unsure of which one to take, she turned to her conscious for help.
And then she remembered.
The Rukh could probably help her choose the right path, couldn't they? Weren't they some sort of magic prowess that laid deep inside her? It was well worth the try, anyway. There was no way that she could consult herself by trying to pick which way, it would take too long and extend her time in the dungeon.
It's worth a try…
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, the blonde-haired girl called out to her Rukh, praying that it would hear at least some of her wishes. She wasn't like Yunan; that much was obvious. But if she could somehow manipulate them into doing her bidding like he had done…
If you're there, please help me. I seem to be stuck and if there's some way for you to guide me, I'd be grateful.
Waiting for a moment, she listened for any sign of the whispers she had heard the white-winged creatures emit before. It was almost as if she had imagined it, until the faintest sound of a voice could be heard.
The right…
Sione's teeth chattered as another gust of wind ruffled over her form, making the cold even more unbearable as she continued to reach out to her Rukh. A few seconds later, a flapping sound could be heard and she opened her eyes, surprised but elated by the sight.
The path on the right had been excluding a stream of Rukh, the white butterflies casually floating to her as some of her own mashed with them. It was quite the sight to see, especially since she had nearly just learned about the strange phenomenon that very same day.
Grinning, she silently thanked her own Rukh for guiding her and treaded down the right corridor, confident that she was going the right way this time.
Everything was still the same as it was before. Bleak, grey, and sharp. A troubled sigh left Sione's mouth, doubt etching into her being as she looked around to find nothing.
She had been walking for at least an hour now, and the exhaustion that she had felt from earlier was crawling back.
A sudden loud roar made the blonde jump, terror making its way in her body and showing on her face. The loud bellow that echoed off the walls came bouncing towards her from behind, and it was then that she had felt true fear.
Her magenta orbs widened. I'm so screwed! Where do I go from here?!
Of course, her first instinct was to run.
And run, she did. She instantly regretted listening to Yunan, and the feeling increased tenfold when she again realized that she was weaponless.
Resisting the urge to scream as another loud roar caught her ears, she urged herself to run faster, intent on keeping away from the dangerous being that had let itself be known just moments ago.
Wham!
A groan left the traveler's lips as she collided headfirst into something wooden—
Wait, wood?!
Her eyes snapped open, and what laid before her both relieved her and shocked her.
Large, throne-like double doors stood in front of her, so high that they reached the tall ceiling. A whirlwind crest had adorned both of the wooden peaks, and metal-looped knockers rested atop the rough surface.
There were two possible outcomes to the scenario that she was caught up in. One, go through the doors and wait to see what was on the other side—and be safe from the monster—or two, wait to possibly be eaten by an unknown creature and die.
It was obvious that the latter was the right choice.
Not waiting to hear another deathly screech come from behind her, Sione pushed onto the doors with all her might, letting out a yip as they opened and sent her careening through to the other side, closing just as quickly as she opened them.
No deathly sound, and no light whatsoever met her.
Although, the cold was a lot more excruciating then before.
"I really shouldn't have listened to Yunan…" Sione scolded herself, picking herself off of the slab flooring and wiping invisible dust off of her pristine white clothing.
At the mention of the blonde-haired man's name, a wave of wind flooded the room, small gusts twirling around her like mini tornadoes. Sione didn't know what to do anywhere. Was anywhere safe?
"Yunan, you say?"
A gasp left the girls throat as the wind suddenly dispersed, shooting in every direction like projectiles. Light brightened the area as one by one, torches lit themselves on the rock walls.
Oh, wow…
It was everywhere.
Gold, silver, bronze, or any other beautiful metal that she could think of littered the floors around her, peaking her fashion side and making her emit yet another disbelieving gasp. Coins, chalices, lamps, jewelry, even crowns were placed on piles and piles of riches in the area. It was paradise.
As if reading her thoughts, the voice that had spoken to her let out a chuckle, the sound husky and deep.
"Who will be King?"
"King…?" The blonde echoed, clenching the ends of her tunic absentmindedly. More deep chuckles rang out, and the voice was clearly amused by her nervousness and confusion. Sione pouted, looking around the beautiful room for the person—or thing—the voice belonged to.
The voice hummed. "No, not King, but Queen. It has been quite a while since I have last had a female enter my dungeon."
"Where are you?" Sione demanded, eyes searching for the obvious male. Still, she could not find him even when the room was a vast, open space. A freezing gust of wind swept over the room, and it was by far the coldest one that she had experienced. Rattling noises escaped the space behind her, making her jump and whip around skittishly…
She gasped.
Did her eyes deceive her?
In front of her, sat a giant man in a gold and silver throne. He was exceptionally beautiful; his white hair fell in loose waves that reached his shoulders. His clothes were somewhat revealing, but they suited him. A crown sat upon his head, the silver material weaving through his hair that had twinkling blue gems indebted in it. His upper body was bare, showing off his muscular frame while his lower half adorned a pure white sash that seemed to swish through a gentle breeze. His skin was a shade of blue, almost reminding her of the shallow waters of the ocean.
But his most catching feature was his eyes.
A cycle of colors ran through his irises, like a cascading wind that never ceased to stop blowing. Blues, golds, and greens fleeted endlessly as his eyes crinkled in what appeared to be amusement at her sheer amazement.
He was absolutely beautiful.
The man smiled cheekily, a playful wind picking up her hair lightly. "Like what you see?"
Gods!
Sione shook her head and sputtered in embarrassment, her cheeks reddening. "N-None of your business!" she cried haughtily, eyes narrowing at the suspicious male. He had just suddenly appeared in front of her, and she wanted to know why. Had she cleared the dungeon?
Wait a second…
"Did you say that this was your dungeon?" she asked, mouth dropping open in surprise. That must explain the royal air he gave off. Despite that, he still let on that he was rather kind and mischievous.
"Indeed it is." he confirmed, a small smile playing on his perfect lips. "I am the 13th dungeon, Panima. And as it should be fairly obvious, I am a djinn of storms. It's rather cold in here, isn't it?" he snickered, almost childishly as her small form shook from the cold.
"Yes, it is." Sione agreed, eyes trailing unabashedly over his form. "Someone I met said that if I cleared this dungeon, I would have enough riches to carry on my travels. Is that true?"
Panima leaned back in his seat, leaning his head lazily onhis knuckles as he stared down at her. "Indeed, that is very much true. But…" he grinned flamboyantly, raising his arms as if to be praised, "You also obtain me as an ally!"
The blonde's eyebrows raised in astonishment, and she pointed at him as if to confirm if he was being completely serious. "You?"
"Yes, now…"
Panima's body disappeared in a gust of wind that approached her, making Sione take a step back from the erratic winds. A moment later, the white-haired djinn reappeared in front of her, his handsome face only inches from hers as he examined her.
"You are a brave girl. Venturing into a dungeon that you hardly know anything about. Do you know what happens to most of the candidates that have come to me?" he asked, whispering some of the last part in her ear and making her shiver.
Sione shook her head furiously, leaning away as far as she could from his face. Panima chuckled seductively, amused at her seemingly innocent attitude.
"I either reject them, or they perish."
Heavy chills went down Sione's spine. What she went through that day must not have been as bad as when others came here, especially if the owner of the place himself was saying that they had died while trying to clear the dungeon.
Panima threw an arm carelessly around the blonde's shoulders, peering into her magenta orbs that glazed over when she was deep in thought. "You have immense luck, I am surprised my noble pets didn't catch you in the halls." His eyes crinkled a bit when he smiled. "I feel as though you differ greatly from previous ones who I have rejected. Your innocence is refreshing."
Sione's eyes flashed in annoyance at his words. Had she not been at least a bit afraid of him, she would have slapped him on the arm and turned his blue skin red.
"I have made my decision," the djinn declared, stepping back from their close position and giving her a regal bow. "Allow me to serve under you as a noble warrior at your beck-and-call, my Queen."
Panima straightened, extending his hand to the magenta-eyed girl. He held out a blue-and-gold elegant fan, the ridges lined in gold while the interior had silver-and-blue designs. Sione took the object in her hands, opening the fan and experimentally fanning her face. Surprisingly, a warm breeze came from it, warming up her body the slightest bit and making her sigh in content.
"Congratulations, you have cleared my dungeon. Take from here whatever you can carry and then proceed out of the doors. It will lead you safely out of the dungeon."
With a final bow, and a kiss to Sione's hand, Panima disappeared in a twister of cold air. A star symbol formed on her fan, making her twist in curiously. It glowed, as if taunting her.
"How strange," the blonde muttered, rubbing her finger over the smooth surface of the symbol.
Perhaps now, surviving in this vastly different world wouldn't be as hard as she thought.
Or perhaps not.
(x0x)
Thanks for reading!
I had originally planned to edit this because the font is kind of wacky, I switched it over from google docs to word and it just…looks like that now. But I promise after I get the next few chapters out, I'll fix it and edit it a bit more. Modify it.
I hope you like it! Follow, Review and favorite!
~M
