DISCLAIMER: I don't own Di-gata Defenders, Greg Collinson and NELVANA do.
This is for: Megumi no Namida for whom I extend the deepest apologies for taking so long.
One Month Ago, That Afternoon
"This isn't right."
Shii'nu sighs for what feels like the millionth time that day and mentally counts down from ten. Jameek told her that it was a useful tactic to keep her anger in check. Of course, he'd told her that in between laughs and heavy breaths while running away from her angry figure. She'd found out that he was the one who put that spell on her pen so all her ink turned invisible back when they were thirteen. A small smirk came to face as she remembered how he'd laughed all the way to Master Jinjin. Jameek hadn't put any spells on her for the rest of that week. Of course, she'd forgiven him by that time and they were back to causing trouble as they were wont to during their childhood.
"You can't just use a person!"
The young voice broke Shii'nu out of her thoughts and brought a frown that quickly replaced her smile.
Jameek had told her something similar after the meeting had ended last week. She hadn't known why he was getting so worked up about it since it was all still theoretical. Besides, the reasoning behind the action would be for a good cause, so shouldn't that nullify the bad?
If she were about five years younger, she would have punched him in the face for the 'are you stupid?' look he gave her. But it got her in enough trouble back when she was a student and if she didn't want her Headship revoked (again) so she kept her anger in check.
"Right and wrong don't just balance each other out! When something's wrong, it's wrong."
What was it with all these Wizards of Sum? Every single one she's met has always had some moral convictions and never understood the need for sacrifice in war. Admittedly, it could be because the only interaction Shii'nu's had with them is through Jameek and this boy, Tzur. And while Jameek is her friend, she's only interacting with Tzur because of the Council's orders. They had chosen the teenager to become her student of sorts. Besides, it's not as if the second most powerful Wizard of Nega has anything better to do with her time.
So here she was, stuck in a library looking for a book about the Third Ritual while babysitting a sixteen-year-old stalker-by-orders-of-those-with-higher-ranking. Normally, the First Ritual would have been used to perform a Creation Spell. But using the First Ritual involved a living sacrifice and the Council wanted to leave that as a last resort. Instead, the Third Ritual allowed for multiple parties to give up precious possessions until the price for the making of a living person was reached.
She still had to look over the details, but it seemed like a good idea. No lives would be lost and the Council would get their defender from the Ethos. It was stressed in the meeting that the possession of such a person was extremely important. The Spell of Binding was going to be preformed soon and this back-up plan of the Wizard's needed to be in place by then
A frustrated sound brought Shii'nu's attention to her charge, currently preoccupied with glaring at the books in front of him.
"It's not our decision to make." Her voice is stern with thinly veiled irritation, but the kid doesn't seem to get the hint. She's already tried explaining (just like she tried with Jameek) that the situation is necessary. If they don't go through with this, then what will stop those soul suckers from coming over and killing innocents?
"Us." Was the confident answer both had given her.
Has she ever mentioned her absolute hatred of the Wizards of Sum? And the sigil Sum?
"So you're just going to go along with it?" The scorn is evident in the words and Shii'nu is just about ready to start this war with Tzur, to the Dark Realm with responsibility. But before she get a word in, she is interrupted by her holocomm going off. Sending the kid a glare that promises enough punishment to last him a lifetime, Shii'nu reached for the cylinder device attached to her belt and activated it.
Greeting her was the surest sign of doom ever to exist: Jameek's too-large smile.
"Did you forget about the meeting, Shii? It started about fifteen minutes ago and the Council is not happy that you're late."
Right. They were all supposed to meet in a week's time to talk about their progress.
Yeah, she definitely hates all Wizards of Sum. And the Council too, for good measure.
Snapping the holocomm shut before Jameek can start laughing as it's clear that he knows that she hasforgotten, Shii'nu shoves the book about the Third Ritual she'd just found back onto the shelf and hooks her holocomm where it belongs.
"C'mon." She orders Tzur, turning on her heel and leaving the dungeon of books without a backwards glance. There is silence behind her for a few moments before two sets of footsteps make their way to the Council Chambers.
Two Weeks Ago, That Morning
"Are you out of your minds? We don't even have the materials!" Shii'nu doesn't care that she's in front of the esteemed Council that has every right and all the power to demote her all the way back to a beginner's level. They can do whatever they want, but she's not leaving without some answers. Why would they want the Third Ritual preformed now, when they're not ready?
"Watch your tongue, Shii'nu. We are your superiors."
She's about to retort, ready to step forward and make it physical if necessary, but both Tzur and Jameek hold her back and grip her arms until she looks slightly less ready to attack the Councillors. When she has calmed, another Councillor speaks up.
"The Spell of Binding will be performed by the end of the day tomorrow." Says the quiet, female voice, but the words are powerful and they make Shii'nu forget all about her anger. "As you already know, we need this Ethos Slayer before the spell is preformed in case the Defenders fail at their task. That is why we need the Ritual and the Creation Spell done now. You'll have to make do with what we have, Shii'nu."
From the growing list of Wizards of Sum, the Council, books, the Megalith still ranks as the one thing Shii-nu hates the most.
Two Weeks Ago, That Afternoon
No. No.
This wasn't supposed to happen. They found replacement objects, things dear to them and put them in place of the missing pieces needed for the Ritual. It should have been a flawless process, perfect parts replacing other perfect parts to make the whole thing perfect. But apparently, things are not perfect because whatever they've used doesn't seem to be enough.
And there is no time to go off and tell the Council they've failed and must try later, no time for Shii'nu to go and retrieve the objects herself because Jameek is screaming here and now and before Shii'nu can do so much as process the sound, it's already too late.
She wants to move, wants to offer herself up but the restriction the good-for-nothing ritual puts them all under doesn't let her do so much as blink.
So she watches, silent and unmovable, as her best friend dies right before her eyes by the hands of an unsatisfied spell she had casted.
Six Days Ago, That Afternoon
Tzur.
First Jameek and now this? How much was this spell going to be worth? How much was going to be lost in the creation of one accursed being?
"W-what happened?"
There are absolutely no guilt in Shii'nu's voice that does not quiver as she looks at the boy-turned-monster and says, with the strength that she no longer has, the last words she will ever be able to manage to him.
"I'm sorry."
Now
She hates him. She hates the little thing who won't even be able to protect them from the Ethos.
It's because of it that Jameek's body was slowly ripped away from him, because of it that Tzur is now stuck in his guardian's body. But it 's only thanks to that fact that Tzur managed to escape the claws of death. He was being sucked in by a spell he wasn't supposed to be anywhere near when his guardian came out to protect him. A quick spell preformed by her manages to change the spirits places, entrapping Tzur's guardian to the unfeeling, hungry mouth of the Creation Spell and leaving Tzur in an unfamiliar body. Unfortunately though, a guardian's sigil energy wasn't enough for the spell to go through properly. So instead of getting a powerful RaDosian boy that would stop the vampires that are to be locked away again tonight, the Wizards are left with this - this demon child. He's half guardian, merged with a dark version of himself or sorts.
And worst yet, the Wizards have left the little beast in her care after it killed her friend and ruined Tzur's life.
"What's done is done." The Councillors tell her.
And even though it's been five days since the accursed thing has been made, all smiling and happy with its combination of its pale-dark skin, Shii'nu still can't stop hearing the screams, the confused voice...
So she makes up her mind one night to get rid of it once and for all.
That is how, standing in front of the Council a day later in energy cuffs, Shii'nu finds herself telling the horrified Wizards about how she's left the failure some fools have named Rion at the steps to the portal to the Dark Realm, the day before the eclipse is to occur.
Maybe The Ethos will do some good and kill him like he's killed her friends.
A Day Later
The half-guardian boy is summoned from the stone held between claws.
The little creature looks around, wide eyes with innocence that will not last.
"So they just left him there?"
A malicious smile on the face of the Ethos is answer enough.
END