Black Hearts
For all those whose hearts have waned may they find peace in these trying times.
Chapter One
He saw his father's hand whiz through the air, he could have dodged it if he wanted, but no, that would only cause him more pain. His skin lit on fire as the balled fist connected with his stomach making want to retch up what little food he had devoured before.
"Don't you dare say that to me ever again!" A tall man with black hair yelled his eyes burning with rage as he stared down at the crumpled heap, which was his son.
"Get the hell up, you traitor. I never thought my own son would defy me and help these filthy half elven…"
"Shut UP!" the young boy on the floor yelled out, he was panting trying to regain his breath, which was forcibly removed from his lungs. His head shot up his eyes burning with fiery anger, as they stared up at his ruthless father. The boy's two bangs fell neatly over his sweat-covered face. His father smirked as his turned a cold shoulder to him.
"You will go to that village tomorrow, and you will kill them, all of them no matter what." His father completely turned around and stalked out of the room through a hard oak door at the far left of it, it slammed causing a cowering boy in the corner to jump. He was a little older than six, while the boy on the floor was fifteen. He coughed as he finally was able to let down his defenses the young boy ran over to him grabbing him softly by the shoulders and helped him regain his balance.
"B-Brother…I'm, I'm sorry. This is all my fault." The young boy said biting his lip as tears filled his eyes.
"Nonsense, I stated my own opinion he doesn't like it when I do that, because…" the older boy paused and his gaze shifted to the crackling fire in the red brick fireplace.
"Because why?" the younger boy asked staring at his brother questioningly.
"Because…some, someone who hurt him a long time ago did that, and they…they joined the enemy side, of Slyvarant." The other boy said sighing and sitting down in a soft polyester chair. The younger one pushed back a long lock of reddish hair, with natural black streaks in it, behind one pointed ear.
"Ph-Phanos…do you think…do you think father…hates…"
"No. Don't think like that Meridian." Phanos replied harshly his brother flinching instinctively. Although he should have been use to it by now, but no he was just a child, and the fact that he thought his own father already hated him made Phanos's insides burn with anger. Phanos's gaze went to the snow dotted window, he sighed as half his face was lit up by the fires glow, and the other, the part turned away was darkened by the nights shadowy touch. What the hell were you thinking father…why, why does it have to be this, this way.
His jet black eyes shot open as the black starry expanse above came into focus. He sat up sweat on his brow, and he was panting. He looked around him, as if not knowing his surroundings, but he knew where he was. Ymir forest, the crickets nightly songs filtered in and out of his ears as did the owl's deep baritone voice. He brought one slender hand to his forehead, and covered one eye as he chuckled.
"It's been quite awhile since I've had that memory." He began to laugh; it wasn't filled with pleasure though, but a deep unending pain. He sighed and turned to his now dead fire, which had some embers they gave off a light of orange red which tried desperately to do battle against the surrounding darkness, but he got up and walked into the forest to look for more firewood for his one man camp, within the dark woods.
:Flanoir Day Time:
Zelos sighed his breath coming out in a white cloud, which dissipated into the cool morning air. The sun was high above the snow caked city, the noise of construction was going on all about, and sometimes was interrupted by a summoner's voice, which unleashed one of her many spirits to aid in the people's work.
"Mr.Wilder!" the red head turned around to face a short pudgy bearded man who was in about his late forties, Zelos guessed.
"What is it?" he asked and the man stopped before him panting his hands on his knees.
"We need your help, down by the inn." Zelos sighed and hung his head.
"Alright…I'll be there soon." He stated turning back to the balcony that overlooked the city.
:Meltokio Night time:
He was in shock so many things had changed since he last saw the elf village. The village that was now non-existent minus a few broken down scraps of houses. Each one looked like an empty shell of the past, his painful memories buzzed in his head, as he walked faster across the field, the great cities gates coming into view. There were no guards either that also surprised him too. His black eyes darted up and down the massive stone doors. They still remained the same after all these years. The doors creaked open and he noticed two men in the above compartments were controlling the doors. He walked briskly in and turned down one of the finely paved streets. He found a dimly lit bar at the end of rows of other fancy flower dotted shops. This city always disgusted him, it was all so cookie cut, nothing different even the people pompous and rich as they were had no class, no personality they truly did live up to the rich people term middle class and poor gave them. He placed a thin hand on the door and it swung silently open, besides the little golden bell that jingled as the wooden oak door opened. A broad shouldered man behind the newly polished counter jerked his head up. His eyes scanning the man before him, his brow furrowed.
"Welcome to the Melboro Bar." He said in a gruff voice, the person who entered just nodded and took a seat at the nearest table. The man sighed, he hated the quiet types it always was so hard to make conversation.
"Would you like anything to drink?" he asked as he walked towards his new customer, who looked only about twenty, pad and pencil in hand. The man in the seat looked at him his black eyes flashing in the bars light. He smirked. The man paused looking at his customer uncertainly.
"Oh no, I'm not here for me…" the man replied still looking deviously at the bartender who cleared his throat.
"Um, are you waiting for someone?" he asked a chill running down his spin at the stranger's cold calculating eyes. Again only a short laugh and a smirk, the man got up out his seat.
"You're filled with guilt." He said in a cold voice, the bartender's eyes widened.
"Excuse me? What are you talking about?" the bartender asked backing up as the reddish black streaked haired man took a step forward.
"You heard me…you're angry at yourself for letting her die, aren't you?" the bartender backed into a chair, which immediately fell to the floor in a loud clatter.
"What…how-how did you…"
"Know that? It's plainly visible in your eyes, their deep void, far away look, you're living in the past." The man laughed flipping his hair behind him showing a pointed ear.
"A-A half elf!" the bartender cried as he moved forward.
"Oh, do people still hate us? Pitiful, I'll rid this world of all of you." The half elf whispered his eyes glowing in the light.
"Get out! Now!" the man yelled, the half elf chuckled and turned his head towards him, "It's you who is going to get out…" he snapped his fingers, a piercing cry erupted through the entire bar, and the bartender fell onto his knees.
"Ah! What-what the hell are you!" he cried holding his ears.
"I am…the past." He whispered as a shadowy figure rose up from the floor, it dripped as if melting; and it let out a low growl. The bartender fell backwards eyes wide.
"Kill him!" that was the last thing he heard the half elf say before his vision went completely black a tremendous pain exploded through his enite body, as if every sinew of muscle was being torn to shreds. A loud cry erupted through the city, alerting the guards who rushed towards the now blackened bar.
:Meltokio Morning:
He sighed as he trudged up the rain sodden hill where beyond it lay the city, the city of Meltokio. He wiped his drenched auburn bangs from his eyes as a gust of wind made him put his arm up in protection of the maelstrom, which was going on about him. A whine from the green and white dog next to him made his head turn down. He stroked Noishe's wet hair. He looked back up and realized he was extremely close to Meltokio.
"So, what exactly happened?" the auburn angel asked taking a sip of the hot tea provided by the king's servant. The now graying man rubbed his eyes.
"To tell you the truth, I really don't know…" he said sighing leaning back into the chair. Kratos looked about the room, with its fancy décor and high priced furniture. The king opened his mouth.
"The guards let someone in last night, a stranger with a black cape." he paused thinking, and then resumed, "he was wearing a hood so they couldn't quite make out what he looked like." Kratos sighed.
"That's not much help." he replied as the room fell unnaturally silent.
"May I go and see…what exactly happened?" Kratos asked breaking the silence, the king nodded reluctantly. Kratos got up and walked out leaving the king of Meltokio in his own brooding silence.
If he weren't used to seeing so much blood in one place he would've wretched right there. It was everywhere, blood on the countertops, dripping down the wall, and the body lay in the far left corner of the room, between the wall and the end of the bar countertop. He heard the buzzing of flies as he walked closer to the corpse it's arms mangled and in odd positions as if ripped out of their sockets, the man's legs looked as if they were broken too. He smelt the odor of excrement and decaying flesh, mixed together with the coppery smell of blood. A glint from the body made Kratos's eyes widen. He rushed over to the body and putting a hand to his nose bent down on one purple clad knee and picked out through the remains a perfectly untarnished sliver dagger. It's hilt was golden and had a "P" engraved in the middle it was surrounded by rubies. He stood up and turned his head to the bar, where the glasses remained relatively untouched. But it blatantly stood out, the message that Kratos's eyes darted back and forth over and over again to read. It was in angelic the language long lost after Mithos formed Cruxis. The writing on the wall shocked Kratos he clenched his hands as it repeated over and over in his mind. Is terra ero defaeco illorum pitiful res , ones quisnam have causa nos adeo poena , dimidium elves mos consurgo iterum vindico suum verus patria Symphonia.
"This land will be purged of these pitiful beings, the ones who have caused us so much pain, the half elves will rise up again to claim their true homeland, Symphonia." He whispered to no one but himself.
"What the hell is going on…" he turned to leave but his foot hit something solid almost bringing him crashing down into the floor. He saw a black box with a silver clasp keeping it closed. His eyes narrowed as he bent down and picked it up off the floor, blood dripped from underneath it, he also spotted a tiny silver key a few feet away as well. His hand shook as he reached down to grab it.
"So. What does it mean?" Kratos hurriedly grabbed the key, and stuffed it into his pocket along with the box, which he hid in his cape. He turned to the king who was in a outfit less formal, and more casual so casual it made him look like a commoner rather than the ruler of the wealthiest part of Symphonia. A whine from outside made Kratos look back at the door, Noishe's head craned into the doorway his tongue hanging freely, ears twitching at the slightest noise.
"I-I don't know." Kratos said, looking at the dagger that he'd left of the table. The king walked up to it and picked it up examining it by what little light the rain clouds were letting in.
"It has the letter "P" on it, I wonder what it could mean."
"Yes. I think I'll stay here a few days, so as to make sure this doesn't happen again, if that is alright with you?" the king waved his hand dismissingly, and Kratos nodded. The king handed him the dagger and walked tiredly out into the rain soaked streets of Meltokio. Kratos gave the room one more cursory glance. He didn't notice…the writing. He stared in confusion at the wall and another whine told him that it was time to leave. He exited through the wooden door, each step he felt the box rub again his skin its cold smooth surface sending a chill through his body, and followed by Noishe he returned to the castle in the dark, damp, rain soaked city of Meltokio.
A/N Well hope you all liked my new story, if you haven't guessed its the sequel to Blue Skied Symphony...SO I EXPECT REVEIWS! haha uh well, I hope it isn't too fast that I put it out, and yes I know it's a very short chapter, but I'm going to try and make this story a tad bit longer than BSS. So uhm...Phanos's dad...he's an ass pretty much XD haha well you'll understand more about Phanos and his little bro in the next chapters...hopefully? Hope you'd enjoyed! And yeah the title is a little kingdom heartsish...but it's nothing like it!