Hikaru: First Legendia fanfic, AU, starting in Chapter Six when Nerifes rejected Senel. Crossover with three other games, which I won't state now. Thou shall have to guess!
Moses: Author lady here don't own nothing.
Jay: My, as eloquent as ever . . .
Moses: . . .
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He was utterly alone here. Not even the Oresoren were here anymore. Norma had said before that this sea was quiet, gentle, even like a lullaby. Not so anymore. Quiet the sea was, but Senel couldn't care less about it. He sat on the shore, tossing small stones into the sea beyond. Not with anger, not even with sadness. He simply picked up a stone and tossed it.
Why . . .?
Why did all of this happen?
He lost Stella. Then he lost Shirley to the "holy" being of the Ferines: the Merines.
Supposedly it was the will of the Ferines as a people to bring back their Merines to bring forth another cataclysm utilizing the Wings of Light device that had caused the previous one.
If that were true, who among the Ferines knew what awakening the Merines entailed? Fenimore couldn't have known. She vehemently hated all Orerines before, but eventually warmed up to at least Senel's group. She couldn't have wished to wipe out all humanity.
And of course Senel knew that the real Shirley would never wish that fate on anyone, Orerines or Ferines.
Well then, what about Stella? Did she know? She, in tune with the Legacy, called forth to all Ferines that the Merines was among them. She had brought Senel and Shirley to the Legacy, to the other Ferines.
Did that mean . . .? Did Stella wish for the second cataclysm as well?
Senel drew his knees up to his chest, leaning his forehead against them. He clenched his eyes shut tightly.
No! There was no way that Stella would want such a thing!
. . .Or so Senel kept telling himself.
At least Shirley was alive. The dead can't speak.
But if Shirley was trapped within her own body, overwhelmed by the will of Nerifes, then how could Senel speak with her?
He threw another stone into the ocean.
Night was coming over the Quiet Lands . . . if such a thing as day and night really existed here.
Without bothering to get up to the rug, Senel fell back onto the sand, looking up at the artificial sky. Stars appeared gradually as it steadily grew dark.
"Are you depressed? Pathetic."
Startled, Senel leapt to his feet, looking wildly around. That voice . . . didn't sound like any voice he knew.
"Who are you?" he shouted to the darkness. "Show yourself!" His fingertips began to glow azure as he prepared his eres.
The voice came again, more calmly this time. Not angry as it sounded before.
"I see no need to show myself if you're going to threaten me."
"How do I know you're not going to threaten me?" Senel retorted, unmoved.
"Would I come to the one rejected by both Nerifes if I were going to kill him?"
Silence.
Senel lowered his fists, head hung low.
"Will you show yourself now?"
A light flashed briefly, and Senel could've sworn he saw something sparkle in the direction of the plains.
A tall man clad in intricate clothing approached, a sword belted to his side. At this Senel was alarmed, but forced himself not to take action. The man did say he wouldn't hurt Senel . . .
"Who are you?" Senel asked, eyes hard.
"That's not important," the man snapped, arms folded across his chest. "The important things are: you were rejected by Nerifes, and yet you wish to prevent another cataclysm from happening to this world."
To this world . . .? What did he mean by that? He spoke as if he didn't really care about . . . this world, but rather one of its inhabitants—the one rejected by Nerifes.
"And?"
"I know of a way for you to gain the necessary power for your purpose, without having to submit to either Nerifes."
There was a small pause before Senel broke it.
"Submitting to either Nerifes is a bad thing?"
"No. But since your enemy—" Senel cringed—"uses the power of Nerifes, this way would undoubted be easier on you."
Senel didn't want to agree with this stranger. It sounded way too good to be true, and he said as much. The stranger only laughed quietly at him.
"You're dying of thirst, and when someone offers you water, you ask where it came from."
Before Senel could get any more words out of his mouth, the stranger approached, grabbed his hand, and put something on its back. Senel tried to wrench it out of the man's grip, but to no avail.
"What are you doing!?"
Finally the man released his hand.
On the back of Senel's hand rested a curious golden metal, set with a blood-red gem. The patterns engraved in the metal seemed to read something, but Senel didn't know the tongue. Apparently this jewel had power, and he felt different now that it was on him.
Senel glanced up at the stranger, mouth dry, throat tight.
"You sought to know the 'truth,' but you still know nothing of what you should. The next time we meet, I will grant you the power you seek."
Another flash of light, and the man was gone.
Senel fell to his knees in the sand, shaking. He felt totally drained of energy. It didn't feel nearly this bad when Shirley—no, the Merines—stripped all humankind of their eres. A wave of nausea washed over him, and he curled up on the soft sand of the beach, closed his eyes, and slept.