The Black Rose
Introduction
"Are you sure you have to go?" the redhead asked, looking up at the pair of sky-blue pools. "Yes. My talents with magic will be of much use to the Crusaders. I want a happy life for us, and the only way I can ever feel you're safe is if Sin is gone. Then I can come home and we can finally relax.", Selena smiled. She knew her husband had only the best of interests for her, and she rubbed the bulge in her stomach, and winced as it kicked a bit. "promise you'll come back?" she asked. Her dark haired husband, Jonus, kneeled down and looked at her stomach. "I promise the both of you," and he stood back up, "Promise." He gave her a long, passionate kiss and headed off, walking backwards and waving goodbye.
It was a long journey, and Jonus hadn't quite gotten his sea legs yet. He stumbled about his cabin, knocking over his inkwell. "Damn!", he slowly bent over to pick it up before it spilled too much, when suddenly the whole ship rocked. But the skies are clear!... SIN! He thought, and completely forgetting the inkwell, he grabbed his long black staff and jolted out of the cabin. Yevon.. if I do not make it out of this.. watch over my family. Were his last thoughts as the ship was enveloped by the tsunami that was Sin.
The small village had never had a storm before. And Sarc didn't exactly like the rain drops slamming into his head, and jumped at the thunder, but he was one of the village's guard, and this was his duty. He rested his chin upon the hilt of his sword and sighed, "Why'd I get stuck with this shift?" Suddenly, a deep, echoing roar slammed through the lush forest that surrounded the village of Khan, and Sarc bolted into a defensive stance, slowly backing away into the village. "Fiend... FIEND!" was all the he could force out as a huge blood stained claw slammed into him. And all went black.
"M.. mommy? What was that?" asked the tiny golden haired girl, "I don't know, dear." Selena ran a finger through her graying hair. It had been 7 long years since Jonus set out. Her heart ached to be with him, and the though that her child depended on was perhaps the only thing that kept her going. "I'll go check. Stay here, mommy'l be right back." she opened her manor's door, and was greeted by the eye piercing sting of smoke, the lung choking hold of ash, and the heart wrenching aroma, of fresh blood.
The giant winged beast stood in front of her, clenching is claws, and it let out a terrible roar as a bolt of lighting struck yet another house, the source of this unexpected storm was a fiend. One of immeasurable power.
It slowly dragged a huge, clawed foot up and slammed it down, releasing a huge shockwave and knocking Selena off her feet and into the muddy dirt. The huge beast took a deep breath and speed out a pillar of fire, Selena felt the air above her singe and burn, as the flames poured at her abode. "My baby! No!" she instinctively tried to stand, but was rocked with pain as a huge claw slammed into her. "ACH!" she cried out, and took another look at the fiend as it approached. "J.. Jonus?" It paused. "Jonus.. Jonus.. Oh god it's you. I know it's you.. Jonus." The fiend seemed hypnotics by her voice, "Oh god.. Jonus.. I'm so sorry.. I never should have let you leave.. I'm sorry.."
The earth cringed as the huge scaled knees slammed into the ground, the beast kneeled, and gently picked Selena up in its clawed fingers, looking down into her eyes, and the storm began to subside.
"Jonus.. I love you." and with those three words the fortifications of hate the fiend had formed shattered, Jonus regained consciousness at last to hear those words, and to witness his love's death.
The beast clenched her lifeless form against its chest, and wept.
