Disclamation: Again, but in this chappy, Musashi doesn't belong to me. He's from SquareEnix.The two Dream Creatures, the Stagadan and the Furok, belongs to Interactive Imagination. A Hound Saurian (Zuum/Tiger), a Disc Monster is from the Monster Rancher series (Tecmo) and the Mountain (green) Chocobo and Bahamut (who the protagonist will mention once) belongs to the Final Fantasy series of SquareEnix.
Author's Note:Also, I thought it would be interesting that for now on, when showing the review of each chapter, they'll be told by a character who's been known so far in the story. More additional throw-ins in later chappies. The "second part" here is now chapter 1.
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Previously from the prologue...
White Rose joined Warashi and me to the throne room for the gathering, and the Almighty's speech. Not to mention getting that crystal ball. On our way out of the palace, we got some benefits for the new angel tradition: the Trial. Immediately, I summoned my Dream Creature, Torblen the Stagadan, to ride into the dry realm. Can we really find this gate? We'll find out for sure.
Chapter 1: The Dawning Gate
As we were flying through the cloudy path to our destination…
"Hey, Warashi. Where are we suppose to go to again?" Musashi, who sat up front on Torblen, asked.
Warashi appeared to be lost in thought, but that's his way of recalling. "Well, one of the council Angels said that we should fly to a dry, barren world. Somewhere in that world, there should be a ruined cathedral. It has a gateway to a place where the Trial will begin."
I felt the temperature of the wind changing to a warmer state.
"We should be there momentarily, boys."
"I noticed, princess." Musashi agreed.
"Hoo, boy…" I muttered.
"Oh, sorry, White Rose." Musashi apologized.
"Better!" I smiled.
As soon as we landed in the faulty earth, Musashi undreamed Torblen. The three of us summoned our faithful creatures; I called forth Gomez, Musashi yelled for Flik, a Hound Saurian, and Warashi's Mountain Chocobo named Esmeralda arrived. We mounted on our companions' backs, while adjusting our travel sacks. Our tread through the wasteland began. Things went smoothly until I sensed a disturbance and Musashi checked the Crystal Ball. It views a white moving speck coming to our direction. Coming near the blue spot, we looked at the unknown monster; it was…a magical, inorganic matter.
"Incoming monster!" Musashi warned.
"Yeah, I see him!" Warashi yelled.
The monster was an uncommon type that I've learned about in class of defense against the Dark Arts; a Duo Elemental. Duo Elementals are two attributes merged into one entity from exhausted Mana used, depending on an element of spells, by magical living beings, like one standard Elemental. This one we were encountering was an Earth/Wind combination. Of course, different kinds dwell depending on the environment like this one, who can be found in deserts and wastelands.
"That Elemental's comin' for us!" Warashi warned.
"What're we gonna do?" I asked frantically.
"Take 'im on, White Rose." Musashi instructed. "If Warashi and I attack the Elemental, he'll counterattack, blinding us with sand and literally blowing us away."
"Okay!" I shouted as regained a bit of courage.
I dismounted Gomez, walked then stopped, facing the monster. I knew exactly what to do then. I stood up straight, but no legs together, and bended my knees a bit. I clasped my hands together, almost in a praying state. I chanted an incantation out loud, while a light green aura encircled me like a small whirlwind, which gradually swirled faster:
Wandering winds who serve thee,
Lend me your shinning gales.
Into my ethereal essence…
Vanquish the Mana fiend away!
Using my mana, I drew the aura into my right hand, giving a lukewarm feeling as it glowed the same green color, but even brighter. I moved my right arm, crossing it before my body, then stopping it, my hand next to the left side of my head. A light green, starry aura flashed around me as I shout.
"Sonic Gale!"
I swung my arm across horizontally like slashing with a sword, releasing then creating a sonic wave, which manifests into a glowing crescent blade. The blade flew at 90 MPH, striking the Duo-Elemental's core within the eye like that of a tornado. He stopped for a few seconds, then burst into thin air, sand and all.
"That was awesome!" Musashi shouted with amazement.
"Fight fire with fire as they say!" I said cheerfully as I got on Gomez's back.
"Who would've thought that a mana-made sandstorm would be cancelled out by another wind." Warashi agreed.
" Sigh! I hate to interfere your joy, but we have a Trial to begin anytime!" Flik reminded.
"Flik" Musashi whined. "You don't have to be serious, y'know."
"Kids these days. They have a tendency to be distracted." Flik muttered to himself.
We shouted "We heard that!"
Flik simply growled softly. "Let's go."
We continued on our way through the faulty fields. As we rode slowly, we felt the heat of the sun growing intense. In response, Warashi and Musashi took out their hats, while I grabbed my cloak, putting it on, and lifted its hood over my head, providing shade. We've endured hardships before on our travels with my family before, so we're familiar with the weather. We then felt the cool breeze. Luckily, so far, it didn't become harsh to pick up the dry dirt from the ground. For some reason, I look into my bag, looking for something. I'm not looking for a Mana berry to heal my morale; besides, I still have enough Mana to get by. I took out a jade-colored orb, which a raging whirlwind can be seen inside.
"Hey, White Rose, what'cha got there" Musashi noticed.
"Um, a Wind orb, I think." I answered.
"You're right" said Warashi. "That orb is actually one of a kind."
"Hmm" I hummed in thought. "Then again, my great grandpa Bahamut treasured this thing. And then he passed it down to Grampy, and next, Mom… Last night, I didn't pack it in. I guess she must've added it in my pack. She worries sometimes whenever I'm alone. But she knows me and my brothers quite well. After all, she's a fighter, too."
"Okay. Speaking of which," Musashi spoke. "You'll have to forgive Flik. Due to the Tiger sub-breed, he's too focused on major matters, so he can be a bit inflexible."
"I understand." Warashi said.
During the next hour, the weather, although hot and yucky, is just plain hunky-dory…or so I thought. Overtime, I looked up into the sky, seeing the clouds have gathered, darkening the once blue sky. As they bunch together, the sounds of the clapping thunder was heard. I sensed another disturbance…
"Uh-oh…" Musashi trembled.
"A lightning storm! HANG ON!!" Flik roared, starting to run at almost speed, while Musashi held on to Flik tight.
Esmeralda and Gomez picked up speed, too. Warashi and I grabbed on our creatures as snug as we possibly can. When a barrage of lightning bolts struck near us, we jumped aside. Luckily, Gomez is very fast, unlike the other Furoks I've encountered. We've been dodging lots of lightning, then suddenly, a bunch of lightning, that surrounded us, struck the earth at the same time, creating a blinding flash. The three of us shouted "NOT GOOD!!" The light was so intense, it was unbearable to our minds, thus, knocking all of us out…
"Mm-mm…ugh!" I groaned, struggling to get up.
I felt a big mouth lifting me by the back of my earthy-birch Gi.
"I'd say I saved your wings, White Rose." Gomez chuckled.
"Thanks, Gomez, but…where are Warashi and Musashi?"
"When the flashing bolts struck, the others vanished into the light, but their life force didn't disintegrate. So they should be alive still…"
"Then we should find them, first. I'm worried…"
"We must continue onward, White Rose. I'm sure we'll find them along the way."
"Okay, Gomez…" I reluctantly muttered as I mounted him. "Let's go."
We rode, and rode…and rode some more. I felt a little weak from the heat and the lightning flash that stunned my retinae, making my vision blurry. I closed my eyes to help them recover, but for some reason, I dozed of, still sitting on my guardian's back… Later…
"White Rose!"
"……"
"/Sighs/ Wake up, princess!"
"/Snorts/ DON'T CALL ME…princess…? What is it, Gomez?"
"Look over there; you'll be relieved."
He was right, indeed. On the horizon, there was a hill, with a structure on the summit. I checked the Crystal Ball just to make sure we're on the right track; the white ring, which is near the tiny blue core, has a flashing red speck. It must be the cathedral!
"About the cathedral…" Gomez said.
"What is it?" I asked.
"I've been overhearing the Archangels in a meeting, talking about a dying dimension…"
"Dying dimension?" I repeated.
"Acording to them, this world is gradually entering the repeated Ice age. Most of the plant life perished. And so did most animals. The humankind is next to die. It may give us a clue about the Trial."
"Thanks again, Gomez. I'm sure that I'll be ready once we get past the cathedral's gate. Vamos!"
Gomez picked up speed once, headed directly toward the cathedral. We scaled the hill, enduring the brambles, but unfortunately, the thorns were scratching or even pricking the skin of my arms, cutting me, weakening me. The feeling of pain from the thorns' sharpness, and of the seeping blood flowing out of my minor wounds, coming down to my glove and sea green genie pants. My endurance wasn't great, though my agility makes it up for it, but it doesn't protect me from these brambles. I closed my eyes, seeing a lit candle. Its wax melting slowly, and its flame turning from green to light blue… Immediately, Gomez took a whiff of my blood.
"Dismount me, White Rose. Let me maul my way through these brambles for you; if you go on like this, you'll die from bloodshed."
"O…kay…" I respond weakly.
I jumped off of Gomez, letting him hacking the surviving plants away. I noticed the fruit that look like blackberries, or boysenberries. I picked one, and ate it. I felt a bit better from eating; not only my wound was healed, but also my morale from fighting against the Duo-Elemental. I'm not healed completely, though, and I saw the brambles were abundant of berries, so I ate more to fully rejuvenate myself, body and mind. When I checked my arm, the scratches were gone! And my mana's back to its glowing glory!
"The brambles have been cleared from the road." Gomez noticed my full health. "So you ate some of the Bramble berries, eh? That really did the trick! Hey, how about gathering as many berries as you can? We'll be needing them for the future."
"What about you, Gomez? While I was recovering, I saw you trying to endure those thorns."
"Heh, don't worry about me; when I wa s done with the slashing with my claws, I was indeed hurt, but I ate some of the berries, which really helped me."
"Okie dokie!" I shouted as I readied the satchel. I picked most of the freshest berries carefully from the brambles to avoid getting cuts on my hands. When the satchel became full…
"I'm done. I'll buy another berry satchel along the way during the Trial. Is that alright with you?"
"Of course. Be aware that the Trial is not really 'timed', but we'll purchase early then."
"Man, I really hate to sound like Flik, but… Let's get going."
Gomez growled "I'm gonna have a word with him after this…"
I mounted his back once more and continued the scale. We breached the cathedral on the summit three minutes later. It's decrepit alright, and appeared to be…a millennium old! Amazing that this structure is still standing, and the only building left in this almost lifeless world! But…why is it here? Was it blessed with holy protection? That I haven't got the foggiest…
"Here we are in front of the gate, Gomez." I spoke as I slid off his strong, furry back.
"Hmm… Don't send me back to the Dream Realm just yet. Check to see if there's any disturbance in there before you enter. After all, you DO carry the Jedi bloodline, correct?"
"Of course I do, Gomez. Easier said than done."
I focused my mental energies into the interior of the cathedral, checking if there's evil air within. But fortunately, I only sensed faint Light energy, so it's safe to go in without my guardian. Gomez picked on my calm posture, so he nodded, meaning that he can be undreamed. I tapped on the animite embedded in my ring. The Furok vanished, knowing that he'll be ready to help me out again when in need. I inhaled slowly, taking a deep breath to calm myself down. I can do this; my parents and brothers, though they're taking different Trials, are counting on me, I thought.
"Here we go…" I muttered as I shoved the large doors open.
A chill was in the air of the ruins, making contact on my fair skin. It's better than when it's once been exposed by the heat of the dry plains and being pricked by the thorns earlier. It kinda soothed me a bit of the sore feeling that's still intact under my epidermis.
As I walked to the entrance, I took off my hood and scarf for the time being. Near the rusty grand doors was a basin that look almost like a birdbath, but it was really used for bearing holy water for human baptism. As I walked down the aisle, I looked down to the black stone floor. Beneath my rose leather-bound feet, I took a glimpse of nearly faded letters etched into the stones, but I saw carvings of skulls. Skulls creep me out a lot, I guess I fear death. I quickly shifted my head to witness of the traditional contents of the cathedral; the rows of long seats made of mahogany, but the gloss seemed worn out, and the wood was gradually rotting, so it's a bad idea to sit down at this point. A bit far from the rows were…sarcophagi , dusty stone coffins, which the departed priests, nuns, and a few archbishops rest inside. I dread to see their skeletal remains, so I bothered lifting a lid. I tilted my cranium, glaring at the hanging tarnished brass chandeliers that were supported by the steel wires in the ceiling.
I'm surprised that the wires are still strong for the past centuries in this realm. I turned a little to the left, then right to observe the pillars. They're made of marble, white, a little bits of black, and tinted with a light rose color. At each base and top, the designs of the carving was Roman style. It was common among the Catholics (Lucky for us, we Angels were among the belief of our religion). I moved my head to look at the sunlight being filtered out, altered into various colors by the stain glass windows; like a standard beam of light shining through the prism into the seven colors of the rainbow; since glass last, their color didn't fade, so it showed its preserved beauty. Each window literally tells a story, the most common stories of the well-know thick and heavy book that humans, Angels, and even the enlightened Demons kept and read. And speaking of the book, there's one on the altar, closed and hasn't been used for a long time. Behind the altar, was the shining, golden cross, which is a case to contain a 'fragment' of the savior's body. It's preserved, did not tarnish through the flow of time. As if the fragment protect itself AND the cross…
"Hmm, where could it be?" I wondered to myself. "Where's the gate to the dying world? Lessee…"
I examined the carved marble, but there's nothing out of the ordinary, unfortunately. When I looked at the book, it appeared neat still. I looked closely at it, moving my gloved hand to open it. As I flipped through the pages, there was a folded loose leaf of paper. I took it, unfolding it, and what I saw were images of lit and unlit candles, no writings.
"Candles? Some kind of clue? Hey, wait /looks more of the paper/ in the middle of the red candles is a cross and altar, and the second row is pretty much the same, but the red candles are lit, and an opened door behind the altar. Let's see here…"
I checked around the corners of the cathedral, seeking the red candles, but they were not set beside the altar. I turned to the doors. Surprisingly, the candles, contained with red cylinders, were placed on each side of the doors. I recalled the illustration of the paper. I looked at the altar, then the entrance.
"I'll light the candles and see what happens." I whispered as I find a torch and took some flint.
I hit the stones, then grinding immediately to let out a spark into the torch. Instantly, the torch lit with an orange-yellow flame. I took it, then lit every candle. Once I lit the last one, I heard a heavy stone grating noise behind me. When I looked at the altar, the carved stone moved aside. The cross glowed for a few seconds, then it faded. I walked to the doorway, and slowly as I entered, the stone closed up the doorway shut.
It was dark in this secret passage. It looked like a cave. I still have the torch in hand. I wandered deep into the cave. I felt the cold air. I guess they built the cathedral to seal the cave, but for what reason, I wonder? Minutes later, the air is still pure, but the earthen ground was less solid, but a bit firm under my feet. My torch revealed something, some kind of reflection. I ran to the source, finding an odd-looking mirror, and a stone tablet. I must be pretty close to the gate, I thought. But first, I examined the mirror. Its glass was gray, but well-polished. The frame part appeared diabolic; bat wings, talon base, brambles, and…/shivers/ more skulls! I ignored the frame, and looked at myself at the mirror. My refection looked normal to me. Finally, I read the slate out loud. It was etched in Latin, but I can still read it. It stated:
Signo antrum intrabilis alius aliquando exsecror,
Expurgo centuriatim praefluo.
Lapis Domus Curatio intrabilis attineo convivator
Abutor consecro castimonia perduro.
Pius divinitas nunquam senui,
Aliquammultus manes adhuc resideo
Exspecto magis dignus,
Etiamnum umbra illud exibeo semoveo.
Precede perdo aspectus vitrum
Intrabilis cesso apud impurus.
Verus iracundia addere animo
Conformatio intrabilis adduco ambiguus.
In English, roughly translated...
The sealed cave that one treads was once cursed,
Has been purified centuries past.
The stone of the House of Healing that held the host
Was to make the purity last.
Its holy power shall never wane,
For the departed still reside
To wait for the most worthy,
Yet a shadow who will show aside.
Beware of the abandoned looking glass
That has been left by the impure.
Its true wrath will give life
To a form who will bring the insecure.
All of a sudden, I heard an ethereal electric shock coming from the mirror, that caused a magnitude beneath me. The mirror shrouded in a black smog, and the ground weakened, cracking and opening an enlarging pit. I tried to sprout my wings, but the dark lightning paralyzed my wings, thus I fell, shrieking in fear.
"AIYEEEEEEEEEEE!!!"
The hole above me closed up, but I saw a shadowed figure looking down at me with red, reptilian eyes, who chuckled sinisterly. But wait…why does the figure have…my voice? I could not think, for as I lost consciousness once more into the depths of the darkness leading to the Holy Trial…
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Whew! So, what do you think? You can review, but don't pressure me; I'm a busy woman, y'know. Though it may take long, I'll commence writing Chapter 2 once I'm ready, which will take place in the Wolf's Rain dimension, but I don't own the title, either. I hope you've enjoyed the Chapter 1! Until then, farewell.