Chapter 3
"And…you are?" asked Kalista, mentally kicking herself in the head for being so caught-off-guard.
Before her stood a boy about her age, adorned in some sort of strange black cloak. He had a chiseled jaw and long, silver hair. His eyes, however, were blindfolded. Strangest of all, in his hand he held a long chain that was glowing a brilliant red.
"My name doesn't matter," the stranger answered, "what matters is that you cooperate and don't make things more difficult than they have to be."
"Is that so?" Kalista stood up to face this new threat. He was taller than her, and even beneath his cloak she could tell he was in good shape, meaning he was probably an experienced fighter. "And by "cooperate", you mean…"
"I mean you need to come with me… right now."
Kalista laughed out loud, "Oh, ok, sure. Taking off with freakish-looking people I've never seen before is one of my favorite pass-times."
But instead of being provoked, like she expected, the boy just sighed with impatience. He was obviously in a hurry.
"Look, I'm no good with convincing people," he began, taking a few steps towards her. As a response, she took a few steps back. He continued, "And I know you have absolute no reason to trust me. I don't expect you to. But I'm not going to hurt you. I'm only here for your help."
By now, Kalista's mind was reeling with confusion. Who was he? What did he want with her? And how could she possibly help him? More confusing still was his tone. Most people with malicious intent spoke either haughtily or with false kindness; their voice dripping with either pride or honey. But this guy spoke with neither. It was earnest, and almost genuine. It almost seemed like he was telling the truth.
But Kalista had been wrong about these kinds of boys before, and she wasn't one to make the same mistake twice. "Sorry, not interested."
Suddenly the boy smirked, "you make it sound like I was giving you a choice in the matter."
"We always have a choice," Kalista shot back, secretly forming a portal at the same time. It appeared right beneath her feet, and she fell through it instantly.
Rising up out of the portal, Kalista saw she was on the other side of the oriental city. Damn, she thought in frustration, there's no way we can get the goods with that guy roaming the place. He'll spoil everything if he ever finds me again. I've got to find Ember.
With that, she ran into the nearest alleyway…and froze.
The silver-haired boy was standing right in front of her.
You've got to be kidding me! How did he find me so fast?
"I had a feeling you'd make this interesting," he said, pulling out a curved blade gleaming with black and red.
Now Kalista was mad. There was nothing she hated more than being cornered. She'd never get to Ember at this rate. She would just have to finish him herself.
"You know what? I've had just about enough of you. I don't know who you are or what you want with me, but there's no way I'm coming with you!"
As a response, the boy rushed at her. Jumping up, he swung his sword down at her with lighting speed. She pulled out her two sharpened sai just in time and...
*clang*
She blocked his blow just inches from her face. The boy's eyes widened in surprise. Kalista couldn't help smiling a little with satisfaction. She loved taking people by surprise. She pushed and flung him backward. He did a flip and landed a little ways form her.
"So, I take it running away isn't the only thing you can do."
"Not quite. Now I suggest you leave, unless you want to see firsthand my talent for homicide."
"Sorry, not gonna happen."
"Fine," Kalista raised her sai, "have it your way."
Both fighters jumped into the air and clashed against each other, then pushed back and landed on different roof tops. The boy jumped from his roof to Kalista's and swung his sword at her feet. She jumped and kicked him in the face. He staggered backwards for a moment while blood ran from his mouth, but she didn't wait for him to recover. She threw one of her sai at his chest, but he arched his back, dodged it, and then grabbed the sai in mid air.
Oh, great! Bad move, thought Kalista, now only having one of her weapons. The boy tried hitting her with his sword and she blocked it, but then he slashed at her with the sai and she couldn't get out of the way in time. She felt its sharp metal slice across her upper arm and winced. She tried to get away but the boy dropped the sai and grabbed her injured arm. Then he twisted it behind her hard, making her almost cry out in pain.
Then Kalista heard him uttering a spell she had never heard before. She hadn't been prepared for this, and struggled against his grip in her panic. But then her head started spinning, and her vision blurred. She tried using her own magic, but she couldn't concentrate long enough to think of a spell. Then… everything went black.
Riku felt the girl finally go limp in his arms. Laying her down on the ground, he took out some gauze and began bandaging her arm. The cut was deep; he hadn't meant to injure her that badly. But he also hadn't planned on her being such a skilled fighter.
When he had finished, he stopped for a moment to look at his defeated enemy. She was certainly nothing like he'd expected. Long dark brown hair fanned out from her face. Her green eyes, which had been filled with unspoken emotion before, were now hidden. Her skin was a few shades darker than his own, giving her a strange, exotic look.
Riku had to admit it; she was beautiful. As his eyes wandered over her body, he felt color rush to his face. He immediately shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts rushing through his mind. After all, this was business. She was just a means to helping Sora defeat the darkness. Nothing more.
Forming a dark portal of his own, Riku picked up the girl and carried her through it.
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"Don't listen to her! She's lying!" I said, grabbing his arm.
"My sweet girl, I would never lie to you," said the horned woman, whose words sounded like a snake slithering through black water, "everything I've told you and the young man here is true. Come with me, and I will grant you all the power you could ever want."
"Liar!" I yelled, "You don't want to help us at all. You're just looking for slaves to do your bidding."
"Of course not," she replied, "though I must admit, you might have to do a few things for me in exchange for this great power, but it would well worth it. Behold!"
The witch-like woman raised her hands. Suddenly, the floor all around them turned dark, and at least a hundred black creatures with yellow eyes rose up from ground.
"You see?" the woman said, now no longer looking at me, but at the boy, "if you join me, all this power and more will be yours. This is what you want. I can feel your burning desire for power, and this is the only way you can have it. Join me!"
"No!" I said desperately, also turning to the boy, "Shaymar, please don't do this. Please!"
The boy looked at me. In his eyes I could see there was sadness, but even more there was a fierce hunger that I knew could never be driven out. "No, Kalista," he said, "I have to do this. If I don't, I know I'll go insane. You know this is what I care about, more than anything else!"
Tears started to form in my eyes. "More than even…. me?" I whispered.
For just a moment, his eyes softened. He brushed the hair out of my eyes. "Kalista..."
"ENOUGH!" cried the witch, "it is obvious the girl is weak and has no desire to change. But you, my dear boy, have a chance. Come, and fulfill your desire."
His eyes hardened again. He turned from me and walked toward the woman. I ran in front of him and tried to block his path, but he pushed me out of the way and kept walking.
"Ah! Good," said the witch when he reached her, and smiled wickedly, showing long, sharp teeth, "and now..."
She raised her arms again. This time, a glowing green light formed all over Shaymar's body. It got brighter and brighter. "ah, you can feel the power, can't you?" she said.
Shaymar closed his eyes, "Yes, I can feel it....."
All of a sudden he cried out, the green light turned black, and from it and all the other darkness on the floor and ceiling there came a terrible shrieking sound. Shaymar tried tearing the darkness off him, but he couldn't. The witch began to back away.
"Weakling!" she yelled. "And here I thought you'd be strong enough to contain it. Pah!" And with that, she formed a dark portal and disappeared through it.
Then the darkness from the rest of the room began racing to the boy and started devouring him.
"NO! SHAYMAR!" I ran towards him. Suddenly, part of the darkness seam to stop and turn towards me. For a moment it didn't move. Then it rushed at me. I could feel it enshrouding me. It felt like needles tearing at my flesh. I could feel your blood burning. I screamed. Everything was becoming darker and darker until.....
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Kalista woke with a start, eyes still closed. Sweat was running down her face and she moaned. Just another bad dream, she thought. She moved her hand to wipe her forehead, but felt resistance. She opened her eyes and looked around.
She was in a big, white and brown room that was empty except for a wood dresser and the four post bed she was lying on. Then she looked down and saw that her left arm was bandaged, and her hands were chained to the 2 sides of the backboard. The chains were also glowing a dim blue shade.
"Ok, what the heck is going on?!"