Hi to all!
It's Crys here as usual.
But since school is nearing (again), I fear that this could be the last mass update for a while. No, it doesn't mean that I'll stop updating. It just means that I'll only be able to update 1 or 2 stories per week or maybe even every other week.
However, I'll give you readers a choice. Would you rather want…
Option A: I'll update every week or every other week but only 1 or 2 stories will be updated. Plus I won't update the same story per week. For example, if I update this story, it won't be updated again till I've updated all my other stories so if you're really a fan of only one of my stories, updates will be quite a while.
Option B: I'll type all the updates of all my stories up first then release all of them (most likely once a month or twice a month if I'm lucky) in a mass update. But then that would be a REALLY long wait for the impatient people. However, those who are fans of many stories would get to read them all in one go.
So… There are the two options. Please tell me in your review which option you would prefer. It will help me in planning out my typings.
Many of you figured out already about the birthstones. Hahaha… It was too obvious, wasn't it?
0-0-0-0-0
Bold- English
Italics- Flashback
'Dialogue'- Thoughts
"Dialogue"- Spoken Dialogue
Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Blue Moon: Legend of the Curse Chronicles
CHAPTER 4: An "Injured" Jewel
The Topaz Kingdom was indeed, the liveliest kingdom out of all the 12 kingdoms of Dodewel.
Set out in the wide plains, Topaz was neither too majestic nor too run-down. Flowering chrysanthemums (1) decorated the fields, giving one the impression that the said place was a flowers' paradise. And with lots of flowers come an almost equal number of fluttering butterflies that flitted to and fro, almost as if cultivating the flowers themselves.
Of course, there were trees too. Tall majestic ones towered over the fields, with branches spread out widely, creating a perfect spot to lie down and rest.
As such, the cottages neatly lined to make a pathway further flaunted the natural dynamism of Topaz Kingdom.
But today was not normal. No butterflies can be spotted and a strong ominous wind blew across the place. Dark forbidding clouds covered the clear blue sky.
This has never happened in the history of Topaz Kingdom before.
Several villagers came out of their houses, including Eiji and Takashi.
Eiji shielded his eyes with his arm to prevent the dust blown by the gale. "What's happening, Takashi nya?"
Takashi replied, "Sorry, Eiji, but I don't know what's happening either."
Just then, Kiyosumi and Shinji came running over to them. The orange-haired teen shouted, "Oi! Eiji! Takashi!"
"Kiyosumi! Shinji! What is it?" Takashi asked.
"Do you know what's happening?"
"Nya… We don't know either, Kiyo-chan…" Eiji frowned.
Shinji mumbled, "This has never happened in Topaz before. Is it a storm? This isn't good. The sky is dark. Why are there so many dark clouds above us? And the wind is blowing too hard too. It's making my hair fly towards my face and irritate my eyes. It's very annoying. Let's all just go back to our houses now or go to Kuwahara's inn. Speaking of Kuwahara, he told me that those two visitors we greeted earlier haven't come inside the inn yet…" he trailed off when Eiji interrupted.
"What did you just say nya?"
"Do I have to repeat myself again? Perhaps you can't hear me over this strange strong wind? Is it blocking your ears? Is it…"
"SHINJI! Just tell me what Kuwahara said nya!"
"Tch. Fine. He said that those two visitors haven't gone to his inn yet…"
Takashi's eyes widened. "Then that means they're still wandering around? Perhaps they got lost?"
"Well, whatever, let's just find them," Kiyosumi suggested.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Outside the shrine…
The mysterious figure carefully scanned the place and after making sure the coast was clear, dashed towards the entrance of the shrine. He tried to open the double doors but found out that he couldn't. Not even when he tried to use his blackish-red pendant.
'How come that kid was able to open the doors almost effortlessly? Perhaps it requires immense power to open the doors,' he pondered. 'Hmm…'
He dug deep into his pocket and pulled out another necklace with a jewel strikingly similar to Ryoma's except that there was no orb floating inside and that 11 of the tips had tiny different colored beads. 'Good thing HE lent me this…'
0-0-0-0-0
In a very dark place before…
The mysterious figure stood in front of another darkness-clouded person. "Take my pendant. Use it when you need it."
0-0-0-0-0
He smirked. That guy really knew what he was doing. Removing the blackish-red pendant from his neck, he inputted power on the 12-pointed star and it glowed, not in a golden light, but in a glow similar to his pendant. He held it out to the door and as if a very strong force was pushing, the doors opened creakily.
Calmly, he stowed the dimming pendant back in his pocket and proceeded inside.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Ryoma gazed at the stone walls of the shrine. Actually, it was his first time inside a main jewel shrine. Intricate carvings adorned the walls and around the pillars supporting the structure. All in a shining yellow hue.
Back in Turquoise, he knew where the shrine was. It was located in the northwestern section of the kingdom. However, it wasn't set in a very secluded place like this one in Topaz. Furthermore, it was guarded and the elder was always seen there. No one was allowed to enter the shrine.
He wondered why the shrine needed guarding when in reality; no one can open the doors anyway. Not even if the people all used their pendants. According to the elder, it was because the shrine was a holy place. Every time there was a newborn, a pendant would be seen shining and passing through the doors before dropping to the ground in front of the doors.
So, he wondered, how come he was able to open the doors so easily? Were the guards and the elder lying? If so, why?
And what happened to the jewel of the Topaz Kingdom?
Deep inside, he felt that all the answers were at the end of this straightforward, narrow corridor that seemed to go on forever.
He was interrupted from his train of thoughts when he noticed that he and Tezuka have arrived in front of another set of huge double doors. It was completely covered by strange interconnected lines. It also seemed dusty and there was some strange engraving that was cut half by the gap in the middle of the doors. It was barely readable but even so, it seemed to be from some sort of ancient language that neither Tezuka nor Ryoma could comprehend.
"What is this? I can't understand it…" Ryoma said as he touched the etching on the doors.
"It's probably an old language," Tezuka said, pushing his glasses up.
"Yeah, but even so, does it have anything to do with opening the door?" Ryoma asked. He pushed the door with all his might but it wouldn't budge. 'Strange…'
"What shall we do now?" Tezuka asked.
"I don't know…"
An eerie silence passed over them.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Meanwhile, outside…
The winds have turned harsh, almost uprooting several trees. More dark clouds blanketed the sky and this time, lightning flashed across the heavens and thunder resonated.
Leaves flew everywhere and littered the pathways. Chrysanthemum stalks can be seen too.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Ryoma and Tezuka remained in silence, thinking of how to open the doors.
'Ryoma…'
The golden-eyed boy jerked almost immediately. A voice?
He turned to Tezuka. "Did you hear that?"
"Huh? Hear what?"
"A voice?"
"Voice? What voice?"
"You mean you can't hear it?"
"What are you talking about?"
So Tezuka can't hear it? Ryoma listened intently, checking if he was just imagining it or not.
And this time…
'Ryoma…'
He heard it clearly. Someone was indeed calling him. But who was it? It seemed unfamiliar.
'Ryoma… Help me…'
The voice seemed to belong to a young girl. It had an echoing tune to it, that hearing the voice in the quiet shrine sent shivers up Ryoma's spine.
'Who… who are you?' Ryoma asked, unsure, in his mind.
The voice replied. 'I am… Topaz.'
"Topaz?" Ryoma blurted out.
Tezuka immediately looked at Ryoma. "Topaz?"
"Tezuka… I'm hearing a voice… It appears to be a young girl… saying that her name is Topaz…"
"Can you see her?"
"No…"
'Ryoma… Use your pendant… Help me…' The voice resonated again.
'My pendant?' Ryoma was surprised. 'But what should I do?' he thought as he took out his pendant. It wasn't glowing like before. 'What now?'
But the voice didn't respond.
Suddenly, Ryoma's pendant glowed in a soft golden light and emitted a beam towards the engraving. Slowly, the writings transformed into a language that both Ryoma and Tezuka could understand.
Tezuka read it out when the beam dissipated. "There was nothing. But from the nothingness came the One. The One dissolved the nothingness through itself. The half turned into twelve, and the twelve scattered.
But the One still stays and shines brighter than the twelve, and only the twelve united can be on par with the One.
Beyond these doors lies Vitality, the energy of all things, energy that gives life. Without it, one might well be just a shell. And a shell is lifeless.
Nothing and no one can witness Vitality without the permission of the One."
Ryoma frowned. "What does that all mean? It's so deep."
"I don't get it either," Tezuka trailed off when he noticed something. "What's this?"
"What is it?" Ryoma approached him.
"It appears to be a carved gap… where you can put something in."
Ryoma took a good look. Tezuka was right. Below the engravings appeared to be something where you can fit a shaped object.
But what made Ryoma shiver was the fact that it was in the exact shape of his pendant.
Tezuka seemed to have noticed it too, as he said, "It's… in the same form as your jewel."
Ryoma gulped as his eyes trailed back to the writings. 'Nothing and no one can witness Vitality without the permission of the One.'
'What is this, "The One"?' he wondered. 'And how does my pendant fit in all of this?'
Tezuka spoke up, "Perhaps you should put your pendant there. It's probably a key of some sort."
Ryoma felt a strange pounding in his ears. He didn't know why but he felt nervous or maybe scared by the implication of the writings.
Hands slightly shaking, he removed his pendant from his neck and inserted it into the gap.
The orb inside the pendant began glowing. The light zigzagged through the doors' interconnected lines that ended back in the pendant. It shone in a very bright light that Ryoma and Tezuka had to shield their eyes. When the light died down, the two of them looked at the doors.
The pendant was bathed in a soft golden light. Seemingly with a will of its own, it removed itself from the carved hole and slowly flitted towards Ryoma's palm.
At that moment, the doors slowly opened.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
The heart of the shrine was a circular room embellished with elaborate carvings.
However what occupied the room was a huge yellow jewel that sparkled. It was a sight to behold.
Tezuka and Ryoma were speechless.
However, something strange was immediately spotted by Ryoma's golden orbs.
There was a large crack on the side of the jewel.
Just then, Ryoma heard the voice again, this time, it was clearer.
'Ryoma… Help me…'
'Where are you?' he asked in his mind.
'I am here…' she answered.
Suddenly, the Topaz jewel released a blinding flash of light.
Moments later, the Topaz jewel was nowhere to be seen. In its place stood a little girl who was completely bathed in a yellow light from head to toe. She was dressed in a plain light yellow gown that reached her bare feet. Her blonde hair was tied up in two ponytails that were adorned with tiny yellow gems. Embedded on the middle of her forehead was a shining yellow jewel. The Topaz jewel.
Her light yellow eyes scanned the room until they alighted on the shocked Ryoma.
Tezuka suddenly asked, "Ryoma, what happened? Where is the jewel?"
Ryoma turned to Tezuka, surprised. "You mean you can't see her?"
"Her?"
The girl spoke. "Save your breath, Ryoma. You are the only one who can see me." She started walking towards Ryoma. "Do you remember what was written on the doors? Nothing and no one can witness Vitality without the permission of the One. And you were the only one permitted by the One." She stopped in front of him.
"Who are you?"
"Haven't I introduced myself already? I am Topaz."
"You… You are?"
"Or would you prefer to call me by my true name, Vitality?"
"But… If no one can see you, then how come even Tezuka saw the jewel?"
The girl shook her head. "The jewel is NOT Vitality. I am Vitality."
"What do you mean?"
"The jewel is not the real me. This form is. And only you have been permission to see me. Do you get it now?"
"Oh."
Ryoma quickly turned towards Tezuka who was looking at him, confused. 'Shoot, he probably thought I was talking to myself.'
The girl smiled when she saw the expression on Ryoma's face. "Since you've been given permission by the One; that means you can give permission too. Do you want him to see me?" she said, gesturing towards Tezuka.
"Huh? How?"
She giggled. "You have to KISS him, of course. Oh, in the lips, I might add."
"What? No way!" Ryoma immediately blushed.
"Just tell him then."
And so, Ryoma narrated to Tezuka what he was seeing. The taller teen just nodded to show that he understood.
However, just as Ryoma finished telling Tezuka, the girl winced in pain and slumped towards the ground, gripping her right arm.
Ryoma quickly rushed towards her. "What's wrong?"
"I… I can't take the pain anymore…"
"What?"
"Fifteen years ago, someone managed to get permission from the One and injured me. I can't heal it using my own powers. It's more powerful than I can handle. The only thing I can do is to lessen the pain but it seems my powers have taken its toll. And it's affecting the whole kingdom."
"The kingdom?"
"T-take a look at this…" A ball of light formed on her hand, and it showed the looming disaster that was brewing in the kingdom.
Even Tezuka could see it. "Oh no…"
"That's why I need your help, Ryoma. Heal me, please…"
"But… but I don't know how to heal you."
"You can… You have to believe in the One's blessing…" she managed to say before she collapsed in pain.
"Topaz!"
At that exact moment, a giant tornado began forming at the end of the kingdom. Heavy rain began falling from the skies. The vitality was gone.
"Topaz! Get a hold of yourself!" Ryoma shook her lightly.
"What happened, Ryoma?"
"She fainted. She told me that only I can heal her but I don't know how…"
"If she told you that only you can do it, then you can. You have to believe in her and yourself Ryoma."
"But…"
"The kingdom will be destroyed if you remain unsure of yourself!"
"I…"
"In big trouble, aren't you?" someone spoke up.
Ryoma and Tezuka looked behind for the source of the voice.
Leaning against the door was a guy with purple hair and opaque glasses.
To be continued…
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Chrysanthemums are the birth flowers of the month of November. So it's only fitting that it will be abundant in Topaz Kingdom.
Whew… That one turned out quite long.
Are you baffled by the mystery of the Blue Moon even more now? The mystery just deepens…
So who is the
mystery guy? Is he a friend or foe? You have to wait for the next
chapter to find out!
Thank you for
reading and reviewing the story!
0-0-0-0-0
--Messages to Reviewers:
--squishy the jellyfish
-Nope! (If you read it above)
--blood red tensai
-Oishi and Eiji? I'm not sure. I was thinking on focusing on the Pillar Pair action actually. But who knows, I might… (winks)
--Gwynhafra86
-Thank you very much for reviewing!! For me, they are on equal footing when it comes to misery… Ryoma, he lost his parents early and hasn't experienced being loved and Tezuka, he lost his memories. And they're helping each other out! See, they're just meant for each other!!
--Miyuki Meiru
-Super powers? Hahaha… You might say it like that.
--just a gal
-Thank you!!
--FlAmEsOfDeSiReS
-Yes he is. Glad you liked the idea.
0-0-0-0-0
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Well, I believe that the conflict in Topaz Kingdom will be solved in the next chapter…
See ya in the next chapter!
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0