Antilogy of the Crepuscule

By Sargent Snarky

Disclaimer: I do not own the .hack franchise, though I wish I did. You see, if I did, then Haseo would wear pink bunny slippers. –wink-

Disclaimer number two: I have borrowed a few ideas from Wind Kaze's Paradise Sin, and I have Wind Kaze's permission – or, at least I did when I started this fic. You should go read it, though, and Kaze's other things and then nag Kaze into actually finishing them.

Disclaimer Number Three: Ok, so this chapter is finished, BUT like with the last one, please don't take it as a sign that I'm continuing. I found this along with that last when sorting through old documents of mine, and, well… I thought I might as well post it, in case anyone was still curious. Yeah. I'm sorry.

Chapter VI Revelations

(Tsukasa's P.O.V.)

The three of us, Kite, Blackrose and myself, are all hesitant to open the stone doors of the massive temple. The stones are all cold, and the cathedral itself seems cold and foreboding. I have a bad feeling about this. Kite and Blackrose seem to share my sentiments. However, Blackrose scowls, suddenly, drawing herself up and stalking up to door. She pushes forward hard, then stumbles, as it swings open silently and easily. I can't help but shudder once before following her and Kite into the building.

Inside, the ceiling is high and vaulted, with ornate stonework. The room has two rows of stone pews with a central aisle. At the far end of the passage, upon a raised platform, sits a marble altar. The floor, too, is marble, polished and somewhat reflective. It's nearly impossible to walk quietly on it, since the entire room has interesting acoustics, picking up and rebounding the slightest sounds. For example, though Kite and I attempt to tread lightly, our steps still echo upon the cold floor.

"You know," murmurs Kite, relaxing a bit. "This place feels… familiar… more like home than any place in Mac Anu or Carmina Gadelica, and yet…" He trails off with a frown.

All three of us freeze as a clicking not made by us reaches our ears. A moment later, it stops, then, with a few snarls, three goblins scamper out from beneath the pews, two holding goblin blades, the third wielding naught but his claws. Blackrose yelps, struggling in her attempts to unhook her large blade. How she can even lift that thing, I do not know… Anyway, Kite draws his blades in a flash and dispatches the first with pathetic ease. I deal with the second, summoning my staff into my hands even as I move to bash its skull. It falls. Then, both of us move to the third, who moves towards Blackrose, and we happen to reach it at the same time. I smack it with my staff, then dismiss said stave as Kite finishes the job.

Blackrose calms down, looking somewhat embarrassed. But, her tough façade returns a moment later as Kite and I chuckle softly.

"Say, what should we do with the bodies?" I ask.

"Umm… Burn them? The ashes would be easier to deal with," says Kite.

So, we pile them together, and I stand before it, arm extended, palm outward. "Vak Don."

A small fireball materialized, flying into the goblins, immediately incinerating them. It is a matter of minutes before they are reduced to ashes. I grin.

"Fire spells are fun…"

Blackrose gives me a strange look, and Kite rolls his eyes.

At an unspoken agreement, we all walk down the center aisle together. Despite the triumph over the goblins, this place still gives me the creeps. There's just something… wrong. Something lurks in the shadows, watching… And it's not something friendly. I hope what Mia said is true… That we may find a few clues here…

Reaching the altar, we all stare at the engravings. It takes a moment or two, but I suddenly realize that words are carved in, too… But I only vaguely recognize the text. I certainly can't read it. I think it's a form of the umbrian writing, though I can't be sure. A lot of it is too obscured to be read.

Kite reads what is legible aloud, "Skeith, Innis, Magus, Fid… something. I can't read the rest. It's illegible."

"How're are you able to read that?" I ask, surprised.

Kite shrugs. "I honestly don't know."

He pauses, suddenly, tilting his head as if hearing some distant voice. He frowns, then shakes his head, eyes distant as he thinks.

I frown in puzzlement.

Blackrose, meanwhile, stares about in fearful wonder. "So… this is where Kazu…" she murmurs. I can't hear the rest due to a sudden new noise, a new pair of footsteps running in and up the corridor.

We turn to look, but the one we see is certainly the least expected. We all can't help but stare. An avarian with white hair, dressed like a knight, a sword girt at his side, and the pinions of his large white wings fluttering as he runs. Seeing those wings makes my back itch, for some reason. Weird…

Anyway, he seems familiar; I'm sure I've seen him once or twice before… Visiting Carmina Gadelica or Mac Anu on diplomatic business…

"You must leave!" He calls out, voice booming through the room, urgent. "Now! It's too dangerous here!"

Lord Balmung!! That's who he is, but what is he doing here…? A sudden dread fills me. He might recognize Kite and I for who we are… might believe that we ought to be turned in. Needless to say, we don't move, but stare at him.

Blackrose doesn't seem to recognize him, though Kite does. She frowns and ask, voice quavering with worry, "What? Why?"

But the question is answered for Lord Balmung. A fiend suddenly leaps down from some hidden alcove, landing directly between Lord Balmung and ourselves. He skids to a stop, drawing his blade. The creature is certainly strange… I've never head of or seen anything like this before. It looks like an ordinary headhunter, wielding a strange blade it must have picked off a warrior or something, except that it isn't carrying a 'head' and there's just something… wrong about it. A strange sickly green glow skitters across its skin, and it has an air of great, unnatural power.

"That's the monster that," Blackrose shrieks, but she doesn't finish her sentence.

"Go!" commands Lord Balmung again, but we again don't obey.

He draws his sword and leaps high, diving down at the creature to deal what should have been a death blow, then landing in a slight skid before us, wings flaring a little for balance. The creature staggers a little, but it pays no mind to the deep slash, merely turning to advance upon us.

"Damn it," breathes Balmung. "Here, too…" Then, he leaps at it again, sparring with it in an attempt to bring it down. He seems to be completely oblivious to us.

I glance at Blackrose, who holds her sword in shaking hands. She quivers with fear, though she steps forward, advancing upon the creature as well. I then turn my eyes to Kite. His eyes are distant again, and he seems to be listening to something. Then, he nods once, and slings his pack off of his shoulders. Opening it, he pulls out the Book of the Twilight. He barely opens the cover when the book jerks open, flipping through the pages, propelled by some other force. Kite cries out softly in alarm as it jerks out of his hands a few feet from him. Then, from the pages spills forth a strange half-light that is quite bright. I say half-light because it isn't quite like normal light.

"Kite!" I shout as the light envelops him, masking him from view.

The book fades into the light and vanishes, but the light remains wrapped around Kite, shifting. I her him cry out in either pain or unpleasant, strange surprise. I can feel something within him… changing. Well, no… not changing, so much, as unlocking… springing to fruition. Something in side of him that was asleep now awakening, and altering him, infusing new and greater power, yet leaving him unchanged. Then the growth or changing slows and comes to a stop… And the light dissipates leaving a very different Kite, at least in appearance. What the hell has the book done to him..?! Apparently Kite doesn't know, either, based upon the confusion and fear swirling in his eyes.

His clothing is the same, and yet different; it's changed colors. What was once green is now crimson. His hat, vest thing, and pants… All now red with strange twisting designs in yellow upon the pants. Also, two tattoos appear upon his cheeks – a triangle and an outline, both red as blood, like his clothing. However, those're the least of the changes. A shadowiness clings to him, not physically, so much, as, well, in his aura. It's not an evil shadow, but just darkness, as in lack of light. A pair of large black wings, the webbed sort like those of a dragon, stretch forth from his back, seeming at once insubstantial, as if made only of shadows, but at the same time completely real and fully present. But, strangest of all, encircling his right wrist is a glowing bracelet of strange fashion. It is a bracelet of light of varying assorted hues. But the light is contained within scales, of a sort, forming a ring floating about Kite's wrist.

Suddenly, the darkness clinging to him magnifies greatly, and the bracelet jerks Kite's arm forward. He winces and yelps in pain. His left arm he holds protectively in front of his face, as if shading his eyes from the bracelet's light, or something. He cries out again as the bracelet expands, new, longer scales appearing to form a large wheel of sorts. Kite shudders, and tendrils of different colored lights shoot forth from the tips of the long scales, twisting through the air before converging upon the headless creature.

The monster emits a scream of agony as the beams impale it, fishing around inside of it… for its soul. A cold dread settles in my stomach as I realize what is going on, and my eyes widen in horror. Blackrose, too, stares, equal horror overcoming her. She, Balmung, Kite and I shiver to hear the creature's bloodcurdling wail.

And then, the tentacles of light retract, pulling a misty form with them… Pulling the souls, such as the monster has (which isn't the same sort of soul, say, Blackrose has) and whatever's riding on the soul A weird greenness clings to the misty form, making it appear sickly and diseased, much as the body was. Not is, for the monster seems almost normal, now. Meanwhile, the soul is surrounded by a combination of light and darkness… where it is changed. The bracelet vanishes, leaving a smooth crystal in Kite's hand.

As the bracelet of light fades, the darkness clinging to Kite diminishes, but doesn't completely vanish. I can still feel it there, along with a bit of the light of the bracelet. A bit of the wings remain, albeit only a bit. Kite sways upon his feet – his face is quite pale, his breathing labored and his eyes bleary. And then, as he collapses to his hands and knees (he's conscious enough to keep himself from sprawling upon the floor), the last vestiges of the wings fade from view. He seems utterly drained and quite likely to pass out.

Meanwhile, the monster staggers about a bit, confused and much weaker than before. Lord Balmung leaps at it, easily dispatching it this time. Before turning his attentions to us, he pulls out a pendant thing and touches the creature with it. And the monster vanishes, though where it goes, I have no idea. In fact, I only notice this out of the corner of my eyes, since I've run over to Kite's side, kneeling next to him concertedly.

"Kite? Are you all right?" I ask. "Wh… How did you do that? What was that?"

He stares at me with wide, frightened eyes and shakes his head. "I…" he begins, but is cut off by Blackrose and Balmung, who speak at about the same time.

Blackrose stutters, "A s-soul reaver! B-but you're all supposed to b-be dead!"

"Never did I expect to find the ones responsible so soon!" Balmung says, voice anything but friendly.

Blackrose looks from Balmung, to Kite and I, to where the monster was, utterly confused. Kite and I look up at Balmung, unsure ourselves quite what was going on.

Pointing his sword at us, Lord Balmung glares. "You who as good as murdered Orca! Draw! Draw your sword, now! Summon your staff, wavemaster!"

Oh joy. He does know us. I can see faint recognition in his eyes along with a burning anger and grief and disbelief. And what Kite just did only seems to prove to him that we did what Morganna says we did. Or at least that we were the ones to harm Lord Orca.

Kite tries to stagger to his feet, and manages, with my help. "No," he says; his voice is tired, yet firm. "There's no reason to do that."

"There is for me. But if you won't fight me, I'll kill you for it nonetheless."

Kite shakes his head slightly as he leans against me. He is still shivering. However, he manages, after a moment, to stand on his own. The itching and aching of the lump on my back chooses to increase almost unbearably, but I ignore it, even though it's bordering on out and out pain.

Blackrose, meanwhile, stomps forward, glaring at Lord Balmung. One hand upon her hips, stance wide, and a finger jabbed at him, she snaps, "He just saved your life, you know! And this is how you treat him?!"

Lord Balmung hesitates, weighing choices. On the one hand, avenging Lord Orca (though why, I don't really know) and stopping the supposed culprit. On the other hand, repaying the debt of his life. His expression hardens. Apparently he's decided on the former.

Completely ignoring Blackrose, Lord Balmung leaps forward, blade aimed to impale Kite. And yet, Kite does nothing. Whether he's too weak, or whether he believes that Balmung won't actually strike an unresisting opponent, I do not know. However, I'd rather not leave things up to chance, so I leap in front of my friend, staff in hand, and Lord Balmung's sword connects heavily with my staff, jarring my arms; it nearly causes me to drop my staff or at least fall.

At the same time, both Blackrose and I shout, "No!"

Balmung seems slightly surprised at my jumping forth, and he relents, frowning curiously.

I glare at him. I don't care if he's supposedly my father or not. So, in a rather pissed off tone, with my voice cracking a little as I go on, I cry, "Now, I don't know why the hell you feel the need to avenge Lord Orca, but first of all you're taking out your wrath on the wrong people! We may have been with him when… this freaky creature stole his soul, but we were not the ones who did so! Anyway, why would Kite attack the man who essentially raised him?! Damn it, he was the closest thing to a proper father either Kite or I or even Aura had! Do you honestly think we'd do something so awful as that?! If so, you really are a bird-brain!

"Besides, how can you strike with any honor at one who is obviously on the verge of collapse, not to mention refuses to even lift a blade in defense! That sure isn't fitting behavior for the commander of the Knights of the Avaria!"

He stares at me with a peculiar expression beneath his chagrin. He murmurs, almost inaudibly, "Sounds like something he might have said…" Then, gruffly and louder, he states, "Very well, then," and sheaths his sword, turning to leave.

"What the hell?" yells Blackrose. "That's it? You just leave? You don't even explain anything? No apology? And I thought the Avaria were supposed to be polite and chivalrous. You sure don't act like it."

I just blink at him in confusion. That gaze of his… It was so strange, at once bitter and resentful, yet sad and pitying. A queer regret and pain was there, too. But, as he glances back over his shoulder, whatever that look was is gone, replaced by cold indifference.

"What would you know of my people?" asks Balmung, tone scathing.

Blackrose blinks at him in disbelief, then her glare returns. "Enough! But, you sure are setting a crummy example!"

"And you set a rather impudent example for the Archipelago, girl."

"Thank you," she says, grinning slightly. "But you really, really ought to explain why the hell you want to kill him!"

I, meanwhile, turn back to Kite. He seems to no longer be paying attention to the world around him, but stares at his wrist and at the crystalline rock containing the monster's soul. His cerulean eyes are filled with horror and confusion, and his face is still unnaturally pale and drawn. Then, his eyes slip to his altered clothing.

"Red," he whispers. "Red as blood. Yellow like fire… tracing the ancient symbols… Why…? I should know, but I don't… I can't… remember…"

"Kite," I say, and he slowly looks up. "What happened?"

"I don't know," he croaks. "Somehow, I know I should know… I should understand what… what happened, but I don't…"

"What do you mean?"

"It's something I cannot quite remember… Something someone told me about once… But… It's like it's been blocked off…"

"Memories from before I found you?"

He frowns. "Maybe…" A shudder passes down his spine and he glances warily around the building. "Please," he murmurs. "Please, let's leave here… The voices… I don't want to hear them!"

Has Kite suddenly become schizophrenic? Or are the really things here speaking…? Either way, I nod. "Come on, then. Can you walk?"

He takes a shaky step, then almost collapses again, but I catch him. "Guess not, then," he says, grinning weakly.

I roll my eyes and help him begin to stagger down the aisle. Blackrose and Balmung are wrapped up in an argument, so they don't notice right away. But, then they do.

"Hey!" cries Blackrose. "You aren't leaving me behind this creepy place!"

"We aren't," I say. "We're just going outside. Besides, I'm not very good at paddling a boat, remember, and somehow I don't think that Kite's up to keeping his balance, much less lifting a paddle."

It suddenly occurs to me that we've forgotten to use our pseudonyms while in the cathedral. Oh well. Too late to keep Blackrose from suspicion anyway. Meanwhile, Balmung says nothing, but his expression is thoughtful. Blackrose shoots a final glare at him, then comes over to us.

"Fine. I'm coming, too, then." She stands on the other side of Kite and grabs his arm, looping it over her shoulders, much like I have his other arm looped over mine. Kite murmurs a thank you.

And then, we begin to stagger out. Lord Balmung continues to watch us. It's a little unnerving the way he stares. I can feel his eyes boring into our backs. Speaking of backs, mine is still itching and aching mercilessly. But, I keep on ignoring it. Soon, we're outside, and we stumble over to a corner protected from the wind. There, though Blackrose remains standing, Kite and I sit down.

While she leans against the wall, frowning as if a certain though has suddenly occurred to her and she must ponder it, Kite leans partially against the stone, partially against me. He closes his eyes, leaning his head against my shoulder. S'not like I mind. After all, Aura's used me as a pillow on numerous occasions. Rather odd, though, why anyone would use me as a pillow. In my opinion, (and others), I'm rather on the bony side. Oh well.

After a few minutes, he's asleep, as heard by slow and steady breathing. Oh, and suddenly the weight against my size increases. Funny how people always seem to get heavier when they're asleep.

(A brief Interlude, starting at about this same time)

Balmung watched Tsukasa and Blackrose all but carry Kite from the cathedral. His lips were twisted into a displeased frown, his eyes narrowed. However, he restrained himself and let them leave. After they disappeared out the doorway, the Avarian waited another few moments, then began to make his way towards the door, too. However, a soft, taunting voice echoed from the front of the cathedral, from a figure leaning against the altar. Balmung spun to face her, glaring.

"Quite a tantrum," remarked a tall, voluptuous woman robed in white, with an odd hat that covered her eyes; blond hair spilled from beneath the hat, framing her pale-skinned face and smiling black-painted lips In one hand she bore a silver scepter of sorts - it was a strange item, indeed, with three prongs arranged in a triangle at one end, and three glowing hoops floating around the other. It had no actual stone like a normal wavemaster's staff, but one could just tell that it was a powerful implament. "How very childish of Lord Balmung, descendent of Fianna."

"Helba," hissed Balmung under his breath. Aloud, he snapped, arrogantly, "I do not speak with traitors."

The woman, Helba, laughed softly and dissappeared, only to reappear right in front of him. "Oh really? Then how could you ever stomach talking with Morganna? I am no traitor, and my people have upheld our part of the treaty."

"Then explain why a soul reaver was here."

"There have always been those with the capabilities. The boy was one of the few left. What you witnessed was the unlocking of that power."

"That explains nothing."

Helba tilted her head to the side, smiling. "Doesn't it? This place was built by my people in ages long ago... It holds many secrets."

Balmung pushed past her, moving swiftly for the exit.

"Don't forget your place," came her voice behind him, tone no longer gently toying, but firm and cold, "Balmung of the Azure Sky. And don't forget that you do have allies. It would be wise not to anger them."

(Tsukasa's P.O.V)

I look up at Blackrose.

"What did you want to come here for, anyway?" I ask. She never did say her reasons.

"Huh?" She snaps out of her thoughts. "Oh. Mm… I'm looking for my brother. Kazu. He was traveling with a small group of people, and apparently they came here… When they did, that monster attacked and… Something happened. No one's quite sure what, but Kazu went missing. I… thought maybe there might be some clue there…"

I nod.

"Why did you guys want to come here?" she asks.

I sigh and shrug. "We're… looking for something," I say, being deliberately vague. "And a… friend suggested we come here. She said we might find some hint here. But that isn't true… It seems we've found only more questions…"

"Same. Say, you know that guy we met. Who is he?"

"Mm.. He's Lord Balmung of the Azure Sky – also known as the Knights of the Avaria – Descendent of Fianna of the Avaria," I answer with a sigh.

Blackrose whistles. "Quite a title there. So.. he's the leader of the Knights?"

I nod again.

"Wow. What the hell is he doing here all alone, then?"

"That's my own business," states he, and both of us start.

"What the- Eavesdropping is very rude!" snaps Blackrose, a bit flustered.

I just glare at him while absently rubbing at the lump between my shoulders. Is it just my imagination, or has it grown larger than it was a few days ago? He arches an eyebrow at Blackrose.

"And you aren't?"

"You're worse."

He rolls his eyes, as if wondering why he even engaged in this conversation to begin with. If I was in a better mood, perhaps I might laugh at the absurdity.

Suddenly, Balmung turns his attention to me. "Did you know he's a soul reaver?" he asks, fiercely, accusingly.

I shrink back a little and blink. "N-no. But… What's a soul reaver?"

"One of the Umbria," Blackrose explains. "Supposedly only the Umbria have ever been able to do… stuff like that. I heard a rumor somewhere that umbria built this temple. Anyway, according to the old stories and things, soul reavers are swathed in darkness, but wield light."

"Correct," said Lord Balmung.

I frown. "Aren't they all supposed to be dead?"

"Yeah," agrees Blackrose.

Balmung laughs softly, mirthlessly, and we stare at him. "They're supposed to be, but they aren't. They live in secret, and few know about them. Although, I'm surprised that you are one of those who doesn't…"

I look down at Kite, who is lost in a deep sleep, then back up at Balmung. "I… What are you talking about?"

"Because your mother happens to be half umbrian."

I just stare at him. "And you would know this… how?"

A somewhat cynical look crosses his face. "Political treaties. Your grandfather, as part of his effort towards peace with the umbria, married one of their own."

I blink, frowning in thought and gazing down at the ground, contemplating my heritage. Man, is it screwed up. Blackrose blinks.

"Huh?" she asks. "How do you know her mother? Who is she?"

A grim and bitter smile twists Balmung's face. "Because… Once I was in love with the Lady Morganna… Conniving depraved bitch that she is, with not a drop of selflessness in her."

I look up at him swiftly, narrowing my eyes a little. "Don't talk about my mother like that!" I snap, even though I know every word he said is true. But, still, a part of me remembers her as she was when I was little. She was different then… or was she? It suddenly occurs to me that maybe, just maybe I didn't begin see her true nature until I was about five or six… But still…

Blackrose stares at me. "You're her daughter?!" She gasps.

Balmung, on the other hand, glares fiercely at me, hissing, "I have every right to talk about her however I feel like. Besides, what I said is true, and you know it."

I don't meet his gaze anymore, instead suddenly finding a particular brick extremely fascinating. Though, I do murmur, "Whatever. At least I didn't sleep with her."

Blackrose doesn't hear that, but Lord Balmung does, and, while Blackrose just stares between us with confusion, Balmung lets out a low hiss, and I wince as I feel an even more burning glare. He seems to hesitate, as if deciding what to say. Suddenly, however, cynical laughter escapes his lips.

"Ah.. She would twist things like that, wouldn't she? Of course. And she simply had to choose that rumor…"

Blackrose breaks in again. "What the hell are you two talking about now?"

We ignore her. I glance at Balmung, though it's merely a short glance. He happens to be staring off at the distance.

"I was never her lover, though she enjoyed toying with me, I must say," he says after a few moments. "No… That was my cousin. Lord Orca."

My eyes widen in shock. "Wh- what?!"

"You heard me." He sighs, and I heard his footsteps across the stones.

I shake my head in disbelief. "No. That's not true. It can't be…"

The footsteps stop. "It is, girl. Go ask your mother. I'm sure she'll be positively thrilled to tell you all about it." And then they pick up again. Over his shoulder he calls, "And stop scratching at your back. The less you pick, the less it'll hurt when your wings sprout."

"But Lord Orca.. he… huh? Wings…?"

A soft, bitter laugh escapes his lips. "He is my first cousin, after all. The only other remaining Descendant of Fianna. He lost his wings a few months before you were born. Torn to pieces by that Spectrum Dragon."

Blackrose is as dumbfounded as I, staring between Lord Balmung and myself with extremely wide eyes. I wasn't aware anyone's eyes could open quite that widely. Kite, of course, is completely oblivious to this whole affair, sleeping peacefully on. Oh, I envy him at this moment. I, however, can do nothing but stare off into space, trying frantically to come up with some reason why what Lord Balmung said couldn't be true. And yet… Somehow it fits. I can think of nothing to refute his claims. I knew Lord Orca was at least partially Avaria; he had told Kite and I that he had been born in Fort Ouph, but we assumed that he just was born without wings and that was why he lived among regular humans, not to mention why he wouldn't tell us much about his childhood or family. We ignored the nasty scars upon his back (not putting two and two together), and we just assumed he was bitter about being different from those among whom he was born, for he did seem rather bitter at times… But, this explains it all perfectly, though I refuse to accept it. That would be… I don't know. In my heart I know it's true, but I just can't bring myself to acknowledge it.

I shift, carefully lifting Kite off of me and lowering him to the ground, then stand up, glancing over at where Balmung should be standing. But he isn't. He's flown off. I see a spec in the distance and assume that's him.

"Where're you going?" asks Blackrose, faintly.

"Anywhere," I mumble, turning and stalking away.

Blackrose begins to say something, but I cut her off. "Look," I hiss. "Just leave me the hell alone, ok?"

Since she makes no further comment, I assume she's probably irked at me and sulking, but I don't really give a damn. I walk to the edge of the island, where the stone causeway breaks off, and I sit down, staring into the water and tucking my knees under my chin. I just want to be alone…

A/N And what happens next? I dunno. I'm sorry! I really have no idea!

I'd still appreciate hearing any comments you have on this, though. I always like knowing what people thing. )