The sun shone bright in the Kingdom of Light, but she walked out of the bathroom solemnly. The kingdom had been so sad and dull since her brother was thrown out. Tears gathered in her eyes as she thought of that day, pulling on a white tank top with jeans and white boots to cover her womanly form. Lip rings adorned her lips, and her white tresses cascaded over her shoulders. Amethyst eyes glared hatefully as the door opened and revealed her father.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Out." Natori deadpanned, making to leave the room.
Alex grabbed her hand and she turned to him, noticing his lowered head.
"Can you please sit for a moment? I want to talk to you."
Natori snorted. "It's always what you want right?"
Alex flinched at her tone. "… N-no I just… Please?" he pleaded.
Natori sat down on her bed, gazing up at her father with hard, cold eyes. Alex sat beside her cautiously and sighed.
"You're going to visit your brother right?" he asked.
"Someone has to." Natori grunted.
Alex smiled sadly. "I visit him every day… Fix his herbal bath, just the way he likes it… I make it seem like you do it though… Natori listen, there is a reason why I banished him."
"And that is?"
Alex sighed. "I don't want you to tell him ok? I-I want to tell him, and I'm going to… After I get rid of them all."
Natori wrinkled her brow. "You banished him because he embraced his imperfection… Like I do… What, you're gonna banish me too?"
"… I deserve that… But no, Natori… I'm not perfect. I banished your brother because he wasn't happy here! I-I thought that one day I would wake up to find him dead! Also… I overheard something I shouldn't have, but happy that I did."
"What did you hear?" she asked.
Alex quickly wiped the tears away, but his daughter's sharp eyes never missed a thing. She cupped his cheeks and wiped away his tears herself.
"Dad…"
"I-it was some time a-ago," Alex started, letting Natori keep his face in her hands. "The elders were talking about Ashten and how he wasn't like them. They confessed to having him kidnapped in order to assimilate him but when they realized that he wouldn't bow to their commands… They plotted to kill him… I-I panicked! I didn't want to lose my son! They made me stop protecting him by distracting me whenever he was been bullied, but they saw that when I caught wind of it I rushed to help him… So they placed a spell on me. When I heard screaming I rushed to help but a shock went through my entire body and I collapsed, by the time I came to it was too late. My son thought I deserted him and he began to hate me…"
Sobs choked him up, and Natori held him close. So she hadn't imagined it. She had indeed heard her father sobbing that night. Her eyes softened, and she felt her love come back full force. Her father loved them both so much, that he was willing to let them go somewhere else to be happy.
"I-is he happy? In dark realm?" Natori asked.
Alex smiled softly. "Yes… And he's getting the help he needs. I know that there is no cure for dissociative identity disorder but maybe they could merge… And if not… Maybe they could all be truly happy."
Natori's eyes widened. "Y-you know about that?"
"Of course I do… Because I have it too. The only person who really doesn't know is Ashten himself and the light creatures outside the palace."
Natori gasped. "Y-you have it too?"
Alex nodded. "Ashten isn't the only one who's had it rough… But unlike Ashten, I always had someone on my side."
"Who?" Natori asked, suddenly intrigued.
Alex blushed, and Natori smirked slyly. "A lover?"
"Yeah a lover and you won't believe who."
"Who!?"
"… Erwin Smith."
Natori's eyes widened. "As in King Erwin Smith of the dark realm? Father of Levi Ackerman? And if I'm not mistaken… You do love Ashten…"
"So much…" Alex smiled.
Natori hugged her father and then stood, putting away all of her weapons except for her sword that went everywhere with her.
Alex wrinkled his brow. "What were you planning on doing with all of that?"
Natori shrugged. "I thought I was going have to kill a couple of people. But since Ashten is in your lover's palace I know he is safe mostly. Does he call you?"
"Of course he does. He tells me about Levi and Ashten, and we talk for hours about stupid stuff."
"Can't be that stupid if you're blushing like that." Natori grinned.
Alex blushed even more, throwing a nearby pillow at her. "Shut up!"
"Ashten-chan!" Krista yelled as she ran over to him.
Ashten had changed his clothes and went back outside. Levi was talking to his father, so he could have some free time to himself. Now wearing a purple kimono, he turned to the little girl and smiled, placing his hands on his knees.
"Hello little one! What brings you over?" Ashten asked with a smile.
"My daddy told me that he overheard you humming to yourself! He said it was pretty and I was wondering if you would sing us a song?" Krista asked, her big eyes bright and pleading.
Ashten's scalp prickled at the different auras around them, and he looked around to see children and their parents duck behind various objects. Giggling, Ashten nodded.
"If that's what you want sweetheart I'll sing you a song. What do you want to hear?"
"Um… A song about us!" She exclaimed.
Ashten nodded and pointed to the ground in front of him. The other child raced forward and sat down around him, and the adults stood a little ways off.
"Ok, you ready?" he asked.
The other kids nodded, but one pointed behind him, and Ashten turned to see Levi and Erwin making their way over.
Ashten bowed politely, and Erwin smiled kindly. "We overheard you say you would sing for the children and their parents… May we listen as well?
Ashten blushed. "U-um well… If you wish and if you're not too busy…"
'Singing is one of the talents we told you about.' A voice whispered to Levi, and he suspected that it was Sebastian.
Father and son sat down behind the children, and all was silent.
Ashten took a deep breath. He listened to the sounds of nature. As if possessed, Ashten began to move to the sound, smiling as he easily lost himself in his outlet. A golden spiral swirled around him, and Ashten's clothes had changed from the purple kimono to a white Shendyt with a dark green lace veil adorning his head.
"If you believe in the magic, find all the wonder you seek.
Break the dark spell that you're under, come follow me, follow me."
Ashten beckoned the children with a finger, and he began moving away. The audience followed, entranced, by his voice. It wasn't a surprise that Ashten's voice would be so high, since his normal voice was soft and light, but it was still beautiful nonetheless. The children laughed as they followed a lightly trotting Ashten through the gardens.
"If you would swim, with the dolphins, fly with the eagles be free.
Slip through the eye, of the needle, come follow me, follow me."
It was like nature gravitated towards him. The flowers danced with him. Ashten turned to face the children, and he spread his arms wide.
"I, am, your dream. I am the love you will be, and I will set you free, come follow me follow me."
Ashten walked over to one of the children and kneeled. His name was Eren Jaeger. He had noticed that the young boy was often alone, and he had noticed that he was bullied as well.
"How can I smile when you're crying? How can I dance when you crawl?
I'll give you wings, when you're falling.
Come follow me, follow me."
Ashten lifted Eren into his arms and spun him around gently, proceeding to dance around the garden, his audience keeping a comfortable pace.
"I am you dream, I am the love you will be, and I will set you free.
Look in your heart and you'll see, that I am your dream. I am
The light you will be, and I will set you free, come follow me, follow me."
Ashten put Eren down and backed up, stopping the children when they tried to close the distance. His inner light brightened and outlined his form, bathing the gardens in milk gold light. Large, pearly white wings unfurled gently at his back, and he smiled gently.
"If you believe in the magic, nothing can stand in your way.
Open your hearts to the wonder, just let it take you away…"
The milk gold aura grew and engulfed everything. It was powerful, but Ashten, even in such an engrossed state control easily control his power. He wasn't powerful just because he was royalty. It should have killed everyone in the area, but instead gave everyone a feeling of euphoria.
"I am your dream! I am the love you will be! And I will, set you free…
Look in your heart and you'll see!
That I am your dream, I am the light you will be!
And I will set you set you free, come follow me, follow me.
Come follow me, follow me."
The natural sounds ended, and Ashten descended to the ground. His wings furled, and his aura faded away. Ashten blushed as his audience clapped, and the children crowded around him in awe. Erwin looked over to Levi to gauge his reaction, noting with satisfaction that his son was indeed stunned.
"I hadn't imagined that his voice could go so high…" Erwin stated, pleased.
"I already knew that." Levi replied quietly, still slightly stunned.
He should have immediately acted to avoid the possible danger of Ashten's powers, but apparently Ashten had already seen this happening and changed the purpose of his light.
He was more powerful that Levi had first thought.
"We should keep a close eye on him… But his singing isn't the only thing I'm intrigued by… Those clothes… He looks like a prophet…"
Both vampires wrinkled their brows.
'I knew he was an asshole, I hate being right.'
'Singing is just one of Ashten's talents…'
'Ashten knew he was different.'
Erwin's eyes widened, and Levi stiffened.
Was Ashten… The light prophet from the prophecy? The one that would unite the light and dark kingdoms?
Only time could tell… Or could it?
Sorry about the long period of neglect! Being a senior is awesome, but a lot of work. Especially if you have AP and honors classes. Anyway, more where that came from! See you soon!
