Hello you faithful readers and random lurkers,

Finally here's the new chapter for you. I hope I didn't let you wait too long this time, but I really tried to get it up soon enough for you to not lose interest in the whole thing. ;)

So what's happening in "Perception" is that we'll visit The Hidden Realm once more and steal a glance at our baddies. The chapter itself is rather short so hopefully I'll get the next instalment up for you soon.

As always, my biggest thanx goes to MidnightDew (I can never thank you enough for your help, dear!), and of course to my faithful readers (AnimePrincess, AFairy88, Stitch) – your reviews always make my day!

Stitch: Mwahaha, you'll get to see eventually. ^.^ Awwww, and thanx so much for your patience. I know I said it before, but it really means so much to me that you still stick to the story although sometimes I let you wait so long for an update. I just hope you'll find this chapter to be worth it. *crosses fingers*

Now, go off folks.

I hope you'll enjoy reading. :D

Love,

TK


Chapter 7: perception

DimDim sat in the warm late afternoon sun, enjoying the warm rays that fell upon this lost piece of the world. Maeve was nearby, studying some of the magic books he had given to her. After she had desperately tried to master the old spell the day before she had spent the evening with just watching the dark sea, getting lost in all the memories it held for her. The old sorcerer knew what the young one was going through as he could clearly remember the day when he, too, had had to leave a dear person behind and he so wished he could take the pain away from her but despite all the magic he held, he knew he could do nothing to change the course of time. DimDim let a quiet sigh leave his throat at that thought, making his apprentice look up from her lectures. Her velvet brown eyes met his own as she frowned at him in concern.

"Anything wrong", she asked with a low voice while with her left hand she fixed a strand of her hair behind her ear.

The old sorcerer shook his head reassuringly before telling her not to worry for him. "You know I'm getting old, Maeve", he smiled at her, "And sometimes old men sigh for no reason."

"Sure", she retorted with her eyes slightly narrowed, "but I can tell such a sigh from one that is because of something that's bothering you."

The redheads persistence made the old man laugh and her caring gave him a warm feeling that he for so long had missed since he had been separated from his wife. In some ways DimDim had long ago stopped to think of the Celt as a simple apprentice and had rather looked upon her as his daughter. To him she was the child he and Caipra were never blessed to have and somehow he knew that the girl thought likewise. And it was for this fact that he dreaded a possible future in darkness more than he had ever done - a future that would soon await all of them if that night the firebird fell.

Tightening the grip he had on the wooden stick he still used to bring along everywhere he went, DimDim suddenly got up from his seat. As if he had just remembered something, he sent a warm smile to the young one and made up an excuse for leaving her, telling her something about having forgotten to prepare some herbs he wanted to use in a spell. Maeve at first eyed him suspiciously but soon after shrugged and focused on her book again. She had no reason to mistrust him and even if she did, she knew all too well what it was like to have secrets that were not to be revealed. And so she let DimDim slowly make his way to his chamber.

.

After closing the door firmly behind him, the old magician let his stick lean against the wooden bed with a quiet thud. His shoulders tensed as he moved for the blue curtains to close them so that no one could see what was happening inside.

"What news do you bring", he then whispered all of a sudden, his gaze slowly turning to focus on an empty spot near the entrance.

"I knew you would feel my presence", a female voice answered somewhat proudly while in exact the same moment a shadow formed in front of the sorcerer. It was the same cloaked figure that had already visited him the day before.

"I am sorry to bring bad ones", the stranger continued while bowing to the old man. "The one does not know yet. They still don't believe in the power they have."

DimDim sighed heavily at her words. "I had already suspected that", he admitted, "but there's still time. The moon hasn't arisen yet."

"But it soon will", the woman immediately replied. Her hands were clenched to fists as she still did not move from her spot next to the door. Her voice seemed to completely fill the little room making her words sound like a menacing prophecy when she addressed the sorcerer one last time: "Darkness is falling. I can feel it. Soon the light of blue flames will decide on the future of this world." And with that her form vanished to the shadows of the falling night, leaving DimDim to stand behind with the newfound knowledge that the phoenix was still without defence, and thus the world without any hope.

oOoOoOoOo

At just the same time Rumina was standing at the entrance of the cave she and her father had turned into their home about one year ago. The view she had from here was breathtaking, even she had to admit that. A crystal blue sea was unfolding in front of her, melting into a crimson horizon as the night was about to fall.

"There's something in the air, father. Something really powerful", she whispered only loud enough for Turok to get her words. With his hands folded in front of his chest he slowly approached his only child.

"It's the phoenix, my dear. The beast is about to rise. Soon you will see the light of the red moon." The old sorcerer moved to stand right behind his daughter, his dark aura somewhat being a comfort to her.

"I had not imagined it to be that mighty", the young one admitted. Her gaze was aimlessly directed to the skies as she felt the enormous power of the holy being - a power that seemed to be enclosed in every sun ray that hit her body. She flinched under the feeling it gave her and suddenly she felt something come up inside of her, something she had never known before. Her father, whose eyes had not left his daughter, turned away from her, making her focus on him instead.

"It's fear, Rumina", his emotionless voice reached her. "You feel the purity the bird holds and you fear it could be stronger than you."

"How can you dare father", the young one immediately spat, her features strangely hardening in just the same moment, "I have never and will never fear anything in this world. I'm the leader of all dark forces in the East. There's nothing I have to be scared about." Her beautiful face was stern and shadows lay upon it as out of the blue she shot a bold of electricity at the old man, making sure that it would strike right beside him. Turok's body tensed upon the assault of his daughter but still he did not halt. His lips curved in a smile as he closed his eyes knowingly. "Then why is it, daughter dearest", he purred in a way that resembled Rumina so much, "that you feel offended then." Rumina stood dumbfounded when the old man swiftly turned around, facing her with the most evil leer.

"You as the leader of the dark forces should really know better than to attack me. How can you even think to rule the dark armies if you're not even smart enough to realize when someone's more powerful than you", he howled. His dark eyes were fixed on hers as he raised both his hands, directly aiming a blast of black magic at her. Rumina glared at her father, while she, full of fury, built up a defending shield around her.

"You really should not try me", she shouted at him. Anger was dwelling up inside her, making her eyes glow in a threatening yellow tone. "Because there is no one on earth whose powers can outrank mine", her voice suddenly roared in a way Turok had never heard it before. It echoed through the cavern and made it shake violently.

"Neither the beast nor you will ever defeat me!" And with that the young sorceress let her magic explode in a single attack against her father. While only a moment earlier the old man had sent his energies in an attempt to strike against her, he now hurried to will them to protect him against her might. Turok breathed hard under the girl's assault, feeling how bit by bit his defence was weakening. But right before her energies could reach him, the black beam suddenly vanished, revealing his daughter being surrounded by a dark aura.

"See, father", she called him icily, "no one holds the power to defeat me. Not even you. I do not need to fear anything." Her cold gaze lay upon him as the old sorcerer tried to catch his breath and while his body leant weakly against the wall. To her surprise a grin formed on his face then, making her frown in confusion.

"This is what you had to understand", he explained under ragged breaths, "I knew it was fear that was trying to take a hold of you. And fear it is that can take your powers away. But if you believe in your might, not even the holy creature has a chance to survive." His eyes went up to meet hers as he saw realisation form within them. "You provoked me only to teach me", she whispered disbelievingly. For only a single thought's time she regretted having struck against her father but then she realized that it had been the best thing she could have done. The dark sorceress now knew just how much power she really possessed and she had no doubt anymore that she would succeed in her task tonight.

"Oh well", she suddenly smiled sweetly at her father again, "thank you then." With her right hand she waved at the older one, making him recover just a little. With a graceful move she then turned back to the seas where soon the magical moon would rise.

Her voice was low when she whispered into the falling night: "Let us prepare for the phoenix's fall!"

Hearing the girl's conviction made her father smile contently. Slowly regaining his strength he pulled away from the wall he had still leant on and made his way towards Rumina.

He knew that tonight the two of them would perform an old and mighty spell which was to drain all their powers from them. In the light of the red moon father and child's spirit would unite to build a deadly force to attack the immortal one. The spell could be their doom as well as it could be the phoenix's and the old wizard was wise enough to know that only the dark sorceress' believe in her powers would make the difference between the two possibilities.


Alrighty, so what do you think? Good? Bad? I'm rather nervous actually about the Turok-attacking-Rumina-thing and whether this is in character at all. But somehow I figured it would fit him. And didn't Caipra teach us that Rumina's greatest strength was her faith in her powers? So yeah, that's why I had Turok remind her of that. Still, feel free to tell me if you think elsewise. ;)

Feedback, as always, is most welcomed and anonymous one is enabled.

Hope to see you in chapter no. 8: "red moon". :3