Finally! After this chapter will start Part II of Ragnarok Solstice! The stage is FINALLY set for the REAL action to begin! .
Ragnarok Solstice
Part I: The Admonitions
By Healing Spirit
Chapter 10: Rain on Glass
Sarah staggered down the street, small grasps of memory streaming into her mind.
'Come back to me and leave that weirdo…' he had whispered.
She could still feel the light brush of air in her ear… what was she thinking? With a swift motion of her hand, she wiped her mouth in disgust. "What a jerk!"
What right did he have to just come up and kiss anybody he sees on the street? After he had invaded her personal space, she pushed him away roughly and ran as far away as her legs could take her, hoping no one saw her.
What a weirdo!
Her feet stopped in their tracks.
'Weirdo…'
He stood in front of her. His dark eyes shone bright red and his form sagged from sheer exhaustion. His gaze was fixed on her, and to her surprise, in his eyes she saw the sorrow of the world.
"Min Sung…" Her voice faltered when he twitched. She could not look at him any longer, and turned away. But she could not forget what she saw and it stood out clearly in her mind…
The flame had died in his eyes…
"Sarah," his voice sounded as if he had aged a hundred years, his clutched hands shook. It seemed for eternity neither of them spoke. Until…
"Goodbye…"
Her eyes widened and her heart gave a painful jolt at those unsuspected words. Goodbye… She never thought she would hear those words from him, not since that day…
Somehow, she found her voice.
"No…" He did not hear her. He turned with a heavy heart and started to walk away.
"No…" Her legs were too weak to follow. "No… NO!!"
Min Sung felt a hand on his arm. Turning his head, he saw Sarah's trembling form.
What was this?
A warm drop of liquid dripped onto his arm; when she lifted her head to face him, rivers of tears were flowing down her beautiful face. Her breaths were forced out in an irregular pattern; her chest felt as if a fifty ton weight had settled on her heart. What is this?
For so long, she was the strength of her friends, the one who never showed weakness or humility. She had to be strong, she had to keep a strong mind and always be on her guard. They depended on her, they relied on her comfort. She never showed a weak side to anyone. But because of that, her heart… became the most vulnerable.
For the first time in so many lonely years…
She cried.
'Idiot… don't you realize that I have loved you from the start? Whenever I reached out for you, you would vanish, and once again I was hit with the harsh reality… that you were gone… and I was too late
These tears just won't stop, and I'm so tired of crying! Why can't your face leave me alone, so that you won't burden me any more? Stop haunting me! Stop looking at me with those eyes and touch me with those hands… stop calling for me…
Please don't break my heart again
But she could not say the words she had kept inside for so long… He walked away…
The sky rumbled forebodingly.
The sun disappeared behind a few black clouds.
At the signal, heaven's gates were thrown open.
But Sarah could not move. Sorrow weighing heavily on her heart, she knelt on the cold concrete. Eyes shut, head bowed, she allowed herself to be drenched by the rain… hearing her heart shatter into pieces and clink as they hit the ground.
He's gone… he's gone… he's gone…
Her eyes clouded over.
Her body felt drawn to the comforting earth.
She swayed precariously… and fainted on the concrete that was now as icy as her broken heart.
…rain poured from the gray heavens in heavy veils…
"Takashi?" Yukari lifted her head lightly, her eyes catching a glimpse of rough hair buried underneath a sea of white bed sheets. Her face flushed as he clutched her hand tighter. "Mm…" he turned his head to the other side, still sound asleep. Yukari tried to sit up by shifting higher onto the bed, though Takashi's arm was sprawled on her leg.
'Great.'
How was she supposed to get out of her bed? How did she get in this bed in the first place? All she remembered was running out of the room after hearing that Japan was being attacked by a hurricane… HURRICANE! OH NO! That's why she ran out of the room! Takashi must have knocked her out or something! Oh no! Mayuka and Yuske!
'I have to get up! But how?"
"Um, Takashi?"
Sheepishly, she used her finger to poke Takashi gently. With a grumble, he lifted his arm (At this, Yukari quickly moved up a bit further) and than tumbled down on her again. 'This guy's is hopeless,' Yukari sweat dropped.
Well, whatever you wanted done you have to do it yourself! And so, sliding her arms under him, she used all her strength to lift his heavy body off of her bed. Of course, this was not accomplished without a lot of work! 'Wow! He is heavy!'
Just then, a sudden movement caused Yukari to stop dead in her tracks as Takashi groaned again and suddenly threw his arms around her stomach, forcing her whole body to crash back down onto the bed.
'Oh dear…'
Was she in trouble now! Takashi had the strongest grip in their entire class! Now his legendary iron grip was wrapped tight around her stomach! Yukari immediately blushed a thousand shades of red- her innocent expression was almost enough to laugh at.
Luckily, Takashi was a light sleeper, and at that moment his eyes began to flutter open. But he wanted to go back to sleep so badly… besides this pillow was so warm… and cozy… and smells like Yukari…… wait. Smells like Yukari? Since when do pillows start to smell like his beloved crush? His eyes immediately shot open…
The faint sound of rain bounced off the hospital windows…
"Kaiba! Shizuka!"
The auburn-haired girl raised her head to Anzu's voice to see Anzu and Mai speeding down the hallway. She and Kaiba stood amid a huge crowd of nurses, all gazing up at the television blaring at high volume. The news reporter was referring to a map behind her of Japan, seeming overwhelmed at the information never ceasing to arrive.
"Anzu! Mai!" She sprinted towards them, eyes wide and teary. "Japan… the hurricane arrived."
"Oh no…" Anzu's hands flew to her mouth as tears struck out on her face. Shizuka's expression faltered and felt her own tears roll down her reddened cheeks. A clash of thunder was heard from outside. Mai made her way to the crowd of people growing by the minute, and stared gravely up to the eerily glowing television.
Kaiba was sitting quietly, head bowed and eyes closed in contemplation. Yuugi was still not seen. Kaiba had sent his men out to look for them, but he was no where to be found. He had not yet broken the news to the others; Anzu was in bad enough shape already. Yukari, Takashi, Jounouchi and Susan were the only other ones in the hospital aside from them. Sarah was no where to be found, alone with those boys, what's their names? Oh right, Min Sung and Aaron. After they said something about a request from the government to see them, both of them disappeared without a trace. Duke and the others were also missing. How could a vacation in Egypt turn to this?
"Anzu!"
A shout jolted him back to reality. A blur of white shot past him and he jerked his head to the source. The bold brunette was running down the hall, towards… the front entrance!
Immediately, Kaiba stood while Shizuka and Mai were way ahead of him. The trio followed in Anzu's wake, shouting her name ceaselessly but she never hailed their request.
She rushed through the halls blindly, her bare feet feeling as if she ran on pointed daggers. White walls flickered past, countless doors passed. Every muscle in her body screamed in pain, but she did not stop.
She did not care anymore.
As she rounded the last corner to the front entrance of the hospital, a figure by the door stopped her in her tracks. Her eyes bulged at the sight of a tall and soaking male coughing harshly into his hands.
"Min Sung!"
When Shizuka, Kaiba and Mai finally caught up to her, they had to drag her off of his exhausted form.
"Where's Sarah! What did you do with Sarah! Give her back! You creep! I never trusted you!"
Her furious grip combined with her disoriented mind drove Min Sun into the brink of fatigue and he nearly fainted. "Anzu! Get a grip! Let go of him!" It took all of their strength to pull her off of him and when Anzu finally let go, he almost collapsed onto the floor.
Both drawing in as much breathe as they could, Anzu glared through her sapphire eyes at Min Sung's bowed head. "Tell me…" she growled as her voice shook. Shizuka and Mai stared at their friend, not believing what was going on. Kaiba moved to help Min Sung up. "Where's Sarah? I know you saw her! Where is she?"
He could not speak. The room was silent except for Anzu's heavy pants. Mai looked at her best friend with sorrowful eyes. Within the past few hours, Anzu had lost everything she has ever known. Her parents were on a trip in Europe, but she had not heard from them. Christine and Dorothy's fate was uncertain. Yuugi was no where to be found and now Sarah was missing too. She didn't know what was going on in Anzu's head, but all she could do was watch helplessly and restrain her to the best of her ability.
After a few pained moments, Anzu screamed: "WHERE IS SHE!"
"Anzu-sama…" Shizuka whispered, fresh tears streaming out of her soft honey-brown eyes. Her heart ached to see her friend in this state. 'Poor Anzu…' Her eyes drifted to the one who had guided her for all these years, but was now an empty shell of a person. Then to the pitiful male held up by Kaiba. No matter what he went through, she knew that he did not want to talk about it or experience it again.
"ANZU!"
Anzu bolted for the door and immediately felt a ton of ice-cold rain pour down in heavy sheets from the swollen sky. Her muscles tensed but she ignored the pain and started again, while a sharp, stinging pain ran up her left ankle. 'Sarah… please be all right'
Down the streets of the city she ran.
Up the alley.
Down the avenue.
Across the park.
Flipping her head, left and right, forward and back.
All seemed lost as the rain just kept falling heavier and heavier.
Rain descended hastily, as if time was speeding up itself…
Anzu…
A voice. Who's calling?
Anzu…
Is she going crazy? Why does the voice call her name?
Anzu…
She let out a shout. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Anzu…
She sprinted fearfully, stepping over the places she had gone through before. That voice would not cease, it kept calling her name…
Anzu…
LISTEN…
"STOP!"
Tears burned like acid on her swollen eyes as her pale feet gathered more painful stones beneath her sensitive skin. That voice… it sounded so familiar…
Your past draws near…
You can't escape it…
Grasp it…
Open it…
And see your destiny…
"Please…" She lost her courage and stopped running. Her knees gave way and she sank to the cold concrete. A numb hand rose to her mouth and she sobbed into it, eyes secreting hot tears…
'Why do I feel your presence with me? Why do you still torture me so? I had willed myself to forget you, to forget my sorrow and pain… For so long, I longed to see you one last time, to tell you what I have locked in my heart the minute I heard your voice. My destiny, this voice tells me. What is my destiny? Am I destined to remember you forever? You had stolen my heart and then broken it so many times… I want my destiny to be you… Please come save me again like you always have…'
'I feel… so alone."
'Is it you... are you calling?"
Cold metal brushed against her hand. Forcing her eyes open, she looked down to see what it was. Her voice caught at her throat, her eyes widened, her hands shook and her stomach suddenly rose to her chest.
Clutched in her hand was a golden pendant, not bigger than her palm. Carved on its surface was four scraped hieroglyphics: An eagle… a loaf… a reed leaf… and an owl…
Atem…
Light burst from the pendant, so bright that Anzu shielded her eyes and squinted in pain. The rain all around her faded and she felt her own body fading away.
There was a ringing in her ears that grew louder… louder… LOUDER… until finally…
The light engulfed her.
And all was still
It was raining…
Before Takashi or Yukari had time to react, a light burst from someplace unfathomable and swallowed them whole.
It was raining…
Shizuka, Mai and Kaiba were silent, staring out into the outside where Anzu had run. A groan from behind them attracted their attention and they turned to Min Sung. All were greeted with a bright light that surrounded them all.
It was raining…
Aaron wandered the streets aimlessly, calling out for Min Sung. He squinted when he saw a figure lying on the street opposite his, as if she were dead. Jogging over, when he saw it was Sarah, immediately, he tried to shake her awake. However, what stopped him was a light that came out of nowhere and burst all around them.
It was raining…
Susan thought it was strange how quiet it was in Yukari's hospital room and decided to go check on Takashi before he did something drastic. She was stopped by a light so bright that it blinded her and she covered her sensitive eyes with her arm.
It was raining…
Aileen looked up at the sky as raindrops started to fall. Hannah yelled at her from behind to go home and her opponent said to her that they would duel another time. But somehow, she could not budge. Before anyone could figure out what was going on, a light flashed brilliantly.
It was raining…
Jounouchi lay as still as death as his room was engulfed in shimmering light.
It was raining…
Somewhere, Yuugi lay unconscious as the millennium puzzle around his neck started to glow…
It was raining…
"What's wrong Professor Hawkins?" Sogoruko questioned his colleague. The one being addressed slowly put down the phone. The operator could be heard from the other end. "They are not picking up. Anzu, Yuugi, Kaiba, no one."
"Do you think something is wrong?"
"I don't know." A shiver ran up his back as he turned his head to the window. Professor Sogoruko looked to where he was staring to as well. The rain was hitting the glass noisily as fierce thunder clashed in the far distance.
"I have a very bad feeling about this."
It was raining…
All was still.
000
Ragnarok Solstice Part I: The Admonitions
Fin
And so there you have it! The end of PART I of Ragnarok Solstice! Wow, that took a while, huh? Anyways, hope you enjoyed PART I and the next chapter, Chapter 11 will be featured in ancient Egypt. Yup! They were sent back to the ancient times to witness what happened to them! OH! This is going to be so much fun! There's going to be a LOT of romance! . And by the way, after PART II, they will be back in the future. Don't worry, there's still going to be a LOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG way to go before this story is over! Also, I 'tweaked' Takahashi's version of the past a bit. You guys will see what I mean if you review! Till the next chapter!