Chap 10
Parting
mystic mizu
"What does she mean incomplete? The hermit told me that all I need is the blade." Having an argument with a familiar voice inside his head is quite uncomfortable. It's as if he's going mad. Now he knows what Hitomi is going through.
'She's trying to confuse you.'
'Confuse me?'
'Think Van Fanel, what is still missing?'
There was a long silence-
'My- will- to complete this mission-' he sighed.
'The people of Gaea are waiting for your decision my chosen one' then the voice suddenly disappeared. He opened his eyes and realized that he's still in bed with Hitomi. He can see the mark of Luna at her back.
'It must be very hard for you isn't it?' he stroke her back. He kisses her shoulder.
"Still up?" she whispered as she turns to face him.
"Can't sleep." He replied. He pushed himself up then went on top of her. He strokes her hair with his hand, while she caresses his neck and shoulder. Though they have a lot of sweet moments before, the way she looks at him, and the way she slides her soft hands on his skin, never fail to take his breath away. He was unaware that his tongue is already in her mouth. Guess it's an automatic response whenever her hands slid on his nape. He had never kissed her like this before, he doesn't know what the reason is, but there's this great feeling of fear, fear of parting. The moment is getting hotter and hotter- and then...
"VAN YOU HAVE TO- oops! Forgot to knock…" Dryden barged in. Van looked back but did not move from where he is.
"Now you remember knocking?!" Van exclaimed as Dryden closes the door.
"Well if you two are done with our business, you to should come out. Alan wants to see both of you." They can hear Dryden's footsteps walking away.
"Honestly, this is the second time he interrupted us." Van whined as he puts on his clothes. Hitomi chuckled. Van stared at her with admiration.
"What?" she began to button her blouse.
"It's been a long time since I hear you laugh." She got up and holds him close.
"I love you" she whispered. She had never said these words to him before. But to his surprise, instead of feeling blissful about it, he felt as though she's saying goodbye to him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.
"No matter what, I'll always be here for you-" he stopped her words, he laid the tip of his finger on her lips.
"Don't talk like that" he looked at her sincerely. His voice of melancholy rang in her ears.
'If only I could finish this without you-' she laced her fingers with his.
'-you won't have to get through this.' She laid a gentle kiss on his lips.
'I'll always watch over you Van.'
Outside of their room, everyone is staring outside through the window. Their faces are full of bewilderment and awe.
"What's going on?" Hitomi asked.
"Hey, you're awake" Alan approaches her and checked her wound.
"There's a… uhm… odd change in the weather." He added looking at Van.
Van looked through the window. His jaw dropped, suddenly, the forest is covered with blankets of snow. It was dark and dull outside.
"She's getting stronger." Riyu said.
Then the ground began to shake, Van went beside Hitomi. He drew his sword, everyone's is constant vigilance, the tremor stopped.
"What's happening?" Celena whispered to her brother. She drew her sword, her hands are trembling. Alan held her hand.
"You don't have to fight, let me handle this." He smiled at her, she nodded.
"You have to look at this." Gaddess, who's kneeling beside the windowpane, carefully took a glance outside.
"What's going on?" Alan whispered to him.
"The field, where the portal of the mystic valley is, crystal-like towers rose from it." a drop of sweat slid down from his forehead.
"Boss, I think we should get out of here." He added.
"No" Hitomi hissed. She's down on her knees, her hands grip her head. Her face is grimaced, and her whole body is trembling.
"They're here," she moaned.
"We won't be able to avoid them if we that that way." Van knelt before her.
"So what are you suggesting?" he looked at her. She kept her eyes closed, she didn't move, nor speak for a while. She slowly lifts her hand and pointed at the fire place.
"There's a trapdoor, beneath the ashes. There's a secret passage way leading through the forest." She took off her necklace and gave it to Van. He looked at her, confused, but the others started to go down through the trapdoor.
"Van! C'mon!" Alan shouted. She helps her to stand, and they followed the others.
It was a dark and small tunnel. But thanks Rui's spheres of fire, and Kumi's power to control the earth somehow, the journey through the burrow was a little comfortable, they can here stomping foots and loud banging, it's coming from the surface.
"Man, those orcs really have to loose some weight!" Rui whined, everyone gave a chuckle. Somehow, everyone felt a little relief from all the stress of running and hiding because of a little laugh. Everyone's face has a small smile on their faces. Both Hitomi and Van noticed it, they smiled at each other, Van unconsciously held her hand.
"It will be okay." He whispered. She smiled and nodded.
"Van" she whispered. He looked at her.
"Do you think- do you think that- we can defeat her." He sighed.
"C'mon Hitomi, don't spoil this moment for us. Even though this is a weird time and place to feel safe, still, somehow, I feel that in this place, you and I are ourselves, no interruption from the stupid god spirits within us." Hitomi chuckled.
"Yeah, I'm sorry." Her grip on his hand tightens.
'He's right it will be okay, with him beside me, it will be.' She kept this thought running in her mind throughout the journey in this hidden passageway.
They lost track on how long they've been in this tunnel. All of them are starting to think that this burrow has no end.
"Are you sure we took the right hole at the intersection? I told you we should've taken the left" Dryden whined.
"I know where we're going, unlike you I have a sense of direction." MAye raised her eyebrows.
"How do you know? Have you been in this place before?" he replied.
"Oh I forgot that your kind doesn't have any special abilities like us." She replied sarcastically.
"Well unlike you" she continued "I am aware of the direction of the wind, when we were at the intersection, there's no wind coming from the left hole, which means it leads to a dead end. And I think we are near the end now."
"So what did the wind say now?" he replied mockingly.
"There's a change in the temperature." Shinta answered his question.
They all stopped when they see the end of the hole is blocked with rocks.
"Oh great, the rock has spoken! There's no way out of here!" Dryden teased Maye. Maye smiled.
"An exit can come in different ways, one is an end to a tunnel," she levitated a few inches from the ground and pushed the ceiling, the ceiling moved, morning light brightens the dark tunnel.
"and some times you have to look for hidden exits." She smirked at Dryden.
"Yeah… that, that could work" he hissed.
From where they are, they can see the top of the crystal-like fortress of Luna's orcs. It seems as though they're preparing for her return, and as if they're sure that she will definitely win this war. The snow was deep, their feet feel numb.
"We can't go on like this." Alan exclaimed.
"The snow is too deep, the storm just got worse, we need to find a place to rest" he continued.
"There's a cave nearby" Kumi announced.
"What you felt the ground through this snow?"
"well if you keep your eyes open you'll see that the cave is right over there" she pointed east from where they are. True, shadow of the cave can be seen through the thick mist formed by the storm. They hurriedly ran into the cave. All of them brushed of the snows that fell on them, when everyone was settled, a silhouette of a man with hood appeared from the darkness.
"We're tired of running after you priestess" his cold deep voice echoed through hallow cave.
Rui punched the air, but no fire came out of his fist. The orc smirked.
"Look at what your standing on" they looked at the ground, they're standing on a circle with characters written on the outline of the circle, and in the circle is consist of lines that has the same patters as braches of the tree.
"Circle of failure" Rui whispered. Orcs appeared behind them, seizing them by arms. Van struggled, and so did the others.
"Don't even try to fight, Chosen one, you are powerless within the circle, a circle that Luna invented herself." He eyed Hitomi.
'I'm not her!" she exclaimed as the orcs clutching her grabs her to the leader.
"Oh but soon you will my dear girl." He holds her face, then the tattoo on her wrist took his attention.
"Trying to stop the goddess I see, that tattoo just don't suit your smooth skin my dear."
"Same goes with her mark" she glared at her. He grabbed her wrist, his hand illuminated, the tattoo on both of her wrist and ankle illuminated like hot metals, she screamed with agony. It feels like a hot metal is pressed on her skin. When the tattoo was gone, thin smoke emerged from her wrists and ankles. She fell on her knees, the two orcs didn't let go of her arms.
"Much better, my lord?" she's panting. Van kept on calling her name.
"I'll make a deal with you, girl. We'll let go of your friend, if you with us." She looked astern to Van.
"No…" he whispered. She closed her eyes.
"Keep you word…" she stood up. The orcs released her. She slowly turns around and walked. Van eyed her as she passes by, she didn't looked at him, then she whispered…
"I'm sorry"
Van struggled the hold of the orcs, but it was no use. He watches her as she walks away from them, as she disappears in the thick fog the storm.